Damia's Children (12 page)

“Generators are already on line?” he asked, though he could also see by the gauges on the board in front of him that they were.

“Ready when you are,” Tikele said in the blandest possible tone.

“May I have a view of the 'Dini ship's shuttle bay?”

“Patch it through,” Captain Ashiant said and the right-hand screen immediately gave Thian the picture he needed.

He reached out with just his mind, sensing the presence of many 'Dinis, and the smooth cylinder that would transport the medics. If he hadn't been rushing around like a slither after stonelice, he'd have been able to reach across that minimal spatial distance without assistance. But despite the adrenalin coursing through his blood, he leaned into the generators, just as he would back on Aurigae. At that, his catch didn't place more than a second's strain on the generators.

“There,” Thian said, rising. “Thank you very much for your cooperation, gentlemen. Captain, with your permission?” he added, belatedly remembering lessons in naval courtesy.

“You haven't needed it yet, have you, Lyon?” But the captain's tone was wry with amusement.

Even as Thian nodded in rueful acknowledgment, he 'ported himself to the shuttle deck where three 'Dinis were debarking from their capsule. They carried considerable equipment. The bay
crew were rushing forward, not sure what action to take.

“They are expected. I will lead them,” Thian said quickly before there could be a security incident. He took the necessary steps to the three 'Dinis. They were the biggest he had seen, even larger than the eldest in the Aurigaen village. One 'Dini was nearly his height which was tall enough for a Human.

WHO IS SENIOR, O LARGE AND VENERABLE ONES
? he asked as deferentially as he could. He knew that some 'Dinis took their size as seriously as some Humans took their status.

ESCORT THIS ONE IMMEDIATELY TO THE SICK
, the big one said, moving gracefully forward to meet Thian.

“Will one of you escort the rest of them to sick bay?” Thian said, glancing about the Humans to see who was in command.

“G'wan,” said one, waving him urgently onward.

HUMBLE APOLOGY FOR INTIMACY
, Thian said and, taking a deep breath, put his arms firmly about the middle body of the 'Dini. And 'ported them both to the sick bay corridor outside the cubicle.

They both staggered for balance as they landed in the midst of a group. Thian blamed himself for not checking on a clear corridor but no one was hurt and the 'Dini, seeing Mur in the tub, plowed forward to its patient. Dip, bowing nearly double, stepped aside, remembering to keep the breather unit in place as it did so.

While the medical officer and his staff watched with fascination, the 'Dini made an examination, a blur of moving digits and prods and pokings of
the mutely colored Mur who was weakly hiccuping in an irregular pattern.

“Anything I can do?” the medical officer asked without taking his eyes from the big 'Dini. “Biggest one I've ever seen,” he added in a low tone to Thian.

“Me, too,” Thian agreed, grabbing for whatever lightening he could find in this crisis.

Another blur of motion and the 'Dini medic extracted instruments from the pack it had brought and then quickly shoved small objects in two orifices which Mur obediently opened.

The big 'Dini sat back on its tail, crossing its forward appendages across its upper torso. Dip clicked softly and received an affirmative and, Thian was glad to hear, a reassuring clack.

He inhaled and leaned against the door jamb, abruptly feeling the let-down of recent exertions.

THIS ONE RESPONDS WELL
, the 'Dini said, pulling itself to its two feet.

WHAT OCCURRED TO MAKE MRG UNWELL
? Thian asked, echoing Dip's more quickly spoken query.

NOT OFTEN BUT SOMETIMES SHOCK OF ADJUSTMENT TO NEW ENVIRONS. TOO DRY AND AIR IMPURE. CANNOT BE PREDICTED. THIS PARTICULAR COLOR PRONE TO SUCH REACTIONS. DPL ADJUSTED AS REQUIRED OR WOULD HAVE REACTED ALSO. MEDICATION WILL PREVENT RECURRENCE. SPEEDY HUMAN REACTIONS PREVENTED TRAGEDY. GRATITUDE FROM ALL. IT IS GOOD HUMAN THN IS AHEAD WITH FLEET.

