"How long?" Amos ben Sierra Nueva said desperately
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Ah, patrUineal descent system, Simeon thought. "I thank the All-Knowing for Guiyon, for when I left the council chamber that last time, he called to me. Escape, he said. 'To go where? How?' I asked. He told me then of the colony ship that had brought us to Bethel. For three hundred years we had used it as a weather and relaying station, nothing more. I left to gather those who might follow me."
when the Elders refused surrender, they destroyed the dry with a fusion weapon!"
had used fusion weapons in generations. Certainly not in any sector answerable to the Central Worlds.
and rubbed his face with his hands. Another murmur. SSS-900-C was in a very peaceful sector; the only nonhumans were spedes who did not practice institutionalized violence. The settlers were mostly well-integrated types, if a bit rambunctious, but no more than was expected on a frontier. Piracy was an historical phenomenon or a sporadic occurrence far out on the Arm.
calm, Amos went on. "A tenth of our people died in that moment, and all our leaders. The Kolnari told us that we must capitulate or they would strike again. They 150 Anne McCaffrey & SM. Stating broadcast their message from a dark screen. They would strike again and again until we were obliterated to the last man. Just this implacable voice. The cowardsl They did not even show us the face of our enemy. They gave us two hours to make up our minds.
mine who we could take." His cheeks grew red with shame as he continued. "First we took'Guiyon from his column. We could not open the main bay doors. Ah, but we were so stupid, so innocent, so untrained! Wed managed to get supplies, disconnect Guiyon, gathered our people, flown to the ship without being detected and then," he gave a harsh bark of laughter, "the doors refused to open! Some murmured that the Elders had been right. We were being punished for our sins. "Then, Joseph here," and Amos laid a light hand on the short man's shoulder, "opened one of the service airlocks. Only it was much too small for Guiyon's shell He insisted that he didn't have to be inside, that we must strap him to the hull near die bridge, so that his brain synapses could be wired into the command panel. He had to tell us everything that had to be done. We knew so little of such matters." Another bitter snort "And we were so afraid. None of us knew anything at all about spatial navigation. I had piloted a ship, but only a small one, and never beyond Bethel's moons. Beyond Bethel's moons," and he made a broad sweep of his arm, "was not fit for men of Bethel. Also, we know nothing of the worlds outside our litde system. Guiyon handled what outsystem commerce was permitted to us on Bethel." He paused, swallowing hard, and Chaundra filled a glass with water for him. Amos nodded gratefully and drank before he resumed his story.
nearer colonies for fear of leading those monsters to an equally defenseless planet. Instead," and he gave a
more defenseless space station. At least on a planet, one may know of safe hiding places. I do not know why we are here and not at Rigel Base. Guiyon must have changed course again. There were four fiends in our wake when I had to adtept the drug. Well-armed war- ships, or so Guiyc&i thought. And we have led them here to you who have" saved the poor fragment of our people who fled from our once beautiful planet" He bowed his head, his shoulders slumping with his con- summate despair.
babble of "they've brought trouble here," "they led fiends to its?," "But we're defenseless." Simeon let out a modulated howl and they all shut up. "Thank you," Simeon said ironically when silence fell. When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout, he added to himself.
engines were about to blow, and second, they were dying fast anyway, and third, SSS-900-C is, after all, on the main route in this quadrant of Central Worlds sphere of influence. Now, if we could examine the problem more calmly?" Claren turned to May Vickers. "As security chief, you're required to defend us!" Vickers looked at the man. "With stundart pistols?" she asked incredulously. "I'm a police officer with fifty part-time assistants. I lock up drunken miners and see domestic disputes don't get out of hand," she said. "I've never had experience with fiends and I want no part of four warships." She crossed her arms across her solid chest and looked accusingly up at Simeon.
