The Mystery of Ireta

by Anne McCaffrey

  “Guarded message for Lieutenant Rianav, sir,” the helmsman announced, rising from his place and gesturing for Rianav to take his seat. Then he and the officer discreetly left the pinnace.

  “Lieutenant Rianav here,” she said, depressing the screen toggle. Its tiny picture revealed a face which Rianav did recognize: her medic.

  “Report, Varian.”

  As Lunzie’s words dissipated the barrier, Varian-Rianav sank against the back of the contour chair, her mind reeling as one identity still impinged on the other.

  “Slight miscalculation on our part, Varian. We now have more help than we can use. Are you okay?”

  “A scratch on the scalp and a distinct feeling that I’d lost my memory. Portegin’s still unconscious, but they say he’ll be fine. Lunzie, did you know that this cruiser is the ZD-43?”

  “So I’m told. Nice coincidence, isn’t it? Did you pick up that all-frequencies hail on your way to the plateau?”

  “Who was that?” Rianav–Varian remembered everything now.

  “That was our friendly Ryxi rescue mission. No Ryxi, by the way.” Lunzie chuckled. “Nearly blew Commander Sassinak’s little surprise party. Kai’s Tor gave the alert, but the Ryxi had to wait for the vessel to return from a supply run before they could dispatch it to our assistance. And Dimenon reported to Kai that the Thek have arrived in strength.”

  “In strength?”

  “Dotting the landscape, thirty strong by the latest count. That’s a lot of Thek.”

  “Any of them Tor?”

  “Don’t know. Dimenon fired in the report and then Kai lost the connection. Captain Godheir has sent a sled out after him and Margit. And I’ve got a lot to tell you about your precious giffs when you get back. After Commander Sassinak has had her chat with you. I didn’t know about the cruiser when I filed a mutiny charge with Captain Godheir. I wanted that on record as soon as possible. Sassinak will want to have details from you. I’m reviving the rest of the sleepers now. Their reports are going to be needed, too. And they might as well wake up. We’ve got enough help now to complete the original mission.”

  “Lunzie, how’s Kai?”

  “In Godheir’s sick tank. We can improve his condition. As I said, I didn’t know about the cruiser. Its medical team can help if Godheir’s doesn’t come up with an answer.”

  Behind Varian, someone was noisily clearing his throat.

  “I’ll join you as soon as I can arrange transport, Lunzie. Just continue as you think best.”

  “Well, that gives me plenty of latitude.”

  “You don’t need any more,” Varian said in an ironic tone. Lunzie gave her a sardonic grin as she broke the connection. Then Varian rose to face the lieutenant.

  “My wits have been rattled, Lieutenant, I don’t know your name.”

  “Borander.” He smiled. “Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.” Borander now exuded an air of urgency. “You look a lot better now, you know. I was a bit worried about you for a while. You didn’t seem yourself.”

  “You could say I wasn’t.”

  Borander escorted her from the pinnace, which had landed near the cruiser by one of the open air locks. From her vantage point in the pinnace’s lock, Varian had a good view of the heavy gunsleds in position around the massive hulk of the heavyworld transport. Cruisers were scarcely small, but the ZD-43 looked almost puny as it faced the colony ship. Only one of the transport’s locks was open, but none of the heavyworld contingent was visible. Varian hoped that the cruiser’s weaponry was trained on the transport. It looked so menacing, just sitting there, as if it meant to stay. She was only slightly reassured by the fact that most colonists were shipped in cold sleep to their new destinations.

  “These guys built a proper strip, I’ll give ’em that much,” Borander said, gesturing to their right.

  Aygar and his friend were squatting on their haunches beside the pinnace, and the friend scowled at her. Aygar was staring into the distance, indifferent to his surroundings and the marines’ weapons.

  “Borander, why are these men being guarded?”

  “Why, because they’re mutineers,” Borander replied.

  “These two men are not mutineers, Lieutenant Borander. They were born here on Ireta and they had nothing to do with the mutiny. There is no need to keep them under restraint.”

