When contacted, the Admiral grunted and frowned.
`And what happens if there is an emergency requiring a Prime’s abilities? Had you thought of that?’ `Indeed we have: Earth Prime has delegated a capable T-2 for such duty,’ and right on cue, someone rapped on the door. `Here is Clancy Sparrow now.
Another cousin? Rojer asked in amazement just as the door to their ready room slid open.
`I know. I keep trying to live it down,’ Clancy replied with a grin which widened appreciatively when he turned to Flavia. Then he noticed the sphere and whistled. `Boy, you guys lit the great white way!’ He swallowed then, eyes rounding in concern. `Let’s just hope I don’t get more than one emergency at a time with such an area to cover.
Thian laughed and gestured for Clancy to take his couch. `Call on Beva Margellis if you do get pushed.
She’s a T-3 Healer but she can `port independently or in merge.
You met Beva, didn’t you, during the briefing?’ `Yup, got her touch.
See you. And, hey, Roj, congratulations.
So much had happened that day that Rojer couldn’t remember why Clancy would be congratulating him.
`Oh, yeah, thanks. How did Asia do?’ Clancy grinned. `i’ll coz was only two points below you!’ `I told her she’dpassed. Asia’s not stupid!’ `Oh, hey, I know it,’ Clancy said, recoiling from Rojer’s fervent partisanship. `We all know it back home on Deneb. We just can’t seem to get her to know it.’ `Go to bed, Roj,’ Thian said and Rojer wasted no more time, using the last of his energy to `port himself to his quarters. He took time for a shower and a nutrient drink. When he gratefully stretched out on the excellent and comfortable bed, he had time for one guilty thought: he’d’ve had plenty of room for Gil and Kat in with him.
`Those are emergency repair ways and it’s the scuttling critters that were used for `em,’ Thian was saying the next day when Rojer reported for duty. He was speaking on screen to a scowling, grizzled naval officer with commander tabs on his collar. `If you’ve plumbed `em with remotes, that’s the best that’s available. Doesn’t that help?
Or do you want to borrow one of the scuttlers the queen hatched?’ Hi, Roj! Boy, do you feel a hundred per cent better this afternoon.
You shouldn’t have let me sleep so long.
You needed it and we need you alert.
`Permit one of those those vermin . . into the Refugee?’ The commander turned brick red with outrage.
Flavia waggled fingers at Rojer as she lay on her couch, without turning her head about. Rojer could see that she was directing a remote node down one of the narrower tubes.
To judge by the colours that crisscrossed the sphere map, the internal investigation of Refugee was proceeding well.
`The vermin , Commander, were designed to manoeuvre in those spaces as mobile repair units. The wiring seems to be coded by an imbedded design since there wouldn’t be sufficient light to see colour.
Since neither humans nor `Dini come in the appropriate size, it was just a suggestion!’ `And totally unacceptable! Totally! You may be a Prime but you’re here to do just one job. Now stick to that!’ `As a Prime, let me remind you, sir, that I would be in complete control of the critter,’ Thian replied and Rojer had no trouble `pathing how much Thian enjoyed the present exchange.
No-one’s thrown the power switch, Flavia said, her mind alive with laughter though her expression was serenely polite. The navy’s having knicker attacks. The `Dinis are sulking and it’s all our fault.
Sipping from his third cup of really fine coffee, Roj sat on his couch to listen to both levels of Thian 5
conversation. Interesting that his brother had had much the same notion that had occurred to him. The only beings who could operate that ship were those for whom it was designed. For all the consultants, advisers, experts and technicians swarming about in the Refugee, not one of them had the shape, height or digital equipment that was required to power up the ship. Until then, no `complete’ investigations could be essayed.