Power Play

12

The 'unseen eye', aka Charas Parclete, who had been instructed to keep a close one on Yana had followed the target subject and her escort through the maze and down to the cargo bay area. Since it was obvious that the two women were in the company of a more than capable-appearing male - and someone the 'eye' had better get some gen on if he was to be much in their company - the 'unseen' remained covert. In fact, the target subject and her companions were out of sight a good deal of the time as Charas had to remain unseen. Suddenly there was a bit of confusion ahead and when the covert watcher moved to a better viewing position, a whiff of the gas wafted across her face. Gagging and trying not to breathe while still attempting to clear her lungs gave the watcher a bit of trouble - especially as the mayday reached the mastoid implant which was linked to Marmion's alarm pad just when the gas effected a very short period of unconsciousness. Struggling to regain full use of her senses, Charas staggered unseen around the crates and cartons and saw only one body on the ground. Pressing the emergency signal for help, she dashed to the body.

‘Fat lot of help you were as escort,' and Charas resisted the temptation to kick the unconscious man for his dereliction of duty. There were other more pressing matters - like following the faint whiff of gas through the maze of installations and cargo bays. This was a down time in the cargo bay when all but the most urgent jobs were suspended. Some ship was being loaded on the far side of the dock but it might as well have been on another planet as far as crowd protection went. The time had been well chosen. And the abductors had also had access to the intermural passages which separated cargo areas. Alternately sniffing for the trail of gas and choking on the residue, the eye continued until there was no smell at all, backtracked to where vestigial traces remained, used the special key to open the panel and stepped out into a workshop area: empty, of course. Pausing long enough to key in the new position to Commander an Hon's security board, Charas proceeded into the chamber. The trail of gas could be followed to the airlock. Then quit.

‘I must have been out longer than I thought,' the operative murmured, keying into the security board in Commander an Hon's office. 'Charas here. There's an unconscious man at Sector 45-Z-2, Cargo 30, and Marmion de Revers Algemeine and her guest, Colonel Maddock-Shongili appear to have been kidnapped.’

‘'What did you say?’

Charas sighed and repeated the message.

‘Are you sure?' This time it was the Commander himself asking.

‘Yes. Stop all out-going vessels.’

‘No implant messages?’

‘Only the mayday,' Charas said grimly.

‘We're instigating stop-and-search procedures.’

‘Good. First check what was logged in at Bay 30-47N.’

There was a brief pause. 'A damaged pleasure yacht to be repaired, with a hole the size of a shuttle…' Some rather inventive cursing followed. 'And a shuttle is registered as pulling out of that sector.’

‘Have the corvette pick me up here.’

‘Since it's only a shuttle, can do,' said the Commander.

‘And send someone to collect that idiot who was escorting them.' Charas gave the location again. 'I want a tape of the rescue. First impressions are invaluable. He may know something he doesn't know that we can use.’

Charas waited impatiently for the appearance of the corvette which docked using the airlock through which the abductors had taken their victims. There was only the faintest whiff of gas left.

The security corvette was fast. Surprisingly enough, the escaping shuttle was almost faster.

‘I don't believe these speeds,' the corvette captain said. 'Everyone on board must be out!’

‘Some of 'em are,' said Charas grimly, aware of her own 'working' dishevelment in the presence of the naval neat-and-proper corvette crew. But her diminutive size allowed her to dress as a station urchin, which, in turn, allowed her to move about with more freedom than an adult could. Especially with the security bracelet in place that gave her access where even adult bodies would not fit.

In terms of manoeuvrability, the shuttle was nearly as agile in space as the corvette and led them a chase through the storage pens that circled Gal-3 at a distance: anything from recyclable debris to cold storage. Like threading a needle through a haystack, Charas thought, having strapped herself into the chair.

‘We'll get the buggers now,' the corvette captain said as the shuttle cleared the last of the obstacles.

He signalled the helmsman for more thrust and the corvette steadily gained on the shuttle. 'Must have souped-up engines to do this. Halt and prepare to be boardedl' he announced over the comlink.

