The Namura Stone (The Ammonite Galaxy, book 6)

Chapter 8

THE NEW INDEPENDENCE dropped into the system behind the Dessite moon, and the six people who were to form part of the offensive began to scramble into bodywraps, and to prepare themselves for the incursion.

Only Bennel and Tallen had never seen Dessia, so the twins were explaining the floating islands to them, to one side. The others were chatting amongst themselves.

"How is Temar?" Diva asked Grace.

"He is fine. It was hard to leave him with the man who contrives children—" Grace's voice gave a slight tremor, which she suppressed furiously, "—but, of course, he will be very well taken care of, and they will take the opportunity to carry out all of the standard tests and inoculations which all of the Xianthan children have."

"He will be fine. It was hard to leave Raven, too. I had ... I had got used to having her close by."

Grace smiled. "She looks just like you, did you know?"

Diva grinned. "It had occurred to me, yes. I am horribly afraid that she has inherited my terrible temper too!"

"No bad thing – She will be brave and fearless and confront life head on. That will sort out the Coriolan meritocracy!"

"Yes. Six and I did our best, but so far we don't seem to have changed my home planet at all."

"Well, there you are. Anyway, you have to leave something for the next generation to get on with!"

Diva looked at her strangely. "I'm only 20, remember? Not exactly in my dotage yet!"

Grace gave her friend a hug. "You are knocking on a bit, you know!"

"I suppose I am. You know, it's strange, but I still feel the same person as when I was 14."

"That's because you haven't matured," said Six helpfully, who had come up behind.

Diva's brows met, and she shrugged off the arm he had put around her. "Speak for yourself, no-name!" she snapped.

He looked hurt. "I didn't say I didn't like you as you are!" he pointed out.

"Bah! Of course I have matured. I am a mother!"

"Hardly full-time. Give it a while," said Six. "We only get to see most of the children for two weeks a year."

"I love them all, even if I haven't been with them for very long, except for Raven, of course."

"Raven is endearing, isn't she? Very imperious. Strutting around making everyone do just what she wants. So like you."

"Thank you very much!"

"That's all right. Knew you would be pleased." Six looked around to see if the others had finished and clapped Ledin on the back. "Ready? Can't wait to get down there. Didn't think we would get a second chance to see inside the Dessite facility, I must say."

Ledin didn't seem so enthusiastic. "My memories of Dessia are not exactly pleasant," he said.

"Oh, that's right, you fell off the cliff, didn't you?"

"I didn't fall; I was blasted off by lightning!"

"Yeah, yeah – whatever."

Ledin glared after Six as he walked away and then shook his head. After all, whatever the cause, he had fallen off the cliff face, and come close to killing himself.

The trimorphs finished explaining the lay-out of the island which the locals knew as the Island of the Forthgoing, and turned to the others.

"We haven't been able to find out exactly where on the island Arcan is being held, and you know that – unfortunately – we can't come down with you to help. If we did we would never be able to get out; we would only be giving the Dessites exactly what they want.