Trickster. Part 10

"Merge the list with the contract and send the whole thing back."

Lucia prepared the new contract--there was no indication anywhere on the original that Silent Acquisitions even considered counter-offers--and sent it. It came back a few moments later with the message, "Final terms accepted. You may dock at loading bay XC-14539-MAL. All appropriate charges apply."

"We're set, Father."

"Then find the bay and let's dock."

Lucia punched up course information and laid it in. Before her, the viewscreen showed a view of the station itself. The sight was disconcerting, even though Lucia had visited the place twice before. SA Station orbited a star, not a planet, and as a result there was nothing nearby to give the station real scale. Part of the problem lay in its irregular shape. Like many stations, SA Station was a hodge-podge of parts and pieces. Bits had been stuck on as required over time, and Silent Acquisitions had been in business for a long time indeed. The station's volume easily matched that of a pair of good-sized moons, or even a tiny planet. It turned slowly in its...o...b..t, a clunky, uneven lattice designed by a drunken spider. Between the uneven shape and the lack of orbital bodies in the immediate area, Lucia wanted to see the station as toy-sized. And then a tiny, tiny grain of sand would skitter across in front of it, and Lucia would realize it was a cargo vessel big enough to transport an entire pod of Bellerophon dinosaurs. It was like watching a picture of a young woman turn into an old hag and back again. The whole thing made her seasick, so she dropped her eyes to the instrument panel and concentrated on following course and flying the s.h.i.+p.

Conversation died away, and a strained silence filled the bridge. Lucia heard a faint tapping--Father Kendi drumming his fingers against the arm of his chair. Eagerness and tension radiated off him, and Lucia suppressed an urge to give him advice about the serenity of Irfan. It wouldn't be her place. Instead, Lucia tried to hurry without compromising s.h.i.+p safety.

Despite long hours spent in meditation and weeks of constant exposure to him, Lucia's awe of Father Kendi Weaver hadn't lessened. Every time she saw him, she couldn't help but remember that he had been instrumental in saving the entire universe. It was he who had held back Padric Sufur's malformed children in the Dream, kept them at bay long enough for Vidya and Prasad Vajhur to put their twisted solid-world bodies into cryo-sleep and end the Despair. True, there were other heroes of the Despair. Ben Rymar had saved Kendi's life and thereby allowed Kendi to save the Dream. Sejal Dasa, son of Vidya and Prasad, had fought Sufur's children to a standstill. But Ben was so una.s.suming, and Lucia had never met Sejal or Vidya and Prasad. Kendi, however, was something else entirely. He looked looked like a hero--tall and handsome and confident, giving his commands in a firm, clear voice. like a hero--tall and handsome and confident, giving his commands in a firm, clear voice.

Did she have a crush on him?

No. Most definitely not. That wouldn't be her place, either.

A slight thump thump reverberated through the bridge and an indicator light on Lucia's board flashed. "Docking complete, Father," she reported. reverberated through the bridge and an indicator light on Lucia's board flashed. "Docking complete, Father," she reported.

"Great. I'll get started on the forms--oh joy--and the rest of you can stretch your legs until we get clearance to disembark. After the customs team leaves, I'll want everyone in the galley for a briefing. Got it?"

"I'll spread the word, Chief," Gretchen said, rising and heading for the door.

Lucia stretched with a popping of joints. Every part in her body felt stiff and achy after hours of piloting. She nodded to Father Kendi, who was already muttering to the forms on his data pad, and left the bridge. Apparently even heroes couldn't escape paperwork.

Lucia's ocular implant flashed the time across her retina. She had five minutes to make it to her quarters before daily ritual. A hurried descent in the lift, a light jog down another corridor, and she was entering her own rooms.

As the newest member of the crew, Lucia rated the smallest quarters on the s.h.i.+p. Living room barely big enough to turn around in, bedroom not much wider than her single bunk, efficiency bathroom, no kitchen. Lucia didn't really mind. The place did have a decent-sized window. At the moment, the view was currently black, star-strewn s.p.a.ce. Every so often a point of light crept across the void--a s.h.i.+p or a shuttle. Flat pictures and full holograms covered every inch of wall s.p.a.ce. People smiled, waved, made faces, or struck silly poses, and all of them bore similar features. Lucia had six brothers and sisters, a dozen aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews galore, and cousins beyond counting. She smiled fondly at a photo of her parents taken not long after their marriage. They were sitting on a porch swing holding hands. She would have to write them a letter soon, see if Ben would be willing to relay it to Bellerophon through the Dream. There was so much to tell them, though she knew Dad would be a little unnerved when he heard how close she and the others had come to getting caught while rescuing Bedj-ka. She could almost hear his voice, unsettled but touched with pride all the same: "You're just a little kid! My baby girl! You're going to give your poor old dad a heart attack one of these days with these adventures of yours!"

