Part 1 (2/2)
”And who can argue that getting rid of an implacable enemy isn't a public service3” Clancy put in.
”Back in the twenty-first century, when Henry Darrow was the manager of our budding organization, he determined to split it from any political group and to remain legally separate from any governmental agency until harth became a united world. His successors stu- diously kept FT&T apolitical and also made certain that the facilities of the Towers were on a iirst-corne-first-serve basis. It's impossible to bribe a Talent, remember, not with Primes who can 'read'anyone's mind. The guilty always give themselves away anyhow.” He grinned. ”Of course, the present emergency with the greedy Hivcrs required FT&T to do a lot of kinetic transfers that would make the founders of our elite band spin in their graves. Nevertheless, it is still in our precious Charter that we Talents are required to teleporta lot of people and things that are repellent to our sensitive souls, though not illegal. Meanwhile we preserve the ent.i.ty and integrity of FT&T . . .”
”And suborn Primes whenever they could be found . . .” Clancy added. ”Like your grandmother on Altair.”
”Granddad was the one who was really suborned. He had had no intention of leaving Deneb . . . before he met Grandmother.” Thian's grin was broad. ”Had the Hiversbut known they had met their match in Jeff Raven and Angharad Gwyn aka the Rowan as partners, they might have quit while they were ahead.”
”Not while there were Hiver queens needing planets to colonize,” Clancy put in.
”And that, of course, brought the entire FT&T organization in at the time of the Deneb Penetration with the Rowan as the focus for the Mind Merge that helped Jeff Raven dispatch the Hiver scouts trying to depopulate his homework!,” said Roger.
”And why the Mrdinis decided to ask us, through Mother and Dad, to join forces and defeat the Hivers,” Thian said, ”.since we could take out a Hiver sphere without having to resort to suicide missions.” He leaned back again, pleased with his summation of the events leading up to recent developments: denying the Hivers a new base from which to continue their unique form of colonization.
”I wonder how many of the bleeding hearts and conservatives have bothered to see the Hiver queen at Heinlein Base,” Rojer said. ”The sight of her would be instructive.”
”We could ask Cousin Roddie Eagles.” Thian gave his brother another slv look.
Rojer's anxiety to get to the Columbia had much to do with his courts.h.i.+p of Roddie's youngest sister, Asia, an engineer as well as a T-4. Initially the Columbia, flags.h.i.+p of Squadron B's five s.h.i.+ps, had been sent to examine four M-type planets that had been used, and abused, by the Hivers, one-named Marengo-being on the verge of total ecological disaster. The ma.s.sive effort initiated to save the world was well under way and some encouraging succession of hardy gras-soids had already been triumphantly broadcast. Ruins of Hiver occupations were evident on two of the other planets, Waterloo and Talavera, while the fourth, Ciudad Rodrigo, seemed to have an active Hiver colony.
”I should be aboard the Columbia. Now. Not still stuck here.”
”Don't fret so, Roj,” Thian said, broadcasting soothing thoughts to his pacing brother. ”Our orders were approved by both High Councillors, Admiral Mekturian and Gktmglnt. They'll handle any interference to the rest of our mission.”
”Not to mention Earth Prime [eff Raven and Callisto Prime Rowan,” Clancy added. ”1 see no reason for anxiety, Roj.” Clancy at least forbore to tease his cousin about the real reason for his fretfulness-missing Asia.
”All we have to do on our way home,” Thian said, ”is Hnd all the Hiver-occupied planets . . . and constrain attempts by any of them to dispatch another colonial venture.”
”That's all!” Rojer's voice dripped with sarcasm.
”Which will probably take the best part of our lives,” Clancy said, not particularly depressed by the prospect. ”I might even make commander by the time we're done.”
”I doubt we'll devote our lives to the project,” Thian said, gesturing to include his brother.
”No, you're Primes,” Clancy agreed without rancor.
There was a pause.
