THE ALTIAN PLAGUE

by D M Arnold

  “Where is it being manufactured?” Nyk asked.

  “We're using plants in Vebinad,” Kronta replied. “The material will be transported by monorail to Sudal, in barrels marked 'Plant Nutrient Concentrate 505.' From the train station it will be loaded onto skimmers and taken to the Food Service central warehouse north of Sudal.

  “Then, at Nadir-meridian-one the skimmers will bring it to the Sudal shuttleport where it will be loaded onto a transport and taken to Lexal.”

  “Why Sudal?” Nyk asked. “Vebinad is closer to Floran City.”

  “We're using Sudal because the shuttleport there shuts down after the arrival of the evening flight. The Floran City port runs around the clock.”

  “So we can land a transport relatively unobserved,” Nyk replied. “Whose transport?”

  “Mykko Wygann has donated the use of Lexal-One, his personal courier. It's a converted tender shuttle, modified for deep-space transits and it has a cargo bay large enough to accommodate a thousand barrels. Of course, for these flights it will fly under a different code name.”

  “Three trips in three nights.”

  “Yes -- the details are being handled by ExoAgency Enforcement and trusted ExoService corpsmen. The transport can land at the Sudal port, so we won't need to go through the transit platform.”

  “So, Andra and I should return to Sudal and await the first shipment.”

  “Yes -- Wygann would like you two to accompany it to Lexal and help make contingency plans for the upcoming Grand Assembly.”

  “The expected day of the attack,” Andra remarked.

  “Exactly. You two are dismissed.”

  “Illya,” Nyk said, “what's happening on Earth? Has Agency Enforcement made any progress rooting out that Seven cell in Tulsa?”

  “That information, Nyk,” Kronta replied, “falls outside your domain of responsibility. You're dismissed.”

  Nyk stood, gave Kronta the Floran salute and walked out the door. He saw Suki standing in the corridor. “I'm insulted,” she said. “I didn't leak any information.”

  “I'm sure you didn't. He's using an appropriate level of caution. Did Aahhn give you your injection?”

  “Yes,” Suki replied.

  “What do we do about Senta?” Andra asked.

  “If you have any ideas how to locate her -- I'm all ears. Kronta's turned it over to Internal Affairs and they'll do their best to find her. Now, I must find Aahhn and get my shot. Then, we go to Sudal and wait for the vaccine.”

  * * *

  Nyk paced around the middle level of the Residence. He saw a groundcar on the access road. It stopped outside the house and he watched Kronta step out.

  Andra headed down the spiral stairs to greet Kronta and returned with him.

  “Nice place you have here,” Kronta said, looking around.

  “Any word of Senta?” Suki asked.

  He shook his head. “No -- none. Internal Affairs is working it. They're watching all transit points. It's unlikely whoever took her could get her out of the City unnoticed.”

  “I'm worried if they drug her,” Andra said.

  “We've done an inventory of truth agent,” Kronta replied. “So far all stocks have been accounted for.”

  “It's not truth drug that concerns me. I'm worried about Zander's mind control mixture. It's effective as a truth drug.”

  “Hmm... I had forgotten about that. If The Seven has access to some of that...”

  “Knowing Zander as I did,” Andra continued, “I doubt he divulged the formula to anyone. He preferred to maintain control himself.”

  “How much did he possess?”

  “That I don't know. I have a handful of his cartridges that I pilfered from his supply the night I left him. Whether there are any in hands of others I know not.”

  “So far, nothing indicates our plans have been compromised. The ... plant nutrient was delivered to the warehouse this morning. I have a Service corpsman disguised as a warehouse worker stationed with it. He has orders not to let any of the barrels out of his sight.”

  “Then -- everything is ready for tonight,” Nyk said. “I was in contact with Janna today. I told her of the abduction. Mykko wants to send some of his own security forces to Sudal.”

  “I have no problem with that,” Kronta replied.

  “I'll pass it on to Janna.”

