"How long?" Amos ben Sierra Nueva said desperately
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Stay in your quarters as much as possible. Keep your emergency suits ready to use. Listen to information passed to you by your group leaders rather than any- thing you may hear over the vid. Remember, we're on your side. They won't be. "Finally," he said, "this is Simeon-Amos." Amos stood up and bowed politely. "This is the only Simeon on the station. He is co-manager with Channa Hap, the term
tradition of having the male station managers carrying that name. It's in honor of one of the first station managers. There is no brain or brawn on this station, there never has been. Shellpersoas are only used on ships."
grim faces. "If they don't know about me, I'll be able to continue running the station unimpaired N literally behind the scenes. If they disconnect me from the sta- tion N and they will, if they^find out about meNwe're all in trouble. So, as of now and for the duration, I don't exist. This is Simeon-Amos, your station co-manager." Amos smiled and nodded. The audience had that stillness of about-to-boil-over. Faces began to reflect expressions now; mild alarm, disbelief, skepticism.
manage us in an emergency?" somebody said, with all the hauteur of the space-born. Amos' head went back, and he stared down his classical Grecian nose with ten generations of aristocrats behind his eyes.
more, he volunteered to front for me! Not a role you'd get many to take under the circumstances," he added, and got a few snorts of agreement "So, before anyone frets over Simeon-Amos' leadership qualifications, I'd like to replay the man in action. The tape's authentic. I've checked it." Nobody could do that better than a brain.
that he had accessed from Guiyon's files. Itbegan when a wall flashed with intolerable brightness, then diminished to show troops in black combat armor trot- ting down a burning street of brick-and-timber buildings. The sensor was pitched low, looking up from a half-basement window or a hole in the ground. Across the way, a human figure hung out of a window,
sidewalk. A child's body lay there too: its crushed skull suggesting it had been thrown against the wall
with a dimmer scene. Amos' recorded olq| cut through the blurr-roar of flames. "Now" he sd. The picture shook "as the ground heaved, and the burning walls cascaded across the street, drowning the black figures in a tide of brick and flaming timbers and glass. Other figures darted forward, Bethelites to judge by their rough, improvised uniforms. When the first powersuits began to claw their way out of the rubble, the defenders were ready. Amos was unmistakably leading them, an industrial jetcutter in his hands. He plunged it down on the massive sloped helmet that jerked itself free of the ruins, and helm and head exploded in steam.
abrupt focus: a manor-house among formal gardens, only a few scorch-marks on its walls. Invader infentry stood at their ease; the picture had the slightly glassy look of a flatpic extrapolated by a long-distance camera. Armored fighting vehicles rested in leagues on the lawns, their cannon pointing outward in a her- ringbone pattern, lighter weapons on their upper decks tracking restlessly across the sky. An aircraft slowed overhead. Bulky armored shapes disembarked, one in a suit marked with complex blazons in a script of angles and sharp curves. The viewpoint zoomed in, as a group of young women in long robes were pushed out of the front door of the manor, many carrying bundles. They knelt under the alien guns; one opened the chest she car- ried, filled with miniature crystal vials. She smiled, gesturing to the bottles, opening one and smelling, extending it to the warrior in the decorated suit. From
very beautiful, with the classic features similiar to Amos'. The pirate raised both gauntlets to his helmet, lifted it free and tucked it under one arm, bending to sniff. The exposed face was scored with age, roughened skin pockmarked by radfttion damage, blossoming growths, thinning blond^hair startling against dark complexion. It smiled..." Leered, Simeon thought, reviewing the scene, fve heard the word, but never really seen the corresponding expres- sion till now.
bent, a red dot appeared between his brows. Less than a second later, his head exploded into mist.
pumping in a high arc from the stump of the neck. The girl with the perfume box stood, smiling truly this time as the blood bathed her. Until one of the other warriors stepped forward and, gripping her head in a powered gauntlet, squeezed. Her head burst in a spray of pink bone and gray matter. The other girlsjoined hands and were singing when the plasma gun scythed them into ash and steam.
marksmanship," Amos said, his archaic accent adding gravity to his clear tone. "The bravery was my sister's. Sahrah led the maiden volunteers. I did not know what she had planned. I was trying to reach the manor before the enemy could. We think ... we think that dead dog was fourth or fifth in rank among the pirates."
