“That’s good,” Becker told them. “But I’m afraid we won’t be needing it.”
He deliberately pulled a long face and Acorna and Aari, picking up their cues from him, tried to keep their thoughts to themselves.
“Why? Didn’t it work? What happened?”
“The plants pretty well annihilated the Khieevi army, that’s what!” Becker said, grinning. “We-or rather the plantswhipped their buggy butts.”
Cheers went up among the reception committee and as the word passed all through the compound. Outlying recreational areas had been closed for the red alert and the main city was bloated with anxious people, some of them bored because their functions had been related solely to the closed areas, some of them pumped with adrenaline, ready to take action against any threat.
The Linyaari delegation pressed forward, the Niriian couple preceding them by a step or two.
Acorna smiled at them and told her aunt, “According to the Khieevi broadcasts, they won’t be going back to Nirii either. Mac says from what he can figure out, the Niriians did not make very good victims.”
Neeva translated and Toroona smiled beatifically. “She says that’s something they can be proud of,” Neeva said.
Rafik was smiling too. “Whew. This is a wonderful turn of events! We had better call Uncle Hafiz at once, Acorna, so he can come back and broadcast a new message taking all the credit!” Acorna and Rafik exchanged knowing grins.
Aari’s mother had taken his arm on one side and Acorna’s on the other. “And we thought we had so much to show you..”
“We are most interested in your discoveries, Mother,” Aari assured her. “While most of the Khieevi army was destroyed, there were still many ships aloft and we are unsure how many troops may have remained onboard.”
“Yeah,” Becker said. “Besides, they’re bugs.” Acorna translated.
Kaarlye looked puzzled. “Of course they are insects. Does the captain think we are unaware of this?”
“I believe what he means,” Acorna said. “Is that insects reproduce rapidly and in large numbers. The danger from the Khieevi is not yet over.”
Rafik, dear boy, and my good Captain Becker, this news!” Hafiz Harakamian said. The crew and passengers of the AcaSecki were cheering, holding hands, and hopping up and down, even as Calum reversed course in preparation for the AcaSecki’s, return to MOO, as the children now referred to it. “You have vanquished the enemy, saved the Niriian homeworld, made the universe a safer place to do business, brought honor to House Harakamian, created the opportunity for much favorable publicity for the Moon of Opportunity, and all at a relatively low price point! Commendable, gentlemen, most commendable indeed.”
The next hail was from the Haven. “I presume you’ve heard the news!” Johnny Greene said.
“We have indeed and splendid news it is!” Hafiz replied. “We are returning to the Moon of Opportunity even as we speak.”
“We’re within Federation space right now, and I haven’t heard what the general vote was, but the Counsel is pretty sure the kids will want to come back to the Moon, too. Once the vote is in, if that’s the case, “we’ll caravan with you again.”
“Very well, Johnny, but tell the children not to dawdle.
Uncle Hafiz has a great deal to do now that his staff has made space safe for our new friends and neighbors to travel freely once more.”
“Uh-yeah, we knew that,” Johnny said. “Catch you in a few.”
“So that means we need to wait for them?” Calum Baird asked.
“Yes, indeed,” Hafiz said. Laxme and some of the other children made impatient noises.
“Are they going to be long?” Laxme asked.
There was not actually a lot to do on the Accu)ecki and the rations weren’t that great either. It wasn’t as big as the ships they had come on, and there hadn’t been time to prepare properly for a long journey. Nutritious ration bars took up little space, did not require heating or freezing, and provided all of the basic requirements. Laxme knew he shouldn’t quibble. Working in the mines, he and many of the others had far less to eat, nothing really, just enough to keep them upright and working. But now that he had tasted enough food, tasty food, lovely desserts and butter for the vegetables and even the succulent meats-he wasn’t happy to give that up.