by Lionel Law
Hunt shook his head, flabbergast. “You traitor. You really want us to work together with the very being who attacked us? Made us sick? Are you out of your mind?”
“It was not humans who were the first victims of plague, Governor,” Henchuk replied. “Iovans fell ill days before the first human victims were reported. If anyone is to be accused of launching a biological attack, it is you.”
“All right, hold on, both of you!” Katrina said, desperation in her eyes. She had never known Henchuk to be so stubborn and belligerent before. While he may have been a former military man as well, he had never struck her as anything but wise and considerate. Yet here he was, being just as much of a pigheaded fool as Ross Hunt. “I brought you both here to talk, not to trade hysterical accusations.”
“I only talk with those who are equal in worth to me,” Hunt replied, crossing his arms. “Count yourself lucky I even talk to you at all.”
Henchuk looked like he was about to say something, then shook his head. “I’m sorry Ambassador Cole, but I think your idea, while well intentioned, is not going to work. I came out here hoping to speak with an intelligent man, not a barely evolved primate.”
It was lucky that neither Hunt nor Henchuk were armed, as both started towards the other, their faces twisted in anger and their fists raised for combat. Katrina shot into the ground between them, the shower of sparks stopping both in their tracks. “If you cannot negotiate, you can at least not murder each other.”
Hunt guffawed and looked at her like she was insane. “Doesn’t really matter now, does it? All Golden Rod has to do here is wait a bit longer, and he won’t have to get his hands dirty at all, except to clean up the bodies. But trust me, Iovan. Before the last human is dead, I will make damn sure your people are coming with us. Now, do you have any more questions?”
Henchuk stared at Hunt, aghast. “You would?”
“It’s called Mutually Assured Destruction, asshole. Trust me, it kept humans from killing each other off for more time than the feel-gooders admit. Either call off the plague, or prepare to glow at night. I’m getting the fuck out of here.”
Hunt stalked off, leaving his secretary behind. Katrina figured the man to be a Dirt, with the way he ignored him. Climbing into his hovercraft, he started up quickly and took off, turning towards Iova City. Katrina watched him go, then turned to Henchuk. “That didn’t go well.”
Henchuk shook his head. “No, it didn’t. And I must apologize, I let my own fears and anger get the best of me.”
Katrina nodded, and turned her attention to the secretary. “What do we do with him? I suspect Hunt is already on his radio calling for a patrol hovercraft to come in, but I don’t know if he’ll want them to land, or just carpet bomb this place. Either way, you and I need to be gone in about three minutes. If we leave him, they might pick him up and take him back to Iova City.”
Henchuck looked at the inert form on the ground and shook his head. “There’s also a chance he’ll be killed by his own people. No, he comes with us. Help me carry him to the shuttlecraft. Let’s go.”
Chapter 11
“Why have you taken me prisoner?” the man asked, his blue eyes blazing. “I’m a member of the government of Iova City, and therefore are under diplomatic immunity. Your…..”
“Will you please shut the hell up?” Katrina asked, exasperated. She considered shooting the man again, but decided against it. It wouldn’t help matters in the least. “You’re not a prisoner, and don’t give me that diplomatic immunity stuff. You are Ross Hunt’s secretary, and considering the way he hauled ass after he got done making threats, I’d say you’re just as much of a Dirt as I am, so it’s not like he would have had that strike team he called in be very careful in finding and retrieving you.”
The man quieted down, still angry, but something in Katrina’s words struck a nerve. Finally, the man looked at Katrina again. “How did you know?”
“That you’re a Dirt like me?” Katrina asked. Up front, Councilor Henchuk worked the controls expertly. “Simple. You were dumped like a bad habit. Quals don’t do that to one another, especially with as few of them as there are. But Dirts, there’s five of us for every two Quals. We’re almost as expendable as tissue paper.”
The man fell silent again, and Henchuk landed them quickly. “Ambassador, what should we do with Governor Hunt’s secretary?” Henchuk asked. “He did try to pull a gun on us.”
