Damia's Children Part 19

After her remark, Zara watched with such a wary, scared expression on her face that Damia moved closer to her. Rojer 'heard' rea.s.suring words which confused him since his mother wouldn't be projecting that on a wide enough band to include him.

Rojer began to wonder if Zara should watch the rest of the tape.

He found it affecting enough when the Queen adopted her static position. Zara was such a sensitive empath, lots of things that didn't bother him or the others made her fret. At the conclusion, when the Queen became stationary and the tape wound on and on with that scene Zara burst into tears and fled the room. Damia cast a quick anxious look at Afra and then followed her.

Zara's 'Dinis did not. Fok and Tri conferred for a moment and left the room, too.

When the tape finished, Keylarion, Xexo and Herault, the station manager, wanted to see it again.

So Afra keyed for a repeat.

Rojer slipped out then. He didn't quite know what to do: should he tell Zara that he had felt sadness and the Queen's loneliness, too.

He doubted his mother would find that a suitable reaction: but it was genuine. But Zara might be rea.s.sured to know she wasn't alone in her sensitive response to the Queen.

As he started up the stairs, his mother was coming down and her expression told him she was very worried. But she cleared her face and smiled down at him, pausing beside him on the step. To his surprise, she touched his cheek.

'I'm very proud of you, Rojer. Now I'm glad that Father seconded you. He's very pleased, too. Even about your fussing with the pieces!' She gave him a droll grin.

'Mother, is Zara all right?' 'You're sweet, Rojer. She'll be all right,' and Damia gave a heavy sigh. 'She's just getting used to being womanly and is a bit ... volatile right now.' 'Oooooh,' and Rojer drew out the soft exclamation as he understood. Then he shook his head.

'Laria wasn't!' 'Laria has an entirely different personality. A much stronger Talent. In fact,' and Damia let out a sigh, 'I'm delighted you're back. What with menstruation hitting her so hard, she's been useless in the Tower for all she's a T-1. I've never heard menstruation causing a dysfunction in Talent before, but I suppose there's always an exception.' Damia sighed again. 'I hope you and your father are rested enough to push out some big-daddies this morning.

Morag was a great help - at least with the Tower,' and Rojer didn't need a 'path to realize that Morag had probably been acting the maggot.

She could be quite domineering and Zara was too pliable to resist her.

'How much is there to 'port, Mother?' Rojer asked crisply. 'I need to work off several breakfasts. Will you need me to hunt?' 'A lot and yes. We'll warm up the generators while the others have a second gawk at that raree tape you brought back.' Aware now of her animosity towards the Hive Queen, he was glad he hadn't revealed his private reaction.

Afra joined them in the Tower and brought the rest of the Tower staff with him.

'Did you hear Xexo saying that three more pieces have been added on to your start?' Afra said as he took his couch.

'No, but I'm glad of it. And it wasn't my start, Dad. Seventeen other people found it, too.' Damia grinned at her son, then nodded for them to get set for the first 'portation. There was a backlog to send so they didn't clear the loads until almost lunchtime. Rojer's stomach gave embarra.s.sing growls as they made their way back to the house.

Morag had lunch ready, looking slightly smug and officious, Rojer thought, and decided to hunt her legs off in the afternoon; take her down a peg or two. Morag could be a pain in the neck when she tried to compete with her siblings. There was really no need for her to do that. Of Zara there was no sign, though she should have been helping.

Kaltia and Ewain had fed all the c.o.o.nies, Slithers, Darbuls and horses, mucked out the stable, and evidently still had time to replay the tape for they were watching it again before lunch.

'Where's Zara?' Afra asked, glancing about.

'Leave her, Afra,' Damia replied, and obviously added a private explanation for Afra said no more about his missing daughter.

Deliberately leaving all the 'Dinis home, Rojer took Morag out with him, taking the short cut - which meant hard and careful riding to the next valley. He knew of a couple of scurrier dens and rabbit warrens which he hoped had remained his secret. They were difficult to access, which was all to the good. At first Morag was delighted to show him how good a rider she was and kept her pony at Saki's tail on the way up. On the narrow decline trail, especially where the open side dropped hundreds of metres down to scree, she was not quite so c.o.c.ky. They had to go through stiff underbrush but he'd put on his leathers and she was only in a shirt. She was definitely sweaty, branch and thorn marked, and not at all as smug when they reached the ravine at the bottom. By the time Rojer reached his destination, she was thoroughly chastened but determined to endure.

Rojer gave her credit for that on the way home, with ten braces apiece of avians, rabbits and scurriers, which had the most delicious flesh if you caught them young enough. Rojer had. He relented enough to take an easier if longer route back but he made that seem deliberate, rather than considerate, because that track pa.s.sed by stands of edible greens and bushes of early plummy-fleshed rindfruits.

They arrived home late afternoon laden down with provender for the next three days - unless they had unexpected guests.

Although the miners' representatives, Yugin and Mexalgo, had come to collect copies of the tape, they left after the most cursory of visits with profuse thanks. They couldn't wait to view the tape and see the enemy, they said, and on hearing that, Zara ran from the room, stifling sobs. The miners did not notice, being on their way to the door.