Chaundra asked. The two Bethelites shook their heads glumly. "Unlikely," Simeon said, "not when Guiyon was 152 Amu McCaffrey fc? SM. Stating overdriving the engines and leaving an ion trail a blind alien could follow." Gus nodded. "Any warship could." "Iffen they couldn't see the trail, thar's all them pieces of the ship rollin about, saying 'theah heahh!'" Patsy waved her arms like a signalman. "We cain't hardly say they passed on through."., "My information banks give me no information at all about any group, or star system, known as Kolnari," said Simeon. "While J realize that your experience with these people is short-term, had you even heard of them on Bethel before they struck?"
a band of marauders in the Arm from the few traders that came to Bethel. He was also forbidden by the Elders to tell any but themselves what news traders brought of the worlds beyond Bethel. On the ship, he did tell me," and Amos furrowed his brow, trying to remember the exact words the shellperson had used, "that they struck so swiftly that no alarm could go forth. That that was how they avoided detection by any force great enough to come against them." "Central Worlds, for instance," Channa said with a rueful quirk of her lips. Amos nodded. "The first wave of destruction was aimed at our air and space ports, at communication installations. The strike was as complete as it was unex- pected. They chose not to show themselves to us until all our space capacity was destroyed ... or so they thought. All we know of them was from a very brief time when we fought them. They follow us to destroy the evidence of the destruction of Bethel, the latest of their crimes. They will kill, and quickly. No doubt," he added with scorn, "they feel uneasy being only four instead of three hundred."
to speak until they had decided what to do." Gus whistled. "If that's three hundred warships, people, not only do we have a problem, this whole sector has a problem." The Navy was much larger, but it was scattered. - " ~ ^ "Have you hadany recent word from Central, Simeon?" Channa asjced him. "Basically no more than an acknowledgement of the ... ah... incident in the vein of 'Gee,that's too bad, but you're equipped to handle it and when your reports are filed, we'll see what we can do.1 But of course that's based on what happened yesterday; this may get us action."
ships! Shit! Simeon opened a tight beam to Central with a mayday flag attached. Hopefully he'd have some hard news before too long.
while the rest of the station's leaders sat, trying not to look at each other and especially not at Amos and Joseph. Amos had gone even paler and the blue of his eyes had faded. He just sat there. On the other hand, Joseph was watching each and every one of the station heads with a critical gaze and the slightest of knowing smiles on his full lips. Simeon could see that the initial numbness his people had felt was giving way to fear. Gus was fighting it with trained reflex, but the others were edging slowly toward panic. "You must have something to fight with," Joseph said, suddenly leaning his arms on the table and direct- ing a piercing gaze from one face to another. "We fought, and we had much less than you did who turned the vessel from your station yesterday. With what did you blow it into pieces? Do you have more? That is something. It is more than we had who saw our ships
his fists impotently into the table. "We have brought you warning. We had none!"
damage his hands. "Peace, my brotfier," he said softly. "Oh, youah brothas?" Patsy saicfin mild surprise, peering closely at both to find some familial resemblance. ;"
with his index finger, "of the mind." "Unh-hunh!" Patsy blushed and tightened her lips into a straight line. "I've sent a message to Central Worlds," Simeon told them in a brisk voice that he hoped sounded as if he had matters well in hand. "They're consulting with the Space Navy brass N to see what to do. I was hoping they'd tell me what they were doing, and or what we can do. I should've anticipated a full fledged diplomatic- bureaucratic-governmental-bunfight, complete with quarrels over jurisdiction. Everyone with something to say about this has to be tracked down and given an opportunity to give his fardling opinion in triplicate. Amos, believe me, kid, I know just how you feel about elders. The good news is that Navy intends to act fast, only there aren't any Navy units dose. The nearest is eighteen days away. Tliis is assuming the brass cut move- ment orders today and not sometime after we've become the subject of mere academic debate, because we don't exist anymore.
teen lucky days with our naked butts hanging out waiting for a kick from a booted foot That nearest Navy unit is a patrol corvette, a warship only by courtesy." "Then you must flee!" Amos leaned forward urgent- ly. "You cannot hope to defeat them. You must leave this place."
