Transformation Space (33 page)

They did the same now, though more for expedience, passing around slabs of hot cheese dough and carafes of juice. The dough,
though tasty, sat heavily in his stomach, and he was forced to eat it slowly. Fariss had no such
problem, demolishing a panful by herself. The Swestr watched her with approval while Magdalen talked.

‘We need a way to the shift station,’ she said. ‘Who can help?’

‘The Sophos are monitoring all traffic. Politics are searching shuttles,’ said a heavyset women with long white hair.

‘What about private craft?’ asked Magdalen.

‘It’s impossible to get clearance. The uplift zone is chaotic.’

‘I can get us clearance,’ said Linnea. ‘If you can get transport.’

‘I have a space-worthy,’ said Ling-Ma quietly.

More looks of approval. Most of them knew, Thales judged, but had been waiting for her to speak.

‘Thank you, Ling-Ma,’ said Magdalen. ‘Now, once on the station we’ll meet resistance. We need to bring as many of the Feohte
as you can fit. What’s your capacity?’

‘Twenty. Thirty if we don’t have to shift.’

‘What’s a Feohte?’ asked Fariss with interest. She’d stopped eating, and now picked dough from her teeth. Her large body sprawled
across the floor, taking up the space of three women.

‘
Feohte
are the Swestr’s combatants. The Swestr doesn’t advocate violence, but they recognise the need for protection.’

‘And we are that protection,’ said a woman from the back of the room.

Thales – and everyone – turned to look at her. Though not as tall or broad as Fariss, she stood with the ease of someone who
was comfortable with her physicality. Her arms appeared muscular beneath her short-sleeved tunic.

‘Janne,’ said Magdalen in acknowledgement. ‘You’re late.’

Thales knew the uniform. Janne was a free-hand, one of Scolar’s manual workers who’d chosen labour as the way to enlightenment.

‘The Politics are active all over the city. This meeting is being monitored. I saw them in the street. Best we appear to be
carousing.’

Magdalen threaded her fingers together and twisted her hands. ‘I’ll bring in some bottles of piska. Everyone must drink a
little before leaving. How much did you hear of our conversation, Janne?’

‘Enough. How many of the Feohte can you take, Ling-Ma?’

The Hekarian looked to Magdalen. ‘Who else will it be?’

‘Thales and Fariss. You, me and Linnea. That leaves space for fifteen Feohte.’

Janne made a dissatisfied face. ‘Twenty would be better.’

But Magdalen didn’t agree. ‘We don’t know what will happen up there. It’s possible we may have to shift to survive. I won’t
risk more than I need.’

‘Fifteen Feohte against squadrons of politics …’ Janne trailed off and crossed her arms.

‘We aren’t seeking conflict, Janne. Simply shielding. We have one ambition only, to close the shift sphere.’

Janne narrowed her eyes. ‘That is what I’m talking about.’

Ling-Ma’s craft would be luxurious as the ship, the
Last Aesthetic
, which they’d taken from Rho Junction to Edo
station, though Thales could only recall the cabin Tekton had rented for them, having been too sick to venture out into the
ship.

He ran his fingers over the roughened texture of his cheek. The scars had finally healed thanks to the biozoon, but they would
never fade, and nor would his bitter memories of Lasper Farr. The hero of the Stain Wars was a terrifying and immoral man
who wielded too much power.

After they boarded Thales lay for a while in one of Ling-Ma’s guest cabins, but was roused by Farris what seemed to him almost
immediately after he’d fallen asleep.

‘Nope, it’s been hours,’ Fariss told him. ‘We’ll be docking at Scolar station soon.’

Thales stretched and sat up. ‘What have you been doing?’

‘Gettin’ acquainted with Janne and the Feohte.’ She grinned.

Fariss was happy. Things were happening. How could she ever be that way with him, living an ordinary life on Scolar? If they
succeeded in closing the shift sphere, that’s what she would face.

‘You know, when we shut the sphere you’ll be trapped here,’ he said.

Her smile faded. ‘Can’t say I like that idea much. But could be it’s the only way to stay alive. If so, then you’re gonna
have to keep me entertained.’

Her answer was light, but Thales saw the slight tightening of her jaw. Fariss was a free spirit, not a person to be tied to
one place. But their choices were limited. The Extros had seen to that.

‘I’ll do everything I can,’ he promised.

‘Make sure of it.’ She leaned over and kissed him deeply, stirring his desire.