The corvette was matching speed and position, edging closer and closer when the shuttle exploded. The corvette was skewed sideways, any crew member not strapped down to something bounced about like a wad of plastic. The corvette had taken a broadside and would limp back on navigational thrusters alone. But the worst part of it - or maybe it was the best part of it - the implant in Charas' mastoid bone had not rung the death knell of the person she thought she was about to retrieve from the kidnappers.

‘That shuttle was a decoy,' Commander an Hon told Charas when she got to his office.

‘And stop-and-search has produced nothing?' she asked, slumping in the chair an Hon had gestured for her to take. She was very weary and the effects of the gas, despite a marginal inhalation, could still be felt.

‘Not yet, but there were damned near thirty ships leaving Gal-Three at within the target hour. You're sure Marmion de Revers Algemeine is still alive?’

‘Yes,' and she touched the mastoid bone. 'What about that faller?’

‘Hmmm, yes,' the Commander said. 'Macchiavelli Sendal-Archer-Klausevitch…’

‘Say what?’

There was a twitch of a smile on his lips when an Hon repeated the name. 'Recently appointed as CEO of a Rothschild's subsidiary based here on Gal-Three. Pharmaceuticals, mainly, but with broad powers. I've sent for background gen… an in-depth study, more than was initially received when he was assigned to the Gal-Three offices. But, let me just play back that rescue tape.’

That made Charas sit up and she rearranged her weary body in the conform chair. Such tapes were generally used to affirm treatment on emergency calls, more to protect the Samaritan than the victim, but were helpful in establishing little details when victims would not be as compos mentis as they would like.

Charas watched and then, smiling ever so slightly, turned to an Hon who was blandly anticipating her reactions.

‘Oddly enough I don't believe he was as thoroughly gassed as he appeared.’

She knew exactly how one felt coming out of that sort of encounter. The tape showed the rescue team advancing on the body, went through the whole routine of administering oxygen to counteract the effects. The too handsome man went through the gagging, the disjointed motions and lingual distortions the gas caused. The med-team administered a hypospray to reduce the nausea. But something about his behaviour suggested to Charas that it was a performance.

‘And the lungs?’

‘They showed only a minute residue of gas - not a full measure. Certainly not one that would have rendered him unconscious so long. He also had the ransom note!’

‘Well, what about that?’

‘Yes, what about it?’

‘I think we watch this… what's his name again? Never mind. He'll be Mac in my books.' And she didn't give Mac the respect the name so often deserved.

‘Indeed we will. Here's the note.' And the

Commander passed over the slip as gingerly as if he expected it to explode in his face.

Aboard the pirate ship

When the voice contact with her beloved Sean had been summarily curtailed by Megenda, Yana was close to lashing out indiscriminately with her fists at the big first mate and the monstrous hologram of Captain Louchard. Either would have been a foolish waste of time and as it was, another paroxysm of coughing racked her.

‘Haul the female to Doctor Mendelsky. She can't be dying on us. Or we lose our leverage with the planet,' Louchard had growled.

Doubled-up as she was, Yana was bundled out of the cabin and, after a very short distance down the corridor (which confirmed her notion that they'd been deliberately toured every deck of the vessel to confuse them), she was pushed into a considerably larger accommodation. Not that spacious but it had bunks along three sides, a narrow table in the centre with benches under it, and two narrow doors that she would later discover led to the sanitary facilities: the shower behind one door and the 'head' behind the other. She half-staggered, half-crawled to the nearest bunk and lay down upon it, coughing, gasping, hacking and wondering if she'd have anything left of normal throat lining.

She was only marginally aware that the panel whooshed open and shut again. Then a cool hand soothed her forehead and someone was urging her to sit up long enough to'drink this'.

The beverage was cold, tart and soothing and she managed to still the cough reflex long enough to take a good swallow.

‘Cookie let me rummage in her stores for the ingredients,' said the rich voice of the astronomer, Namid Mendelsky. 'It's what I think was in my grandmother's recipe, plus a little of the codeine.’

She was panting from the effort of drinking the other liquid she'd been given and trying to suppress the cough long enough to keep from choking on the drink. She took the mug with the cough syrup from Mendelsky and sipped slowly. The liquid seemed to be coating her throat. It didn't taste bad either although there was a bite to it.

