The Tower and the Hive (29 page)

OF COURSE. BUT THEY ARE SCARCELY IN A CONDITION TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE, Laria pointed out. SURELY HERE IN CLARF...

IOTA AURIGAE, MOST RESPECTED PRIME ... Plus made such a low obeisance that for one anxious moment Laria was afraid it would tip over onto the supine 'Dinis. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS VERY SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THERE IS WORK FOR THE TOWER WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED. I MUST ACCOMPANY TLP AND HGF. She gestured to Kincaid. NOR WILL KNCD LEAVE NPL AND PLS TO TRAVEL WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE.

Laria!
Lionasha said, aghast.
You can't...

Oh yes she can,
Morag said, taking a step forward, her jaw set.
There's nothing here at Clarf that Kaltia and I cannot handle, with you and Vanteer backing us up. The 'Dinis come first right now, and for once, the Tower comes second.

Although it doesn't really, since we're still here,
Kaltia put in, jaw jutting out in stubbornness which both Lionasha and Vanteer recognized as a family trait.
We are certainly able to do a few days on our own. I'm sure we won't have to pinch-hit for very long. Will we, Laria?

No longer than absolutely necessary. You can't know how Kincaid and I both appreciate your willingness, Morag, Kaltia.
Laria managed a grateful wisp of a smile. The relief in her expression at their volunteering underlined her belief in their abilities. She turned back to the Mrdini. IF OUR FOUR ARE IN SUCH POOR SHAPE, WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE OTHERS WHO SHARED HIBERNATION WITH THEM?

Plus turned the oddest shade and the healers glanced up from their ministrations with horror-stricken expressions.

I REQUIRE AN ANSWER, PLRGTGL.

THEY ARE BEING CARED FOR TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE. MORE HELP MAY COME FROM IOTA AURIGAE. TLP, HGF, NPL AND PLS MUST BE GIVEN FIRST ADVANTAGE. CLRF HONOR REQUIRES THIS. AH, LOOK NOW AND SEE THAT THEY ARE RESUMING A NORMAL COLOR.

Laria looked as Kincaid, kneeling beside the four 'Dinis, gently touched each wizened chest in turn.

The color may be improved, but I've never felt spongy 'Dini flesh before. And they are not appreciably warmer.
Though his face did not mirror his concern, Kincaid expressed his sense of urgency in his 'path.

Lionasha,
Morag said firmly, checking the afternoon's workload,
I see little more than light drones, message tubes and ordinary piffle.

Piffle?
Lionasha blinked at Morag. Kaltia leaned around her sister to look at the pad.

Piffle's all it is, when you consider what we've done from lota,
Kaltia said, her manner exhibiting more youthful disdain than Morag had exhibited.

But your parents were there!
Lionasha said, alarmed.

Laria 'ported Lionasha's notepad to her.
I'd consider it piffle too, Lio, after what we practiced with on Iota. They can handle it. And probably a lot of what will come in in the morning. Right now, Kincaid and I are going to Iota Aurigae if that's where we can get our 'Dinis treated properly.

Vanteer took a forward step.
You'll check with Earth Prime first, of course?

I act on my own cognizance, Vanteer. You will assist my sisters and Lionasha to the best of your ability. Morag, ‘port that multiple carrier to the door. Kaltia, 'port my mattress into it and all the pillows and thermals we have. Laria
turned to Plus. WE SHALL WASTE NO MORE OF YOUR VALUABLE TIME. YOUR HEALERS WILL HAVE OTHERS TO ATTEND. THE TOWER WILL CONTINUE ALL OPERATIONS. MORAG AND KALTIA ARE PRIMES AND THEIR ABILITIES ARE SUFFICIENT TO ANY TASK REQUIRED OF THEM.

RETURN YOUR 'DiniS TO CLARF IN FULL HEALTH, HONORED PRIME. Plus kept bowing itself as it moved backward toward the automatic door, which opened, letting in a blast of the hot afternoon air.

Carrier's all set,
Morag said. “C'mon, Kaltia.” She took the steps two at a time up to the Tower. “We're operational as of right now. Thank goodness we know Iota Aurigae better than the back of our hands.”

Vanteer heard his generators picking up and darted back down the steps, muttering imprecations about
children,
but Lionasha sent up the Iota Aurigae coordinates because she had to do something to steady her nerves.

