But Zara’s assurances were no more welcome than her original suggestion.
Leave it, Zara, Flavia said. `In any case, locators should be available for use on any planetary excursions.
`Indeed they will, considering the number of experts and guards needed to do any significant exploration,’ Captain Soligen said briskly, `the distances to be covered and the fact that your Talents,’ and she smiled to show she was making a play on the word, `cannot be spread too thin.’ There was a brief silence, while Zara coped with the embarrassment of her gaffe, which Asia broke.
`I’m a qualified engineer,’ she said in such a timorous voice that Dr Blairik regarded her with surprise, `and, if it wouldn’t upset anything, I might be able to help with the fabrication.’ `Your help would be very welcome, Prime .
`I’m not Prime, only a 4,’ Asia corrected Wayla Gegarian in her apologetic way.
`Four, three, five or six, the chief will welcome a qualified engineer,’ Gegarian replied heartily.
`So I’ll leave you in Mr Gegarian’s capable hands then,’ the captain said and departed in a brisk fashion.
`Sakers, Perley,’ Wayla said, gesturing towards the luggage which was quickly gathered up even as Wayla led the party from the hangar bay.
`We’ll see you again at dinner,’ Blairik said.
`We’re all rather pleased,’ Wayla said as they made their way to a lift, `with the way the Columbia’s been refitted. Done up in jig time, I’ll tell you. Mmost didn’t recognize the old tub,’ she went on with the affectionate insults of a fond and long-term association.
`We heard there was trouble . . ` Flavia began tentatively.
It wouldn’t have taken much Talent to `hear’ the fiary and indignation that came out as a blast from the science officer. The emotions were quickly controlled before Wayla Gegarian answered calmly enough.
`Whole thing was stupid and badly handled – by the shore police, too. Good thing we have marines. We’d only minor injuries and the families who had come to see us off got the worst of it. Despicable, useless sort of violence. Didn’t change our leaving, though I devoutly hope they’ll be gladder to see us return! Here we are.
Just down this corridor.’ The odours of fresh paint and the dyes of new carpeting were unmistakable.
`Is blue the captain’s favorite colour?’ Zara asked, her ebullience returned.
`Actually, green, Wayla said with a grin, `but blue’s traditional for officer territory. Here we are,’ and she had all of them register their handprints on the door pad.
`We haven’t taken someone else’s place, have we?’ asked Asia uneasily.
`Not at all,’ Wayla said so promptly that Asia’s uncertainty was set to rest. `Like I said, the ship was refitted, with this expedition in mind, so shielded quarters were arranged. Maybe not as roomy as those on the Washington but not shabby, and definitely suitable for Talents.’ Remembering her brief tour on the Genessee, Flavia was quite certain of that: a generous lounge with workstations that could be recessed into the walls or the tables, and six private sleeping rooms.
One end of the room was panelled off into screens: a central large one with three smaller on either side. A semi-circle of six reclinable chairs faced this.
`I think everything in here is self-explanatory but you do have a meal dispenser behind this panel,’ Wayla said, indicating the opaque dark brown panel. `Just settle in and use the door call panel if you need any assistance.’ She glanced at Rhodri who grinned back.
`What they don’t know, I’ll teach `em,’ he said and her smile lingered on him as she took one final backward look as the door panel closed behind her.
`Made a conquest already, have you, Rhodri?’ Rhodri shrugged and winked atJes and Mallen. `Hell, we’ve just got aboard, coz. And there’re two other human ships we haven’t even cased. If no-one minds, I’ll take this one,’ he said and, grabbing his duffle from those the yeomen had stacked inside, mumbled a cheerful tune as he settled in.
Flavia realized quickly enough that her sojourn on the Genessee had been no prelude to this voyage. Not only did the Talents have message and courier services to perform, they had to sit in on long briefings and lectures with the expedition teams, satisfied’ the marine commander, Kwan Keiser-Tau, that they were physically fit and were knowledgeable about handweapons. He’d been a trifle put out when all six Talents showed arms proficiency in the Master class.