Building New Canaan - The Complete Series - A Colonization and Exploration Space Adventure

by M. D. Cooper

  Isa looked up again, ready to walk over to Martin, but stopped when she saw three figures leaving the shelter of a short pillar and approaching her partner. Even at that distance, she recognized Samuel, Ada, and Rahmin, and could see the tip of their pinnace poking out from behind the pillar.

  She could also see that the Tyrians were holding weapons.

  For a moment, shock froze her. What are they doing? What do they want? No answer came to her, but the mildly annoying, slightly sinister Tyrians were showing their true colors at last.

  Martin was folding up his wing-gliding suit and had his back to the three figures. He clearly had no idea they were there.

  Instinctively, Isa yelled his name, but he didn’t hear her. The music from the pillars was too loud.

 

  He didn’t reply or react, even to her call over the Link.

 

  Still no response. The Link had worked earlier; the Tyrians had to be broadcasting a dampening field.

  Isa began to run. “Martin,” she bellowed.

  Whether he heard her or her motion caught his attention, Isa didn’t know, but he finally noticed her. He straightened up and stared at her as she raced closer.

  “Behiiiiind yoooooou!”

  He turned.

  Too late.

  The Tyrians had reached him. Samuel was pushing a weapon into his stomach, and Martin was falling. Ada was putting a bag over his head.

  “Martin,” Isa screamed.

  Rahmin left Samuel and Ada to deal with their captive, and began to run toward Isa, aiming at her.

  She skidded to a halt, sliding on the dust overlaying the rocky ground. Panic struck her. What should she do? She had to help Martin, but she was unarmed. And she was one against three; she could never defeat the Tyrians by herself. If they wanted Martin, they wanted her too. She had to get out of there. She had to get help.

  Isa spun around and fled. This time, she flew without wings, adrenaline banishing the aches from her limbs. No one knew she and Martin were there, and by Onyx’s own admission, there wasn’t full planetary coverage of air traffic.

  They were not expected to return to Ushu; if they disappeared, no one would miss them for days. She had to—

  A pulse struck her back.

  The ground rose up and smacked into her face, and she knew no more.

  ARRIVALS

  STELLAR DATE: 03.22.8937 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: TSS Sark, departing High Carthage

  REGION: Carthage, New Canaan System

  The Sark had pulled away from High Carthage a day after the flight Pippa had taken to Tyre, but the TSF corvette was much faster than the civilian transport.

  Captain Dala estimated that they would arrive more than four hours ahead of the commercial vessel, which would give Erin, Usef, and the Marines he’d brought along ample time to prepare.

  Traveling to Tyre was bittersweet for Erin. Isa and Martin were there, but she wouldn’t be able to see them, so she thought it was better they didn’t know she was on the planet. She would have to remain incognito as they monitored their target.

  The plan was to watch Pippa and see what she was up to—while there was no direct evidence of the engineer being involved in the sabotage, her actions were not those of an innocent person. If the woman saw Erin, she would know she was being watched. Additionally, the Marines would be in civilian clothes and Erin had to stay out of sight as much as possible.

  As she sat at an auxiliary console on Sark’s bridge, she ran through the many possible answers to the puzzle of Pippa’s sudden departure. The woman’s decision to leave Carthage when she’d been explicitly ordered to remain meant that she was clearly up to something, and Erin had to reassess all of the engineer’s actions.

  Pippa—and Anwen, who was now in custody—had also been present on the Eos when the antimatter was stolen. Though there had been no reason to suspect her until she disappeared, the engineer had just as much opportunity to sabotage the mining operation on Irridia as Max.

  Erin pondered the implications of the incident at Excelsior Spaceport. What had the fight between Max and Pippa been about? The woman had run out of the waiting room just in time to prevent the guard from shooting Max. Had that been by design? And both of them had gone missing in the warehouse for a long time. Had they both arranged the diversion that had allowed Max to escape?

  And what about Anwen? The fact that Pippa had left her sister behind seemed to show that Anwen wasn’t involved. She’d been distraught and apparently clueless about what her sister was doing. Nevertheless, Erin wasn’t dismissing the other twin yet. She’d been fooled once; it wasn’t going to happen again.

  Tanis was right. Though she hated the idea of it, Erin had to stop thinking that all of her fellow colonists always had the best of intentions.

  Were Pippa and Max in love, and some weird twin thing was going on that meant Pippa was hiding it from her sister?

  She posed the possibility to Walter, who snorted in response.

 

  Walter said.

  “Oh!” Erin clutched her hand to her mouth, fighting the urge to laugh. Usef had walked onto the bridge wearing a suit, but it was far too small. The pant legs ended several centimeters above his ankles, and the shirt was barely holding itself together over his wide, muscled chest. Gaps yawned between the buttons, revealing copious amounts of skin. The jacket wouldn’t have closed at the front if he’d lost twenty-five kilos.

