by F. M. Busby
Then she was into the turn-at this height the turbulence was less-through the dogleg and second turn. She held most of her altitude until she was out of the cut and past the "bumpy stretch," then turned toward the Lodge and set a constant rate of descent. After testing the air, she stowed her oxygen gear. For a few seconds she glimpsed One Point One, a smudge in the distance-then a ridge crest cut off her view.
As she passed a hilltop and sighted the Lodge, thunder boomed in a clear sky; peripherally she saw a flash of light. "Bran-a ship landing?"
"Nothing less. If it's Limmer-and I hope it is-he's nearly a day early. Must have come in fast and used top decel. I hope it doesn't mean something's wrong." He shrugged. "Well, we won't belong finding out. Soon as we land, I'l cal the port."
"Yes. Bran-did you notice? Back there I tried to see how close I could set our rate of descent. And I do not think I missed by more than twenty feet, vertical."
He laughed. "That's good guessing and good luck-the wind stayed constant."
"Luck is a fine thing to have-without it, I would stil be in Total Welfare." Making a small correction, she brought the car to ground near the Lodge.
A young woman answered the door. Inside, needing no help with the single suitcase each had brought, they went to their room. Bran went to the viewscreen terminal as Rissa walked into the bathroom. When she came out he was saying, "-this afternoon, then. If anything comes up and I can't make it, I'l cal you back. Open a bottle." He cut the circuit and turned to Rissa; his face showed tension. "That was Limmer."
"There is bad news?"
He shook his head. "Don't know yet. But the reason he's here so fast, and took a beating from high-gees to do it- he's met theShrakken. In space."
tregare reached Liesel by intercom. She joined them, fol-lowed by a servitor bearing a lunch tray. As they ate, Bran talked.
"Limmer didn't know what they were, of course. When the ship came in screen range it wasn't converging, but passing on a skew, in close to his same direction. Nearer, he could make out its insigne-placed funny, like in the pictures Vanois had, and no known language or lettering. He caled it-the answer came garbled, but he recognized a word or two of English. Then his comm-tech fiddled frequencies and scan rates, and got a picture-of sorts-from inside the other ship. The description's vague, but it fits the Shrakken, al right." Rissa said, "And then what happened?"
"Nothing. That was the closest approach. The skew di-verged until Limmer lost signal." Liesel said, "The big question is, where were they headed?"
Tregare beat a fist against his thigh. "That's the trouble-Limmer doesn't know! His computer's gone unreliable-he had hell's own time getting here at all-so until it's fixed or we run the tapes on someone else's, we won't know. That's why I'm going to town this afternoon."
Liesel nodded. "We have interface terminals at Maison Renale. Not programmed for that kind of problem, but-"
"Nothing shaken," said Tregare. "By tonight, you wil be. And we'l know." entering the aircar, Tregare took the passenger's seat, Rissa the pilot's. She flew fast and low; at the spaceport she landed at the safety perimeter around Lefthand Thread. Climbing out, Tregare said, "He's kept her in good shape." At the ship's ramp, an armed guard met them. "You're Tregare? And who else?"
"And Tregare's wife." The woman nodded and let them pass. Unsure of this ship's interior design, Rissa fel behind so that Tregare could lead. He climbed past the level she ex-pected; they entered the control room. At first look, Limmer repelled her. Hulking and stoop-shouldered, he loomed; scars gave his swarthy face a per-manent sneer. But his voice, when he spoke, was low and resonant. Shaking hands, he said, "Tregare! It's good to see you again!"
"You too, Limmer. And this is my wife-Tari Obrigo."
Taking her hand, the man half-bowed over it. "My pleasure, Ms. Obrigo. I suppose you already know you've married a nova in ful explosion, and you seem pleased enough about it. So, my congratulations to both of you."
She had to laugh. "Thank you, Captain Limmer. And-my pleasure, also."
"She manages," said Tregare. "Now, then-you have your people working on the computer, naturally. Is it fixed yet?" Limmer shook his head. "Then let's have a quick look at the viewscreen tapes, first thing. After that we can go over to town and use a terminal there to analyze the rest of it, once I pro-gram a little."
Limmer turned to his control console; the screen lit. Among unfamiliar stars a glint appeared; magnification drew it closer, until Rissa recognized a ship-and on it, the insigne patterns Vanois' pictures had shown.
