Nemesis (21 page)

‘Where is Sam Shah?’ he asked the room.

‘Sam Shah is in this sector,’ it replied. ‘He is speaking to your wife in her lab, two doors down.’

Yunus leapt to his feet. It was too good an opportunity to miss. He strode the short distance around the central corridor and waved Citra’s door aside.

She was sitting on her lab bench, laughing. She stopped and blinked as she noticed him in the doorway around the side of Sam’s shoulder.

‘Yuni! There you are, dear,’ she said. ‘Did you know that Overcaptain Shah has an interest in the Davenport biosphere?’

Sam turned and nodded to Yunus in greeting, his broad, handsome face crinkled with smiles.

‘Professor,’ said Sam, ‘your wife and I were discussing Frontier biosecurity. She’s extraordinarily well informed.’

‘I’m surprised you ever imagined otherwise,’ said Yunus as he struggled for poise. ‘If she wasn’t an expert, she wouldn’t be here, would she? Overcaptain Shah, may I have a quick word with you in private?’

Sam glanced at Citra and then back in his direction.

‘Of course,’ he said simply.

Yunus gestured for Sam to join him in his study. They made the very short walk in silence. As soon as Yunus sealed the door behind them, Sam looked at him expectantly.

‘How can I help you, Professor?’

‘I just learned that you had a private chat with Mark Ruiz. Do you mind if I ask why?’ Sam’s omissions would be as informative as his remarks.

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. The man had the good grace to look embarrassed, at least.

‘I did. He told you, I suppose. I was trying to feel him out.’ Sam fixed Yunus with a level gaze. ‘I’ll be blunt. You and I have different political interests. You’d like our investigation at Tiwanaku to result in benefits for Earth without advantages for the Colonies. I’m biased in the other direction. I think we’re both man enough to acknowledge that. And I think we also both understand that this mission
is
a political one. But while you and I may see Tiwanaku as a human problem, I suspect Will Monet has a different take. I was very effectively outmanoeuvred when it came to selecting a captain for this ship. Ash Corrigan was my choice. I thought the fact that he’s got so much experience on diplomatic ships would be a strong sell for Earth’s senators. His record is spotless and he’s been their captain of choice for official flights to the Far Frontier for the last two years.’

Yunus contained his surprise. He hadn’t known that.

‘Clearly, though,’ said Sam, ‘any pilot from Drexler, no matter his record, could hardly compete with an Earther for the job. So Monet got his way before anyone had the chance to notice the connection, or to look deep enough into Ruiz’s background to see how odd an appointment that was.’

‘I see,’ said Yunus. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected from Sam, but it wasn’t this disarming directness.

‘I’m not used to being tactically outplayed, Professor,’ said Sam. ‘I don’t mind telling you that. What concerns me, though, is when it’s members of my own side doing it. When you and I find out which group is responsible for Tiwanaku, we won’t have much time to negotiate a deal. We’ll both want to take point in that conversation and tight control of this ship will make all the difference. I can live with that problem. Here’s the thing, though. You want an advantage for Earth. I want the same for the Colonies. So what does Monet want? Why did he put his man in that chair? We may be at odds, Professor, but I think it’s safe to say that neither of us wants war, which is why I’d like to know what’s really going on aboard this ship. And if that means a little sleuthing on my own time, I don’t mind doing it.’

Yunus gazed blankly as it dawned on him that it wasn’t Sam who’d figured out about the Photurians, but Will Monet – a far more serious adversary. Yunus saw then that he’d made the mistake of conflating Will’s erratic behaviour with a lack of subtlety. He’d grown used to thinking of Monet as a washed-up relic, but it was logical that an event like this would bring him back to the fore.

It all made sense now. Of course Monet was more likely to have noticed an extraterrestrial hand in affairs than the plodding policeman before him. Monet had put Ruiz in the captain’s chair precisely because he wanted control at Tiwanaku. And that was also why Ruiz was so hard to reach. His opacity wasn’t an accident. Yunus wondered how he’d been so blind.

‘I won’t promise to share what I learn with you,’ said Sam. ‘You’re too much of a professional to expect that from me. But I hope we can agree to respect each other as adversaries and make sure this mission doesn’t get blood on its hands. Can I rely on you for that?’