Laria, Kincaid and the nested 'Dinis disappeared right into the carrier without bothering to open the wide hatch.

Merge!
cried Laria.

Vanteer, for one moment fearful of his beloved generators being manipulated by novices, put his fingers on the off toggle, but the pressure from the Tower was as deftly done as if Laria and Kincaid were doing it.

 

“You left your sisters in charge of Clarf Tower?” Damia demanded when she and Afra were awakened by the arrival of a large personnel carrier in front of the house at dawn on Iota Aurigae.

Considering the urgency of getting their 'Dinis here,
Afra said with quiet authority, gently moving his outraged wife to one side at the window,
they could do nothing else, and I'm sure Morag and Kaltia will have Lionasha, as well as the two at Sef Tower, to guide them. ZARA!

“I'm down here.” Zara appeared, in the act of shrugging a warm cover over her bare body. She knelt beside the carrier, opening it only far enough to reach in and touch the nearest of the four 'Dinis within. Warmer clothing rained down on her. “You did right. They're in very bad condition, but don't worry. I know exactly what to do. Get out, Kincaid. I'm the only Human who has permission to enter the hibernatory here.”

Kincaid did not argue, though after the heat in the carrier, he and Laria began to shiver in the crisp cold morning air of Iota Aurigae.

“Inside!” Damia said. pointing to the house.

“But I said I'd be with ...” Laria began, and disappeared.

Having 'ported her daughter inside the house, Damia gave Kincaid a merciless stare of tacit permission, and he 'ported himself inside too.

“Into the kitchen with you,” Damia said, deftly 'porting herself into unoccupied space in the entrance hall. Then Afra was beside her, throwing woolen wraps about the shoulders of the new arrivals. They pulled them tightly around their bodies, meekly following Damia.

“I didn't think Zara would have to put her new expertise to the test quite this soon,” Afra said, his hands gently propelling Kincaid and Laria in Damia's wake, where she indulged in a remarkable display of domestic telekinetic activities. These produced a hot meal, a choice of beverages and additional early-morning snacks that Damia happened to know were favorites of her daughter and Kincaid Dano. While the new arrivals consumed warm food and beverages, they 'pathed the account of the circumstances that had precipitated their arrival.

“And if ours are this sick, I'd want to know what exactly are the conditions of the rest of those in Clarf's biggest and most prestigious hibernatory,” Laria said, holding out her cup to be refilled. She was too shaken to do that herself.

“The Mrdini are attempting to curtail their birthrate now that so few are dying in Hiver attacks,” Damia said. “So, in what has turned out to be a very ill-advised attempt to limit creation, they lowered the temperature in the hibernatories.”

“All of them?” Laria exclaimed, nearly spilling the hot liquid in her cup in astonishment.

“Fortunately, no. Unfortunately, the main one in Clarf was evidently a test site,” Afra said. “This is after the fact, Laria, or I'm sure you'd've been warned not to take yours there.”

Laria flushed. “They were overdue to hibernate and the keeper rushed them in.” She frowned and turned to Kincaid.

“That explains its cryptic remarks, I guess,” Kincaid said ruefully.

Afra paused a moment and then asked “You're sure there's nothing Morag and Kaltia can't handle?”

“Nothing. They've been exceedingly well trained,” Laria said, with a bow to her parents.

“They consider the afternoon's quota of tubes is mere ‘piffle,' ” Kincaid said with a droll smile.

“And tomorrow's?” Damia asked, not quite scowling but concerned, knowing the amount of traffic Clarf Tower was handling.

“They can handle whatever we can,” Kincaid said with a shrug. “We'll return as soon as we're certain our 'Dinis are in good hands.”

“You'll get-right back to ... ” Damia began, but Afra, making eye contact with Kincaid, put a restraining hand on his mate's shoulder.

“Their priorities are correct, Damia,” he said, using a tone and firmness he rarely directed at her. “They have left their Tower well attended, so they're scarcely derelict in their duties.” He gave her a quick smile, then turned back to Kincaid. “We will ask Lionasha and Vanteer not to reveal who is actually 'porting at Clarf. I doubt Plrgtgl will even know you're here.”

