That had all been echoed by the security chief, Commander Keale, during the welcoming ceremony and briefings. He had pointed out how carefully the hatches were latched, so that no Human poison could get in from the corridors below, how strong their transparent dome was, so they had nothing to fear from meteors or attacks, how good the video cover was so that any emergencies would be spotted immediately. He had gone on at length about how everything had been so carefully designed for the security of absolutely everybody. Absolutely everybody.
Lareet had found herself in complete agreement with Umat afterward. Umat had flicked an ear toward Commander Keale, and murmured, “I would not call him an enemy, Sister, but I believe we now know who our opponent in this game is.”
Lareet turned to a path that rambled beside the principal river. The Ovrth Vrand, Pavch and Zan, sat on the riverbank surrounded by a grove of fishing poles. Long lines trailed into the water. Members of the squad sat beside them, patiently knotting together thick cords to make nets.
Ovrth Pavch grinned up at Lareet. “We'll eat well tonight.” She pointed to a net on the grass, already full of silver-scaled fish. “This is easier than going to market. The Humans haven't bred any fight in the creatures.”
Lareet forced her ears back against her scalp. “Ovrth Pavch, as members of the preparatory team, we have important work to do. We are not supposed to be lolling about fishing.”
Ovrth Pavch's face rippled with a concern that was as false as Lareet's severity. “How else am I supposed to feed my irthiat who are busy inspecting, measuring, and generally surveying this city? Am I ordered to condemn them to Human food?”
Lareet laughed and inhaled the fish's freshwater scent appreciatively. “Of course not See if they've put in any eels for us, would you, Ovrth Pavch? I haven't had a ready fresh eel in the longest time.”
“As you command, Dayisen Lareet.”
Lareet gazed upriver. A small, open boat of freshly varnished wood steered its way between two larger trawlers. Umat raised her free hand to hail her sister. Lareet waved back, squeezed Ovrth Pavch's shoulder, and strode down to the little cement dock, just as Umat pulled up. She stepped down into the boat and settled herself so she faced Umat in the stern.
Umat flicked the lever that put the boat's whispering motor into forward gear and steered them away from the bank and to the center of the river. The motor and the current carried them from the Ur's center toward one of the forested parks.
“So, my Sister,” said Umat. “What do you think of this pretty city we've been given?”
Lareet's gaze flickered to the shore, up the trunks of the drooping trees that trailed their branches in the water, and back toward the apartment buildings vanishing around the river bend.
“It is about as we thought,” Lareet said softly. “Most of the municipal buildings and factories are monitored, but the apartments are clear, as near as we can tell. The hatches are all sealed, and the locks must be on the other side.”
Umat nodded. “Have we got a count on the Marines yet?”
“The Ovrth Ches are searching through the databases for troop numbers and where they're stationed.”
Umat smiled and touched her sister's hand. “We've done well today.”
Lareet trailed her fingers in the clear water. The river had a sandy bottom with emerald green algae clinging to the occasional stone. Silver fish the length of her finger whisked upstream. Is this really what the world used to look like? “The Humans hide so much, Umat. Are we sure we're seeing both the fish and the school?”
Umat sighed and tugged Lareet's ear. “No, we're not. But we have to try, Lareet.”
Lareet dipped her ears. “Of course we do. No matter what.” Whether or not Scholar Arron and the other Humans understand. Lareet did not speak that thought out loud.
They sailed down the river in silence. Lareet felt herself calming slowly. Around them, the trees cleared from the banks to reveal tidy rows of low, boxy buildings. When it was time to rebuild the cities on Earth, Lareet was going to suggest maintaining this practice of keeping manufacturing facilities separate from the main living and governmental quarters. It was a less efficient use of space but a more pleasant one.
Umat angled the boat toward another concrete dock, a twin to the one they'd taken off from.
From here they could see where the sky sloped down to meet the tree line. At night, when the dome cleared, they would be able to stand in those trees and look outside. To the far right, they would see the docking area for the shuttles. Straight ahead about ten yards from their dome, they would see the smaller, opaque dome that held the engine room. Those ten yards were the most direct route from the city to the Human areas of the ship.