Sound came-garbled-only a few isolated words were clear, but those words were in English. Then the outside view vanished, the screen streaked and wavered, showing a picture, barely recognizable, of two Shrakken. For a moment, both sound and picture cleared-"Shrakken. And you are-" Then the noise level rose and obscured al meaning, and the picture vanished into flickering chaos. Limmer turned it off. "That's all we got, before they were out of range. Do you know what those things are? I think 7
do."
"What is it," said Rissa, "that you think?"
"Underground rumor says UET never invented star drive-that they stole it. Except for weapons, that ship's damned near a duplicate of yours, Tregare. I think I met some more of the creatures UET robbed."
Rissa nodded. "You are right, but there is more. Tregare-?"
Quickly, Tregare summarized the news from Charleyhorse. "So that's why we need to analyze your course-data-and fast. Want to come along?"
"Like I want to wake up alive tomorrow. Give me a minute first, though." Limmer gave a few brief orders on his inter-com, acknowledged the response, and turned back to Tregare. "Al right; my First's briefed to handle things while I'm off-ship." He opened the control console and brought out a tape module. "It's al on here. I'm ready to go if you are."
Outside, at the aircar, Tregare said, "Tari? Do you know the air traffic rules in the city?" She shook her head. "Then I'd better drive it this time. You watch; see if you can figure the system." With Rissa beside him and Limmer in a seat behind, he raised the car to perhaps fifty meters and took a circuitous path-Rissa saw no clear pattern-to Maison Renale.
Inside, Tregare spoke briefly at the admission desk and they went to a room Rissa recognized as security accommodations. The computer terminal sat in a corner; Tregare worked at its controls for some time before inserting the tape module. "First we'll see if this is the same ship that was at Charley-horse-at least, if it came directly, we wil."
"Charleyhorse?" Limmer frowned. "You mentioned that one, earlier-it's not on my charts, Tregare." Tregare nodded. "None of us have al the new ones-ever. If there's blank at the end of your tape, I '11 add it. If not, I can fil it in for you later. Al right, here we go."
Lacking detailed knowledge of Tregare's programming, Rissa did not try to interpret the readout. She waited; finally Tregare said, "The angle's off a little-enough to indicate a slight course change. But ten to one, this is the ship that hit Charleyhorse."
"And can you see where it is bound?" said Rissa.
"Hold on-I'm punching for extrapolation." He looked at the result and shook his head. "They were slowing-maybe to take a group of sightings and locate themselves better. Or who knows what?"
He turned away from the terminal. "Considering that Charleyhorse probably isn't exactly loaded with navigational talent, my best guess is that the Shrakken found their direc-tions were a litle off-and were correcting course for here." Rissa said, "Then let us hope they arrive well before your deadline for leaving." He stared at her. Then he laughed, and Limmer said, "You married wel, Tregare." returning to the port, Tregare took a different routing. This time he showed Rissa the indicators-arrows painted on roofs 68
and paved streets-that guided him. "Those tell you which way to go, and the way they're drawn-solid, dotted round or square, or double line-al in different colors, you'l notice-the four altitude lanes they apply to. Above those, you needn't folow any pattern, but for local hops it wastes time to go that high." He
gave her the altitude figures; she repeated them and nodded.
"Yes, I can remember that easily enough."
At the port Limmer shook hands with both. "I'l refuel and sel off cargo I don't need, as soon as I can. Should I buy any-thing-for the sake of appearances-so nobody thinks some-thing's funny?"
"Let 'em think what they like." Then; "Or say you intend to load up at an outer-planet mine. You're stocking food any-way, so that'd fit." Limmer's perpetual sneer came close to imitating a smile; he threw a half-salute and turned away. Tre-gare lifted off and headed north, toward the Lodge.
After a time, Rissa spoke. "Limmer-was he one of your men on Inconnul"
"Not at first. A lot of our people Escape by jumping ship on a colony planet and hiding out until one of us comes along. It's a big help-otherwise we'd always be short of trained people for newly Escaped ships. I found Limmer on UET's iceworld colony Hardnose; for a few years they had a regular Underground Railroad there. I was short a Second Hat, then, and he filed the bil until we got him a ship of his own."