“Plus saw us leave,” Laria was obliged to admit, seeing now through her mother's reaction how ill advised their abrupt departure was.

It wasn't.
Kincaid's hand gripped her thigh firmly. “From what Plrgtgl said, it will be far too busy treating the other ... victims ... to question how Clarf Tower is being handled, so long as it is operational. I can, of course, return immediately, and leave my friends with Laria to deputize for me.”

“Only when they are well enough not to require the reassurance your presence can give them,” Afra said.

Damia was blinking in surprise at Afra's domination of the interchanges.

“So some idiot decided that freezing 'Dinis would prevent reproduction?” Laria asked scornfully.

“You'd think the last thing a 'Dini would do is emulate a queen,” Kincaid remarked caustically.

Damia did frown. “How do you construe that?”

“Well, the Heinlein queen nearly died from cold before she started hatching eggs for attendants,” Kincaid replied. “Or perhaps you never saw the report I did. When they installed the queen at Heinlein, they provided the same ambient temperature that had been in her escape pod. What they didn't realize was that that was not the normal Hive temperature: it was low to reduce her activity level by the cold so she'd have the maximum amount of oxygen to take her where she meant to go.”

“So it was plain logic, rather than communication, that Zara acted on that time?” Damia asked.

“She's always been interested in biology,” Afra said. “She acted on a logical conclusion she didn't know how to explain at the time. I'm glad to hear what prompted her.”

“But that doesn't explain why the Mrdini would use cold to reduce creation.”

Afra gave Kincaid a wry look. “Mrdini logic sometimes defeats Human mental processes.”

“It damned near killed our 'Dinis,” Laria said in a savage tone, and added an unreproduceable sound of disgust. “So how is it that Zara happens to be here in Iota Aurigae and able to nurse 'Dinis?”

“She has had metamorphic training,” Damia began, “and Elizara felt that, having grown up with 'Dinis, she was the best available medical personnel. Your grandfather as well as the High Councillors considered her the proper choice ...” Damia paused, emanating a complex blend of pride, anxiety and surprise. “A select, high-powered team of medical personnel and xenbees has been assembled and permitted to enter a hibernatory to see exactly what does happen. Whatever activities ordinarily take place are limited to specially chosen and trained keepers.”

Laria and Kincaid exchanged respectful glances. “Well, good for Zara,” said her proud sister. “So she ... or someone else here on Iota ... really can restore ours?”

“I'd rest easy on that score, my dear,” Afra said. Then he rose suddenly and strode from the room.

“What's...” Laria began.

“I believe your father is aware that Vagrian is awake,” Damia said.

“Oh, him! I completely forgot you took him on.”

“It may be early, but perhaps we could do stables. I'd find it soothing work,” Kincaid said, rising.

“I'll help.”

“Now just a moment, Laria,” her mother began.

“With all deference, Damia, we'll do stables,” Kincaid said, taking Laria's hand in his, and they 'ported out of the room—the height of bad manners for Talents and especially in front of Damia Raven-Lyon.

How dare
...

Enough, Damia,
Afra said, so bluntly that Damia was silent.

Though they were safely out of the house, Kincaid and Laria winced, waiting for Damia's reaction to such a dictate.

“Better we were rude just to Mother,” Laria murmured as she and Kincaid strode quickly up to the stables. “I'd've been a lot ruder in his presence. I wonder how Zara copes with him.”

“I suspect she's not around often enough right now for that to be a problem,” Kincaid said. “Imagine that! She's allowed in a hibernatory! That's another first for the formidable Lyon's Pride.”

“‘Lyon's Pride?'” Laria stopped and stared at him.

“Well, you are, you know, and it's meant as a compliment by all I've heard use the term,” he said in a placatory tone.

“Lyon's Pride, huh?” Laria savored the label and then chuckled. “Does Dad know?”

“I shouldn't wonder,” Kincaid replied.

“Hope Mother doesn't. She's rather partial to being a Gwyn-Raven.”

“So she should be.” Kincaid slid apart the stable doors and grinned as the inmates whickered joyfully at such an early arrival of those-who-fed. There was additional noise as resting horses rose to all four legs and their shod hooves scraped against plascrete floors.

In the first right-hand stable, Saki nickered more urgently, stamping her feet in welcome to a well-known voice, demanding her breakfast nuggets.