Not With A Whimper: Preservers

by D. A. Boulter

  “Isn’t he?”

  And Kiera didn’t want to think about that, either. “Please, can we talk about the weather or even sports?”

  Marie’s eyes widened, and mouth opened. She reached out and took Kiera into her arms, hugging her tightly. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.” She continued to hold Kiera, then whispered in her ear, “Diane slapped Richard in the face – in front of customers.”

  “What?” Kiera escaped Marie’s embrace, and stared into her eyes, wondering if she played some sort of joke.

  “True.”

  “Ha! He had it coming. I wonder what he did.”

  “So do we all. But Diane walked out, and hasn’t come back, so we can’t ask. And, guess what?”

  “What?”

  “Tips went up immediately upon her departure.”

  Kiera shook her head. “So, we guessed right.”

  The taxi came to a stop, and Kiera looked out to the street. “I think we need new shoes. My treat.” She fingered the credit chip that Sidney had topped up for her. He expected her to use it to enjoy herself, and to buy the revealing clothes and underthings that he so appreciated. She didn’t tell him that she regularly siphoned off a few pounds, and put them away in a bank account that she didn’t tell him about. Marie made no mistake. Sooner or later, Sidney would tire of her. When that time came, she would have at least a little something to cushion her fall.

  CHAPTER 7

  Haida Gwaii

  Friday 18 June

  The shuttle arrived at Venture, and Jaswinder took a last look back before boarding it. Her ‘vacation stay’ on Venture had produced results – better than she might have wished for. Now she approached the problem with real hope. The break from Haida Gwaii, and Matt’s impatience, had done her good as well. The trip to the station didn’t take much more than an hour. She jumped up as soon as the shuttle docked, ready to get to work again – for real.

  Jaswinder stepped out of the shuttle. Matt would love what she had done – and would perhaps forgive her for abandoning him. She moved to the side to allow the upcoming workers to pass. According to their manifest, Harold Preston should be somewhere on board, having come up from Earth, but she hadn’t seen him in the few moments she had had to study the passengers. She had needed to strap in, and any further observation became impossible once seated.

  “Hi Matt,” she said, as her brother-in-law approached. “Come to give me a hard time for leaving?”

  He looked her up and down, eyes narrowed. “You’ve figured something out.”

  She merely smiled. “I understand Professor Preston is on board the shuttle; I didn’t see him; I got seated in the first row.”

  “Family gets preference,” Matt agreed. “ But, yes, I received confirmation. He’ll probably be the last to leave. The young and vital move faster. Ah, there he is.”

  Jaswinder turned. Sure enough, Preston had poked his head out of the shuttle hatch. He looked around curiously before carefully stepping through the lock and into the station’s waiting lounge.

  Upon seeing her wave, he smiled and stepped carefully towards them. When he drew near, Jaswinder saw that his eyes no longer possessed the sharpness that she remembered.

  “What a fantastic trip!” he said. “Magnificent. Zero-g. Almost lost my lunch, but didn’t.”

  He seemed quite proud of himself for that. Jaswinder ruefully recalled her first shuttle trip. She hadn’t come off so lucky.

  “Welcome on board Haida Gwaii, Professor Preston,” Matt said, hand out.

  Preston peered up at Matt, who towered above him. “Captain Yrden?”

  “Yes, Professor. Matt Yrden.”

  “I talked to you once, didn’t I?” He seemed unsure, and Jaswinder’s heart sank.

  “Yes, Professor, you did. If you’ll just come this way, we’ll get you settled.”

  “I brought luggage.” He turned about, looking for it, but seeing nothing. “They lost it?”

  Matt laughed, though Jaswinder felt that he forced it. “No, Professor, it comes out on the deck below this one. Someone will bring it to your rooms.”

  “Ah, that’s a relief.” He seemed calmed by the information. “Ah, Professor Saroya, good of you to meet me.”

  “Hello, again, Professor. I’m glad you could make it.” She watched the old man’s face for any sign of the sharp intelligence she’d seen when they’d talked some twenty years previous. Nothing showed.