‘It might sting going down,' Namid said anxiously, 'because pepper is one of the ingredients.’

‘Oh.' Yana kept sipping. She didn't care if it contained pepper or eye of newt, toe of frog, so long as it stopped her coughing. She got into a more comfortable position, propped against one end of the bunk although she had to crouch or bang her head on the bottom of the upper bunk. 'I think it's helping. Thank you. You're very considerate and kind.’

‘I'm neither of those but I told Dinah I wouldn't co-operate any further if she didn't let me help you.' Namid perched tentatively on the edge of the table and looked around, sighing deeply.

‘What's the matter?' Yana said because there was a quality in his exhalation that sounded'sad' as well as resigned.

He grimaced, shrugged and held out one hand in a helpless gesture. 'Nothing new,' he said in a resigned tone. 'In fact,' and he continued to look around,' this is slightly better than my previous quarters.’

‘Oh?' Yana said encouragingly. He didn't look at all the sort of person to associate with privateers, even one as patently sensual and domineering as Dinah O'Neill.

‘I was married to Dinah O'Neill.' Another sigh, one expressing the folly of such a union. 'She doesn't take the divorce seriously.’

‘In short, you're now permanently on board this ship?’

As he folded his arms across his chest, he had a slight twinkle in his eye and a rueful smile on his face. 'We met under considerably different circumstances. It was a whirlwind romance. I'd never met anyone quite like her before. I'd just returned from a two-year stint studying two new variables and…' He shrugged.

‘Any female would have seemed delightful?' Yana couldn't help twitting him and then went back to sipping his brew.

‘Exactly. And, to give the devil her due, she was everything I'd ever dreamed of. We had a glorious six months, although her business took her away periodically.’

‘Then you discovered what her business was?’

‘Quite by chance. Of course, I filed for divorce immediately as my professional reputation would have been seriously flawed if it became known I'd had any associations with such a…’

‘Unsavoury occupation?’

‘Exactly. I'd received official notice of the termination - and so did she. Only, I failed to recognize how she might take such a step. And the next thing I knew, I was aboard this ship and here I've remained. I must say, since you seem to be incarcerated too, that it's marvellous to have intelligent company again.’

They both heard the noises in the corridor outside and the panel whooshed open. First Bunny was propelled inside, Marmion following in a more dignified entrance, while Diego's limp body was launched from the doorway onto the bunk opposite Yana, his head connecting hard with the wall. The panel closed with a snap and Bunny, crying out in protest, went to Diego.

‘Yana? Are you all right?' Marmion said, going around the table so she would not have to touch Mendelsky.

‘I'm much better for Namid's brew,' Yana said, trying to convey to Marmion that the astronomer deserved her pity, not her censure. 'But what have those bastards done to poor Diego?’

‘One of the men bringing us here goosed Bunny,' Marmion said angrily. 'She hit him, too, but that first mate just clobbered Diego as a lesson.' She was so furious she was shaking and, with a look that could have pierced steel, she glared at Namid. 'Are we to be spied upon every moment we're together in addition to the other indignities?’

‘Come off it, Marmie,' Yana said, 'he's as much a prisoner as we are.’

‘Are you being ransomed, too?' Marmion asked, her manner towards the tall astronomer instantly more amenable.

‘There's no-one to pay one for me,' he said and his statement was not a bid for pity. 'I forgot to block Dinah's access to my credit account.’

‘How's Diego?' Yana asked Bunny who had pushed the boy's body into a more comfortable position.

‘He'll come round. Any water?' she asked, looking about her.

Yana pointed to the narrow doors. 'Behind one of them?’

Bunny investigated, found a towel, wet it from the spigot above a miniature hand basin and returned to mop Diego's brow.

‘You know,' Mendelsky began, 'I've never figured out why Dinah bothered to go through a formal marriage ceremony. I mean, she could have contracted a short-term arrangement. Or none at all. But she went to such lengths to get me to marry her.’

‘Really?' Marmion said in some surprise. 'She doesn't seem the marrying type.’

