Home: Interstellar: Merchant Princess (30 page)

“Sure, John, but the word is out, and it’s not up to you anymore. You just can’t shoot people if they get here.”

John looked up “Hmmm.”

Meriel hit him in the shoulder. “You wouldn’t.”

“No. But some would. They’d rather have sheep than people.”

Meriel shrugged. “You told me everything, John. I just couldn’t believe it. I’ve been hearing horror stories of the low-grav hellholes that people populate, and I thought you were putting a good face on a wreck.”
Like I’ve been doing with the
Princess, she thought. “I guess I didn’t really believe that what my mom was looking for was real, and I thought if I told you all I knew, you’d think I was stupid or crazy.”

John smiled. “Liz wasn’t afraid.”

“Yeah, she’s like that.”

“I didn’t make the connection either,” John said.

Meriel took John’s hand. “But I didn’t tell you everything. John, I’m sorry I wasn’t honest, but I was trying to protect you.

John smiled. “I don’t need protection. I thought I was protecting you.”

Maybe you don’t know how bad these guys really are
, she thought.

“Maybe if we had fewer secrets, we’d be able to trust each other more,” he said.

Meriel nodded and leaned into John, and he took her into his arms. “Yeah, maybe.”

In the window behind them the blue and orange bands of the gas giant, Thor, rose over the edge of Haven and illuminated them in the light reflected from Jira-1.

***

Molly returned to her ready room on the
Tiger
, where she found the captain busy with paperwork.

“Looks like Doc Griffin’s replacement was BioLuna’s doing,” Molly said. “Ferrell was their man. My mistake.”

The captain nodded. “A risk of command. Send an e-mail to Jeff on the
Jolly Roger
and ask him about the status of his ship’s doctor. He may be a plant as well. And let’s tell the chief investigator about this.”

Molly turned to go, but her husband caught her hand. “Molly, keep the
Tiger
fueled and ready to undock. We may have to leave on short notice.”

“What’s up.”

“I don’t think they’re through with Meriel—or with us,” the captain said. “Haven has been invaded twice, and they got to us. I don’t know what else they can do. Let’s be prepared.”

“Aye, sir.”

***

Meriel’s forearm crutches had rubbed her arms raw by the time she reached Elizabeth’s cabin. LeHavre station was cramped so that an eighth around LeHavre torus’s arc was the closest they could billet her sister. Their station was small as stations go, but it was still a long way to walk.

She raised her hand to knock on the door but saw the door was partially open and heard her sister’s voice.

“No way,” Elizabeth said.

“I want us back together again, Liz, like it was.” That was Tommy’s voice.

“Damn it, shithead, we were kids. I told you not to complicate it,” Elizabeth said.

Meriel’s heart sank. Had her sister lost their dream of getting the kids together on the
Princess
?

“It wasn’t that long ago, Liz, and we weren’t kids. I’m not just some station overnighter.”

“Whatever we had, it’s over,” Elizabeth said.

“Not for me.”

“Drop it, Tommy. I don’t want to be dragging your heart around the galaxy.” Elizabeth sighed and lowered her voice. “It was my birthday, Tommy,” she said and inhaled slowly. “You know I have a hard time sleeping on my birthday.”

Tommy did not answer for a while. “I know, Liz. Sorry. All of us have a hard time on your birthday.”

“Just drop it, OK?”

“Ahem,” Meriel said and walked through the doorway. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.” Elizabeth had Tommy’s image on the wall, and both of them frowned.

“Hey, Sis,” Elizabeth said. “Tommy’s doing a flyby.”

“Hi, M,” Tommy said.

“Good to see you. You’re not gonna dock?” Meriel asked.

“Troopers have us in tow. We’re off to…well, they won’t tell us.”

“Did you bring your whole ship?”

“Yeah, that’s something, huh? BioInc has a contract for us, and the manager said it’s worth changing routes.”

“So when are you stopping in?”

“Don’t know. But the troopers said they’ll let us know.” They heard mumbling behind Tommy, he turned to listen and then turned back to them. “Gotta go now. See ya soon,” Tommy said, and the projection disappeared.

“Something you want to talk about?” Meriel asked and sat.

“Absolutely not,” Elizabeth said. “How did the vidcon go with Becky and Sandy?” she asked, referring to John’s girls.

“They’re dolls,” Meriel said, “just darlings. Their nanny was there, too. Maddie is her name, a real sweetheart.”

“You don’t look happy about it. You think John’s got something going with the nanny?”

Meriel smiled. “She must be sixty years old, Liz.”

“Oops. Then what’s bugging you?”

“The girls make me nervous.”

“How come?”

“I’m a spacer,” Meriel said. “They may be looking for a full-time mom. I don’t want to break their hearts.”

“Uh-huh. Be careful, there, about whose heart you don’t want to break,” Elizabeth said then looked down. “M, I think I know why the ePod ejected.”

“Why?”

“Mom did it,” Elizabeth said. “To stop the pirates—or whoever—from looking for us.”

“No, ePods need someone on board ’em to launch.”

Elizabeth nodded. “That’s how Mom was wounded. She was trying to convince an uncooperative pirate that he needed a trip.”

“They would have blown up the ePod.”

“Sure. But it worked. They stopped looking for us,” Elizabeth said, and they hugged each other. “Incoming, Sis. Looks like a ship has synched with the beacon.”

Elizabeth waved her link to display the message on the wall.

