Damia. Part 7

I believe her exact words were: "Do what Afra says and don't mess up!"

When Afra looked sceptical, Jeff gave him a pleading look. 'Very well, Jeff, as we're under her orders.' Afra made for the door 'Where are you going?' 'To the Control Room,' Afra explained. 'Only the Rowan works up here.

'I'll get lonely,' Jeff responded in mock serious tones. He waved a hand at the second chair that had been installed for the duration of Torshan and Saggoner's Primacy. 'Why not stay here with me? There're two feeds and it'll be easier.' 'My consoles at the Control Room are programmed for my particular duties,' Afra explained.

'I'll learn the running of a station quicker the sooner I understand your duties as well as my own,' Jeff responded.

He waved Afra to come back to the centre of the room.

'Do what you can now and we'll have the technicians rig up more consoles here.' Afra was reluctant. 'Wouldn't it be more efficient to have the Prime and all the station crew in one room?' Afra's eyes bugged out, Raven was practically quoting him! 'The Rowan never thought so.' Afra temporized.

'Hmm,' Jeff mused, 'probably safer for the rest of you, given her volatile nature.' He cast a telling glance at Afra.

'And you would never think to argue with her. But my dear love is not here now and she said to listen to you in all things. So tell me, Afra of Capella, what do you think of consolidating the station's operations?' A slow smile spread across Afra's face. Ackerman, initiate the Epsilon Plan!

Are you serious? Ackerman 5 response was incredulous with excitement.

Please, was Jeff Raven's response. If it is a plan to consolidate operations, I can think of nothing more dear to my heart.

Immediately! And Ackerman was gone, bustling off to set up a plan he and Afra had l.u.s.ted over for many years.

Epsilon is the Greek symbol used to calculate efficiency, Afra said in reply to Jeff's unspoken question. He tapped a console. You have just ingratiated yourself for ever to Brian by making his dearest wish come true.

'The first cargo is a freighter, Prime,' Afra said aloud.

'The data is on your number two console.' Within a week an ecstatic Ackerman reported a 20 per cent increase in the station's throughput. Afra noticed that the Callisto crew were eager to aid Jeff Raven in any way at all. His easy manner, willingness to cut administrivia to its least parts, and his relations.h.i.+p with the Rowan all served to cement their devotion to him.

Jeff took a break at the sixth day to visit the Rowan at her Altairian Tower.

'Will you be arranging for the ceremony?' Afra asked with studied nonchalance as Jeff prepared to leave.

'There's no rush,' Jeff replied absently. Afra grew silent.

Ready! Jeff called.

Then he was gone and the generators wound down while the off s.h.i.+ft crew raced to perform the little maintenance that was necessary.

Afra was rather pleased, two days later, when Raven returned with an incredulous look on his face.

'You knew!' he accused Afra. 'You knew and you didn't even tell me!' His eyes narrowed. 'How did you know?' 'I've been her friend for eight years, Jeff,' Afra responded evenly, not showing a trace of the smugness he felt. 'There's a slight variation in her that I was able to perceive.' 'Who else knows?' Afra shook his head. 'No-one.' He looked apologetic. 'I would have told you but, after all, it isn't precisely the sort of information one lobs off the way one launches cargo.

'But she didn't even know, until last week, or so she told me.

And she told me as soon as she suspected.' Jeff gave him a scrutinizing look, leaving unvoiced his amazement that Afra should know such an intimate fact.

Afra was by that time well enough attuned to Jeff Raven that he held up his hands in protest. 'An intimate fact, yes, but I've had to become very much aware of the Rowan on both the mental and physical levels for the last eight years. I'm delighted that the perception is verified.' He said that last with some stiffness of manner.

Jeff sighed and nodded. 'Sorry. I think I know my mate intimately but I also know, and accept, that there are many levels of intimacy, my good friend!' His grin dissolved Afra's coolness.

'Are you glad it's a boy?' Jeff stared at him, astounded. 'I didn't know -' and he shook his head in bemus.e.m.e.nt, 'and I don't think the Rowan does either that our child is male. I never realized that you're a precog, too.

Afra shrugged. 'I'm not, but the child is a boy. Or did you want a daughter? I could be wrong.

Jeff gave Afra a slow grin. 'I haven't yet learned to cope with my lovely Rowan. I'll hope you're right. I'll need more time before I have to deal with a miniature Rowan. Though it could be fun. How about you? Game for a repeat?' Afra grinned back. 'I don't see as I have the option. I'm in too deep to change.' At that Jeff chuckled, throwing an arm around the tall Capellan's bony shoulders. 'So what happened here while I was away, eh, Afra?' Afra! Raven called at the beginning of his third week as Callisto Prime, there's a T4 here!

Afra popped up to the rearranged Tower. He still had misgivings over the appearance of the revamped Tower.

