by James Cox
Robin powered up her terminal and jacked into the net. One of her slow terminals had the music browser now. It couldn't stream but it could download one song while another one played. Robin decompiled and modified the browser, though. Now it could, if so configured, act as a passive server. Robin so configured it. She knew her fast pipes would resit traces. The few times she allowed one close the connection terminated itself and Everett knew. She also knew she had a hard-routed jumping spline at least four links long, possibly more. Elementary preparation for a serious burner with ready funds.
The slow pipes were less trace-resistant but also much less capable. Everett explained their purpose as download only, not burning. Then he lashed her for testing that.
Robin started her burns. She bounced a few probes around and finally connected one to her passive server. She now had a loop from her fast pipes to the slow one. She increased the load to eighty percent of the slow pipe. When no one came to punish her she allowed herself a small, tight smile. She keyed in one of her bandit apps and let it run.
She completed two burns before returning to the one she abandoned that morning. All went well and soon she had Everett's data, safe and chipped. She jacked out of the net again. One trace almost hit her outermost link but she allowed it. She didn't think she'd be punished but if so she would take it.
Robin carefully encrypted and chipped the data she retrieved from the slow terminal. Then she hard-purged the machine and reconfigured the music browser. Unlikely that Everett would find the passive server, she thought, but why risk it? She moved the chip to her fast terminal and began dissecting the data there.
"I've been thinking about what you said," said Robin.
Gallaway looked up but didn't stop eating.
"Claud talked to me at lunch today." Robin didn't need to fake her reluctance. "H-he said he could offer me things. Things I couldn't have dreamed of. Before."
Gallaway's eyes widened in surprise and she hurried to swallow.
"I thought... M-maybe... If he let you go... I could... I could..."
"No! Absolutely not!" Then, silently, 'Serious?'
Robin shook her head and scratched her ear.
"If you think for one millisecond I'd take that..." Gallaway looked relieved but spoke harshly. "You say you felt guilty about Richmond. How the hades do you think I'd feel if you... that!"
"Just a thought."
Robin let the silence grow. Gallaway gave her a quizzical look which she returned with a wink. She took out a 'stick and gave Gallaway the pack. She accepted automatically, her eyebrows rising when she felt the small piece of paper Robin handed her.
'Inverse tracing this location,' wrote Robin, 'Will tell you when/what I find. Should know in a few days.'
Gallaway shielded the paper with her body. Robin lit her 'stick, then Gallaway's and then touched the flame to the paper. Gallaway winked back at her.
"Robin, hon, don't think that," said Gallaway when the door beeped, "We'll make it! We'll think of something."
They rose and hugged. This time Jack waited at the doorway. He was neither overtly friendly nor antagonistically hostile. He gestured, she walked and neither spoke.
***
Micah waved at Ferrel and moved his holocaster across Tolgos' Bridge, the structure and not the town. Ostensibly the two of them were historical architecture majors from The University. Given the disaster that recently befell the town Micah doubted their cover but Ferrel convinced him. Ferrel also won the bet: the townsfolk didn't turn a hair.
Ferrel waved back and motioned Micah to another location. Micah moved, followed closely by Clay and Scott, two local teenagers who volunteered to help them. That irritated Micah a bit since it meant the two of them must needs act like genuine students. Still, the two boys gave them credibility and they knew the best places to eat.
"Last set for today," said Ferrel.
He zoomed his holocaster to full gain. The bridge faded away but he did get a very good view of the remains of the station. When he finished they gathered at the 'caster.
"We done," asked Clay.
"For now," said Ferrel, "Are you hungry?"
Foolish question of the week! They packed their gear and headed into town.
Micah and Ferrel waved at the locals who knew them. Clay and Scott also helped immeasurably in obtaining interviews. Not for the first time Micah wished for Vera Kidwell to magically appear. She would have every atom of information from the townsfolk, their secret family recipes and standing invitations to dinner forever. Still, the two of them did a credible job. They amassed a fair amount of information about the town and its inhabitants but as yet nothing about Robin. After the four finished their meal and the inevitable after-meal conversation Micah and Ferrel made for their room and wasted no time pulling up the holos.
"Demo charges, six sigma," said Micah after a moment of study.
"Whyso?"
"Notice the explosion patterns, the striations and the debris scatter." He switched to another view. "In fact I'd even say the people placing them weren't quite professional. That or they just didn't want maximum efficiency. My money's on gifted amateurs, though."
"Sigma line?"
"The blast was deliberate," sighed Micah, "The which we already know. Burnit!"
"Do you want a closer look?"
"Yes but I don't really need one. Not unless there's a hidden body with a cargo ton of evidence the CA missed. Any new ideas on burning the municipal net?"
"Yes, and I should kick myself for not thinking of it sooner. I know I've been griping a little about how primitive their gear is."
"Once or twice," said Micah dryly.
"Well," said Ferrel, ignoring Micah's sarcasm, "I figure I can bounce a connection on the first external splice from the datamart here. Commercial pipe's a lot higher quality and I can spoof the backtrace for extra security."
