nobody would be fighting over nothing at all, would they? The skirmish had a momentum all its own by now. Who would have thought that the defeated alliances would have hidden away so much firepower for one last desperate attempt at the prize?
Krat’s mating claw flexed in wrath. She couldn’t afford to ignore the possibility that they were right. What if the distress call had, indeed, emanated from the Earthlings’ ship? No doubt this was some sort of fiendish human distraction, but she could not risk the chance that the fugitives actually were there.
“Have the Thennanin called yet?” she snapped.
A Pil from the communications section bowed quickly and answered. “Not yet, Fleet-Mother, though they have pulled away from their Tandu allies. We expect to hear from Buoult soon.”
Krat nodded curtly. “Let me know the very instant!” The Pil assented hurriedly and backed away.
Krat went back to considering her options. Finally, it came down to deciding which damaged and nearly useless vessel she could spare from the coming battle for one more foray to the planet’s surface.
Briefly, she toyed with the idea of sending a Thennanin ship, once the upcoming alliance against the now-pre-eminent Tandu was consummated. But then she decided that would be unwise. Best to keep the priggish, sanctimonious Thennanin up here where she could keep her eyes on them. She would choose one of her own small cripples to go.
Krat contemplated a mental image of the Earthlings—dough-skinned, spindly, shaggy-maned humans, who were sneakiness embodied—and their weird, squawking, handless dolphin clients.
When they are finally mine, she thought, I will make them regret the trouble they are causing me.
80
The Journal of Gillian Baskin
We’ve arrived.
For the last four hours I’ve been the matriarch of a madhouse. Thank heaven for Hannes and Tsh’t and Lucky Kaa and all the beautiful, competent fen we’ve missed for so long. I hadn’t realized until we arrived just how many of the best had been sent ahead to prepare our new home.
There was an ecstatic reunion. Fen dashed about bumping each other and making a racket that I kept telling myself the Galactics couldn’t really hear.… The only pall came when we thought about the absent members of our crew, the six missing fen, including Hikahi, Akki, and Keepiru. And Tom, of course.
It wasn’t until later that we discovered that Creideiki was gone, also.
After a brief celebration, we got to work. Lucky Kaa took the helm, almost as sure and steady as Keepiru would have been, and piloted Streaker along a set of guide rails into the cavity in the Thennanin wreck. Giant clamps came down and girdled Streaker, almost making her part of the outer shell. It’s a snug fit. Techs immediately started integrating the sensors and tuning the impedances of the stasis flanges. The thrusters are already aligned. Carefully disguised weapons ports have been opened, in case we have to fight.
What an undertaking! I never would have thought it possible. I can’t believe the Galactics will expect anything like this. Tom’s imagination is astounding.
If only we would hear his signal.…
I’ve asked Toshio to send Dennie and Sah’ot here by sled. If they take a direct route at top speed they should arrive in a little over a day. It’ll take that long, at least, to finish setting up here.
It really is vital we get Dennie’s notes and plasma samples. If Hikahi reports in, I’ll ask her to stop at the island for the Kiqui emissaries: Second only to our need to escape with our data is our duty to the little amphibians, to save them from indenture to some crazy race of Galactic patrons.
Toshio chose to stay to keep an eye on Takkata-Jim and Metz, and to meet Tom, should he show up. I think he added that last part knowing it would make it impossible for me to refuse.… Of course, I knew he’d make the offer I was counting on it.
It only makes me feel worse, using him to keep Takkata-Jim in check. Even if our ex-vice-captain disappoints me, and behaves himself, I don’t know how Toshio’s to get back here in time, especially if we have to take off in a hurry.
I’m learning what they mean by the “agony of command.”
I had to pretend shocked surprise when Toshio told me about the mini-bombs Charlie Dart stole out of the armory. Toshio offered to try to get them back from Takkata-Jim, but I’ve forbidden it. I told him we’d take our chances.
I couldn’t take him into my confidence. Toshio is a bright