"At first he gives a poor impression-but he improves with acquaintance."
"Too right. His face, Rissa-he got those scars at UET's Academy when he was fourteen years old." Between her teeth, breath hissed. "UET! Always UET-and the Presiding Commitee, its puppet. Tregare, I must go with you-to Stronghold and then, peace wiling, to Earth."
He looked at her; low-voiced she added, "Some there-it wil be hard to grieve for their deaths." He did not answer; during the flight neither spoke again.
in their room at the Lodge, viewscreen and intercom set to record incoming calls but not to interrupt, they proved again that Rissa's climax the night before had been no fluke. Then for a while they shared the tub. Out of it and dried, while Tre-gare still steeped himself, Rissa checked the intercom and found a recorded cal from Liesel. She dressed, told Tregare where she was going, and joined Liesel in her office. She reported Tregare's conclusions about the Shrakken; then the talk turned to Rissa's business affairs.
The board meeting of Bleeker, Ltd., had gone as expected. Rissa now owned the warehouse complex; her recommended changes were under way. Fennerabilis would sell the North Point area but wished to speak with Rissa directly-by screen, at least. Ami Gustafson could help her in hiring a patrol boat for the fishing season to control poachers. Rissa was not in-vested into Hulzein holdings, as such, so as not to waste the control value of her moneys. And when Rissa and Tregare left on Inconnu, Hulzein Lodge would handle her affairs on com-mission as Erika did on Earth.
"And we've covered al the smal stuff," said Liesel. "Now, then-has Bran told you his plans yet?"
"Some of them. Has he told you?"
"Not enough for my liking, but I won't ask you for them."
Rissa laughed. "Good-then I wil not have to refuse you or risk breaking confidence." After a moment she said, "And while we were gone, how has it been with-with all of you here?"
"Us?" Liesel grinned. "Same as always, except that in a few days Hawkman's leaving-be gone a month-for Big Ice-cube's moon."
"The sixth planet, yes. But on what ship? At the port I saw none but Lefthand Thread, and-'
Liesel nodded. "And that's Bran's. I guessed it was. Well, Number One has a ship of its own-only colony I know of, UET or Hidden, ever to build one. Just short haul, for in-system work, but it makes a difference in what we can man-age. And the last I counted, we own better than a third of it."
"I see. But why does Hawkman go?"
"A ship's out there-Norden's Valkyrie- loading towing-pods with frozen methane and ammonia."
"To speed organic development on a marginal planet?"
"Right! But after delivering that load, Valkyrie's headed for a drop point. So Hawkman's taking our latest messages and moneys-yours, as wel-for forwarding to Earth."
"That is good news-though we shall all miss Hawkman. And what else occurs?"
Liesel grinned. "You won't ask straight out, will you? All right-Sparline pretends to think I don't know what she's after with young Ernol. She got her nerve up to move him into her room openly, and she's been waiting to see what I'd do."
"What will you do?"
"Nothing, of course. His work was improving, and still is."
"Then what is your attitude-your intentions?"
"Sit back, make no decisions until I have to. How I feel-oh, no! You're too involved; you couldn't keep it from Spar-line, and that'd spoil the game."
"Such games are not mine. Enemies are too plentiful to waste the joys of friendship in deceptions and stratagems."
"I like to keep in practice-and keep Sparline on her toes, too."
"As you like. For me, I do not think I need practice."
"Just so you don't find out the hard way, that you're wrong." Liesel shrugged. "Now, then-how is it with you and Bran?"
"As couples will, we have differences. Now that he has agreed that I go with him, I think we will solve them. If you mean, am I glad in the marriage, the answer is yes. For no political reason, but from coming to know the man better."
"I'm relieved-do you know why? Neither of you could stay with a weak person. But I was afraid you couldn't put up with each other's strengths. Does that make sense?"
Rissa thought. "Yes-very much. It gives me an insight I had lacked."
"That's good. I-" The intercom's buzz interrupted. "Yes?"
"Bran here. You done pouring figures in my wife's ear with a funnel?"
"Sure. Matter of fact, we've been swapping stories on you. How you can face either of us after this-"
"Bran! She-"
He laughed. "I know. Look-Rissa, could you come up here?"