  “Could we go somewhere quiet, and sit down?” he asked. “I’m still a little shaky. Haven’t recovered from the lift-off, yet.”

  “Yes, of course, Professor Preston,” she said, with a gentle smile. “We have a conference room nearby. We’ll let you get your bearings, then we will show you to your room.”

  He walked slowly down the wide corridor. Matt moved ahead to open the doors for him. Jaswinder grimaced as Preston’s head turned this way and that, marvelling at the most mundane of features. Such a waste of a once-brilliant mind. She saw a passing worker do a double take, then roll her eyes and shake her head slightly at the sight of the old man. Jaswinder wanted to snap something at the woman, but realized it would only hurt poor old Preston.

  Well, they had him for a couple of weeks at least. They could make him comfortable, or even put him up in Venture – give him the trip that Matt had suggested. Then, at least, he could tell his friends that he’d been to the far side of Jupiter.

  Matt opened the conference room door. He turned on only a few of the lights, making it feel more comfortable, less officious.

  “Have a seat, Professor Preston. I’ll get you a glass of water, if you like.”

  Jaswinder closed the door. The relative coolness of the room, compared to the shuttle and the concourse, refreshed her. She hoped it did the same for the old man.

  Preston sat down in one of the comfortable chairs, and stretched out his legs.

  “Ah, that feels good. Water? Thank you.” He accepted the glass from Matt.

  Preston took a long drink, emptying the glass. Then he turned his head to look at Jaswinder. He smiled vacantly at her. Then the eyes sharpened.

  “Well, Professor Saroya, you did it.” His voice no longer seemed slightly vacant, but crisp.

  “Did what, Professor?”

  “Found that way to get ships to increase speed in hyperspace – just like you wanted to blurt out to everyone. I kept a close eye on the news. When I heard about Venture finding new routes, I guessed you’d had a hand in that. So many sudden finds after so many years? It didn’t seem likely. Later, I found a picture of the Yrden Family at the start-up of the Family Trading League. Then I knew for sure.”

  Jaswinder turned to Matt, a great smile on her face. “I told you.”

  Matt, however, had tensed when Preston referred to the theory that Jaswinder had proved.

  “How many others know?”

  Preston fixed him with a professorial glare. “Young man, when I advised our good professor, here, I didn’t do it to see her dead by me then compromising my own effort on her behalf. I’ve told no one these last 20 years. But I knew. And it gave me great satisfaction seeing those fools in government and in the Trans-Planetary Corporations running in circles.”

  Matt took a mental step backwards. Jaswinder could see that Preston’s act still had him off-balance.

  “Professor Preston, if I may ask,” Jaswinder said, to give Matt time to adjust, “why did you put on the absent-minded act?”

  He snorted. “They don’t like me and my courses – the politicians, that is. They hate it when the people have a memory. Looking at the past to predict the future doesn’t win one many friends in government.” He looked back to Matt. “Might I have another glass of water?”

  “Of course, Professor.”

  Preston grinned. “Let’s cut all this Professor, Professor, Captain, stuff. I’m Harold.”

  “Matt,” said Matt, grinning back at him. He refilled Preston’s glass.

  “That makes me just Jaswinder. I thought you might have
suspected that someone listened in on our conversation.”

  Preston snorted again. “Fools. They think when a man reaches my age that his mind goes. Mine is as sharp as ever, but I found it advantageous to have them believe otherwise. Did you know that they pressured Plender University to cancel my course? You really should have taken it, you know.”

  Jaswinder laughed. “I did. I used my husband’s name to enroll: Johannes Yrden.”

  “Johannes ... Of course! My star pupil. I used bits of his – your – final paper as an example to my classes for the next seven or eight years.”

  “Harold,” Matt said, clearly uncomfortable with using his first name. “Why did you contact us?”

  Preston took a deep breath, then let it out with a sigh. He ran his hand over his unshaven chin. “It’s about to start, and I need to find someone to become the ‘Keepers of the Knowledge’.”