An alarm chimed softly and Lucia shook herself. It was time. Two steps took Lucia to the tiny altar set just below the window. On it stood a small statue of Irfan Qasad carved from smooth white marble. Her features bore a peaceful serenity that calmed Lucia whenever she saw them. In the statue's left hand was a scroll, symbol of communication. The statue's right hand was raised in a gesture of beckoning. Leaves and ivy were etched into her clothing, and a double-helix strand of DNA wound around her upraised arm. At the statue's feet sat a small gold platter and three squat candles. Lucia picked up a striker and lit the first candle.

"Great Lady, let the winds and the oceans, the nights and days, the Dream and the world, be all sweet to us." She lit the second candle. "Wondrous Mother, let us follow the path of your goodness for always, like the stars and planets moving in the sky. " She lit the third candle. "Guide and G.o.ddess, let us know and appreciate the points of view of others. You who are the wise and benevolent lady of speech, shower your blessings on us that we may continue your work."

Lucia took up a stick of incense and lit it from one of the candles. The soft, sweet smoke stole over her, and she felt her muscles relax under the familiar ritual, one she had been performing since childhood. She pressed the base of the statue, and a quiet music filled the room like gentle bells. When the song faded, it seemed to Lucia that a quiet, benign presence filled the room and her heart. Lucia breathed a greeting.

"Welcome, Great Mother, and hear my prayer," she murmured. "Thank you for returning Bedj-ka to Harenn and for granting her the happiness she deserves. Let us find Father Kendi's brother and sister. Let them remain safe and whole until we can bring them to the safety of your bosom. Keep my family safe and well. Let Narmi's pregnancy go well and touch her child with your blessings. Distract the evil Vik and keep him from tainting our lives with his foul presence."

Lucia paused and took a deep breath, trying to remain calm while saying difficult words. Her throat threatened to close anyway. "And please, Great Lady, do not withdraw the blessing of Silence from your people. Do not allow your servants to scatter like the wind. The Children of Irfan do great good in the universe, and it would be wrong to let them fade away. I beg you, Kind One, to grant my Silent brethren entry into the Dream once again. I give thanks for your blessings and pray for your wisdom. Your will be in all."

She waited a moment, inhaling sweet smoke and mumming a soft chant. Irfan would not let her children die away. She was good and kind, a force for order and justice. Lucia simply had to have faith everything would work out. There was nothing else she could do. Several long breaths later, Irfan's peace and serenity settled over Lucia like a well-worn blanket. She sighed heavily. Everything would be fine, as long as she kept her faith.

Lucia picked up a small silver snuffer, put out the candles, and doused the incense. A few moments later she was down in the galley rummaging through the cabinets and refrigerator for sandwich fixings. She had already set an enormous pot of coffee on to brew, and the rich smell quickly permeated the room. Lucia's scarred hands laid out new loaves of brioche, thin-sliced ham, hard salami, crunchy water cress, sweet peppers, spicy benyai benyai leaves, cheddar cheese, and an a.s.sortment of sauces ranging from milky-mild to tongue-blisteringly sharp. The Children of Irfan might be a monastic order, but the monks didn't practice asceticism in food or in living arrangements. The Pathway Church of Irfan didn't require it, either, and for this Lucia was grateful. leaves, cheddar cheese, and an a.s.sortment of sauces ranging from milky-mild to tongue-blisteringly sharp. The Children of Irfan might be a monastic order, but the monks didn't practice asceticism in food or in living arrangements. The Pathway Church of Irfan didn't require it, either, and for this Lucia was grateful.

"At it again, I see," came Ben Rymar's gentle voice from the galley door. Lucia turned to face him.

"As Irfan so perfectly put it," she replied with a smile, " 'If I don't, who will?' "

"Definitely not me." Ben leaned casually against the doorframe. "Cooking is the anti-Irfan, as far as I'm concerned."

Lucia shook her head. "It's fun fun, you heathen."

"I'm glad someone thinks so," Ben said. "Mom didn't cook, either, and sometimes I think Kendi would be happy eating grubs torn from a rotten log. Ever since you joined the crew, we've been eating high off the hog."

