In Ben’s mind it was as if he and Crowder were face-to-face. He could almost see the details of the room and the people surrounding Crowder in his office.
As Ben entered Crowder’s implant space, Crowder straightened up.
*This must be important, Ben.* Crowder’s thought held puzzlement and curiosity.
*It is. Are you sitting down? We’ve discovered platinum on Olyanda.* He paused to give Crowder a moment to take it in and felt Molloy stirring at the news.
*Who knows about it?*
*So far only you, me, Lorient, and Wenna.*
*I’ll need a full survey.*
*No. You have to help me sit on the information; that’s what Lorient wants. There’s some raw data in last week’s packet. Should be with you already. You have to erase it.*
*Platinum, Ben.*
*Yes, but it’s not ours.*
Ben felt the first stirrings of alarm. Crowder’s immediate concern should have been for the colony, not the platinum. He wanted to yell, Remember Hera-3, but he knew Crowder wouldn’t forget. It had been Crowder who had debriefed him and stood with him at the hearing; defended him for losing one hundred and forty-three of his team in order to bring out fifteen hundred civilians from what had become a war zone.
*What an embarrassing mistake to make,* Crowder said. *To suddenly find the planet you’ve contracted out to a farming colony has platinum . . . How did the original survey miss it?*
*This planet’s coming out of an ice age fast. Vast tracts of land that are now green again were still frozen during the initial survey. You can see how recently the ice has receded, especially in the uplands.*
*Even so . . . *
*I’d like to relocate the Olyanda settlers to a new planet, but Lorient won’t hear of it,* Ben said. *You’d need to send a new fuel cell for the LV and transport for the revived techs, but the settlers are easy; we’ve barely begun to revive them yet. I could talk to Lorient again, offer him a deal on the Trust’s behalf.*
*No!* Crowder was emphatic. *The contracts have all been signed and ratified at the highest level. If Lorient disposes of the planet or its mineral rights, it has to be offered on the open market. There’s nothing we can do without drawing a lot of the wrong kind of attention to it.* Crowder dropped his mental voice as though someone might overhear them, *If it goes public, Alphacorp will try to muscle in. I’d rather lose the platinum altogether than let any other megacorp have it. And I’m not being held to ransom over this by the Ecolibrians; I’ll damn well bet that this “cover it up” game of Lorient’s is just to soften us up and get a better price.*
Ben shrugged. *I don’t think so, somehow. Besides, it’s their planet. You’ve just said so. I don’t think they’ll try and sell anyone the platinum. They don’t want it. It’s my guess that they won’t mine it, or let anyone else mine it either. They’d be much better off if the platinum didn’t exist at all.* Ben leaned forward to emphasize his point, feeling as though he could almost touch Crowder across the void of space.
*But it does exist,* Crowder said the words softly, almost to himself. *You must have been tempted, yourself.*
*How do you know I haven’t stashed a few kilos of ore already?*
*I know you.*
*I’m just too honest for my own good.*
Crowder was silent, obviously deep in thought.
Then he said, *All right. How easy is it to pick up on the platinum? Do you think you can hide it from your psi-techs?*
*Possibly. Most of them wouldn’t recognize platinum ore if it flew past their noses. The survey team is likely to find it, but I can contain that.* Ben ran over the staff lists in his head. *And you’re my backup. I need you to plug leaks just in case.*
Crowder still sounded doubtful. *All right.*
*I’m up on the ark, and our psi-tech, Mr. Molloy, has agreed to a wipeout afterward. I even used an excuse to get up here. I told them that the ark had discovered a grain shortage.*
There was a short pause while Crowder appeared to be thinking it through. *Then I’ll back that story up with a supplementary grain shipment.*
*If the budget stretches to it.*
*It will. One more thing . . . Better not contact me direct through your own psi-techs from now on. I might let the information slip accidentally. Contact Ishmael for all routine items.*
*Good idea.*
Without even indicating that the conversation had finished, Ben set the sedative in motion and slammed his mind closed to Molloy’s touch so that he didn’t plunge into unconsciousness with him as the drug took effect.