Wires ran all over the place and were a potential danger to the unwary but Ackerman cheerfully a.s.sured him that was to allow the Tower to be rearranged to the Rowan's old style if suddenly required.

'We'll have the new ducts laid in the next downs.h.i.+ft,' the stationmaster added.

'Ah,' Afra was unruffled, 'Jeff Raven, meet Gollee Gren, T-4.

Jeff nodded politely to Gollee who seemed to have lost his usually glib tongue in the presence of a man who was becoming a living legend.

'Glad to meet you,' he said absently, turning back to the Capellan. He very pointedly raised an eyebrow at Afra.

'You're not going to be here for the rest of your life, Jeff,' Afra began diplomatically. 'At which point you will probably want to know that you can work with another T-4. Besides, Gollee needs the training.' Afra grinned maliciously when Gollee opened his mouth to protest, a response not lost on Jeff Raven.

'I see,' Jeff said noncommittally but it was obvious to Afra how little he liked the notion.

Afra sighed. 'The best way to prove you've learned something is to teach.' Jeff eyed him thoughtfully. 'The Rowan never mentioned this aspect of your personality.' 'The Rowan never asked me to train her, either,' Afra replied with a saccharine smirk. He wasn't sure which reaction pleased him more: Jeff's or Gollee's. He stepped away from the second couch. 'I'll be within call here if either of you need me,' he added with an overly courteous bow to both as he waved a reluctant Gren to take the seat and tapped a display. 'First launch is Earthward, Reidinger to catch As he had hoped, Gren's mischievous stance matched Jeff Raven's 'homeboy' nature perfectly. By the end of the day the two were working the station's cargo effortlessly.

During the next several months, life at Callisto Station devolved into steady easy routine with Gren and other Talents arriving at scheduled times to work with the Denebian to broaden his ability to handle gestalt with different personalities. Afra and Ackerman noted that Jeff worked best with Gren, a report which Reidinger received with a grunt.

I've been hoping to find a use for that one! Reidinger exclaimed.

What, met someone you can't handle? Afra asked, amused.

I seem to have a problem with T4s and -35, Reidinger replied imperturbably. It'd worry me except there're so many of them I can fire 'em when I please.

Afra refused to rise to the bait.

The Rowan's return to Callisto Station five months later as a visit turned into a permanent rea.s.signment the instant Reidinger learned that she was pregnant. Reidinger singed Afra's mental 'ears' when he admitted that he had known of the pregnancy. Well, f I can't trust you, I'll have to set up my own spy.

Afra was genuinely pleased to have the Rowan back at Callisto.

While he had enjoyed working with Jeff Raven, he had to admit to himself that perversely he found greater comfort in his link with the unpredictable Rowan.

'Oh, by the way, Afra, the Rowan's been pestering me to ask you something,' Jeff said abruptly one evening as the station closed down.

'Oh, what?' 'If you'll stand as l.p. to our son?' 'ElI Pee?' 'Yes, loco parentis. Admittedly it's a Denebian custom but, considering the hazards on my planet,' and Jeff's grin was rueful, 'it ensures that someone whom the parents of a child trust will oversee its upbringing.

The Rowan liked the idea as being much more personal than being made Ward of the Planet. We'd both be glad if you would be willing to stand in an l.p. capacity for our child.' Afra was deeply touched and it was several seconds before he could speak. 'Nothing is going to happen to you!' Jeff silenced him with a gesture. 'We certainly don't plan on it but-' 'And you've a planet full of relatives ' afra hedged.

'They're there, of course, but it's the Talent aspect of our child that we both want to sustain, Afra, and no-one on Deneb's got much Talent training. I know you are critical of the way you were reared on Capella, but I can say with objectivity that you've a large advantage in such training over me. And, besides, the Rowan and I agreed on you, Afra.' Jeff's blue eyes were frank. He quirked his head, his characteristic smile beginning to tug at his mouth. 'What do I tell her?' Afra smiled a soft sad smile. 'Tell her that I would be a bad choice: if something happened to either of you I would surely be dead beforehand.' Jeff laughed. 'Don't be morbid. You're not precogging again, are you?' When Afra vigorously denied that, he was audibly relieved. 'Besides, I've firsthand experience of how good an instructor you are, you know.' Afra bowed deeply, once more falling back on ingrained courtesies to respond. 'Jeff Raven, please tell your lovely wife that I am deeply honoured and will be glad to serve in loco parentis to any children of yours and to the best of my ability.' Jeff gave him a curt satisfied nod and a hearty clout on the shoulder. The Denebian never learned the non-tactile etiquette of Talents but somehow, such familiarity from Jeff never offended. 'Good! It's settled, then. Now, tell me, what do you know of babies?' It turned out that Afra knew quite a lot about babies, having dealt with his sister's children on several occasions and having even minded the Ackerman kids when Brian and his wife needed a night off.

