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closely
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supervised or they ll strip a planet!
What! Lunzie half rose from her chair while the three who had endured the
Thek conference favored her with smug expressions. You can t possibly imply
that ...
That s my interpretation, Lunzie, Sassinak agreed. We got comprehensive,
Thekian explanations though what we were supposed to remember related only to
our personal involvement in this adventure.
Part of the explanation was a large wedge of Thek history. She gave
Fordeliton a stern look. Which, if you value your rank and role as a Disciple
Lieutenant Commander, had best remain locked in your head.
In their youth as a species, the Thek were driven into space by their
insatiable appetites to discover planets which would supply their need for raw
energy. They find the transuranics especially succulent.
Even then, fortunately, they had a regard for developing species. Otherwise, a
planet with no emerging life-forms would be reduced to bare rock by Thek
hungers.
The Thek are the Others, Lunzie gasped.
That is the inescapable conclusion, Sassinak agreed. Thek are nothing if
not logical. It became apparent in a millennium that, if they couldn t curtail
their appetites, they ran the risk of eating themselves out of the galaxy.
No wonder they have an affinity for dinosaurs, Fordeliton exclaimed with a
whoop of laughter.
We may all be grateful that the dinosaurs did not evolve into space
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travelers, Sassinak replied.
And grateful, too, that the Thek have preserved them. But what will happen
now?
Varian beamed. Because we are ephemera s, short-lived and vulnerable, we
would not make the mistake the Thek did, in leaving only one guardian ...
You mean, zoo keeper, Kai said.
So I have the option to stay on Ireta, and Varian s expression was tinged
with awe, as a planetary protector. I can study the giffs, all the dinosaurs,
and even the fringes if I feel like it. I may have as much staff as I
require. She turned to Kai expectantly, her eyes twinkling. Tell em your
good news, Kai.
Kai grinned shyly. Ireta is restricted, of course, as far as the transuranics
go, but I, and my ilk , as they put it, have the right to mine anything up to
the transuranics for ... is it as long as we live? I m not sure if the limit
is just my lifetime.
No, said Lunzie. By ilk, the Thek probably mean the ARCT-10 for as long as
it survives. You deserve it, Kai. You really do.
Curiously enough, Sassinak said into the respectful pause that followed,
the Thek did appreciate the fact that you all have lost irreplaceable time.
In doing so, of course, you set up the circumstances which retrieved the lost
Ger and the forgotten planet. Thek justice is unusual.
What about Aygar and the other Iretans?
Varian shot a quick glance at Kai whose expression was of resigned
disapproval. The Thek lumped all humans in one group as survivors. In a
sense, that s correct. Aygar plans to stay.
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He made that plain, Thek or not. Kai s tone held grudging respect.
And the Thek will permit a limited support group for us and however many of
Aygar s Iretans plan to remain.
I wonder if some of them might consider enlisting in the Fleet, Sassinak
mused. Wefts are excellent guards but Ireta produced some superb physical
types. Ford, do see if we can recruit a few.
Tanegli? Lunzie asked.
Mutiny cannot be excused, nor the mutineer exonerated, Sassinak answered,
her expression stern.
He is to be taken back to Sector Headquarters to stand trial. The Thek were
as adamant on that score as I am.
And Cruss is being sent back? asked Ford.
Sassinak steepled her fingers, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of her
mouth. Not only sent back but earthed for good. Neither he, his crew, nor
even any of the cryo passengers will ever leave their planet. Nor will their
transport lift again.
The Thek do nothing by halves, do they?
They have been exercised if you can imagine a Thek agitated, Sassinak went
on, about the planetary piracies and patiently waiting for us to do something
constructive about the problem. The intended rape of Ireta has forced them,
with deep regret, to interfere. A polite rap on the door interrupted her. At
her response, Dupaynil opened the door, surveying the group quickly. On cue,
for I
have good news for you, Commander. Names, only one of which was familiar to
me. She beckoned the
Intelligence officer to take a seat as she leaned forward to type information
on the terminal. Parchandri is so conveniently placed for this sort of
operation ...
Inspector General Parchandri? Fordeliton exclaimed, his expression shocked.
The same.
Lunzie chuckled cynically. It makes sense to have a conspirator placed high
in Exploratory, Evaluation, and Colonization. He d know exactly which
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planetary plums were ready to be plucked.
Kai and Varian regarded her with stunned expressions.
Who else, Sassinak? Lunzie asked.
The commander looked up from the visual display with a smug smile.
The Sek of Formalhaut is a Federation Councilor of Internal Affairs. One now
understands just how his private fortune was accrued. Lutpostig appears to be
the Governor of Diplo, a heavyworlder planet.
How convenient! Paraden, it will not surprise you to discover, owns that
company which supplied the grounded transport ship.
Doubtless others in his fleet will meet the same fate, Lunzie said.
We could never have counted on uncovering duplicity at that level,
Commander, was Dupaynil s quiet
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assessment. He frowned slightly. It strikes me as highly unusual for a man at
Cruss s level to know such names.
He didn t, Sassinak replied equably. He was only vaguely aware that
Commissioner Paraden was involved. The Thek extrapolated from what he could
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