Foreigner - Explorer. Part 20

"They want us away away from it. That's not encouraging." from it. That's not encouraging."

"The fuss is," Jase said. And held a little silence with a glance across the bridge at Sabin, who wasn't looking at them. He gave a hand-sign, the sort that Banichi's and Jago's Guild exchanged on mission. It was a warning. "Angry," he said in Ragi. "Overdue for rest. I lack the skill to bring us in, and I lack the rank to argue with the Guild. Which she is doing."

That was good news. "I need your advice in what's coming. I need you sane and rested. Is there any reason you can't go off-duty and take an hour?"

"She won't. I won't."

"What are we? Kids in a schoolyard, egging each other on? Take a break, Jase. If she won't use common sense, at least you'll be sane."

Jase shook his head. "She's pus.h.i.+ng herself. She won't trust me to handle the smallest things. And if I want her to pay attention to my advice over the next handful of hours, I can't fold, now, can I?" They were old friends, and there was adamancy, but not anger, in the argument. "And matters are too critical right now to worry about my state of mind or the fact my back's killing me. We're dealing with the Guild. You want non-reason in high places? We're dealing with it."

"What do you read in them?"

"I'm not the expert."

"In s.h.i.+p-culture, in Guild mentality-you very much are." He changed to Ragi. "Your professional opinion, s.h.i.+p-paidhi."

Rapid blinks-total change of mental wiring. Moment of mental blackout. Then, in Ragi: "Understandable. They disapprove Sabin-aiji's defiance of their authority. They refuse talk until we get into dock."

"Then?"

"Then-they and we will be in closer contact."

"They intend to board."

"A question whether Sabin will permit that, nadi-ji. But perhaps."

It was not not good. He began to read the psychology of it through an atevi lens, and pulled his mind away from thoughts of a.s.sociation, good. He began to read the psychology of it through an atevi lens, and pulled his mind away from thoughts of a.s.sociation, ais.h.i.+ ais.h.i.+ and and man'chi man'chi, the social ent.i.ty and the emotion-which, after all this voyage, began to seem logical even on human terms. Two metal motes with humans inside wanted wanted to come together. Like magnetism. Like to come together. Like magnetism. Like man'chi man'chi. But once they met- Human politics were inside those sh.e.l.ls. Not just two metal sh.e.l.ls. Two grenades gravitating toward each other.

"Do they trust her her at all?" he asked-meaning Sabin. at all?" he asked-meaning Sabin.

"One doubts," Jase said, and added, in s.h.i.+p-speak: "She's just ordered an outside operations team to suit up immediately after we dock."

"Boarding the station?" They'd have to turn out the whole crew to take something as large as that-and still might be outnumbered.

"To have our hands at the refueling port."

"That's not standard operating procedure, is it?" Of fueling stations in the vast cosmos, there were only two he knew. And one, Alpha, ran operations from a stationside control center.

"It's not. I know that much. The captain's preparing to have us do it ourselves, from outside. I don't know what she's going to say to them. Being Sabin, she may not say a thing. She may just do it."

Aliens waiting in the wings and the captain outright preparing to commandeer a fuel supply from the people they'd come to rescue, who at the moment weren't cooperating-at least their officials weren't. He'd thought his heart had had all the panic it could stand in the last few hours. He discovered a brand new source.

"And we haven't gotten word from them yet that there is fuel." That was the prime question at issue, and Jase slowly shook his head.

"They're not talking about that and we're not asking. If they can't fuel us, we have a choice to make."

"If we run," he said, "there's every chance that s.h.i.+p out there can track us out to Gamma and hit us there. Isn't there?"

"So I understand. Starring down a gun barrel while we sc.r.a.pe what we need together out of s.p.a.ce isn't attractive."

"We can get the alien remains out of the station and negotiate. I don't don't recommend running. We have a reasonable chance so long as we seem to be cooperating with that s.h.i.+p out there." recommend running. We have a reasonable chance so long as we seem to be cooperating with that s.h.i.+p out there."

"That's your advice."

"To keep all sides talking while we spend the next few years gathering fuel. Running's only going to make matters worse. We'll have none of the pa.s.sengers we came here to get, we won't have destroyed the Archive, and we still won't have any fuel."

"I'd tend to agree with you."

"Most of all-most of all we have to get some sort of calm."

"Calm." Jase's laugh held stress, not humor.

"Whatever situation has existed here for six years has been destabilized by our arrival. And we don't know what's gone on here. We have to ratchet down the stress on this situation. And she-" Meaning Sabin. "-has to be reasonable, right along with the Guild. First and foremost, we have to show good faith with that s.h.i.+p out there. That's a priority, even ahead of the fuel, toward getting us out of here and keeping the Archive to ourselves, with all that means. Hang Hang the fuel situation. We can solve that with Gin's robots." the fuel situation. We can solve that with Gin's robots."

"Over years."

"Over years and I'd rather not. But that s.h.i.+p out there represents a more critical situation. We get locked into a push-pull with the Guild and we can lose sight of what's going on at our backs."

"We have guns."

"We have guns, they have guns-we also have a potential chance to settle settle this mess before it comes home with us, Jase." this mess before it comes home with us, Jase."

