Patsy Sue Coburn watched the needlers emerge, brutal and compact. She slung one over her shoulder. Ursinid weapons were submachinegun size for humans. Then she reached into the pool and retrieved her arc pistol, stripping off the plastic film.
"Wait for it," she whispered. If the Kolnari made one last swing through on their usual routes, they"d be by in half an hour or so.
The crew were crowding around the supervisors, getting a quick lesson on how to use a needier to best effect. Luckily, the weapons had simple controls: set the dial on the side to the full clockwise position and take up the trigger slack. Look down the barrel at the target and pull the trigger. Line of sight weapons with little recoil at short ranges, they should do well enough.
And they"re all we"ve got, she reminded herself. She felt completely calm. In a way, she had been calm since she woke and saw Joan"s face floating before her, like a ghost"s in its pool of light. There was a feeling under that, a feeling that when she wasn"t calm anymore, it was going to be very, very bad.
"Reckon I kin wait fer it," she told herself.
The others were looking at her.
"Just wait "n till they come around," she said patiendy for the hundredth time. "Simeon"11 keep us all in touch." I hope, /purely do. "Now, when they git here, you burn "em down. Then go down axial G-8 an" hit the bunch of"em there. ArnosTl be by about then. If not him, then me."
She nodded curtly and slung the needier further around to her back, freeing her hands for the climb up the interval ladder. The entrance to the venting system was where she would rendezvous with JoaL Not a difficult climb at first, since these were the biggest vents on the station. The circle effaces fell away below her, growing tiny amid the rectangular Escher shapes of the ponds and the huge color-coded maze of pipes for nutrient and water and waste.
Amos stood impa.s.sively behind Channa, hands clasped at his back. They dropped to a knee as Belazir entered. He took the seat before her desk, gestured to Channa to sit. The squad of soldiers began to crowd into the small office. The t"Marid snapped out an order in his own language and all but two of them withdrew.
Rachel stood beside his chair. She glared at Channa and then turned away, her fists clenched by her sides. To Amos she smiled tremulously.
Definitely, as Sim would say, a few cans short of a sixpack, Channa decided. She looks as if she"s rescuing Am.
Channa folded her hands in her lap. "Master and G.o.d, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
Belazir smiled and indicated Rachel with his hand. "I have been given some interesting information.*" "1 have told him everything!" Rachel said spitefully.
Channa and Amos regarded her blankly, then shook their heads and turned to Belazir.; ; "Everything?" Channa asked.
"She has told me that she and forty others survived the trip from Bethel, and that this man," he flicked his chin at Amos, "is her betrothed. She tells me that he is pretending to be Simeon and that the real Simeon is in feet a brain in a container or some such thing, who is running this station and the resistance to the High Clan."
He folded his hands and regarded her calmly. "This truth would solve certain difficulties, Channa fought not to smile, making her eyes wide with disbelief. Belazir studied her closely. Amus.e.m.e.nt was not what he had antic.i.p.ated.
"Simeon-Amos," she said at last, "please inform Doctor Chaundra that Rachel has been found and ask him to come and fetch her. Advise him that he may need some form of chemical restraint."
Belazir raised an eyebrow.
Channa looked to the t"Marid for permission for Amos to comply. Belazir flicked his fingers. Amos nodded and went into his own office to make the call.
"She lies yet again, lord," Rachel said, but she fell silent at a second flick of Belazir"s hand.
Channa a.s.sumed an understanding expression. "This young woman is deranged. We don"t restrain her because usually she is harmless and so are her fantasies. A tragic case, very resistant to psychotherapy."
"Foul wh.o.r.e -" Rachel began, urgently stepping forward.
Belazir made a chopping motion with his hand. A jruard stepped forward and Rachel shut her mouth with an audible snap.
"Who is she, then?" he asked.
"We don"t actually know," Channa said. "She was abandoned here, apnarendy by some transient merchanter. She had no I.D. No one came forward with any information about her. The doctor isn"t sure if her insanity is the result of drugs or trauma. He says the only way to be one hundred percent sure is to do an autopsy, which obviously is out or the question. She"s usually very sweet, at worst a mild nuisance. Perhaps the conditions ..." and Channa made a vague motion with her hand to suggest that the occupation might have added to her instability. Channa made herselflean back casually in her chair, appearing at ease. "Perhaps it"s a sign of progress that she is this aware of, ah, current events, Master and G.o.d. She must have concocted this fentasy about Bethel from the newstapes, for example."
