`Is this their only space facility?’ Thian asked when no more targets were visible. `There are other substantial buildings on the planet.
`They seem to be agricultural collection depots,’ Captain Osullivan said.
`Such is not a target,’ the Rowan said, glancing sternly at Thian who shrugged.
`Did the probes not discover where the queens are housed?’ Mrtgrts asked.
`No,’ Osullivan replied. `We were limited to observational probes, not reconnaissance.
`The queens are effectively planet-bound,’ the Rowan said.
`Further action has not been authorized.’ `We will remain on orange alert,’ Osullivan said, touching the arm-plate for intership communications.
`Captains? Any queries?’ `A successful attack,’ Captain Quacho said, his brows drawn together in what seemed to be a satisfied scowl.
`Do not rule out the possibility of reprisal,’ Mrtgrts said.
Behind it on the bridge, `Dinis could be seen waving their forearms about, expressing their triumph at the success of the mission.
Only Mrtgrts appeared dissatisfied and pessimistic.
`Reprisal with what, Mrtgrts?’ the Rowan asked caustically, surveying the destruction on every screen.
Then, putting both hands on the arm rests, she pushed herself to her feet. `If we are needed, call us,’ she said to Captain Osullivan.
Thian caught the surprised expressions of Langio, Metrios and Yngocelen but he, too, rose, indicating that Flavia could join them.
He paused by the captain’s chair.
`Permission to leave the bridge, sir?’ `Of course,’ Osullivan said, eyes widening at Thian’s formality even as he shrugged as the Rowan disappeared.
`She’d be the last to admit it, sir,’ Thian said, leaning confidentially towards Osullivan, `but Grandmother had to expend more energy as focus than we did.’ `Yes, yes, of course.
There is absolutely no reason for a T-1 to apologize or explain any action, thian Gwyn-Lyon!
Thian, catching Fhia’s startled expression as she also heard the fierce reprimand, grinned at the girl. No, Grandmother, but it is only courteous to observe ship protocol.
And you are tired.
The bridge door whooshed shut behind Thian and Flavia.
I might be but you are never to presume Grandmother, your husband gave me specific orders on the care and feeding of his favorite wife His only wife And the only Prime who can m Ca dinis to and you are tired.
Fighting a war at any age is tiring.
Flavia’s little gasp of surprise caught Thian unawares.
`Was that a war we just fought?’ Thian stuttered in surprise.
`Well, a battle, certainly.
What did you think you were going to do here?’ `Keep the Hivers from leaving this planet.
`And that’s not war?’ `It’s analogous to clearing out vermin.’ `On rather a large scale,’ Thian said, wondering at her curious calm.
`We have to do so often enough on altair when there’s been prolonged and heavy rains in the swamplands. Otherwise the towns and settlements would be overrun, Flavia said quite matter-of-factly.
Your grandfather did know what he was doing, said the Rowan in a tight tone to Thian and added a snort of amusement.
Dad? There was the special note in his daughter Laria’s voice that brought Afra sharply to attention. He was alone in Aurigae Tower, making some minor in-system shipments. Damia was out hunting with Morag, Ewain and all the `Dinis.
Yes, Laria?
Dad, just between us? The unusual note of exasperation and self-doubt was one Afra had never thought to hear from the nearly twenty-three-year-old, confident and poised Tower Prime of the ClarfFT&T installation. On completing her training at Callisto, Laria had taken up her duties with a competenceee that even her perfectionist grandmother couldn’t fault. Yoshuk and Nesrun, the T-2s who had originally run the Clarf Tower, had been shifted to Sef, the most major of the four Mrdini colony worlds. Laria had recently been assigned Clarissia Negeva as her assistant, a T-2, who had been trained by David of Betelgeuse. Clarissia was replacing Stierlman who had not achieved the necessary rapport with Laria. She’d had no trouble at all with the other members of her Tower staff Vanteer, the T-6 engineer, or Lionasha, the T-7 station-manager and expediter.
Although there had been `Dini-human pairings on her home planet, Clarissia was unaccustomed to working with them and never gave direct orders to the six paired with the other three station personnel, who happily doubled as cargo-handlers or whatever other functions could be done by non-fT&T personnel.