Zara! Easy, sis, Rojer called. I'll help her, Mother, he added and followed her.

She was in Laria's old room, having moved out of the one she had shared with her two younger sisters.

Rojer noticed that neither of his 'Dinis accompanied him.

No, Rojer, leave it! she said in a voice that was broken by her mental anguish.

Sis, would it help if I told you I thought the Queen looked lonely and sad, as well as beautiful?

But you were there! You watched! And you said nothing?

He entered the room and saw her, tear-streaked face, rebellious expression, facing him in an att.i.tude of defence.

'Aw now, Zara,' he said tenderly but she held up one hand to restrain him.

'Don't you dare "aw now, Zara" me,' and she sniffed back tears.

'I get enough of that from Mother.

She just won't "see" or "feel" what I'm going through. And if you come out with some male gibberish about the time of month, I swear I'll lash you!' Rojer hadn't any such plat.i.tudes in mind and he wasn't alarmed by her threat though it was one of the first he'd ever heard her make. She was the gentlest of his sisters and usually self-effacing and acquiescent: hardly surprising amid seven other strong sibling personalities. Rojer perched on one edge of her worktop and folded his arms, subtly projecting affection and rea.s.surance.

'And don't try that either,' she said, rubbing tears away.

'You know, you look more like Grandmother Rowan than any of us.' She narrowed her eyes. 'Don't try misdirection either, Rojer Lyon!' 'I'm not, actually,' he said in a brisker voice, 'but I had breakfast with Grandmother just this morning so I can see the resemblance very clearly.

You are more like her than Laria or Morag. You haven't seen Grandmother in a while but you'd be the last one to see the likeness.

I wonder if Dad would.' But Zara was not going to be distracted.

'She'd want to kill the Queen, too, wouldn't she?' 'Grandmother 5 not...' and Rojer shrugged, 'pacific at any time. You know that,' and he grinned.

He got an ironic shrug from his sister. 'But I'm not talking about Grandmother's reaction to the Queen, only how much you look like her. By the way, there is a group of humans who feel that we should at least make an attempt to understand the Hiver viewpoint.' 'But you don't think much of them,' she retorted, angrily defiant, irritably pushing back her own silver wing of hair.

'I didn't say that and I don't even project it, sis.

But I did want to tell you that you're not the only one to have different perceptions. I-' And Rojer jabbed a thumb into his breast bone. '-thought she was beautiful, too.' He couldn't quite admit that he, too, had felt she was lonely and afraid.

Zara narrowed her eyes. 'Half Aurigae City wants her publicly...

murdered... torn apart limb from limb. Did you know that?' 'No, but it doesn't surprise me, considering the source, and Rojer smiled condescendingly. 'Look, sis, I do respect your reactions, your feelings about the Queen. I had them myself...

'But you hadn't the guts to make them known!' Zara flashed back at him, her eyes glinting just like Grandmother Rowan's had but with a different cause.

'Oddly enough, not all the 'Dinis want her killed.

They do want to...

'Probe, pry and drive that poor creature mad, finding out how she works, how she produces her young. They've already killed half the larvae Thian found. Oh, I wish he hadn't. Oh, how I wish he hadn't!' 'Sis, you're going off in all directions to no purpose at all,' Rojer said, becoming slightly exasperated by her capriciousness. 'You're not a Talent for nothing. There are more ways of doing things than blasting out left, right and centre. That's not like you anyway. Get in touch with the other like-minded folk. I'll help you there without Mom and Dad knowing. See what you can do to help change public opinion. It can be changed, you know. And you'd make a d.a.m.n fine lobbyer. That way you can help the Queen.' 'She'll never be released.' Zara was not about to be consoled. Rojer thought she was enjoying this wallow in sentiment. 'She'll die in that awful place, friendless, childless, alone, with her home all blown up...' Zara put her hands to her face, weeping desperately again.

Despite 'sensing' that she was working herself up, Rojer couldn't stand his pretty sister in tears. He took her into his arms, and she leaned exhaustedly against him, crying more piteously than ever.

I'll take over, Rojer, his mother said as she came down the hall.

No need, Mom. I can handle it. I'll soothe her.

You know I always could get her to sleep when she was a baby.

Yes, you could, at that. There's a strong affinity between the pair of you like- Damia broke off and Rojer knew she had been about to name Larak.

There is, Mom, so let me use it now to calm her down.

It took time, and it meant Rojer had to forgo the few free hours he had hoped to spend with the Hive pieces but Zara was more important.

He consoled her with lavish affection, support and understanding, until, spent with such an emotional storm, she fell asleep.

When she appeared the next morning, she was calm and her usual self-effacing self though there was a sadness in her eyes that wrenched Rojer's heart.

She's over her menses, now, Damia said very privately to him.

Thank you for calming her down.

You're a sweet boy as well as a clever one.

Sweet? Rojer replied in disgust. Zara's too tenderhearted for her own good.

His mother continued, but not to him, to his father and on such a subject that Rojer was surprised to be included. Then he realized, he wasn't included: he was catching a private conversation he ought not to be able to 'hear'. He'd've shielded had his mother not been discussing Zara with his father.