While Ferrel worked the terminal Micah wandered around the datamart examining the terminals, warez, streams and other gear. Not long out of date considering Tolgos' Bridge's distance from the nearest large town.
"Can I help you?"
Micah turned and smiled to the older man standing there.
"No thanks. I'm just looking. Well, looking and waiting for my friend to finish."
The man chuckled and offered his hand. "Lee Caulder."
"Mike Flint. He's Rick Creel and we're students..."
"... from the University," grinned Caulder, "Word spreads. You need something just let me know."
Ferrel showed no sign of finishing so Micah kept wandering. He saw the station through the corner glass so he wandered that way. A small plaque attached to one of the booths caught his eye.
'In Memory of Samantha Taw. We miss you.'
Bonusjack!
Micah turned to Caulder.
"Excuse me, sir. Who is this? I've never seen it in a datamart before."
Caulder poured himself and Micah a cup of chog and motioned him to sit.
"She was a very nice young lady," explained Caulder, "Always pleasant, well-spoken, friendly, smart as an astrogator and good-looking too." He winked. "That was her booth. I don't know exactly what she did but she always paid for maximum pipe. Said she was a tech consultant. I don't think she liked hardware much but she sure did have a gifted touch setting up servers." His smile turned sad. "Shame what happened to her."
"What," asked Micah.
"She's one of the ones came up missing after the explosion. Nothing missing from her apartment but her, so I heard. She didn't turn up around town and nobody saw her leave." He reached out and patted the booth partition. "We'll miss her. She was a nice one."
"I'm so sorry," said Micah.
"I got it," said Ferrel when Micah wandered back his way.
"Conclusion?"
"I got most of what you did. Date of arrival, basic information, missing and presumed dead." Ferrel's expression turned smug. "I also managed to extract a few more tidbits. Whilst you had Master Caulder distracted I owned his cores an
d grabbed everything I could that touched on her. I haven't had time to analyze it yet but she was here, six-sigmas, and she did some heavy sniffing. She hid it well but only from children. Did you happen to notice what she had perched on the corner of her special booth?"
"Imaging caster?"
"Top-end for open legality, my brother, and unless Caulder moved it, perfectly placed to observe traffic within the station."
Micah digested this. "Interesting. How long will it take you to analyze the data and do you need some help?"
"Pay for some pipe and fire up a dex, my brother."
***
The young burner frowned and killed some of his apps. They gave little success but he didn't expect much. Sometimes the low-probability bets paid of but usually they didn't. He could feel Robin Macy on the net he just couldn't find her. Yet! No matter, he found her several times before, he'd find her again.
One of his image traps beeped. He hadn't left Tolgos' Bridge yet nor would he without ample reason. He had plenty of equipment and plenty of pipe, all he really needed. As a matter of course he left his image traps active. To do otherwise would be foolish and he was not that. He examined the flashing screen and started to cancel it, stopping himself at the last second. The recognition algorithm fired at thirty-eight percent, not bad but not orbital either.
The young man enhanced the image, filtered it and enhanced again. He wished his superior was here but as well wish for Robin Macy in a holovee swimsuit.
"What do you want," he asked the silent image, "Why are you here?"
He had time. He could find out.
***
Robin terminated her warez and disconnected from the net. She turned her attention to her brand new bank of secondary processors. Everett didn't want to get them for her but after the third trace almost made it to her links he acquiesced.
He lashed her, of course. Her shoulders twitched and her stomach twisted at the memory. He made an ordeal of it, horrible and almost intimate. The obscene glow in his eyes made Robin sicker than the lash itself. When she woke up she showered as hard as she could. But she got her equipment.
Now she put it to use. She knew the locations of most of the links in her jumping spline. Even though they rotated from time to time the spline had a finite number of them and now she knew each one. She also started saving her own copies of Everett's data. She paid attention not only to what each was but also from whence each came.
"Well, my dove?"
"Still running. They'll finish after lunch."
A finger tracing her scars. She remembered to flinch.
"A pity, that. I suppose you weren't hungry after all."
Robin's stomach growled at the thought of food. She imagined a large, hot, simple meal with Robert and Carl and it growled even louder.
"I guess not," she said.
His fingers in her hair. A sharp tug pulling her head back. His face close to hers.
"You do make my life rich, my darling. Come. I'm sure your machines will run perfectly well without you. Besides, I have a surprise for you."
Robin steeled her self all the way to the dining room, but needlessly. Lorna Gallaway sat at the table waiting.
"I thought we might have a guest for lunch, dear Robin. After all, you have been doing very well lately."
The meal was one of the worst Robin ever had. As usual Everett made light conversation. Robin was used to it but not so Gallaway. Before long her strain showed, though Everett feigned not to notice.
"Heaven's holy flames," said Gallaway when Robin brought in her evening meal, "Is that what you go through every day?"
"Yes, but..."
"That is obscene! Horrible!"
"Lorna, I'm used to it. It's not that bad."
"No! It's disgusting and revolting!" A pair of tears slid down Gallaway's cheeks. "I've... I've defended cases against scum like that. He needs to fry. Slowly!" Then, on seeing Robin's mortified expression, "And I don't care a flopper-flick if he hears me say it!"
