The seven of them roared into warehouse after warehouse and lab after lab. They left all the personnel napping outside and blew them up. They 'planted' a large quantity of drug for the police to find when they followed Lane's tips, then rode back to Melissa. They had spent seven hours in the city. They got a good night's rest and spent a pleasant day together.
Lane and Pon spent some time swimming and Dutch complained about his teeth rattling at dinner. They landed, assembled the bikes, and spent the same seven hours in another city. In all, they spent sixteen days in the task, all in the same seven hours. They landed back at the school ten minutes after they'd left. They put together the evacuation plan for the innocents and began working on it. When they had everything ready, they went to the first house and Dutch slipped inside and smiled widely at the woman who was too pained to be shocked when he walked into the room.
"Hello, I'm Dutch. I'm here to get you and your children out of this mess. We've got a vehicle out back and a way for you to disappear. Bring your cat and anything you can't bear to part with, but not more than you can carry in one bag. Please, I know it's very hard to trust right now, but we will help."
"How did you get in? Can you really get us through all those reporters? And not for... a story?"
"I got in because you need me. Yes, we can and no story is wanted. We've got transport offplanet and a new home and identities ready for you."
"I'll get my cat and coat. Merrie, get your teddy bear. Jord, bring your gliss game. We're leaving."
No one paid much attention to one more news crew giving up on a locked house. The news vehicle stopped a few blocks away and two children and a woman carrying a cat climbed into a grav car with a lovely redhead driving it. The scene was repeated again and again, twice with dogs and once more with a cat and with various numbers of various-age children. One man struggled not to weep as he hustled four children into a van and left the home his wife's 'inheritance' had bought nine years before.
Merith drove a closed vehicle onto the ship's cargo lift and drove it out again moments later. Ellith had a large number of houseguests overnight, then kissed Pon good luck and watched two chartered transports take his staff, chosen students and him to the spaceport for a chartered flight to a competition on a nearby world.
Merith collected her winnings, then met Pon's brother-in-law and he gave her his. Lane had explained Harvelle had been the perfect place for the ring's base because there were no income taxes due to the vast mineral wealth. The incident that made it as accessible as it was on Earth wasn't the same, but the result was and the government collected money on every gram exported. It was also why gaming taxes were low.
She cheerfully paid the two percent of the gross. She deposited the rest in numbered accounts and purchased real estate on another world by comm.
The show was broken down and the ship loaded. Merith realized Frake would have to hire several people to replace the three who were leaving. She brushed tears from her eyes and went back to work. There were furnishings to order and clothes to provide. Kitchens must also be stocked.
"Merith, we're on our way. We'll have everything ready for them when they get there. We'll see you at your destination."
"All right, Lane. Lane... "
"Yes? Come on, Merith, you know how it works. You have to ask before I can have the memory. You ask."
"If I tell Frake I'm in love with him, what would he... Would he... Oh, dear."
"Save me a dance at your reception. I love dancing with ladies in white."
He smiled, pulled a white rose from the air and handed it to her. She stared at it in surprise. It was cool and moist with dew. She inhaled the fragrance of the first rose she'd ever held that hadn't been replicated. She laughed in delight as Lane waved and walked away. She took a deep breath and hunted for Frake. She had something to tell him. Lane was smiling when he walked into Melissa.
"All right, that's taken care of. Now, on to our next destination. We're about to become deliverymen. Dutch, here's the list of merchants and items. Set schedules for pickup. You met them all, figure out what should go where and to whom. We need to insert computer records for all the kids in schools so they can be transferred to their new ones. I'll pull their real ones and change the identities. We'll need to do marriage, divorce, etceteras, for every one of them. Clete, you take care of birth and medical records. Here's the list of people and their new identities. Let's get to work."
"Lane, why are you so happy? You're just bubbling."
"Well, Clete, when we get this chore finished, we're going to a wedding. The bride has just promised me a dance at the reception. You guys will get one too, but you'll enjoy dancing with the bridesmaids more."