She's a dysfunctional Prime, Afra, Damia was saying with deep regret and distress. Father can't expect her to do Tower service.

She'd wilt under the stress. And with everyone knowing she's a T-1, they'll expect her to go to a Tower.

Everyone is not your father, nor Gollee Gren who has a lot more to do with placing Talents these days than Jeff. Certainly we must inform Gollee of our anxiety and our a.s.sessment. Zara can be trained for other duties, less emotionally laden. She's got good thrust.

Erratic as her sympathies. . . His mother's tone was peevish.

Well, I'll admit that I felt a pang of sympathy for the Queen YOU?

Rojer was equally startled, and relieved.

Yes, I. It's an att.i.tude that won't endear me to many, but to be honest, Damia, and we have always been honest in our private thoughts, there was something pathetic about that Queen! Pathetic, awkward, and... valiant, I think one could say.

There was a long pause of silence. If one isn't swayed by conditioning, his mother admitted slowly, and unfortunately, I am biased about Hivers - I can't help it - one could call her brave to leave the pod.

Of course, she had to, didn't she? No oxygen, no food.

Rojer nearly cheered to hear his mother admit this.

I worry more about Zara's 'Dinis, Damia went on. They do not understand her perversion...

Not perverse surely, Damia. Wayward, or maybe deviant, but not perverse. She's an extremely sensative girl . . . I'll work on rea.s.suring her 'Dinis.

Oh, I think they'll pull round once they're over the shock of hearing Zara defending the Queen.

I don't think she's defending the Queen so much as empathizing with her. And she's thrown up a very tight mental shield about her thoughts. We must allow her the privacy we always permit other Talents, Afra said.

She's not adult yet.

But nearly. I seem to remember.

Afra!

There was such an intimacy in their minds that Rojer hastily closed off the intriguing conversation.

That mental exchange was not the only one he inadvertently 'overheard' in the next few days for there were 'pathed messages filtering in from all the Primes. Some of the messages Rojer would rather not have heard: others were curious and fascinating.

Especially the badinage his mother enjoyed with her father, or her pithy remarks to her brother, Jeran, and her sister, Cera, both of them Towered Primes.

Rojer now caught Laria's reports from Clarf. Those he was glad Zara couldn't hear.

There was a faction on Clarf that mirrored the Aurigae City wish for summary execution as public as possible.

He also caught all the reports from Heinlein Base.

The Queen had remained stationary for seventy-six hours, ignoring replenishments of the foods she had been seen to eat. Xen.o.biologists and xenozoologists were doing their best to be sure the offerings covered all nutritional requirements for they were certain she would be laying the eggs that strained her lower body to the point where striations or cracks were visible in the bulb of it.

There had been several more failed attempts in laboratories within the Alliance to vitalize the larvae and their numbers were dwindling rapidly. That was when someone suggested that perhaps the remaining larvae should be sent to Heinlein Base in the hope that the Queen could hatch them. Perhaps she required attendants for the egg-laying and, with these missing, she would be unable to function.

Some of the larvae of each type were therefore 'ported into the base, to see if their appearance would activate the Queen. Men seemed to dominate the push to give the Queen the larvae. Women seemed less inclined to sympathize with her condition. For, apart from eating again, the Queen had done nothing else, though her egg-filled bulb continued to expand.

However, when the decision to give her some of the three types of larvae was implemented, Rojer got Zara off by herself to give her what he felt should be good news.

'The least they can do,' was all Zara said in a disgusted tone, though, for the rest of the day, Rojer thought she was more cheerful.

Certainly she was on hand to see a screening of the transfer. The scene was even more dramatic than the Queen's emergence.

The Queen rushed to the larvae, running her upper limbs across each sac, emitting a low hum.

She deftly turned each larva so she could inspect all round, then she awkwardly swept a path to the nearest building. This, the experts said, had to be some sort of instinctive behaviour for the paving had been brushed clear of any dust or grit when the base was cleaned for her occupancy. She ran back to collect the day's green offerings and piled them in the big entrance hall. When she'd done that, she patiently rolled each larva to its new site, with many pattings and turnings and hummings. The day's efforts seemed to exhaust her for she resumed the immobile post-prandial position, propped up by her hind limbs.

Biologists and zpologists - including two eminent human orthopediterists - argued over what sort of 'bedding' would suit her needs, and chose straw and wood shavings, as well as several types of artificial chips, bits and bobbles. A quant.i.ty of fine artificial 'wax' and natural tallow were added to the offerings, in case she was more apiarian than insectoid.

When she settled on the shavings, heaping them in mounds over the larvae, more was sent in. Rojer had a private smile for the things cousin Roddie had to do as the Observation Talent.

Zara brightened at each new concession granted the 'prisoner' and kept within viewing distance of the screen, waiting for the next development. Her mother let her because, as Damia privately admitted to Afra, she was more use in the house than in the Tower. Zara was certainly not the only one so involved in what happened at Heinlein Base. Queenwatching had replaced piece-finding as a galactic pastime.

Two mornings later a frantic call from Zara reached them as they left the Tower. Damia nodded once at Afra and Rojer and they all 'ported into the main room.