Free Lyon's Pride by Anne McCaffrey Page A

assistance.
    â€œT-1 Flavia of Altair requests permission to board.”
    â€œPermission granted,” Tollert replied, grinning broadly.
    â€œA pleasure to meet you, Flavia,” the Rowan said, stepping forward in turn to touch fingers briefly with the girl.
Don’t gawk, Thian
, she added tightly.
    He took two long strides forward as if he had merely given his grandmother precedence. In fact, he had been nearly as stunned as Tollert. Flavia wasn’t beautiful in a classical way, not as Laria or some of his cousins were, but she had large and startlingly vivid green eyes and long straight blonde hair which she wore simply pulled back by green combs from her oval face. Standing next to the too-slender Rowan, she appeared well-fleshed and her pale green shipsuit emphasized a very womanly body.
    â€œThian of Aurigae,” he said, exerting control not to touch her fingers longer than Talent protocol dictated. Mint/green/rose was her touch.
    â€œI believe Jeff said you are the grandchild of Bastianand Maharanjani,” the Rowan said. “I worked with them, Thian, in the Tower on Altair.”
    Flavia nodded briefly with a becomingly reserved smile.
    â€œThe duty has been explained to you?”
    She nodded again. “It is an honor to work with Callisto Prime for any reason.”
    â€œHumph,” the Rowan said.
    Tollert cleared his throat loudly. “Ma’am, the conference is waiting on the Primes.”
    â€œYou have a carisak, Flavia?” the Rowan asked and when the girl nodded, Tollert cleared his throat again.
    â€œI’ll take care of that, ma’am. Prime Flavia’s quarters are next to yours.”
    â€œHmm, that’s as well,” the Rowan remarked obliquely. “We shouldn’t keep this conference waiting any longer than necessary.”
We’ll ’port once we reach the corridor
, she added and led the way.
    â€œHow are your ’Dinis called, Prime Thian?”
    â€œI’m just Thian,” he laughed, disclaiming any title, “and these are Mur and Dip.”
    â€œ FLV TRUSTS THAT YOUR DREAMS HAVE BEEN GOOD ,” she said in excellent ’Dini.
    Score one for the child
, the Rowan said privately to her grandson.
    And Granddad
, Thian said with a sparkle in his eyes as he opened the hatch for the women.
    â€œDo your ’Dinis mind ’portations, Thian?” the Rowan asked.
    â€œNot any more,” he said and closed the hatch behind him.
    He clasped Mur and Dip against his legs, nodding to the Rowan that he was ready to ’port. They all did, arriving in the corridor outside the
Genesee
’s conference room. The Rowan tapped the panel for admittance and a yeowoman smartly opened the door. All within stood at her entry andthroughout her introductions of her grandson and Flavia Bastianmajani of Altair.
    Thian kept his expression bland as mixed comments reverberated from minds keyed up in anticipation of action. “He’s bigger than Rojer.” “That young slip of a girl’s a Prime?” “Quite a family resemblance to Rojer with that same white lock of hair.” “Wouldn’t mind Priming with her.” “Carries himself well.” “She’s a bit young for this sort of operation, isn’t she?” “So this is the fellow who spent over a year on a ’Dini ship alone! That took guts.” “Why on earth did he bother to save Hive larvae? Sometimes I don’t understand these Talented people.” “Two women and one male barely into manhood to move
that
mass?” “I wonder will Rojer turn out as well.”
    And Thian identified the thinker of that remark as the pretty dark-haired astrogation officer, Anis Langio. There was nothing subtle in his grandfather’s seconding of Flavia to this mission, and she was certainly a lovely young woman, but Thian was
not
going to settle quite so quickly into the family pattern of an early