‘Yes,’ said Yunus distantly, his mind spinning. ‘Of course. Thank you, Overcaptain Shah, your honesty has been extremely refreshing. I think we understand each other better now.’

Sam nodded curtly as he retreated to the door.

‘Agreed,’ he said. ‘May the best man win, Professor. And I meant what I said – your wife is very impressive. You’re lucky to have an ally like her aboard.’

‘Thank you,’ said Yunus as Sam let himself out.

He sat alone for a few minutes after that, calculating his next move. He needed a better handle on Monet’s game, and he needed it quick.

5.3: WILL

The
Ariel Two
arrived at the Gore-Daano fuelling station right on schedule. Will found himself surveying a desolate little system – just rocks and dust looked over by a sullen, underfed star. An automated Fleet outpost had been left there to handle the ships. Were SAPs able to feel loneliness, Will didn’t doubt this one would. He’d hoped for more distraction.

The view from the ship’s interior cameras didn’t help, either. The last refurbishment had updated the
Ariel Two
’s cabins significantly, under Nelson’s careful supervision. The comparatively large spherical space of the central habitat core had been split into pleasant cabins lined with pale, luminescent clamber-web and softly carpeted walls that changed colour to taste. Their new crash couches had a sleek, fluid design. Will couldn’t have cared less.

He’d spent too many of his off-hours during the two weeks of voyage so far with Nelson and his three-person team: Mitra, Peter and Devi. Competition for a posting to the
Ariel Two
was fierce, with positions almost always going to Fleet personnel who doubled as research scientists. Only those who wanted to spend years inspecting the bowels of a working nestship applied.

Consequently, the in-flight conversation had tended to involve animated speculation about details of the
Ariel Two
’s design over glasses of low-alcohol wine in the ship’s central dining space. Will had sat through the debates with Nelson’s tight-knit clique and tried to make the best of it, but there were only so many discussions of hydraulic transport eddies he could take.

As the days without meetings had crawled by, Will had found himself increasingly drawn to a bad habit: living in the past. Nelson had repeatedly counselled against it, but with the team now hard at work refilling the
Ariel Two
’s antimatter reservoirs, he had time on his hands.

With a twitch of thought, the
Ariel Two
fell away. Will found himself back in the apartment on Mars he’d shared with Rachel. He flushed with the heat of replayed emotion.

‘I just don’t think it’s a good idea, that’s all,’ he said.

Rachel got up from the sofa and strode to the window. He took in the sight of her compact, muscular back and ached, even through the veil of recall.

‘It’s got to be better than sitting here letting this shit play out, hasn’t it?’ she said.

She turned to stare at him, her dark eyes fierce. Rachel had always been at her most beautiful when in motion – when animated by something, as she was now. The man he’d been that day had barely noticed. He was too caught up the moment.

‘You’re drowning here and you don’t even see it,’ she said. ‘You’re getting sucked deeper and deeper into Earth’s poison. I feel like I’ve lost you already, Will. So why shouldn’t I try fixing it?’

‘Charting the most dangerous part of deep space is fixing our relationship?’ he said. ‘Forgive me for not understanding how that works.’

[
Tell her you love her,
] Will yelled at his prior self. [
Tell her you’re afraid you’ll lose her. Be honest!
] The prior Will didn’t hear. He never did.

‘Do I really need to spell it out for you?’ she said. ‘You’ve made fixing
you
about fixing civilisation. Did you ever stop to think about how nuts that is? And we both know you can’t fix civilisation while everyone’s fighting over the Far Frontier. So if I can’t fix you without fixing that first then I might as well try. I’m going to go find something else for the human race to get excited about because that’s all I have left.’

The old Will pulled a grimace of confused distaste.

‘All you’ve got
left
? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?’

She turned away again. ‘I barely see you,’ she said. ‘I’m not having any fun here, and neither are you. I hate Mars.
You
hate Mars.’

[
Don’t say it,
] Will shouted into the past. [
Don’t say it!
]

The memory froze. It took Will a few seconds to pull himself free of the moment and notice the incoming call icon from the
Gulliver
in his sensorium. He shook off the old pain, closed down the memory and opened the channel.

