Cryptikon Far Freedom Part 2

by Warren Merkey

days ago she would have been nose-to-nose with Demba, demanding to know everything, but she had ceased being that person. Now she was becoming someone's daughter, and she was assaulted by everything that revelation brought with it. Now she had different needs, different perspectives. She would be cringing if she chanced to remember some of the stupid things she did during her life as a Marine.

  "I don't know why your show kept everyone else aboard," Demba said, "but I'm grateful - for their sake. Well done!"

  "Captain Horss's less-than-subtle announcement helped," Jamie said. "The crew has courage and intelligence. And I think we appealed to their curiosity."

  "Are you ready to go with us?" Demba looked at Jamie hopefully.

  "Yes, sir," Jamie replied with Marine respect, standing at parade-rest. All of her men had copied the same stance even though Demba had ordered at ease. "Do you have time to meet my men and my Navy volunteers?"

  Her mother nodded assent. "At ease!" Jamie ordered, relaxed her posture, and stepped aside as the Marines and the Navy officers formed a queue to introduce themselves to Demba and Mnro - and also to Sammy, much to his delight.

  Lieutenant Commander Wingren was last in line, probably by choice. Demba regarded her with a raised eyebrow. Wingren picked up her chin and saluted smartly. She put forth her hand to shake.

  Demba did not hesitate to take her hand and she held it longer than usual.

  /

  "I saw your documentary," Zakiya said, finally understanding why these Navy officers had been her watchers for so long. She sensed that they had no political agenda concerning Keshona and hoped they were not admirers of Keshona. "You know more about Keshona than I do. She's not someone I want to remember."

  "Admiral, being Rhyan I have always been obliged to hate Keshona," Wingren said, "but from the first moment I saw you I could never transfer that hate to you. Keshona doesn't really exist except as a symbol, and you were a real person who treated me with respect I didn't deserve. I'm sorry we bothered you so much in Archives. We couldn't help ourselves. But now we are here to help you, if we can."

  "I saw you and your friends were trying to get aboard," Zakiya said. "Perhaps I shouldn't have, but I helped get your orders cut. I'm not sure what my motivation was but I know it was impulsive. May I?" She indicated by pointing that she wanted to examine something she saw on Wingren's body. She looked at Wingren's neck, then the back of one of her hands, studying the precise and elegant tattoos of ancient tribal ancestry. It made her auxiliary memory immerse her into a vanished world of desert nomads: the sights and sounds and smells as bright and clear and pungent as sunshine on polished stirrups, the harmonized work-chants of well-diggers in a pit, and the spice and bakery aromas in a cook tent. She translated the meaning of Wingren's tattoos, surprising the Rhyan woman - and herself. "One day we'll have to talk," Zakiya said. "It's possible I knew some of your ancestors from the deserts. I did fieldwork on Rhyandh as an anthropologist a long time ago. That was back when I was someone I do want to remember."

  = = =

  Jamie was content to hold Sammy's hand and walk with him ahead of Demba and Mnro down the cold white tunnel into the Five Worlds habitat. She had a lifetime of questions to ask both women but it would have to wait. Sammy was a calming and distracting influence. It was all she could do to keep up with his questions and comments. Despite the peril he had just experienced, the details of which Jamie was yet to learn, Sammy seemed simply excited about their visit into the Five Worlds.

  People met them who wore no uniforms or badges and carried no weapons. They were officials who registered the four of them as guests. Surprisingly, Sammy now had an official record of Union citizenship and he seemed happy about it. Jamie received a better welcome than she expected, perhaps because she was obviously Sammy's friend.

  Admiral Demba initially found no friendly faces among this informal group of officials. Aylis Mnro was rigorously identified, because no one could believe it was her, then the smiles came out. They closed the Port of Entry and everyone working there escorted them into the Five Worlds.

  As they paraded through the port area Demba talked with several of the people near her who wore clothing that Jamie assumed was costumes from ancient times on Earth. Perhaps they wore the costumes as a normal routine - a way of welcoming all new guests. Her mother was relaxed and now attracted more persons willing to talk to her. Demba asked questions and made comments and smiled. The black uniform she wore seemed to become invisible to the Five-Worlders.

  "It's what she always used to do," Mnro explained to her when Jamie had a chance to query her about Demba. "We always worked as a team. She collected the cultural data, I collected the physical data. We both enjoyed seeing new faces and talking with people."

