The Oliat gathered that such cross-species diseases were common on Phanphihy.
"I have devised a plan," announced Threntisn. "I have retrieved the techniques necessary to operate the lab machinery. I can create the appropriate serum from my own blood and inoculate Cyrus. If I do so as the hive watches, they will come to understand why we demand our ship back."
"You'll never get near them!" protested Storm. "Terab's trick didn't even impress the hive."
"Chinchee assures me that it won't move, no matter what Terab does," answered Threntisn, "but it may give us the lab ship."
"You can talk to Chinchee?" demanded Cyrus. , "His Cassrian isn't good enough to let him understand much, but he is anxious for the hive and the colony to negotiate. That seems to be a Herald's function, and Chinchee feels he has failed. I think he'll do his best to get us into the hive area– the rest I believe I can manage."
"Chinchee," asserted Chinchee, confirming that he understood he was being discussed. With one hand he stroked the hivebinder on his shoulder, while in Cassrian whistles he said, "Go. Now."
"Wait now," countered Threntisn in good Cassrian. As a Historian, Threntisn had to be skilled in many professions. He probably could "manage" the lab. But Jindigar couldn't figure where his crazy scheme had come from.
Then he remembered Dar's comment on the Historians' view of Completion. Threntisn must see himself as assisting at the birth of a new civilization, Completing all Dushau, not just himself. But carrying the Archive, Threntisn wasn't free to risk his life. On the other hand, Historians were such mystics, shunning the simple, rigorous derivations of Aliom. How often had he heard Complete Priests say, Never extrapolate a Historian's future actions. They delight in confounding us.
"Cyrus, will you chance it with us?" asked the Historian.
"Don't do it," advised one of his human comrades.
"I would if I could walk that far," said Cyrus, and coughed weakly. "Besides, I'm in quarantine."
"We have a litter outside. We'll carry you. The medics have authorized it. The quarantine isn't working." Outside, four Dushau waited with a litter. The rest of the yard was empty.
"What do you think, Storm?" asked Cyrus. "I can hardly see across the room, let alone think."
"They'll kill you. Remember what it's like inside a hive? Chinchee couldn't help us then. What can he do now?"
"This is a different hive. If they don't kill us first, will the plan succeed?"
The four Lehiroh scrutinized Threntisn and agreed. "Very likely," said Storm, but the Oliat picked up the unspoken undertone, If you had Oliat backing.
Cyrus pushed away from the doorjamb, steadying himself on Ruff's shoulder. "All right. I'm ready."
"I'm coming, then," grunted one of the humans, and the other also prepared to leave.
"No," said Cyrus and Threntisn in unison.
Storm argued, "The Oliat might want us."
"Not likely," said Threntisn. "But Cyrus and I will enter the hive alone. We must be no threat. We merely wish to demonstrate a point."
"He's right," agreed Cyrus, making his way to the front door. "You all wait here. I'll be right back." Then he pulled away from Ruff and stood straight, facing them with a cocky grin. "Besides, I have nothing to lose." And he fainted in a boneless heap.
//Cy!// Unable to restrain herself any longer, Krinata surged into the balanced linkages, filling them all with her sense of urgency.
Jindigar gathered control and snapped, //Outreach!//
Krinata struggled against herself until she once more occupied the delimited position of the Outreach. But her jaw was clenched against the need to seize control, to rush out and do something.
The linkages crackled with her human tension, and for the first time since his grieving of Eithlarin, Zannesu broke out,
//Jindigar! No—not again. Not to Krinata too. Don't let it happen! She doesn't deserve to lose a mate!//
He felt the same sympathy for Krinata in Darllanyu, as if all her hostility toward Krinata had gone. He could hardly bear the sudden yearning that seized him. Never in all his Renewals had he experienced such an overwhelming need for a particular mate, as if Dar promised some inconceivable delight. And now, before he had it, he had to relinquish it.
Then Darllanyu shifted awareness to his physical presence, returning his gaze. It was as if energy flowed from her into his innermost being. As he drew his next breath the Observing Priest he would soon become noted that this signaled the fulfilling of their marriage trial, for only in shaleiliu could two mate so.
Trinarvil, herself glowing with arousal, returned with the pensone and interrupted without apology. //I recommend a five-hour dose, which we can repeat if necessary. We all need it, except Krinata.//
They took the capsules she doled out and swallowed them hastily.
They caught up with Threntisn near the hive's perimeter. As they approached, the Historian lifted Cyrus's blanket-wrapped form off the litter and carried him draped across both arms like a child. Not noticing the Oliat, Threntisn paced behind Chinchee, who danced toward the hive's guards, gyrating and hooting in the formalized Herald's approach to a strange hive.
As he moved, two older piols—the pair that had come with Jindigar—scampered out of the new water-filled trench leading from the river and welcomed their old friend Chinchee by racing around his feet in a mating chase.
Ignoring the animals, the litter attendants fell back, turning to deal with Terab and the colonists who were gathering– apparently ignorant of Threntisn's plan.
The Oliat, surrounded by their ephemeral Outriders–plus Krinata's Dushau Outrider substituting for Cyrus—moved as a well-drilled marching unit, gathering stares until, finally, a cheer rose from a group of humans and quickly became a general chant. "Jindigar's! Jindigar's! Jindigar's!"
Hearing that, Threntisn turned, registered astonishment, then acceptance of the Oliat as he resumed his progress.
Jindigar gathered the linkages to guide Zannesu's Reception ahead to the hive boundary. As they watched, the hive's warriors deployed in well-drilled order behind the mound that marked the hive's perimeter. They bristled with spears and throwing hatchets. The air throbbed with one convulsive shiver of horror—a tentative warning, declaring that the hive's spirit had not broken under the recent assault.
Behind the ranks of defenders a few rustlemen gathered, consulting with each other as they observed Chinchee. The Herald had led this hive to catastrophe and was no longer trusted. But there was something else.
//The rustlemen are moving too slowly,// noted Llistyien simultaneously with Jindigar.
//Inreach,// called Jindigar. //Emulator is correct. We need a microfocus on the rustlemen.// These beings were the key intelligence of the hive. Jindigar left the linkage pattern he'd already established in place and added another level of awareness focused on the rustlemen, with a time perspective several days deep into the past. Carefully protecting Krinata from the flow, he handed the second pattern over to Venlagar gingerly, dreading a fumble.
//Relax,// responded his Inreach. //I've got it.//
Jindigar turned his attention to Zannesu, who Received a clear picture of what had happened. Rustlemen, examining the corpses of the technicians, had also handled the virulent specimens they had been working on. The insidious offworld disease had promptly mutated to live in them. The rustlemen had absolutely no resistance. We've brought death to this world when we only meant to protect it from ruthless exploitation.