"I agree with you," Jase said, leaving hanging in the air the implication that the other captain was at issue. "And I'm asking you, Bren, stay up here. Be cooperative with her, whatever it takes. The situation needs you agree with you," Jase said, leaving hanging in the air the implication that the other captain was at issue. "And I'm asking you, Bren, stay up here. Be cooperative with her, whatever it takes. The situation needs you and and the dowager with your wits about you, and it needs us all with as much manuevering room as we can maintain with Sabin, if we're going to have to negotiate our way out of this. She's not a diplomat. You've given her information. the dowager with your wits about you, and it needs us all with as much manuevering room as we can maintain with Sabin, if we're going to have to negotiate our way out of this. She's not a diplomat. You've given her information. Don't Don't a.s.sume she'll use it diplomatically." a.s.sume she'll use it diplomatically."

"I'd better talk with her," he said, "before we go much closer."

"She's several hours less rested." Jase gave him that look. A plea for extreme caution.

"We have the chance now," he said. "It's only going to be less sleep if this goes on."

Jase said nothing to that, and he walked on down the aisle, quietly intercepting Sabin, delicately as if he were picking up a live bomb. "Captain. A moment, if you can spare it."

"We don't have many moments, Mr. Cameron."

"In private, captain, if you will. I have something to communicate."

She grudgingly yielded, as far as the end of the console, where the general noise of fans overcame the small noise of low voices. She hadn't cut off her communications pickup. But if one talked to her, as to him, discreet security personnel were inevitably involved.

"I take it," she said, "we're about to receive a personal confidence from the dowager."

"A message from me, captain. A further offer-with the Guild. I am am a negotiator, if the Guild turns recalcitrant. I'm offering, in all good will-so you know your hands aren't empty. For a start-in spite of my distaste for secrets-I don't advise spilling everything the aliens out there said, if there's any likelihood they didn't overhear it." a negotiator, if the Guild turns recalcitrant. I'm offering, in all good will-so you know your hands aren't empty. For a start-in spite of my distaste for secrets-I don't advise spilling everything the aliens out there said, if there's any likelihood they didn't overhear it."

"They're asking. Likely they didn't get it."

"That's to the good. Second point: never mind Gamma. Get in control of whatever alien material the station's holding. That's critical. We can solve a fuel problem. But if they're not put off our trail, we're in deep trouble."

"Oh, I am so gratified to have that advice, Mr. Cameron."

"Fuel be d.a.m.ned, captain."

"I don't recall you got a confirmation from that s.h.i.+p out there that we can can leave if we jump to their orders." leave if we jump to their orders."

"I can't swear to their customs, their att.i.tude, or their morality. But I know ours. If there's a way not to lead them back to Alpha, that's that's a priority. It's common sense, captain." a priority. It's common sense, captain."

Sabin's mouth tightened. "Priority is options options, Mr. Cameron. Yours is one on a list. Fuel, pa.s.sengers, then then their little errand." their little errand."

"Station's not cooperating with you."

"Tell the second captain keep his advice. I've heard it. Trust me that I've heard it."

"Captain, it's cooperation cooperation I'm offering. To convey I'm offering. To convey your your viewpoint to station. To get what you want." viewpoint to station. To get what you want."

Sabin gave a short, grim laugh. "You say. You know the dowager's a b.a.s.t.a.r.d. So am I. And so, in your sweet, stubborn way, are you, Mr. Cameron. Tell the second captain I'm fine fine, and I can deal with the Guild. Now go shut the h.e.l.l up and leave me to my job."

He'd walked into this trying to get ahead of the situation. Numb as he was and remote from full-tilt feeling, his brain uneasily advised him the paidhi was not truly functioning at his utmost, either. And he didn't know what he'd accomplished. Sabin took advice without telling the advisor she was taking it. And one never knew what she'd do.

"What did she say?" Jase asked, in Ragi, when he drew back into range of him and Banichi and Jago.

"She is at least maintaining our secrets from the station," Bren said in Ragi. "She refuses to accept the alien mission ahead of our own. And hopes, one believes, that there might be fuel. If the station had any time at all to prepare itself before this second incident, they ought to have thought, if Phoenix Phoenix comes back, fuel is essential to our own safety. Therefore it would be very highest priority. Would it not be, Jase-aiji?" comes back, fuel is essential to our own safety. Therefore it would be very highest priority. Would it not be, Jase-aiji?"

"One certainly hopes," Jase said. Meanwhile the image forward was a rotating, damaged station.

Sabin paused by C1 and gave an order. And spoke on general address.

"Sabin here. This is the situation: we have contact with the station and we're on track for our high berth, contrary to their instructions. I've ordered a team to suit and connect the fuel probe from the outside. Communications with the station have been limited: considering we're not alone here, that's understandable. But due to numerous unanswered questions, these are my orders. We'll refuel as a priority, and if station has other ideas, we'll hear them afterward. You'll have a ten minute break coming up as soon as I sign off. Do what you need to do and get back to a secure bunk. Second watch crew will maintain current a.s.signment. Third watch will take station after docking."

d.a.m.n, Bren thought. She wasn't letting Jase's crew take station. She was driving her own past a due change. Had driven herself for hours.

