Old-fashioned combustion engine and converted maglev vehicles drifted back and forth on this side of the landing field, all filled with jinau soldiers. Jao were visible between the ships. Her overall impression was of barely restrained chaos.
She craned her head, checking faces. Kralik must be here somewhere.
A converted Humvee came up, and a snub-nosed blonde leaned out. “Ride, lady?” She grinned and Caitlin recognized Lieutenant Hawkins of the company Kralik had assigned to be Aille’s personal bodyguard.
“I’m looking for General Kralik,” Caitlin said. “Do you know where he is?”
“Matter of fact, the boss sent me to fetch you, as soon as your helicopter landed. Along with his apologies that he couldn’t meet you in person.”
Hawkins, clearly, had now been exposed up-close to the Jao for long enough to have picked up some Jao habits. Instead of getting out and opening the door for Caitlin and Dr. Kinsey, she simply reached across and clicked open the passenger door. “Hop in.”
Caitlin, dressed in a dark-green suit and low heels she’d hoped were suitable for an official Jao gathering, hiked up her skirt and tried to climb in, with Kinsey making fumbling efforts to assist her. She was still a bit awkward, with her arm in a cast. But, luckily for her, Tamt had picked up some human habits. The Jao more or less elbowed Kinsey aside, picked up Caitlin and plunked her in the seat as an adult might do for a child.
The big Jao female and Kinsey then climbed into the back, and Hawkins immediately set the vehicle speeding off in the direction of the Jao base.
Just the other side of an invisible dividing line, Jao were literally swarming, all armed with energy weapons.
Well, that wasn’t surprising. All those years with Banle as her warden had left Caitlin no illusions as to how most Jao regarded humans. Dangerous and unpredictable creatures, the Jao equivalent of “wild Injuns.”
She hadn’t seen Banle since Tamt had beaten her up in the clinic. She’d heard, later, that Banle had been on one of the ships in Oppuk’s flotilla that had been destroyed in the battle with the surviving Ekhat warship. The news had left Caitlin feeling nothing but tremendous relief. Banle could never torment her again. It was almost like coming of age.
The vehicle swerved again, then came to an abrupt halt. It seemed the human lieutenant had also picked up Jao driving habits. Hawkins jerked her chin toward a tent set up on a stretch of sand bordering the tarmac. “In there.”
Caitlin was surprised, since she’d been expecting to be brought to Aille’s command center, the imposing Jao edifice that Kaul had formerly used. But she assumed she’d find out the reason for this odd arrangement from Ed himself.
“Thanks.” Caitlin opened the door and stepped down, much more easily and gracefully than she’d gotten in. Tamt and Kinsey jumped out behind her, Tamt obviously relishing the softer light of late afternoon and Kinsey looking hot, windblown, and rumpled. Of course, Kinsey almost always looked rumpled, at any time.
Two jinau were standing guard at the entrance. One of them held the flap open for her as she approached.
Inside, the light was dim, even though a panel on the far side had been tied up to admit fresh air. Kralik was standing with his back to her along with a group of men and women studying an electronic display of data on a portable screen.
He looked good, she thought, solid, dependable, reassuring. Handsome, too, at least so far as she was concerned. She had to force her hands to remain at her sides.
Kralik turned, as though he could feel her there. “Caitlin!”
She flushed at the warmth in his voice, remembering that night they’d spent together before the Battle of the Framepoint, how reassuring his arms had felt, the length of his body pressed against hers—
Inhaling deeply, she thrust the image out of her mind. No time for that now. No time for anything but the problem at hand. “General Kralik,” she said, deciding the situation called for formality even though their engagement was open knowledge. “You sent for me, so I came. Can Dr. Kinsey and I be of assistance?”