Part 6 (1/2)
Another of Semirame's noncommittal grunts.
”Lots of low tunnels now, sir, leading deeper in and down to other levels,” said the tinny voice issuing from Semirame's wrist com. She looked at Thian for orders.
”Can you navigate them?” he asked into his own wrist unit.
”Can do,” was the answer after a slight pause.
”Hands-and-knecs job1” Thian asked.
”Can do,” was repeated.
”Found where the stuff must get dumped, sir,” another voice reported. ”Straight ahead of you. 'Bout ten meters.”
Semirame and Thian rapidly covered the distance, their quick steps echoing in the underground s.p.a.ce since stealth did not seem to be required.
The smell was heavier as they reached the dumping point. Peering down the slide that was at a forty-five degree angle, they could sec a parallel chute and conveyor belt. Despite the smell, their handlights showed no refuse at all, the plascrete clean.
Down and down they go,” Semirame remarked at her driest. ”Hemmer, Vale, Singh, take a look below.” To Thian she added, Mark &n as they pa.s.s you, Thian, so'syou ^nott''em to bring'em backup, life you did the crews m the Phobos Sphere.
He could see her wide grin, her teeth showing brightly in his visor. He nodded, getting a touch of each of them as the troopers imper-turbably slid down the ramp and started examining the direction of the belt.
”Found a whole bay or holding level full of ... worker? Sir? Sir?” another trooper reported. ”Smells bad but no garbage.”
”Got enough light to send me back a scan, Wixell?”
”Do my best. Place's as dark as . . .” Wixell paused, cleared her throat and went on. ”Dark, sir.”
Thian watched his wrist unit and the scan came up, lumps of darkness then illuminated by a slowly moving beam of light.
”The workers,” Thian said when he saw the tool extension crossed lifelessly on the front of the creature. ”Standing by for orders from the queen?”
”Can't move any farther in, sir,” Wixell went on. ”Place is stuffed with them, and the ceiling's just high enough for them to lie down, or whatever it is they're doing. More vegetable stink too.”
”Any other exit from the . . .” Scmirame paused, grimacing as she tried to find an appropriate word.
”Stabler” Thian suggested.
”Stables are for living things. That's a garage,” she said, sounding disgusted.
”No sir, blank walls.”
”C'mon back then, Wixell.”
”Sir:” Another scout reported in. ”Found a bigger tunnel, leads down and straight ahead for several hundred meters.” Her voice had an edge of excitement. ”Big enough for a queen, I think, sir. I'm getting static from the GC, so I'll take readings.”
”Do that, Mocmurra.” Thian could see the commander grinning- ”(Jo on, Thian. I'll call them.” She jerked her thumb toward the slide and then her finger in the direction Thian should go. ”Captain Lyon s on his way, Mocmurra. Wait for him, will ya? Bessy, Tramor, scour ahead for the captain.”
Thian trotted across to the light held by the figure at the opening to I.
the tunnel's slit. It wasn't very wide, hut then the queens weren't either; they were tall.
”This way, sir,” Mocmurra said; the st.u.r.dy marine was grinning over her discovery. ”Only one the size for Humans.”
”Anyone know where Gnu is?” Thian asked, realizing he hadn't caught sight of the 'Dini since it had entered.
”It was with me, sir. It's up ahead.”
”Let's move it, then,” Thian said. It wouldn't do for a 'Dini specialist to get hurt or captured by the Hivers. He picked up his feet and ran down the straight tunnel, blessing the visibility of the visor.
It's ofyay, Thian, came (fancy's rea.s.suring thought.
Can you track, Grm ?
It's got a locator on its tool belt.
Thian kept running, trying to keep the nail-studded bootheels from hitting the tunnel floor too loudly, just in case the queen could feel vibrations. He had nearly run Grm down when the 'Dini appeared in front of him, at the T-junction. Actually, it was more than a T, for additional tunnels, all queen height, opened up like a delta. Nine more.
THIS WAY, Grm said, pointing to the first one on the left-hand side, its poll eye gleaming with excitement and the fur at an almost perpendicular angle to its body. When Thian would have moved forward, it held up one flipper, bringing it around to its mouth to indicate a necessity for stealth. Then Semirarne yanked at Thian's sleeve and slipped in front of him. Well, she was right, of course, to guard him. They cautiously moved forward, placing their feet noiselessly.
An old s.n.a.t.c.h of a song-with catlike tread, upon our way we steal- sprang to his mind.
No sound at all, we never speaf( a word, Alison Ann's voice continued.
Tracking me again? Thian said, amused that Gravy was in touch.
A fly'sfootfall would be distinctly heard, was Semirame's addition, surprising a gasp out of Thian. Just happened to remember it, she added with a touch of bashful humor in her voice. Thian grinned. The commander s mental tone was quite different from her vocal one, and far more revealing of her personality than her spoken words.
Another smell impinged on their senses.
Queen stinf(? Semiramc asked Thian.
Heavy sting-pzzt, that's for sure. Thian tried to ignore the concentration of that phenomenon, though the body armor did help. Tell Mocmurra to get more readings. He heard her give the order. My sister Zara's the only one of us who's been close to a queen. Sam didn't mention smell as a factor in his confrontation with her. And nothing recorded about the ambience in her . . . quarters . . . suggests a poisonous emanation. ()j course, we had s.p.a.ce suits when we were on the Great Sphere, but the vacuum of s.p.a.ce would have erased any residual odors.
Wasn't much reefy on the refugee sphere by the time it got to Phobos Base, but this smells a bit li^e it. Ooops!
Semirame had caught up to Grm and her halt was so abrupt that Thian walked into her. She pointed to her right and Thian saw the opening and what was beyond it, as plain in his visor as if they tl been in full light-a queen, standing, with her groomers, her upper limbs extended for the attentions of her minions.
She isn't that big, was Thian's first thought.
She isn't? Where are you? Clancy demanded brusquely. That's the Admiral's question, not mine.
We seem to be at the entrance to a queen's quarters. I don't thmf^she's as big as the one at Heinlein Station.
Estimate!
A meter thirty centimeters, give or take a centimeter, Thian said, looking at Semirame, who nodded though she kept her visor focused on the queen.
Grm tugged at Thian's arm and Thian leaned down to let Grm speak softly in his ear.
SUF. IS NOT Bit;. SHE IS OLD.