Resurgence

Graves nodded. “That also is no surprise. Mr. Nenda, and Captain Rebka also, I am afraid that one element of this whole affair has apparently escaped you. I should have been clearer at the outset. You were not brought to Miranda Port simply to be provided with information concerning the new Bose nodes that lead to the Sag Arm. You were not brought here to learn about the Marglotta, or the destructive force at work in the Sagittarius Arm. Nor were you brought here to offer your advice, valuable as that may be. You were brought here because you, and I, and everyone present in this chamber, have a more active role to perform.”

“Like what?”

“Like, Mr. Nenda, to discover what threatens to destroy Marglot, and what one day may destroy us.” Graves bowed his head, so that light gleamed on his bald dome with its pattern of radiation scars that for some reason he had never bothered to have removed. ” Miranda Port represents no more than a point of embarkation. As soon as possible, we will all be on our way to the Sagittarius Arm.”

CHAPTER SIX Through the Gulf

Darya, even though she was from one of the richest worlds in the Fourth Alliance, had never dreamed that ships like the Pride of Orion existed. It was a miracle of compact structure. Although it was not especially large, and although it looked like and operated as one perfectly integrated body, the ship could divide into six self-contained vessels. Each had its own drive and its own Bose transfer capability. The ship had been renamed before they set out from Upside Miranda Port. Darya suspected that was a Council act. The Pride of Orion and everyone within it would be the first representatives of the local arm to visit its inward neighbor.

Or not quite the first. The Pride of Orion was about to pass through yet another Bose transition. Just ahead, a mere pulsating speck on the screen, flew a much smaller ship. Even as Darya watched and wondered, the Have-It-All entered the node and the signal beacon vanished.

Its presence on the expedition was the result of a terrific argument with Julian Graves on the eve of their departure; an argument, moreover, in which the unheard-of took place: Hans Rebka and Louis Nenda had agreed with each other completely.

“The Pride of Orion is effectively indestructible.” That was Julian Graves.

“I don’t care if the Pride of Orion is made of solid neutronium and could fly up the wazoo of a Bolingbroke giant and come out in one piece.” Nenda stood arms akimbo, glaring at the councilor. “Smart people don’t do things that way, an’ I can’t believe you don’t know it.”

“Nenda’s right.” Hans Rebka poked an accusing finger at Graves . “You saw it for yourself during Summertide and on Genizee. No matter how secure you feel, you don’t travel without a backup. Especially when you’re heading beyond known space.”

“We have a back-up ship, for Heaven’s sake. We have six back-up ships, right on the Pride of Orion. If you want to inspect them, you have my permission to visit every one.”

“Yeah, an’ that’s real easy to do.” Nenda looked around as though seeking a good place to spit. “You know why? Because they are right there on board the Pride of Orion. It gets zapped, they get zapped.”

“What could possibly, as you put it, ‘zap’ the Pride of Orion?”

“If we knew the answer to that, we’d be a lot less worried.” This time Rebka’s outstretched finger actually touched the councilor’s chest. “I don’t understand your logic here. Taking an extra ship along will cost the Council a negligible amount.”

“Cost nothin’, you mean.” Nenda jerked a thumb toward the silent Cecropian. “At an’ me, we’ll fly the Have-It-All in scout position for free.”

“Even better. Councilor, are you listening? You have somebody willing to fly on ahead of the Pride of Orion, to make sure that there are no problems waiting. “Hans Rebka gave Nenda a quick sideways glance at that point—the offer to lead the way into possible danger sounded a little too good to be true—but he went on, “A lead scout is in everyone’s best interests.”

“It would not be right to ask Mr. Nenda and Atvar H’sial to expose themselves to risks not borne by the rest of us. In any case, we will have a special group of humans on board the Pride of Orion, with unique training in survival techniques. The inter-clade council insists on it.”

“Oh yeah? Training acquired where? Sitting on their asses on one of the cushy worlds of the Fourth Alliance? If you took ’em to Karelia—”

“—or to Teufel.”

Nenda glared at Hans Rebka. “Hey, Captain, we’re not competin’ on this one.” He turned back to Graves . “Take ’em to Karelia or Teufel, an’ the locals’d eat ’em for supper an’ spit ’em out with the pits.”