Free Lyon's Pride by Anne McCaffrey Page B

marriage.
    Captain Osullivan formally made Flavia, Thian and his ’Dini companions welcome. Then, with the Rowan on his right side, and Flavia on his left with Thian seated beside her, he opened the official final planning conference. The captain was certainly not in on any of his grandfather’s machinations, but Thian was extremely conscious of Flavia’s proximity, aware of the delicate scent she wore, of the pulse of her very finely tuned and attentive mind. After a year on the
KLTS
, he had mastered the art of concentration.
    â€œThis is, as I’m sure you’re all aware, the first time the Alliance has taken action against a Hive world. You have all seen tapes of the ground-to-air missile attack on the refugee ship but we also know the extent of its range. However,we must not be for a moment lax in vigilance against any unsuspected retaliatory strikes.”
    Mrtgrts nodded in verification of that caution.
    â€œAs you also know, the Rowan has already ’ported explosives into the assigned positions to destroy the orbiting ships. Heat-seeking missiles are ready in each ship of the Squadron for use in destroying any shuttle craft lifting through the mess they leave in orbit around their planet. Operation Snatch,” and Osullivan grinned, his gaze ending on Flavia’s attentive face, “can begin as soon as our Primes are in position. Once the refugee sphere is out of range of surface missiles, the other ships will be blown. We will then seed additional space mines in case the Hive do still have scout ship capability that has not been detected by Rojer Lyon’s intensive probing.” He nodded briefly at Thian for his brother’s accomplishment. “Are there any questions?”
    After a brief pause, Thian raised his hand. “Grandmother, Flavia, may I escort you to our vehicle so we can get this show on the road?”
    â€œYou may be mixing metaphors, Isthian, but if Commander Metrios’s engines are ready to support gestalt…” She turned to Mrtgrts and Captain Quacho. “Are you ready to return to your own ships?”
    â€œReady indeed, ma’am,” the engineer said, but his last word was spoken to empty air for all five had gone. “I wish they wouldn’t do that!” he murmured, giving a shake.
    â€œStations, everyone,” Captain Osullivan said, rising. “Red alert!”
    *   *   *
    â€œThis must be the captain’s own,” Thian said as the three T-1s made themselves comfortable in the escape pod. “It’s a lot roomier than the last one I was in.”
    â€œFor three, yes, it’s roomy enough,” the Rowan said. “Shall we?” and she nodded at both young people.
    â€œOf course,” Flavia said and Thian murmured consent. This would be a brief rehearsal for the longer, harder merge they would have to make.
    He’d never worked with his grandmother but he was accustomed to merging with his parents and was very pleased when Flavia deftly slipped in behind him as if she had similar hours of practice.
    The Rowan-Thian-Flavia merge did not need to touch the power available to it from the linked generators of the three ships of Squadron B in this initial push. The cargo area to which they were ’porting could have held a hundred escape pods. Merely the slightest bump gave them notice that the pod had settled on its broad base in the Hive ship exactly as planned: close against the hull, facing the direction in which it was to go. They were immediately assailed by the most intense sting-pzzt that emanated from Hive metals, a sensation peculiarly limited to the Talented.
    Flavia gave a visible shudder, looking about her, a grimace marring her features. “What is
that?
”
    â€œI do beg your pardon, Flavia, we should have thought to warn you,” the Rowan said, casting an accusatory glance at Thian. “Talent is susceptible to a resonance from Hive