Damia's Children Read Online Free PDF

Yugin,” Mexalgo said. “Engineers with the pit experience if we’re starting new seams is what we really lack.”
    â€œWould you accept ’Dini engineers?”
    Mexalgo made a grimace. “I would if I could understand them.”
    â€œWhat’s to understand?” Segrazlin asked. “You show ’em where the lode is, give ’em the materials they need, and they dig. They’re as well trained, by their standards, as any of our men, and besides,” a grin broke across Segrazlin’s craggy features, “they’re built better for underground work!”
    â€œAye, that’s a fact,” Mexalgo said, though reluctantly. “But how can we be sure, with those little holidays of theirs, that we’ll have a work force all the time? We can’t make these shipments with part-time help.”
    â€œThe Mrdinis don’t all hibernate at the same time,” Damia said. “The hibernation period apparently depends on the continent of origin. The ’Dinis presently on Aurigae all happen to come from the northern Great continent. Or so Fok told me. Should I inquire, on your behalf, if additional ’Dini engineers and workers are available and would be willing to come to Aurigae to work?”
    The four miners conferred briefly by nods, hand, and head gestures.
    â€œYes, Prime, we would appreciate your inquiring on our behalf.”
    â€œYou will of course pay according to experience and training?” Afra asked.
    â€œOf course,” Segrazlin said, slightly indignant. “And provide the sort of quarters, and hibernation facilities, that they prefer. We haven’t had any complaints from ’em yet.”
    That was true enough because Damia and Afra made certain that the specifications given them by the ’Dinis were carried out.
    â€œI’d like to see the engineering qualifications, though,” Mexalgo said, always cautious. “In translation.”
    â€œOf course,” Afra replied with a smile. “Oddly enough translating scientific data is easier than, say, literature or art forms.”
    Mexalgo sniffed.
    â€œEarth Prime agrees to forward your request to Clarf Tower,” Damia said, having spoken to her father during Afra’s part of the conversation. “He’ll forward the answer within the current day.”
    What Jeff Raven had told his daughter was that, not only were the ’Dinis willing, they were eager. Their own mines were nearly depleted, even those on their colony worlds, and miners, pit men as well as engineers, were as desperate to find work as to supply their homeworld with the commodities it needed.
    When Segrazlin and the mine owners had left, Damia was not so sedate that she didn’t give a little dance of jubilation for the success of the interview. There had been some criticism—expressed through Flk and Trp to Damia and Afra—that ’Dinis were disappointed that their out-world workers were not given the positions of authoritythat their experience and training should qualify them for. What the mining community didn’t realize was that there were fully trained and professionally able engineers among the ’Dini workers already on Aurigae. Now, with such massive orders, was the chance the ’Dinis had been hoping for to show their true colors. The ’Dinis had been very patient and now would have the opportunity they had long deserved. Damia and Afra had reason to rejoice.
    As soon as the miners had boarded their vehicles to return to Aurigae City, Afra went in search of Flk and Trp to inform them of the good news. They clacked, clicked, and whistled their joy and then departed toward the city, to spread the news.
    â€œI think we must insist that some of the new pits be ’Dini managed and run,” Afra said.
    â€œWe had to go slow or jeopardize the integration,” Damia said.
    â€œI know, I know. We can be extremely grateful for ’Dini