“Don’t count on any.”

“Hm. How much hindrance? Besides Bharaputra, Ryoval, and Fell, of course.”

House Fell dealt mainly in weapons. What had Fell to do with any of this? “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Thorne frowned; that was not the usual sort of Naismith answer, apparently.

“I have a great deal of inside information about the creche, that I can brief you on once we’re en route. Look, Bel, you hardly need me to tell you how to do your job at this late date. I trust you. Take over the logistics and planning, and I’ll check the finals.”

Thorne’s spine straightened. “Right. How many kids are we talking about?”

“Bharaputra does about one of these transplants a week, on average. Fifty a year, say, that they have coming along. The last year of the clones’ lives they move them to a special facility near House headquarters, for final conditioning. I want to take the whole year’s supply from that facility. Fifty or sixty kids.”

“All packed aboard the Ariel? It’ll be tight.”

“Speed, Bel, speed.”

“Yeah. I think you’re right. Timetable?”

“As soon as possible. Every week’s delay costs another innocent life.” He’d measured out the last two years by that clock. I have wasted a hundred lives so far. The journey from Earth to Escobar alone had cost him a thousand Betan dollars and four dead clones.

“I get it,” said Thorne grimly, and rose and put away its tea cup. It switched its chair to the clamps in front of its comconsole. “That kid’s slated for surgery, isn’t it.”

“Yes. And if not that one, a creche-mate.”

Thorne began tapping keypads. “What about funds? That is your department.”