Foreigner - Explorer. Part 3

"I'm less sure that's a good idea. My presence is provocative. Distracting from the issue."

"To the good. I want you there. I want Banichi and Jago Banichi and Jago there." there."

Bren was dismayed. "A threat?"

"A reminder to us humans we need to settle this quickly and not bring our unguarded tempers to our atevi guests or, for that matter, to the Mospheirans. I want all I've got on my side, environment, plain environment, not verbal argument. Sabin absorbs facts. She doesn't listen to arguments worth a d.a.m.n. What she sees in a confrontation, that that impresses her. If she sees the two of them, she'll know the scale of it. She'll know there's no secrecy possible there. Period." impresses her. If she sees the two of them, she'll know the scale of it. She'll know there's no secrecy possible there. Period."

It was, in certain particulars, a fair a.s.sessment of the senior captain.

"So," Bren asked, "when do you want me?"

"Now."

"It's four in the morning. Enthusiasm for the truth aside, is she going to be happier being waked up in the middle of her night?"

"Sleep-cycle," Jase reminded him. "We have sleep-cycles. Only you planetary types have nights. You run a s.h.i.+p, you get odd hours. And her cycle's closing out pretty soon. A moderately urgent technical technical consultation. I think that's the way to put it... a step short of an operational emergency. That'll get her on deck. If I say I just want to talk theory at this hour she'll tell me go to h.e.l.l. And if I bother her in her duty hours she'll be on edge from the start and anxious to get back to schedule. consultation. I think that's the way to put it... a step short of an operational emergency. That'll get her on deck. If I say I just want to talk theory at this hour she'll tell me go to h.e.l.l. And if I bother her in her duty hours she'll be on edge from the start and anxious to get back to schedule. This This is an emergency." is an emergency."

"I'd at least offer tea," Bren said dryly.

"I don't think she'll stay for breakfast. Tea it is." Jase punched b.u.t.tons and sent away the schematic. The tape started over. Jase punched another b.u.t.ton, this one on his collar. "C1. Captain Sabin to my office at earliest convenience, technical consultation. Wake her."

"Yes, sir," the answer came from the desk unit.

That fast. He'd agreed. They were in it.

Chapter Two.

BANICHI-JI," BREN SAID under his breath, sitting in the office chair, and using the pocket com while there was still time, "please advise security everything's under control and proceeding well."

Advise the atevi establishment, that was, and under control under control was tolerably true. He sat in Jase's office waiting for Sabin to show up on a small hours of the morning, on a minor emergency call, waiting for all else that might fall out-and the second worst situation he could think of was that Cenedi might have waked the dowager to advise his ultimate authority what was going on upstairs. The second worst. The was tolerably true. He sat in Jase's office waiting for Sabin to show up on a small hours of the morning, on a minor emergency call, waiting for all else that might fall out-and the second worst situation he could think of was that Cenedi might have waked the dowager to advise his ultimate authority what was going on upstairs. The second worst. The very very worst thing he could think of, outside of a complete malfunction of the s.h.i.+p's engines, was the dowager deciding to come up here in person to have morning tea and reason with Sabin. worst thing he could think of, outside of a complete malfunction of the s.h.i.+p's engines, was the dowager deciding to come up here in person to have morning tea and reason with Sabin.

Tea was not a word of fortunate history, under those circ.u.mstances. was not a word of fortunate history, under those circ.u.mstances.

Kaplan, however, had indeed come into Jase's office just for that purpose, to make tea... a nominally Mospheiran herbal item, one of those light ma.s.s planetary amenities that the s.h.i.+p's crew had taken to as pa.s.sionately as they took to fruit sugar.

Polano and Banichi and Jago made a living wall of security outside... that sense of presence Jase deemed a very good idea.

Sabin had gotten the message from C1, and hadn't objected to Jase's office as the venue. She might, Bren thought, have breakable objects in her own.

It was a level of not-quite-critical summons that meant she could take a decent amount of time responding. She might might even stop for breakfast, if only to try Jase's patience, but they made strong tea, all the same. It was pus.h.i.+ng five hundred hours, not too far off first s.h.i.+ft's ordinary waking. even stop for breakfast, if only to try Jase's patience, but they made strong tea, all the same. It was pus.h.i.+ng five hundred hours, not too far off first s.h.i.+ft's ordinary waking.

Bren's pocket com beeped. So did Jase's desk unit.

She's here, was the general advis.e.m.e.nt. Heads up.

