mental touch and almost recoiled from a second experience.
âSorry, Captain,â the Rowan said with a fleeting smile. The pain went as quickly as it had begun. âIt was the quickest way for me.â
âWe apologize for taking so long getting here,â Afra went on. âWe stopped at appropriate intervals to listen.â
âOhhh,â and Osullivan breathed one single despairing note of denial.
âMy grandson
is
alive,â the Rowan added, her expression severe. Afra nodded a brief reinforcement of her statement. âWe would know if he was not, if that affords you any consolation.â
âIt does.â
âWe must go aboard the
KTTS.
Do you have any pictures of its bridge configuration?â Afra asked.
âHere,â Doplas said, pointing to his screen.
âThatâs enough,â the Rowan said and turned toward the engineering position. âYou are Commander Metrios? I thought so. We will need a touch of power.â
âAll you want,â Metrios said, throwing his hands up in exaggerated relief at being able to do something. Their air of competence and determination revived him from the despair which had engulfed him since Rojerâs disappearance became known.
The generators surged briefly and the group was gone. Someone breathed a âWow!â of awe.
âThe Rowan?â Yngocelen asked in a low voice.
Osullivan nodded.
âI thought she never left Callisto.â
âNot often, but sheâs the clout needed,â Osullivan said, encouraged in spite of his pessimistic fears.
âSir?â Ensign Menburiaâs voice sounded almost apologetic. âThey brought the supplies, too.â
âThat boy
must
be found, safe and unharmed!â Osullivan said, bringing both fists down hard on the armrests.He had personal as well as professional reasons, and a few which would have repercussions that he didnât want to think about, even clear-headed.
âAye, aye, sir!â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
The Rowan had been angry before with the stupidity of people, or things, or avoidable accidents, but she had never been so frighteningly angry before. Even as Jeff had been receiving information from the
Genesee
, he had Gollee Gren contacting the Mrdini High Council representative stationed on Earth. Mrtgrts was not only a grey, Captain Prtglmâs color, but it was the High Councillorâs chief liaison official and had served two decades as manager of the âDini colony world, Sef. It immediately volunteered to accompany whomever the Earth Prime sent to investigate.
The Rowan had informed Earth Prime that none other than herself would be the FT&T representative, having forcibly overruled her daughter, who felt she had the right to discover what had happened to her own son.
Aurigae may not be without its Prime, Damia, and thatâs that.
But the Rowan had then relented sufficiently to ask Afra to accompany her.
You can manage without Afra and he is the boyâs father. But Aurigae canât manage without you
.
Then how is it that Callisto can do without
its
Prime?
Damia had demanded caustically.
Heâs my son!
And my grandson and I carry more clout. Callistoâs in occlusion or weâdâve had to send Jeran
.
Iâd rather you went
, Damia had said, subsiding.
We
will
find Rojer, dear girl. We will. You
know
heâs alive
.
Yes, I know heâs aliveâ¦.
and Damiaâs tone had dwindled off while leaving her mother with the full impact of her shock and despair.
Now âport your husband and your âDinis. Weâll need them almost as much as weâll need me
.
The Rowan had almost balked at waiting for the cluster of supply pods destined for Squadron B but the handlers at Callisto had the pods attached with such alacrity that she didnât have time enough to voice an objection.
Iâd hazard that the supplies are needed for the morale value if nothing else
, Jeff said