"Of course." Liesel waved her away; as she left, they were stil talking.
As she entered the room upstairs, Tregare was saying, "Yes you would, at that!" He cut the circuit and turned to Rissa. "Sometimes the Hulzein genes scare me."
"Then you must half-frighten yourself. Now-what is it?"
"Not urgent-but we have to arrange the zoom-womb thing, and we might as well do it early. So-when's a good time, and how many do we want to set up?"
"My time is not planned. And how many do you want?'
They decided on three, seniority to be by order of deposit. Tregare turned to make an investigative cal, but the intercom sounded again. "Bran Tregare here."
Sparline answered. She wanted to see both of them but since Tregare had calls to make, settled for inviting Rissa to her room. When Rissa arrived there, she entered to hear Bran's voice ending the talk. It was certainly her day, she thought, for being on both ends of the same conversations.
Sparline rose to greet her. "You're looking fine. How's married life in the wilds?" She sat again, and Rissa also.
"I am-happy, with Bran. I believe that tells all of it."
Sparline looked at her more closely and smiled. "I think you're right. Wel, I'm glad. But what about when he leaves?" Rissa explained-not Tregare's plans, but the compromise they had reached. "So I can go with him and provide him heirs, also. That is one cal he is making-to arrange it."
"Three times you'll be cut open for those ova?"
"Cut open?"
"Rissa- I ' v e seen the scar they gave you in Welfare."
"Oh-I forgot I had not told you," and she explained.
Sparline showed relief. "But even with this reversible, it's no picnic, what I've heard. Wel, they can tel you more at the Hatchery."
"Hatchery?"
"Delayed Reproduction Center-Hatchery's what we cal it."
"Yes. Wel, in any case," said Rissa, "the method must be less strenuous than normal gestation culminating in childbirth. Though if circumstances permitted, I would expect to do it that way. So I will not allow you to frighten me." But she smiled to show the rebuke was only jest.
"Point taken," said Sparline. "Well, you seem to have things in hand. Have you talked with Liesel about your new holdings?"
Rissa nodded. "She reminds me of Erika-and holding a greater proportion of wealth here than any gro
up could hold on Earth, she is perhaps even more effective."
"Don't sell Erika's gang short-they may own South America by now."
"It would not surprise me. And now, Sparline-have things gone wel with you, also?"
"Well enough. Rissa-did Liesel say anything about-?"
"You and Ernol?" Sparline nodded. "No, not really. And since she did not, I am free to air my guesses. Though they are only guesses, and I would not bet on outguessing Liesel."
"Well?" Sparline's hands clenched together.
"She loads Ernol with responsibility-it is her method of forcing growth, and I think she is pleased with the results." No-I neednot say that Liesel considers it a game. "When Ernol achieves some particular degree of status-you can guess better than I what it might be-I feel Liesel will agree to the marriage. Though not without making a show of resis-tance." Sparline laughed. "Oh, she'll make me fight for it-she always has; that's all right." Now her hands freed themselves of each other, flexed and relaxed. "Thanks, Rissa. I thought that was the story, but I'm too involved-too wanting- to trust my own judgment."
"And, as I said, you must not rely too heavily on mine."
"Don't worry-I won't push until the signs are right-when she gets impatient for the fun and starts to nudge. I'll know..."
Rissa stared. " You enjoy it, also! I am lucky to be a Hulzein only by marriage." Then; "No-I did not mean-"
"It's all right-I know what you meant. By most folks' standards, I suppose we are strange. But that works both ways. Rissa-the mere idea of being you-it scares me spit-less!"
Which of them laughed first? Rissa was not certain. They stood and clung together for a moment; then Rissa left the room and returned to her own.
Tregare greeted her. "I got hold of the DRC-Delayed Reproduction Center-all right. But you know what? We can't do it all at once-at least you can't-you can leave one ovum every fertile period, and-"
"I know. Well, the question of seniority is settled."
"Sure." Then Tregare shook his head. "But at that rate, how in the name of peace did UET ever raise a cargo of sperm and ova?" She thought. "When did UET ever care what it did to its slaves? The available techniques-remove the ovaries, keep them alive invitro and hasten the ovulation cycle by chemical means. It has been done with pigs and cattle-and to UET, people are no different."