  “You’d better not sit down in that,” Erin said, pitying the major. There had been a sizing mistake in the order for the Marine’s civilian clothing, and though the clothing was autofit, it still wasn’t able to handle the mountain of a man that was Usef. The mistake hadn’t been discovered until after the Sark was underway, and there had been no time to go back.

  Usef looked ruefully over his shoulder at his pants’ seat. “I was thinking that too, ma’am. I might have a wardrobe crisis on my hands. This was all that was available in the stores. I wanted to ask your opinion: do you think I’ll stand out if I wear this? It’s important that we blend in.”

  “Honestly? I think you might.” A guffaw burst from her lips, and she doubled over in tears of laughter.

  The captain’s shoulders were shaking, and the other flight officers weren’t even trying to control their snickers.

  Usef heaved a sigh and turned around. As he exited the bridge, she could hear Marines laughing from one of the rear cabins.

  When Erin was finally able to block the image of Usef in his too-tight suit from her mind, she returned to trying to understand what Pippa and Max might be up to. Then something else interrupted her thoughts.

  said Walter.

  Erin opened it and read the short message from Tanis.

  ‘Erin,

  Angela and I have checked over all of Pippa’s movements ever since she came out of stasis three years ago. This isn’t the first time she’s been to Tyre, it’s the fourth. The third was right after the briefing on the Eos, just before the mining operation began. According to the passenger transport’s logs, each time she went there, she was alone, leaving her sister behind. We also checked Max Rasner’s movements, but he’s never been to Tyre, unless he managed it under another name. He’s stayed on Carthage, only leaving to work, and we didn’t find anything else about his behavior that you might call irregular. I think it’s safe to assume that Pippa has secreted the antimatter somewhere on Tyre. Securing that is your top priority. Good luck. With Major Usef with you, you’re in good hands.’

  The mention of the major reminded Erin of her recent sight of him, and she began to chuckle. Everyone else on the bridge knew what she was laughing at, and they started up again. Erin struggled to stop, but the bridge crew kept triggering her, and she them.

  H
er stomach was hurting, and the pilot was begging for everyone to quit, when Usef reappeared at the open bridge door. When he saw them all giggling, he hesitated. He was about to walk away, when Erin said, “I’m sorry, Usef. I mean Major. Please come in.”

  Usef strode onto the bridge. He’d changed his clothes; now he was wearing long, flowing robes bearing a floral pattern. The look was so very much at odds with his sizeable, square-jawed face and close-cut hair, that, though the robes fit him much better than the suit, the effect probably wasn’t what he was hoping for.

  Something Erin’s shrieking laughter attested to as she fell to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

  When she managed to open an eye, she saw Usef standing patient and composed in the center of the bridge while everyone around him could barely remain upright.

  After a couple of minutes, during which Erin hoped that Walter was prepared to save her from a heart attack, Usef eventually gave her a slow wink before he turned and walked out, his head high and his dignity clearly intact.

  she asked Walter.

  The AI made an uncertain sound.

  Despite the fact that Usef may have worn the flowery robes on purpose—or perhaps because of it—it took Erin ten minutes to gain full control of herself. When her laughter finally subsided, she was weak and drained, and her aching face was wet with tears. She dragged herself back to her seat and slumped into it.

  she said.

  Walter replied,

 

 

 

  The bridge door opened. Usef stood there once more.

  “No,” Erin cried out. “Please.”

  “There’s no need to be concerned, ma’am,” the major replied. As he walked onto the bridge, Erin saw that he was back in uniform.

  “Thank the stars,” she breathed. “I don’t think I could have survived another attack.”

  “Attack, ma’am?”

  “It’s okay. Nevermind.”

  “I thought I might be fortunate enough to find alternative civilian clothing in some of the ship’s stores, but perhaps I’d best figure something else out.”

  “You found that kaftan in the Sark’s stores?” Erin exclaimed.

  “I did, surprisingly,” said Major Usef. “Don’t worry, I co-opted one of the 3D printers in engineering to adjust the suit I tried on earlier.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Captain Dala said with a wink. “If it wasn’t for your head, I think that flowery number would have worked.”

  Erin snorted and covered her mouth.

  “My head?” Usef lifted an eyebrow. “Is something wrong with it?”

  “Well…it just doesn’t go with yellow and pink flowers. I think it’s your coloring,” Dala said with a grin.

  Usef nodded thoughtfully.

  “I wonder what could make it work,” Erin mused. “Maybe a hat could make a big improvement to the overall effect.”

  “Yes, I see. A hat. Or perhaps a wig?”

  Erin’s lips twitched. “Yes, or a wig, but I really doubt that there’s a wig available on the Sark.”

  “A hat or a wig,” Usef said. “Thanks for your advice. I’ll see what I can find.” The major gave everyone on the bridge a deadpan look, and then turned and left.

  Captain Dala turned to Erin, a look of concern on her face. “Did he just subtly mock us, or did we just accidentally convince him to add a hat and wig to those robes and actually wear that getup?”

  A fit of giggles came over Erin as she thought of Usef in a wig.

  “I have no idea, but I can’t wait to find out.”

