Ishtar Rising Book 1 - Michael A. Martin [16]
As technicians came forward to introduce themselves, and the other members of the team moved toward them, Gomez put a hand on Soloman’s shoulder. The small, slight Bynar looked up at her, his eyes guileless. “Are you sure you’re all right with this?” she asked, taking care to keep her voice low.
He cocked his head marginally, as if considering the question, then nodded. “Yes. Even though I am no longer bonded, I am still one of them.”
I certainly hope so, Gomez thought.
As soon as Saadya brought Soloman near the Bynars, they turned. As if controlled by a single mind, both pairs of eyes narrowed. Gomez could see that the Bynar pair had not been as surprised by Soloman’s presence as he had been by theirs. Did Saadya purposely keep the existence of these two Bynars from us, or was it just an oversight? Gomez wasn’t certain—in fact, she hated to question the motives of someone whose work she so admired—but she intended to discuss this with the captain once she returned to the da Vinci.
The Bynars—she couldn’t tell which was 1011 and which was 1110, even though Saadya had just introduced them—began speaking to each other, voices high-pitched and chattering, and definitely not in Federation Standard. She hadn’t heard the sound since 111 had been aboard the da Vinci, discussing technical issues with 110. She could hear the same type of data-stream in their sounds as she had heard from some ancient pre–World War III communication devices they had studied while at the Academy.
Abruptly they stopped, and both of them looked at Soloman. One of them spoke again, in a slower code.
Soloman sighed. “Of course I can still understand binary language. I am not mentally deficient. I am unbonded due to an accident that befell my mate.”
The Bynars looked surprised. One spoke, in English now. “Why have you—”
“—not bonded again—”
“—with another?”
Soloman looked as if he was about to sigh again, but Gomez was relieved to see that he didn’t. “The reasons I have not rejoined with another Bynar are not germane to this mission. My personal decisions have nothing to do with atmospheric pressure, force-field mechanics, wind vectors, planetary realignment, or any other aspect of this terraforming project.”
The Bynars looked up at Saadya with concern showing in their features. “That is not—”
“—an acceptable answer. How—”
“—do we know that—”
“—he is not infected with a virus—”
“—which will be transferred—”
“—to us if we link with him?”
Soloman’s voice got a bit louder, and more stern. “You might at least look at me when discussing me, please.” Once the pair had returned their gaze to him, flinching slightly, he continued. “I am alone because my partner, 111, was killed on a mission. She was brave and beautiful and able to process data as quickly as any Bynar in the upper cluster. When she was killed, I felt that if I were to re-bond, it would dishonor the memory of her that I carry within my heart.”
The Bynars blinked once, then twice, then chattered at each other in a stream of code. Seeing that Soloman was making every effort not to wince or evince other emotions, Gomez wanted to rap them on the top of their bald little heads. Within moments, they had stopped again.
“We will attempt to—”
“—work alongside you—”
“—as long as you do not—”
“—try to