Part 4 (1/2)

”You were fully asleep, weren't you? I wasn't.” He said the last ruefully. ”I couldn't seem to get comfortable. Odd smell in my room the circulator isn't removing.” His hands smoothed down her back, as if he were trying to push the shudders from her.

Gradually they ceased and she lay limply against him, her hands still on his arm, keeping her by him. When he ft-It her totally relax, he s.h.i.+fted slightly and she grabbed reflexively to keep him close, as if he were the talisman to ward oft the frightening dream.

”Don't worry. I'll stay. Perhaps you can help me get to sleep?” His voice was oddly wistful and she giggled.

”Why not? We both got to sleep last night.”

”This could get to be a habit,” he said, chuckling as he put one hand on her chest and pushed her back into the pillows.

”Not if it has to start with me scaring myself to death,” she said as she reached out with her hands to collect him to her.

The third night was worse as both Lana and Kincaid woke at the same instant, both feeling the shafts of intense emotion. Sobbing, Laria was struggling out of the twisted sheets of her bed when Kincaid arrived, tripping over the sheet he had 'ported with him in his haste. Laria shot up, reaching to steady him, and then they clung together until the spasms gradually eased.

I thinf^both sets of Dim pals-his tone was sharper than she had ever heard from him-need to go to the hibernatory. That smell ought to have alerted us. I remember it from 'Dims in our squadron. They've been having fun and games with us.

They have? Laria was astonished. She didn't want their new intimacy to be anyone's fun and games, even her devoted 'Dinis'.

Can you explain this any other way?

Are you angry with them?

Ah! His arms tightened about her, his lips turning up a soft smile as he gazed clown at her. I can't say that I am, dear heart, but I'll be d.a.m.ned if VII let them manipulate us like this. I can do without the panic triggers and ] know you can.

She glanced over her shoulder, half expecting to see two bright poll eyes watching them. They're fast asleep, she said, seeing only the two lumps to one side of her wide bed.

And so were Plus and Nit when 1 staggered out of bed, but that doesn't keep them from conniving dreams. You'd have had more experience with 'Dim dreaming than I.

Not I. My parents were the first to have 'Dim dreams. Tip and Hufhave always given me nice dreams.

My pair f^ept me from going crazy on the Valparaiso, Kincaid allowed, his tone puzzled now. Tomorrow we'll tafye all four to the hibernatory and see what their condition is. D'you want to bet they've used their s.e.x drive to stimulate ours?

Laria tried very hard not to giggle at the outrage in Kincaid's tone. Of course, he could feel the rising laughter in her under his hands, and he held her off to look into her face.

And it worked, she said meekly just before a chuckle broke from her lips.

All right, all right, he said, rocking her from side to side in his arms. I'll give in. Will you?

She hesitated, not quite sure how to handle this because she had no intention of forcing herself on Kincaid, despite how deep her feelings for him had become. She felt him begin to withdraw and tightened her arms about his neck.

I just want to be sure you want to too.

I do. And she couldn't doubt he meant it.

The next morning, just as false dawn lit the skies, they hauled all four 'Dims into the ground car and drove them to the nearest hibernatory.

I.

an The large keeper, unusually gaunt tor ;i Mrdini of its age, took one look at the quartet and started scolding them.

HOW DARK COLORS GKT INTO SUCH CONDITION'., MAKING SUCH DEAD SMKLLS! NI'L, PLS ARK YOUNGER, HUT TU> AND HGK KNOW WHEN SMELL TOO MAD. WHY DKLAY? THIS SI'KCIAL TLMK AND SPECIAL PLACE THIS TIME. DELAY CAUSE PROBLEMS. COULD BE ALL WRONG. TIMING IS ESSENTIAL NOW ()[* ALL ”LIMES. Railing at them angrily, the keeper pushed them ahead of il - swatting first Kmcaid's Plus and then Tip, Nil and Huf because they weren't moving fast enough to suit it - through the door, which was emphatically slammed shut.

As much amused by the scolding their friends bad received as relieved by the knowledge they had acted properly, Rincaid and Laria locked arms and made their way back to their ground vehicle.

Such dead smells? Rincaid said rhetorically, grinning. Could cause great problems?

They did smell and they were trying to put something over on us.

And succeeded very well, didn't they, dear heart?

I concur, dear man. I concur.

He stopped and, in the peculiarly pellucid light of C'larf, looked deeply into her eyes and touched her mind.

If they were the problem, Laria . . .

She caught his hands. * haven't asked for any promises, Kincaid. I am first and always your friend.

Yes, that you are, dear heart. That you always are. Then he gave her a gentle push toward the ground car and he drove them back to the Tower.

The Was.h.i.+ngton hung behind the largest of the three moons that circled the subject planet, while probes began their exploratory flights. Thian had control of those investigating the planet while Clancy and Semirame Kloo had sent theirs to the sphere set in a geosynchronous...o...b..t above what appeared to be the same sort of flat field used for Hiver scout s.h.i.+ps on the Xh-33 Hiver world.

”That s.h.i.+p is ancient,” Clancy reported to Admiral As.h.i.+ant, who w;is seated behind the Talents' couches.

”It is?”

”The hull's pitted,” Rame Kloo added. And that odd covering they use on their spheres A II II 6.

has all worn away. Never seen that before. We should ask the 'Dinis about such erosion.”

”I'll send a message to Captain Spktm on the KSTS,” Clancy said, and gestured tor Rame to continue searching without him tor a moment.

”Can yon get inside the sphere, Commander?” the Admiral asked Kloo, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, as he peered at the screen which did indeed show the deterioration of the surface of the I liver vessel.

”Indeed we can. sir,” Ramc said. ”They left a door open for us,” she added in a droll voice.

The Admiral recoiled slightly in reflex as the probe dove fora jagged hole in the exterior. For a moment, the screen was black. Then the probe's lights came on and displayed the now-familiar drive area, did a sweep and then focused on the hull fragments from the hole littering the deck.

”Just what we need,” Clancy said and activated the probe's sweeper to collect the debris. ”I'll )ust 'port them to the lab, sir, and we should get an estimate of its age from forensic examination.

”I'll tell them to expect it,” the Admiral said, raising his wrist com to his lips.

”If you wouldn't mind, sir,” Clancy said, grinning to himself. Sometimes he had the notion that Admiral As.h.i.+ant felt somewhat at a disadvantage in the presence of the Talents. ”Spktm is querying its experts on the deterioration of the sphere's skin. It'll come back if it has any information.”

”Ah, here we arc, sir,” Thian said, gesturing to the screens he had just activated, showing pictures of the surface taken by the probes he was controlling. ”Odd.”

”What's odd?” the Admiral asked, lowering the com now that he had contacted the lab technicians.

”I'd've expected a much larger facility if this planet has been settled as long as the age oi the s.h.i.+p seems to indicate.”

”Yes, you're right in that. The Xh~33 had a much larger installation near its field. Can you see the entrances to the underground scout storage?”