APB–General Subedei Khanag (AKA Steven Chen) and associates in Draconian League ET/2187:134:7.10

Detain subject on charges of criminal piracy, murder, and terrorism. Charges filed Lander Station, ET/2187:134:6.4.

Space Troopers, Lander Station.

“Here’s another,” Elizabeth said and displayed the bulletin.

IGB news wire ET/ 2187:121:10.10

For immediate release. Merchant Ship
Tiger
attacked by men under the command of General Khanag associated with the Archtrope of Calliope. See Space Troopers Lander Station for sample physical evidence and redacted interviews. Criminal charges to be filed on Lander Station.

General Khanag also implicated in ET 2177 attack on family trader
Princess
. Physical evidence ibid.

“Well, the pirates have no reason to come after us now,” Elizabeth said, “except for vengeance.”

“Vengeance is motive enough.”

“But it’s inefficient with a low return on investment. These guys are in business.”

“We’ll see. Check the news, Liz,” Meriel said, and Elizabeth pulled up the local news.

GNN Top News Today: Spacer with a history of drug abuse and delusions brings scurrilous charges against the most reputable members of Earth society. Defamation charges have been filed on Moon-3 and injunctions issued to stop distribution of slanderous lies.

“Ouch,” Meriel said. “Looks like we need to scratch Moon-3 from our vacation plans.”

“They’re fighting back,” Elizabeth said. “I wonder whose version will get traction.”

“Independent News Network’s story of the hour: Troopers issued an arrest warrant for General Subedei Khanag for recent attempted piracy and piracy approximately a decade ago. The general was unavailable for comment. The archtrope, the general’s mentor and spiritual leader, had this to say…”

The video switched to a news conference with the archtrope, in ceremonial mitre and vestments, alongside a man in a well-tailored business suit.

“Certainly, if General Khanag was in any way involved with attacks on innocent civilians, we would support the strongest of sanctions to make sure that such events can never be repeated. We believers are humanitarians and respect all human life. However, the general is the most pious of men and committed to the peaceful teachings of our most revered prophet. I am sure that any charges against him are specious and will be dropped as soon as the investigation is under way, and his good name will be cleared of all wrongdoing. Thank you. His holiness has nothing more to say.”

While his handlers hustled the archtrope away through a crowd of journalists and disciples, one reporter shouted after them.

What about LeHavre? What do you know about the Treaty of Haven and attempts to invade an occupied colony?

The vid switched back to the news anchor, who continued the report.

“In a related story, the Archtrope of Calliope has been implicated in a ten-year-old conspiracy to invade an independent colony called Haven. BioLuna and an unnamed member of the UNE/IS have also been implicated in the conspiracy.”

“Well, the news is out,” Meriel said.

“You understood that, right? General Khanag is missing,” Elizabeth said, and Meriel nodded.

“Breaking news: Alan Biadez, UNE president, has just announced his resignation for unspecified health reasons after less than a month in office.”

The video feed switched to footage of Biadez and his family boarding a shuttle. Reporters with vids and links surrounded them.

“…yes. Thank you. That is most kind. I’ll be staying with my wife, Ellen, and our children on Calliope during my recovery.”

“Calliope. That’s the archtrope’s turf,” Elizabeth said.

Meriel shook her head. “Asylum with the thugs. That clinches it. I totally hate his guts.”

The news feed and Biadez’s interview continued.

“Yes, yes, my resignation is immediate, and Vice Chairman Toyama is now acting president, pending confirmation by the General Assembly. Thank you for your love and support all these years—“

The voice of a reporter interrupted him.

“What about Haven when you were chairman of the UNE/IS? What about the Treaty of Haven?

Biadez’s wife turned with a feral look on her face and shouted at the reporter.

“How rude! How dare you impugn the honor—“

Alan Biadez elbowed his wife out of the way.

“No more questions now. Thank you.”

“His wife knew about the Treaty of Haven,” Elizabeth said.

Meriel nodded. “They’ll be busy running for a while,” she said. “Now, what are BioLuna and Khanag up to?”

***

Meriel walked to LeHavre’s null-g axis, where the crew and naval architects refitted the
Tiger
. The periphery was maintained at a full one-g artificial for the comfort of the residents and the discomfort of Meriel on her crutches. She walked to the window and beeped Molly, and in a few seconds, Meriel saw a space-suited figure tether a carbon welder and jump toward the air lock.

New EMP and laser cannons broke up the smooth lines of the
Tiger
, weapons intended to discourage General Khanag from more mischief. Ship designs would change once again now from the most efficient for space trade to designs that could adequately discourage piracy with the minimum mass and energy. Those that did not have the equity to afford the transition would be uninsurable and grounded.

Behind her, Cookie walked up and began to suit up for EVA.

“I’ve got your friend’s new firewall and sniffer, M,” he said.

“Nick’s?” she asked.

He nodded.

“You don’t trust the navy’s version?”

Cookie shook his head. “I expect the UNE will sneak some other spyware into our systems. I’m gonna scrub everything down to the fullerenes and—”

Meriel’s crutch slipped out from under her on a puddle of condensate from the high ceiling, and Cookie caught her before she fell. “Damn these things,” she said.

Cookie helped her manage her crutches.

Meriel saw his frown. “It’s not your fault, Cookie,” she said.

Cookie still frowned, and Meriel reached up, pulled his head down, and kissed him on the cheek.

Molly exited the air lock, and Cookie stood and saluted. “Permission to come aboard, ma’am?” he said.