"Frake and Merith!"
"You got it. Jerona, Keli and Kera are going to be bridesmaids. Guess who the groomsmen are."
"All right! I like being in weddings."
The sudden wistful look on Clete's face made Dutch wish he hadn't said it.
"It's all right, Dutch. I like being in weddings, too."
"Clete, it'll be a little rough in places. Tell Jerona why. She's a good friend. She'll be willing to help."
"She always does."
Clete smiled a slow warm smile. It went with a very nice memory.
"Damn, Lane. He's doing it again!"
"I noticed. Let's get to work, Dutch."
"I hate trying to think when my teeth are rattling!"
A woman was still very nervous when she walked into her new house. The pain of finding out what her husband was hadn't really eased. She stopped and stared around in amazement. It was beautiful. She wandered from room to beautifully furnished room, carrying her cat and dragging her coat unnoticed behind her. She heard her daughter squeal, dropped cat and coat and ran.
"Look, Mommy, toys and dolls and my closet's full. Jord's too. Is yours full too, Mommy?"
She went to check. It was. She found a large packet on her dresser. It contained complete documents for all of them, including school enrollment for Merrie and Jord. Their first names were the same, but the last had been changed. The message light was blinking on the comm unit. It was from the bank and it thanked her for choosing them for her accounts. She pulled up the records and started to laugh. There was an amazing amount all set up as interest-bearing trusts. She would have a comfortable regular income and the children's education was provided for. She began to put the documents away and found a short handwritten note.
"The name on the decree is fictitious, but the divorce is real. Forget the past. Enjoy your new life. P.S. I set the coffeepot to turn on when you answered the comm unit."
She went to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. The house didn't have a food synthesizer, but she'd never really liked them. She opened cabinets and found them stocked. She sat down at the table and giggled. Frake had told her not to worry, she had the best guardian angels in the business. He'd been absolutely right. She wondered if one of them was called Dutch.
The scene was repeated in eight homes that day. Most homes had synthesizers. Those that didn't were for ladies and the man who preferred to cook. Reporters searched passenger lists for days. The families of the eight men and one woman had just disappeared, including dogs and cats.
Frake and Merith didn't wait long. It was a good time for all their real friends to attend, but it was less wait for the Gallants. None of them wanted to wait thirty-two days to go to the wedding.
"Congratulations, Frake, you're a very lucky man."
"I know it. Lane, I don't think I'd have ever gotten up the nerve, but she just walked up and said she loved me and what was I going to do about it. I asked her to marry me. Surprised myself. Didn't surprise her though. She handed me a guest list."
"Thanks for asking me to be best man. It meant a lot. Barnard and Jeannie looked pleased too."
"Well, Merith doesn't have any family. She likes Barnard and decided to ask him to give her away. Jeannie was natural for flower girl. Old Earth traditional all the way. It was
those costumes you guys wore. I'm glad Pon and Ellith could come. I've got a lot of old friends here, but Merith... Well, she needed some on her side of the aisle."
"Frake, I'm going to dance with your wife. I'm going to give her a kiss too. It's the one time I know my fiancé wouldn't mind."
"That's true. I wish Sabbi and Rose could've come. Merith asked them."
"Work and school. They just couldn't get away."
"Lane, you could've... you know, got them."
"No. My life with Sabbi is going to be wonderful. I don't need to make any changes in it. I am looking forward to the next time I see her though. I dream about it."
"Special reason?"
"Yes. Her mother won't be around."
Frake laughed and Lane went to dance with his wife and give her a kiss. Pon joined him at the punch bowl a short time later.
"It will be a warm night."
"Yeah, Clete and Dutch are going to bring Jerona, Keli and Kera home for a late supper. And breakfast."
"I'm sorry, my friend, Ellith has decided it will be a warm night too. You'll have to swim alone."
Lane laughed and clapped him on the back.