“Will the 'Dini be all right?” the medic asked.

Weak with relief, Thian nodded. “Seems Mur had environmental adjustment shock.”

“Oh?”

Thian wondered how he was going to avoid
criticizing the ship's air and water. “Dehydration,” he said hurriedly. “From coming so far in a capsule. It'll be fine once the medication takes effect. You can see how much better its color is already.”

“Ah, yes, it is. Ah, would you thank the medic for us . . . extend professional courtesies . . .”

HOW IS LARGE ONE CALLED
, Thian said, assuming the most courteous posture.
THE HUMAN MEDICAL PERSON WISHES TO GIVE THANKS.

THANKS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY RAPID CARE AND OBVIOUS CONCERN. THIS ONE CALLED SBLPK.
Sbl bowed politely toward the ship's doctor who quickly bobbed back.

Thian took a deep breath and concentrated hard on pronouncing the 'Dini's name as correctly as he could. A name that long only reinforced the importance of this 'Dini personage.

“He thanks you, Dr. . . .”

“Exeter,” the medic supplied.

“For rapid care and obvious concern,” Thian said with a weak grin. “His name is Sblpk.” Thian managed it creditably and saw Dip flick a digit in approval.

“Exeter,” the medic said, holding out his hand to the 'Dini.

When Sbl took it without hesitation, Thian's relief was compounded. This 'Dini had been among Humans long enough to be comfortable with that convention. The fleet might not know how lucky it was to have such a personage as 'Dini medical officer.

EXTR
, the 'Dini replied after pumping the doctor's hand three times.

Exeter laughed and, when his expression suggested
that he wasn't sure if laughter would be understood, Thian reassured him.

“Extr, Mrdini type name,” Sbl said in reasonably understandable Basic.

Those listening in—and sick bay seemed well populated at the moment—murmured in surprise. Thian, who had been holding himself tightly closed, opened up briefly, to sample reactions. There was pleased surprise and relief. There was also some disbelief and incredulity about taking care of 'Dini beasts—and the term had derogatory undertones to Thian's sensitivities—in a human facility. Thian glanced about, trying to see which of the many people in the corridors were anti-'Dini but without either using a broader empathy range or having a particular target, he could not isolate the antagonists in the group.

His parents had obliquely warned him that not all Humans wanted to be partnered with Mrdini: that Thian might find unexpected bias against him because of his close association with 'Dinis. He just hadn't expected to come face to face with it quite so abruptly. Then Sbl touched his arm lightly.

WITH MRDINI COMING AND GOING IT IS WELL FOR EXTR TO KNOW NECESSARY REMEDY
, Sbl said to Thian. Taking a writing implement from its belt, it swiftly sketched some letters on a pad which it then handed to Exeter.

“These are the remedies to be used if another 'Dini has similar symptoms, Dr. Exeter.”

The man was staring at the pad. “Why, these are chemical formulae.” His jaw dropped.

“There's been a lot of exchange on the scientific levels, Doctor, where it's easier to find means of
expressing constants. Sbl here has probably had some intensive sessions on medical practices,” Thian said with just a little pride in his friends.

“Well, I'm pleased to have this. Tell him?”

Thian did so and there was another exchange of warm bows and nods.

Just then the remainder of the 'Dini medical team arrived with their equipment.

MRG WILL NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION FOR THIRTEEN HUMAN HOURS
, Sbl told him.
ITS SYSTEM MUST BE FLUSHED OF THE POLLUTANTS AND THOROUGHLY CLEANSED AND ANTIDOTES ADMINISTERED REGULARLY TO PREVENT RECURRENCE. DPL MAY REMAIN FOR COMFORT. NO MORE EQUIPMENT WILL BE NEEDED. EXTR MAY WATCH BUT NO OTHER HUMANS ARE NEEDED. THIS ONE MUST RETURN TO KLTL
(which Thian recognized as the name of the 'Dini vessel),
IF THAT CAN BE ARRANGED
.

IMMEDIATELY
, Thian replied.

