A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge Page B

children. It was the first time in her life that Victory had met with more than mere acceptance. So for now they fought a war. If they both survived, there was another world of plans and a life together, after the Dark.
    And Strut Greenval was clever enough to figure out a lot of this. Abruptly, she glared at her boss. "You already knew, didn't you? That's why you wouldn't let me stay with the Team. You figure it's a suicide mission, and my judgment would be warped....Well it is dangerous, but you don't understand Sherkaner Underhill; self-sacrifice is not on his agenda. By our standards he's rather a coward. He's not especially taken by most of the things you and I hold dear. He's risking his life out of simple curiosity—but he's very, very careful when it comes to his own safety. I think the Team will succeedand survive. The odds would only have been improved if you'd let me stay with them! Sir."
    Her last words were punctuated by the dramatic dimming of the room's single lamp. "Hah," said Greenval, "we've been without fuel oil for twelve hours, did you know that, Colonel? Now the lead acid batteries have about run down. In a couple of minutes Captain Diredr will be here with the Last Word from maintenance: ‘Begging your pardon, sir, but the last pools will freeze momentarily. Engineering begs that you join them for final shutdown.' " He mimicked his aide's high-pitched voice.
    Greenval stood, leaned across the desk. His doubts were hidden once more, and the old snap was back in his manner. "In that time, I want to clear up a few things about your orders and your future. Yes, I brought you back because I don't want to risk you on this mission. Your Sergeant Unnerby and I have had some long talks. We've had nine years to put you through almost limitless risk, and to watch how your mind works when thousands of lives depend on the right answers. It's time to take you off the front lines of special operations. You are one of the youngest colonels in modern times; after this Dark, you'll be the youngest general."
    "Only if the Underhill mission succeeds."
    "Don't interrupt. However the Underhill affair goes, the King's advisors know how good you are. Whether or not I survive this Dark, you'll be sitting in my job within a few years of the starting of the New Sun—and your days of personal risk-taking must be over. If your Mr. Underhill survives, marry him, breed him, I couldn't care less. But never ever again are you to put yourself at risk." He waved his pointed hand at her head, a mock threat with an edge. "If you do, I swear I'll come back from the grave and crack your thick shell."
    There was the sound of footsteps in the narrow hallway. Hands scratched at the heavy curtain that was the room's only door. It was Captain Diredr. "Excuse me, General. Engineering is absolutely insistent, sir. We have thirty minutes of electrical power, at the outside. They are begging, sir—"
    Greenval spat that last aromatique into a stained cuspidor. "Very good, Captain. We are coming down instanter." He sidled around the Colonel, and pulled back the curtain. When Smith hesitated to go before him, he waved her through the doorway. "In this case, senior means last, my dear. I've never liked this business of cheating on the Dark, but if we have to do it,I'm the one who gets to turn out the lights!"
    SEVEN
    By rights Pham Trinli should not have been on the Fleet Captain's bridge, certainly not during a serious operation. The old man sat at one of the duplicate comm posts, but he really didn't do anything with it. Trinli was Programmer-at-Arms 3rd, though no one had ever seen him behave productively, even at that low rank. He seemed to come and go at his own pleasure, and spent most of his time down in the employees' dayroom. Fleet Captain Park was known to be a little irrational when it came to "respect for age." Apparently, as long as Pham Trinli did no harm, he could stay on the payroll.
    Just now, Trinli sat half-turned away from his