He called Golding into the room. “He’s all yours, Doctor. Tell him once again that I’m truly sorry for the trouble, but he’s much better off without that information in his head. I hope he feels okay when he wakes.”
“He’ll have a hell of a headache, Commander Benjamin, but no permanent damage.”
Once he was on the shuttle back to the surface, Ben let his head roll back and closed his eyes. He felt nothing but a sense of relief. Crowder was a good man to have at your back.
• • •
Gabrius Crowder sat back as Ben’s mind link faded. Platinum. The Trust needed platinum, since the reserves on Iolan Seven only had a projected life of twenty years at best.
He smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Gods, what was he about to do? Such a small step to take now, but the repercussions could echo across the galaxy for centuries if he got it wrong.
He heard the echoes of Ben’s voice, “I know you well enough to trust that you’ll do what’s best for the settlers.”
Under ordinary circumstances, yes, but platinum . . .
Sorry, Ben, I truly am. Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think.
Ben was a compulsive White Knight. He believed in doing what was best for people, individuals; he didn’t sit back and look at the big picture. And he never could understand that the Trust meant more to Crowder than anything else.
Anything.
There had to be a way to access the platinum. He’d better do some sharp thinking and some solid research. Maybe there was a loophole in the contract. That was the first thing to check. Try and do this without loss of life if he could. Hera-3 had left a bad taste.
And if he couldn’t? The question echoed in his brain until he had a cracking headache.
And if he couldn’t?
Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?
Chapter Sixteen
RESURFACING
Cara didn’t hear the full story until later, and then only from Marta, who had the next office to Mapping in the LV.
“I’m surprised you didn’t hear it from the horse barn,” Marta said over lunch, her sibilance barely noticeable today—or maybe Cara was just getting used to it. “Lorient was throwing his weight around as if he wanted everyone within earshot to know this was his colony and not ours. The upshot is that even though he’s moving the settlers to Broccoliburg, he’s attaching a bunch of his volunteers to work with Mapping. He says he doesn’t want anything with potential to be overlooked.”
Cara had been helping out in the horse barn all morning. Her eyes widened. “What did Ben say to that?”
“Pointed out that they’d need to be trained and then said okay.”
“Hell, the man’s got the patience of a saint. If it was me, I’d have decked Lorient right there and told him not to be such a dick. How can untrained volunteers fit in with experienced mapping teams? It’s just not going to work.”
“You should have heard Wenna offer the same opinion afterward—though not so politely.” Marta laughed. “But then Ben said something I didn’t catch, and she gave in. Even agreed to train them.”
Cara didn’t get the chance to talk to Ben about it until the sun dropped behind the horizon and she returned to Riser One. She was starting to think of it as home. She sighed. That was a bad sign. She’d spent the last four hours in the horse yard trying to settle a pair of Clydesdales skittish from cryo. She’d walked them around the yard so many times she
’d lost count, and now she was bone-weary.
Marta was already in the lineup for food. “Hey, Marta, did Serafin add to the plumbing today? What would I give for a nice soak in a hot tub.”
“No tubs. They’ve gone to Broc—Timbertown.” Marta picked up her tray. “If you want to avoid the walk-through, I’ve got two double cubicles working. I’ll allocate you five minutes after Lee and Serafin.”
Ben came in behind Cara and grinned. “Put me on the list, too, Marta, please.”
“Unit 2 with Cara.”
The long table was loaded with bowls of unidentifiable foodstuffs. Ben picked one up for himself, sniffed at it, and led the way to two places at the long table. Cara poked at the contents of her bowl suspiciously before trying it. Curry of some description—she recognized the spices—but the meat was close-grained and a little bit fishy.
“You look cheerful,” she said. “I thought Lorient would have spoiled your day completely. What was that about, wanting to send novices out with the survey teams?”
