by F. M. Busby
"Time to land, I think," and the scout dropped.
He came near to hitting Lefthand Thread as he landed, in line with Carcharodon on the other side. He picked up the energy gun-Rissa had not noticed he had brought it-and said, "Now let's see who's on the reception committee." The ship's ramp came down; at the top, holding a gun, stood Limmer. Rissa saw no movement elsewhere. "Bran-shall we go?"
After a moment he nodded. "Anybody that's left, sure as peace isn't organized. Let's move." As they reached groundside a man, coming from behind Carcharodon, ran toward them. Tregare's gun swung toward him-so did Limmer's. Then Rissa shouted. "No!" and pulled at Bran's weapon. "It's Osallin!" Limmer had fired once, but the steep downward angle sent his shot high. Now he raised the gun and waved it. "Sorry! I didn't know..." Now Rissa ran to meet her friend; she saw blood on his face, but even with a slight limp he moved briskly. They met, em-braced.
"Osallin, it's so good-I was afraid-are you all right?"
"Yes, Tari-a half dozen of us fought our way groundside, got clear just before the blowup. The others-" He shook his head. "I don't know. We got separated."
His one hand held an envelope. "Here-I told you-Erika ..." Then he looked past her. "Sniper!" He pushed her headlong to the ground. Above her she heard the hissing crash of an energy gun-then, nearer to hand, another one, and the bark of Limmer's projectile weapon. Dazed for a mo-ment, she listened to the ringing silence that folowed. Slowly she roled and came to her feet. Heat rose from Tregare's gun. "Got the bastard," he said, "or Limmer did-maybe both of us. But your friend .." Osallin lay on his side, face turned upward, one leg twitching rhythmically. Rissa knelt beside him. "Osallin-are you...?" His smile was quiet; he could have been resting. But then she saw the cords standing out in his neck, and looked closer to see the charred smoking circle low on the right side of his abdomen. She gasped-energy guns!-there would be a matching circle on his back, and between them ..
"No pain yet," he said. "But soon-can you free my arm? It's pinned under me, and there's something-" Gently she worked the arm loose for him; his hand stil held the envelope, now charred :at one corner. "Here," and she took it.
"Now, then-" While he talked, his fingers worked at the flap of his shirt collar. "I'm afraid the ship-Deuces Wild- is a dead loss. Rather than let the attackers have it, Hoad blew the drive."
"No," said Tregare. "If he'd done that, every ship here would be knocked flat." Osallin worked a small pellet free of the collar flap and waved his hand. "Al right-not blown in a spacer's meaning, but melted to slag. The exciter, when it runs wild-"
"Yes, I know! Peralta-that peacefouler's cost me a ship!" Then Tregare, too, looked closely at Osalin. "But I'l worry about that later." He stepped back.
Rissa looked at him as Osallin said, "Aren't you going to look at Erika's report?"
"I-I will do that later, also. There will be time."
Osallin nodded. "Then you know. Ah, I wish . . ." He brandished the pellet. "When the pain-you won't stop me?"
"Osallin! Is there no chance?" She did not cry with lungs or body, but tears ran down her cheeks.
"With this!" He gestured toward his mutilated side. "I know some anatomy, Tan."
"In-in this place, Osallin, my true name is safe."
He smiled again. "I'm glad . . . Rissa. Did you ever know my first name? It's Bret."
"Bret." She moved to take his hand-then, seeing fear in his face, clasped the shoulder instead. She shook her head.
"No, Bret Osalin-I would not interfere. I only-"
"Of course. I should have known. Hold my hand, then, until. .."
She did; for a while they spoke. Then he said, "It's time. I don't care to scream." Squatting on her heels, she leaned to kiss him, and kept her hand to his cheek as he put the pellet in his mouth and bit through it. For a moment his smile stretched to grimace; then the features slacked into repose. He gasped once and did not breathe again.
tasting salt tears, Rissa sat until Tregare's hand on her shoulder recalled her to present needs. "Rissa-there could be other snipers. Limmer and I have been eyeballing the perim-eter, but that's no guarantee. We'd better-"
"Yes, of course." She stood; they walked toward Lefthand Thread.
"You going to read your report from Erika?" She opened the envelope. In the glare of lights she looked at the enclosure and shook her head. "What's the matter?"
