Damia's Children Part 9

Thian chuckled out loud. Thanks, Lar. Surprised I didn't think of it myself.

It's not as if you haven't had a lot to think about, Thi! Love ya! She sent a mental hug that was almost as palpable as a physical one.

Trap my Malice, huh? he thought, still reclining in the couch and becoming aware of the normal bridge activity around him. The way I did Roddie!

He'd have to go about it cleverly: his antagonist was an adult, not a petulant boy.

And Laria might be right about a sour-Talent.

None of his suspects were on the list Captain As.h.i.+ant had handed him. So far, none of those he had interviewed privately - and that had taken time and effort - were more than minimally Talented.

He'd three 12s, the lowest weight, two lOs and a 9. He was saving Alison-Anne Greevy - whose appearance on the list wasn't that big a surprise since she was a T-5 Empath - until the last as he'd already had enough contact with her to access her mind in an emergency. The 10s and the 9 were mechanically inclined which could be helpful in special emergencies and one was a chief petty officer.

The three 12s, ratings all, would be make weights, none of them having any other special apt.i.tudes. The captain's name was not on the list either, although As.h.i.+ant's ability to s.h.i.+eld his thoughts indicated some latent gift: maybe just to s.h.i.+eld. Some people had that and no other apt.i.tude.

He was also a.s.sembling a thesaurus of specifically technical terms, using the Rondomanski technique.

Over his lifetime, since the 'Dinis approached his mother and father on Deneb, drafters and scientists had been correlating technical data, drawings, equations, theories for translation. 'Dini and Terran science had been exchanged on all levels in every aspect of s.p.a.ce travel and exploration: the 'Dinis and Terrans alike using conflicting terms to describe the apparatus used in the same manner or the same end. One had to be careful not to confuse terminology. Having been raised on a mining planet, Thian was already familiar with technological terms - and the technological mentalities - but he also needed specific naval applications and asked Commander Tikele to suggest personnel to a.s.sist him.

'I'd best do the engineering,' Tikele told him gruffly and he went on to recommend officers in the other disciplines. 'Sedallia can help, too.' Thian was both surprised and pleased by such cooperation: this could be a chance to probe two suspects. Both engineers were so enthusiastic and involved in the task that he found it hard to consider either of them as his private 'Malevolence': that personality was much too negative about so many aspects that were raised in the language lessons.

Malevolence was negative in all comments so far.

Then, just as he was beginning to be easy with the established routine, several incidents occurred. The first happened in sick-bay.

Or rather the aftermath of it came to his notice in sick-bay.

Although the air on the Vadim was slowly improving, Mur occasionally had bouts with dehydration hiccups which were eased by immersion. On instructions from Sbl, Commander Exeter had kept the treatment water from the first bath and, when needed, Thian took Mur down to sick-bay for another session. They arrived at the facility to find sh.o.r.e police on guard, looking exceedingly stern. Sick-bay itself was packed with personnel. The bruisings, black eyes, broken noses, split lips and skulls and several men nursing damaged hands, arms and fingers left no doubt in Thian's mind that there had been a major brawl.

In his surprise, he let down his s.h.i.+elds and was bombarded by active hatred and such negative emanations that he was nearly ill. But he couldn't ignore Mur's condition.

Chopping off all natural empathy, he worked his way towards Gravy who was cleaning the blood from a burly gunner's face. Her public mind was vivid with disgust for the stupidity which led grown men to beat each other to pulp for the sheer exercise of brute force, and an earnest wish that head wounds didn't bleed so profusely. Thian 'put' a finger on the artery that was producing the flood so he could find out from her where Mur's water-cask was stored.

'Thian, you don't know anything about first aid, do you?' she asked, giving him a distraught smile, her expression anxious.

'Enough to help out, I think,' he said, 'but only after I've got Mur in the bath again.' She rolled her very expressive pale green eyes.