  “What’s about to start, Harold?” Jaswinder asked.

  “War. Probably Earth’s last one.”

  * * *

  London

  Friday 18 June

  “Yes, of course I have time for Monsieur Fontaine,” Sidney told his secretary. “Put him through, please.”

  Sidney felt all the tension that had come and gone throughout the time since his meeting with the Frenchman return in one great rush. He refused to allow any of that into his voice – especially since the call came to his office, and all Agri-Inc. employees figured that top management recorded and reviewed all such calls.

  “Hello, Monsieur Fontaine,” he began in a very business-like voice. “How may Agri-Inc. help you today?” Fontaine looked similarly business-like in the tele-vid screen.

  “Ah, Mr Tremblay. I took your advice and approached my Family Head. He, in turn, took it to the FTL assembly. I want you to know that you can count on us to institute more stringent measures to prevent the illicit transport of Agri-Inc. patented seed on any Family flights.”

  Sidney felt much of the tension disappear with those words.

  “That sounds good, Monsieur. Agri-Inc. appreciates any efforts in that direction. I hope you don’t find the imposition onerous.”

  Fontaine’s next words almost caused him to smile, but he had better control than to allow emotion to betray him.

  “We calculated the costs at the meeting, and consensus is that we can afford them. Better to afford them than to suffer the wrath of the Trans-Planetary Corporations if they feel us culpable due to lack of action.”

  Sidney nodded. “A wise decision.”

  “If your company has any questions, I’m free to answer them. You can find me at the Hotel Charlemagne in Paris for the next week. After that, you’ll have to direct inquiries to FTL-1 in orbit.”

  Sidney cursed to himself. His workload would not permit him to leave London at all during that period. And that left only one possibility: Kiera. Putting it off for weeks didn’t appeal to him.

  “Thank you, Monsieur. We will call should we have any questions. Thank you again for your cooperation.”

  “Au revoir, Monsieur Tremblay.”

  “Au revoir.”

  Sidney disconnected. “Alice. Hold all calls for thirty minutes. I don’t wish any interruptions.”

  He needed to think. Kiera hadn’t yet had any experience in making deliveries – and he had never before asked one of his unknowing couriers to cross a border, to go through Customs. If she made a mistake and they caught her...

  No. If they caught her, he would simply use his long-standing excuse – a girlfriend had betrayed him, had stolen from him, had used him. Kiera didn’t have the intellectual wherewithal to deal with something like that. The authorities would make mincemeat of her – especially if he provided them with the means.

  * * *

  Family Trading League Station (FTL-1)

  Friday 18 June

  “Thank you, Captain Nakamura,” Johannes Yrden said, bowing slightly to the son of the Head of the Nakamura Family Line, who had come to see them off his ship. “The Heian Maru gave solace as we seek to reunite the family.”

  Nakamura bowed in return. “We could have sent you in our shuttle, you know.”

  “I know. You’ve done so much already that I would hate to put upon you like that. Why waste the fuel when we can catch a regular run from FTL-1?”

  Nakamura laughed. “Your family has saved us so much fuel over the years that a shuttle-trip’s worth is as nothing. Say the word, and my nephew will have you at Haida Gwaii before FTL-1’s shuttle even begins to board.”

  “You honour us, Captain, but I have business here, also. The message you kindly forwarded tells me that my son has graduated both his high-school classes and Detector Initiation course. He has just landed on FTL-1 for his Detector Level One course. I wish to see and congratulate him. It hurts that I could not be present at the time. I need to tell him so.”

  Throughout it all, Becky had said nothing. Johannes wondered what she thought. She’d remained uncharacteristically withdrawn throughout their voyages, both to Yamato and then back to Earth. His own mood hadn’t helped. He needed to speak to his wife, to see her.

  “Of course you do, Captain Yrden. I wish you, then, a pleasant stay here, and a quick reunion with your wife. And I hope all goes well with our mutual endeavour.”

  Courtesy had demanded that he inform Nakamura of the reason he travelled via ships other than Family. Nakamura’s own sense of Family seemed even greater than his, and Nakamura had done everything possible to get them back to Earth with dispatch.