"Such was Bethel, when the Kolnari came to us," he said. "They have the souls ofN" he spoke a nonstan- Jard word. "Rats," Simeon said. "N rats that walk like men. They kill for killing's THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT 227 sake, they rape and tenure and steal, and what they cannot steal, diey foul out of depravity." Another holo came up. "Keriss," Amos said. There was total silence now. A city by a bay, astride a river, lower-built than the worlds influenced by Central's architectural styles, Brifrht-tolored buildings amid broad gardens. A scattering of taller buildings at its cen- ter, and one that led the eye up and up in a leap of towers and domes.
up, a news-sendee shot, just before the end." White light flashed. The city dissolved as the bulging donut shape of the shockwave billowed out. The slow scene gave it a terrible grace; trees exploding into flame under the heat-flash and scattering as less than splinters an instant later, the water of the bay beginning to flow and swell into a wave taller than the hills. "So died Keriss," Amos whispered. "I'm not calling wolf this time," Simeon said, match- ing that same tone. "If anyone doubts, speak now." He let the ensuing silence echo. "Does anyone think they're better equipped to play me than Simeon-Amos is?" No one gainsaid him. "This emergency is all too real. Until help arrives, we're going to have to rely on each other. I believe we can do that," he said confident- ly. "If you weren't pretty brave and independent sorts of individuals, you wouldn't be on a station anyway. You'd be on a planet somewhere trying to figure out how to get the bugs offyour vegetables."
thought, but they needed the release from tension. Channa rose, ubiquitous notescreen in hand. "There will be a meeting for council members at two," she announced, "and there will be a meeting of evacuation group leaders at four. Subsequent to those meetings, evacuation groups themselves will meet at times appointed by the group leaders. We aren't going
know basis. We thank you for your cooperation. Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting is adjourned."
Gus bellowed. The noise level in the docking ^hamber fell fairly quickly. Stands to reason, he thought.'These were work- ing spacers, not data-pushers and entertainers. About fifty of them glared up at him as if he'd thought up this little crisis himself. The shages of the tugs and miners in the interior dock bulked at their backs, huge and shadowy with all but one of the overheads turned off. That cast a puddle of light over the assembled pilots and crew. He had staged the meeting this way at Simeon's suggestion, to make them feel like a group. "You know what's coming down," he said, making his voice intense without making it loud. "All our ship- ping with interstellar capacity has been moved out"
over her luridly tattooed head. "Can it, Shabla. You can do maybe ten lights, scout- ing for minerals. That won't get you to the next system."
mining scouts. It isn't much, against four frigate-class warships."
want us to ram 'em?" The man didn't think much of that idea even as he voiced it- Ramming was not completely out of the question; if you cut something heading toward you at high speeds into smaller pieces, you were just multiplying your troubles. You had to blast it into gas, or deflect it, before you were safe. They all understood the principle, and the limitations.
even as he gave them a sly grin. "Not when we lose to any beam-weapon they care to turn on us. But," and he waited until a schematic of a standard tug came up on the screen behind him, "what has a tug got? A^ normal-space engine'an^ a great big power plant, and a fardlin' humongous grapnel field. Mining scout's about the same, only with a sampling laser. So there isn't much sense in us getting into slugging matches with warships." He caught the universal sigh of relief that wafted about.the'bay. "ButN" and he held up one gnarled finger "N there are things we can do." Then he outlined the changes needed on the screen behind him. Gratified and slightly vulpine grins replaced frowns even when he explained the strategy to be effected by such alterations. "Hey, wait," Shabla said. "I got a husband N two, actually N on this tin can. You want me to leave 'em here while the place is taken over?"
the crap could you do for 'em here? Get your head kicked in? Start a firefight in a corridor and blow the pressure hull? Out there, we've got a chance to do something worthwhile for all our skins. We've all got someone here, or nearly all of us. This is what we can do for 'em. Who's with me?"
