`Yes, rather,’ Lionasha said with the cheerfulness of someone thoroughly accustomed to the vagaries of the local climate. `When are you joining your expedition?’ `More or less as soon as we’ve had a chance to confirm details with Kincaid.’ Lionasha nodded. `He really enjoyed himself at Aurigae,’ the tawny woman said.
`We all had a great time,’ Zara said, ending in a sigh.
`It’ll be months, years maybe, before we’ll get back.’ `Homesick already?’ Mallen Bastianmajani asked in a teasing `elder brother’ tone.
`I’ve never been homesick in my life,’ Zara replied smartly, `but I miss the things I can do there that you don’t have anywhere else in the Alliance.’ `That’s part of homesickness,’ Mallen said, shooting a glance at his older sister to see if he was laying it on a bit thick.
He enjoyed teasing Zara Raven-Lyon: she gave back as good as she got.
Jesper’s long legs carried him to the door into the Tower first and it opened for him, a whoosh of cooler air warring out.
`Oh, my word! What a relief!’ `For now!’ Lionasha said with a meflil smile, `but we have to turn the temperature up in here if anyone’s going outside or they’d have a relapse.
`Hmmm, yes, or heat stroke – Laria, with Kincaid at her heels, came down from the Tower room and there were wide and happy grins, renewing the acquaintances established on Aurigae while Flavia introduced Mallen and Jesper.
`This way,’ Laria said, taking charge and, with a nod for Lionasha to assume the Tower watch, led her guests into the living quarters.
Refreshments awaited them there and the `Dinis served them cooling drinks and finger foods before they settled into the comfortable chairs and couches.
`I don’t know if you’re aware that this scientifically based expedition does not have full support of the Council,’ Flavia said.
`That may be luckier than you know, Laria replied.
`There is great curiosity here on Clarf, especially if some of the planets can be cleared for our colonization.’ She grinned. `Any disruptive problems?’ `Not for us,’ Zara said crisply and wrinkling her nose with disgust. `But some crew members got mauled when the list of ships in Squadron B was posted’ Asia sort of squinched herself down in the couch corner she had chosen and stopped eating her snack.
`So we began our duties,’ Flavia said with a rueful grin, `by `porting sailors out ofbrawls and safely aboard.’ `Their families had to be sent to protected enclaves, Asia added.
As that was the first information Asia had ever volunteered in her presence, Laria paid close attention and sent a strong reassurance to the girl. Though Zara was younger by several years, Asia `seemed’ the junior.
`Rather silly, isn’t it, though?’ Laria said. `As if the families had anything to do with the orders. And why the fuss over Squadron B’s goals? It’s scientific, not combative.’ `Well, there had been quite an organization formed,’ Mallen began, `to prevent the Washington from being formally launched. So there was a lot of undissipated anger and resentment which was then turned on perfectly innocent targets: the nearest being crews of the second squadron. The dissenters got bilked out of blowing up the Washington,’ Mallen said with a grimace for such folly.
`And even that was only a hologram,’ Zara added.
`Biggest one ever attempted.’ `So’s the Washington. Ship, that is,’ said Mallen who’d been impressed by the cover operation as well as the immensity of the newest Fleet addition.
`So, what can I do to help your… ah…scientific venture?’ Kincaid said with a wry smile, looking from one expedition member to the next, his glance sliding quickly away from the shy Asia. `I’d’ve thought the probe files would be sufficient.’ `They show what you saw, Kincaid,’ Flavia said slowly. `But everything we see we interpret from our own experience. As you’re telempathic, did you have further reactions that wouldn’t have been taped?’ Kincaid regarded her for a moment with a very blank expression, but then tension left his long frame and he smiled rueftilly.
`There isn’t any empathy possible between humans and the Hivers, and little between humans and `Dinis, no matter how close we are to our `Dini friends.’ His Nil and Plus were busy talking to the visiting `Dinis, their low voices an almost melodic descant to the human conversations.