  * * *

  Suki stood between Nyk and Andra, holding hands with both of them as they walked the bluff. Floran's indigo sky deepened into night. “It's about time to head for the shuttleport,” Nyk said. “We'll be back after Grand Assembly day.”

  “Be careful,” Suki said and kissed Nyk. “You, too.” She kissed Andra.

  “Nyk and I are a team,” she replied. “We haven't failed a mission yet.”

  “With yet the operative word,” Nyk added. “Come on -- Kronta's waiting for us.” He turned to Suki and squeezed her hand. “You watch the house.”

  Nyk stuffed his travel case into the luggage compartment and climbed into the cramped back seat of the groundcar. Andra and Kronta sat in front and Illya directed it to the shuttleport. “Here,” Kronta said, reached under his seat and handed them wand-shaped devices.

  “Stunners,” Nyk said. “Will we need these?”

  “Better have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

  “Someone else said that to me recently.” He took a wand and handed the other to Andra.

  The groundcar turned onto the north-south arterial. Nyk looked around. “In Sudal they don't bother to roll up the sidewalks at night -- they leave them out and roll up the town. It looks deserted.”

  “All the better for us.”

  “It's not even that late,” Andra remarked.

  The car turned onto the shuttleport spur and parked in the livery lot. Nyk clambered out of the vehicle and headed into the terminal building. He could see a handful of people milling around. “Today's last shuttle is due shortly,” Kronta whispered. “After that, they shut down operations. I've notified Space Control of special diplomatic flights coming in.”

  “This is getting complicated,” Nyk said. “What if someone leaks?”

  “It's strictly need-to-know. The space controller knows a flight's coming in. He doesn't know from where. Wygann's pilot knows the coded moniker. The skimmer pilots know they deliver barrels. They don't know what Nutrient 505 comprises. And so on.”

  “So even if one bit of information leaks out, it's not enough to compromise us.”

  “That's the theory.”

  “I remember something Seymor used to say,” Nyk remarked. “He said there's a difference between theory and practice. In theory they're the same. In practice they're not.”

  “That sounds like Seymor,” Kronta replied.

  “Come on -- we'll go stand on the observation deck and watch the proceedings.”

  Nyk followed Kronta to a lift, and the three of them rode to the observation platform surrounding the shuttleport control tower.

  He gazed toward the north. The runway lights came up. In the distance he could see a light blazing like a bright star. Slowly it intensified. “Is that the last shuttle?”

  “I think so,” Kronta replied.

  The craft made its final approach, landed and taxied to the terminal. Nyk watched passengers debark. Lights in the vessel winked out as ground crew shut the doors and chocked the wheels.

  Then, the runway lights went dark and the shuttleport quieted as passengers left the terminal and headed for the groundcar lot or the light rail line connecting to the center of Sudal.

  Kronta consulted a handheld vidisplay. “Nadir minus a half. We have some time to kill.”

  Nyk paced around the observation platform. He saw lights moving in the direction of the maintenance hangar. “Illya,” he pointed.

  “Skimmers -- bringing in the cargo. They'll park behind the maintenance building and wait for the transport.”

  “How many skimmers?”

  “Ten.”

  A warbl
e came from Kronta's xarpa. He tapped his wrist to his handheld and answered a call. “Our Service controller is in place in the tower,” he said as he returned the vidisplay to a pocket in his sash.

  The runway lights came on. Nyk squinted to the north and saw two lights appear, closing quickly. A pair of armed Lexalese security vessels landed abreast of each other and stopped at the end of the runway. Illya nodded toward the pavement and the three of them headed down.

  Kronta conferred with the pilot of one of the Lexalese vessels. The pilot nodded, pulled shut his hatch and the vessels taxied to the side. Rear hatches opened and Lexalese security forces, carrying long arms, spilled out and took up positions behind the maintenance hangar and along the runway.

  Another light appeared in the sky and approached. Wygann's courier touched down and lumbered to a stop. The cargo bay clamshell opened and the first skimmer pulled up. Men began offloading barrels from the skimmer onto levitating pallets and stowing them in the transport.

