Least that’s what the science officer says such a cloud of dust could mean.
Could the fire have been set by the Hivers? Thian asked.
Doubt it! Their scouts are just about inside the orbit of the fifth planet, your typical ringed giant.
`Your brother’s reporting in?’ Ashiant asked from the seat he had taken behind Thian’s couch.
Thian gestured for the captain to come around. He hated reporting to thin air and repeated verbatim what Rojer had said.
`Too much potential to leave to the Hivers for any reason,’ Ashiant said, which was Thian’s opinion as well. The captain opened communications with the bridge. `Primary’s spectrum matches to within .0356 of Sol?’ Thian pondered that as well as Ashiant. `Hivers never came near Earth, sir. They did try to colonize Sel, though, and Sefs primary is very much like Sol.’ `Enough to make it the sun system they’re searching for as a new homeworld?’ Ashiant shook his head.
`I’d hazard the guess that they might just need to replenish supplies.
They haven’t stopped anywhere He bent over the comunit. `Ailsah, based on the examination of the supplies stored on Refugee and the estimated size of those Hiver crews that the `Dinis extrapolated, tell me if they’d be running close to empty?’ `You suspect this might be only a supply run?’ `It’s a possibility but I’ll need the figures first.’ Ashiant grinned, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
`How long before the main Fleet can intercept the sphere?’ `Seven hours, sir, but she appears to be slowing down.
That would be consonant with a resupply action. We know Hiver scout ships have plenty of range but they may also want to conserve fuel – if they’re still in search mode. The KSTS just confirmed that speed reduction and has asked for battle dispositions of the destroyers.
Thian could hear just the minute pulse of excitement in the First Officer’s calm voice.
`First, order all ships to be alert for any sign that the Hiver has detected our approach. I’ve never quite believed the `Dini report on Hiver sensor range. Anyway, Prime, ask your brother to pass my order on to Captain Vergoin to release low-level probes. We might as well establish if it’s just animals or potential sentients we’re about to save from Hive attentions.’ The bridge rang through again. `The KLTL, the Vadim, the Solidarity and the Genessee are asking for you.
`I’ll be with them momentarily, First.’ When the channel was closed, Ashiant inhaled a deep breath. `I almost look forward to discovering if those new missiles will be effective against a Hiver.’ He gave Thian a wry grin. `Do I let the `Dinis do the honours, Thian?’ Sensing in that rare moment of Ashiant’s candour more than the simple question, Thian smiled reassuringly.
`I don’t think “let” is operational, sir, but it’ll be a triumph for us all. We’ll have reduced by one more ship their chance of finding that new homeworld they’re desperate to have: that new base from which they can multiply the problems we ve already got in containing them. Then there’s only the one ship Squadron D’s following and then we really will have reduced Hiver threat to manageable proportions.
Ashiant gave a short bark of a laugh. `Manageable, Prime?’ He laughed sardonically again. `When we’re discovering that one in five of the M-5 planets on our way out here has a Hiver colony on it?’ Ashiant threw out his hands in exasperation.
`Even that’s a good deal more than we knew before `Dinis ran across those three Hivers.’ `Damn!’ And Ashiant rammed one fist into the other palm. `I’d feel it more of an accomplishment if this system was the one the Hivers have been so desperately searching for.’ `Put it this way, sir, it’s one more they won’t occupy, even briefly!’ `Goodoint, Prime. I could almost feel sorry for our prey.
`I won’t tell anyone I heard you say that, Captain,’ Thian said with a grin as he prepared to `path the new orders to his brother as well as a warning of the Hiver’s slowing.
The Hiver scouts never got closer to the lush planet than its outer moon. Nor were they quite so unaware of an opposing force as their directness suggested. As the Washington’s scouts moved out of a planetary orbit to intercept them, the Hivers split in a well-calculated distraction even as they initiated a terrific barrage at the scouts before the larger destroyers could move into firing range to shield them.