Rachel exploded. "She lies!" She lunged for Channa, coming up with a jerk when the guard pulled her back by her long hair. Her gorgon"s mask of rage did not even register the pain. She struggled briefly and then subsided as Amos came back into the room. "Amos," she pleaded, weeping, "help me!"
He looked at her with sympathy.
"Of course, I will help you, Rachel," he said. His mellow voice rang with sincerity. "We all wish to help you." He leaned close to Channa. "The doctor is on his way, Ms. Hap."
"No!" Rachel screamed. "No! How can you do this to me? She is using you, my love! Do not betray me! Please ..." Tears began to leak down her long nose. "Please... please."
Channa"s stomach twisted. She is crazy. Probably curably crazy-most were. Irritation faded before pity, and pity faded before the threat of the Kolnari putting any weight into Rachel"s tale.
Amos" sympathy was achingly real "There, there," he said soothingly. "You are ill, Rachel. Daddy will call the doctor to make it right" He offered the rag doll he was carrying. "You can have Siminta with you." He pressed it infc> her hands.
For a moment Rachel"s sobs stopped and she stared at him in confusion. "What?" she: said. "You are my betrothed, not myfatherl" She looked down at the doU, then dashed it to the floor and stamped her foot "Stop mocking me!"
Amos shifted uneasily. %cannot keep up with this. May I be excused until Doctor Chaundra comes?"
"It might be best," Chaima said, addressing Belazir.
The t"Marid"s eyes flicked over the three of them. "Daddy?" he said dubiously, then quirked an involuntary smile.
Channa sighed. "Last week, she thought she was five years old and Simeon-Amos was her father. She would start to cry if he left the room. For some reason, she"s totally fixated on him. Chaundra supposes that he resembles whoever dropped her on us. We don"t know."
"Lies!" Rachel shrieked. "Lies."
"The doctor should be here by now," Amos said, clearly uncomfortable. He picked up the doll and placed it carefully on a chair. "Ah ... she will grieve later if it isn"t there."
"You may go," Belazir said to him. His eyes never left Channa"s.
Chaundra strode in. He walked over to the weeping girl and touched her shoulder gently. "Poor Rachel," he said soothingly, "poor little girl."
"Doctor," t"Marid said sharply. Chaundra turned and stood very straight, looking down. "This is your patient?"
"Yes, Master and G.o.d."
"I do not appreciate having my time wasted on the daydreams of this madwoman. If she is so much as seen again - no, no point. You may go. Wait You have records of her illness? I want to see them."
"Yes, Master and G.o.d, but I can"t access them from this computer. Medical records are on a dosed system to protect the privacy Sf the patient"
Belazir made an impatient, dismissive gesture. "Serig," he said. "See to it then back to the Bride, continue on the matter we were planning. I will join you shortly." Serig bowed deeply.
"At your command, lord," he said, his teeth showing slightly in cold amus.e.m.e.nt "The doll, too?"
Belazir snorted. "Go, insolence.
Rachel took a deep breath and seemed to fight for dignity; the twitching lessened in her face. "They are lying, Master and G.o.d, you will see. I am telling the truth."
That ended in a squawk as Serig turned her about and pushed between her shoulderblades. She ran to avoid felling, and the door hissed open before her.
"Now," Belazir snarled. Chaundra followed.
In the strained silence that followed, Belazir and Channa studied each other.
At last Belazir spoke. "Have your man return."
Channa pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton, "Simeon Amos, would you come in here, please?"
"This Rachel is in love with you," t"Marid observed, a hint of laughter in the yellow eyes.
"I confess," Amos said bitterly, "that I am beginning to despise the very sight of her."
The Kolnari raised an eyebrow.
"One day," Channa informed him, "she became convinced that Simeon-Amos was G.o.d and went around the station trying to convert people to worshipping him. She"s been a very difficult experience for all of us, but she"s been a particular strain on Simeon-Amos."
"Simeon-Amos," Belazir said, "is rather obviously the victim of a similar fixation on you, Channahap. A strong reason to believe your tale."