ary. Get it?" "You mock me most unfairly," Amos replied with solemn and offended dignity. "I have no knowledge of space stations or of your capabilities. Further, I am not
must
point. We should evacuate as many as we can N children, the sick, nonessential personnel. Whoever we can, or whoever's hot to go."
that instant, "given the number of ships currently in or near me at the moment, we should be able to evacuate over a thousand souls." He liked that touch. "Not counting crews."
tion of the average ever-shifiingpopulationofthe station. Amos broke the silence hesitantly. "How many people will that leave on the station?" "Fifteen thousand, or so," Channa said grimly. "Our population varies. Simeon, does your estimate include emptying cargo bays and stuffing our people into them in suits?" A desperation procedure and liable to result in some fatalities.
term confinement in tight spaces, we probably won't get many volunteers for traveling that way.
haven't even asked the captains their views on such an . . . exodus. That's a best case scenario. We can't prevent those who aren't docked in the station physi- cally from leaving, so the scheme is still just inside this room. I think diat before we start bringing anyone else into this, we should have at least one plan to present, preferably more than one." 156 Amu McCaffrey &f SM. Storting "Evacuation plans?" Chaundra asked, his brow furrowed. "Those," Simeon said, "and plans to fight for the station." There was a certain brightening around the table. Nothing visible, but the lift in attitude was almost palpable.
gendy, "even if this isn't a military installation." "To fight," Joseph said, his dark eyes glinting with revived hope. Or was it vengeance? "Yes, this is what we would like to do, but how? Did you not say that you had no weapons? And surely they will not give you a chance to combat them. Why should they not simply rush in and destroy you? That would be but child's play for them."
he thought. "Remember, you said these people were pirates?"
demand for surrenderNthey mentioned deliveries of materials, machines, labor. Pirates, but they speak as though they were a people, a nation. The High Clan, they sometimes named themselves. At others, the Divine N" his mouth puckered in distaste "N the Divine Seed of Kolnar."
scenario, he told himself firmly. Games theory, experienceN don't freeze up now. You've done things like this thousands of times. "So they're no more than criminals, not a true army, disciplined, strategically trained. More like gueril- las. Jump in, grab what they can, jump out Right now, they're pursuing you, and these four ships aim to destroy you to keep you from spreading any nasty rumors about them. So, what we better do first, is get their minds off killing by distracting them with the material things they wanted from you in the first place. Right?"
nodded slowly. "If these people are space-based, and from the description I think they must be N what a prize the SSS-900-C would be!" He turned to Amos and Joseph. "What sort of intlustrfe^does... did Bethel have?" "Very few," Amofe said, rubbing a thoughtful hand along his stubbled jajr'^We could maintain equipment and manufacture some components for in-system work. We traded rare foodstuffs and organic molecules for what little eke we needed. Traders came perhaps once in a generation. The latest only lastN" Joseph swore antiphonally with Gus, Patsy, and Simeon. Channa snapped her fingers. "They must have been... what's the phrase?
such archaic phrases. "Spies!" Joseph said. Tears welled in his eyes, tears of pure rage. "Always someone who can be bought," Simeon said, giving his holo image a wise appearance. Or so info tapes say, but Tve never had to use that tactic.
sell their mothers and fathers... maybe their fathers ... for the price of two bottles of arrack."
boulder-solid. Amos shook his head, sending the long black curls flying. "We have ... had, very litde high technology, and of what there was... much was in Keriss."
skilled labor," Simeon said. "They've got to be. Whad- dya bet that most of those three hundred ships are transports, factory vessels, that sort of thing. They wouldn't be self-sufficient even if they have a home base or star system." "There've always been folk who'd rather steal than 158 ArmeMcCaffrey &SM. Stating work," Gus said. He had no arguments on that score from anyone. "And they'll want to steal from us." SSS-900-C was a maintenance and repair center. It was also heavy with rare materials intended for shipyard and general shipbuilding use. No one argued with that, either. ^ Simeon addressed the two refugee leaders. "First, we have to get them thinking along those" lines. Otherwise they may simply sweep in and put a couple of high- yield missiles into us. My plan calls for a sacrifice on your part that I'm reluctant to ask of you."