"We don't know the situation on the station," Sabin said. "And so long as we don't know, we don't let our guard down. Keep on alert. This isn't a time for any celebration, and n.o.body n.o.body will attempt to contact station communications. Evasive action remains a moment by moment possibility. I'm giving you a ten-minute break off strict precautions, but as you value your necks and the necks of those around you, don't get sloppy will attempt to contact station communications. Evasive action remains a moment by moment possibility. I'm giving you a ten-minute break off strict precautions, but as you value your necks and the necks of those around you, don't get sloppy.

"Ten minutes. Starting now. No excuses."

"I need to translate that for my staff," Bren said to Jase, and relayed the information in Ragi, above and below decks, that they might move about for a very few moments.

Banichi and Jago had stood by quietly the last while, translating occasionally on their own, always there. That was a relief to him, too, as if, while they were not by him, even by the width of the bridge while he was talking to Sabin, he had been somehow stretched thin. Now that they were close, all of him was there... curious notion for a Mospheiran lad to get into, but that was the way his nerves read it.

Bridge crew, half a dozen at a time, took the chance for a break, a mad rush for the available facilities. Those first absent returned, and gave immediate attention to business while partners made the same rush.

Sabin herself took a small break: "You're in charge," she told Jase in pa.s.sing. "Don't start a war. Evade if there's a twitch out there. Nav knows."

"Thank you, captain," Jase said quietly. Jase changed none of her orders, did nothing but walk the aisles on Sabin's routine. When Sabin got back, he simply made a small salute, continued his own patrol and said not a word.

She did approach, however, and talked with him somberly in low tones that failed to reach Bren's ears. She'd trusted him, however briefly. Jase hadn't failed her.

The dowager and Cajeiri, meanwhile, took advantage of the moment to come out, with Gin and the rest, and, unopposed, resumed their seats along the bulkhead. Cajeiri was wide-eyed and watching, the dowager grim, while Gin-Gin watched everything that moved. Neither captain seemed to note their arrival, but Bren waited, a.s.sured both captains had very well noted it, expecting that if Sabin had had any comment, Jase would soon wander by.

Jase did.

"When we go in," Jase said with a little bow, "we're going to maintain rotation. It's a power drain, operating like that, and it means we don't grapple-we tether. Senior captain's ordering it to make life more comfortable here. The tether dock means more security for us. That's a cold, uncomfortable pa.s.sage that only takes two at a time. It's a deliberate bottleneck. It doesn't doesn't accommodate boarders." accommodate boarders."

"She's not letting crew off."

"No. No way. Crew's not going to get communication with the station."

"Prudent."

"Also significant-maintaining position on tether gives us the excuse to keep our systems hot."

"So we can move at the drop of a hat."

"If a hat should for some reason drop," Jase said. "Yes."

"But in that state-we can't board pa.s.sengers."

"Not rapidly," Jase said. "We can easily hard-dock from that position, for general boarding. But the thing that may be most important, soft-dock slows down the rush to the s.h.i.+p. She wants our fuel load. Her priorities. And it's sensible. We don't want to depopulate the station all in a panic."

Any Mospheiran knew what had happened to the station at the atevi star, once the inhabitants had decided their futures lay elsewhere, on the planet. They'd deserted for the planet below, a trickle at first, then a cascading chain of desertions and station services going down, until the last few to leave the station had just mothballed it as far as they could and turned out the lights.

"G.o.d," Jase said then, while input pinged and blipped at the consoles, "I hope this whole business goes fast."

"Fis.h.i.+ng trip's still an offer," Bren said, deliberate distraction-but that offer seemed to strike Jase as more unreadably alien than the communication out there in the dark. A different world, that of the atevi. A different mindset, that required a quick, deep breath. But it offered stability.

"If I survive this," Jase said shakily, "I swear I'm going for Yolanda's job. Frequent runs down to the planet. Court appearances. Estate on the coast. Right next to yours."

"I'll back you. Big yacht, while we're at it. We'll go take a close-up look at the Southern Sea."

"I'll settle for a rowboat," Jase said in a low voice. "A sandy beach and a rowboat."

While the numbers went on scrolling on the screens.

"Don't let your guard down," Jase said suddenly. "Keep ready for takehold."

Chapter Nine.

NO TOUCH. A GENTLE SHOCK a little after the takehold ran out: alarming, to people who'd just given up their handholds. "That was the tether line," Jase said, and Bren translated for the dowager and party.

They sat and stood, atevi and humans, on that division between corridor and bridge, meticulously out of the way, and watching.

Jase stood next to the lot of them, buffer, translator, rea.s.surance.

"We have fired a tether line toward the station mast, nandi," Jase said to the dowager in Ragi. "This is to stabilize connections for essential lines. The s.h.i.+p's computers will keep us positioned relative to the station by small adjustments, which we will feel occasionally while docked, none of which should require a handhold. That tether line will keep the fueling probe and communications lines in good order, as well as carrying information within itself, now that it has contacted the reciprocal port on the station."