A few beats later the door opened and Sabin walked in. She was a thin, past-sixties woman with close-clipped gray hair, uniform sweater and uniform coat. She didn't walk into a room: she invaded it-gave an habitual scowl to their security, who folded in after her-their security, then her security, two men, Collins and Adams, intent on coming inside if the rest were bent on it.

Bren stood up, a courtesy. Jase poured a cup of tea and set it on his desk edge.

She didn't take it. She didn't sit down. "Nature of the emergency. I trust there is an emergency."

"A fairly major one," Jase said. "The tape, captain. The tape. And I'm not about to let Mr. Cameron go out of here seeing what he's seen without hearing your side of this."

"What in h.e.l.l have you done?" in h.e.l.l have you done?"

"Well, looked for answers, for a start." Jase's eyes could be perfectly innocent, on demand. "Unfortunately I've stirred up more questions than answers, but I have every confidence you had a reason for restricting the tape record. I'm equally confident that you were testing me to see if I could get it. I did. So I'm not sending our ally below with half the truth to work on. I'm certainly not having our allies wait until they get to the station to see what any eye can see-that Reunion was under an immaculate one g g rotation nine or so years ago, while we were docked and refueling, contrary to the image provided belowdecks; and certainly the crew will see it, and recall all too keenly that rotation nine or so years ago, while we were docked and refueling, contrary to the image provided belowdecks; and certainly the crew will see it, and recall all too keenly that isn't isn't what we all saw on our screens, so there's a whole other question. So I think we ought to talk about this, captain, and I'm sorry about waking you early to do it, but Mr. Cameron's knowledge of the situation-for which I take full responsibility-provides a certain urgency. Unhappily my watch falls during your sleep, and I apologize. Considering the hour, I at least made you some tea. My aides will provide whatever else you might want." what we all saw on our screens, so there's a whole other question. So I think we ought to talk about this, captain, and I'm sorry about waking you early to do it, but Mr. Cameron's knowledge of the situation-for which I take full responsibility-provides a certain urgency. Unhappily my watch falls during your sleep, and I apologize. Considering the hour, I at least made you some tea. My aides will provide whatever else you might want."

Dead silence. Sabin was fully capable of wis.h.i.+ng them in h.e.l.l and walking out, all questions hanging.

She didn't. "So you got into the log."

"It took some work, captain. I trust you knew I'd do that. I took it rather as one of the many tests of competency you've set me. I did it. Now Mr. Cameron's seen it. So has his guard."

They'd provided a chair for Sabin in the scant room there was left. She turned it on its track, took the tea from Kaplan, and sat down.

Bren sat, having been prepared to intervene, glad he hadn't had to. But the crisis wasn't past. Sabin often operated on a delayed fuse.

She had a sip of tea-she took it dark, strong, and unmitigated, ignoring the condiments, ignoring the hazards of one past poisoning.

"So?" she said to Jase, likewise ignoring the crowd of security and the sure knowledge the atevi representative was wired.

"I've a lingering few critical questions," Jase said. "I can certainly understand why you didn't release this to the crew at large. Captain Ramirez faked the monitor output, and he did it before he ever had clear contact with the survivors. Am I right?"

Sabin sipped her tea and didn't say a thing.

"When crew finds out," Jase said, "if they find out when they're in a good mood-that's one thing. If things aren't going well when they find out, I ask myself, what else are they going to doubt?"

Sabin shrugged. "You have all the answers. You've made the decision to view this with Mr. Cameron. I'm listening to your reasoning."

"Excuse me, captain," Bren said. "Our section is disconnected from these events and capable of discretion, if that's the ruling here."

"I'm sure you're capable of a good many things," Sabin said, "including seeking your own advantage. I take it the dowager now knows, too."

"If it isn't the case, I'm sure it will be as soon as she wakes. At least her staff knows. So does mine."

"Marvelous," Sabin said dryly, swallowed the tea and held out her cup to Jase. "Another cup."

