Surprising everyone, Trp and FIk bowed very low to Rojer, their poll eyes almost touching the ground. Then each held out one upper limb to him which he obediently grasped. Silently, as they began to lead him towards the path to the house, all the other `Dinis, even ůPetra’s, fell into step behind.
ůI’m still all right, Mother, Rojer said so she turned to speak with Flavia and Kincaid, and introduce them to Xexo and Keylarion.
`Shall we all move up to the house then?’ Damia said.
`Don’t hang on your brother, Ewain. Yes, Petra, Zara can certainly see how much you’ve grown. C’mon now, all of you, we’ll adjourn to the house.
`Noisy lot. No manners whatever,’ Afra said, staring hard at Kaltia and Morag who were determined to monopolize their oldest sister.
Then he turned to Kincaid. `Earth Prime told me that there were some ůunusual aspects to your recent tour of duty with Squadron C.’ `Even if you had help from other Talents, it was asking a great deal too much,’ Damia said, having deafly assessed the young man’s fatigue.
`The navy treats Talents far too offhandedly. We are not stevedores,’ she ůadded with some heat.
Mother! Laria said on a very thin line. Let Father handle him.
As T-2 to T-2. what Kincaid doesn’t need is another brain-browsing TůOh? Were you a little clumsy, dear? asked her father.
`No,’ Laria continued aloud, `but we’re suckers when someone asks us if Talents can do this or that, in just that tone of voice that forces us to prove we can.
Frankly, the labels “performing bear” or “packmule” are becoming more appropriate than “stevedore”.’ `Laria!’ Damia exclaimed, halilaughing, half astounded by the comment. Then she frowned, glancing ahead at Rojer, being ů `herded’, the term came to her mind, towards the house. And … She had a compelling urge to run forward, to be with Rojer. Then Zara caught her by the arm.
I feel it, too, Mother, Zara said. But it is not for us to be present what are you two talking about? Afra asked.
I’m not at all sure, Damia replied, trying to rationalize the `Dinis’ odd actions with the growing sense that some extraordinary event was about to happen. This morning when I told Fok that everyone was coming, it asked if I meant Rojer also. Then it muttered about suitable reparation and an apology for the length of time it had taken.
Laria strode up beside her mother and Zara, her face twisted with concern, one hand absently rubbing her diaphragm as if to relieve a tension there. `Mother, I’ve the oddest sensation `I, too,’ Flavia said, equally puzzled.
`Well, Fok and Tip have been cooking up something, Mom,’ Morag said. `They’ve been acting funny and I can’t get why out of Fip and Kim. But all the `Dinis’re almighty pleased with themselves, whatever it is they’re doing.’ Every one of the Talented family by now was touched, and wondering, about the strange imminence.
From the puzzled, almost wary expressions of Flavia and Kincaid, the atmosphere was affecting them.
`There are moments when I wish I had a touch of prescience,’ Damia said, lengthening her strides just short of a run.
`And what the hell do you think this is, then?’ Thian asked, grinning at his mother.
She shot him a reproving look. `It’s too nebulous to be useful!’ They were in sight of the front terrace of the house, Rojer already halfiway up the steps, surrounded by various sizes of `Dinis. Then he halted.
A blast of totally unshielded astonished emotion stopped everyone midstep, but this was followed by such joy that everyone also broke into vicarious smiles, until Damia, Laria, Zara and Morag began to cry.
The four of them ran forward so that they could see what prompted such a cascade of feelings, followed by the remainder of the family and its guests.
The `Dinis had ranged themselves on the top step, their colours bright with their own joy. On the porch Rojer was on his knees, his arms about two `Dinis, clasping first one, then the other tightly to him, caressing each before snagging them together against him.
It’s Gil and Kat come back to me! Mother! Dad! Everyone.