"Yes, Master and G.o.d," Channa said. She dosed her eyes. Simeon? she asked.
"He"s halfway convinced, but still wyndering. Impatient. Channa, it"s starting. No more than twenty minutes until the pirates"sound alarm." _* She opened her eyes again. "Simeon-Amos," she said. "Why don"t you go see to the primary warehousing?"
He hesitated for a long second. "As you wish."
Now, Simeon commanded.
The worm raised its head from the ruins of the castle, looking out across a plain of volcanic fumaroles and blue-glowing lava. Flights of tongue-wasps patrolled there and arcs of lightning jagged over crater and canyon in patterned displays.
Thunder rumbled, A barking broke loose, louder than the thunder, and the vault of heaven split. The worm reared up, endless, longer than time, glutted with its feeding.
Simeon burst through and new skies sprang above the blasted landscape. The light changed from a pitiless white to the softer yellow of sunshine. The wasps fell, twitched, died. Three-headed and elephant-sized, the dog paced beside him. He raised the bat, struck.
The Grinder lunged and the concentric mouths damped on the end of the weapon. Then it recoiled, as the wood turned to a hoop and expanded, thrusting the rows of teeth back. It tried to shake loose, but the dog"s three heads pinned its body to the earth. Wider and wider the glowing green circle swelled, until the mouths were a doorway.
A scalpel and icepick appeared in Simeon"s hands. He walked into the worm"s mouths and raised the tools.
"Heeeeeeere"s Sim!1* he shouted. "Openuwfe."
On the auxiliary command deck of the SSS-900-C, the Kolnari tech was reaching for the rear casing of the batde computer when he noticed die telltales.
"Lord!" he cried. "The-"
At that instant, the se^-destruct charge built into the base of the computer detonated. It was not much in the way of an explosion, but much more than was required to destroy the sensitive inner workings. The designer had intended that to foil tampering. However, the flattened disk of jagged housing was more than enough to decapitate the pirate.
His companion reacted with tiger precision, scooping up his weapon and leaping for the doors. They clashed shut with a snap, and the warrior rebounded into the control chamber. It was empty save for him and there was no other exit. He pivoted, holding down the trigger of his plasma rifle and firing from the hip into the consoles.
"Naughty," a voice from the air said. The vents began to hiss. Trie Kolnari staggered at the first touch of the gas. His last act was to strip a grenade from his belt and trigger it, carefully held next to his own head.
"d.a.m.n," Simeon muttered. The mess was considerable and the equipment wasn"t going to be much use for a while. Then he took the equivalent of a deep breath and concentrated. Several dozen things must be done at once.
"Let me up," Channa said, stroking Belazir"s back.
"Not for a while yet," Belazir said lazily. "I have hastened as it is. There is another five minutes available." His body was dry against her sweat-slick one, but much warmer, with the higher metabolism of his breed.
"Are we staying, then?" she breathed against his ear.
"No," he replied. "You suspected?"
"That you"d take me with you, or that today would be the day to go? Both." She wiggled. have to get some stuff."
"I shall keep you well," Belazir said, then rolled away off her. "Be swift."
He lay idly on the sofa, watching her disappear into the bedroom. Memorable, he decided. Starling with her skinning out of her clothes the moment they were alone. Antic.i.p.ation is the best garnish! The Kolnari consulted his interior timesense:, twenty minutes, unusually swift. Well within the day"s schedule, too. He grinned to himself, stretching and tossing back strands of white-blond hair. Tomorrow stretched out before him in a road of fire and blood and gold.
"We are close to Channa"s quarters?" Joseph asked.
They were leopard-crawling down the ductway; an action that was hard for one of his shoulder-breadth. Behind them Patsy was having less of a problem, since much of her volume was compressible.
"Yeah ..." Joat paused. "I haven"t actually been this way, y"know. I was trying to hide from Simeon." A pause. "We"re right over the main corridor to the elevator shaft. I think."
"I think I had better check," Joseph said, with a tight smile. "Are you all right, Joat-my-friend?"
"Yeah." She threw a smile back at him. "Just... I got a little shook, is all. I"m fine."
She touched the junction node and her jacker. The membrane beneath them turned transparent. Chaundra did not look up. Instead, he glanced behind him, shook his head, moved on.
