Amy, this is Ari, via Base One. This is all pre-recorded, so you can"t talk back and forth, just listen and do this.
Something"s happened. I can"t know what in advance, but if you"re getting this, something drastic will have happened, and I"m either in hospital, dead, or somewhere outside Reseune and in trouble.
First thing, protect yourself.
Second, the warning flasher we talked is out over the House system now, so everybody knows to take precautions.
Help them if you can. Base One is now available for you to use on Florian"s and Catlin"s level, and that means you can get information and perform operations without leaving a flag even for Denys or Giraud. The Help function is under Tutor if you need it.
I don"t think they"ll go at you. They know Base One uses lethal force. I don"t advise your taking other people up onto the floor, but use your discretion in extreme need.
Don"t use Base One to request information outside Reseune. I can, but for various reasons I haven"t incorporated that routine under this access-mostly that it"s hard not to give yourself away. I"ve encoded every single contingency I can think of and if I"ve activated this, I"ve probably fired you off a list of pertinent items via a code transmission in the net to Base One.
As follows: a.s.sa.s.sination attempt; from inside Reseune; Jordan Warrick; not involved; Jordan Warrick moved; to Reseune; trust Grant; but; Justin Warrick; whereabouts uncertain; in Novgorod; watch out for; Denys.
Grant drank his soft drink and stared bleakly at the computer flow, codes, mostly, which he could not read, which, very likely, Amy could not read, but the advanced system which had annexed their home unit very probably did read, and Base One answered Amy"s questions.
"d.a.m.n," Amy said.
Grant did not like that. He waited for illumination, and finally got up, but Quentin"s instant, wary attention dissuaded him from taking a step in any direction.
"What"s wrong?" he asked quietly. "Sera?"
"Oh, d.a.m.n!" She spun her chair around. "Security"s just gone off-line. The whole net is down."
"Denys is aware," Grant said with a cold feeling; and then saw the black screen come to life again.
This is the House System emergency function. Someone has attempted interrupt. The Bureau has been notified and the interrupt doc.u.mented.
The System is now re-integrating. Source of the interrupt: Security main offices.
Control of the System has now pa.s.sed to Ariane Emory.
All Security personnel, stand by further orders through normal channels: Security main offices are downgraded to: Unreliable; House Administrative offices downgraded to: Unreliable; control re-routed to: RESEUNE ONE.
"G.o.d," Grant breathed, and sat down.
"Well, Denys has done it," Ari said, and leaned back in her seat, watching the system-flow transit the briefcase flat-screen, Florian and Catlin reading over her shoulder.
"That sounds like my predecessor"s work," Florian said. "It might well be. And mine. -I"m surprised at Seely letting Denys try that."
"Seely is likely following orders," Catlin said. "Seely would have advised against it."
"Might not be there?"
"Might not," Catlin said, "but mostly, I think, they"re preparing to defend the Administrative wing."
"Makes sense," Florian said. "The system may have downgraded his Base, sera, but I"m sure he"s already gone to manual on those locks."
"Negotiation"s what he"s aiming for. He has absolutely nothing else to gain. Denys Denys wants to be immortal. wants to be immortal. Giraud Giraud is down there in that tank, and Denys can"t keep his hand on everything." is down there in that tank, and Denys can"t keep his hand on everything."
"Security won"t like to be used against the House," Catlin said. "Abban I can understand. Seely I can. Some of the others-"
"Yakob?" Florian suggested.
"Could be odd tape. Could be odd tape on that whole senior wing. They"ve had twenty years to do it. I don"t trust any of them." be odd tape. Could be odd tape on that whole senior wing. They"ve had twenty years to do it. I don"t trust any of them."
"Don"t count the Administrative systems as gone, sera," Florian said. "There could be a way-check and see if there"s any order for Q system equipment credited to Administrative."
"Security 10: acquisitions: Administrative: computer equipment: search. -Why? You think that could have been the tamper in Security?"
Florian leaned on her seat-back, nodded vigorously as she looked up over her shoulder. "Acquisitions might not turn it up either," he said. "You can rig modules you could port in a suitcase, right down to the memory. Giraud could do it, easy. Right past Decon and everybody."