  “Now, look, your people registered a mutiny charge first with Captain Godheir and then with Commander Sassinak—”

  “Which still has nothing to do with Aygar and anyone in his generation or even his parents’.”

  “And I suppose they didn’t help build that grid to assist an illegal landing . . .” Borander switched from surprise to open scorn.

  “I think the judicial will find that Aygar was acting on misinformation and could be excused from a conscious violation of EEC regulations.”

  Borander held himself stiffly. “That is not for me to decide. Now, Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.”

  “Then Aygar can accompany us, and I’ll sort the matter out right now.”

  Aygar maintained his air of indifference, but his companion was staring at Varian, his jaw had dropped open and his face bore a surprised expression that put Varian in mind of Tardma.

  “Why, I can’t just walk into the commander’s office with these two—”

  “I can.” Varian put the steel of Discipline into her voice. “I’ll remind you, Lieutenant, that as coleader of an authorized expedition to Ireta, I have the rank of planetary governor pro-tem. Who outranks whom, Lieutenant?”

  Borander swallowed, arching his back to attention. “You do . . . ma’am. But that doesn’t mean the commander’s going to like it.”

  Varian ignored that remark and turned to the Iretans. “Aygar, if you and your friend would be good enough to accompany us?” She stared pointedly from the marines to Borander who signaled them to sheathe their stunners. Aygar rose from his haunches with graceful ease.

  “You’d be one of Tardma’s grandchildren?” she asked the unknown Iretan.

  “I’m Winral,” the man replied in a surly voice, eyeing her with growing anxiety.

  Borander stepped out quickly toward the cruiser’s gangplank. Aygar fell in beside her while Winral tagged behind. Varian noticed but did not comment on the fact that Borander signaled the marines to bring up the rear.

  “Lieutenant, would you know how much damage my sled sustained? I’ll need transport to return to my base camp as soon as I’ve seen the commander.”

  “Apart from the crumpled nose, I’d say the bolt just drained your power pack,” Borander replied in a formal tone. “I’ll order it retrieved and repowered.”

  Varian received the distinct impression that Borander did not think she’d survive her interview with his commander. They were halfway to their destination when one of Ireta’s sudden downpours caught them. It afforded Varian some amusement that she, Aygar, and Winral paid no attention to the rain though even the marines flinched.

  “Let ’em have the place, I say,” someone muttered behind Varian in a voice meant to be overheard. “I’ve smelled stinks—”

  Borander whipped around, hoping to identify the speaker. His annoyance was increased as he noticed Aygar’s sublime indifference to the elements.

  Varian was not attached to any service unit, so the usual boarding salute to the flag was not required of her. Nevertheless, when she reached the top of the gangplank, she had to exert a conscious effort not to follow Borander’s example. The duty officer immediately stepped forward, objecting to the presence of Aygar and Winral.

  “As planetary governor pro-tem, I wish to redress a wrong with Commander Sassinak. These men are here at my express invitation.”

  “Commander Sassinak has already interviewed the mutineers.”

  “Mutineer,” and Varian laid firm stress on the singular. “These people cannot be held guilty of the transgressions of their grandparents. Have I made my position clear, Lieutenant?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

&nbs
p; “Now, if you will take me to your commander?” Varian turned to Borander.

  The manner in which Borander escorted her revealed to Varian just how much the young man wished to be through with her. It had irritated her, or perhaps Rianav, to see Aygar held at stun-range. Rianav-Varian both could believe that Aygar had indeed been on his way to look for the sled’s survivors. What his intentions would have been after the rescue, was moot. But she felt required to seek fair treatment for him.

  As Varian, Aygar, and Winral followed Borander through the maze of passages into the cruiser’s depths, she became aware of the almost palpable interest in these surroundings which Aygar could not suppress. This would be his first opportunity to view close-up the products of sophisticated science and empire. Quite likely he had been reared on tales of such marvels, as well as the heavy-worlder face-saving mendacities. Winral was clearly overwhelmed by everything, gawking about him and stumbling over the bulkheads. Aygar maintained his dignity and composure despite his obvious excitement and curiosity.