'We've no place to put him - it, not with all these here and, honest, Thian,' she said in agitation, 'you don't want your friend anywhere near these clods.' 'No, I don't.' Just to be sure his 'friends' might not be part of whatever argument occasioned the brawl, he shot a quick look behind her public mind.

She had such a genuine caring personality that it was not an intrusion. To his relief, the melee had started over some perfectly innocuous statement which was taken up wrongly by men too long in each other's company with no relief. 'We can just- manage the bath in my cabin, I think. Show me where it is,' he added, dropping his lips close to her ear.

She blinked, squidged her eyes shut in an effort to concentrate on its position in the storeroom and he chuckled.

'Gotcha, and thanks, he said, moving away.

Foremost in Gravy's mind was the wish for an extra pair of hands right now to stop bleeding, check for skull depressions or other less obvious and internal results of the fierce, if short, confrontation.

Thian knew that he could be of some a.s.sistance, even if no-one would ever be aware of it - which was probably the best way to handle his intervention.

First Mur had to be taken care of so he 'grabbed' the cask and the bath and shoved them up to his cabin. He collected Mur and Dip who had waited in the corridor with the statuesque SPs, and urged them on to the next empty pa.s.sage.

I MUST HELP MEDICS. DPL, BATH AND TANK ARE NOW IN CABIN, CAN DPL MANAGE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR MRG?.

HAVING OBSERVED THEM, IT IS EASILY DONE.

I SEND YOU THERE.

MRG NEEDS BATH. DPL MANAGES. Th NEEDED MORE HERE TO BLOT HUMAN FACES St.i.tCH HUMAN WOUNDS SET HUMAN ARMS. And Dip made shooing gestures with its upper extremities.

'Dini humour was usually unexpected and Thian grinned ppredatively. Then, very carefully, he 'ported his friends to the now tight confines of his cabin where Mur could bathe in peace.

Next he let himself into an empty cabin adjacent to sick-bay and started to scan the waiting patients, keeping a light contact with Gravy. His great-grandmother, for whom he was named, had made certain all her descendants understood basic initial medical treatment and its mental signs. Thian had never thought he'd be putting that training to use on such a wholesale basis. when he sensed internal bleeding in one young rating, he directed Gravy away from the next man in line to him, suggesting to Gravy that the boy's colour was wrong. He 'pressed' on any number of arteries to curtail bleeding and eased as much pain as he could. He also 'heard' many grievances of men and women cooped for an unconscionable time in each other's company with no respite for months, and none in sight .. - unless the bleeding planet of the bleeding Hive was found and even action would be preferable to sitting in this bucket ploughing who knows how many years away from a decent port.

when he heard the legitimate occupant of the room returning, he 'ported back to his cabin. Mur had just finished the bath and Dip was drying its pelt. The cabin had a medicinal smell to it: not too unpleasant. Tired as he was, Thian decanted the bath into the cask, and replaced both in the storeroom.

The next day the second incident occurred when he received a request from Sblipk for him to despatch a personnel carrier from the KLTL with young 'Dinis to be returned to the homeworld. They were the result of that latest hibernation of 'Dinis on board.

That, in itself, surprised Thian. He knew, from a remark of Gravy's that strict contraception was practised by the mixed crews of the human s.h.i.+ps.

But 'Dinis were not human and their procreative drives did not respond to any contraception that he'd ever heard of. He wondered why it hadn't occurred to anyone that there would inevitably be young on board long-haul 'Dini vessels. How they had solved the problem before he didn't ask. It wasn't his business. Not only did the 'portation of sixteen young 'Dinis give him a chance to have a few words with Laria, but it also gave him a very good idea.

D'you get many nursery s.h.i.+pments, Laria? he asked in the process of despatching the carrier.

More than you'd guess, considering how long the various elements of the Search have been going on.

He could see the grin she must be wearing. You'd think they had nothing else to do on board.

Laria! He was surprised by the overtones.

They've a far more acute problem than humans do, although that is hard to believe.