Joat crawled past, then froze as two more figures came beneath. Rachel was running, but Serig caught her easily in one hand, pushed her against the corridor wall. She screamed, breathy and catching in her throat, like someone awakening from one nightmare into another.
"Don"t do it, Joe, he"ll kill you!" Joat cried sotto voce, lunging for the Bethelite"s belt She missed and knew it would have done no good. Her hand could never have deflected the solid charging weight of the man. He was through the s.p.a.ce and dropping to the deck before she could finish the sentence. His knives were in his hands: one long and thin, the other short and curved.
The Kolnari had his nand back to cuff Rachel again as she screamed a second time, hopelessly.
"Pirate," a voice behind them said.
The warrior threw her aside as easily as he might a sack of wool, and she thudded into the corridor watt. The same motion turned into a whirling slash with one bladed palm, a blow that would have cracked solid teakwood. Joseph was not in its path, but the long knife in his right hand was. The yellow eyes slitted in pain and a broad streak of blood arched out to spatter against the cream of the sidewall and flow sluggishly down. The Clan fighter leaped back half a dozen paces, out of reach of the blades, but also farther from the discarded equipment belt. He was naked and unarmed, and the slash in his forearm was bone-deep. He dared not even squeeze it shut with his other hand. The raw salt-copper smell of blood was strong as the wound began to ooze more sluggishly. Superfast clotting would save him... if he did not exert himself, "Come to me, pirate," Joseph said softly. "Come, see how we fought in Keriss, on the docks."
The Kolnari snarled and leaped to one side, flipped in midair and bounced off the upper wall. He was a hundred-kilo blur of muscle and bone snapping at Joseph behind a clenched fist Huddled against the wall, Rachel gave a whimper of despair, but Joseph was not there anymore. Antic.i.p.ating such a tactic, he had thrown himself down on his back. Both knives were up. The pirate jackknifed in midair, but when he rolled erect, there were two more long slashes across his chest His grin was a snarl of pain as he slid forward. The long wounds were orange, the Tunneling blood a shocking deep umber against his raven-black skin. He held his arms up: one in a knuckled fist, the other open in a stiffened blade.
"Come," Joseph whispered. Rachel blinked back to full consciousness and the sight of his face chilled her. "Come to me, yes, come."
The knives glinted in either hand, splashed orangey-red now, the edges glinting in the soft glowlight as they moved in small, precise circles.
What followed was a whirling blur. It ended with one knife flying loose and Joseph crumpling back, curled around his side. The other knife still shone in defiance. The Kolnari warrior staggered and shivered for a moment, then drew back his foot for the final blow. Rachel flung herself forward, grasping blindly. Her arms dosed around the poised leg. It was like gripping a tree, no, a piece of steel machinery that hammered her aside like some giant piston-rod. But blood loss and the unexpected weight threw the pirate off-balance. He staggered forward into Joseph. For a moment they stood chest-to-chest, like embracing brothers. Long-fingered black hands clamped down on Joseph"s shoulders, ready to tear the muscles of his bull-neck free by main force.
Then she saw die Bethelite"s left arm moving. The right hung limp, but the left was pressed against the Kolnari"s side. There was something in it. A knife-hilt, and the blade was buried up to the guard; the curved blade of theszca, whose density-enhanced edge would carve steel. It slid through ribs as the pirate"s killing grip turned to a frantic push that arched him like a bow.
The two men had fought in silence, save for the panting rasp of their breath. Now the Kolnari screamed, as much in frustration as in final agony. The cry dissolved in a spray of blood as the diamond-hard sica"s edge sawed open his ribcage and ground to a halt halfway through his breastbone. He flopped to the ground, voided, and died. Joseph wrenched his knife free and stooped. He forced his right hand to action, gripped the dead pirate"s genitals, severed them with a slash. Then he stuffed them into the gaping mouth of the corpse and spat in the dead eyes, still open like fading amber jewels.
Blood. Rachel wipeS at her mouth, suddenly conscious of the blooct: in her mouth, her hair, over her body, spattered on corridor walls and ceiling, dimming the glowstrips, more blood than she had ever imagined could be. Joseph was coated with it, his eyes staring out of a mask ofblood, his teeth red.
She stared at the mutilated corpse. "Serig," she said. "His name was Serig."