  Then they were being ushered into the commander’s office, a spacious apartment with computer terminals and viewscreens across the biggest wall. Seating units and serving counters made an informal grouping along the opposite wall, facing the screens. The commander was seated in a contour swivel chair before a console and wide desk. Varian made a rapid survey of the screens, one positioned on the settlement and the other eleven trained on various aspects of the bloated transport.

  “Leader Varian, how pleased I am that you were unharmed,” the commander said, rising and extending her hand. Sassinak was a tall woman of wiry build and the authority of many decades in a command position, though her short black hair was unsullied by gray and her supple figure gave an impression of limitless energy. She gave Aygar a careful nod. “We’re in a bit of a muckle here. Your point about the . . . planet-born . . .” and she gestured courteously toward Aygar and Winral, “is well taken.” She cleared her throat, tapping her lips with her left hand as she did so. Varian saw the humorous gleam in her eyes. “I assure you, it will be respected in all future dealings with the . . . ah . . . indigenes. Only one of the original mutineers is alive, you know. And, I fear, he is in very poor physical condition and could be termed senile.”

  “The charge of mutiny is a formality, Commander, necessary to protect my associates and to rectify the disposition of Ireta.”

  “I understand the situation, Leader Varian. A wise move, I assure you, since several entities appear to be interested in this planet. You have heard, have you not, that the Thek are represented by quite a concentration.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re as baffled as I, then. Good. I intensely dislike being uninformed.”

  “Commander, do you know where the ARCT-10 is?” Varian asked urgently.

  Commander Sassinak grinned ruefully. “That’s another good question to which I have no answer. We have already inquired of the local Sector Command. You will appreciate that we have crossed several sectors in pursuit of the transport, and such information wouldn’t necessarily be present in our banks. We’ll let you know as soon as we have received an update. I have heard nothing about the loss of an EV ship and certainly that would have had a broad dissemination. Now that we are out of communication silence, we’ll be able to ask for updates.” Sassinak’s attention was divided between Varian and the screens. Now her glance lingered on the stalwart figure of Aygar, sparing the briefest notice of Winral. “Now, sir, we must regularize your position. May I have your name?” She reached over to flip on a recorder.

  “I am Aygar, son of Graila and Tetum, maternal grandson of Berru and Bakkun, paternal grandson of Paskutti and Divisti.” There was pride and challenge in Aygar’s tone.

  “And you?”

  “Winral, son of Aun and Mella, paternal grandson of Tardma and Paskutti, maternal grandson of Tanegli and Divisti.” Winral was sullen.

  “Yes, quite. With a small genetic pool, you would have to be careful of inbreeding, wouldn’t you?” Sassinak tapped a few keys. “Born and raised on Ireta and your forefathers did, I suspect, have some sort of regulatory body. Your settlement seems very well organized.” She looked inquiringly at Aygar.

  “Paskutti was our leader until his death. Then the duty was assumed by Berru and from him fell to my father, Tetum.”

  Sassinak leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers. “According to my understanding of planetary regulations, you are a citizen of Ireta, therefore an Iretan. My knowledge of your planet is limited to the reports, now forty-three years old, which we stripped from the beacon on our way in and suggests that there are no other sentient species . . .”

  “There is a developing species,” Varian said quickly, noting the surprise and puzzlement in Aygar’s look and the surprise in Sassinak’s.

  “There was no mention of any in your beacon messages.”

  “Those were sent a long time ago—”

  “I was informed that you were cryo until ten days ago?”

  “My report mentioned an avian life-form, golden fliers—”

  “Yes, it did. They’re the developing species? Avians? And the Ryxi settled in the same system? They aren’t going to like that.”

  “They haven’t been told, have they?”

