Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert Page B

never been really questioned. They always sensed how much more potent was his commitment to the Hive, how much more effective his decisions. They might disagree at times, and occasionally even prevail over him, but there remained a subtle air of deference even when they voted him down in the Council. And when, as often happened, his view later proved to have been the correct one, his hold on them became even stronger. It was a situation toward which Hellstrom maintained a constant mistrust.
    No worker is perfect, he told himself. The Hive itself must be supreme in all things.
    Old Harvey stood against the wall at Hellstrom’s left, arms folded, his face underlighted by the glowing screens, giving theillusion that he had been cast from green stone. There was movement in his eyes, though. Old Harvey was watching the room critically. Hellstrom crossed to his side, glanced once at the dewlapped old face, then at the consoles. “Any sign of her yet?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDidn’t we have her under constant infrasurveillance?”
    â€œRadar and sonics, too,” Old Harvey muttered.
    â€œDid she have instruments to detect us?”
    â€œShe tried to use her radio, but we jammed it.”
    â€œThat alerted her, then?”
    â€œProbably.” Old Harvey sounded tired and displeased.
    â€œBut no other instruments?”
    â€œThe vehicle had a small radar-type speed-trap warning device. I think she may have detected our surveillance that way, too.”
    â€œBut how could she slip through our sweep?”
    â€œThey’re reviewing the tapes again. They think she could’ve gone searching for her companion and been lost in the general confusion our sweep created on the instruments.”
    â€œThe sweep would’ve picked her up despite that.”
    Old Harvey turned, looked directly at him. “So I told them.”
    â€œAnd they overruled you.”
    Old Harvey nodded.
    â€œWhat do they believe happened?” Hellstrom asked.
    â€œShe took a calculated risk and went right into the midst of our searchers.”
    â€œHer smell would’ve given her away!”
    â€œSo I said, and they agreed. They then suggested she slipped away from the truck to the north, using it as a shield. Their thought is that she walked softly to hide her movements in the background static. There was a time gap between darkness and when our sweep reached her vicinity. She could’ve done it. She had two choices: get away or slip up on us from another direction. They think she’s out there stalking us.”
    â€œAnd you don’t agree with that?” Hellstrom asked.
    â€œNot that one,” Old Harvey said.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œShe wouldn’t slip up on us.”
    â€œBut why?”
    â€œWe hit her hard with the low frequency. She was twitchy and nervous all afternoon, much too nervous to come for us.”
    â€œHow do you know what her reserves of courage might be?”
    â€œNot that one, Nils. I watched her.”
    â€œShe didn’t look like your type, Harvey.”
    â€œMake your joke, Nils. I watched her most of the afternoon.”
    â€œSo this is no more than your opinion from personal observation?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhy aren’t you pressing that opinion?”
    â€œI did.”
    â€œGiven your choice, what action would you take?”
    â€œYou really want to know?”
    â€œI do, or I wouldn’t ask.”
    â€œFirst, I think she’s slipped down to the northeast among those cattle in the pasture. I’m guessing that she knows cattle. There was something about her—” He wet his lips with his tongue. “If she knows cattle, she could move among them with no problems. They’d mask her smell; they’d provide all the cover she needs.”
    â€œNo one here agrees with you?”
    â€œThey say those are range cattle and they’d have spooked at the first smell of her. We’d have detected