So, our first effort was to spend nearly an entire night freeing one of the massive crates from its lashings and sending it drifting with glacial slowness toward Adventurer's huge cargo door. It was escorted by all the 'bots, all wearing exos.
Fortunately, Adventurer's cargo handling equipment included wheeled dollies which fit into depressions on the oversized pallet on which the factory crate rested. Unfortunately, the lifter intended to lift the crate was unsuitable for use in space, and had already been sent down to the planet in sections. So, a dozen 'bots in exos lifted each corner in turn, while six more placed the wheeled dollies. Then, a dozen 'bots in exos carefully guided it toward the cargo door and out.
Startrader's two largest landers waited patiently as the huge crate drifted through the cargo hatch and into open space. They eased up against the massive plas crate and began nudging it away from Adventurer. It was nearly an hour before Lisa could confirm that the crate was stable on the carefully-calculated orbit that would carry it behind Haven's largest moon. We didn't dare tether the crates down to the moon; their mass would change the small moon's orbit in ways that couldn't be ignored. Even the carefully-calculated parallel orbit would eventually cause changes that would become obvious. That was a problem for the future, though. We had enough on our plates right now.
It took four nights of nonstop work, but finally the six massive crates were lashed together into a cube and in a stable orbit hopefully invisible from Haven. We hadn't been totally successful, though. Rumors were flying on Haven. Sharp-eyed observers were beginning to debate the meaning of the activity being carried on in total darkness, with only momentary flashes of light. There were reports that some enterprising individuals were beginning to modify their telescopes to operate in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums.
We ridiculed the wilder theories, of course, and told people that what they were seeing was robot maintenance on the landers. Still, we were glad that blasted ammo factory was taken care of, at least temporarily.
All of the other weaponry could be handled by our 'bots and workboats. We still had a problem, though. Our explanations seemed to be generally accepted, but there were certain to be a suspicious few who would be watching in IR and UV. A now-suspicious Duke Richard, for instance. So we stopped the darkened-deck night shifts, at least in the loading bay.
Instead, we set the 'bots to relabeling crates. Some of them we were able to simply deliver directly to Startrader, where they were swapped for some of the freighter's more innocuous cargo before the lander headed for the Zone. That's how we were able to get rid of the antiaircraft weapons, for instance.
In other cases, we depended on sleight of hand; putting several landers in motion at once, and swapping orbits while on the far side of the planet.
Of course, the inside decks weren't visible to the telescopes, and it was comparatively easy to grab some bulkheads that were being removed to create larger spaces, and erect Ollie's wall. The bulkheads even showed typical wear. Once we swapped the "security" door for an unmarked one, I no longer worried about snoopers finding the armory.
Our plans seemed to have worked, though I wasn't sure what Duke Richard was making of it. Still, I breathed a huge sigh of relief when the last mortar was safely tucked away aboard Startrader, and we could go back to the main project of preparing Adventurer for her new career as a schoolhouse.
Though he was still sour and resentful, Toray quickly came to realize that I was right; that my position carried more authority than just 'truck driver', and he might be wise to tone down his attitude toward me. He became friendlier and began treating me with a modicum of courtesy/
He also quickly realized that I'd been right about the party. Oh, months ago he'd approved what Ollie and I had promoted as a "commissioning ceremony", a formal event marking the "opening" of Adventurer, and the formal establishment of the University.
We'd conceived it as something of a gala, where we could get some press coverage and begin our student recruiting drive. It would also be something of the "staff party" Toray had mentioned; a recognition of everyone's hard work.
But we'd forgotten, again, our status on Haven. The event had quickly grown to planet-wide importance. Somehow, an invitation to our gala had become a mark of prominence; my "assistants" were besieged by hundreds of inquiries and requests. People were planning to travel for days by train, airship, and even ship to attend. Entire trains and airships were being chartered by the very wealthy. We had to scramble to issue engraved invitations to the heads of state, to whom we also offered transport by lander, if they could provide a secure pickup point.
