“I am Ship NH-834, who was once also the JH-834.”
The woman nodded and inclined forward from her waist in a deep bow.
“Bingo!” said Niall.
“We have sent eternal prayers for the repose of the soul of Jennan,” the woman said in a richly melodious voice, and from the onlookers rose a murmur of “Praise ever to his name.”
“His memory is honored,” Helva replied sincerely. “May I ask your name?”
“I am the Helvana,” the woman replied, again with a reverent bow of her head.
“Oh, my God, Helva, you made it to sainthood,” Niall said with complete irreverence and rolled with laughter in the pilot’s chair. “With your own priestess caste system. Wow!”
Somehow his reaction annoyed her so much she almost erased his program. But common sense reasserted itself. If she was indeed some sort of saint to these people, she needed his irreverence more than ever—to keep her balance.
“You lead your people?”
“I am she who has been chosen,” the woman said. “For many decades, we have hoped that you would honor us with your appearance…”
“Once more I come to you with bad tidings,” Helva said quickly before she could be inundated with sanctimonious sentiments or perorations.
“That you have come is enough. What is your bidding, Ship Who Sings?”
“They have you pegged, my dear,” Niall murmured, grinning like an idiot.
“An enemy approaches this planet… ah… Helvana.” Helva had a bit of trouble getting that name/title out. “I have sent for assistance but it will not arrive in time to prevent the landing, nor the brutality with which these people—they are called the Kolnari—overwhelm an unprotected population.”
A chuckle, rich and throaty, surprised Helva. She also caught smiles from those around the square.
“It’s no laughing matter, Helvana. I have documentation of how they overwhelm resistance. How they… abuse the population.” She couldn’t quite say “rape” in the presence of girls who looked to be in their teens. “I must ask that you retreat to whatever safety the forests and mountains can provide until the Fleet arrives. Having warned you here in this fine city, I must spread the alarm to all that I can, to protect as many as I can.”
The woman named Helvana raised one hand, a polite interruption. “Bird-keepers, send the flocks to warn our sisters. Ship Who Sings, would you know how soon they will land?”
“I’m no more than four days ahead of them,” Helva said, wondering at her calmness. With relief, she did see quite a few women disappearing from the perimeter and doing whatever duties the bird-keepers might have. “You must gather what belongings you cherish and make for forest and mountain.”
“Four days is plenty of time to set all in motion, Ship Who Sings.”
This Helvana sounded not the least bit alarmed, as she bloody well should have been.
“You don’t understand, Hel… Helvana. These men are pirates, vicious. They have no mercy on their victims…”
“Show them the tape,” Niall said.
“This is what they did on the planet Bethel,” she said, and activated the exterior display, using the whitewashed facade of the imposing main building as a screen.
“That will not be necessary,” Helvana said. “Turn it off now. Please!” And, since some of the captive audience looked decidedly unnerved by the first scene of battle-armored Kolnari making mighty jumps towards screaming and panicking Bethelites, Helva found herself obeying. “There is absolutely no need to terrify. NO need at all.”
“But there is, Helvana. Those men…”
“May I speak to you in private, Ship Who Sings?”
“I wouldn’t like to go against that one,” Niall said. “She’s tough.”
“Yes, of course,” Helva said to the Helvana. And then to Niall, “Get lost!”
“Immediately,” Niall said, rising and skittering off to his quarters.
The Helvana was tall enough to have to duck her head to clear the lintel of the opening and stood for a moment, looking calmly around her, a little smile flickering at the corners of her mouth. Then, to Helva’s surprise, she bowed with great reverence toward the central panel behind which Helva’s titanium shell was situated.
“I have dreamed of being granted such a moment, Ship Who Sings,” she said, her voice vibrant with exultation.
“Please be seated in the lounge on your right,” Helva said.
The Helvana took a second look at the raised bridge area that had been Niall’s favorite place and turned to the lounge area. With considerable grace, the heavy folds of her cassock flowing around her feet and her heavy boots grating on the metal part of the deck, she reached the first of the sectional couches. With another bow, she seated herself facing Helva’s panel.
“I must tell you, Ship Who Sings, that the pitiful colony of the religious you rescued from Ravel’s nova learned from that basic mistake.”
“I am pleased to hear that,” Helva began, “but you must…”
The graceful hand raised from the deep-cuffed sleeve. “There was much to be learned if the Inner Marian Circle would survive the science of your civilization.”
“Really?” Helva decided that this was a time to listen.
“The satellite will have sent its preprogrammed message even as I am certain you sent messages?” Her voice ended on an upward querying note.
“Several, with such details of the invading force as I was able to glean. But, really, Helvana, they’re going…”
The hand raised and Helva subsided. She did have four days in hand.
“My grandmother…”
Well, that was unexpected.
“…Was one of those whom you yourself rescued. A wise but older Christian sisterhood succored her and the other younger members of that community until a new planet could be found for our Order. And they acquired much wisdom during their waiting.”
“Not, however, how to combat bloodthir…”
The hand went up and Helva subsided again.
“We had been children on Chloe, ignorant and kept in ignorance when knowledge would have saved us, and the Blessed Jennan. My grandmother studied much, as did her intimate circle. With prayer and research, we found that this planet was available. A stable primary was our first consideration, of course,” she said with a graceful wave of her hand. “Surveys of Ravel proved it would be adequate for our needs and our preferred style of life once we overcame its… nature. The planet has inherent dangers. Indeed we were required to devise a means whereby we could safely land the first colony expedition.” Her expression became distant with memories, but she pulled herself back to the present with a little shake of her head. “We were averse to the use of technology, but that, in the end, was what we required and what we still employ. We have maintained the landing site out of respect for the achievement of technology over rampant nature. The touch of a switch will deter any unwelcome… visitors.”
She was talking a great deal more rationally than that rabid idiot Mother Superior at Chloe had. But defending the broad open plains of this Ravel would be the task of an army. A much-better-equipped one than these people could possibly mount.
“We have cultivated not only the land, but the resources of the vegetation and wildlife. There are predators on Ravel…”
“Not anything that could overcome a battle-armed Kolnari…”
The Helvana smiled.
“How many are in this Kolnari battle armor?”
Well, that was the first sensible question.
“I’d estimate five, maybe six regiments.”
Her well-shaped eyebrows arched in surprise. “How many are in a regiment?”
Helva told her.
“That many?”
“Yes, that many, and impregnable in that battle armor, too. Unless you happen to have armor-piercing missiles hidden in your fields.”