“Nothing to pierce armor,” the Helvana said blithely, with a light emphasis on “pierce.” “But we will defend ourselves well.”
“Don’t even consider hand-to-hand combat, Helvana,” Helva said.
“Oh”—and there was a lovely rippling contralto laugh—”we wouldn’t consider attacking anyone.”
“Then HOW do you plan to deal with the Kolnari?”
“May I surprise you?”
“If it doesn’t lead immediately to your death and the slaughter of all those innocents out there.”
“It won’t.”
“Which reminds me, Helvana, I saw young children out there, and teenage girls as well as matrons your age and older.”
Helva had been reviewing her tapes, because something had puzzled her about the composition of those calm observers.
“Ah, yes,” the Helvana said, smiling graciously. “My grandmother also decided that our community must propagate…”
“Parthenogenesis?”
“Oh, no, that would have been against our precepts. We brought with us sufficient fertilized female ova, removed from our Faithful, to supply us with the necessary diverse genetic balance to ensure that our community will last for centuries.”
“Clever,” Helva said.
“Not the least of our… cleverness, Ship Who Sings.”
Just then Helva’s outside sensors picked up a little cough and she became aware that a covey of girls was standing just outside the hatch.
“I think they wish to speak to you, Helvana,” the ship said. “Come on in, girls.”
Their faces either red with embarrassment or white with exultation, the young women entered, bowing with varying degrees of grace as the Helvana had done, towards Helva’s panel. Did the whole damned planet know where she lived?
“The birds have flown, Helvana. And some nearby have responded.”
Helvana nodded, pleased. “Enter the responses and report back when all have answered.”
The girls left in a flurry, but not before a second obeisance to Helva.
“You’ve trained avians as messengers?”
“It seemed wise since there are such distances between our communities and decisions must be circulated when necessary.”
“Does every community have a… Helvana?”
“No, I am the one so honored by my peers.”
“How long will you serve, if that is the correct phrase?”
“It is you I serve,” the Helvana said with great dignity. “When I know myself too old to continue intelligent administration, my successor will be installed, chosen from among those who are diligent in learning the canon and tradition of our Circle.”
“Well, yes, but let’s get to the point. Do you have some safe refuge where you can’t be found until the Fleet arrives?”
“Ravel supplies our defense,” Helvana said, again with the confident smile.
“Enlighten me, then, because I have every reason to fear for your safety.”
“You must look more closely at Ravel.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve trained the predators to defend you?”
“No, the planet itself will.”
“Well, if your defense is classified, I assure you I won’t disclose your methods but the Kolnari are the most effective and ruthless fighting force of all humanoids. They…”
“Against other humans, quite likely…”
“They have weaponry”—and Helva was getting a bit tired of this woman’s self-confident denial of any threat—“that could turn this settlement into a cinder…”
“From the air?” And there was just a touch of fear in this Helvana’s voice.
“You’re lucky,” Helva said dryly, “the Kolnari strategy is based more on overwhelming their target with ground forces. Of course, your satellite warning system’ll be blasted out of space as soon as they spot it, but the bunch that’s headed here don’t have any assault ships, unless they’ve modified some of the bigger yachts. And all of them seem so full of bodies that I doubt they are armed with space-to-surface missiles, too. Though,” Helva added thoughtfully, “they could be. However, they think they have total surprise as an advantage to a quick rout.”
The Helvana crossed her arms and said, not quite smugly, “Then we shall not be harmed.”
“Look, their ships are crammed with bodies, bodies which intend to take over this planet for their purposes which, I assure you, you won’t like. You have no armament…”
“We need none…”
“So you say, but you’ve never seen the Kolnari take over a planet. Let me just show you how they conquered…”
Helvana held up her hand. “God forfend.”
“He’s not in a position to forfend anything. Look, you’ve got to take precautions.”
“They are already in place.”
“What?”
“The planet itself.”
“And round and round we go,” Helva said, irked. “This is Chloe all over again with a slightly different scenario,” she said, allowing her irritation to show in her voice. “You won’t be fried by the sun this time but by…”
“No.” And Helvana held up a hand with such authority that Helva broke off. “You will have noticed that our settlements, large and small, are walled…”
“Not much good against Kolnari battle-armored troops…”
“Who will not get close enough to our walls… Nor do we go beyond them very often, for it is the vegetation of Ravel that is dangerous to all. Even the predators venture out only on cold nights when the planet sleeps.”
“Come again?”
Helvana’s smile just missed being a smirk and she cocked her head slightly at Helva. “How much would these Kolnari know about our planet?”
“Only what is in the Galactic Atlas.”
“May I see that entry?”
Helva brought it up on the main-lounge screen and the Helvana read it swiftly, smiling her smile as she finished.
“There have been no additions. As promised.”
“I do wish I could be as confident as you are,” Helva said.
The Helvana rose. “The last time it was the primary which would destroy us. This time the planet will work for us. One question: since the entry indicates a spaceport, will the Kolnari land there first? To organize their invasion?”
Helva thought of that battered collection of ships. “They use whatever’s available. They’ve enough ships to use all the space the landing field offers. Though, in my judgment,” she added grimly, “some of them may not make a controlled landing.” She paused, wondering if in those dilapidated buildings there were any emergency vehicles or equipment. Then she ruthlessly decided that a few Kolnari would not be missed. “Some are barely spaceworthy, and one was leaking oxygen. You must realize that this is the Kolnari’s last-gasp attempt to resettle. They’ll fight whatever you have in mind to put against them. They must know this planet is a walkover.”
“Not…” Helvana paused with an inscrutable twist to her lips. “…an easy walkover. Not by any means.”
“They do have arsenals of some pretty sophisticated weapons,” Helva reminded her guest. “Don’t discount the possibility of an air-to-surface barrage to soften you up.”
Helvana actually chuckled. “What? Bomb our fields and settlements? If their object is to settle here, they wouldn’t destroy available housing or crops.”
“You don’t know the Kolnari as I do, Helvana. Don’t treat this lightly.”
“I assure you I do not,” the woman said, and her face assumed a concerned and serious expression. “Our fields, our homes would be targeted?”
“Very likely, although it is equally likely that, fearing no resistance, they may just land and march…”