Clete watched Lane sit down for dinner in Melissa. Dutch grinned widely. They all felt good, but Lane was flying.
"All right, tell us."
"Tell you what, Clete?"
"You know. What's up. Why you're three feet off the ground and humming under your breath. Come on, Lane, tell us."
"I'm going to see Sabbi. There's a dance at her university and we're going to it. We're going to make it official. I've just been thinking about it."
"There's more."
"Yes! Yes, there is. Her mother won't be there! I'm going to whisk her away and spend some time with her. I've been enjoying thinking about you two taking your turn."
"Our turn at what?"
"Doing countless laps in the pool!"
Clete and Dutch burst into laughter. It really was their turn.
Lane got more excited as the time drew near. One night Clete hauled him out of bed, carried him, protesting, from his room and dumped him in the pool. Lane sputtered and laughed. Clete shook his head, grinned and went back to bed. Maybe his room wouldn't be quite so warm. Three days later, Lane's memory finally agreed it was time. Clete and Dutch both walked in to his room grinning widely. They'd both felt his sudden surge of excitement and knew exactly what it meant.
"So, how do we dress? Is this formal, informal, a beach party, what?"
"Homecoming. Called The Queen's Ball."
"White tuxes?"
"Not this time, Dutch. You and Clete wear black tuxes. I'm the only one who wears white."
"Oh, ho, you want to outshine us."
"I most certainly do."
"Going to tell us why?"
"No, you'll see. You won't be bored or go unnoticed. You'll get all the attention you need. I just want more."
"All right, Lane. Clete, black tuxes."
"Done."
Lane smiled, told Melissa to execute the flight plan and began getting ready. Dutch and Clete would wear black tuxes with red satin cummerbunds, ties and roses. He would wear all white including an opera cape. He planned on putting on quite a show. Sabbi would love it. She was a true romantic and so was he. He made his preparations and smiled. Clete hadn't caught on to the purpose of all the equations he'd given him to work on while he lifted weights. He'd just been happy to have some new ones to "play with," while the barbell went up and down.
The girl checking tickets at the door didn't ask them if they had them. Dutch handed her a rose and asked her for a dance later. The plain little girl became a beautiful woman in an instant. He was sure she was and she really couldn't doubt it.
Lane smiled at Clete's wide grin when love for them both rose in a warm wave in him, then suddenly became a thought of Sabbi and a great deal warmer.
They stepped through the doors and Dutch grinned, too. They followed two paces behind Lane as he walked across the dance floor. People stopped to watch and an aisle cleared.
Sabbi looked up and saw him. Her face lit with delight. She waited. The gleam in his eye and his smile told her he was up to something. He made a full formal bow and produced a bouquet of white roses from the air. He dropped on one knee before her. His deep rich voice carried through the room.
"I, Sir Apollo Avelaine Gallant, ask for your hand in marriage."
"Yes."
He pulled a ring set with a huge diamond from the air and placed it on her finger. She began to sing her song and he lifted her to her feet. He joined her in duet and they danced. When they finished the song, he kissed her and flower petals drifted down around them.
The room erupted in applause. Clete and Dutch grinned. Lane had figured out the flower petal trick and used it to good effect. He'd been spectacular. The prince had crashed the homecoming and walked off with the queen.
Clete and Dutch bowed to them and moved toward the refreshment table. Dutch filled two cups and carried them to the girl at the table in the hall. Clete felt the slightly awkward determination of a group of young women who had no special companion for the most romantic event of the year, but weren't about to miss it. He walked into the midst of them.
"Hi. I'm Clete. Can I be your date? I hate being at things like this alone."
He pulled rose after rose from the air and handed one to each. A chubby young woman with a delightful smile suddenly laughed.
"Absolutely, and I think you're big enough to actually go around."
"Oh, I do my best. Would you like to dance?"