"Yes, ma'am," Jase said moderately, without a ruffle, and handed it to Kaplan to fill, which menial task Kaplan did with dispatch. "And in the reasonable a.s.sumption," Jase said, "like other matters you've left me to find for myself, that this tape and the technical way into the log was a matter of my education in command, for which I'm grateful, I certainly learned a great deal more about s.h.i.+p's operations than I expected, as you you knew I'd learn, I'm sure, all to the good. So I doubt you're entirely surprised that this tape Mr. Cameron suggested was important at the start of the voyage remained an issue with me. I did note you never cautioned me against finding it-and considering my peculiar position in this office, I've also spent some time wondering about reasons you may have had for remaining the perpetual dissenting vote on the Captains' Council. Voting on principle, I take it. Possibly opposed to my very existence." knew I'd learn, I'm sure, all to the good. So I doubt you're entirely surprised that this tape Mr. Cameron suggested was important at the start of the voyage remained an issue with me. I did note you never cautioned me against finding it-and considering my peculiar position in this office, I've also spent some time wondering about reasons you may have had for remaining the perpetual dissenting vote on the Captains' Council. Voting on principle, I take it. Possibly opposed to my very existence."

"Go on." Sabin took the second cup from Kaplan's hand. "This is actually interesting."

"As to why I brought Mr. Cameron in on the matter, it's precisely the consideration of a foreign state of mind that we on Phoenix Phoenix don't quite understand. The very thing my education prepared me to deal with. You sent me down to the planet..." don't quite understand. The very thing my education prepared me to deal with. You sent me down to the planet..."

"Correction. Stani Stani sent you down to the planet." Ramirez, that meant. sent you down to the planet." Ramirez, that meant.

"With your dissenting vote, granted. As, very likely, when Ramirez proposed to get into the gene banks to create me and Yolanda in the first place, you weren't highly pleased. But all that aside, the captains voted, and I exist. It was the s.h.i.+p's executive that sent me down to the atevi world, unprepared as I turned out to be-but having at least the basics of an understanding what I was up against-what Yolanda and I were up against. Then Mr. Cameron took me in hand and shook new considerations into me. Set me out on an ocean and let me contemplate a whole wealth of new input."

"This is far less interesting."

"Like everything not bounded by this hull. I'm aware that's your view, captain. It's not your job. But I a.s.sure you it's mine, to understand things external. And that's my use to you. I was born to acquire a certain expertise-enough, in my executive capacity, now, to know what Mr. Cameron's knowledge is worth, and enough to consult him when the executive of this s.h.i.+p is as entangled as it is in Guild deceptions, and burdened as it is with past decisions, and sitting on an ocean of information far deeper than we may think it is."

"Meaning you brought him in here hoping his presence will moderate my response to what you've done."

"Meaning, captain, I recommend hearing his input where it regards diplomacy, including internal diplomacy, particularly that of our allies, whose reaction is not to be taken for granted-and I suggest we listen to him particularly carefully, because if a first viewing of this tape touched off his ground-born suspicions, it's certainly touched off mine on certain major topics-such as whether Captain Ramirez deceived the rest of the executive or only half of it; or whether Pratap Tamun was specifically after this tape when he staged his mutiny; or whether this crew should worry about the integrity of command; or whether Mr. Jenrette, whom you s.n.a.t.c.hed fairly precipitately out of my security team once this tape turned out to be an issue, is going to be available to me to fill in where this tape stops. And as to why Captain Ramirez ordered me born twenty years ahead of the mission I ended up being uniquely suited to perform, I don't believe in coincidence. He knew something. He intended something. You've spent twenty years of my life voting no on every single issue I've been involved in, and probably before that. So I'm asking if you had good reason to vote that way."

"Good reason." Sabin seemed surprised, even amused, somewhere in the outrage. "And we're to discuss these delicate situations with Mr. Cameron present and his security wired to the hilt. Do you intend to provide a translation to your staff, Mr. Cameron?"

"If you ask my discretion, again, my particular interests involve the dowager's safety and the mission's success. We won't jeopardize this s.h.i.+p. Personal issues between members of the s.h.i.+p's executive are likely outside our concern or interest. But serious questions are posed here, captain, and the tape is disturbing. I'd suggest even at your level you suspect Captain Ramirez didn't didn't tell you half what was going on, and that what happened at Reunion on your last visit didn't involve unanimous decisions of the executive of this s.h.i.+p." tell you half what was going on, and that what happened at Reunion on your last visit didn't involve unanimous decisions of the executive of this s.h.i.+p."

He hadn't put that the most straightforwardly possible. He'd backed around the issue and given Sabin the broadest possible avenue to maneuver. And Sabin took a moment, thinking.

"Not bad, this tea tea."

"A planetary gift," Jase murmured.

"Addictive," Sabin said.

"An easy habit to form, at least."

"Like a h.e.l.l of a lot else that's insinuated itself aboard! Hype up on sugar, calm down with tea, never ask what it does to the body. Poison's Poison's at least decently evident in the aftermath." at least decently evident in the aftermath."