“True, but I think in the interests of trying to maintain something that approaches peaceful relations, I’d like to keep…. what’s your name?” Katrina asked, turning to the redheaded man.
“Kevin Christian O’Connor. Call me KC O’Connor,” the man replied, his eyes darting from Katrina to Henchuk and back.
Katrina nodded. “Okay, I’d like to keep Mr. O’Connor under my house. I’m sure that Da’al won’t mind, and there we can keep an eye on him. Mr. O’Connor, you don’t plan on trying to get another gun and shooting me or my partner, do you?”
KC stared at Katrina for a moment, then shook his head. “Fuck it, what’s the point? If I do, there’s no way in hell I’m going to get back home. I might as well behave, although I won’t be answering any questions you may have for me.”
“That’s fine,” Katrina replied. “I didn’t really have any anyway.”
*****
“He’s who?”
“He’s Ross Hunt’s personal secretary, and he tried to shoot either me or Councilor Henchuk,” Katrina repeated herself for the third time. And honestly Da’al, let’s try and use our mental link as much as we can, when we talk about him, okay? I’d rather not have him more freaked out than he is.
I understand, Da’al replied, his blue eyes fixed on KC, who was sitting on their sofa, his eyes staring at them both. “KC, can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“No,” KC replied, his voice even and flat. He was sitting almost ramrod straight, and Katrina realized the man was deathly afraid, and only his own sense of masculinity was preventing him from expressing it.
“Listen, tomorrow morning I’ll take you down to my office, you can try and contact Iova City then,” Katrina said, sitting down at the other end of the sofa. “In the meantime, if it makes you feel any better, I’ll be happy to sample any food or drink you want just to prove to you we’re not trying to poison you or screw with your head or anything like that.”
KC thought about it for a moment, then nodded his head. “Fine. Water, if you don’t mind. And I’d like to watch you draw it from the tap.”
“Suspicious type, aren’t you?” Da’al asked good naturedly, going over to the kitchen. “Well, come on over, there’s nothing that looks too out of the ordinary for you I assume. At least, Katrina didn’t seem to have any major questions when she first moved in.”
“That is one of those things I still don’t understand,” KC commented as he watched Da’al fill a pitcher with water, then take out three cups. He handed the pitcher to KC, and let him fill the cups, passing them out as he saw fit. Da’al and Katrina both drained their glasses before he was willing to take a sip. “Nobody in Iova City really understands why in the world you’re doing what you’re doing.”
Katrina thought about it for a moment, then looked over at Da’al. “It’s simple really KC. I fell in love.”
KC looked from Da’al to Katrina and back, then shrugged. “Well, it takes all types I guess. Although I do admit Da’al, you are built fitter than most of the human men in Iova City. I’m into the feminine types myself, tall, leggy blondes if I can find them. You Iovans are shrimps.”
“Guilty as charged,” Da’al replied. “If there’s ever a chance, I’ll introduce you to the Mazerians. Their females start at two meters tall.”
KC blinked, then cocked his eyebrow. “And their men?”
“We don’t know,” Da’al replied. “They’re a female dominated society. The men stay at home and take care of the young while the women evolved to become the warriors, hunters, et cetera.”
“In
triguing. I don’t know though, two meters is a bit tall for me. I was thinking maybe about five eight or nine or so for me. And I’m not exactly into being a kept man. I kind of like being able to do things on my own.”
Katrina chuckled. “Love isn’t quite like that KC. I’ll admit that when we first met, Da’al and I had a physical attraction as well. But it’s a lot more than that. Haven’t you ever been in love?”
“Love? Come on, we’re Dirts. You know that love isn’t exactly in our normal life plan,” KC replied honestly. On one hand, Katrina was pleased the man was opening up. On the other, she was saddened by the sarcastic, hopeless tone in his voice.
“I think that was one of the reasons I did run,” Katrina finally said in reply, walking away from the counter to look out the window. “I couldn’t live that way any longer. If it hadn’t been Rodriguez, it would have been another reason.”