Channa thought dismally. And when he's really working. Which he was, now.
cern. "Something troubles you, Channa?" He grinned. "Besides, that is, our possibly imminent demise?"
that, she thought, just when I was getting involved 230 AmurMcCaffny &? SM. Stirling THE CITY WHO FOUGHT 231 enough not to think about it Well, since we might all die, why not take the plunge? "This is beginning to get to me. I feel so... so alone." His eyes kindled, and a lovely feathery warmth tickled her lower belly. Her smile spread to a grin, and he rose from his place and came to sit beside her, their thighs lightly touching. He took tfer hand in both of his.
wouldn't be a dry seat in the house. "You're not alone! Fm here," he said, his voice rich with sympathy. An hour later, things had progressed to the point where they had drifted into Channa's quarters arm in arm. And damn Simeon's opinion, Channa thought. Fm going to enjoy myself. They were both three- on the door and shouted from the lounge.
neutral, but Channa savagely thought she could detect a suppressed giggle.
upright
here?"
fully. "Should I let her in?" just a moment," Amos said desperately, leaping from the bed and frantically grabbing up clothes. "That's mine," Channa said, rescuing her shirt from the pile. Amos bolted from the room, opened the door to his quarters, flung his clothes in and ran to the door. Realizing he was in his underpants, he ran back to his room, grabbed his robe, and struggled to pull it over his head as he staggered back to the lounge. The arms
wondered if the robe had turned animate and was resisting. Amos made desperate, despairing little
bathioom. "Cold waterf pulsed, shower," she told the fixtures. As if I need one with Rachel at the door, she thought
down over hi$4Eddy.
have to account for my actions. There is no one in authority over me." On the other hand, Rachel could make an unfortunate scene. At least there would be no outraged father, brother, uncle, or cousin likely to break in with a hunting rifle and blow off the offending equipment
time to avoid a blow from Rachel's fist, aimed at the lounge doors. "Rachel!" he snapped.
nostrils flaring, a sheen of sweat across the pale olive of her skin.
said. He had himself sufficiently under control now to speak with his usual gentle authority, and he could see her purpose falter. "I am living in die manager's quarters because I am to be a co-manager of the station. I'm study- ing very hard and constantly to be worthy of this honor. I have told you this. 1 told everyone." He let his eyes widen sfighuy in unaffected innocence. She narrowed her eyes. "It is true, Amos, that you told everyone. But, you did not tell me\" "All right," he said soothingly, "all right, come in." 232 AEmeMcCaffny& SM. StirKng He placed his hands delicately on her shoulders and steered her to the couch. "Sit!" She looked first at him, then at the couch as though she suspected some trap before she cautiously folded herself down to the cushioned jfcirface. Looking up at him, she patted the place beside her. "You sit down, too," she insisted. "You will have some refreshment?" "No. I will have an explanation." He drew over a straight-backed chair, placed it in front of her and sat down. Her eyes widened and she sat up straighter, looking, if possible, even more affronted than she had been. "I am sorry," he said, "if I have offended you, but I have been very busy." Unspoken was the inference that she should be also, helping to brief the Bethelites and settle them into their temporary roles. "I told Joseph about our plans, and I assumed that he would explain everything to you." "Oh!" she said sarcastically, "You told Joseph. Well, then of course there was no need to enlighten me! He could tell me whatever he pleased of your plans and that would have been sufficient. Then I could go to sleep this night, knowing that you had moved in with that black- hearted slut-bitch, with an untroubled heart." "Rachel bint Damscusr he said sharply. "You forget yourself!" She raised both fists above her head and shouted, "It is not I who disport with the daughters of the heathen, an act forbidden by every scripture! Nor is it Joseph's place to tell me of what we do. It is yours, yours alone! Are we not to be betrothed?"