“It makes him feel that he’s in control. The best we can do is work around him. Humor him when we can and let him know when we can’t.”
“Shower’s free,” Marta yelled. “Benjamins. Use it or lose it.”
Ben stood up. “Coming?” he asked.
Cara still had a quarter of her meal left, but she’d been toying with it and it was almost cold.
“There’s an offer you can’t refuse,” Gen said, grinning from across the other side of the table.
Without losing face, or making a lame excuse, Cara really couldn’t just sit there, so she joined Ben in the changing area. Lee Gardham and Serafin moved over to make room for them.
“Hey, I’m done.” Lee snatched her shirt and hairbrush, obviously not done, but getting out of the way of Cara and Ben quickly.
Cara watched her go with dismay.
“I don’t know what she thinks you might be getting up to in there with a five-minute time limit.” Serafin winked at Cara. “You need a chaperone, Miss?”
Cara rolled her eyes. “As if.”
Serafin chuckled and left.
“Should we have told Lee?” Cara asked. “She still thinks we’re . . .”
“We have to draw the line somewhere. I don’t know Lee so well. Let’s leave it as it is for now. Hey, it’s bound to get a little awkward, but we’re grown-ups; we can cope, can’t we?” He released the closures which held his buddysuit together at the middle and took off the top half. Cara couldn’t help but admire the view.
“You said, no strings.”
“Have I attached any strings? Don’t make more of this than there is. I’ll scrub your back if you’ll scrub mine.”
“Is that all?”
“Unless you want more.” He almost made it a question.
“No.”
He finished undressing and set the fresher temperature.
“Ladies first?” she asked.
“I’m not that much of a gentleman.” He stepped in and held the door for her.
She hesitated only slightly and then stepped in after him. Steam enveloped them both, and Cara let it swirl around her. The spray, so fine it was more of a mist, warmed her, and she stretched her neck to loosen tension in her shoulders.
“Here, let me.” Ben turned her to face the wall and began to massage her shoulders and down her spine. His hands were capable and firm.
“You’re good at this.”
“Ben Benjamin; dragons slain, damsels rescued, backs massaged. I’d give you my business card, but I seem to have the wrong suit on.”
“Never say I don’t return a favor.” Cara, turned to face him. “Well, turn around, then, and I’ll do your back, too. That’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?”
“I suppose so, though if you ever want to make it more, just let me know.”
Before Ari, she wouldn’t have hesitated. She swayed toward him and then rocked back on her heels.
“I—I can’t.”
“Is there someone else you haven’t told me about?”
“There was.” She wanted to tell Ben everything. A whirling sensation shot through the middle of Cara’s head. She felt her knees buckle.
She came to leaning against Ben’s chest, with a fine mist of water on her face. He’d caught her before she hit the floor.
She raised her left hand to her forehead. “Oh, shit, what was that? How long was I out?”
“Seconds. I’ll call a medic.”
“No, please, I’m all right. It’s gone now, whatever it was.”
“It’s not the first time; so what if it happens again?”
“It’s never happened before.”
“Yes, it has. Just before we left Chenon; remember? You passed out in your kitchen while I was making dinner. You said you’d get it checked when we arrived. You should do it.”
“I—I’d forgotten, but—how could I have?”
Ben was right. The last time it had happened was when she’d been on the verge of telling him about Ari. A cold shiver ran down her spine despite the warmth of the fresher.
• • •
Cara awoke the following morning feeling as though there was something she was supposed to be doing, but after breakfast, she got swept up into the grunt work of unloading and unpacking.
Leaving Riser Three after delivering a scanner, she felt the pull of a searching mind from a long distance. A contact from the ark. She opened her mind to take the message and almost staggered under the realization that it wasn’t the ark. She cannoned into the side of the riser and looked to see if anyone had noticed her falter. No, she was all right. Straighten up. Keep walking, but slowly.