And more than ever, I’m the luckiest being on the entire planet, Da’al sent over their link, causing Katrina to smile. I think I will give you two some privacy, if you wish. I will take my data sheet into our bedroom. Will you be okay?
We’ll be fine, Katrina thought back. I can tell that KC isn’t going to become violent, and he’ll behave. I love you.
Da’al got his data sheet and left the two humans, KC watching him go. Once they were alone, he turned his attention back to Katrina. “You really are happy here?”
“Not perfectly,” Katrina said seriously, refilling her glass. “Besides this plague that is devastating both groups, the fact is I’m in a tough position. The Iovans have treated me fairly, but with Ross Hunt and the rest of the so-called Peers over there in Iova City, I wonder how much longer the Iovans’ patience is going to hold out. I don’t think the Iovans would attack without provocation, but they would isolate the humans and just treat them as outcasts. I don’t want a Cold War.”
KC was quiet for a moment, then looked up. “Tell me, what did your PQ test say in school?”
The Potential Quotient test was a test that every student took, and replaced the IQ test. In addition to the classic elements of the IQ test, it also incorporated elements of previous general knowledge tests such as the SAT and the ACT, as well as tests that supposedly profiled the careers the student was best suited for. Every high school student took it approximately six months prior to the Qual Exams, and was considered the second most important exam they could take. “I got a 148,” Katrina said.
KC blinked, shocked. Like the old IQ, the PQ assigned a value not on raw score, but on a standardized curve, with a score of 100 being average potential. “I got a 104,” KC said quietly. “How’d you not pass the Qual Exam with a 148?”
“My parents were poor, I didn’t have access to any of the exam preparation materials,” Katrina replied honestly. “So there was almost no way I could pass the history, law, or philosophy portions of the test. I did do well in math and language arts, though.”
KC nodded his head, understanding. “Well, I had the opposite problem. My mother was connected with a Qual family, and they were willing to sponsor me on a repayment scheme. Something was stopping them from having sons, so the husband would be willing to adopt me, provided I passed the test. So starting in fifth grade, I went to cram school two hours a day four days a week, and another eight hours on Saturdays. But I still failed the exam. Joining the Glorious Enterprise was the only way to wipe out my debt to my sponsors.”
“Is that why you joined Ross Hunt’s staff? A way to try and do what your mother did, and get a leg up for any children you may end up having?”
KC shook his head. “No. The Peers passed laws, their ranks are closed. The only way I could have a child who becomes a Peer is to become a bedmate to a Peer woman, and then convince her husband to accept the child. Even if there is a DNA match through the mother, if he doesn’t recognize it, my child wouldn’t be accepted as a Peer.” The blonde man snorted and looked up. “Kinda sucky situation, isn’t it?”
“You don’t have to live that way,” Katrina said. Before she could go on, she was interrupted by a chanting, yelling ruckus coming from out in the street. “What the hell is that?”
Katrina walked over to the window, looking out into the street. Not seeing anything, she opened the door, walking out just as Da’al came into the room from the back. “Stay inside,” he said, rushing across the room. “You don’t want to know what they’re chanting. Go upstairs, you can watch from the balcony on the second floor safely.”
Katrina nodded, and looked over at KC. “Stay with me,” she instructed, heading up the stairs. Da’al remained on the first floor, locking the door. Katrina took KC up to Da’al’s study on the second floor, where a small balcony overlooked the street. From there, they watched as a small crowd approached the house, holding signs and chanting. It felt weird to Katrina, as she could tell the chants were repetitive in nature, but due to the sub and ultra sonic tones that Iovans could make, the chants seemed to cut in and out at strange intervals. Still, she knew enough of the text of the Iovan language that she could pick out some of the signs the crowd was holding. “Ah hell.”
“What?” KC asked, glancing over the group, worried. His hands twitched with raw energy, and Katrina could tell he was ready to either fight or run, he just wasn’t sure which yet.
