One … and Rojer had jumped to the terminal to activate the forward-view screen.
`Two,’ Thian said, racing on long legs to the bridge door. When he got there, Ashiant was saying `Three’ The bridge crew, eyes on the main view screen, chorused `Four!’ Rojer, Clancy, four `Dinis and AlisonAnne crowded at the entrance as everyone said `Five!’ The screen showed the vivid blossoming of the distant explosion, tiny though it was at this distance.
The screen cleared more rapidly than perhaps the watchers could wish at this moment of ultimate triumph, but the after-image of that dramatic climax to a long search would be remembered often in the mind’s eye. No-one felt like cheering, but there were sighs of relief to be heard around the bridge and thoughtful expressions on every face.
`Mr Wasiq, check with the KSTS to see if the scouts got away,’ Ashiant said, breaking the silence. Other muted sounds on the bridge indicated the resumption of normal duties.
`Sir, Captain Spktm and the other ships have engaged two of the scouts, the third was caught in the blast destroying Number Three. The captain believes that the scouts received some damage `With no Minds to guide them, of course they have, Thian murmured.
and the Vadim and the KLTS have launched a barrage. Sir, Captain Spktm reports the demolition of both remaining scouts.
`Operation Number Three completed, Ashiant said quietly.
As Thian lay on the couch, readying himself to report Captain Ashiant’s words to Earth Prime, he felt none of the sense of triumph he had anticipated. Relief was the dominant emotion, relief from tension, strain, apprehension, uncertainty. This phase of the centurieslong struggle against Hiver aggrandizement no longer threatened the Alliance. But there were all those other Hive planets, and who knew how many spheres waiting until their populations had swelled to the point where yet another planet would have to be `prepared’ to receive the Hive species. That could be his job for the rest of his life: finding all those myriad colonies.
Not necessarily, Thian, came his grandfather’s voice softly in his mind. Though I’m sure you could pick whatever Prime opportunity you choose.
You know Number Three’s gone?
I read that. I also perceived your state of mind and on that you have my most sincere compliments. You are a credit to our calling and to your family. A war where only the enemy dies!
Thian was startled to hear his own phrase repeated, though the thought would have occurred to more than one person who disliked unnecessary violence.
We have won this part of the war, Thian lad, but only this part.
if it gives your mind any ease, a great many people, wise and simple, are trying to find out how to control the population pressure on Hive worlds, in that way reducing the species’ need to colonize, eliminating their aggressiveness.
Either is preforable to their solution for hfr on other planets, Thian said.
War-weary, are you?
Weary, yes, sir.
How about finding new worlds humans and `Dinis can live on, either together or by the species?
There are a couple of hot-sun worlds the `dinis can have all to themselves, sir. I gather that we are to explore all possible colonial systems on our way back?
Yes, those are the official orders to relay to Captain Ashiant, plus his promotion to Admiral of the Fleet.
Thian grinned, feeling pleasure at such a task pushing back the various types of relief that had dominated his present mood.
meanwhile, the sociologists and bios and xenobs and all the rest of that strata of reparational specialists will be using the data the Fleet has amassed to see if we can’t come up with a solution to containing, but not necessarily restricting, Hivers to their current colonies.
Zara would like that part especially.
There was a beat of a pause. Yes, I suspect with her ambivalence, she would and she may join them in that research, especially if she’s a burden on Captain Sohgen and Flavia.
You might, sir, transfer Rojer to the Columbia !if’ you reassign Zara to a research situation.
The little Asia enters into that suggestion?
She does.
Well, the degree of ousinship is not a detriment, and Thian thought his grandfather sounded mildly pleased and surprised. Hmmm.