"How long?" Amos ben Sierra Nueva said desperately
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munication. This was a sophisticated Central Worlds installation they were planning to attack. It had inter- nal optical circuitry. What did the Great Lord expect her to do? Fly over to the station and burn her way through to tap a line? We are all impatient, Belazir thought. The Clan impulse was to leap upon the prey and take it Loot it bare, move on. They had been very successful follow- ing that course of action for a long time. "Any other ships?" "None since that freighter who acknowledged their warning beacon and sheered off," she said. "Serig." "Command me, lord." The verbal formula was more than routine in Serig's mouth; he fairly quivered with anticipation.
next day-cycle termination." This was about three hours Terran Standard time, since Kolnar rotated more slowly than Manhome. "All vessels to launch their seekers simul- taneously and then begin subspace jamming pulses.
^vatch, ready to provide fire support as necessary. Dreadful Bricte and Shark will move in to the upper and lower polar axis respectively and force-dock, then occupy the station. Here are the areas tabesjcured."
the SSS-900-C was overlaid with color-coded plans for movement.
utmost force. If resistance slows the infantry down, secure those decks and blow them open to space. I will be with the second wave at the north polar axis." "Lord." "Captain Lord Pol is not to disembark before the tar- get is fully secured. Those are my orders. Repeat them to her in the message."
few notes to himself. "Tightbeam?" "Of course." "I may lead the assault party?" Belazir and his henchman shared an identical wolf grin. "Of course." Joseph ben Said nodded gravely. "I am glad that you have shown me these things, Joat." Joat looked downshaft between her legs N it was the only way to see the Bethelite's face since they were both climbing up N and smiled cockily. They had paused at this intersection with two small feeder ducts so she could give him directions. He had hooked one thick arm around a rung so he could squint down the other shafts.
don't get fordled up in a tight spot, neither." Joseph's square fece split in a raptor's smile. Joat- my-friend, where I grew up one learned quickly, or one died. Also I spent much time in narrow places.
principle is the same." "Yeah, I guess we got a lot in common," she said. You, poor bastard, she added to herself. -Not aloud. Evidently these oscos were sensitive about Iqiguage.
freedom when any section can be closed off and air- evacuated," Joseph went on. He cracked his thick-fingered hands reflexively, and took out a long curved knife to trim a callus. "And then there are the maintenance servos, also centrally controlled." "Yeah, well, you gotta look at that sort of thing from the bottom up," Joat said. "Follow me." They muscled upward, back and legs against opposite side of the passageway, then crawled out into a slightly wider connecting way.
along the edge of the octagonal opening where the two ducts crossed.
sheet?"
some fardling thing. Don't get in the way if it's gonna dose. They don't have no safety pressure stops here where people aren't supposta be, so they'll cut you right in half." Joseph nodded, continuing his examination. "And this?" He touched a slight bulge. "Access panel. Here." Joat brought up a square piece of electronics from her harness and touched it The bulge withdrew into the wall. Inside were readouts, a keypad, and a datajack. She squirmed until her backpack was on the floor between her knees, then pulled out a jackline from her Spuglish and clipped it into the socket The machine lit. Hello, Joat, scrolled across it. Simeon's gone bye-bye wurfi THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT 26S "What is that?" Joseph said, fascinated. "I usta think it was Simeon in a grudly strange come- down," Joat said, her fingers flying in a rapid taptaptapt^tiptip. "Only it isn't. 'S just a really neato AI program running #a the station main computers. Fools ya, y'know? ^eaTeasy to get to thinking it's a real person, but it isn't. Smart piece of junk, but I can get around it. When it thinks you're Simeon, it really comes down as an animal" Hello, Simeon, the screen printed. What's up, boss? Huh? Huh? Joat's fingers scrambled. Nothing much, she keyed. Updating Shame on Me, she added. Don't rightly know that one, pardner, the machine replied. Uhyip. The tip of Joat's tongue was clenched between her teeth in a rictus of concentration. At last, she leaned back and sighed, cracking her fingers two- handed.