  The main cabin door opened and a flight of steps deployed. Down them descended a tall woman with pale blond hair. She stepped to Andra and embraced her. Andra led her to where Nyk stood with Illya.

  “Janna, this is Illya Kronta, the engineer of our strategy. Illya -- Princess Janna Wygann of Lexal.”

  Janna extended her hand. “My pleasure,” said Kronta.

  “The pleasure is mine. Thank you for your efforts.” Janna looked toward Nyk. “We have two seats reserved for you tonight.”

  “As soon as our cargo is loaded,” Nyk replied. He watched as the skimmers lined up, unloading their barrels and then speeding off. “That looks like skimmer number five.”

  “Such efficiency,” Janna remarked.

  The last skimmer headed toward the Food Service warehouse. “They'll be back tomorrow night with another load,” Kronta said.

  “Let's be on our way,” Janna replied. She took and squeezed Kronta's hand; then gestured toward the cabin door. Nyk took Andra's stunner and handed both to Kronta. He picked up his case and followed Andra aboard. Janna stepped in and an attendant closed and sealed the door. “Welcome aboard Lexal-One,” she said.

  The transport maneuvered for takeoff. Nyk peered out a viewport and could see the tails of the escort vessels ahead of them.

  A chime sounded and the attendant approached Janna. “We're ready to depart, Highness.”

  “Thank you,” Janna replied and belted herself into her seat. Nyk sat in his. Janna released a catch and rotated hers to face Nyk and Andra. “Well -- we're in the end game now.”

  Lexal-One accelerated down the runway, lifted off, gained altitude and achieved orbit. Nyk could see the escorts flying in formation. Then the viewports closed. An indicator lamp glowed from white to blue and he felt the jolts of the warp jumps. The indicator darkened, the ports opened and he could see the blue, white and brown planet of Lexal below; and the orange disk of sister planet Lexal Prime in the distance.

  14 -- Assassination Attempt

  The transport touched down on a private landing strip adjacent to the palace. Janna took Andra's hand and Nyk followed them to a bunker, down steps and to a tunnel. An awaiting cart whisked them to a lift and Janna called for a floor in the chancellor's residence inside the palace.

  Nyk gazed out of a window in Janna's private office. He surveyed the rugged highlands against which the Lexalese capital nestled. Janna and Andra carried on a lively conversation punctuated with laughs and giggles. Janna interrupted herself to press her hand against a proximity pad. “I wonder where Venn is?”

  “Who's Venn?” Nyk asked.

  “He's my assistant,” Janna replied. “He's new at the job.” She pressed the proximity pad again, then looked at Andra. The two women put their hands to their mouths and giggled.

  “You two are behaving like a couple of giggly schoolgirls,” Nyk said.

  “It's why I so enjoy Andra's company,” Janna replied. “When she's with me, the years melt away.”

  “We can talk...” Andra interjected.

  “...and laugh...”

  “...and complete each other's sentences...”

  “...just like when we were at Vebinad Academy. Andra takes my mind off the pressures of office.”

  “Even during a crisis like this one?” Nyk asked.

  “Especially like this one,” Janna replied.

  “Everyone needs release,” Andra added.

  A tall, slim young man stepped into the office and stopped short. “Highness... I wasn't...” His eyes shifted between the two women.

  “Venn,” Janna said, composing herself. “Where have you been?”

  Venn blushed. “I ... I posted for some personal time to run some errands. I thought, since Highness was scheduled offworld...”

  “It's all right, Venn. You are entitled to your personal time.”

  “I hope Highness wasn't inconvenienced...”

  “Not at all. Venn -- this is Nykkyo Kyhana.”

  Venn snapped a bow in Nyk's direction.

  “Mr Kyhana is liaison from an ExoService task force helping us to deal with the latest round of Altian threats. He is to be quartered in the guest suites and is to have office facilities with Chancellor's staff. Instruct staff Mr Kyhana is to be regarded as a peer among Chancellor's ministers.”

