"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…"
"Oh, I do hope so," said the Helvana, one moment her face brightening with something akin to triumph, instantly fading to self-recrimination. "We do not take pleasure in destruction of any kind on Ravel."
"Even to save your lives?"
"Your presence, and your warning, is sufficient." The Helvana rose.
"I have no weapons, no way to defend you," Helva said, unable to keep the frustration and anger out of her voice.
The woman turned, inclining her head. "That is known, so you must seek safety yourself. I know little of what transpires in other sections of the Universe, and your pictures showed us it is not a safe place in which to reside, so you are at risk. You have warned us. We are advised. We shall be safe. Go you to be safe, too, Ship Who Sings."
"I can't JUST LEAVE YOU!" Helva's voice rose and she could hear it resounding outside, causing some of the women still gathered in groups in the plaza to turn around.
"As you cannot defend yourself," Helvana said in a tone that implied Helva was indeed more at risk than her adherents were, "you must depart. I have much to organize."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Helva said in a caustic tone.
The woman turned at the airlock, made a deep and respectful obeisance, and strode down the ramp. Immediately she began issuing commands that had all the onlookers scurrying to obey. In moments the plaza was empty and the Helvana had reentered the church or administration building or whatever it was.
"Well, well." And Niall peered around the edge of the corridor that led to his quarters. "That one has style!"
"She's no smarter than that rabid, ranting ascetic on Chloe!" Helva's voice crackled with anger. "As if I'm the one who's vulnerable."
"What was that about the vegetation?" Niall asked. "And close the hatch, love. I don't want someone peering in and catching sight of a MAAAALE…" He jiggled his hands in clownish antic and dragged out the last word.
"What about the vegetation?" Helva demanded irritably as she retracted the ramp and shut off access.
"I'd say it's dangerous and the power to the walls is to keep it at bay. Remember the roads here? All with neat margins… and haven't been used… and they employ birds to carry messages? Doesn't that suggest to you they don't wander much from the walls of their cloisters?"
Helva thought about that possibility. "As a weapon against the Kolnari?" she demanded with trenchant incredulity.
"We can cloak and watch," Niall said, cocking his head slightly at something he had perceived that eluded her. "That lady seemed far too certain of their… indigenous… protections. And we haven't seen everything on this world yet, now have we?"
Helva had been scanning with her exterior sensors, and except for birds coming in to land on what she had initially thought to be multiple chimneys but were rooftop aviaries, she reconsidered the situation.
"I'm going to try another of their settlements," she said, and, making sure there were no bodies anywhere near her, lifted slowly. The plaza was so hard-packed from much usage that only little swirls of dust marked her ascent.
She tried nine settlements, medium, small and another large one, but each time the head woman of the group, while respectful in all other ways, replied that there was no need this time for The Ship Who Sings to worry about Ravellians. But it was good of her to appear to warn them that a time of trial was coming. Helva tried to show the hologram and, after the first horrified glances, everyone turned their backs, squeezing their eyes closed against the proof she tried to exhibit.
"I don't think it's a case of your losing your touch," Niall said kindly, drumming silent fingers on the armrest. "They honestly believe they're safe. Not that the mere odor of sanctity ever saved a saint and certainly won't save these sisters from the Kolnari. But, in case you've been fretting too much to notice, every single one of the walls around these cloisters is on full power."
"Where're the sources? That's something the Kolnari will spot if they make even the most routine scan or aerial reconnaissance." And Helva was more afraid than ever. On the previous occasion, the expanding sun itself had provided proof positive of danger to the doubting religious. What would it take to prove it this time? And why was she stuck with this gullible lot again?
She kept trying and kept getting the same responses from all ninety-seven cloisters she visited. On the way to the ninety-eighth, they saw the spark of bright light in the sky that indicated the Kolnari had just demolished the satellite.
"Nice of them to give us fair warning. Now's the time to cloak, Helva," Niall remarked, his fingers in their restless dance on the armrests.