*Ari van Blaiden wants to know that his secrets are safe.*
*Who are you? What do you want?* She sent out a questing thought.
*You know who I am. I’m Cara. I’m your conscience, your skin, your brain, your heart, your lungs, your liver. I’m your hopes, your fears. I’m the clothes you wear, the shoes you walk in. I’m the air you breathe. I’m Cara. I love Ari van Blaiden. I owe him all my loyalty. He wants to know that his secrets are safe with me. They are. He wants me home where I belong.*
She started to shake.
She reached Riser Two but instead of heading through the door, she walked down the side of it and leaned against the cool, curved wall.
She felt stripped naked from the inside. Memories surfaced, thumbed their nose at her, and sank again. She tried to grasp one and hang onto it, but it was as slippery as an eel.
*I love Ari van Blaiden.*
Cara was empty. Bereft. All she could think of was Ari: his arms around her, his face close to hers, his breath on the side of her neck, his hands pulling her close, his body hard and hot.
No. It wasn’t right. She didn’t believe it.
*Who are you?*
*I am Cara.*
*No! YOU! Who are you?*
This Telepath was a real master. She—yes, it was a she, Cara hadn’t been sure at first, but now she was—she was more than a Psi-1, if that was possible. She let the aching emptiness run through her. She daren’t let herself believe it was real. Oh, she so wanted to. She tried to step round the feeling and concentrate on the mind trying to intimidate her. That’s what this was, intimidation.
There was tremendous pressure to forget.
Cara suddenly knew who it was and what it was.
She sank to the floor, sliding down the smooth wall of the riser until she sat on the ground, hugging her knees. Donida McLellan. The Telepath from hell.
*He wants to know that his secrets are safe. I’m Cara. He wants me home where I belong.*
*Stop it. You’re not me. I’m me. What have you done?*
*I’m Cara.* The other Telepath didn’t give up. *He loves me. I love him. I can’t betray him.*
Cara ran the words again. Secrets are safe. The block, and then the double block. First forget, and then forget you’ve forgotten.
This was what she’d been dreading all the time she’d b
een on the run. She’d never dreamed that it had happened already. The psycho mindbending bitch from hell had already messed with her mind and now she was trying to reinforce it.
And as soon as she’d finished, she’d make Cara forget again.
She needed a way to remember.
*Never tell what you know.* The other voice began.
It was like falling off a cliff edge. Cara sank into the words and lived their meaning.
*Never . . . *
She thrust both hands down into the dry soil and . . .
*tell . . . *
clawed at the ground finding . . .
*what . . . *
small rough pebbles and . . .
*you . . . *
picked one up and . . .
*know.*
pushed it between her first and second fingers and then . . .
*Now forget.*
she forgot.
Cara came to in a daze. She must have fallen. What was she doing sitting on the floor between two risers? Feeling very foolish, she bent to push herself up and noticed.
She stared at her right hand. Pushed between her first and second fingers was a stone just too large to be comfortable there. Odd, to get a stone wedged . . .
She stared at it again.
And remembered.
Whether she’d be able to tell anyone was another matter, but she knew what McLellan and Ari had tried to do and what they were still trying to do to her. They should have left her alone.
Now, if only she could bring herself to hand Ari’s information over to Ben. She’d made a copy of Ari’s files, but she’d never found the courage to explore it herself or give it to anyone.
*Inbound shuttle will be landing in fifteen minutes with medical equipment.*
Cas Ritson punched the message through.
Cara staggered to her feet and started to run toward the LV, wobbly on her legs at first and then with increasing strength. A groundcar drew level and Ben leaned over from the controls to lift his lunch from the passenger seat and make room.
“That’s the last break any of us will have for a while,” Ben said. “Let’s get to the landing site. Did you see Ronan?”
Ronan. That’s what she was supposed to be doing today, seeing Ronan. Ben had insisted . . . “Not yet, but I will before the day is out.”
Empire of Dust Page 22
