He appealed to Yana, but she said nothing. The terrorists from Bremer had been interrogated. They had, at one time, been Intergal’s own people.
Sinead said diplomatically, “It’s just that we’re a very close-knit community here, Captain Fiske. People will worry about Sigdhu and Brit even more now with what’s happened to Lavelle. I’m not saying it was the company’s fault, but you know, we’re used to a different kind of atmosphere here than what you have on the stations and ships. Our air is fresh, even if it’s cold, not endlessly reprocessed.”
“Glad you enjoy it,” Torkel said with an ironic lift of his eyebrow. “The company provided all of the amenities of this planet.”
“We need our own back here on the surface, man,” Scan said, and Yana realized that he was at a disadvantage not knowing who Torkel was. “My family has been accommodating the species of this planet to its peculiarities for four generations now and between you and me, the company hasn’t provided a lot of what’s here. There are major adaptation problems for our people …”
“And you are, sir?” Torkel asked politely, but with an edge in his voice to match the one in Sean’s. They stood across the room from each other, each with his feet spread and his arms poised, like a pair of gunfighters squaring off.
The cat, which had been lounging on the middle of the table washing its underside, suddenly leapt up, sprang to the door, and meowed urgently to go out. Yana crossed between the men to open the door, and when she turned back, they had relaxed so that they were merely glaring at each other, but no longer posturing. She stepped quickly between them, gesturing to each to come closer.
“Captain Torkel Fiske, descendant of the terraforming Fiskes, this is Sean Shongili, descendant of the genetic-engineering Shongilis,” she said quickly, as if officiating at a hailing party for newly recruited officers. “You guys want to go to opposite corners and come out flashing credentials?”
They didn’t seem to hear her for a moment; then Torkel suddenly grinned fondly at her and reached out to squeeze her shoulder.
“Trust you to try to defuse a situation, Yana. God, I’ve missed you. Shongili, I am actually extremely pleased to meet you. Excuse me if I came on a little strong, but we were all shocked by that poor woman’s death when she had been so instrumental in saving young Diego here and his father.”
“I think I can help, Torkel,” Yana intervened again. “Let me see that autopsy report when it comes in. And please, I think there’s been enough evidence gathered so far to show that Petaybee is not exactly what the company ordered, and Sean may be right about the adaptive failures.”
Torkel shook his head. “That doesn’t make much sense, Yana, when half the existing Intergal force was recruited from Petaybeans originally.”
Yana shrugged and held out a cup of coffee, wishing she had acquired more cups from the BX. He took the cup in one hand, and then took her hand in his other.
“The recruits are young, Captain,” Sean said. “Their growing isn’t over, nor full maturation reached when they leave Petaybee to join Intergal.”
“That’s as may be, Shongili. Yana, we’ll talk about this later. I can see now that everybody’s too upset to listen to reason.”
“I can take you and Diego back, sir,” Bunny volunteered. Yana noticed that her young friend had very wisely kept her mouth shut throughout the conversation, retaining an enviably neutral-at least as far as Torkel was concerned-stance.
“Thanks, young lady, but 1 brought my own,” Torkel said. He turned to Diego as if to say something, but Diego’s black scowl made him think better of it.
They were pulling on winter gear when there was a knock at the door. Yana opened it, and there was the cat, sitting squarely in the middle of the doorstep, and Clodagh, in only a light jacket, stocking cap, and knitted scarf, right behind.
“I’m glad I caught you, Captain, Diego,” she said, with a slightly softer look at the boy. “Adak just got a message in and brought it to the latchkay looking for you. Dr. Margolies is at SpaceBase now.”