Sabin rarely brought up the unfortunate dinner party.

"This isn't isn't poison, is it?" poison, is it?"

"No, ma'am," Jase said. "This is my personal store. And lest we ever forget, you're in command of the s.h.i.+p getting there and getting home again, while I'm not remotely confident I could do that. So I'm extremely determined you should survive in good health."

"Home," Sabin observed. In fact it was was a curious word for a curious word for Phoenix Phoenix crew to use about any destination besides the s.h.i.+p itself. crew to use about any destination besides the s.h.i.+p itself.

"Yes, ma'am," Jase said. "Home to the atevi world. After which I'll resign this post and leave your command unquestioned and forever untroubled by my existence." to the atevi world. After which I'll resign this post and leave your command unquestioned and forever untroubled by my existence."

Sabin's gaze strayed up past Jase's shoulder, to the barren shelves, the single framed photo, the fis.h.i.+ng trip.

Snapped back, and hooded in speculation. "A captain of this s.h.i.+p wants to live on a ball of rock."

"I'm Ramirez's appointee," Jase said. "An interim solution to a specific problem, in no wise approaching your expertise or your talent, I've no question."

"Yet you get into the s.h.i.+p's log and distribute information on your own authority."

"I do specifically what I was trained to do, senior captain, which is to figure whether smart people are saying what they think they're saying when the words reach somebody not on their wavelength."

"You're determined you'll never lack employment."

"And I hope I'm useful, captain. Question: Tamun got into the captaincy and immediately mutinied, and died. Was it all about this tape?"

"Why would you suppose that Pratap Tamun has anything to do with this tape?"

"He was bridge crew. And how many of the crew that watch were sworn to secrecy, and how many of them had to hold onto suspicions for years, watching the executive lie to their cousins and mothers?"

"Lie?"

"Lie, captain. It's clear the images fed throughout the s.h.i.+p-maybe even to the bridge-were a lie. And the common crew is going to find out, now or later, a.s.suming there's anyone alive on Reunion Station."

"Make it later. Once the mission's succeeded they won't care. If they find out before-it certainly won't serve this s.h.i.+p."

"On the whole, I've reached the same conclusion."

"Oh, I'm gratified."

"But if we can tell at a glance that that station's alive, so could anybody else coming here over the last nine years, and if someone has come calling, and if they're the same hostile aliens, the station won't have fooled them by playing dead and using spinner chambers way inside, which somehow some of us were left to a.s.sume. As good as put up signs saying we're here we're here. Let me pose you this, captain: let's a.s.sume-let's outright a.s.sume a.s.sume we're going to get there and find the station in ruins. Let's a.s.sume worse than that. Let's a.s.sume we're going to get there and discover humans don't own it any more. What's left for us? We should have told the crew the truth back at dock. If we don't tell them now and they get there and find trouble, where are we going to start telling the truth?" we're going to get there and find the station in ruins. Let's a.s.sume worse than that. Let's a.s.sume we're going to get there and discover humans don't own it any more. What's left for us? We should have told the crew the truth back at dock. If we don't tell them now and they get there and find trouble, where are we going to start telling the truth?"

"And I'm saying if that happens, crew's going to be too busy for questions. Stow this information and don't make trouble."

"What did did you see when you were there last? What was Ramirez poking about in when the s.h.i.+p tucked tail and ran back to Reunion in the first place?" you see when you were there last? What was Ramirez poking about in when the s.h.i.+p tucked tail and ran back to Reunion in the first place?"

"Stop at the first problem. Other operations aren't in your capacity."

"Why did Tamun finally turn on you, captain? And while you're at it-why was I ever born?"

"Both deeper questions than you ever want the answer to."

"Ramirez meant to double-cross the Guild years ago. Didn't he?"

"He had a lot of crazy notions."

"And you voted no every time."

"We have witnesses, Captain Graham. Maybe this is best said between us."

"Maybe it's not. Maybe at this point I'm done with secrets and having him here will save me the trouble of explaining it all. So treat him as family. Why? What were you voting against? Why were you always opposed to me?"

"Your ignorance isn't enough?"

"You can't provoke me out of asking the question, Captain. Why do I exist?"

"What's your guess?"

"That Ramirez had a private notion of a colony of his own, one that the Guild might not find out about until it was too late."

Sabin didn't respond at once. She sipped cooling tea and set the cup down. "Well, you're smarter than I thought."

"It doesn't tell me an answer, what he wanted."