Fool me twice, shame on me." Joseph's laugh was quiet and appreciative. Joat felt the quiet glow of satisfaction you only got from another operator. Seld was neat, but he wasn't a ... Well, he wasn't grown up, in the special way Joseph was grown up. She'd known a lot of people who were grown-up that way, but Joseph was the first one she had ever liked or trusted.
computer?" he said. "Naw, not most of the time. Too con-spick-cue-us. Finkin' obvious, in fact. There's a distributed node sys- tem, fambly thousands of little compus, all got backup authority, if you can cut in. And nobody cuts in like jack-of-all-trades, my man."
or lingering, either. "How did you pick this up?" he said in admiration, pointing at her Spuglish. "Dad." Fdrdlmg swiney. "Learned more from the bastard who won me from my uncle," she said. "He was smart, really smart, when he wasnX drunk or... well, when he was sober. Knew his way around any system there was. Never got caught, except once."
it was not a child's face at all. "Me," she said softly. "He forgot me. And I cracked his system. They think he's still alive. He went thataway out the lock, peeing blood. His ship's computer said everything was fine."
enough for the official records, it's good enough for me. Now, show me how you decouple the local subsys- tems again." "Like, it's got to be physical," Joat went on, animated again. "YouN" "I am glad to see you two are friends," Amos said. Joat and Joseph had walked in the door laughing uproariously, slapping each other on the shoulder. Joseph smiled at his leader and bowed formally, hand on heart. "My brother, you have done me a great favor by introducing me to this young sorceress," he said. "And our cause." "You guys are brothers?" Joat asked suddenly. "No," was the spontaneous answer from Channa, Simeon, and Amos. "Oh?" Joat looked from one to the other, frowning slightly, then she shook her head dismissing the prob- lem. "Yeah, we had a great time!" she went on. Joe here picks things up pretty good, for a grown-up." "For a grown-up?" Amos said, raising a brow. THE crry WHO FOUGHT 265 "You know," Joat explained kindly, "for somebody who's old" Amos pursed his lips. He was a year older than Joseph. "I am glad to see you found him worthy," he said dryly. _ C,j
thing?" she said. "By all means, foster daughter of Channa," Amos said.
things," she said. "You aren't. How come?"
some coldsleep." "At your age, I was running my family's estates," Amos said. "Of course, 1 would not have been, had my father lived. Sons of poorer folk are apprenticed at twelve, doing a day's work and paying for their own food. Should I be surprised if you can do likewise?"
to Channa. "Told you I'd learn more doing a real job!" "What did I say?" Amos asked, flinching at the glare Channa leveled at him. "Promised I'd go catch Seld," Joat said, wolfing down the last of her breakfast and sticking a few pieces of fruit in the pockets of her shapeless overall. "Ta-ta, all."
ingfully, glancing at Amos. "I have to run. MoreNack! pftht! N meetings. Don't forget"
looked at Amos with concern. "Something is wrong with you, my brother?"
Joseph to a seat, but stood himself, his hands clasped behind his back. "There is nothing wrong with me. This concerns Rachel." He held up his hand to forestall 266 Aime McCaffrty 6? 5M. Stirling Joseph's protest. "Let me finish. She came here the other night, furious, raving. She claimed we were betrothed. Her eyes, Joseph! They were wild, and she shook . .. her face was so white."-.He looked at his friend. "Our Rachel is shaking to njeces before our eyes. I am going to tell Chaundra what I have told you, and if he decides that she needs treatment, then she shall have it" Joseph nodded jerkily, resting his face in one hand. His shoulders moved convulsively, then he steadied. "I am grateful that you sbare your thoughts with me," he said. "Though you now stand as her father." "We have no Healer of Souls here, Joseph," Amos said with deep remorse. "So Rachel must lose her soul's privacy before an infidel, an outsider," Joseph replied. "I had not thought you so pious." Joseph sighed, shaking his head wearily. "It is strange how ingrained is the training of one's childhood. At the last, I find I, too, am a son of the Temple."