"Security 10: widen search, last item: computer equipment: twenty-year range: search. -You"re right. Denys isn"t stupid-even about the House systems. It makes d.a.m.n good sense: divert Base Two to an alternate system, outflow without respecting any command-level inflow-like a one-way filter, to shut out the House system and still run it?"
"It"s more complicated than that, but that"s generally the idea. Your predecessor was full of tricks. He"d know there were protections-"
"He does does know. What about airport defenses? Can we get in there?" know. What about airport defenses? Can we get in there?"
"As long as we have affirmative control while we"re going in, and it"s talking to us," Florian said, then shrugged. "Unless that system can do something I can"t figure. It"s always possible. Jeffrey BJ"s supposed to be in charge at the airport, and I don"t know there"s anything wrong with him; but I"d say the best thing to do is check the flight schedules, make sure nothing"s inbound, and then use the override to reorient and then lock down: that way if Denys" Base is going to touch anything off it won"t hit anything."
"I can name you a handful," Catlin said, "who can make sure that power stays down."
"You two take it." two take it."
He came around and sat down carefully in the chair next to her, and took the microphone. Catlin perched on the leather arm of his chair; and for a few moments it was all their peculiar jargon and names she did not know, but Catlin and Florian did.
Meanwhile she watched the dataflow. Search negative. She was only moderately interested. It made thorough sense, what Florian suggested; and Giraud could well have gotten the equipment in years ago. They had had all her childhood to set it up, and make sure it functioned.
Kill the airport defenses first, get the plane on the ground; and then figure something could go wrong with the precip towers: envelope rupture would make things uncomfortable for anyone trying to get to the House; figure that Denys might simply have ordered the buses uphill and parked them.
Search: she keyed, she keyed, airport: bus, ser # ?; graph. airport: bus, ser # ?; graph.
The schematic of Reseune turned up both buses, at the front of the Administrative wing.
She keyed orders to the main boards at the precip towers. They were an hour away from the field.
Then she got up and went, herself, back where her Security staff sat talking together: they had heard the net go down and re-establish itself, each and every one of them who had been listening to the net, and that was all of them, she figured.
"We"re doing all right," she said. "Stay seated: listen. Florian"s taking the defenses down. Wes, Marco, you stay with me and Dr. Warrick, on the plane: we"re going to be busy as h.e.l.l and someone"s got to coordinate whatever they can set for our protection. Dr. Warrick"s a friendly, but he doesn"t know the Rules: if so happen we have to move, you see he does what you tell him. The advance team is going to have to get into Administrative, and Florian and Catlin are going to be leaders going in. Tyler, you"re First after either one of them."
"Yes, sera," Tyler said, a smallish, wiry man, white-haired and crew-cut. Tyler had served as one of Ari senior"s staff. Two of the others were retired marines, Wes was a Green Barracks instructor, and the rest ranged from diplomatic security to Marco, who was a systems programmer.
"We"ll have a number of other Security on call-up," she said. "Take that advis.e.m.e.nt from Catlin: she"s doing the organization, Florian"s doing the special work, Catlin will brief you: we"ve kept this operation in ready-state for the last two years, not quite like we"re improvising, all right? We just didn"t know our target. Now we do. And we know right where the keys are. All right?"
"Yes, sera."
She patted Tyler"s shoulder, walked back down the narrow aisle past the galley and the staff restrooms; and opened the door of the bedroom. Justin was asleep, completely out.
Burns and bruises, Wes had said. Memory gaps were the serious part; but, as Wes put it, you have one go off next to you, you drop a few things. Nothing unusual.
"Wake up," she said. "Justin. I need you up front."
xv "They"re in," Amy said. "That"s the Tower. They"re on the ground." Grant, leaning on the back of the couch, breathed again. Amy had confused h.e.l.l out of Security, changing the whereabouts of everyone on her list for protection, lying with one output while she monitored the whereabouts of every Security unit in the buildings they could access, called Security personnel on the Approved list to Wing One, and secured the doors.