"The corner that's burned away, Bran-that was the intro-ductory code group, the key. Without it there is no way I can decode this report."
"But-peace take us! It could be important!" She shrugged. "There will be other reports, Bran-but never another Osallin." "No-nor another Jargy Hoad. He was..." "But you do not yet know that he is dead." "If he killed his ship-and he did-he went with it." For the rest of the way they were silent. Then, up the ramp and inside-Limmer sealed ship, the two in turn shook hands with him-Rissa turned to Tregare. "Bran? We forgot to clothe ourselves." He laughed-shuddering, a release of tension. "I could've used bandages-the damned harness rubbed me raw." He turned to Limmer. "Can you fix me up? I guess we could use robes, too." "Sure, captain. Follow me, you both?" tregare robed and bandaged, Rissa wearing a coverall, they sat with Limmer to a belated evening meal. For a few minutes he left them. Returning, he said, "Deuces Wild is dead, all right-and Hoad with it, and al his officers. Some crew sur-vived-a couple of dozen, about-after they wiped out Peralta's contingent."
Limmer sat, and continued. "Groundside's buttoned up pretty well-enough that my crew and Raoul's have started piling the dead ones far enough away to burn tomorrow with-out stinking us out, here.'
Rissa half-stood. "No-not Osallin!"
Limmer's brows raised; then he shook his head. "I wish I'd thought. I should have, I suppose-but so many of our own, too, and al we can do is get rid of them. I'm sorry."
Before Rissa could answer, Tregare said, "What about the wounded?"
"Our medics are doing what they can. Now then-there's still a few stragglers skulking around the outskirts, but no sniping. What's your pleasure there, captain?"
Tregare said, "Put somebody on the squawkbox-an-nounce amnesty for any that surrender." He took a last bite of food, chewed and swallowed it before asking, "Any word of my men?"
"A squad of Peralta's-holed up in the south warehouse-claim to have them and some others as hostages. They're de-manding terms you won't like.'
Tregare's hand chopped air. "Then don't tell me. Can you put me through to them?" Limmer nodded, and punched buttons on the intercom. "Can't guarantee a good connection, but try it."
"All right." Tregare moved to the unit. "You in the warehouse-this is Tregare. Do you hear me?" Faintly, barely audible over shouts of insult and defiance, they heard a "yes."
Tregare's mouth formed a snarl. He said, "You can listen to me and maybe live, or keep yelling from empty heads until I find time to kill you. It's your choice." After a few scattered cries, silence answered him. "All right-that's a start. Peralta's dead-and, if you haven't noticed, so are most of your groundside gunmen. Now-here are my terms"Put al weapons outside and let my people come in. I hear you have hostages. You'l be permitted to live in the propor-tion that they're alive. Unless you try resistance-in that case you al die!"
He beat his fist against the table. "Make no mistake-I've had enough of this! Now-what do you say?" There was sound of confusion-hubbub-then a voice spoke. "There was a dozen of us got cut off in here. And ten hostages-two died, but not by us-they were wounded and we've got no medics. We lost three of our own that way, too. Where does that leave us?" A pause, then the voice added, "Peralta didn't give us much choice, you know."
Before Tregare could answer, Rissa stepped forward. "May I speak with Hain Deverel or Anse Kenekke?"
"Who? Just a minute-oh, you mean Tregare's men. Yeah, they're here." Less distinctly, as though turned away from the intercom, the voice said, "You, there-the one that's not hurt-come answer the woman."
Then; "Kenekke here. Hain's not walking so good but he'l be al right
. Instructions, captain?"
Tregare said, "You're in charge, Anse. Get al weapons jet-tisoned outdoors, then line up Peralta's troops-to our right, as we come in. Our people to the left. You stay at the box; if there's any loose-stringing tried, give a yell. But if that man told the truth about the casualties, I'm kiling no one. Got it?"
"Right, skipper." Tregare set the intercom to receive-only.
"Limmer-how soon can you have a team over there?"
"Right away. I held one landing party in reserve. Back in a minute." When he had left, Tregare turned to Rissa.
"Shakes well, do you think?"
"Yes, Bran-I see no mistakes."
