A Deepness in the Sky

Smith hadn't meant that to come up, but hell, they were alone, and at the end of the world: "I intend to, sir. But there's a war on, and you know I'm...not much for tradition; we'll marry after the Dark." It had taken Victory Smith just one afternoon to realize that Underhill was the strangest person she had ever met. It had taken her another couple of days to realize he was a genius who could be used like a dynamo, could be used to literally change the course of a world war. Within fifty days she had had Strut Greenval convinced of the same, and Underhill was tucked away in his own lab, with labs growing up around him to handle the peripheral needs of the project. Between her own missions, Victory had schemed on how she might claim the Underhill phenomenon—that was how she thought of him, how the Intelligence Staff thought of him—as her permanent advantage. Marriage was the obvious move. A traditional Marriage-in-the-Waning would have suited her career path. It all would have been perfect, except for Sherkaner Underhill himself. Sherk was a person with his own plans. Ultimately he had become her best friend, as much someone to scheme with as to scheme about. Sherk had plans for after the Dark, things that Victory had never repeated to anyone. Her few other friends—even Hrunkner Unnerby—liked her despite her being out-of-phase. Sherkaner Underhill actually liked the idea of out-of-phase children. It was the first time in her life that Victory had met with more than mere acceptance. So for now they fought a war. If they both survived, there was another world of plans and a life together, after the Dark.

And Strut Greenval was clever enough to figure out a lot of this. Abruptly, she glared at her boss. "You already knew, didn't you? That's why you wouldn't let me stay with the Team. You figure it's a suicide mission, and my judgment would be warped....Well it is dangerous, but you don't understand Sherkaner Underhill; self-sacrifice is not on his agenda. By our standards he's rather a coward. He's not especially taken by most of the things you and I hold dear. He's risking his life out of simple curiosity—but he's very, very careful when it comes to his own safety. I think the Team will succeedand survive. The odds would only have been improved if you'd let me stay with them! Sir."

Her last words were punctuated by the dramatic dimming of the room's single lamp. "Hah," said Greenval, "we've been without fuel oil for twelve hours, did you know that, Colonel? Now the lead acid batteries have about run down. In a couple of minutes Captain Diredr will be here with the Last Word from maintenance: ‘Begging your pardon, sir, but the last pools will freeze momentarily. Engineering begs that you join them for final shutdown.' " He mimicked his aide's high-pitched voice.

Greenval stood, leaned across the desk. His doubts were hidden once more, and the old snap was back in his manner. "In that time, I want to clear up a few things about your orders and your future. Yes, I brought you back because I don't want to risk you on this mission. Your Sergeant Unnerby and I have had some long talks. We've had nine years to put you through almost limitless risk, and to watch how your mind works when thousands of lives depend on the right answers. It's time to take you off the front lines of special operations. You are one of the youngest colonels in modern times; after this Dark, you'll be the youngest general."

"Only if the Underhill mission succeeds."

"Don't interrupt. However the Underhill affair goes, the King's advisors know how good you are. Whether or not I survive this Dark, you'll be sitting in my job within a few years of the starting of the New Sun—and your days of personal risk-taking must be over. If your Mr. Underhill survives, marry him, breed him, I couldn't care less. But never ever again are you to put yourself at risk." He waved his pointed hand at her head, a mock threat with an edge. "If you do, I swear I'll come back from the grave and crack your thick shell."

There was the sound of footsteps in the narrow hallway. Hands scratched at the heavy curtain that was the room's only door. It was Captain Diredr. "Excuse me, General. Engineering is absolutely insistent, sir. We have thirty minutes of electrical power, at the outside. They are begging, sir—"

Greenval spat that last aromatique into a stained cuspidor. "Very good, Captain. We are coming down instanter." He sidled around the Colonel, and pulled back the curtain. When Smith hesitated to go before him, he waved her through the doorway. "In this case, senior means last, my dear. I've never liked this business of cheating on the Dark, but if we have to do it,I'm the one who gets to turn out the lights!"

SEVEN