even the point of a sword. I should like to prove worthy of Guiyon's sacrifice. Ask!"
and get their acquisitive juices flowing. We'll comman- deer one of the company yachts that salesmen travel in when they show their samples to rich customers, and we'll cram its holds full of things the bastards won't be able to resist. With the promise of much more easily available N here!"
puters, the latest improvements in fuel efficiency. We'll include luxury fabrics, perfumes, jewelry, exotic delicacies..." "Bribery will only make them hungrier to sack the station," Joseph all but shouted, half-rising from his chair.
that sicatooths do not eat grass. One must put out a goat to bait the trap for them."
contributed. "Hell no, you don't eat a pig lahke that all at once," Patsy said. Simeon almost laughed aloud to see the puzzled THE CITY WHO FOUGHT 159 expressions on the faces of Amos and Joseph. Good one, Patsy, rememberthat "my brother" fake they pulled onya and don't let 'em think they can be more obscure than we can.
brows slightly when Joseph asked, "What's a pig?" Channa herself was!puAled. She would have expected the natives of an agricultural world to recognize the name of an important'farm animal. Her own protein came out of vats, the way nature intended, as far as she was concerned. If not literally, then she didn't want to think about it. "Won't they think it's kinda odd, though, one guy sellin so many different things?" Patsy asked. "Not if he's a middle-man type, importer-exporter, rather than a manufacturer's rep," Simeon said. "It's not that hard to deceive people once, Patsy."
tioned," Amos said, puzzled. "We have no cloth or jewels or softwear. What is this sacrifice you would ask of us?"
ing out, and I'm not about to send a living person. I'd like to send one of your people who died in transit from ship to station. Preferably someone who died as a result of the environment failure, since that's why he's going to be out there in this luxury ship, broadcasting an offer for a huge reward to anyone who'll rescue him."
ing for a minute, then slowly turned to meet each other's eyes.
"What you ask is base sacrilege!" Channa glanced at Simeon's column as though appealing for help, then plunged in, knowing no diplomatic way of putting this. "Your funerary customs are... firmly set?" "Yess!" Joseph hissed. "We honor our dead, we bury them and revere their resting place." 160 Anne McCaffrey fc? 5M. Stirling "Well," Simeon told him, "we have no place to bury our dead here on the station, and it's prohibitively expensive to ship them back to their home planets. You can't simply bury them in space because eventually they constitute a navigation hazard. Here we cremate our dead." => "And the ashes?" Amos asked. "Unless specifically requested, there are no ashes." Amos bowed his head. "For bur dead, we request ashes, so that one day, hopefully, we might return our friends to Bethel. As to your ... your appeal for the body of one of ours, I thirik, my brother," and he turned to Joseph, "that we should consider that an honor to serve is being offered one of our dead rather than sacrilege. Surely, whoever we choose, would have been pleased to be of help to those who survived." "Itis wrong!" Joseph said. "And I object!" "My brother," Amos said through gritted teeth, "if you angle with a straight hook, only those fish which are willing get on it. Be reasonable, or we may all be dead. It is only a hope, a possibility we are offered. If they destroy this decoy, they will then destroy the sta- tion and we will join our friends who are dead and we can all go unburied forever." He stared at his com- panion until, after a long moment, Joseph lowered his eyes and nodded. To Simeon, Amos said, "Choose the person most suitable for this ruse from among our dead brothers."
around the table murmured their thanks as well. "Okay," Channa said, bringing them back to more immediate concerns, "these pirates come upon this derelict space-yacht. They hear the message, 'Help, help, my environment system is down, auggh, I'm dying, save me and I'll reward you with umpity-zillion credits.'" "Right"
over to his craft and board it" "Right" "They find N whomeverNseveral days dead due to environment failure/ Yüklə 2,81 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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