The Tower and the Hive by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online Page B

nineteenth-century naming of his other three M-type finds: Marengo, Waterloo and Ciudad Rodrigo. Its primary was not quite as fierce as Clarf’s but would certainly suit ’Dinis better than Humans. With so few dying in combat against the Hivers, all five worlds were bursting with candidates willing to undertake the immense task of colonizing, even if it meant heavy ecological work. No birth control methods existed for the ’Dini species. Indeed, their prolificacy had been an advantage during their two hundred years of fighting the spheres. They could “lose” suicide crews, knowing that others of the same genetic pattern would be born in the hibernatories at some later date. Such a “reincarnation” allowed the ’Dinis, if it became necessary, to sacrifice themselves willingly. This was, of course, a fundamental difference between them and Humans, who did not waste their space personnel. Fortunately, Mrdini High Command and all its Councillors were aware of this major psychological difference between the two species, or the mind-set might have caused an insuperable schism. The difference occasionally caused trouble on mixed-species crew ships despite continued lectures on the subject.
    Ironically, the Mrdini race had originally been attracted to the Humans because they had witnessed the seemingly effortless destruction of the first Hiver sphere to approach Human space at Deneb, when the Mind Merge of the Rowan and all female Talents had paralyzed the Hiver queens and the male Mind Merge of Jeff had sent their sphere into Deneb’s sun.
    The ’Dinis had come to the point where, with dwindling resources, they were hard pressed to continue their defense against the spheres. So they had used “dreams” to make contact with Humans—with Laria’s mother and father, Damia and Afra, recuperating on Deneb from Larak’s tragic death and their exhaustion in battling the mental entity Sodan. An Alliance had been promulgated between Human and Mrdini. Now, if suitable worlds could reduce the population density on the five ’Dini homeworlds, much of the growing dissatisfaction on the ’Dini half of the Alliance would be eased.
    Laria reached the river swimming facility before the place became crowded. ’Dinis liked water sports. Though sun-warmed, the water was noticeably cooler—since the current was swift—and Laria sank gratefully into it up to her neck. Tip handed her one of the rope harnesses that the wise swimmer looped around the arms. She let her body be carried flat out to the length of the rope by the current. The river flowed over her in a rippling massage. Tip and Huf joined her, their furry bodies silkily touching hers now and then in the current. Letting herself relax with her head back, Laria closed her eyes. She was facing east so that the sun was no longer in her face. Tip and Huf gurgled happily, and there they remained until the Clarf sun with its customary abruptness sank below the distant hills and darkness spread across the deep plain, with its thousands of ’Dini dwellings and the occasional lump of a hibernatory.
    As soon as Laria heard the revving of other ground cars, the put-put of individual fliers approaching the riverbank and the chatter of ’Dini tongues, she flipped over and began to pull herself, hand over hand, to the bank. Shucking off the harness, she swam vigorously to the slanted permacrete lip that assisted entry and exit. Almost before she reached her car, Tip and Huf dancing beside her, totally refreshed by the swim, her skin and her suit were dry. But the water had been therapeutic. She made a private wager that Vanteer would have finished the servicing and would be gone when she returned to the Tower.
    She won.
    Lionasha had left a note saying she was dining with friends in the Human Compound, lavishly air-conditioned. Lio had a new male interest. Kincaid was probably still asleep, but he was always a restful and