Humans have another problem the 'Din is don't have - short fuses.

What? Oh! A bad brawl? On s.h.i.+pboard? Isn't that dangerous?

There were twenty-five in sick-bay, and not all with just black eyes and bruises.

Ready when you are, Thian, Laria said in her professional tone and he pressed in on the KLTL's engines to 'port her the precious young 'Dinis.

Apart from protesting the journey, they're safely here and such a to-do from the Nursery! 5 tone was amused. Inform Sblipk that all have safely arrived and will be settled with appropriate fosters of the same colour THIS IS WELL DONE! HUMAN HELP WAS NEVER MORE NEEDED. THESE WILL NOT BE WASTED, Sblipk said, bowing with more than formal courtesy to Thian.

As Thian returned to the Vadim, he suddenly realized what happened to 'Dinis born on long journeys and was almost overcome with a wave of painful regret. Small wonder human help in transporting their young back to the homeworld was so well received.

That was what gave him the idea. It wasn't only young lives that could be lost on a long voyage, no matter how well conditioned men and women might be to such confinement. He asked for, and received, an immediate appointment with Captain As.h.i.+ant.

'Sir, I was down in sick-bay yesterday --The captain regarded him with a blank expression.

'Sir, why do I have to send empty drones back to the supplying planets?' As.h.i.+ant c.o.c.ked his head slightly, and without even trying to, Thian could hear him mentally repeating his question. A smile began to bloom on the captain's face and he regarded Thian with overt approval.

'I don't know why drones have to be sent back empty to the supplying planets, Prime Thian, but if you don't mind the extra ma.s.s, I think we can equip them with temporary oxygen, and obtain temporary relief from a problem that is becoming more and more urgent! This cruise has already set records in modern naval annals. The captain rose from his desk and extended his hand to Thian who managed to dampen his own thoughts sufficiently in order to complete the handshaking.

The captain was a deep rich brown, clever, astringent. 'I beg your pardon, Prime,' he added, suddenly realizing that he had been extremely personal with a Talent.

'My pleasure, sir,' Thian replied, bowing slightly from the waist.

The captain was very definitely his friend.

'I'll make up a sh.o.r.e leave list immediately. The very fact that sh.o.r.e leave is possible is going to have an excellent effect on morale.

How many can a drone take?' 'Comfortably and safely, ten.

'How many uncomfortably?' As.h.i.+ant grinned.

'Twelve to fourteen depending on size.' 'Give me weights 'Ma.s.s and volume, sir,' Thian said, and made rapid mental calculations which he jotted down on the captain's desk pad. As.h.i.+ant watched, was.h.i.+ng his hands together with great satisfaction.

'Yes, this'll make all the difference.' Then he let out a gusty sigh. 'Of course, we'll have to avail our sister s.h.i.+ps of the courtesy, too. That'll cut down on the numbers the Va dim can send.

Nevertheless,' and he grinned at Thian, 'I appreciate it, young Lyon.

With two and three drones coming in every seven days... 'and his grin broadened without the need for words. 'Wonder why I never thought of it before.' 'I should have, if you didn't, sir,' Thian said, more than a little ashamed he hadn't.

'Yes, well, I'll scarcely fault you on that, Thian!' why Thian should feel as if the captain had paid him a great honour by using his first name, he didn't know, but somehow that was the feeling he left with.

THN HAS DONE SOMEThING SPECIALLY GOOD?

Mur asked.

THN HAS FINALLY THOUGHT OF SOMEThING HE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THREE MONTHS AGO, Thian replied. And explained circ.u.mstance and idea.

His 'Dini friends were oddly silent when he finished and he wondered.

THN GO HOME SOON? Dip asked in such a curious tone that Thian knew something was wrong.

TROUBLE, FRIENDS? And he put his arms about them, drawing them closer, radiating comfort.

Mur and Dip exchanged such rapid sentences that even he, well accustomed to such a pace, missed half the words. As, he suspected, they intended.

