The Tower and the Hive (13 page)

“Who started them?” he said, surprised.

“I did,” Asia said. “After all, I'm the engineer,” she reminded him almost pertly, and continued on her way to the three steps down to where the generators had been housed.

Do you mind working with me as backup?
Mallen asked, an odd smile on his face.

It's just that Asia's prettier than I am,
Mallen said.

Rojer adjusted his thinking quickly, for he'd assumed that this was his chance to work with Asia and he'd really looked forward to such rapport.

I have to admit to that,
Rojer said, coloring his tone with amused chagrin.
But I'll need your strength as T-3, Mallen. No insult intended.

“Let's get to work, team!” he said, reaching the lounge and clapping his hands. He heard the generators kick over. “Jes, you're expediter?”

Jes Omigo pulled out the chair at that workstation. “That's me.” He peered down at the message tube, rubbing his hands together as if eager to start the day. “I'll send the coordinates up to your screen.”

“Thanks.” Then Rojer made a flourish at Mallen toward the Tower. “Shall we ascend?”

“By all means, Captain,” Mal replied with a flourish of his own.

Mallen Bastianmajani took the left-hand couch with a sigh of satisfaction.

Didn't you think you'd make a Tower?
asked Rojer, amused but entirely understanding Mallen's reaction as he settled in the right-hand one, a perfect fit for him.

You may wish you hadn't,
Rojer said drolly.
Asia, generators up to speed?

Yes, Prime,
was her quick response.

Jes screened the coordinates in the High Council buildings in Old Europe and Rojer, checking to see that Mal had them, nodded once. He felt Mal's mind joining his as easily as a foot slips into an old shoe.

Here we go!
And the message tube disappeared.

You didn't hang about, did you?
Earth Prime said to his grandson.

Welcome to Tower life, Rojer, Mallen, Asia,
said the Rowan graciously.

Enjoy it while you can, Rojer,
his grandfather said.
Don't know how long I can spare you from Operation Search.

Later, lad, later. Morgelle's in line for the next Tower. Good sending.
And, as abruptly as Jeff Raven had touched his grandson's mind, he was gone.

That was nice of them,
Mallen said.
I've never been in contact with either of their minds before. Awesome.

Stop
the
chatter. Four to Clarf?

The generators lifted briefly as Rojer made the 'port.
Coming in, Clarf Prime,
he said formally.

Rojer? You're on the Talavera Tower?
Laria asked him.
They set that up fast enough.

Talavera Tower? That sounded very good to Rojer.
That they did. So you can lob anything to me now on the surface. Flavia and Zara are still on the
Columbia.
We'll bring down what's being held in orbit.

I won't let them overwork her,
Kincaid said, joining the conversation.

She
can make sure of that herself, thank you both,
Laria added with some asperity.
Here's the latest one: freighter, cargo all inanimate. Got a big enough cradle?

I've enough delicacy of touch not to warp our brand-new cradles,
Rojer replied.
Thank you, sis. Nice 'port.

There're two more scheduled for today and that's it for Clarf Tower. What time of day is it there for you? I'll mark
it
up for
a
“Talavera Tower” rotation.

Rojer glanced up at the multiple time displays, each identifying a different main Tower time, nicely placed for
easy
reading for the couch occupants.
It is fourteen-thirty hours of
a
twenty-six-point-five-oh-hour day.

Incoming from Earth,
Mallen said.

Five drones. Inanimate,
was his grandfather's terse message.

Rojer linked and brought the drones in the rest of the way, slotting them neatly into the waiting cradles. “Jes, ask my 'Dinis to come up here, will you? We're going to need more drone-size cradles if they keep sending us job lots like that.”

Kat and Gil came tumbling up the steps, front limbs forward to prevent slipping back down in their haste.

KAT, GIL, PLEASE SEE WHO IS CONSTRUCTING CRADLES. WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE ONES—Rojer broke off because the yard manager was already organizing crews to empty the drones and load the grav sleds. Then a crew of ten 'Dinis manually lifted the light drone shells off their landing web. IF THE YARD CREW CAN DO IT THAT FAST, MAYBE WE DON'T.

MORE COMING, Kat said. WE ASK FOR MORE. BETTER MORE THAN FEW.

“That's for sure,” Rojer said. “Off you go, then, and please ask who is the yard manager. I haven't met him yet.”

That's Seelbat Buffer, a Capellan and a T-5 kinetic,
Asia informed them from her station by the generators.
He has 'Dinis.

“How many?” Rojer asked, since the yard seemed to be swarming with all the colors Mrdini bodies came in.

Rojer cleared his throat, remembering that Flavia had got her brother and her mate included on the crew of the
Columbia.
But if Seelbat worked as well as Mallen and Jes Omigo, he'd have no complaints.

“Isn't it unusual for a Capellan to have 'Dinis?”

Yes, he was the first ...
Some edge to her voice suggested to Rojer that likely Seelbat had taken a lot of criticism and dislike from the methody folk of his home planet for being partnered with “heathen aliens.”

“He's here now and that's good,” Rojer said.

Incoming from Sef,
warned Jes.

Congratulations, Rojer,
chorused Yoshuk and Nesrun from Sef's Tower.

you
are slinging me at ...
He caught their send, a medium-sized passenger yacht.
Precisely fourteen forty-five.

Bean counter?
Beside Rojer, Mallen chuckled.

“Accountant,” he said. “We've a full complement of governing officials down here already, you know, from the passenger ships we caught on the
Columbia.”

Let's hope that Fsslm doesn't complain about the luxury they've provided us,
Jes said.