force her," Amos said. Joseph rose and gave Amos the embrace ofbrothers. "Thank you," he said, "but, if my heart rebels, my mind tells me you are right... damnably right That is an irritating habit you have, Amos ben Sierra Nueva." Amos grinned. "So I have been told. To myself not least, brother. Do you wish to be with her?" Joseph hesitated, then shook his head. "No," he said, after a moment "As she is... it would be no kindness. I will continue with my work." His mouth quirked. "Work is truly the mercy of God, as the Prophet said. No?"
them," Amos replied seriously, his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Truth too strong for the chains of dogma. Go in peace." THE Crry WHO FOUGHT 267 To make ready for war," Joseph observed. Amos laughed ruefully. "Another truth the Prophet left us: 'Ifyou would have peace, then prepare for war/ " "What a pity the Elders thought that meant the spiritual struggle alone," Joseph said. "The Prophetwas a ftirprisingly practical man," Amos observed. "I strive to emulate him." "You do so. You do so very well," Joseph replied and bowed formally: a rare gesture between them. "Let's $o get Seld Chaundra," Joat suggested when Joseph caught up to her at the elevator. "We're sup- posed to go into hiding when the pirates show up, so he'll need to see this stuff, too." "I have no objection," Joseph said mildly. "You and Simeon-Amos fighting about something?" she asked blundy. "No." Joseph shrugged. "We are angry together, at what is and cannot be changed." "Yeah, life's like that," Joat observed. They reached the main corridor and took two people movers down from the wall. Joseph looked a lit- tle dubious as he stepped onto the disk. As it silently lifted from the floor, he gripped the handhold tightly with one broad spatulate hand. Joat showed Joseph the address to tap to reach the Chaundras' home. The litde floatdisks took off, dodging agilely through traffic and summoning elevators when their route took to the upper decks.
swarthy man beside her. "Simeon-Amos suggested that I take him round, and I thought you might like to come."
solved the next moment. "I can't I'm grounded." "You're what?" Joat asked, puzzled. 268 AnneMcCaffrey &SM. Stating Seld blushed to the roots of his auburn hair; the colors dashed horribly. "I'm being disciplined. I can't leave our quarters."
have parents, she thought. / won't get stigk someplace I don't want to be.
it's too much 'go,' now it's too mucn stay." She shook her head in awe. "You can't win playing that way. So come anyhow," she added, cocking her head at him. "I can't," he repeated, glancing nervously at Joseph. The Bethelite crossed his arms and looked at the ceil- ing, humming an idle tune.
machine ev'ry so often. If he's called, you can call back and say he caught you in the head. He's so worried about your safety, Seld, he should worry more if you don't know this. You gotta know your way around the backside of the station. Hey! If it really bothers you we can ask Simeon to help, or Joseph ... ?" She turned appealing eyes up to his. Joseph uncrossed his arms. "I believe it could be put to your father N" He broke off, his eyes focused on some one in the corridor beyond Joat. "Rachel?"
and down. "Well, Joseph ben Said. I wonder, do you have any messages that you are withholding from me?"
about, my lady?" "No lady of yours, peasant," she said, spitting the last word at him, her eyes wide and flashing. "Amos told me that he had delegated you to inform me that he was moving in with that lanky, sallow-faced slut. But you, apparently, chose not to tell me. Why is that?"
turing courteously to her, "the foster daughter of Simeon. Be known also to Seld Chaundra."
had introduced her to a pair of rodents. "Simeon... ?" she said, picking up whit was important to her.
Nat now, his expression said. Spare these children. "Who is this 'Simeon that everyone addresses with such respect?" "He and Channa run the station," Joat told her. "Ah," Rachel said, looking at her with a false smile, "does that make you the whore's foster-daughter, too? Joseph's hand moved very quickly, deflecting Joat's hand, which was halfway to delivering what it held. "Drop it," he said. "Now, Joat." Struggling against his grip, Joat drew her lips back from her teeth, but she had to comply. The grip on her wrist was not tight enough to hurt, but it had the implacable solidity of a mechanical grab. The Bethelite wrenched the small squarebox from her with his other hand.
strike without thinking, Joat. And rarely from anger. That causes problems, always." He handed her back the gadget "Wait." Rachel's face had turned an ugly mottled color, partly from fright and partly from being humiliated. Her complexion went brick-red as Joseph grabbed her by the upper arm and began to pull her further down the corridor.
