They complained because she prayed both loud and long, trying to bring them to see the `light’ and save their `souls’. Only bouts of laryngitis silenced her. And those, according to the officer in charge of the facility, never lasted long enough.
All the Fleet elements were now making their majestic way out of the system so blithely unaware of its escape from annihilation. One day a developing sentient species might wonder about the ring of debris about the outer moon.
In their ready room, Thian, Rojer and Clancy were toting up the potential power they could access to `port the Fleet to Squadron D’s present location.
`Well, it’s not that far,’ Rojer was saying in an attempt to encourage himself. Gil and Kat were lounging on the couch beside him, playing one of the finger games with a piece of coloured string that often absorbed them.
`With ninety T-2s and 3s to spread out, plus the sixty 4s – and don’t forget they’re mainly kinetics, too strategically placed `There’s none on any of the `Dini ships,’ Clancy reminded them.
`So we haul them over last `That wouldn’t sit well,’ Rojer said.
`Look, Thian, you and Clancy haul the Washington. Give me ten 2s and twenty 3s and I’ll `port Spktm. It’s the mass of the Washington that’s going to be the worst to `port. Even Constellations are easy after that.
`Or, I stay here in the Washington and send to you.’ `Who’s the T-2 on Squadron D?’ Clancy asked.
Thian and Rojer gave him a weary look. `Stierlman!’ `Oh!’ Rojer lifted one shoulder in a shrug. `He hasn’t lost anything sent him . .
. yet.
`Well, we sure don’t want to aim the Washington at him all of a sudden,’ Thian said.
Semirame KIoo and AlisonAnne arrived, off duty now, and Thian absently `ported in more drinks and finger foods for them.
`It’s getting the experienced Talents in the right places to buffer the new ones who’ll never have had a chance to merge.
`Then why don’t you do a drill merge first?’ KIoo said with a wicked grin at Thian in memory of a certain mock drill she’d pulled.
`Who? How? What?’ Thian asked although he mindtouched his approval of her suggestion.
She tapped out a sequence on the terminal and a spatial view of the disposition of the Fleet came on screen. She sniffed and tapped at the destroyers in flank positions. `Change `em over. Switch the Athene with the Comanche. Just as an exercise.’ Then she chuckled mischievously. `See how long it takes the crews to figure out what happened. Could be a bit of fun.’ `I think,’ Thian said, standing up, `I’d better check such a fleet manoeuvre with Captain Ashiant.’ He was grinning with sheer devilment as he asked Ashiant for an immediate interview`More trouble, Thian?’ Ashiant demanded, striding into the Talents’ ready room almost as soon as he had broken off the call.
`No, sir, not trouble, just sorting out how to make the jump to join Squadron D with most efficient use of the Talents we’ve got. I’d like to have a trial merge and, say, switch the Athene with the Comanche.’ `And see how long it takes them to realize they’ve been moved,’ Rojer couldn’t resist adding.
Ashiant looked from brother to brother, his broad face expressionless, hands behind his back.
`Might prove salutary at that. Proceed.’ Thian waited a moment.
`Oh, I’d like to remain here, Ashiant added and then grinned, the cloth of his shipsuit beginning to wrinkle with his slow chuckle.
Immediately the two Primes swung onto their couches. `We’ll try it, merging with just the Talents on each of the destroyers,’ Thian explained. `Me with Athene and Rojer with the Comanche.’ `No prior warning?’ Ashiant asked.
`Just the code word. Ready when you are, Rojer.
Three, two, one, SAKI, the brothers broadcast and instantly felt the response of Talents: scrambling a little to obey the unexpected and unusual summons.
Switch!
Captain Ashiant, Commander KIoo, Lieutenant SG Greevy, and T-2
Clancy Sparrow stared at the display on the screen.
`Caught it!’ Ashiant cried in triumph, clapping his hands together. `No more than a ripple. Now, let’s see how `Captain Ashiant, there’s been a fluctuation of some kind around the Athene and ` Vandermeer’s voice broke off. `Sir, would you come to the bridge, please?’ `On my way, First.’ He turned back to the Talents just as the bridge door swooshed open, twisted his thumb upwards in an approving gesture and unexpectedly winked.