The Mystery of Ireta_ Dinosaur Planet & Dinosaur Planet Survivors - Anne McCaffrey [196]
“Nonsense! A cosmic cloud obscuring the sun caused the climatic change,” Pendelman corrected firmly.
“My dear Pendelman, there is absolutely no proof of that theory whatsoever—”
“Oh, indeed there is, Anstel. Indeed there is! Bothemann of the New Smithsonian of Tyrconia has documentation, both—”
“Bothemann’s hypothesis is shaky at the very best since the geological area in Old Terran Italia that allegedly supported the contention, was engulfed in the mid-European plate shift in the early twenty-first century—”
“Ah, but records from the Central Repository, made by that Californian group, are—”
“As suspect as many other theories from that neck of the woods—”
“Gentlemen, how or why Old Terran dinosaurs met their end is not pertinent,” Sassinak declared. “What is germane is that dinosaurlike creatures are alive and in relatively good health on Ireta. Enjoy that reality for however long you are able to indulge your fascination. Save the great debates for the long watches of the night!”
A yeoman caught her attention. She beckoned him over and listened to his message. Turning to smile at Kai, she murmured a quick answer. The yeoman speedily retraced his steps.
“Varian has arrived. She’ll join us here.”
“Would she remember where you found the hyracotherium, Kai?” Anstel asked.
“Yes, but I must remind you that that would have been forty-three years ago.”
“Surely, it was not an isolated example of the species?” Clearly Anstel would not rest until he had seen one.
“She’s concentrating on a study of the golden fliers who could well be an emerging species,” Kai said, to give Varian room to maneuver if she didn’t wish to get involved with Anstel.
“I must look up my reference disks. Hyracotheriums I recall in perfect clarity, but I’m not certain about . . .”
“Trizein has identified the golden fliers as the pteranodon.”
“Pteranodon!” Once again Anstel’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yes, my dear fellow, exactly like pteranodons,” Pendelman said, delighted to contribute to Anstel’s confusion. “I saw a whole flock of them rise from the cliffs and soar. Quite a feat, I assure you, on a storm-tossed planet like Ireta.”
At that point the yeoman returned with Varian who greeted Kai with undisguised relief.
“Sorry it took me so long to get here,” she said to Sassinak. “I see the Thek found you?”
“It was Kai they wished to find and addressed in their inimitably succinct fashion.”
“So, what has happened? Or . . .” Varian glanced around her, mindful of discretion. Only a few officers remained, most chatting quietly at a wall table on the far side of the mess hall.
A gesture of Sassinak’s hand gave Varian immediate reassurance, and the commander’s glance gave Kai the office to explain.
“Tor has returned.”
“With company to ward off our great big beasties?”
Kai grinned. “Tor has returned. It and the other Thek are in the process of verifying.”
“Verifying what?”
“They did not specify.” Sassinak’s dry tone put Kai and Varian strongly in mind of Lunzie.
“Oh.”
“They dismissed us, in a word,” Sassinak went on, “and ‘will contact.’ ”
“They do have a way with them, don’t they?” Varian turned to Kai. “Not one of us thought to dismantle that old distress beacon Portegin rigged. Kenley has it down now. I’d rather not subject the giffs to further invasions, especially ones conducted by the Thek. I didn’t know there were that many of the critters. And thanks be to Krims, they didn’t attempt to land on my cliff, considering what they’ve done to Aygar’s landing grid.” Varian giggled then.
“It’s entirely possible,” Fordeliton said into the thoughtful pause that followed, “that the Thek have made a mistake.”
“Thek? Making mistakes? How refreshing!”
Kai felt compelled to set the problem out properly in simple justice to the Thek, who were so very seldom mistaken in their dealings with other planets and sentient species. “Now, Varian, that old core is of Thek design. It’s got them