—If we take the Flitters maybe I can find you later.—
“Not much chance I’ll be alive long. Somebody wants a look at Jocelyn ’n me. Don’t ’spect it’s just friendly interest.”
Cermo said,—Cap’n, we vote for goin’ down.—
“And I say you don’t.”
With less heat now Cermo sent,—The Mantis…—
“We’re masters of our own lives, dammit!” Killeen shouted.
—The Mantis had somethin’ in mind,—Cermo said stolidly.
“So what? Think it planned that cosmic string? Shibo! What’s it doing?”
In reply she sent a simulation picture that fluttered in his left eye.
The revolving hoop shaded the entire planet. From the small opening along the axis dark pencil-thin strands shot upward. Both poles vented streams of matter. Yellow metal-lava struck vacuum and exploded into banks of fog. From the vapor came long, thin threads.
“Looks like buildin’ somethin’,” Killeen said.
—Gutting the planet while they do it,—Shibo agreed.
Killeen said sharply, “You’ll do as I order. Shibo, you sounded the gathering call yet?”
Shibo replied reluctantly,—Yeasay.—
“Good. Now—”
—I got Flitters ready, too. They’re set up for easy destination programming. Files on the Argo showed me how. I’ve got them set for planet approach.—
Killeen saw bitterly that she had thought this through thoroughly. She could probably bring it off, too. Shibo was a wonder at ferreting out mechmind ways. “Naysay! Something awful’s going on here. Get away!”
—Sorry, lover. You’re outvoted.—Shibo gave the words a lilt but he could feel her tension.
“As Cap’n I—”
—If you want legalisms, try this,—Shibo cut in sternly.—You’ve been shanghaied off. As acting officers we’re expressing the Family’s decision.—
“Naysay! You can’t—”
—Listen!—Her voice suddenly flared with genuine anger. He could imagine her suddenly widened eyes, her clenched teeth. Emotions seldom broke her calm surface but the effect was spectacular, like an unleashed force of nature.—We’ll try saving you. But we’re holding with our dream.—
“Shibo, I want—”
—Lover, you know I can’t just sit here and do nothing.—
Killeen made himself pause. His frustration should be directed against whatever had seized this ship, not against this most precious of all women. “All…all right. No way I can stop you, is there?”
Cermo answered with surprising warmth,—Naysay. None.—
“Where’ll you go?”
A pause. He imagined that she was holding herself in check too. The thin strand connecting them seemed to sing with unspoken thoughts.—You…’member that signal from New Bishop?—
“Yeasay. Had human indices, you said.”
—I got a better fix on it. Voices. Near the equator. We’ll try for that.—
“Well…”
—There’re people down there. That convinced a lot of us. If we can’t defend Argo, we’ll go down and join our kin.—
It made sense. Killeen reluctantly admitted that Shibo and Cermo had logic and human fellowship on their side.
“The string, though!” he shouted, pounding the console. “How can you get past it?”
—It whirls round for a day or so, then stops,—Shibo said.—We’ll spread out from the station. When the string stops, we’ll hit the atmosphere.—
“Too risky.”
—Lover…—
For a long moment they said nothing. The purr of static seemed almost like a background chorus to poignant, unspeakable thoughts.
“When…when’ll you leave?”
—Soon. We’re nearly ready. I…we’ll…try…pick you up…you…hide from whatever’s in that ship…if we can…get in close…otherwise…—