The heads of all six nations had responded enthusiastically, and all except Howard Kanner of Refuge had requested additional invitations for selected countrymen. Interestingly, President Curran had requested an invitation for George Cass, and King David had asked us to invite Richard, Duke of Lazenby.
The whole thing had grown so big that we'd decided we would need two galas; one in the International Zone for most of our guests, with a smaller number of the most important VIP's hosted at a smaller soiree aboard Adventurer. There would also be a third, smaller and less impressive party going on in one of Adventurer's cargo bays for our own people — the "staff party" Toray had been so reluctant to attend.
I'd been adamant about not letting a rail line be run to the International Zone; Why make it easy for King David? But it did complicate matters now. We built a temporary control tower for airship traffic, larger than our permanent one, and we added three temporary mooring masts for the airships.
I'd been surprised by the number of requests inquiring about yacht facilities. We eventually had to build a temporary airship dock and locate secure yacht anchorage dangerously close to my own hidden dock and supply cache.
Now that it had been brought to his attention, though, Toray threw himself into the preparations; and I had to admit the man did know how to throw a fancy party. He and his staff basically took over planning for the high-level VIP portion of the party, renting museum-quality furniture and accommodations to turn Adventurer's landing bay into an impressive venue.
He also insisted on hiring separate caterers for the two main events; we'd rather been assuming that Adventurer could provide the necessary food and drink for the quickly-added ship-bound portion of the festivities. Toray convinced us that the ship would not be equipped to produce the delicacies our VIP guests would expect. He also had his staff arrange music and entertainment; things we'd overlooked in our planning, though in our defense I should note that we knew about Jane's recorded music files and speaker system, while our oblivious Chancellor did not.
As the day drew nearer, I had my own problem. Everyone who was anyone on Haven was coming, and I'd already met a number of the most important businesspeople while in disguise. They were certainly going to insist on meeting the "Star Man". What if they recognized me now? What if they recognized me later, when I was in disguise again, trying to conduct business? This damned party could put my life in danger!
Still, there was nothing I could do about it now. I'd simply have to bull through, playing dumb when necessary. I was used to doing that. Sometimes I didn't even have to 'play'!
The big day came, and I took off in the gig, which had been thoroughly and festively decorated for the occasion. Heidi accompanied me. Okay, she won the argument. And I guess she was right; all of the heads of state except Howed Kanner were accompanied by several bodyguards, some in uniform, some not.
On the theory that I should start with the farthest first, I began with Howed Kanner. Surprisingly, there was no large security detachment keeping crowds at bay; in fact, there was little that could be described as a 'crowd'. Only a dozen or so onlookers watched as I grounded in the rear of a modest home on the outskirts of the "city" of Refuge. the city seemed to house only a few thousand, the houses scattered hither and yon in no apparent order. Kanner was waiting for me. I simply grounded and he boarded with a nod and a sober "Good Mornin'." He wore a large revolve
r on his hip, but there were no guards present, nor did any board.
Howed Kanner was a man of few words, responding to most of my verbal efforts with a simple nod or head shake. It wasn't until we were nearly halfway across the major ocean that he turned to give Heidi a level look from the copilot's seat, and then turned to me.
He gave me a sharp nod and a sort of half-smile. "Captain Carver," he began, "Terry reports that you're a good man. You mind your own business, keep to yourself, and don't try to tell other folks how to live. You're welcome in Refuge."
I smiled back. "Thank you, Messer Kanner. I take that as an honor. And once we get the University up and running, I'll be looking for ways to help Haven develop. I hope Refuge can be a part of that."
The smile spread, became genuine. "You'll find opportunity in Refuge, all right. We kinda gotta keep our heads down until someone knocks New Home down a peg or two, but there's a lot more goin' on than meets the eye." After another glance at Heidi, he lapsed back into his silence. All I could get him to say was "Maybe we'll talk later."