“Well, they’re basically saying ‘humans go home.’ Of course, since the ship’s been dismantled, that isn’t happening any time soon. I can’t read some of the text, but I’m pretty sure the details aren’t all that important.”
Da’al came upstairs, his golden skin a bit ashen. “I’ve called the security patrols, they’re sending two cars. Katrina, they’re saying there’s been fighting. What in the world is going on?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.”
*****
The first attack was apparently made by a small group of humans, who used a hovercraft to cross the border. Finding an agricultural settlement, they attacked in a hit and run, using hand weapons and crude bombs to blast their way through the settlement. A single pass had resulted in twenty five Iovan deaths, and over a dozen buildings destroyed. The hovercraft took minor damage from a farmer who used the Iovan equivalent of a shotgun, but still escaped back into human territory without being pursued.
The Iovan response was disjointed and confused. For the entire colony’s existence, the defense forces and the security forces had focused on different areas. The security forces, as intimidating at they sounded, were a police force, most of whom were unarmed patrolmen. With the pervasive amounts of psychic information being passed around Iovan society, crime was much less common than in most other societies. At the same time, the defense force was focused mostly on defense from space borne attacks. Neither group was truly prepared for any form of ground based violence.
While the Iovans had their small shuttle fleet, what they lacked were actual physical forces. The defense forces operated under the idea of stealth and hiding, making sure that the Iovan colony looked unimportant enough that any truly belligerent races passed the planet by. At the same time, the security forces were mostly unarmed, and while the Iovans had weapons, they didn’t have organization.
What resulted was a lot of mob actions. Angry, scared Iovans, already frightened due to the disease that was sweeping through their cities, lashed back in personal attacks, often individual shuttles that were armed with little more than navigation deflectors and personal weapons. Unorganized, they swarmed towards Iova City and its outlying defenses.
They were met by sick but determined humans, who were much more organized and heavily armed than the Iovan attackers. It was a classic battle of prepared defense against a mass attack, and the results were horrendous casualties on both sides. By the time the mob had assembled outside of Katrina and Da’al’s house, reports were still coming in, but at least five hundred Iovans and a dozen humans were killed before the attackers fled.
Security forces came to disperse the mob, but not before angry Iovans pelted Da’al’s house
with garbage, feces and paint. Katrina held her nerve but KC jumped, somewhat panicked when one Iovan throw went through the front window in a crash of glass before the police could respond. Thankfully, before the mob could turn into a full scale riot, it was broken up by security forces in full gear. A security ground transport pulled up in front of the house, and two fully armed officers got out while others held back the mob. “Get in!” one of them yelled up to Da’al.
“Let’s go,” Da’al said, dashing for the front door. He made sure that Katrina and KC were in the vehicle safely before the entire transport lifted off, shooting straight up vertically as quickly as possible before heading for the main government buildings. The two officers who were crewing the transport didn’t say anything to their passengers, landing on the roof of the Council building and escorting them inside, where they found Councilor Henchuk waiting for them.
“Are you all right?” he asked, looking from Katrina to Da’al and finally KC. “I sent men as soon as I heard.”
“We’re fine,” Katrina replied. Suddenly, a thought came to her. “Brynnda. Councilor, can you have your men escort Brynnda here? That mob was coming after me and Da’al. They might target Brynnda too.”
“My secretary has already been in contact with her,” Henchuk replied. He led them deeper into the building, towards his offices. As they walked, Katrina noticed the halls were practically empty, the first she had ever seen for the seat of the Iovan government. She wondered how many were because of the plague, and how many were because of the violence. “She and her family will evacuate to a secure location, she said. She offered to come in as well, if you want her to.”
Katrina felt the weight of command settle on her shoulders, and she wondered what she had done to deserve such loyalty from the beautiful Iovan woman, who was literally old enough to be her grandmother. “No Councilor, make sure she’s safe,” Katrina finally said after a moment. Henchuk led her into his offices, where the four of them sat down. “I doubt there will be much need for an Ambassador’s assistant in times like this. If anything, I need to try and talk to Ross Hunt directly.”