At the end of their chat, Jeff sighed deeply. 'You will let me know if the Rowan's keeping something from me, won't you?' 'Are you going somewhere?' Afra asked, startled.

'Yes, hadn't you heard?' Jeff's att.i.tude was ingenuous surprise.

'Apparently Reidinger's decided to get his own back by making me a sort of roving Prime.' He drew up to his full height and made a mock bow.

Afra laughed. 'Remember when the Rowan told you Reidinger'd take it out of your hide?' Jeff shrugged, his expression comical. 'For a worthy cause.' Then he winked, his expression turning slightly malicious. 'He might as well make use of my ability to travel. I'm the only Prime who can zip about as it pleases me.' 'Why don't you challenge Reidinger to travel now we all know that Siglen imposed the neurosis?' Jeff gave Afra a long hard look, his eyes sparkling with mischief. 'I really should, shouldn't I? The old sly geezer.

He'd probably growl something about teaching old dogs new tricks.' 'I think,' Afra said in a slow thoughtful tone, 'that I'm just as glad Reidinger can't. His mental bark is bad enough!

I'd hate to know he could 'port wherever he wished and chew me out face to face.' Jeff c.o.c.ked one eyebrow and grinned with deliberate malice. 'Oh, well, you could always bull your way through.

Afra blinked, gawped and then burst out laughing at Jeff's sly reminder.

'And he still has both bull and cow on his desk,' Jeff added. 'I think if you had to, you'd give as good as you got. Another reason why we want you as l.p.

for our son. Say, you can't, by any chance, hear the baby, can you?' 'No.' Afra's response was definite and a little bit sad.

The birth of Jeran Raven was a cause for joyous celebration throughout Callisto Station and beyond. Everyone under the domes heard the healthy mental cry of the baby as it was born and the communal welcome added to the gentle ambience from the three adults present at the delivery.

Attentive Primes also heard it; Afra had to carefully supervise the removal of kilos and kilos of rare flowers, sent by an ecstatic Peter Reidinger, from the Gwyn-Raven quarters. The arrival of floral offerings almost undid the careful schedule Afra and Brian had worked out to keep Callisto operating with a reduced workload while their Prime had limited capability.

afra was working late, catching up on the rescheduling when the door buzzer to his quarters rang. 'Come!' He rose and strode to greet his guest at the door. It was Jeff's mother, Isthia Raven. Afra had seen her about the station during the last days of the Rowan's confinement but had purposely not intruded upon her.

'You have not come to see the child, Afra Lyon,' Isthia began immediately.

'I've been busy and had no wish to disturb him or his parents..

.' Afra hesitated slightly, not certain how to address this blue-eyed lady with a cap of crisp black curls.

'You may certainly call me Isthia.' Afra inclined his head.

'Rowan told me about you, how closely you work together.' She looked at him keenly. 'Are you afraid of newborns, then?' Afra laughed.

'Hardly. When would it be convenient for me to come? Rowan seems to need a lot of rest these days.' 'She does, but you are always welcome.

Come this afternoon and get it over with.' 'I scarcely consider it an obligation to be "got over Afra said.

Isthia gave him another of her searching looks. 'No, I don't think you would. But you are down as loco parentis and you haven't so much as cast an eyeball over my grandson. Yet you and the Rowan have been very close.' 'Not,' and Afra felt it advisable to rea.s.sure her on that score, as close as she and Jeff, if that is what you're worried about.' Isthia regarded him with wide-eyed surprise. 'I'm not the least worried about it now that we've met for it is quite plain to me that you are an honourable person.

'00 Afra gave a slightly impudent bow which she dismissed with an irritated wave. 'Are all Capellans so inhibited?' 'All Capellans are raised to be courteous under any conditions.

Isthia gave a bark of laughter. 'Good shot. We Denebians tend to speak our minds.' 'I'd noticed. It makes a nice change.' 'Well, I can see why the Rowan and Jeff rely so much on you. I just wanted to be certain myself that you'd be suitable as a default parent.' 'Is that what all this is about?' 'Of course,' Isthia replied stoutly. 'I like a man who doesn't balk at taking difficult paths or walking tightropes.

But you could be easier on yourself now and then.' Mildly surprised at the line this conversation was taking, Afra looked at her quizzically.

'Don't try that on me, young man,' Isthia commanded, eyes twinkling to remove the sting. 'You must come to Deneb some time. Let your mind rest from your very strenuous labours.' 'It would be my pleasure. Yours must be a fascinating world to develop such amazing Talents.' 'Develop Talent? Oh, I suppose so.

Afra was nonplussed by her casual dismissal. He sensed that she had considerable Talent herself though Jeff had never mentioned that she'd been tested. If her att.i.tude was indicative of the general population, it was no wonder Jeff and Rowan worried about Jeran's potential Talent.