When the window opened, he found Yunus Chesterford seated before him in one of the
Gulliver
’s executive workrooms. He wore a bespoke one-piece in Reconsiderist brown with his mission-lead stripes proudly displayed.

‘What’s up?’ said Will. Embarrassment vied with impatience at the edges of his mind.

‘Nothing so far, thankfully,’ said Yunus. ‘I’m just calling you to check in. Anything to report?’

‘No,’ said Will tersely. ‘It’s been an uneventful week. I can send you a summary, if you like.’

‘Please do,’ said Yunus. ‘I’m glad it went smoothly. There is one topic I want to broach with you. It’s not mission critical, but it may become so.’ Yunus began to look uncomfortable.

This, Will thought, would be the real reason for the call. ‘I’m all ears,’ he said.

‘I’ve received multiple reports about our captain,’ said Yunus. ‘He doesn’t appear to be integrating well with the rest of the team.’

‘I see.’

‘Citra and I started from a sympathetic position,’ said Yunus. ‘Mark is both an Earther and a roboteer, a combination that cannot have been an easy one to live with.’

‘That’s true,’ said Will.

‘So after I started receiving complaints—’

‘You received formal complaints?’ Frustration started to build in the back of Will’s head like storm clouds on a muggy day.

Yunus shook his head. ‘Not formal ones, exactly. No one has been so blunt. Just comments.’

‘Okay. You received comments. And then?’

‘Well, we reached out to Mark to try to amend matters. To extend the hand of friendship, as it were. Citra invited him to join a prayer group that I wanted to start. As a fellow Earther it felt like the least I could do. And the response she received …’

‘Yes?’ said Will.

‘Frankly, it was rude.’

‘He declined, I take it.’

‘He did more than that,’ said Yunus. ‘He suggested it was an inappropriate activity for the crew of a diplomatic starship.’

‘A position I agree with,’ said Will sharply.

Yunus’s cheeks coloured.

‘But we’re discussing Mark Ruiz,’ said Will. ‘You have additional concerns. Please go on.’

‘I don’t even know where to start,’ said Yunus. ‘When not running the ship out of that little cupboard of his, he’s sitting in the lounge in the same chair, not talking to anyone. I’ve held scientific talks every day and he hasn’t attended a single one. I don’t know how he can expect to be ready when we reach Tiwanaku.’

‘Did you record the talks?’

‘Of course.’

‘And they were held in the diplomatic zone, I take it?’ Will ventured.

‘I don’t see how that matters.’

‘My question is, how do you know that Mark wasn’t replaying the talks when he was sitting in the lounge? Your captain is a roboteer, remember?’

‘There is more to the talks than their informational content,’ said Yunus. ‘There is also the social component, in which he is making no attempt to participate.’

‘A valid concern,’ said Will. ‘I’m sorry he isn’t behaving as you expected. Can I ask you, though – is there a single thing actually wrong with the way the ship is being run? Something that might require my disciplinary involvement? Your gravity, for instance? Your schedule? Food? Air? SAP support?’

‘No,’ said Yunus. ‘But that’s not the point. My point is simply that the captain would do a better job if he had a closer bond with a member of the diplomatic team and some tighter supervision.’

‘You’re volunteering, I take it?’

‘Absolutely, I’m volunteering. And frankly, I consider it necessary. If you were to encourage him to approach me—’

Will’s patience began to evaporate. ‘Why me? Sam is the senior Fleet officer on the
Gulliver
.’

‘Mark was
your
pick for this mission, was he not?’ Yunus stared at Will openly, watching for a response.

‘Where did you hear that?’

‘It is common knowledge on the
Gulliver
,’ said Yunus. ‘I believe Subcaptain Corrigan was the first to mention it.’

‘Was he indeed?’

‘Did you imagine that such a significant piece of manoeuvring would go unnoticed, Captain? No one is surprised that you attempted to put your man at the helm of this ship. Politics is politics. I’m simply asking that you assist in guiding him. At least if you don’t want it to become entirely obvious that his posting was contrived.’

‘Firstly, his posting was based on my assessment of his talent,’ said Will. ‘And secondly, I can assure you that my intervention would be entirely counterproductive.’

Yunus smiled. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

‘However you may imagine my relationship with Mark Ruiz works, I can assure you that it is not founded on mutual respect.’