While Sam Whitely down at the motor pool arranged transport for Green Barracks personnel and Maddy Stra.s.sen and "Stasi Ramirez and Tommy Carnath had simply gone missing to unlikely places as lies in the net persuaded any inquirers they had taken refuge in B lab and down in the Ag lab.
Call to Family council, the advis.e.m.e.nt flashed out on the net: the advis.e.m.e.nt flashed out on the net: Ariane Emory, calling emergency session via House System, to consider the question: nomination of Dr. Yanni Schwartz to replace Denys Nye as Administrator of Reseune, meeting to be held at 1700 or as soon as practical. Ariane Emory, calling emergency session via House System, to consider the question: nomination of Dr. Yanni Schwartz to replace Denys Nye as Administrator of Reseune, meeting to be held at 1700 or as soon as practical.
Grant stood back and folded his arms. He He had no vote. He was following the scroll of activity on the monitor, that had accelerated markedly ever since had no vote. He was following the scroll of activity on the monitor, that had accelerated markedly ever since RESEUNE ONE RESEUNE ONE had entered approach. That last advis.e.m.e.nt came as a vast relief to more than himself, he thought: a calculated bit of psych, a tag of grim humor: Emory in full flower. had entered approach. That last advis.e.m.e.nt came as a vast relief to more than himself, he thought: a calculated bit of psych, a tag of grim humor: Emory in full flower.
There were Security orders all over the system of a sudden, outpouring from Base One.
Ari did not look up from the screen; and Justin did not speak, following the flow on an auxiliary Florian had used. Occasionally she gave a voice input or pushed a key; and changes happened. Queries were incoming: RESEUNE ONE"s RESEUNE ONE"s crew, forward, kept their posts, keeping the plane ready to move away and, if the airport seemed threatened, to take to the air again. crew, forward, kept their posts, keeping the plane ready to move away and, if the airport seemed threatened, to take to the air again.
He had much rather stay on the ground; and he wished to h.e.l.l he had some knowledge of the codes that might have told him where things stood.
"We"re all right," Ari said. "Sam"s got the trucks up from Green; they"re going up the hill-no challenge yet. He"s holding inside Administration, probably inside Security itself."
She made more changes.
She could, she said, open any doors that were not disabled or under an outlaw Base"s control.
Makes it easier, Florian had said, stuffing the pockets of his jacket with various small components out of his own kit-probes and wire, mostly, with some sort of system evident. And Florian had taken a small bag from a locker, and another from a second locker; and handled those very carefully, while Catlin had arranged things with the Security agents aft. Florian had said, stuffing the pockets of his jacket with various small components out of his own kit-probes and wire, mostly, with some sort of system evident. And Florian had taken a small bag from a locker, and another from a second locker; and handled those very carefully, while Catlin had arranged things with the Security agents aft.
They must be halfway up the hill now, Justin thought.
"Sera," the intercom said suddenly, communication from the intercom said suddenly, communication from RESEUNE ONE"s RESEUNE ONE"s crew. crew. "We"ve got a phone relay from Administration. Dr. Nye, asking to speak with you personally, sera." "We"ve got a phone relay from Administration. Dr. Nye, asking to speak with you personally, sera."
"Don"t divert your attention," Justin muttered.
"d.a.m.n right. -Put it over the intercom; we"re all intimate here. -Justin, punch that yellow b.u.t.ton on your arm-rest and pa.s.s me the mike, will you? This one"s engaged."
"Ari," Denys" voice said over the intercom. Denys" voice said over the intercom. "I "I really think you"re being a little excitable." really think you"re being a little excitable."
Ari laughed, never taking her eyes from the screen in front of her. She held out her left hand and Justin laid the mike-wand into it. "Are you hearing me, uncle Denys?"
"I"m hearing you fine, dear. I wish you"d make clear exactly what"s going on here, and call off your troops before they do serious damage to the wing."
"You want to unlock those doors, uncle Denys? We can talk about this. I promise you"ll be safe. I"ll even continue Giraud."
