Sentients Of Orion: Transformation Space Part 11

He shuddered, remembering the a.s.sault on his senses, the deluge of knowledge and the overwhelming enigma of the universe. It had left him floundering to recover, saturated in the shock of his own limitations.

'Focus on Lasper Farr, he told the device. 'Closer.

The star-verse of glittering motes brightened, and he fell forward again, using facial movements to direct and slow his focus. Bethany was there with Lasper, in the place he fell to, and so was a bulky round-faced 'esque who towered over the pair. The three stood in a large cabin aboard a s.h.i.+p. Laspers s.h.i.+p, Tekton thought, recognising the stark lack of decoration in the Commanders cabin.

Tekton stepped closer to Bethany, a.s.sessing her mood and state of mind, all the while wondering how it could feel so completely and utterly real. Did they... Could they know he was there? Was this the present, or had this already played out? A thousand questions tugged at logic-mind, while free-mind let go and immersed itself in the surroundings.

'Where is it, Beth? asked Farr quietly.

Tekton had never seen the Commander look so pale or tense. His displeasure wouldve given Tekton great satisfaction, if the mans wrath hadnt been directed at Bethany. She was smart and sweet, and direct in a way that Tekton had found refres.h.i.+ng. Shed also resisted his advances, which made her even more desirable than shed originally been.

Stop it! Tekton clamped down on free-minds akula rush and listened.

'I dont have it, Lasper. Youd do better to question your enemies, not your sister.

'Im comforted to hear you say that. Her brother gave her a small and humourless smile. 'Unfortunately, I dont believe you.

Bring them in, Farr sub-vocalised so discreetly that only Tekton, in his privileged position of surveillance, could hear.

The cabin door flew open with such force that Tekton stepped back instinctively. Soldiers marched Samuelle into the room.

'Get her out of that thing, Farr ordered.

At gunpoint, they forced the old 'esque to shed her combat suit.

To Tektons acute mortification, the woman was naked underneath. Though her wiry physique had been kept well conditioned by the suits muscle stimulators, she was old, and her skin looked several sizes too big for her skeleton. It hung from her neck and belly and arms like a loose s.h.i.+ft.

'Lasper! cried Bethany. 'This is unnecessary. Why are you doing this?

Samuelle was the one who answered. 'Cos hes scared, Beth. Someones stolen his little G.o.d machine, and hes s.h.i.+ttin himself. She put her hands on her hips, refusing to be shamed.

Tekton found himself overcome by a gross fascination. He wanted to touch her old body, feel its age. But his attention s.h.i.+fted back to Bethany, who rounded on her brother with a quick, intense fury.

'Youre insane, brother. Orion is being destroyed around us and youre worrying about some ridiculous prescience device. Geni-carriers are being reported in thousands of star systems. Thousands of worlds arent replying to 'cast signals, meaning that theyve either disbanded their s.h.i.+ft spheres or been annihilated.

'And why do you think thats happening, Beth? said Lasper quietly.

She stared at him.

Samuelle cleared her throat and took a step forward, so that she formed a close triangle with them. Again, Tekton felt an overwhelming desire to touch her.

'He thinks he can run things with it. One of those G.o.d-f.u.c.kers gave it to him, and he thinks he can make things go his way. Save us or f.u.c.k us over, dependin on what he feels like.

Farr transferred the focus of his gaze to Samuelle. 'You know nothing, you mouthy old bag of meat. He flicked one of the guards a look, and the 'esque punched Sammy in the back, below the ribs.

The old woman went down without a sound.

'Lasper! screamed Bethany. She leapt to Sammys side.

Tekton found himself clutching his own back in sympathy.

Straighten up, fool, free-mind told him.

Youre just an observer, logic-mind reminded him.

But Tekton couldnt separate himself from what was happening. He knew Sammy, after a fas.h.i.+on. Hed shared a cabin with her for a short time, watched her sleep and dream, and worry. She was a good woman despite her flaccid old age.

Good woman! Both minds choked out an exclamation as Sammy regained her feet with Bethanys help.

'Hes rattled, Beth. Lost his grip. Hes blind without that device, vulnerable as you or me. More so, cos we can live without it. He dont know what to do now. Cant make a decision without it. And everyones waiting for him to do something grand.

