The Radical Factor (Stone Blade Book 3)

by James Matt Cox

  Micah, Kidwell and Ferrel huddled their heads and whispered cabalistically. All for show since they said nothing of consequence, but Micah's garble prevented any eavesdroppers from noting that fact. Ferrel finished his tea quickly and left, followed by one false Esavian and another man.

  After a light dessert Ferrel would have enjoyed Micah and Kidwell rose, walked leisurely to the transit station and took a hoverbus to a large, open park. They strolled beside its lake arm-in-arm, admired the trees and acted every milli the part of young lovers. As they approached a lush garden illuminated only by Mek-Soulda's moons several things happened.

  Micah heard the sound of a brief scuffle behind them. Several people said something in harsh, urgent whispers and the sound of another altercation followed that. Then a hover whooshed away followed by more cries. Ferrel appeared ahead of them motioning frantically. He led them to his rented hover and the three of them left quickly.

  "They may or may not be following," said Ferrel, "but we're cryo either way. The tickets are in the console. Did you have a pleasant walk?"

  "Blissfully so," said Kidwell, "You should have stayed for dessert. Do you have a meet point?"

  "Registered and locked. As for dessert, some of us don't have the luxury of so much time with so little to fill it. I hope you enjoyed it enough for me."

  "What about tracker misdirection," asked Micah.

  "Even the Vezieri will swear it's them! Likewise the rentals and storage, with a little effort on their part."

  Their comms beeped.

  "That's Ted. Go, Charlie. Don't break any traffic laws but bend them double!"

  Ferrel drove the hover to a nondescript storage building. Micah didn't bother noting the location. Once they left it wouldn't matter. Inside the empty space lay a body alongside a terminal and some spools. While Ferrel worked the latter Micah and Kidwell dumped the unconscious former into the boot. They bound his hands loosely but by the sound of his snoring he'd not wake soon.

  "Locked and linked," said Ferrel, "As soon as you feel safe for it drop me near a datamart. Ted and the rest should be there in twenty or less."

  Micah drove a rat path for twenty minutes, all the while looking for pursuit. He never found any so he consulted the hover's datapad for the closest open datamart. He didn't come to a full stop, the vehicle would register that, but Ferrel took a leg-out and didn't fall. Several others noted this but that would only help their plan. Micah guided the hover back into traffic.

  "Polar," said Kidwell, "How long shall we give him?"

  "At least thirty. I think we can manage that."

  "Anyone behind us yet?"

  "Nak. Not that I can see. You're looking too, yes?"

  "Truth and pure. I haven't spotted any either but the red sport job three back and one over is making me nervous."

  As Micah drove Kidwell changed her appearance. She did so quickly and without undue jostling. Then, in an amazing show of agility they swapped places without swerving or wrecking. Micah changed his face quickly enough, even though she chuckled toward the end of it.

  "Did you mean to run that signal," he asked.

  "Plus-plus. I'm starting to vector over now. One or two more minor violations should draw attention. How long to the Consulate?"

  "Five or less."

  Micah opened the console and removed their tickets and some other gear. Kidwell approached the Vezieri Consulate along a busy main street, passed it and circled back along less-populated avenues. She stopped behind the Consulate's back entrance and as soon as the skids grounded she grabbed the key, wiped it and dropped it into the console. Micah sprayed the interior liberally with WIPEOuT and the two of them left within four minutes of stopping. Still unobserved, they made their way, a short one, to the closest transit station. Once aboard a linear heading away from the Consulate they blipped Ferrel. He returned a double-blip. Success!

  ***

  In addition to an obscenely smug grin Ferrel had three desserts, tea, ale and an assortment of fancy nibblers waiting when they reached the meet point.

  "Heaven's flames," said Kidwell apprehensively, "The burn went that well?"

  "Galaxies better than that, my darling! Why don't you two hard-working souls refresh yourselves and rest your tired bones whilst I recount the gist of it."

  Micah and Kidwell exchanged pained, knowing looks. This burn would certainly become legend before a week had passed!