"I don"t know what happened in Novgorod: I"m sure it"s more than you"ve told me. Can we talk about this?" don"t know what happened in Novgorod: I"m sure it"s more than you"ve told me. Can we talk about this?"
"I don"t mind."
"I"m willing to resign. I want protection for myself and my people. I think that"s reasonable."
"Perfectly reasonable, uncle Denys. How do we make that official?"
"You stop your people. You guarantee me custody of Giraud"s replicate. I"m perfectly willing to accept retirement. I have the means to make taking this place extremely expensive; but there"s no need. I have the feeling you must blame me for the events in Novgorod-"
Ari laughed again, with less humor, Justin thought. "I really don"t know, uncle Denys. I don"t entirely care. I"ve rather well overrun the course you set for me; and it"s my my time. The changing of the seasons. Perfectly natural. You can have a wing, you can have your comforts- I know that matters to you, uncle Denys. You can work on your books, - I do know about that. They"re wonderful. You have so much valuable yet to do. . . ." time. The changing of the seasons. Perfectly natural. You can have a wing, you can have your comforts- I know that matters to you, uncle Denys. You can work on your books, - I do know about that. They"re wonderful. You have so much valuable yet to do. . . ."
"You"re very flattering, young sera. I want Seely."
Ari was silent a moment. "Under some restrictions. I can agree to that."
"You don"t touch him!"
"I wouldn"t hurt Seely, uncle Denys. We can work something out. I promise you. I won"t file charges. Your life will be exactly the same. You don"t travel anyway; and you"ll have Giraud to occupy you and Seely, won"t you? You were a d.a.m.ned good parent, you know; and very kind, really you were. You could have done a lot of things to me Geoffrey did to Ari senior; and you took a chance with the program and didn"t. I really have quite a warm feeling for you about that, uncle Denys; and for Seely; and for Giraud. Giraud and I got to be really close at the last; and I really don"t think he did it, I think it was a worm in Abban"s tapes. I think it was something you put there. Maybe not. I may have an over-active imagination. -They"re going to take those doors down, uncle Denys; and practically speaking, -you"re running out of time."
"Stop them."
"Are you going to come outside, uncle Denys? With Seely?"
"All right. When you get up here. I want a guarantee of safety."
"You have it in my word, uncle Denys."
"I want you here to control your people. Then I"ll open the doors." want you here to control your people. Then I"ll open the doors."
Justin shook his head. Ari looked at him and said: "All right, uncle Denys. I"ll be up there." She pointed at the b.u.t.ton on Justin"s seat. Justin pushed it, breaking contact.
"Ari?"
Ari pushed a b.u.t.ton on her chair arm. "We"re finished. Break contact."
"Ari," Justin said, "he wants you in range."
Ari watched the screen and said: "That might be, but he"s in an awfully bad position." She picked up her own microphone. "We"ve got contact with Denys. He says hold off, he"s just resigned. Confirm; pick it up. -Justin: you you stay here." stay here."
"Dammit, Ari, -"
"I wouldn"t be going up there, except I hope we can do this without a shot. I"m enough for Security to worry about; they don"t need another one. If something goes badly wrong, this plane is going back to Novgorod, and you can tell the Bureau the whole d.a.m.n mess, then do what you like. But I"d prefer you back in Reseune, running another of my sets. I"ll even let you pick the surrogates." wouldn"t be going up there, except I hope we can do this without a shot. I"m enough for Security to worry about; they don"t need another one. If something goes badly wrong, this plane is going back to Novgorod, and you can tell the Bureau the whole d.a.m.n mess, then do what you like. But I"d prefer you back in Reseune, running another of my sets. I"ll even let you pick the surrogates."
He stared at her.
"I have a lot of unfinished business," Ari said, standing by the seat. "If I don"t make it out of this-getting me back is a real priority. Gehenna is only one one of the problems. And you need me the same as I need you." of the problems. And you need me the same as I need you."
She gathered up Marco, and Wes unsealed the door, and sealed it again after her.
It was true, he thought as that door closed. Everything else considered, -it was true.
Then he thought of what she had said: only only one one of the problems; of the problems; and: and: the same as I need you. . . . the same as I need you. . . .