‘That's what I thought, but we got married. Not that I minded…’

‘You're an astronomer?' Marmion said, eyeing him more kindly than she had before. When he nodded, she went on, 'Did she ever get you to talk about your speciality?’

A flush spread across Namid's sallow face and his expression became decidedly chagrined.

‘Constantly. I was, as you can well imagine, quite flattered. Why?’

‘What area of astronomy?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Types of star systems, planets…’

‘Planets, yes. She was fascinated about the formation of planets.' Marmion, Yana and Bunny exchanged glances. 'And she seemed really interested,' he added, confused.

‘Perhaps sentient planets?' Marmion asked.

He laughed then. 'Really, Madame Algemeine, sentience in a ball of matter thrown out by a cooling primary? Come now, I know you're an intelligent woman.’

‘And intelligent enough to recognize sentience when I see, feel and hear it.’

Namid leaned towards her, his incisive green eyes capturing her gaze as he transferred his arms from his chest to a tight hold on the table edge. Yana could almost see his thought processes trying to catch up with the sincerity of Marmion's tone.

‘You're in earnest, aren't you?’

‘Deadly earnest,' Marmion said in an edged voice.

‘And you were abducted because of a…' he paused, still dubious, 'a sentient planet?’

‘Surely Dinah has made mention of Petaybee in your presence?’

‘The name has come up frequently of late,' he began, frowning. Then he made a little warning gesture of his fingers and looked meaningfully at the corners of the room, apprising them that the room was probably bugged, which Yana had already guessed. 'But I did not realize it was the name of a planet.’

‘It is,' Yana said. 'Planet Terraform B, or Powers That Be or Pee-tay-bee.’

‘I see.' He paused another beat, shook his head. 'No, I don't see.' He placed his fingers on his forehead as if the contact would stimulate understanding.

‘Frankly, nor do I,' Yana said, beginning to feel as if her throat might withstand the effort of conversation. She hadn't had so much as a tickle during the last few minutes. 'The ransom for me seems to be Petaybee.' Marmion and Bunny gasped, Namid looked confused. 'I think your… erstwhile colleagues, Namid, have made a bad tactical error in suggesting…' and Yana paused significantly as she stressed the word,' that Petaybee has untold riches which it has refused to divulge to Intergal. In fact, Namid, an Earth-type planet of its girth and density has only minimal mineral resources which would prove…’

‘Have proved…' Bunny said in a flat angry voice.

‘Impossible to produce due to the intemperate weather conditions on the planet's surface. It does have, and on this basis, we may yet be able to come to some arrangement with one, and only one, drug company, to harvest the renewable valuable plants for their purity and quality. But such an enterprise would not be a snatch-and-strip process: rather one that will accrue profit slowly and only when the planet has paid back to Intergal the expenses the company has already incurred in the Terraforming and maintenance. What Petaybee has is intangible wealth, not readily saleable valuables.’

‘And the planet is… somehow… controlling its future?' Namid asked, still struggling to believe the initial concept.

‘The planet controls its surface rather well,' Marmion said with a wide grin for Namid. 'It counteracts the use of explosives by making volcanoes just where miners wish to dig. It rescinds the use of a flat surface for spacecraft by extruding a ziggurat that covers the exact centre of the landing field and unsettles all the peripheral buildings. It either melts prematurely or conjures up diabolical weather patterns to preserve what resources it has. A formidable opponent, and a desirable friend.’

‘I've lived there all my life,' Bunny added, 'and life is good on Petaybee.’

‘But not to everyone's taste,' Yana added drolly. 'Still, the air's pure and unpolluted, the soil is rich enough to produce food crops in their season - and marvellous herbs and plants which are made into the most efficacious potions and syrups. And while it's a hard life, it's a good one if you accept the planet on its terms. It's willing to accept you on the same grounds.’

‘The only planet in the galaxy to require an entrance exam from inhabitants,’ Marmion said, giggling as much at the expression of total disbelief on Namid's long face as at her choice of expression.

Diego began to groan and twist on the narrow bunk and Bunny instantly was all attention.