Lifeline

Chapter 55

ORBITECH 1—Day 72

Brahms stood with his arms crossed, staring down at the sleepfreeze chamber. Someone had cleaned the lab room, making everything ready for his inspection. Overhead, an air-recirculating vent whirred to life. The black technician saw that Brahms was smiling, and smiled back. The tech placed his hands palms-down on the surface of the chamber.

“So, you think it’s all ready?” Brahms asked. He squinted his eyes and poked a hand inside the chamber, feeling the rough material of the resting area. It didn’t seem a very comfortable place to spend a great deal of time.

“Well, we repaired the electronics that were sabotaged. That part was easy. Everything else seems hooked up properly, as far as we can tell. That Soviet doctor lady was as much help as a disease. Wouldn’t tell us anything. But with Dr. Langelier’s help translating some Russian records, we figured it all out. The technology is straightforward.” The technician spread his hands, still smiling.

Brahms was annoyed that the tech did not wear an ID tag, and even more annoyed at himself for not being able to remember his name.

Nancy Winkowski scowled at the tech. “So, it’s ready then? That’s what the director asked.”

Brahms glared. She did well in her duties as Watcher, but sometimes she got carried away. Cowed, Winkowski fell silent. Brahms looked at the technician, waiting.

The man raised his eyebrows. “It’s ready as far as I can tell. We were able to bring back a few vials of the serum they used to put themselves under. I’m not a biochemist, but the lab tells me it’s something to slow down the metabolism. We brought along the low-freezing blood substitute and hooked everything up. Of course, people aren’t standing in line to volunteer for testing it.” He let out a nervous laugh.

Brahms nodded. “We may not need it after all. If everything else works out right.” He extended his hand to the tech, who shook it uncertainly. Brahms glanced up at the chronometer on the wall. “Good work, but I have to go now. The Phoenix is due to arrive soon. And who knows when the Filipino solar sails will get here.” He realized he was talking to himself.

“Please keep me informed.” He gestured to Winkowski. “Come with me.” They left the lab space at a brisk walk. He saw scrub marks on the walls—fresh patches where more graffiti had been removed. Winkowski knew enough to remain silent as he pondered.

Everything was happening all at once. The yo-yo arriving from Clavius Base, bringing McLaris back. The sleep-freeze chambers ready for testing. The Filipino sails coming around for their rendezvous to take a package of the weavewire.

“Is the weavewire ready for delivery to the Aguinaldo representatives?”

Winkowski looked filled with her own importance, which made Brahms think less of her. “It is easier to let the Filipinos take a weavewire unit back with them than to store the unbraided strands. They can use their own raw materials. They don’t have the capability on their colony to construct a new unit—”

“Yet.”

“That’s right, not yet. According to their transmissions, it will take a few weeks to mature enough sail-creatures for their return trip. During that time we should be able to query them about bioengineering techniques so we can duplicate their efforts. The staff insists it would be too difficult to learn through holotank transmissions. Besides, Sandovaal wants to check on the embryos the Barrera boy brought with him, to make sure we’re taking care of them properly.”

Brahms cut her off impatiently. “The colony has been informed of the arrival time for the Phoenix? Broadcast ready for the PA holotanks and for transmission to the other colonies? You don’t know how I hate to have everybody watching all the moves I make!”

“It’s ready. My sense is that we’re all getting pretty excited about the arrival.”

Brahms pondered that. “Yes, won’t it be wonderful to have McLaris back?” He clamped his lips together to quell further sarcasm. “Have you tracked down Terachyk yet?”

Winkowski averted her expression. “Nobody seems to know where he’s gone. All I get is a bunch of people who can’t remember if they’ve seen him or not.”

Brahms felt the anger overwhelming his anxiety again. “It sure would be nice if I could find out where my own chief assessor is. I hope he’s not hiding under the covers at a time like this.”

He picked up the pace toward the docking bay. “Come on. We’ve got a lot happening today.”