"Thank you, kind sir," Lucia said, pretending to simper. "Just send Harenn the finder's fee for bringing me here."

Ben pulled up a chair and sat facing Lucia over the back. Lucia finished slicing bread, then dealt the round pieces out on the counter like cards and began piling generous portions of sandwich fixings on them. She felt comfortable with Ben in the galley, as if one of her brothers were stopping in for a visit.

"You and Harenn are pretty good friends," Ben observed. "How did you two ever hook up, anyway? I never heard."

Lucia picked up a bowl of sauce and a plastic spreader. "You know that I'm a licensed private investigator, right?" When Ben nodded, she went on. "Harenn hired me to look for Bedj-ka because I'm also a pilot and could more easily check out other planets. I wasn't able to find him, obviously, but Harenn and I got along really well. We'd both been jilted by our husbands, so we already had something in common."

"You used to be married?" Ben said. "I didn't know that."

"I was very young and it didn't last long," Lucia said. "One day Jax up and ran off. No reason, no explanation, nothing. Just divorce papers served from a distance. Later I found out Jax had been sleeping with some bimbina even before he and I got engaged." She thwacked an onion in half. "Men are pigs."

"Oink."

Lucia laughed. "Sorry. Sometimes I forget that you're a . . . I mean . . . oh, dear."

"Right."

"Anyway," Lucia hurried on, "Harenn and I became friends. Good thing, too--the PI business was getting a little thin even before the Despair came along. These days my one-woman agency exists only on paper. My contract with the Children is the only thing keeping me from having to move back in with my family. I love them, but they're a big and noisy bunch."

Ben nodded and Lucia thought she saw a hint of . . . envy? . . . in his eyes. Maybe she was wrong. What could she possibly have that Ben might envy?

"So," Lucia said, briskly slathering sauce over selected slices, "how did you and Father Kendi get together, anyway? If it's not too private to ask, I mean."

"It's not." Ben rested his chin on the back of the chair. "But it's a long story. Short version is that we met because Kendi was my mom's student. We were both teenagers."

"Love at first sight?" Lucia said.

Ben snorted. "Not quite. It took me forever to figure out how I felt about him. Even after I did, things weren't easy between us. We were on-again, off-again for years. Mom smacked me upside the head a few times about that, but I didn't really admit to myself how much Kendi meant--means--to me until the Despair hit. Sometimes I think you have to lose something, or almost lose it, to understand how precious it is." He paused, then said abruptly, "Do you ever worry about the Children of Irfan becoming extinct? I know Kendi does."

Lucia's thoughts instantly rushed back to her prayers. "I sometimes worry. But never for long."

"Why not?"

"Irfan would never allow her Children to die out," Lucia said firmly.

At that moment Father Kendi poked his head into the galley. "Lucia, you don't have to do this every time we have a briefing, you know."

Lucia blinked. "Do you want me not to? Isn't the food any good?"

"It's great, Lucia," Father Kendi said. His presence seemed to fill the entire galley. "But it's a lot of extra work for you. I mean, newest crew does the cooking for regular meals, but this goes above and beyond."

"She says she likes doing it," Ben put in, "if you can believe that."

"I do like it," Lucia said. "Besides," she added, greatly daring, "you're all too thin. Eat!"

Ben and Father Kendi laughed and Lucia calmly went back to her pile of sandwiches.

Gretchen and Harenn, chatting amiably, arrived in the galley a moment later and sat down at the round table just off the cooking area. Ben and Father Kendi joined them. Harenn poured herself some coffee. Lucia set the finished sandwiches on a large platter, brought them to the table, and took a seat next to Harenn. Everyone reached for generous portions and p.r.o.nounced them excellent. Lucia nodded at the praise, then shot a sidelong glance at Harenn. It still seemed strange to see her without her veil in public. Lucia had, of course, been in Harenn's home any number of times and had seen her unveil there, but never anywhere else. It was a welcome sight, though, and Lucia was glad beyond measure that Bedj-ka's return had allowed it to happen.

"And how's Bedj-ka?" Lucia asked.

Harenn sipped cream-laden coffee with a faintly distracted smile. "He seems happy, as am I. Bedj-ka thinks it exciting to live on a slips.h.i.+p, and I find that it refreshes my own enthusiasm to watch him see things for the first time. He insists on a.s.sisting me with the engines and maintenance, and it is touching the way he tries so hard to help."

"Maybe he'll be an engineer like his mother," Lucia said.

