The Risks of Dead Reckoning by Felicia Watson (novels to improve english txt) 📕

is, assuming theCouncil’s current deliberation is brief.”

Jacoway choked up as heasked, “Why?” He could say no more, but the Lignatian appeared tocomprehend the question.

“To save the humans I haveso carefully nurtured, fulfill the obligation my predecessor leftme – and die in peace.”

“I understand.” Riccinodded and smiled sadly at Drawde. “I would do the same…in yourplace.”

Kaplita had been observingthe Lignatian Council and pointed to the chamber. “Vipin Drawde,something’s going on.” They all turned to watch the bustle ofmovement; several Lignatians could be seen leaving theroom.

Drawde said, “Millua andthe wayru’s immediate advisors are withdrawing from thechamber.”

Bayer asked, “Do you thinkthat’s good news for us?”

“Indeed, I do. If the willof Millua had prevailed, the wayru would not miss the opportunityto gloat.”

Yhanar Sicuru said,“Captain Ricci, you and the others may return to your ship –the Lovelace willbe permitted to leave Jileesa unharmed. In return, we demand thatyou never disclose our planet’s location to anyone and that nohuman ever return to Jileesa, for any reason.”

Ricci closed two-waycommunications momentarily to ask Drawde, “Can I trustSicuru?”

Drawde had been closelyobserving the yhanar and answered, “You can. Lignatians possess notthe capacity to directly dissemble to each other.”

The captain reopenedcommunication with the Lignatians. “I thank you, Yhanar Sicuru. Youhave my word that your planet’s location will remain a secret. As Isaid before, once all humans are gone from Jileesa, we will troubleyou no more.”

“Before you leave orbit,provide the coordinates to where we should direct the transportsfor the rest of the humans. After that, we will consider alldealings between our people and yours as foreverclosed.”

“Agreed.”

“Good. We will send allmembers of Experiment Alktata to Uniterrae within two months’ time,as you calculate it. I hope your people are prepared for theburden.”

“We’ll transmit thosecoordinates as soon as we’re back aboard the Lovelace. And these humans won’t bea burden to us, not in any way.”

The barrier suddenly turnedopaque and the landing party was alone with Drawde. Jacoway said toRicci, “I wonder what Kennedy and Decker would say about your laststatement there, Captain.”

Ricci flashed a quick grinwhile admitting, “Well, Commander – as a human, Ido possess the abilityto dissemble.”

Their attention waswrenched back to Drawde when Bayer exclaimed, “Vipin Drawde, areyou okay?”

The formerly blue figurewas now flickering with a dim gray light. “No, am I not. I havecalled the boat for you. It will take you back to your shuttle assoon as the four of you are aboard.” The light went out entirelyfor a moment and then pulsed back on, as Drawde weakly added, “Iwish you a safe journey home. Take good care of my….” The modulewent dark again for a time and only flickered briefly, allowingDrawde to finish, “…my people.”

They all stared at the nowdark, silent figure in shock and sadness. At last Jacoway offered,“Drawde expected to have no offspring. In reality – there arethousands.”

As soon as they were backaboard the shuttle, Ricci hailed a greatly relieved CommanderRamsey, directing her to immediately contact Lindstrom and let himknow they were on their way back to Tolu.

Ramsey said, “We detectedthat message you sent to Commander Lindstrom, sir. In Chiricahua.What in the world happened down there?”

“Quite a lot, Commander.The concise answer is – the Lignatians were not at all what I hadassumed.”

“Better or worse,Captain?”

There was a pause, as Riccismiled at his landing party while considering the question. “Both.I’ll fill you in shortly. Ricci out.”

Chapter 17

Steppingstones to Truth

"...science has fallen into many errors—errorswhich have been fortunate and useful rather than otherwise, forthey have been the steppingstones to truth." Jules Verne,A Journey to the Centre of theEarth

On Tolu, Kennedy and Deckerhad barely arranged their camp outside the float-ways beforeLindstrom hailed Kennedy. He flashed a proud smile at Deck. “Wow,that was fast – my wife is a genius!”

Decker was listening inand clearly shared in his disappointment when Lindstrom said thatLateef hadn’t yet ascertained the root of the problem – let alonedeveloped a work-around. Their disappointment turned to overt joywhen Lindstrom told Con his news was that the Lovelace was on its way back to Tolu– with the entire crew alive and well.

After Con signed off, hesaid, “Well, it seems like the Creator did start listening to you. Your dadand your boyfriend are both safe and, on their wayhere.”

He’d expected some pushbackon his extremely personal characterizations of Ricci and Jacowaybut Naiche seemed too happy to notice. She announced, “This callsfor a celebration. Care to join me in finishing off the last of mybison jerky?”

“I’d love to.” Con pulledhis pack out; he held up a tube of coffee concentrate, saying, “Ithink I’ll heat some water and whip us up some coffee to go withit.”

“Sounds great. A feast tocelebrate Lovelace’s triumphant return – and hopefully our successful trip toIntabah.”

Decker and Kennedy hadplenty of time to eat, drink, and be merry. It wasn’t until thenext morning, well after they’d breakfasted and packed up camp,that their CO hailed them again.

Con said to Lindstrom,“We’ve spotted at least three separate peerazu in the area so farthis morning. It’s only a matter of time before they return thefavor and spot us. I really hope you have an answer about thesensors.”

“I’ll let Commander Lateeffield that one.”

Aqila’s voice came on thecomm line wishing both Con and Naiche a good morning. She thensaid, “From our data analysis it certainly seems clear that theworms are evading the scanners. Either we were wrong about theirability to re-modulate, or we based the sensor modifications on toosmall a sample size – just as we feared.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning that diversevarieties of worms, which might naturally develop in separatefloat-ways, may be emitting signals which differ slightly in theirmicro-variances.”

“Either way we’re screwed– right?”

“Well, I don’t have a wayto quickly fix the sensor detection problem – but we did findsomething pretty startling in the DNA analysis. I can’t explain it,but these creatures – well this one, anyway, has a temperaturesensitivity mutation in its beta-secretase promoter region.Extremely unusual in a wild-type specimen.” Deck was listening inand rubbed her forehead in clear frustration at thescience-ese.

Rather than pointing outto his wife that, unlike her, neither he nor Deck had multiplesdegrees in astrogenetics, Kennedy asked, “What