  * * * * *

  It was late afternoon at the capital city of Ushu when the Sark reached Tyre. So few flights arrived at Ushu’s air and spaceport that Major Usef had judged it too risky to take a military pinnace down from the corvette in full view of whoever might be watching. Instead, they came in low and landed several kilometers outside the city. There, they were met by the head of Ushu’s tiny constabulary.

  The woman who represented the local authorities seemed thrilled to meet the military group all the way from Carthage. As she waited at the bottom of the pinnace’s ramp, she shifted from foot to foot and looked expectantly toward the ship’s entrance.

  Erin wondered how she would react to what she was about to see. Erin was in her normal clothes, and the other Marines had selected civilian attire that fit them. By some miracle, the 3D printers in the Sark’s engineering department had been able to modify Usef’s suit so that it also fit, though it looked a bit like a child had made the alterations.

  The group proceeded down the ramp to where the head of Tyre’s law enforcement watched avidly as they appeared.

  “Chief Kang?” Major Usef asked.

  “Yes, sir,” the woman replied with a puzzled look on her face. “I was expecting Marines that…well…looked like Marines.”

  “We’re blending in,” Usef said, his back ramrod straight.

  The police chief’s brow lowered, and she gave a slow nod. “Ummm, well, Major Usef, welcome to Tyre. Governor Richards has requested that Tyre’s constabulary assist you, and I’m happy to do so. My officers are at your disposal, though I’m not clear on what’s happening or how we can help.”

  “Thank you,” said Usef. “We don’t have a lot of time. It would be best if I explain the situation to you while we travel to the spaceport.”

  “Of course,” Kang said. “I have your transportation ready. Please follow me.”

  They walked from the Sark’s pinnace to the multi-person police vehicle. Behind them, the pinnace’s ramp rose, and the ship lifted off, skimming through the valleys on its way back up to the orbiting Sark.

  Erin sat with Chief Kang and Major Usef in the police transport for the trip into the city and explained to the police chief their main purpose in Ushu. As she and Usef had previously agreed upon, Erin didn’t go into the history of the events that had culminated in Pippa’s imminent arrival in Tyre, but she told Kang that the engineer was a suspect in a criminal investigation and that she was to be followed and watched.

  “So this is an undercover operation?” Chief Kang asked. She glanced at the Marine’s civilian attire. “That explains a lot.”

  “The suspect may only have traveled here to try to avoid arrest,” Erin said, “or she may have another motive. There’s a lot about what’s happened in the case that doesn’t add up yet. I’m hoping that by watching what Pippa does here, we might learn some answers.”

  “Well, with our low population, it’s certainly an easy place to hide, provided you have supplies or someone supplying you,” said Chief Kang. “There are probably places on Tyre where no one’s set foot yet. As to this person’s surveillance, I can see that additional police officers at the air and spaceport might spook her, but I can offer you plainclothes officers as backup for your operation.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” said Usef, “but we would appreciate your help with local information on Tyre.”

  “Of course. Our planetary AI, Onyx, can tell you all you need to know.”

  Erin was tempted to ask the police chief if she’d heard about the infomentary that was being made about Tyre to attract to new settlers, but she decided against it. It was hard enough knowing that Isa and Martin were close by and she wouldn’t be able to see them. Talking about Isa’s project with Chief Kang would only make her feel worse. And now that she’d come to understand just how small Ushu’s population was, she was even mor
e worried that one of her partners might spot her and blow her cover in front of Pippa.

  Their transport drew up a short distance from Ushu’s air and spaceport. They had less than half an hour before the flight from Carthage arrived, bringing Pippa with it. The police chief said that she was too well-known in Ushu to remain with their group, so she departed after impressing upon Usef that her forces would be at his disposal as soon as he said the word.

  When they stepped into the arrivals hall, Erin’s heart sank. The place was nearly empty and devoid of decorations. There would be no hiding among the crowds. The presence of the squad of large men and women entering the room was already attracting some stares.

  “Major,” Erin said, “this isn’t going to work. Got any suggestions?”

  Usef’s eyes were thoughtful as he surveyed the hall.

  “We don’t need to be as close as this to have a good view of the subject. Our best bet is to deploy drones and wait outside where there’s more cover.”

  “Let’s do it,” said Erin.

  Major Usef directed his team to deploy a standard drone package, and then led them out of the arrivals area. They walked past the transportation zone, where land vehicles and private pinnaces were arriving to meet the arriving passengers.

  Erin said. “If Pippa leaves in a pinnace, can we track her?”

  “I’ve spoken to Chief Kang about it,” Usef replied. “The local police are ready to trace any transportation she takes, and the Sark is in geo overhead.”

  A shuttle appeared, soaring low over their heads. Erin checked the time. The shuttle was from the Carthage flight. They only had ten minutes or so before Pippa disembarked.

  The Marines began to disperse, a few loitering near the pickup lanes, but most moving across the road into a park that stretched away from the edge of the spaceport. Usef moved to a large boulder, and Erin followed behind.