”Think I can talk the Admiral into letting me get down on the Hiver world we're heading for?” Thian asked wistfully. He clasped and unclasped his hands in frustration.
Thi Tiwtr and the Hive I ”You're a Prime, Thi,” Clancy said. ”Too valuable to be risked.”
”And far more capable of defending myself than anyone else on the s.h.i.+p,” Thian said, then bowed quickly to his brother. ”And you too, Roj. I'm sure I'd find something no one else could.”
”You're a Lyon, aren't you,” Clancy said, ”as well as a Prime? You will,” he added with a rea.s.suring grin, and stretched his legs out, yawning. ”The Admiral won't deny you anything.”
”Well, then again, As.h.i.+ant may be under orders not to risk you on anything, Thian,” said Rojer in a knowing drawl.
”Oh?” Thian's raised eyebrows encouraged Rojer to elaborate on that statement.
”You can't be risked, bro,” Rojer said with a snort. ”They need you to take over from either Grandmother or possibly Grandfather.”
Thian gawked at his brother. ”How do you come to that remarkable conclusion?”
”You've been the focus for all our Mind Merges. I'm surprised you didn't guess. It's obvious to me”-Rojer looked over to Clancy, who nodded in agreement-”that you're the logical successor.”
Thian sat for a moment, mouth agape; then he ”glanced” into the minds of his younger brother and cousin and realized that both were certain of that. Slapping his forehead dramatically, he flung himself back on the couch, staggered by the prospect.
”Not for a few more decades,” Rojer said consolingly, ”since, praise be, our grandparents seem in excellent health.”
”Spare me!” Thian said, groaning, his hand still clapped to his forehead.
What's the matter, Thian? asked Alison Ann Greevy, T-5, nursing em-path, from the sick bay.
Thian let his lover, Gravy, ”hear” the conversation.
Oh, I thought something was wrong, she said with a mental sigh of relief, and her mind touch left his.
”What's wrong with that sort of future, bro?” Rojer asked. ”You're at least getting a chance to travel now and see real life and all that good stuff. Besides, you've got Gravy. And it isn't as if you can't pick a nice inaccessible spot to live in to enjoy your private lire when you do get stuck with being Earth Prime.” Rojer rolled his eyes, coloring his thoughts with envious scenes of marital harmony.
That's enough of that! Thian said sternly, abandoning his shocked surprise.
Rojer only grinned, delighted to have annoyed Thian. ”And don't keep me here one moment past getting the last load of supplies on board.”
”I'll be well rid ot you,” Thian said emphatically.
”I'll never be more than a thought away,” Rojer said, and teleported himself out of the room before his brother could take physical vengeance.
Thian caught (fancy's amused glance and, wit ha laugh, was restored to his usual good humor.
”Younger brothers,” Clancy murmured sympathetically.
That evening in the privacy ot their quarters, Thian and Gravy had talked over the prospect of his having to take up either of those tremendous responsibilities-Earth Prime or Callisto Station. Since both his parents and grandparents had expressed their approval of Alison Ann, the couple no longer needed to conduct their liaison as discreetly as possible. Indeed, once Thian knew his attachment to Gravy was approved, he teleported her belongings into his quarters.
”Frees s.p.a.ce up for someone else,” she'd muttered as she saw her things neatly being fitted into his closets and drawers. ”Though it was kmda fun being zapped about by you, Thi darlin'.”
”You never knew where you were going to wake up, though,” he'd teased, hugging her tightly against him.
”Well, I'm here where I belong,” was her contented reply.
She was, however, surprised when Admiral As.h.i.+ant adroitly started including Lieutenant Greevy when he invited the FT&T personnel to his mess table, a tacit recognition of their current status as well as pub- lic approval. Once Alison Ann got over the shock, she rather enjoyed the perks that now came her way more frequently.
”'Sides which, no one dares complain about 'em either,” Gravy added, tweaking Thian's nose. ”They're jealous and can't do a thing about it.”
The next morning Earth Prime Jeff Raven contacted Thian.
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