Dutch found the shy girls in the hall, the ones who had built the floats and decorated the room. The ones who had worked long and hard, then dressed up and peeked through the door at other people enjoying the fruits of their labors. He sat on the ticket table, gave out roses and gently teased. Before long, he shooed them through the doors ahead of him, found a table and seated each and every one. He bowed and led the little ticket girl onto the floor. Boys next. They'd be harder, but a bit less shy to start. There would also be fewer. For some reason, a pair of very shy girls were likely to talk each other into things and a pair of very shy boys were likely to talk each other out of them.
The three women and two men faculty members and the group of alumnus smiled. They had no idea who the big men who had 'crashed the gate' were, but they were very welcome. They had made the night magical and brought the outsiders in. And in the center of the floor, the queen danced with her prince.
The last song was announced and couples moved onto the floor to hold each other and move to the slow song. On the last chord, the man in white flipped several things into the air in quick succession. There were sudden flashes of light all over the room and something began to drift down. A botany professor picked one up and gasped in amazement.
"It's real! The rose petals are real! They're not replicated! They're real!"
All over the room, young university students caught drifting petals and tucked them away, memories of a magical, romantic, night.
"Time for supper. Tell me, ladies, where would you like to continue this evening?"
"Clete, you can't be serious."
"Teri, I think you ladies have enjoyed my company. I know I've enjoyed yours. Whyever would you be surprised I want to take you to supper? Choose some place nice. I want to show you off. The boys and I feel quite smug having you all to ourselves. Don't we, Cliff?"
"Yes. How about Tres Jacque?"
"Ah, a suggestion. Sounds like a good one. Now, transport?"
"We can walk. It's about six blocks and I'd love to be seen with a whole bunch of pretty girls."
"Ladies, would you walk six blocks on a warm autumn evening so Cliff, Darrell and I can show off?"
"We'll get our coats."
"Teri, please allow us to use it as a way to say we're pleased to be with you. A bunch more people in line getting coats one at a time is silly and it's a nice opportunity."
They collected the checks and walked to th
e coat room.
"Clete, you're an absolute master. I'm having a great time learning from you."
"No, Cliff. See that man over there? That's my brother Dutch. I always thought he was a master. Tonight, I learned the true master is my brother Lane."
"The one who asked Sabbi to marry him."
"That's the one."
"I see what you mean."
"Ah, you really are learning."
"Clete?"
"Yes, Darrell?"
"Um, well, Tres Jacque is... well... "
"Don't worry. We'll cover it. It seems someone recently decided he owed me some back pay."
"Who? Oops, sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
"Then you won't mind if I don't tell you. It's rather embarrassing to be paid to escort the most beautiful women on a planet across a stage."
"Hi, Clete. Where are we taking the ladies?"
"Cliff suggests Tres Jacque, Dutch."
"Excellent. Thanks, Cliff. I couldn't get a name from anyone. Just 'anyplace' and 'you choose.' I take it we're within strolling distance."
"Yes. Dutch, make sure you reassure student budgets."
"True. We were pretty spoiled at the academy, in the Federation in general. I may never get used to the idea of needing to carry money. I'll comm ahead. Get us the center of the room. Lane and Sabbi?"
"Yes, definitely. Check. He may have already made the reservations."
"You're right. I'll bet he did. Weeks ago. Hang on, Kip. I'll take some of those. Ah, Lane. Reservations Tres Jacque?"
"Weeks ago. Hi, Clete, Cliff, Darrell. You lost a coat check. Teri's. Middle of the dance floor."
"Got it. Here, guys, be right back."
"How'd you know?"
"What?"
"About the coat check and our names."
"Easy, Cliff. Sabbi told me your names and Clete tells me about the coat check."
"Teri's coat check. In the middle of the dance floor."
"See?"
"Lane, not fair. You're making them nervous."
"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just showing off. Like the lights and flower petals. I asked the girl of my dreams to marry me and she said yes. I'm feeling pretty smug."
Choice of the Gallant_Paradox Equation I Page 24