  "First of all our illustrious Kubri Wekesa is ostensibly a student of Mekhajan culture taking extension courses at the Grieaux Center. Curriculum, assignments etc. pertaining to such a course of study, all of which add up to massive boredom or a small mind. That's what the biometrics gave me.

  "Fortunately I found - well, in truth it required great effort and suspicion - a small, linked login on an obscure reference page. I am not certain what it purported to be but after copying it I attempted to access it. That act unleashed several sorts of mayhem which, had I not prepared, would have done unto my poor terminal in a truly wretched fashion."

  Ferrel paused for a healthy swig of ale. "After the spikewarez ran their course, which I reflected into the system rather than allowing on my machine, I discovered a datacache exposed by various violent warez. A cache, no doubt, meant to be protected by them. When I accessed it, again after copying it, mayhem round two ensued.

  "By then more than a few traces, probes and sticky noses had their sights upon my poor machine but they were caught untimely in the backlash from the aforementioned mayhem. When the smoke and shrapnel from that cleared I discovered a pair of high-priority armored connections leading forward into the bowels of the system.

  "After a momentary break for head-scratching these two connections rudely began generating an amazing amount of potential distress. I was so offended I turned them upon each other and let them do battle with their ill-mannered selves, all the while firing my throbbing needles and gooey grapples against their home system.

  "Alas, my grapples came back empty but I did manage good penetration into the heavily protected system. I took the opportunity to inject several thermal worms and to plant two of my favorite veggs, all set to trigger around lunch tomorrow."

  Micah took a moment to digest Ferrel's monologue. "Any ideas what the system held or where it was?"

  "Nary a one, my brother, but when my lovely surprises detonate tomorrow I plan to be in the net with popsoy and strong ale. Metaphorically, of course. I do not know for certain sure if it will work, but if it does I'll have a short window of access. Otherwise I hope it costs them a great deal of money, worry and trouble!"

  "What about the candy trap," asked Kidwell.

  "Delectable, my dear, though the chocolate was a bit sticky. I managed to slirp a lot of data that needs breaking but we shan't put a high priority on that. Five standing says it's more virus than data."

  "Sucker bet," said Micah, "And now they know we know and we were not amused."

  "Platinum truth and no blather," said Kidwell, "The which will cast most serious doubts on whatever they think they may know about us. I do love my job!"

  "What about our exit plan," asked Micah.

  "Ted's on it," said Ferrel, "both for us and for our extra ship."

  ***

  Micah read his newsmod lazily while keeping a subtle eye on Ferrel. Kidwell sat not far away, working her terminal as well. Siffai walked down the street earlier which put Barstein close by as well. Micah felt apprehensive about allowing Ferrel to try to burn some unknown but very potent system but he and Kidwell between them presented a very convincing argument.

  When Ferrel's expression hardened Micah knew he'd started the serious burning. He worked the terminal furiously, smiled and resumed with added smugness. Finally he stood, stretched and left the datamart. He yawned and checked his chrono, indicating success at avoiding detection, nodded toward Micah and headed down the street without a care in the universe. After an appropriate delay Micah and Kidwell followed suit.

  Thirty minutes later the three of
them sat aboard a linear bound for the starport. Again Ferrel radiated satisfaction so Micah tried to estimate the number of desserts required to separate him from the information.

  Ionoski met them after they cleared customs, guided them to a shuttle and soon had them all aboard the 22105. After a short hop to the asteroid belt they boarded the Nerissa and linked out of the Mek-Soulda system.

  "Mission report," said Ionoski.

  "Full success," said Kidwell with audible satisfaction, "Even with the data we haven't cracked yet. Just the data we found publicly qualifies as total and complete success."

  "Slib. We're linking to friendly space. We might have a contingency ship at Triumph now and if so it needs to work on my newest vessel."

  ***

  Ferrel assigned Micah and Siffai the task of breaking his candy-trap data. The first very encrypted data was just that: trap. It did contain some data but critical analysis gave it little value so they switched to Wekesa's data.

  Siffai wrinkled her face. "Either this is the most comprehensive counter-intel cover in the known universe or Master Wekesa truly was studying."