  "In Deep Space Fleet?"

  "Yes. We loved it! There were so many surprises, yet people were always people, no matter how deep in space we encountered them." Mnro fell silent, obviously drawn into memories.

  It's good to see Aylis Mnro happy in the moment, Jamie thought. It was also fascinating to see the woman who was her mother displaying yet another facet of her life and talents. She was in awe of these two women.

  Jamie sensed the particular scrutiny of one of the local citizens. She instinctively but casually placed herself between the stranger and Sammy. This reaction seemed to make the person decide to approach and speak to her.

  "They appear genuinely interested in us," the man commented, indicating Demba and Mnro. He was almost her height, taller than most of the others. She guessed he was of European lineage, judging from his long face and blue eyes, although he wore a costume that seemed Asian. He was young and serious of expression.

  "I think they are," Jamie agreed.

  "How do they know the Old One?"

  Jamie judged the young man's demeanor more carefully. He had targeted her for inquiry. He was probably an official of the Port of Five Worlds. "Does your job give you reason to question me?" she asked. "We've completed the necessary formalities and we have permission to enter the Five Worlds."

  "You have permission because the Old One requested you have it. She knows you."

  "I don't know who your 'Old One' is," Jamie said.

  "She spoke your name with recognition when I read to her the list of guests who requested to meet with her. She did not sound as interested in the other two, even though one is Aylis Mnro."

  "My name? I don't know her, or I don't remember her. I suspect you and I are of similar professions. I'm the Chief of Security of the Freedom. My name you know. Who are you?"

  "I apologize for my poor manners," the man said. "My name is Gregor. Yes, I'm in charge of our security force. Something does not feel right to me. This is the most unusual visit by the Navy I have experienced in my ten years of duty."

  "Demba and Mnro didn't tell you anything more than that they wished to visit this 'Old One?'"

  "They referred to her as Nori Hoshino, which I know is her real name. Almost no one else knows her real name. That Aylis Mnro knows her is a fact disturbing to me. Do you know if I should not be disturbed?"

  "I still don't know who she is," Jamie said, wanting to resolve the matter more quickly than at the current pace. She had no instructions on what not to say to anyone. Her mother should know Jamie's reputation concerning her big mouth. "Does the Old One have any relationship to Doctor Mende?"

  "I was about to approach that subject, but you're somewhat intimidating, Major Jones."

  Jamie reached for Sammy as he started to wander off. "Me? I'm just here to watch Sammy."

  "Why did you ask about Doctor Mende?" Gregor asked.

  "How many more security people do you have?" Jamie appreciated Gregor's slow but courteous inquiry. Jamie decided to return the courtesy by warning Gregor of the intentions of Demba and Mnro. There could be trouble and Gregor needed to prepare for the possibility.

  "Not very many. Should I activate all of them?"

  "Demba and Mnro want to take Doctor Mende from the Five Worlds," Jamie said wit
h a smile that anticipated Gregor's reaction.

  Gregor reacted in sincere distress. "That would not be permitted! The Old One knows that would hurt us!"

  "I would put all of your personnel on duty, Gregor. Also, you should start a rumor the Navy is here to steal Doctor Mende. I'm not going to make it easy for those two to do it."

  "His body is still at the shrine," Gregor said, checking an instrument he carried. "They could have just transmatted it. Why do they want it?"

  "As you were beginning to suspect, Gregor, they both knew the Old One, and so also Doctor Mende. They and Mende served together on the crew of a ship. I don't know why they would want his body, either dead or alive. But I do believe their reasons must be good."

  "Doctor Mende was in the Navy?"

  "These are very old people, Gregor, and they were crewmates long before the Navy and the Union existed."

  "Do you think the Navy wants Doctor Mende to help heal another troubled society? Can he be revived by Doctor Mnro?"

  "I'm betting he can, but the Navy has no interest in Mende. Only Demba and Mnro want him."

  "Please excuse me, Major," Gregor said urgently. "Thank you for your information." He hurried off, speaking into a communications augment.

  "Who was he?" Sammy asked, not understanding the conversation with Gregor, spoken in Standard.

  "A policeman," Jamie replied. "Your mother will be angry with me for what I told him."

  "Will she spank you?"

  Jamie