  “Thank you, again, for everything. Perhaps we’ll see you again before you ship out.”

  “I look forward to the possibility.”

  Johannes picked up his bag, motioned with his head to the hatch, and allowed Becky to precede him. The shuttle carried them quickly to FTL-1, where it docked. Once on the concourse level of FTL-1, he headed for the Yrden Office.

  “Dad?”

  “Yes, Becky?”

  “Mom had no choice. She didn’t leave us behind on purpose.”

  “I know.”

  “Don’t fight. Please.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  He gave her a pat on the shoulder with his free hand, while wondering if they had anything left to fight for. Office first; worry about Jaswinder later. They walked. It seemed an endless distance, but not much more than ten minutes passed before Johannes nudged his daughter, who looked down at the deck. “Recognize anyone?”

  She looked up and ahead to the Yrden Office door.

  “Owen!”

  He turned at her yell, and a big smile came to his face. She dropped her bag, and ran to embrace him. Johannes shrugged, picked up the dropped bag, and continued along, giving them time to finish their greeting.

  “Hello, Son.”

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Son, I’m terribly sorry we couldn’t get back in time to celebrate with you. We tried. We just couldn’t make it.”

  Owen nodded, face serious. “It’s OK.”

  “No, Son, it isn’t. We should have been there, all of us together.” He held out his hand. “Congratulations. And congratulations on your detector course. Two months, isn’t it?”

  Owen smiled, finally. “Yeah. Nine weeks. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Good man. I did, too. Got your room, yet?”

  Owen held up his keycard. “I was just going there, now. I guess I’ll see you in a couple of months.”

  Johannes heard something in Owen’s voice that he thought he recognized. He smiled. “Not so fast, Son. You, me, and Becky need to have a celebratory dinner. We’ll drop our bags at the office, and pick them up later.”

  Becky smiled, but Owen looked doubtful. “Won’t have time to both eat and make your shuttle.”

  Johannes laughed. “There’s another shuttle after that if we miss it ... and another one after that one. And more tomorrow.”

  Finally, a smile came to Owen’s face. “Thanks, Dad. I do feel a little hungry.”

  “Great. Let’s
drop our bags. I know a restaurant that can almost match your Great Aunt Sophie’s cooking.”

  Bags dropped, he put one arm around the shoulders of his son, the other around those of his daughter, and sent them careening down the corridors.

  “Dad, they’ll think you’re drunk,” Owen protested.

  “Yep. Drunk on happiness,” Johannes retorted “Not to fear; we’re here.”

  “Table for three, my good lady,” he told the hostess at Darcy’s, who recognized him, and showed them to a good location. “Whatever they want,” he proclaimed, at her query. “We are celebrating.”

  During their meal, out-bound passengers – and some inbound who would be going down to Earth – came in to enjoy what Darcy’s had to offer. Two tables of diners left, and some of Nakamura’s crew entered. Johannes gave each only passing attention. He wanted to show his children a good time. Then, Captain Nakamura entered and, upon spotting him, made his way through the tables directly to their booth.

  “Have you any official word?” the captain asked.

  He smiled. “Word of what?”

  Nakamura didn’t return his smile.

  “Rumour has it that Amalgamated lost a ship to pirates on the Earth-African Nations run.”

  His own smile disappeared, both due to the news and due to the way Owen seemed to tense. Venture had returned via that route.

  “No, I’ve heard nothing. Rumour or fact?” he asked.

  “Rumour, as far as I know, but others speak of it as fact. I thought you might have heard from your brother.”

  “No, I haven’t spoken to anyone yet, outside of my son, here. Owen, do you know anything? You came in on Venture.”

  Owen looked down at his plate. “Not really. Only that Venture got a signal off the buoy. That’s all anyone knows. Anything else is just rumour as far as I know.”

  The child lied. To him. He straightened, and turned to Owen, but his son mouthed ‘Not here,’ and Johannes, with fear in his stomach, forced a smile.