  Micah looked up and stretched his back. "My metal's on studying. We're at least four-sigmas certain they're Mekhajan intel agents. Agents like advantage and thorough background information is the least dangerous to acquire. Why waste an opportunity to learn, especially when it pertains so closely to your job?"

  "Truth, dosha, but why have something so horribly encrypted?" She highlighted a large chunk of data they had yet to tackle. "Window decoration? Even with proper keys this would be a nightmare to open and display."

  "It may still be useful," shrugged Micah, "We weren't prepared for full-scale Mekhajan ops but bet me twenty gold the next wave of agents won't be. I can already see the assimilation classes and quick-preps on this and it isn't pretty." He shuddered dramatically.

  Siffai laughed and they turned their attention to the massive data slirp. It too might turn into nothing but with a file this size that seemed unlikely. Besides, as Micah had said, while they themselves might find little use for this data, no data was ever truly wasted. Even the mostly-trap files and slirps yielded improvements for breaking future data. Slowly, surely and with occasional help from Ferrel they peeled off the layers of trap, confusion and crypto.

  "Ran'damma on Peace Day!" Siffai swore softly but with great feeling.

  "What is it?" Micah wasn't exactly racing her on the last layer of encryption but they had a chocolate chog bet on who cracked it first.

  "This cannot be! It must be distraction or disinformation!"

  Micah examined her results. Then he re-examined more closely.

  "Can we verify it?"

  "No, dosha. Not with anyone here or anywhere else we have access. No. It must be fake." She spot-checked the files. "I have seen fraudulent material and this does not have that feel. Still... No."

  "We need to tell Ted about this. Either way. If it isn't real we can still use it. I think."

  Ionoski held his face blank but none of the others could.

  "The Lan'Quor," said Barstein, "How can this be real? No. I agree with you, Katie. It cannot be genuine. The Esavians guard Dhu more closely than anything else, to sanity or beyond! It is a subtle and devious trick. A misdirection. Their last line of defense, surely."

  "But what are our facts," asked Ionoski rhetorically, "Take it for given that Wekesa was indeed a student, or at least engaged in study. This was linked with his student data and not the candy-trap. Fact: student or not he wouldn't keep anything lying around that could cause him or the Mekhajan trouble. Fact: this data was guarded, encrypted and protected to exactly that degree.

  "Hypothesis. Think non-linear. I'll wager twenty standing that Seigneur Charraud, humble and long-standing merchant, gentleman trader and suspected Mekhajan agent knows more about Dhu and his worship than some genuine Esavians. How easily could he procure a copy of the Lan'Quor?"

  None of the others had considered that.

  "The Mekhajan are closer to the Esavians than anyone else we've encountered. Even if every copy of the Lan'Quor is kept locked in the temples I'll wager another ten that Charraud has at least occasional access to it. Add a concealed holocaster and multiply by the potential number of such agents within the Esavians and the time they've been there and what do you have? I can certainly see a copy working its way out.

  "Final fact. You mentioned, Micah, that Supposed Agent Wekesa looked Esavian. Assume that he is to infiltrate their society. Reasonably, he would have access to the one document that, more than any other, defines what it is to be Esavian."

  "Valid and cogent, Ted," said Ferrel, "but it would still be nice if we could verify it."

  "We can," said Ionoski, "Katie, Dave, will your interrogation of Ammi Larruk harm him or impair his mental acuity?"

  "He will live until he dies of old age," said Barstein with a sudden smile, "and he will die with his mind sharp and undamaged."

  "Brilliant, Ted," said Kidwell, "I think I love you."

  "We'll send it to SIFComm as soon as we ground," said Ionoski, "They can expose it to him. His reaction will confirm it as genuine or not. For now we treat it as uncertain but likely good."

  "Ahem. I also have data!" Ferrel waited until he had full attention. "My impolite gifts paid off in platinum. I have names, dates, general assignments and deployment for Mekhajan agents operating on Esavian worlds. Not all of them, and not all are Esavian worlds, but it's still an impressive list."

  Treasure ship!

  "Is Charraud there," asked Micah.

  "Not specifically," said Ferrel, "or not under that name, at least. But there are seventeen agents listed for Allhai Mik. That's impressive too since Saddireb Libre only has twenty-one. The other Esavian worlds top out at nine, with nineteen for Barrhi Esav."