Bethany let go of Sammy and advanced on her brother. 'I dont have your device, Lasper. And neither does- But a pounding at the door stopped her.

Lasper blinked at one of the guards, who opened it.

Jelly Hob ran, out of breath, into the room. His mouth sagged open at the sight of Samuelles nakedness. 'Aww, Sammy. He automatically began to remove his filthy tunic.

'Hob? What is it? Lasper gripped Bethanys arm and s.h.i.+fted her back out of the way. Her face contorted as he held her in a painful grip.

'Its yer device, Commander. I come to tell ya. Werent Sammy who took it! Or her. He pointed at Beth.

'How do you know? said Lasper.

Tekton s.h.i.+fted his invisible presence to stand alongside Hob. Dont tell him, Jelly. Dont say anything, he shouted.

Hob draped his tunic around Sammy. 'Commander, let her get dressed.

'Jeremiah! rasped out Sammy. 'Think before you speak.

He smiled at her, a wrinkled, heartfelt movement of his battered face. 'Not lettin you take me blame, Sammy, he replied softly, and looked across at Lasper. 'Was me, Commander. Least, not me that took it, but me that was there, and let it be took.

Farr let go of Bethany. 'Speak plainly, Jelly. Or Ill skin that dry parchment that keeps your organs in place.

'Youll be doin that anyways, Id be thinking, Commander. Was the G.o.dhead, Tekton, that took it! I found 'im in here when youse was stationside. He was wearin Sammys other suit, and fetchin to get off the s.h.i.+p.

'Tekton of Lostol. On my s.h.i.+p? Youre sure it was him?

No one spoke.

'Beth?

Tekton recognised the dangerous edge to Laspers tone.

Bethany did too, but she stood resolute against it. 'I havent seen Tekton since Edo. I thought hed returned home.

She didnt waver or flinch in her reply, and Farr turned back to Hob. 'Are you saying that Tekton of Lostol... Tekton... took my device? How...? Did you bring him on board?

Hob shrugged and nodded. Sammy moved closer to him, her scrawny shoulder touching his.

'I picked him up fallin free in the well on Edo. Not far from yer wors.h.i.+pping place. He wuz in a taxi, bein savaged by detrivores. Got him out jus in time. Whole thing disintegrated. He made an appropriate noise. 'Cant think what he wuz doin there.

Farrs eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly. Surprise. And irritation.

Tekton danced a few restless steps around them all. Yes, you psychopath! he shouted. Im not dead! And Ive got your precious device.

'And you brought him aboard?

'Didnt know what else ta do wiv him, sir. He wuz kinda lost. I wuz thinkin ta drop him off at Intel. Let him be on his way.

'With my device? Farrs tone had lost its quiet control, a note of wildness creeping in.

'Dint know hed nicked it. Found him here all right. Figured he wuz just bein nosy, you know, seein how a fancy Commander lives and stuff. I took him down to the cargo bay and let him out. He musta taken yer thing when me back was turned.

Hobs explanation was so simple and ingenuous that Farr seemed confounded by it. Fists clenched, he stalked to a corner of the room and stood there, processing the situation.

Tekton watched Samuelle take Jelly Hobs hand and squeeze it. She gave him a grateful smile for protecting her part in it.

As Hob grinned at her, Tekton was filled with conflicting emotions yet again. Delight led the field; hed annoyed and trumped Lasper Farr in no uncertain terms. But worry undermined his pleasure-what had Lasper thought to use the device for? How had he planned to prevent the Extros from taking Orion? What would the repercussions be?

Then another kind of concern began gnawing. What would the insane Commander do to Jelly Hob now?

Of all the 'esques Tekton had ever met, Hob was the only one to have stirred any real sense of grat.i.tude in him. Tekton didnt even hold it against him that hed told Farr whod stolen the device. He was right to protect Samuelle. Consilience-their independent political organisation-might be the only group capable of stopping the Extros. And for Consilience to operate, Samuelle and Bethany needed to survive.

As Lasper stepped out of his corner and paced one quick circuit of the cabin, Tekton placed his imagined hand on Hobbs shoulder, willing the old fellow to do something clever to save himself.