The door opened and Everett, Jack and Donnel walked in.
"Yes, Lorna," said Everett, "Something you wanted to tell me?"
Gallaway launched herself at Everett and several things happened at once. Everett caught her nimbly and locked her arm so she couldn't act. Robin tried to help but ended up in Donnel's brutal grasp. Gallaway hissed, kicked and tried in every way to do harm to Everett, who avoided her easily. Jack finally looped the lash around her neck and she stopped struggling after only a few seconds.
"Shameful and ungrateful," said Everett, "Is this how my kindness and generosity are rewarded?" He looked at Robin. "Dearest heart, I shall grant you a favor. Shall I set the lash low for a long time or high for a short one?"
When Robin didn't speak Donnel's grip tightened.
"Set it high," she final gasped.
"Low it is," said Everett, "Loosen your grip, Donnel. I don't want her to miss a second of this."
***
Robin picked and nibbled at breakfast. What she saw haunted her dreams and hurled her from sleep again and again. Strangely, Everett didn't force conversation until she finished.
"Robin, my dear, I have something for you to consider." He gave her a 'stick and held the lighter for her. "As pleasant as this place is there are other places to go and other pleasures to sample." He moved behind her and began touching her neck and shoulders. "The question to ask yourself, my darling, is how you plan to sample them." He turned her face toward his. "Think on it, my sweet."
Robin burned hard and fast throughout the morning and worked even harder while she waited for the net to cool off afterward. She meticulously logged her actions, the data and her conclusions. Fear lent her fingers speed and knowledge grew within her.
She would never leave Everett alive, of that she now had no doubt. Oddly, that didn't bother as much as the certainty that he would kill Gallaway when they left. The thought of her own death, once something that terrified Robin, bothered her less and less each day. All the lashings she took paled to nothing against watching Gallaway receive one. With Garry's death already on her shoulders Robin didn't want to contemplate how Gallaway's would feel.
Robin handled lunch. Though attentive as always Everett also seemed a bit distracted. Something upset him. She didn't know what but she cheered it.
After lunch Robin encrypted, compressed and chipped her data. She worried over the crypto; she wanted it easy enough for a good burner to break but impossible for Everett. She made several copies.
Robin prepared for her major afternoon burn. If all worked properly she'd finish before supper. If her plan worked... She didn't think about that. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and started the burn.
Her target was the Landsrey's Refuge branch of Federation Financial Trade and Trust. Their first layer of security offered no problem whatsoever. She almost chuckled at a fleeting thought: a year ago she couldn't have accomplished this nor would the desire or need to do so ever cross her mind. She gooey-grappled the data she needed and started the transfer. Occasionally a dog locked onto her connection but she had no trouble placating them, nor did she need her newly-potent rotten fish generator. Things wouldn't really spike up until she began the second phase of the burn. Everett's data transfer neared completion. Robin located the bank's salami account and fired a blatant, un-stealthed probe into its structure.
Enough security to last Robin a lifetime sprang up around her! She smiled. Her first hard link reported proximity penetration. She launched sever mods against the strongest and most aggressive traces following her and fired choke and destroy at the rest. Most versions of choke used large chunks of random data to foil countermeasures. Her data wasn't random!
The first link went down and the second reported proximity. It wouldn't last long; Robin searched furiously for what she wanted. A bead of sweat crawled down her back, soon followed by another. Almost...
"Gotcha!" Robin fired her hottest and most potent choke and destroy against the CA dogz trying to track her. When h
er third link reported an alert condition Robin collapsed her tunnels and jacked out of the net.
"I hope it was worth it, sluttie," said Donnel when he burst into the room
Visibly ignoring him Robin popped Everett's spool and cased it. She then carefully powered down her machines, tidied her workspace and arranged everything just so. Finally she lit a 'stick. When she did stand he looked ready to burst.
Robin took a double draw off the 'stick, walked over to Donnel and exhaled in his face.
"It was," she said.
By the time Everett arrived Robin already had food on her plate. She hadn't started eating, she knew better, but she had it ready. She was also hungry.
"You've upset Donnel again, my sweet."
She slid the spools across the table. "I wasn't caught. I got your data. I got all your data. If you give me armored and secure targets you can just expect a little heat from time to time." She spoke carefully, edging tiredness with just enough defiance to make it believable. Then she turned her attention to her food.
After a short silence Everett reached across the table, took her hand and kissed it.
"Dear, darling Robin. You do so manage to cheer me."
After dessert Robin prepared Gallaway's tray. Everett coughed when she finished.
"Yes," asked Robin.
"I don't believe, my dear, that Lorna's punishment has ended."
Robin went to the drawer where Everett kept the drugsticks and took a pack.
"I think it has," she said, "In fact..." She added second helpings. "I doubt you fed her today. You can stop me or lash me but unless you do I'm taking her this meal."
Gallaway did look as though she hadn't eaten or slept for a long time.
"Robin... I can't."
"Shall I feed you?" Robin smiled and spoke softly but firmly.
Gallaway bore her stare for a few seconds before she started eating.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"For what," asked Robin.
"I got you in trouble."
Robin swallowed hard. "I should be the one to apologize."
