Dveyella, we need your cannons up front just now.'
'Make it quick,' she replied. 'There are missiles just ten seconds behind me.'
The three ships moved slightly out of line, each one orienting on a different target. Both groups opened fire at almost the same instant, but the Starwolves had the advantage of deadlier aim and better shields. They opened the hole they needed and went through.
'So much for what lies ahead. What about those missiles?' Velmeran asked. The Kelvessan could not sense such missiles or any type of combustion engines, only the high-energy emissions of crystal drives and conversion generators.
'They fell away,' Dveyella replied. 'They do not have much range. If those things had real engines, they might almost be deadly.'
'We are clear, then,' Velmeran said. 'Home?'
'Lead the way,' she answered.
* * * *
Valthyrra Methryn directed the returning group into the upper left landing bay, one of the two abandoned upper bays that were only just being restored to service. The three ships shot into the bay like animals into a den. The transport went in first, coming in quickly to settle in the middle of the flight deck, and the smaller ships set down to either side of it only a moment later. Valthyrra brought in racks for the fighters immediately as spare bay personnel moved in swiftly to lock them down. Two pairs of overhead arms, normally used in transporting racks, were brought forward to pin the transport to the deck. The Methryn was at battle alert, and she could not have unsecured ships on her decks.
The small group waiting to one side approached as soon as the ships began to unseal. Any thoughts that Keth might have had of a triumphant return and warm welcome were quickly dashed. Mayelna and Valthyrra, in one of her usual remotes, went immediately around the front of the transport to Velmeran's fighters, followed by a small group of technicians and Dyenlerra, the chief medic. The younger members of his pack, dressed for battle, silentiy brought up the rear.
Velmeran had just finished unstrapping when he looked up to see this group descending upon him, not unlike wolf ships descending upon any unwary freighter. His first impulse was to seal the cockpit. Only Consherra was missing from this group of worried mothers; the first officer had been left in command of the bridge. He used the overhead bars to pull himself out of the cockpit and descended the steps of the boarding ladder to meet them.
'Hold up a moment,' Mayelna ordered, and waved a technician ahead of her.
'He took a shot dead center of the control panel,' the tech said as he inspected the damage. He carefully pried open the panel and pulled down the cracked mirror, only to have it come out in his hand. He slipped it into a pocket before he bent to inspect the controls. 'Just a good, hard knock… must have kicked something loose. If the cooling is still in operation — which is obvious — then the shot could have done him no harm.'
'I could have told you that,' Velmeran said.
'Hypermetabolism,' Dyenlerra offered by way of explanation. 'It is not uncommon for our kind to go quite some time unaware of injuries we have received. Pilots fly entire battles, unaware that their suits are immobilizing broken bones.'
Velmeran looked surprised. 'Bones? Can our ships fly after impacts that could break our bones?'
The medic only shrugged. 'I did not say that it happens often. Just take off that armor somewhere and tell me what you find underneath.'
'A leading statement if I ever heard one,' Valthyrra remarked.
'Just a moment,' Mayelna said, holding him back as the others hurried to check upon the rest of the returning members. 'Well, you seem to have come through that one all right.'
'So I did,' Velmeran agreed guardedly. 'I am pleased with the results. Did Valthyrra accomplish what she set out to prove?'
Mayelna caught her breath so sharply that she choked. 'What would you know of that? What do you believe Valthyrra's motive was in contriving this?'
Velmeran shrugged. 'How should I know? I have only been given to wonder if she means to get rid of me.'
'Do you mean… she thought… you might stay in special tactics?' she asked, visibly shaken by the thought. 'But… why?'
'For being too popular,' he replied. 'A child prodigy among pack leaders, and a cause of dissension among the veterans. Political exile, you might say. Does that surprise you? I just might go, if Dveyella still wants me.'
'Well, you are certainly free to go, if that is what you want,' the Commander said sharply. 'But I honestly doubt that Valthyrra has any such plans. And you certainly will not leave this ship without my having something to say about it!'
'I suppose that we will have to wait and see,' Velmeran answered, although he was no longer certain what to think.
'I am going to take Keth aside as soon as I can,' Mayelna continued as they turned to join the others. 'Do not say it! I do not want to hear what you consider your duty. I am one of Keth's contemporaries, nearly his own age. Meran, this means putting an end to a career that has spanned three centuries. He will not want to hear it from a twenty-five-year-old kid who has his whole career yet ahead of him. It would be too easy for him to think that you could have no understanding or sympathy for him, an old wolf being chased out of the pack by the cubs.'
'I can see that, contrived analogies notwithstanding,' Velmeran agreed reluctantly. 'You do it.'
'Besides, I have come up with an alternative,' Mayelna added. 'Do you think that Keth suffers from any failings that would make him an untrustworthy teacher?'
'No, Keth's problem is in his bones, not in his head,' Velmeran replied thoughtfully. 'In fact, that conceit of his always made the students think that he is better than he ever was. That could be important, if a retired pilot is to maintain the respect of his students.'
As they passed in front of the transport, they found Dveyella standing a few paces from the nose of her fighter, wearing a thoughtful expression as she stared at the little ship. The cause of her concern was obvious; the fighter, once matte black, was now a dusty black-gray. It was badly scorched from the explosion it had passed through, and such damage was enough to retire this ship. Too much of its machinery, particularly wiring and hoses near the surface, would have been damaged by the heat. The quartz glass in the windows and focusing lenses would have been weakened, as well as the seals around the canopy and panels.
Valthyrra hovered nearby, the snakelike neck of her probe stretched to its limit as she inspected the damage. 'How long have you had this ship?'
'Three years now,' Dveyella replied. 'Our ships have a rather limited life expectancy.'
'So it would seem,' Valthyrra agreed. 'I can refit this one as a trainer. But you will need a new one, for your line of work.'
'And a very dangerous line of work it would seem,' Mayelna added as she walked up behind them. 'It cost you a ship and Velmeran a suit of armor.'
'Ah, but this was an easy one!' Dveyella insisted. 'We did what we intended and returned safe. A good run indeed.'
'Good?' Mayelna asked in disbelief.
'A bad one is when they shoot the fins off your ship, so that you bounce through space like a ball,' she said quietly, indicating Baress. 'Velmeran surprised me, if I may say so without embarrassing him greatly. He thinks quicker than I do, and he will be better than I am in a very short time. With a couple of years experience behind him, he will lead this pack. To be frank, I want him.'
Valthyrra's neck snapped around so fast that the hinges popped. 'You want him? Are you asking that I transfer him to you? Right now?'
'Not right now,' Dveyella said, hiding a smile with effort. 'I have only just indicated that I would take him, and I would allow him time to decide.'
'It is his decision,' Mayelna agreed.
'He is also my best pilot,' Valthyrra said, glancing at the Commander in a manner that indicated a fierce glare. 'I have plans for him, and I would not willingly part with him. I have no replacement for him.'
'It is, of course, his decision,' Mayelna said again.