Then Tekton saw the Commander become very still, as though shocked into immobility. After a long, uncertain moment, he cleared his throat.

'Kill the pair of them, Lasper told his men. Then he pointed to Bethany. 'And lock her in her cabin-for now.

BALBAO.

Debris from Belle-Monde battered their lifes.h.i.+p. With each collision, Balbaos desire to survive grew stronger. Chunks of flight instruction broke free of his long-term memory and floated into the present, and he began frantic res-s.h.i.+ft preparations: check buffers, trajectory parallels, co-ordinate sequ-His hands shot out of virtual arrangement as the s.h.i.+p shuddered under the impact of something large.

He righted himself, s.n.a.t.c.hed the vessel back into position and began acquiring damage feed. The view outside the s.h.i.+p showed a frightening minefield of flotsam between them and the Geni-carrier.

We must stay unnoticed long enough to make s.h.i.+ft. That meant... No! A sliver of panic crept in. I-I cant... pilot as well as...

A thin-fingered hand touched his knee. His eyes refocused on Ra.

'What is it, Balbao? asked Ra. 'What do you need?

'With no moud, I must prepare for s.h.i.+ft manually.

'And?

'The Geni-carrier will detect us if we dont use the debris to hide.

'You need someone to pilot while you prep?

Balbao nodded.

Ra undipped his safety net and teetered across the small s.p.a.ce. His light frame fell against Balbaos as the internal gravity fluctuated wildly.

'Strap me in with you, said Ra. 'I am able to pilot without a moud.

'How so? asked Balbao, fumbling to secure them both.

Ras strange segmented eyes rippled as if lit from within. 'Soles reward. Release the backup.

Balbao banged a panel to his right, and a sensor piece dropped out. Ra slipped it across his forehead and pressed the interface point to the back of his neck. He lifted his hands above his lap and waited for the virtual field to activate. 'I will keep us as well hidden as I can.

His fingers began to twitch and twirl. Almost immediately the buffeting stopped.

'Thank Sole! Miranda exclaimed with relief. 'What can I do?

'Start thinking, said Balbao curtly. 'Work out what the h.e.l.l is going on and, if we survive, what we should do about it. He didnt bother to look at her. 'And for Crux sakes do it quietly!

With half an eye on Ra, Balbao fell back to his task. Only a tiny portion of his mind registered Ras manoeuvres, but enough that he would remember his skill for ever. However long that turned out to be.

His own virtuals showed him that the remains of Belle-Monde were spread in a s.h.i.+ning metallic landscape across Mintakas outer system. The lifes.h.i.+ps EM scanners were giving similar information for the s.p.a.ce between them and the s.h.i.+ft station. He double-checked his coordinates. Min Minor, the closest planet, wasnt where it should be. Instead, there was a giant expanding dust cloud.

'f.u.c.k, said Balbao, with full Balol anger intonation.

Ra didnt pause or react.

Labile Connit did. 'Bad news?

'Min Minor, said Balbao. 'Its gone.

'Gone? A planet cant be gone. Miranda lifted her head from whispering in Jises ear. Her face was puffy.

Balbao might have been disgusted by her appearance, had he not been distracted with his own fury. He wanted to bellow and break things to vent his upset. 'The f.u.c.king planet is f.u.c.king gone!

'Its the Extros... My G.o.d, theyve wiped out a planet, said Connit.

'Fifty million sentients, said Jise. 'Fifty million. He spoke slowly, as if trying to absorb what it meant. 'That cant be. It just cant. He banged his head back against the seat.

'Fifty million and five, if we dont get out of this system, said Balbao. 'Ra?

They waited a long few moments before the G.o.dhead answered. 'I can keep us hidden for a few more hours, but on this trajectory well soon encounter the worst of the dust from Min Minor. Im not sure the s.h.i.+p will withstand it.

'Can we go around the worst of it, Ra?

'Not without finding clear s.p.a.ce and being noticed.

'Then what do we do? asked Miranda.

'There are a number of larger s.h.i.+ps in the area. Most are hastening to the s.h.i.+ft station, said Ra.