Here it comes,
warned Sef Tower, and Rojer met the Mind Merge which Yoshuk and Nesrun used, and placed the yacht carefully into its cradle.

Seelbat, full honors to the passengers,
Rojer said.
Fsslm is to be specially treated. It's got something for us from Yoshuk and Nesrun.

Thanks, Seelbat. Sorry I didn't get to greet you formally
.

Rojer grinned. Seelbat's tone had rippled with amusement. Since the Tower was glassed all around, Rojer could observe the arrivals, all but the first one carrying heavy sacks. Fsslm was a mature blue-gray, large enough to have earned its five-letter name. Ground transport wheeled into the yard, ready to accommodate Fsslm's party and their accoutrements. Not all the disembarking passengers were admitted to that vehicle, so Put let out one of the shrill whistles a 'Dini could emit and a second air cushion appeared to transport the remainder of the newcomers.

As soon as the vehicle was cleared of its animate cargo, the yard tractor tackled the yacht and moved it to the storage area.

Rojer leaned back on the couch, pleased with such efficiency.

KAT, GIL, COME WITH ME. HONORABLE FSSLM ARRIVING.
Come on up, Asia.

Should
I?

Yes, you should,
Rojer said firmly as he rose from his couch, gesturing for Mallen to join him below.
It isn't that you don't know 'Dinis, m'love.
He paused at the foot of the steps until she joined him; then he tucked her hand under his arm, ignoring her pull to free herself, and they proceeded to the Tower entrance.

Their timing was perfect, for the car arrived just as the four Talents emerged, Kat and Gil slipping around them to flank the vehicle.

WELCOME TO TALAVERA, HONORABLE FSSLM. Rojer calculated his bow, his arm pulling Asia's upper body down to the appropriate level for a five-letter-name 'Dini.

AH, IT IS A PLEASURE FOR FSSLM TO MEET RJR AT LONG LAST, Fsslm said, bowing just a tad lower to emphasize its pleasure, and handed over the large box it carried. Rojer had to drop Asia's arm to accept the package, which had a suspiciously cold bottom. THIS IS SMALL TOKEN OF ESTEEM FROM SEF TOWER AND FROM SEF PLANET FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS MARVELOUS NEW WORLD TO MRDINI OCCUPATION. SOON THIS WILL BE AS BEAUTIFUL AS CLRF, SF, TPLU, KIF AND PTU.

OF THAT I AM CERTAIN, HONORABLE FSSLM, NOW THAT YOU ARE HERE TO HELP ORGANIZE AN ORDERLY AND ACCOUNTABLE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE. Rojer and Fsslm bowed simultaneously.

Rojer, incoming,
Jes warned.

WITH GREAT REGRET I MUST SHORTEN OUR FIRST MEETING, AS THE TOWER IS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THIS HOUR. WE WILL MEET AGAIN IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, FSSLM. OUR GRATITUDE AGAIN FOR THIS GIFT.

Rojer was stepping backward, the package beginning to freeze his hand. Asia kept pace with him, with several more bows.

BE COMFORTABLE, HONORABLE FSSLM, she said in well-accented 'Dini, which surprised Rojer.

Fsslm bowed once more and then mounted the steps into the car, which it imperiously waved to proceed.

The door slid open and Rojer and Mallen made for the steps to the Tower, Rojer pausing long enough to deposit the package at Jes's station.

“What's in it?” Mallen asked as they clambered two steps at a time.

“Don't know, but it's cold. See to it, will you, Jes, when you've a chance.”

“Probably Sef fruit. It's the right season,” Asia called up from the generator level.

“What's incoming?” Rojer called over his shoulder as he and Mallen made it to their couches.

We really will need more cradles if we're getting this much traffic in,
Rojer said.

It should level off. How much more stuff do they need to get a planet started?
was Mallen's complaint.

His sentiment was echoed when Talavera Tower signed off for the day at 2200 of its 2650 hours. The traffic had been steady the entire day, and the Talents had had to snatch meals—and some of the excellent ripe fruit that Sef Tower had sent—in between the almost continuous bombardment of large, medium and message tubes, many from Earth or the other 'Dini planets. Seelbat was possibly the weariest when they finally called a halt. He had worked nonstop even with all the 'Dinis helping him to empty cradles and stack the drones, or park the vehicles.

“Who have we got up on the
Columbia?”
Rojer asked, slouched on one of the recliners in the main lounge. Asia, with a smear of generator oil on one cheek, lay curled up on another couch.

Flavia, Zara, fifteen T's of various abilities,
she answered him, too weary to speak aloud.

I'll be all right, Rojer, really I will,
Mallen assured him.
Didn't I keep up with you all day?

You did and you're a pleasure to merge with, Mal, but if we get several weeks of this sort of heavy traffic, we need to spell everyone. Tower experience is useful for any Talent,
Rojer said firmly.
But we don't have the extras that Callisto or Iota Aurigae or Earth has. Look at Seelbat. He's a shadow of his morning's self.
Rojer tried for a little levity, since he could sense Asia's apprehension.
I don't
need
another engineer if I have you, but we do need someone to share the load with Jes, if only to keep the data in order.
He turned to Jes and pointed a finger at him.
And you're to go to bed when we all do, not stay up till dawn to file today's receipts. We'll get a yeoman down to help with that. If we should, the gods forbid, lose a drone or a freighter, we've got to know what it was and what was on it, or our bean counter will not be pleased with us. And Seelbat cannot work at such a clip without relief. Did you get anything to eat at all?