"Perhaps." Her smile grew wistful. "He is certainly intelligent enough. He can already run four basic diagnostic programs and--"

"You sound just like my mother when she boasts about my brothers and sisters and me," Lucia interrupted with a chuckle. "Next you'll be whipping holos out of your pocket to show around."

Harenn's brown cheeks darkened. "I have already made several. Would you like to see them?"

Before Lucia could reply, Father Kendi set his data pad on the table and called for order. Lucia instantly gave him her full attention.

"Todd told us where the Collection is housed," he began, "so let's start there." Father Kendi tapped the pad and a hologram of the station sprang into being above the tabletop. "We got lucky. We're docked here--" one part of the station glowed green "--and the Collection is housed here." Another part of the station glowed red. "It's only one section over, so it's not hard to get to from our dock. The first thing we need is a basic recon. Todd gave me some information, but there was a lot he didn't know." More taps, and the view of the station zoomed in tighter, becoming a cutaway of a section of corridor.

"According to Todd, the Collection is almost completely isolated from the rest of the station," Father Kendi continued. "It's on a block that sticks out from the main structure, and the only way to get to it from the station itself is by this corridor. There are several automated checkpoints along the way, when a computer checks your face, your prints, and your identification holo."

"No retina checks?" Gretchen asked.

"Too easy to fake these days," Ben said. "An amateur can get your retina scan from a distance with nothing but a halfway decent camera. Same goes for infra-red heat patterns."

"The Collection," Father Kendi continued, "also has a set of escape pods and two private air locks, but I don't think they'll do us much good--it's d.a.m.ned hard to sneak into an airlock." He paused and took a sip of coffee. "One of the first things we need to learn is what the daily routines are. Ben, I want you and Lucia to set up surveillance on the corridor to do just that. Gretchen, you and Harenn need to find out all you can about the routines of Edsard Roon and the three department heads when they aren't at the Collection. Look at where they live, when they usually arrive at work, any habits they have. We need to figure out how to get our hands on their keys, and any detail, no matter how tiny, might be a help. Lucia, if we lift prints from objects the department heads touch, you can make an artificial thumb that would fool a computer scanner, right?"

"Yes, Father," Lucia said. "The best prints will come from something smooth, like a gla.s.s or cup, but I can work with harsher stuff."

Father Kendi nodded. "Good. Ben, what about copying the keys?"

"I've been working on that, and I think I can do it." Ben held up a small silver box the size of a pack of playing cards. "I've been modifying one of the copycats. If I pull this off, all you'll have to do is connect the data port of the key to the data port on this. It'll copy the algorithms and I can make a duplicate key from them."

"How long will the download take?" Father Kendi asked.

"Not long. I'm guessing less than thirty seconds. The trick, like you said, will be getting the keys away from the department heads and then returning each one without anyone noticing."

"That's what I'll be working on," Father Kendi said grimly. "Once we have all the information we can glean, I'll get a plan together. Any questions?"

There were none. As the group rose from the table, Lucia swallowed a final bite of spicy sandwich and Ben put a light hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go play with some toys," he said.

Warmth. Softness. Voices. Whispers. Martina Weaver lay in s.h.i.+fting shadows and semi-darkness. Occasional colors flickered around her and she studied them with great interest. From time to time she felt like she was floating, and then she would be lying on something solid again. It was like trying to enter the Dream but being caught adrift in the moment before it solidified around her.

After what was neither a long nor a short time, the darkness began to brighten. Martina became aware that she was lying on a soft bed with a pillow under her head. The ceiling above her was the color of warm suns.h.i.+ne. A round-cheeked woman with a wide, smiling mouth, and a scattering of freckles on her face was looking down at her. She wore a dark green wimple over her hair and forehead. A high, white collar came all the way up to her chin, and her green robe reached all the way to the floor. Her hands were gloved in green. But for the color of her robe and the gloves, Martina would have thought she was a Catholic nun.

"Greet the Dream, Alpha," the woman said cheerfully. "Good to see you awake."