"Good. Now let me check with Vanois." Using the channel through Limmer's control room relay he reached Carcharo-don; questions and answers were brief. "All right, Raoul," Tregare concluded, "stay buttoned a litle longer and keep No Return's ramp covered until you hear from me."
He turned to Rissa. "Now comes the big one." Throwing two switches, he spoke into the unit. There was a pause; then a voice answered.
"Gowdy speaking. This is a savage night, Tregare."
"Not by my choosing."
"I suppose not. Well, what do you want of me?"
"What do you offer?"
"Peralta's dead, isn't he? For you to be alive, he has to be. Al right-I'l open my ship to you and meet you groundside, with as many or few of us as you decide-none armed, of course."
"And aboard-how many are armed?"
"Al were. But we had a skirmish here-a nasty one-and all Peralta's side are dead or locked up. I'll empty the ship totally, if you like. And hostages-me included-can precede you when you board."
"Gowdy-why do you offer so much?"
"We've both had our fil of treachery. I offer only what I'd ask, in your place." As though she could see him, he nodded. "I accept. Wait while I clear it with Vanois-he's covering your ramp. When he puts a spotlight on it, it's safe to come out."
Quickly he caled Carcharodon and confirmed the arrange-ment. When Limmer returned, Tregare borrowed trousers and shoes. Then, to Rissa, he said, "Do you want to come along?"
"Do you think I would stay behind?" rissa had seen Hilaire Gowdy occasionally but had exchanged only a few words with her. Now she watched the tal, heavily built woman walk down the ramp and approach. Her crew-what was left of it-lined up alongside the ship, hands held in plain view. Limmer's men moved down the line, searching them.
Not merely heavy, the woman was badly overweight. Beside the large, hooked nose her cheeks bulged. Her graying red hair-curly, an untamed mop-she pushed back with one hand; she reached the other out to shake Tregare's. "Captain, I'd better explain my position-then you can decide."
"All right. Where do you want to start?"
"With Escape, when you helped us take the ship. Then and after, my loyalty was Peralta's. Not yours-only he swore that. So although I knew some of his plans, I couldn't tell you."
"Some of them?"
With no indication of humor, the woman grinned. "He planned every way he could think of-and kept changing his mind. First-to get a couple of working turrets and take off with men in suits manning them, to disable Limmer's weapons before he could get us. Then you held the projectors back-spotted the bulkhead seals, 1 expect. I told him you probably would." Rissa looked to Tregare. "That was the trick you thought of? "He nodded.
Gowdy continued. "A couple of other ideas, he'd have needed help with-he sure wouldn't have got it from Lim-mer or Vanois, so he dropped those. Until today, I really thought he was going to play it fair-and I think maybe he did, too."
She frowned. "But this morning he got with the bunch we picked up on Tweedle. I knew something was up but he wouldn't say what. Then al hel popped, groundside, and he tore up your aircar to load the projector and power pack. He barely made it off the ground with that load-damned near crashed on the first ridge."
She clasped her hands together, moving one over the other. "I didn't know what to do. I locked myself in the control room to think. Then I decided my oath wasn't binding-not to a man who was breaking his own. So I tried to cal you-not to say exactly what he was doing, but just to get away from there, and that here wasn't safe either. But it didn't mat-ter-scrambled or clear, I couldn't reach you."
"Not your fault-your scramble was turned off, my end. And-hell, I forgot to switch the clear channels into the cabin!"
"I see." She turned to Rissa. "When you called, I figured Jimar for dead, but I couldn't be sure. If he'd killed Tregare, you see, there could be a catfight-him and Limmer and Vanois. Or the whole thing just break up, everybody going separate ways. And there I sat-ship unarmed and its nose torn open-and Limmer ready to put a missile in me if I tried to lift. So I couldn't commit myself to anything-not then."
"And now?" said Rissa.
"If he-Tregare, if you'l have me in your command, I'm your person, and No Return is your ship."
"One thing first," said Tregare. "I killed Jimar." Rissa turned to him; he grasped her shoulder. "I gave the order-I'm responsible. I want to know how you feel about that, Hilaire."
She shook her head. "He was out to kill you; there's no blame. If you mean my personal feelings, it's a long time since Jimar and I were lovers. He turned to younger women when we were still with UET and I wasn't fat. We stayed friends, but that's all. He didn't give me First Hat as any favor-I earned it."