astonishment "Whatever gave you that idea?" She blinked. "No?" "No," he repeated, shaking his head in the negative. All of the color drained from her race and he could THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT 233 see the white of her eyes all around the iris. She breathed in and out through her nose with a sound like tearing silk. She trembled. She tried to speak and only a garbled sound came out, then she said in a grating voice, "She has seduced^ou."
his hands in the same negative gesture, but his eyes slid away from hers.
met, I knew that you were mine. Mine!" "No," he said. "You are meant for Joseph, who has always loved you. He will make you happy, and he wants you." He forced his voice to gendeness. She has became unbalanced, he thought desperately. Of all the times for such a thing to happen! He had thought her only a little more given to hysteria than most of her sex, but something had changed her; perhaps the trauma of the attack, perhaps the massive drug dosages they had been forced to use on the trip.
all around the iris. He had heard of such things, but never seen them, except once when an ancient hermit had gone into a trance and prophesied. / should have paid move attention to my first-aid training, he thought ruefully. Perhaps then he would know how to deal with her instability. Whatever her faults, she had sacrificed much to follow him. She had been invaluable in the chaotic scramble of the last days on Bethel. My dear friend, I have failed you. "He wants me," she said in the same low growl "And you do not?" Her mouth twisted, and she bit her lip as she turned her head from side to side and nodded several times. Abruptly she rose and was out the door before he could rise from his chair.
"Arrughh! Simeon," he asked, "what have I done?" "Pissed off Rachel, I'd say." 234 Aime McCaffny & SM. Stating THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT 235 Amos sighed, then groaned. "No," he said despair- ingly, "I have done worse than that I allowed myself to be talked out of doing what I knew was right. I knew in my heart that she should be-evacuated, but Joseph asked me to let her stay. Perhaps I gave you the wrong answer today, my friend. Perhaps I cannot play this role if I am so easily convince} to go against my better judgement" "You thought Joseph could keep her in fine?" "Yes. I hoped that, because he would be nearby and considerate of her, she would turn more to him and less toward me." "Not a bad reasoning," Simeon replied truthfully. "Sending her away might break whatever hold she has on reality."
ever. He might be a good-looking man, but he sure had cornered the supply of gloomy looks.
older than I, and also that in many ways you are wiser- Today I should have been the wiser." He shook his head sorrowfully and shuffled into his room like an okl man.
Looks like the forecast for true lave is N not smooth. Such marvelous material for teasing Channa. So tempting to see how she'd react. No! He had to keep his mind on more important things. Like that Rachel. The girl had shot out of that interview with Amos as if she'd lost her rag. Better keep an eye on her, he told himself. And so should Doctor Chaundra, if he's got the time. Most acute mental ill- ness was chemical, or could be adjusted with the judicious use of neutralizing chemicals. With a weary woof, Doctor Chaundra sat at his desk and, setting his coffee cup in the most spill-proof area available in the surface clutter, he keyed up his mail It
look at it Twenty-five attempted suicides, four of them among the refugee Bethelites who chose gruesomely old-fashioned methods. One had actually hanged her- self! Good in one respect: easier to revive, although there might be some memory loss from oxygen deprivation, and-he'd have to use a nerve-shunt The sight of that bloated, blue-tinged face with the protrud- ing tongue lingered unpleasantly.
gods alone knew what it would do with all the caffeine he'd been absorbing. He had to get on with this accursed viral project even if he was a doctor, not a gene-sculptor! It disturbed him to deliberately make a virus more harmful: too much like making medicine into a weapon. Chaundra had grown up on a planet where personal violence was fairly common, and done his internship in a trauma ward. His own family came from a pacifist tradition, and the internship had con- firmed him in it
The first message was yet another requisition for calmers. He signed it out; the organosynth machines were going to be running overtime. Would pirates take Yüklə 2,81 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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