He washed, then followed her out of the cabin to the low-lit lounge area. Janne and half the Feohte were there with Magdalen
and Linnea. All of them were watching a map in the centre of the room.

Linnea glanced across at them and pointed at the diagram. ‘This is the area around station Shift Command, where the res-shift
controls are. There’re two ways in – either through the front door, or by busting a hole through from the information node
which backs on to it. IN is the best option, in my opinion. Other than the technicians, there’s usually only a small entry
guard. Whereas Shift Command’s got a series of checkpoints.’

‘We’ve brought cutting tools,’ said Janne. ‘Are the walls titanium?’

The galley supervisor and former IN tech nodded. ‘Behind the actual node is steel. The outer walls are titanium.’

‘Ling-Ma will stay with her craft,’ said Magdalen. ‘Linnea will lead us to the IN.’

‘And then?’ asked Janne.

‘Then I call the tune,’ said Fariss.

Thales held his breath, waiting for objections. But no one spoke, not even Janne. Strangely, the Feohte leader seemed satisfied.
As they all did.

At some point in the short time they’d been together, an implicit agreement had been reached among the Swestr. Fariss knew
danger better than anyone.

‘We’re station side,’ said Jelly Hob. ‘C’n feel it.’

Balbao roused from his doze and sat up. He sensed nothing different to the previous days they’d spent in their prison. ‘How
can you tell?’

‘C’n hear it,’ said Hob.

The others joined them in paying attention. The old woman, Samuelle, nodded her head. ‘Yeah. You’re right. They haven’t vacced
us yet, Jeremiah. So now what?’

Balbao was wondering the same. Days had passed with no contact from Farr, or anyone save the guards. Ra had not returned,
which, though a relief in some ways, had made him speculate over what had befallen the arrogant Godhead. Was Ra assisting
Farr is some way? Or was he dead? Somehow, he felt it might be the former.

‘That would be Scolar res station?’ asked Lawmon Jise.

He and Miranda Seeward had spent much of the time over the last few days huddled together, whispering and petting. Their fellow
prisoners had tried ignoring them, but the pair seemed almost childishly unaware, or uncaring, of their exhibitionism.

‘Less Lasper decided something else, I’d say so,’ said Sammy. ‘You know, the Swestr are strong here,’ she added under her
breath to Jelly Hob.

Balbao wanted to ask her what Swestr were, but

Connit jumped up off his bunk and smacked the wall.

‘Why did he come here? It’s suicidal!’

Commander Farr’s son appeared to have inherited none of his father’s unnatural calm. In fact, Balbao was starting to fear
for the young ’esque’s sanity. In sleep, Connit had moaned and ground his teeth, and during waking moments he was singularly
withdrawn.

His dour mood infected them all, and they fell glumly silent in the wake of his statement.

Even later, when they ate together, conversation didn’t improve, and Balbao went to sleep feeling disconsolate and helpless.

He was woken by a hand across his mouth and a warning in his ear. ‘It’s Sammy. We wanna talk to you, nice and quiet now, over
at our bunk.’

Balbao fought his instinct to swing at the person who’d brought him abruptly from sleep, and nodded.

She took her hand away and disappeared back across the dark cell.

Balbao gave himself a few moments to wake before sitting up. Jise, Miranda and Connit all appeared to be asleep. He trod carefully
over to Sammy and Hob’s section of the prison cell.

Sammy reached out and pulled him down onto the bunk between them. The two old ’esques crowded uncomfortably close, their faces
almost touching his.

‘We’re thinkin’ they might come for you soon,’ she whispered. ‘We’re thinkin’ that Lasper weren’t out looking for his son
near Mintaka; he was wantin’ to find that Lostol fella.’

‘Ra?’ whispered back Balbao.

Hob took up the thread. ‘Yeah. See, Tekkie stole his future predictin’ device. We thinkin’ mebbe he wants Ra to build him
another one. That’s why we’re here.’

Balbao let Hob’s theory sink in. ‘Lasper wants to recreate the device here?’

‘Well, somethin’. Scolar station’s got an information node. Probably the only one left, now everyone else’s closed their spheres
or been wiped out,’ said Sammy. ‘Lasper’s no fool. He wouldn’t be riskin’ comin’ here for no good reason.’

Balbao waited, still not sure what they wanted.

‘We’re thinkin’ scientists like you might be thin on the ground on Scolar. We’re thinkin’ Lasper might need you, so you gettin’
out of here might be our only chance.’