Jon Crapen, President of East Brent, was next. I picked him up from a large stadium, with several cordons of armed men guarding the small circle of my landing space. He was a good deal more talkative than Howed Kanner. In fact I came to wish he'd shut up. It slowly dawned on me that he thought he was trying to pump me for information. I had to suppress a smile. By the time we arrived at the International Zone, I knew all about East Brent's history and politics.
East Brent had been established by King David's father. Though Crapen didn't expressly say so, it was easy to read between the lines that the 'colony' had been an effort to spread New Home’s domain and establish a New Home foothold on East Continent. It appeared that all had not gone according to plan, however.
It seemed that most of the New Homers willing to 'colonize' the new continent were the troublemakers and ne'er-do-wells typical of those willing to settle a frontier. For a few years, New Home had even sentenced political opponents to the new colony. As a result, East Brent was cursed with a large and vocal independence movement, and its efforts to conceal its ties to the mother country were less than successful. I gathered that Crapen was a large factor in that failure.
He was a small, rabbity man who looked like a mid-level bureaucrat approaching retirement on any of hundreds of planets; hardly the type to inspire hardy frontiersmen and fishermen. He freely confessed that the "support" of King David had much to do with his election. There was no question that Crapen was merely a pawn of King David and Duke Richard. After a single hasty glance, Crapen had completely ignored Heidi, and concentrated on me.
Ada Curran of Westin had finally exchanged her floral housewife dress for a fancy evening gown; and fancy it was. "I had to wear this thing," she said with a grin and a blush. "The highest-priced dressmaker in Tarrant made it for me, specifically for this shindig. I couldn't say 'no'."
The dressmaker had done well. The lean, rangy ranch woman was effectively camouflaged, replaced by a slim, straight dowager. Even her commanding manner only emphasized her imperial handsomeness. Her somewhat masculine movements were all that marred the image.
"It's beautiful, Madame President," the usually silent Heidi put in, and I rushed to agree. "She's right, Madame President. It's perfect. You'll be fighting off admirers all evening."
She waved a dismissing hand, but her expression was pleased. "Oh, Tush. Nobody's interested in a stringy old bird like me."
But from then on, she didn't ignore Heidi. Instead, she talked to her almost as a daughter; as though she wasn't carrying half a dozen lethal weapons, and as though George Cass and half a dozen uniformed guards weren't keeping their hands on the butts of their weapons.
President Runtz of Cellia wore a uniform. I wasn't surprised. What would have surprised me would have been to learn that the old warhorse even owned any civilian clothing. Though his chest was as medal- covered as Len's had been, there was no doubt that those adorning Runtz's chest had been earned.
Prominent around his neck was the Legion of Honor of New Home, which he had been awarded for heroism while on an International Rescue Team during a natural catastrophe some twenty years before. I tried, unsuccessfully, to conceal a smile. Runtz caught it, and returned it. He indicated the medal. "I Like to annoy David with it," he said. "His father was a man of honor; David has resented this award since he was a boy."
I bowed. "Well, it's a real honor to deal with a man of such accomplishments," I said. "I've been watching, and I've been quite impressed with the progress you're making undoing Len's damage in Cellia."
Runtz threw a quick glance at the impassive Heidi, and the two stolid, uniformed soldiers that formed his escort. "Yes, well," he replied. "I've noticed you have a few accomplishments of your own to celebrate. Shall we go?"
I was actually sorry when we reached the International Zone and Runtz and his two-man honor guard trooped out of the gig. I made a mental note to do my best to befriend Runtz. And Ada Curran, too!
I was actually rather interested to see how King David and Duke Richard would relate to us, as well as to the other heads of state.
King David looked much as he had over the tablet 'com, mid-to-late 30's, trim and athletic. He wore a simple dark blue business suit, and except for the crown on his head, somewhat smaller than the one he'd worn before, he would have looked like a typical young businessman.
