`Dis and Pal remark most favourably on your progress.
`Well, they’re the only ones. You know. I’d’ve sworn Mrdinis were pessimists.’ `Only those raised on Clarf Can I leave now?’ `Yes, but if your `Dinis can, keep in touch with our wily Captain Kinil.’ `You just bet they will.’ By dint of careful compliments and skilful innuendo not easy in the straightforward `Dini language – Rhodri managed to infer that KimI would be the first Mrdini captain ever to set foot on a Hive colony planet. That fact alone helped soothe Kinil’s wounded pride and damaged honour.
`Smart thinking, Rhodri,’ Flavia as well as Vestapia Soligen told him when he reported on that successful interview. `I hope Major Keiser-Tau will not feel his prerogative has been usurped.’ The captain smiled. `Keiser-Tau will keep his thoughts to himself – fortunately.
He is not looking forward to keeping tabs on scientists.’ `Oh, I’m supposed to be down testing those locator buttons with Asia and Lieutenant Ismail,’ Flavia said. `If you’ll excuse me – -` and she departed without waiting for penflisslon.
`Talking `Dini makes my throat very dry, the captain said, rising from her desk and going to the dispenser.
`Mine, too,’ Rhodri said, in the circumstances not above confirming the reason behind her hospitality.
Zara reported hearing the major swear by several god figures she didn’t know existed in Alliance space but he desisted the moment he was aware of her presence in the repairs shop.
`He’s been briefing his men with every single tape available in the Columbia’s library on what they might expect, landing on a Hiver planet,’ she went on.
Rhodri grinned. `That was predictable,’ was all he said.
`Captain said he doesn’t like escorting scientists about. They tend to get themselves lost or in dangerous situations which “sensible” people would avoid.’ `We’ll have locator buttons,’ Asia said with quiet pride.
`Sadler … I mean, Lieutenant Ismail … has set up a very efficient assembly line of off-duty personnel.’ `Like you?’ Rhodri grinned affectionately. `No wonder we never see much of you, sis,’ he added kindly, rufiling her hair.
`I do wish you’d stop that, Roddie,’ she said with far more exasperation than she had ever displayed.
`Sure, sure!’ Rhodri snatched his hand away as if it burned.
`Don’t get your knickers in a twist!’ `Mine aren’t!’ she retorted with such a sly look that Rhodri unaccountably flushed, causing Zara to demand whom he fancied.
`None of your damned business,1 he said and, going into his room, slammed the automatic door forcefully across the opening.
No speculations at this time, Flavia told Zara firmly.
`When will we get these locator buttons, Asia?’ `They’re being distributed now to everyone who’s to be landed,’ Asia said, having retreated to her customary unassuming behaviour.
`Well, it’ll be a relief to get on with what we were sent here for.’ Flavia said and no-one in the lounge disagreed.
The actual landing was something of an anti-climax, although the state of the planet caused immediate uproar in the scientific corps.
Sensor readings had indicated that the ozone layer was undamaged, which had been a major concern to the ecologists and added to the puzzle of its barrenness. Rivers and lakes, as well as several large seas, seemed to be in good order, lifeforms visible if unidentifiable.
There was still top soil but, unless plants could be coaxed to grow, it would sift away in the winds. On the higher ground, erosion was already obvious.
Avidly watched on remote relays, the `Dinis landed in smart array and `secured’ the main Hive installation.
Its huge expanse, covering over three acres, was found to be empty of everything save wind-blown debris. KimI had its crew mapping the site and measuring both interior and exterior, plotting the different levels and sections and sending the results up to the waiting teams.
When the tunnels were discovered, KimI itself led the exploratory team. Flavia was asked to `port down more supplies and was very glad that she would not be included in this Operation Illuminati6n. All but one tunnel dead-ended and the completed one was connected with the smaller building ten kilometres from the original, and probably headquarters, building.
Between the two there were signs of attempts to cultivate the land: even plastic-lined reservoirs for water and several hundred metres of irrigation channel.