‘Only chance to do what?’

‘To get rid of Lasper Farr. Consilience needs a new leader, someone who ain’t crazy. And she’s here, aboard this ship. Name’s
Bethany Ionil – Lasper’s sister. We want you to get a message to an ’esque named Petalu Mau. Tell him Sammy said, “Now’s the
time.” That’s all you gotta do.’

‘“Now’s the time”? What does that mean?’

‘That means Bethany’s supporters take over the ship; we get outta here and away from Scolar. You and the others go where you
want. That’s gotta be better than sitting in this cell waiting for the Extros to come.’

Balbao’s frill stiffened. A mutiny.

He’d been an academic for his entire adult life, but at the mention of a revolt his carefully constructed civility began to
peel away. He would die here soon if he didn’t grasp the opportunity. Though he had no way of knowing the full implications
of Sammy’s plan, or
even if what she sought would be better or worse for them all, he did know he had no wish to remain Lasper Farr’s prisoner.

‘How will I find this Petalu Mau?’

‘He’ll be with Lasper, bein’ his bodyguard. Big, wide teranu who likes to eat. Can’t mistake him. No one else looks like him.’

‘Farr’s bodyguard?’

‘Bethany’s as well. Beth treats him a lot better.’

‘But what about Farr’s soldiers?’

‘We been laying the groundwork for years. Won’t take more than a word and a show of strength; most of them will come over.
They ain’t loyal to Lasper. They just get paid.’

The idea of treachery made Balbao’s thick skin sting. Farr would be betrayed by his personal bodyguard and his own soldiers.
What did that say for these two old fiends? Should he trust them at all? ‘You think they’ll come for me?’

‘Mebbe. Mebbe not,’ said Hob. ‘Sure as hell they won’t come for us, ’cept to spit us into the black.’

‘What about the others? They all have their expertise. It might be one of them. Labile is a geneer.’

‘You said you was chief scientist?’

Balbao nodded.

Sammy gave a quiet, satisfied grunt. ‘He’ll need you.’

Trin watched the mercenary closely. Two, nearly three days had passed since one of the arrivals had stolen the AiV in which
they’d come. Randall had been fit to murder when she’d seen Rasterovich go, swearing all kinds of revenge.

Trin told Juno and Tivi to watch her too. He sensed her volatility and suspected that only the solemnity of the burial they
gave Cass Mulravey’s child kept her anger from spilling out. Respect for the dead. And the mother.

Mulravey herself seemed broken. Though she still fed and tended to Vito, the child Mira Fedor had left behind, her manner
was reflexive. Her physical body had become a shell that housed no spirit.

Trin almost missed the antagonist he’d become accustomed to fending off. Despite her disruptive manner, Mulravey had been
a clear and quick thinker, a person worthy of notice. Trin felt the need for good opinions.

Innis had disappeared again. His woman, Liesl, was feeding him, slipping extra food in her robe and stealing away in the darkness
to meet him. Trin thought to send Tivi and Juno after her, to bring Innis to account, but for now he needed them close by,
watching Randall and her man Catchut.

He didn’t think that the survivors could tolerate a
sentencing at this moment. The group had come so close to splitting. Only the arrival of the strangers had halted that, yet
still he felt it could happen at any time, with Innis hiding and Liesl agitating the others.

‘Principe, food is prepared,’ Djes called out to him.

Trin turned back from where he stood at the edge of their camp, staring at the bright objects in the night sky, and walked
back to the dinner circle.

Spirits were low; he saw it in the dispirited postures and lack of conversation. Randall and Catchut sat apart from the rest,
with Kristo.

Despite Djes’s catch of bass and squid, and the sweet paste that Tina Galiotto had made from berries and water, Trin felt
as despondent as the rest.

The arrival of the AiV had resurrected thoughts of rescue in all of them, and now its loss and the accidental death of Mulravey’s
boy deepened their collective misery. For the first time since they’d begun their flight through the Pablo tunnels, Trin had
nothing to give them. No hope. No direction.

He sat next to Djes and ate in silence. What would become of them? Would they gradually kill each other off with surprise
attacks, such as the one Innis had attempted? Or would they simply die of disease when their HealthWatch ran out? And what
about Djes? Did she prefer Joe Scali’s company to his?

The howling noise in the distance took some time to register in his consciousness, so deep was he in despair.