"Your majesty," I bowed a welcome. He acknowledged my bow with a brief nod. His look at Heidi as she curtsied was much more interested. He took her hand, and raised her to her feet. Duke Richard and the four courtiers with him tensed, but Heidi merely smiled and nodded to the Duke.
Duke Richard was exactly as I'd pictured him: in late middle age, tall, handsome and urbane. Where King David wore a business suit, he and the four courtiers accompanying them wore court finery. The fancy outfits were colorful, but they couldn't disguise the fact that the gold-hilted swords and daggers, as well as the plated revolvers were well-used.
When King David introduced us, Duke Richard greeted Heidi as though she were a great lady instead of a bodyguard. It was pretense, though. It wasn't hard to notice that Heidi's hand hovered near her handbag, or that the Duke's rested on the hilt of an ornate, but obviously functional, dagger.
When he turned to me, his smile was knowing. "Ah, yes," he said in a warm voice. "Our savior from the stars. I've a feeling Haven will one day owe you a great debt, Captain Carver."
I smiled. "I'm just a common man trying to make a living while helping his new home, your Excellency," I replied.
He smiled. "There are many ways to help," he replied. "I suspect there is disagreement over the most effective."
King David and Duke Richard exchanged a significant glance before the King turned to his courtiers, and in moments the gig was filled with gay laughter and giggles. Duke Richard, though, pasted on a friendly smile and headed straight for me.
He slid smoothly into the copilot's chair. "I'm very glad to finally meet you, Captain," he began. "Somehow we seem to have developed something of an adversarial relationship, despite the fact that we'd never even met. It's even odder given that we share a common vision for Haven's future."
"Oh?"
He nodded. "Oh, yes. You've been reported to have mentioned several times that Haven should be unified under a single planetary government before entering interstellar trade and politics."
I nodded, smiling. "That's true, your Excellency, but I fear you've misunderstood. I've been advocating the expansion of the Planetary Council into an international body to monitor and control commerce and perhaps eventually unite the nations into a single planetary entity. That's a far cry from advocating war and conquest."
Duke Richard frowned. "But surely you can see that New Home is already equipped to assume the leadership of Haven. We are the natural, the only sensible candidate. After all, we began as Haven Colony before the others began their ill-advised defections, and we are the only government able and willing to unite Have
n and change our name back to its proper name once more. Why, King David can trace his line back to Robet Barton himself!"
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, your Excellency. What I can see is a nation eager to take over other nations by force. I don't care that Robet Barton was King David's great-great-great grandfather; I'm not all that impressed by the man's so-called accomplishments. And besides, as I understand it, Barton was an elected leader, and one who was kicked out after a few years."
I raised my eyes to his. "I do not consider 'reunification' and 'conquest' to be synonyms. I have taken pains to remove the weapons from Adventurer, and to conceal weapon and tactical information behind safeguards in her comp. Even if you gain access to the ship, you will need a computer expert to break those safeguards; and at present, the only expert in this solar system is my ship's artificial intelligence. I hope it takes centuries to break those safeguards; by then, Haven will probably have surpassed their capabilities. But they won't do that by slaughtering each other."
As I suspected, Duke Richard was good. Despite the seething fury in his eyes, his face showed only a slight, sad smile. "I'm very sorry, Captain. I had hoped you would have the vision to see that with your help, New Home could reunify Haven in only a few years, and put us back on the path the colony should have taken."
He nodded slightly. "Yes, there would of necessity be misery and suffering in the short term. Some of the nations are stubbornly stupid; but force would only be needed where diplomacy fails; and within two or three years we could have had a peaceful, prosperous, unified planet pursuing rational development."
"All that you claim to be pursuing could have been accomplished within a decade, and Haven could have been well on her way to greatness. You could have been part of that greatness, Captain. You could have minimized the violence. There might even have been a knighthood in it for you.
Stranded on Haven Page 30