'Come to think on it,' and Isthia's expression altered suddenly to that curious blankness that Afra had been taught heralded a precognitive episode, 'you will come to Deneb...' She hesitated as her eyes, suddenly clouded, rested unseeing on his face. A chill raised gooseflesh on his arms. ' -.. to rest your mind and renew life.' Abruptly she shook her head, eyes clearly blue again. 'Did I go off just then?' 'I didn't notice anything,' Afra said smoothly, as much because of her earlier dismissal of Talent, as because her clairvoyancy genuinely had startled him. He felt uncomfortable with such cryptic talk. 'May I offer you refreshment ?' 'That would be very pleasant.

You don't happen to have tea, do you?' she asked wistfully.

'China or Indian?' 'Indian,' she said, a hopeful smile on her face.

'Earl Grey or Darjeeling?' 'Darjeeling,' she replied with happy relief. 'Marvellous inst.i.tution, tea. A man who serves tea is certain to be an a.s.set to the Raven clan.' 'I beg pardon?' 'Well, you did agree to stand in loco parentis for Jeran, so you are, in effect, bound to the Raven clan.' Afra was puzzled but caused the kettle to boil before he looked back at Jeff Raven's indomitable mother. 'If this is some form of ritual bonding...' Some pioneer planets had revived rather barbaric customs.

'No, no ritual. Just acknowledgement of fact,' Isthia responded.

The kettle whistled.

Tea-making, on the other hand, did require certain minor rituals which Afra dutifully observed, patently to Isthia Raven's delight. And for the rest of the visit they exchanged pleasantries.

Afra found himself waxing effusive in the presence of this remarkable woman and was genuinely unhappy when she took her leave.

'Oh, we'll talk again, Afra, she warned him. Be certain of it!

'And when are you coming to visit your new responsibility? Not to mention his mother. She's fretting that her maternity is repulsive to y) Never! The response flew out of Afra before he could control the impulse.

Isthia merely smiled. 'She'll be glad to hear that.

Jeff Raven insisted on helping Afra and the Callisto Station whenever he was available while the Rowan was on maternity leave.

However, she became quite agitated when he protested her return to the Tower a scant ten days after her labour.

Arrgh! It was my body that strained, not my mind! she said in a fine fume over his protests. Men!

However, with Jeran not yet established on a regular sleeping cycle, the Rowan was apt to tire easily or be forgetful. It was a 'memorable' period, as Isthia later commented. Afra and Isthia spent much time together, volunteering for baby detail, merely chatting or playing bridge with the Ackermans, a game which both Afra and Isthia had missed sorely in the past.

Jeff was surprised when Reidinger summoned him to Earth for a conference.

'Why can't he just 'path me?' Raven complained to Afra when the formal message was received.

'I suspect he has his reasons,' Afra responded soothingly, expression carefully neutral. 'Do be sure to say h.e.l.lo to Gollee when you're down there.' 'And Luciano! Ye G.o.ds! What food!' Jeff licked his lips in antic.i.p.ation. 'Be certain, I will!' Hours later he returned. You knew! Jeff swore at him.

Reidinger is one hundred and ten, you've been trained on Tower procedures, you work like a maniac, you know every Prime there is, I thought it rather obvious. It was just a question of timing, was Afra's phlegmatic reply.

You didn't tell her, did you? Jeff asked with some alarm.

Of course not! There are certain surprises that must be personally delivered, Afra replied in a pointed reminder to the knowledge of the Rowan's pregnancy.

'Good! I can't wait to see her face!' And Jeff jumped to the Rowan's quarters to spread the glad word.

Brian Ackerman had watched the whole exchange from a considerate distance but his curiosity overwhelmed him when Raven departed.

'What was that all about?' he asked. Afra shrugged noncommittally. 'Good news?' Earth Prime! The mental seepage from the Rowan's mental exultation vibrated through every mind on the station.

'You could say that,' Afra said with a slight smirk. Then he added thoughtfully, 'You know, the Rowan usually s.h.i.+elds and we've not had much "noise" from young Master Jeran but he sleeps most of the time. But hadn't we better get the bright boys working on a way to s.h.i.+eld infantile babble emanating from the Rowan's place?' Ackerman took on an abstracted look which turned puzzled. 'He's not loud enough to worry about. Oh, yes, she's not likely to stop with just one, is she? I remember her telling me she wanted a large family. Of course, she may change her mind. My wife did but, yeah, maybe we ought to look into the problem before it becomes one.' Ackerman jotted a quick note down on his ever-present pad.

Six months and two days later, late one night as Afra was just about to give up on an intricate origami dinosaur he had been trying to create for young Jeran, his buzzer beeped.