"All right." Tregare nodded and reached to her. "Shake hands on it, then-Captain Gowdy." Before speaking, the woman wiped her eyes. "Thanks, Tregare. If you want to come upship, we can scan the roster and I'l tel you who's safe to trust. Except for these here and six locked up inside, I don't know who's stil alive, but-"
"Yes," Tregare said, "Let's do that." The new captain turned and started up the ramp; Tregare and Rissa folowed. Low-voiced, she said, "Have you thought, what if the ones aboard are not locked up?" He shook his head. "Gowdy's not Peralta, and you heard her estimate of his earlier chances. Besides, I trust her."
"And I, too-but I like to make sure of such things."
He squeezed her hand but said nothing more. Looking up, she was surprised that Hilaire Gowdy, fat and al, was climb ing at good speed. And when they reached Control, the big woman's breathing was slow and even. She sat at a desk and began to spread out the roster sheet.
"One thing, Tregare-none of my say-so, but I'm curious-what happens to those you can't trust? There's been a lot of kiling."
"I agree. No-I'll just leave them here-on the planet, I mean, not Base Two. The local economy's always short of common labor, Hilaire."
The woman nodded. "Good. I wouldn't have liked it, hav-ing to point my finger and know I was making death. Wel, let's get to it." When the list-with the known dead marked off-had been divided into "yes" and "no," Tregare called Limmer for a casualty report. He copied the figures, said his thanks, and cut the circuit. He looked up from the paper. "I'm surprised-ex-cept for a handful of Peralta's ground force, he's accounted for the lot. Wel, not the losses on Deuces Wild- al we know there is who survived. Let's see those lists again."
He crossed off more names, then counted. "Limmer and Vanois aren't so bad off. But what with the dead and the unreliables-your six and the warehouse nine are al I know of those, that stil live- No Return's shorthanded as hel, even if you get al that's left of Jargy Head's crew. We're in trouble."
Hilaire Gowdy rubbed her forehead. "The worst is, Tregare-several of those fifteen could be all right; Peralta stampeded some, I know. But we can't tel which-we'd have to take chances."
He shook his head. "No more chances, Gowdy. I-"
Rissa interrupted. "Tregare! There is a way. We should have done it sooner-oh, I am stupid! So many lives-" Brows raised, he looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"I have not told you? No. Well-before I challenged dal Nardo-that morning I spoke with his supervisor, Ami Gustafson. And she questioned me under a truth field, though she did not know I recognized it." He nodded. "I've heard of those. If UET had them when I was a k
id, I'd never have lived to get off Earth. But the trouble is, we don't have one."
"I wil cal her-ask if the equipment can be moved-if we may borrow it. Or if not, we might use it where it is."
"How in the name of peace do I transport that many people across the Big Hils in aircars? I'd be al month at it."
"For you to be certain of your people, might it not be worth it to lift a ship across and back, once?" While he considered, Gowdy spoke. "She's right, Tregare. And I'd feel better if you put me through it, too." Sidelong he looked at her. "More for your peace of mind than mine, I'l do that-if we get the use of the thing." Yawn-ing, he stretched, then winced. "The burns are acting up. Too much work to unwrap and salve again. I need a pil and some sleep."
"Take Peralta's quarters-the woman who shared them is one of the six locked up. Knowing Jimar, you can be sure of ful security."
"Al right; thanks. A few chores first." He caled the other ships and verified that Deverel and Kenekke were informed and well quartered. Then he and Rissa followed Gowdy to Peralta's stateroom. When she had gone, he inspected the con-sole of monitors and control overrides, more than twice the size of his similar installation on Inconnu. He shook his head.
"He could fly the ship from here, or near to it. Rissa-if I'd only seen this before-I'd have known he couldn't possibly give up command." He yawned again. "Help me off with this robe?"
As she did so, she said, "Bran? Wil you have to grieve for the man who was once your friend, or close to that?"
"Grieve? I don't know. (I can't let it out, the way you do -yes, Sparline told me. But in spite of everything that hap-pened, for a long time I'll feel-sad, I guess." His mouth twitched, then tightened. "Such a waste, such a damned waste! And Jimar was a man who always hated waste."