WHAT IS THE TROUBLE? ThN DEMANDS KNOWLEDGE.

Together Dip and Mur sighed and leaned into him.

MUST GO SOON.

WHY MUST THN GO SOON?.

MRG AND DPL MUST GO SOON SO THN MUST GO SOON, TOO.

The coin dropped and Thian hugged his friends.

IT IS NECESSARY FOR MRG AND DPL TO HIBERNATE, IS THAT NOT IT?.

When their pliant bodies gave a.s.sent, he hugged them firmly again.

MRG AND DPL MUST GO WHEN THIS IS NECESSARY.

BUT THN WILL BE ALONE AMONG STRANGERS AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN GOOD.

ON THE CONTRARY, DPL, THIS HAS BEEN VERY GOOD FOR THN. MRG AND DPL MUST GO TO RETURN REFRESHED. TIME WILL GO FAST FOR YOU AND FAST ENOUGH FOR THN. THN HAD NO PROBLEMS WHEN THIS WAS NECESSARY ON AURIGAE. NO DIFFERENCE NOW ON s.h.i.+P.

IF MATTERS WERE PROPERLY ADJUSTED KLTL COULD HAVE BEEN USED BUT IT IS OVER AND THE KLTS WILL BE TOO LATE.

HOW SOON MUST MRG AND DPL LEAVE?.

WITHIN MONTH.

SOONER IF REQUIRED? Thian could sense a reluctance in them to leave him, which was gratifying, but he was also well aware of how much they would suffer by prolonging the essential hibernation. MRG AND DPL return TO AURIGAE WITHIN WEEK!

HOMEWORLD WILL DO AS WELL. There was something about Dip's manner that made Thian laugh.

'You are irrepressible!' he said, crowing at Dip's cunning. The pair could have been accommodated at the Aurigaean installation but there was a certain cachet to going through the process on the homeworld which the two had not yet enjoyed.

Even the Mrdini understood the subtleties of status.

AND MRG AND DPL WOULD FORFEIT THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AT THIS TIME TO BE ALONE ON ThEIR HOMEWORLD?

THN WOULD BE ALONE HERE. IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT MRG AND DPL BE DEPRIVED IN SOME WAY AT ThE SAME TIME.

Thian rocked with laughter, falling backwards on his bunk and cracking his head on the wall. As if they had caused his b.u.mp, the 'Dinis were all over him with tender digits and soothing caresses.

ThN WILL MISS HIS FRIENDS. THN ALWAYS DOES, he told them when they quieted and he could hold them against him.

The next day when he appeared for his morning cla.s.ses, there was an excited buzz in the air and many smiles for him. Except, of course, from Malice. Thian could feel dark brooding discontent from that source, as if Malice resented him doing this service to his s.h.i.+pmates.

Or perhaps had small hope of being one of those on a sh.o.r.e leave roster.

what amused him was the fact that there had been no official announcement of sh.o.r.e leave by means of Talent-a.s.sisted personnel capsule. In fact Captain As.h.i.+ant's bulletin was anticlimactic: everyone on all four human s.h.i.+ps knew about it.

Three days later Thian sent the first three drones back: two to Earth as requested by the personnel and one to Betelgeuse.

You've made more work for yourself, the Rowan told her grandson as she 'caught' the first of the three. But he sensed that she approved.

There's been a significant improvement in morale, he said diffidently.

That is very important on a search mission such as this. Your grandfather says you ought to have warned Fleet so Earth could be warned.

That's not my responsibility, he began and then realized that he was being teased. Think of the money they'll be spending!

Ten days after the first sh.o.r.e leaves were 'ported, the long-range sensors discovered an object moving at a very slow speed in the general direction of the squadron: a very large object to have been picked up at such a distance. Too far as yet to be identified, its presence livened all discussions on the Vadim and the other s.h.i.+ps of the squadron.