WITHOUT SO MUCH HASTE
, Sbl added, twitching its head in the manner Thian recognized as signalizing good humor.

WITH GRACE AND DECORUM THIS TIME
, Thian said, twitching his head in what he hoped wasn't a breach of etiquette with so prestigious a personage as Sbl.

“What's that all about?” Exeter asked, his eyes darting from one to another.

Thian explained what treatment Mur would be getting and that Sbl preferred only the doctor of the Human staff attend the patient. Then, because he felt it might do some listeners good, added Sbl's request for a less dramatic return to the shuttle bay.

Exeter chuckled, nodding his head. “Can't say
as I blame him. You don't always pop in and out of places, do you, Prime?”

“Only in great emergencies, I assure you,” Thian said. “And I hope the captain is as good a sport about it as you've been.”

Exeter raised his eyebrows, his dark eyes twinkling. “Oh, our captain'll doubtless have a few choice words to say but he'd be a lot less pleased if this had turned out fatal.” His expression was fleetingly more dour than it had been during the worst of the emergency. “Don't worry, lad. You acted with the speed required to save a life. Can't fault that. Now, I am permitted to observe the treatment?”

“That's the general idea. I'll get back in touch with you at . . .” and Thian checked the clock, “0300 when it will be completed. Or before if you need me for something.” Then he turned to the nursing 'Dinis.
THIS SMALL ONE NAMED THN. TELL EXTR NAME AND WILL CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS/NEEDS.

GRATEFUL. COMPLY
, said the larger of the two nursing 'Dinis without looking up from the apparatus it was setting up in Mur's bath tank.

GO. ALL PROCEEDS WELL NOW
, Dip added, fingering relief/approval/affection signs with its left appendage.
GO MORE SLOWLY. AFFIRMATIVE
?

Thian laughed, resting his fingers briefly on the slope from Dip's head to body before he bowed again to Sbl, and gestured toward the corridor.

The two medics bowed once more to each other.

“Ah, Dr. Exeter, can I have directions back to the shuttle bay?” Thian asked as he realized he didn't know the pedestrian route.

“Sally, you take 'em, will you?”

A girl with short red hair stepped up and saluted. “This way, sirs.” And with a smart about face, she led them down the passageway, a trip that gave Thian far more time to worry about how to mend public relations than he needed.

T
HIAN saw Sbl courteously into the capsule when the corpswoman delivered them to the shuttle bay.

GOOD DREAMS LARGE SBLPK
, Thian said in polite farewell.

DREAMS WILL BE GENTLE
was the astonishingly courteous rejoinder.

Even during the brief exchange, Thian sensed, with no great extension of empathy, that the crew were waiting to see what this
civilian
—the tone in which that title was couched was scathingly critical—would do next. He wondered how his father would have handled such a situation. Except that Afra would never
get
himself into such a situation. There was a lot, Thian reluctantly admitted, to be said for the Capellan method of doing things. At that, he didn't wish to admit—by contacting his parents for guidance—that he'd come a
cropper within minutes of arriving on the
Vadim.
Fortunately he could also recall some of his father's tales about episodes of Damia's more spontaneous behavior. Anyway, he could only take things as they came. The important aspect was that Mur would recover.

Closing the lid on Sbl's transport, Thian turned to the expectant crew with a rueful expression on his face.

“Has anyone else ever broken as many navy regulations as I have in the past hour?” He kept his voice humorously self-deprecating, then went on with, “But I do want to thank you for your help and cooperation because my friend would be dead without it.” He felt a slight lessening of the tension. “There isn't an engineer crewman among you, is there?”

“Why?” and a man in engineering green leaned forward on the upper level railing. His manner was more curious than critical and Thian knew he'd adopted the right tack.

He grimaced. “Because, if I could access the generator power from this level, I'd frankly rather not have to beard the captain on his own bridge right now if I don't have to. But the 'Dini's an important personage and should be sent right back to its own ship.”

“Up here! You can access from the auxiliary station here,” the lieutenant said, “. . . sir.”