  "Interesting," said Ionoski, "Five credits on coincidence?"

  "Sucker bet," said Kidwell, "Those are the economic anchors. It does raise the question, though, as to whether the Mekhajan are there because of that or if they're the anchors because of the Mekhajan. Are all the Esavian worlds listed?"

  "No," said Ferrel, "but this probably isn't a complete list. Compartmenting sensitive information is an Intelligence axiom."

  "Truth," she replied, "This does give us a few good, solid endpoints for our hypothetical link between the Mekhajan and the Esavians."

  "I thought 'link' was confirmed," said Ferrel.

  "Confirmed solid now," said Ionoski, "We know six-sigmas now that Mekhajan agents are operating on Esavian worlds. Modulo the accuracy of Charlie's data which I place very high. I also brought a lot of interesting trade data that needs processing, if any of you are interested." He lifted an eyebrow and looked around. "Later, then."

  "Missions and triggers," asked Kidwell.

  "That should be next," confirmed Ionoski.

  Restless, Micah left the others and paid Davies a visit.

  "Yes, thanks for asking." Davies offered chog and activated a datapad. "Charlie's routines have the common compounds narrowed down to fifty-eight. I doubt we'll be able to knock off many more but we may not need to. Parallel correlation and elimination yielded about a hundred and fifty possible marker plants. I've also developed a strong specific inoculation for 4491. Do you want it?"

  "Not yet. Can you create one to stop the allergic reactions only?"

  "With just a slightly obscene amount of work," said Davies, "Why?"

  "Sprouting ideas."

  "Mpf. Slib. It would help if I knew the subtle effects. I don't really have the equipment or the computer power I need here, even with Charlie helping. Flames, what I could do in a dedicated facility! I really need some clinical observation. Is there any chance of that happening?"

  "Given that we'd have to invade the Esavians' holiest of holies, not likely. Very low sigma there."

  "Fair coin. At least I can work on your anti-allergy dose. It'll help with the other inocs, too. What I have is pretty rough. It will work but I don't know how l
ong it will last. It's also likely to make you sicker than a bilikbird on bad booze."

  Several thoughts clicked into place within Micah's head. Davies had a bottle of the wine, sealed and secured against breaking. He mumbled something to himself. The last thought settled in and Micah's course of action became clear. Micah grabbed a clean beaker, poured himself an average serving of the wine, re-sealed the bottle and downed the beaker with four swallows.

  "What the hades are you doing?!"

  Davies gazed at Micah in shock as he carefully set down the beaker. The wine was just as bad as the first time and worse with more of it. Micah's brain blurred for a moment then cleared up. He walked with some difficulty to one of the medical bunks and sat down.

  "Strap me down," said Micah, "and wire me up. That was three hundred mills, plus or minus a sip." Not easy talking with a curdled tongue. "Hurry. I c-can feel it... starting. Strap... Strap me... DO IT!"

  Davies did so with quick efficiency. As he tightened the restraints and began attaching monitors Micah kept speaking.

  "In... initial effect... hitting hard. Not just... just alcohol. Edge of... vision... blurring in... out."

  "I'm recording this," said Davies without stopping his work.

  "Something... ears. Sounds... sounds... orange. Hissing. Roaring. Hissing... skin... hot. Blurring... sound. Eyes... loud..."

  Chapter 11. Trusted Voices

  Taralon IV. Launch came as a hard shock that drove Micah into his straps. Fear welled up within him despite every effort he made to contain it. His helmet hud cleared to a spectacular view from the HRAT's external cameras; a stunning vista that would last until they burned off in the atmosphere.

  Fear rose past Micah's ability to contain it. Just as likely the rat would fly wrong; at this speed even the most tenuous of atmospheres would hit harder than solid rock if the rat deviated even the least from its calculated path. The rat would hit the atmosphere and vaporize itself and its terrified occupant.

  The freqs tagged to local chatter noised up. Too soon! The soggies spotted the launch in time to deploy defenses! Terror saturated Micah and reduced his thoughts to meaningless gibberish.