  “Certainly not. I’ve been too preoccupied with this business to tend to yours, Leader Varian.” Sassinak’s voice took on an edge. “I’ll deal with that if it becomes my business. However, Aygar, you are resident here. You are not, technically speaking, involved in the mutiny charge. Under Federated rules and regulations, your people of the two generations raised here have the right to whatever you have developed during your residence . . . including the landing grid, when put to authorized use.” She signaled to the yeoman standing unobtrusively nearby. “I’ll want it recorded and announced that the only person under the charge of mutiny is that Tanegli fellow. You are no longer under restraint, bind, or halt and may continue whatever employment and pursuits you choose.”

  “We have been preparing for a colonial supplement.”

  Sassinak chuckled. “I like you, young man. This world breeds sturdy people. However, they,” and she flicked her hand at the screens showing the heavy-world transport ship, “are illegal immigrants on a world clearly designated as exploratory and uncleared for occupation. They can stay where they are until the tribunal can deal with the offense. It would be in your best interests,” and her gesture included Winral and the settlement, “to have absolutely nothing to do with them for collusion will definitely jeopardize your current possessions and your future.” She leaned across her console. “You have made a tremendous start here, Aygar. Consolidate those beginnings any way you can before the tribunal sits in judgment. Advice I also extend to you, Varian, although I understand you’ve already been doing just that since your awakening.” She rose and walked around the console to stand looking up at Aygar. Sassinak was a tall, well-made woman, but Aygar’s height and bulk dwarfed her. “You’d make a fine marine, young man, if you decide to quit this world.”

  Aygar looked down at her, his face and eyes expressionless.

  “This is my world, Commander. All of it—”

  “No, Aygar, not all of it,” and the steel was back in Sassinak’s voice and manner, “only what you and the planet-born have cultivated. Do I make myself plain?” When he had nodded acknowledgment, she relaxed with a smile. “I would be greatly obliged if you would permit me to make a tour of your settlement and its installations. I like to know as much about the planets I visit as is possible.” Sassinak offered her hand to Aygar.

  For one moment, Varian was afraid that Aygar would ignore the gesture. Then, as his massive hand closed about the commander’s slimmer one, Varian also hoped that he would make a vain show of his inherent strength. Why it should matter at all to her that Aygar should make a good impression on Sassinak, Varian didn’t understand—since she was very well aware that she and Aygar held differing notions about Ireta’s future. Varian might blame Rian
av for her championing of Aygar, but it had been as Varian that she had insisted on the review of his status.

  “There is much to be done now, Commander,” Aygar said, releasing Sassinak’s hand.

  “I should imagine so,” and Sassinak deftly indicated regret for being the agency which had occasioned such need.

  “I believe I can speak for the rest of Ireta’s citizens when I say that we would like to show you what we have wrested from a harsh and dangerous environment.”

  Sassinak nodded, smiling as she took up Aygar’s meaning. Varian felt relief that Aygar had opted for a diplomatic approach where force was clearly inappropriate.

  “Yes, I like your attitude, Aygar. I’ll have my adjutant, Lieutenant Commander Fordeliton, call on you later today. You should listen to some disks, delineating your rights and privileges under FSP law, at your earliest convenience. Under shipwreck statutes, you may replace any items of equipment, bar weapons, which were issued to the original team. I’m prepared to make quite a lenient interpretation of that clause to help you consolidate your position.” She gestured to the yeoman. “Del, escort Aygar back to the air lock, will you?”

  Sassinak caught Varian’s eye, aware that Varian would have preferred to leave with him. “We’ve some matters to discuss yet, Leader Varian,” she said, resuming her seat at the console as Aygar left. “A rather remarkable specimen, that Aygar. Are there more like him here?” A ripple of sensuality in the commander’s voice made Varian readjust, once more, her estimate of the woman.

  “I’ve only encountered a few of his generation—”

  “Yes, generation.” Sassinak sighed. “You’re now forty-three years behind your own. Will you need counseling? For yourself or the others?”

  “I’ll know when I get back to them,” Varian replied dryly. “The phenomenon hasn’t caught up with me yet. Commander, did you mean what you said about the ARCT-10?”