Joseph ignored her stolidly, as he did her attempts to halt their movement "Let goofme!" she shrieked.
cast a look up and down the corridor. There was little privacy here and none within easy reach. He released her arm and spoke in a firm low voice. 270 Anne McCaffrey fc? SM Stating "My lady, you are not yourself. The coldsleep medications have affected your ... balance. Please, accompany me to the sickbay and N"
poison me, leave so-wonderful Amo&to wallow between the thighs of thats/w, thata^wn?N
a spider. "Don't touch me, you peasant whore's-get! You make me sick. Don't touch me>" She struck again, a hard ringing slap across his face, backhanding him again and again. Joseph's head moved only a little on his thick muscular neck, although a trickle ofblood started from his nose and the corner ofhis mouth. On the fourth slap, he caught her hand. She began to thrash, trying to free herself from that implacable grip. He turned her hand, exposing bleeding cuts where her knuckles had smashed against teeth and bone. "My lady," he said, cutting through her shrill cries. "Strike me if you will, but you will hurt your hand using it so. Here, take this."
appeared in it: a short leaf-bladed dagger with a plain leather-wrapped hilt, looking sharp enough to cut light. Rachel shrieked and pulled back again, but Joseph's hand made another movement, holding out the hilt. He waited, his eyes on hers. Silence fell broken only by Rachel's rapid, gasping breath. The bystanders were crowding away, their voices sunk to a murmur. Then Rachel pulled loose and ran, blundering into a corner as she scrambled out of sight down a side aisle. Joseph clicked the knife into its wrist-sheath, his eyes thoughtful. Wiping his face on a kerchief, he returned to the two adolescents.
reactions to medication." "She's bughouse," Joat said bluntly. He's gone on her, she thought- Geh! What afardlm' waste. People should reproduce the way bacteria did, splitting cells. That was cleaner. Even angrudies like Joe got strange when they had the hots.
did you do that thing with the knife?" "Spring-loaded sheath," Joseph said, obviously relieved to change the subject. He bent back his wrist and showed them.
head in silent agreement. Adults! They're nuts. Channa stumbled into the lounge and fell facefirst into the cushions of the couch. "I hate commuting," she said with a theatrical groan.
commuting? Why, in my grandfathers' day..." "In your grandfathers' day," she said pulling herself into a sitting position, "they probably commuted by ox-cart through subspace and drifts of snow fourteen feet high, and that was in high summer, being dive bombed by stinging insects the size of ore-freighters, just to borrow a cup of sugar from their next-door neighbor three light years away. I," she said, indicating herself with a delicate hand and a raised eyebrow, "am not as hardy. And 1 hate to commute."
standing," he suggested. "Absolutely, and I, of course, will accept this with gratitude as the very balm my bruised and battered spirit craves."
the home front?" "Apparently Joat's gotten Selchgrounded until he turns twenty-one." 3 "How'd she manage that?" "Chaundra disciplined him foff itaying behind and she talked him into exploring the station with her and Joseph."
something...." "Seld staying behind is her fault?" "No, no. It's all her fault. The minute we decided to adopt her, Bethel was attacked, so that Amos escaped, the pirates chased him and the station is now endangered. You see the logical sequence of events. One of her depressed moods."
duration. "I can't deny," she said, fighting a laugh, "that the logic's inescapable when the data is structured in that fashion."
to her that for a moment the station stood still. "Oh," Simeon told him, "the horrors of being twelve."
"Would that all horrors were both so transient and so amusing in retrospect. I fell in love with the cook. When that was over, I decided I was religiously Yüklə 2,81 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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