A dermospray made a familiar thump thump against Martina's arm and the room settled with startling abruptness. She sat up, fully awake and alert, and glanced at her surroundings. Sunlight poured into a window overlooking a tree-studded valley. Green plants hung about the room and stood in pots on the carpeted floor. A desk and chair sat below the window and a comfortable-looking sofa and chair made a little cl.u.s.ter in one corner. The room also had two sliding doors, both shut, and a wooden wardrobe. Martina shook her head. The last thing she remembered was finis.h.i.+ng a series of a.s.signments in the Dream. She had sketched for a while in her room and was thinking about asking if she could have some tea. And then C what? The memories were fuzzy. Had she undressed for bed? She looked down and saw she was wearing unfamiliar yellow pajamas. The silvery slave bands which had first been fitted to her fifteen years ago were still on her wrist and ankle. against Martina's arm and the room settled with startling abruptness. She sat up, fully awake and alert, and glanced at her surroundings. Sunlight poured into a window overlooking a tree-studded valley. Green plants hung about the room and stood in pots on the carpeted floor. A desk and chair sat below the window and a comfortable-looking sofa and chair made a little cl.u.s.ter in one corner. The room also had two sliding doors, both shut, and a wooden wardrobe. Martina shook her head. The last thing she remembered was finis.h.i.+ng a series of a.s.signments in the Dream. She had sketched for a while in her room and was thinking about asking if she could have some tea. And then C what? The memories were fuzzy. Had she undressed for bed? She looked down and saw she was wearing unfamiliar yellow pajamas. The silvery slave bands which had first been fitted to her fifteen years ago were still on her wrist and ankle.

"What is this place?" Martina demanded. "How did I get here?"

The woman smiled, making dimples in her plump cheeks. "We rescued you, praise the Dream. You and your compatriot."

"Compatriot?" Martina started to swing her legs around to get off the bed, but the woman put a restraining hand on her shoulder. A lifetime of obedience conditioning took over, and Martina stayed where she was.

"The other Alpha," the woman explained. "I think your oppressors called him Brad."

"I never met him," Martin said. "I heard DrimCom had bought a new Silent, but I didn't--"

"There are no slaves here," the woman interrupted firmly. "No owners, no buying or selling of people. The Silent are chosen, divine, and they can't be bought or sold like simple people."

Martina stared. "Are you saying I'm free?"

"No one owns you," the woman said.

"I can leave?"

The woman smiled her cheerful smile. "Not quite yet. You're just an Alpha, and you aren't strong enough yet."

"What do you mean?" Martina asked. "What's an Alpha? How did I get here? Who are you?"

"Everything in time, dear." The woman patted her arm with a gloved hand. "In the meantime, are you hungry?"

Suddenly Martina was. "Ravenous."

"Then you should eat." The woman tapped a panel on the wall and it slid aside, revealing a legged tray. Delicious smells of meat and gravy filled the room. The woman set the tray across Martina's lap. A generous portion of beef steamed on a plate, surrounded by garden vegetables and a salad accompanied by a small pot of tea. Martina ate quickly--the meat was perfectly done and tender.

"My name is Delta Maura," the woman said. Her voice was low and warm. "I'm your counselor, and I'll help repair the damage that's been done to you."

"Damage?" Martina said with her mouth full.

"The damage done to you while you were a slave." Delta Maura patted Martina's shoulder. "It must have been horrible, dear. No one should have to live through something like that."

Martina set down her fork. "Are you a Child of Irfan? Is this Bellerophon?"

"No, dear. You'll learn more about who we are when it's time. For now, you only need to rest. Enjoy yourself. You have computer access, including games and books. If you need something else, use the computer to send a note to the Personal Needs Adjustor." She patted Martina's hand, and Martina found herself growing annoyed at all the patting. "I have to leave now, but if you want to talk to me, just say so and the computer will let me know."

With that, she left. The door slid shut behind her, and Martina was sure she heard the click of a lock. Martina set the tray aside, got out of bed, and tried to open the door. It had no lock plate, only a slot for a keycard. Martina tried to push the door open. It didn't budge. Martina looked down at her feet. A slave band still encircled her ankle, just as it did her wrist. If she were free, why was she still shackled and kept in a locked room? She felt uneasy, and the meat she had eaten seemed to coagulate in her stomach.

First things first, she decided, and set out to explore the room. she decided, and set out to explore the room.

The window turned out to be a holographic display. Tapping it changed the view, and the choices ranged from ocean bottom to forest floor to desert dunes to lunar surface. She set it back on the original valley and opened the wardrobe. The clothes inside--none of them from her room back with DrimCom--consisted of several sets of loose yellow tunics and trousers. Two pairs of yellow slippers were on the floor. A set of yellow gloves hung from a hook. Martina changed out of her pajamas, though she didn't don the gloves. Feeling less vulnerable now that she was dressed, she opened the second door and discovered a well-appointed bathroom complete with toilet, sink, enormous tub, and separate shower. The cabinets contained a variety of toiletries.