  “As you wish, Princess. Access?”

  “Open door.”

  “Very good. And the lady?”

  “Andra is a member of my closest and innermost circle of personal friends.” Janna raised her eyebrows, lowered her chin and gazed at him from under her brow.

  “Understood, Princess. Anything else?”

  “No, Venn. Please get Mr Kyhana situated.”

  Venn snapped a bow. “This way, Mr Kyhana.” He led Nyk down a corridor. “For a moment I thought I was seeing double,” Nyk heard him mutter.

  “What did you say?”

  “I'm sorry, Mr Kyhana. I was thinking aloud. It sha'n't happen again.”

  “Venn -- aren't you permitted to have your own opinions?”

  “No, sir.” He cracked a smile. “Not while I'm in this part of the palace, at least.”

  “They do look alike, don't they?” Nyk said.

  “I'm sorry?”

  “Janna and Andra -- they were roommates at Vebinad Academy. Their classmates referred to them as the twins.”

  “I see.” Venn gestured into a guest room. “Your quarters, sir. What shall the Lady Andra require?”

  “It's just Andra, Venn.”

  “I beg your pardon -- I don't understand. When Princess said she was a member of her innermost circle, I assumed...”

  “Venn -- once in a while an ax'amfin escapes and takes refuge among ordinary mortals like you and me. Andra is one of those fortunate escapees.”

  “I see.”

  “She shall share this guest room with me.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  “No sense using two when one will do -- wouldn't you agree, Venn?”

  “If you say so, Mr Kyhana -- very economical. I'll set your case in here and then show you to your office.”

  * * *

  Nyk stepped into the private dining room in the Chancellor's living quarters. He poured himself a cup of tea, took a breakfast cake and sat beside Andra. “How did the Lady Andra sleep last night?” he asked.

  “You know how I slept -- I always sleep well in your arms. What's the lady business?”

  Nyk smiled. “Venn... He thought...”

  Janna swept into the room with Venn to her left and one step behind. “We'll start the inoculations today,” she said. “Our security forces have worked all night to get the vaccine in place.”

  “Aren't you concerned The Seven could have spies watching?”

  “Not overly,” she replied. “All this took place after curfew. The only way onto our planet is through our single shuttleport, and our entrance and exit control officers keep a close eye on who comes and goes. Out of curiosity, I had our security chief run a report of offworld visitors from
Altia. There are right now two hundred fifty Altians on this world.”

  “How many are ore-workers?” Nyk asked.

  “Hmm... I didn't ask for a breakdown by profession. Why the interest in ore-workers?”

  “We believe ore-workers make up the bulk of The Seven's foot soldiers.”

  Janna made a signal to Venn and he approached. “Get me a report of all Altians onworld sorted by profession.” He snapped a bow, turned and left.

  “Why not just round them up?” Andra asked.

  “Because,” Mykko replied as he walked into the room, “we must prove the Altian plague weapon is worthless. If we tip our hand by rounding up ore- workers, The Seven will simply switch targets.” Wygann helped himself to some tea. “If I were running an outfit like The Seven...” He glanced toward Nyk. “Actually, I did run such an outfit once. If it were I running it, I'd make sure the operatives charged with deploying the virus blend as well as possible with the native population until the moment of the attack. Because our immigration control is so strict, the best they can do is to appear to be ordinary tourists or visitors. We'll get an opportunity to look at them during the drill today.”

  “What is the plan?” Nyk asked.

  “We are consigning the first batch of vaccine to the capital and a few outlying towns. We will call a general air-raid drill later this morning. We have designated shelters in each sector and neighborhood. Each Lexalese knows where he is to report in such an event. Our staff are making ready as we speak. The civil defense measures we implemented after the insurrection are paying dividends during this crisis.”

  “What if,” Nyk mused, “...what if we were wrong and The Seven attacks another colony?”

  “I agree with your assessment that Lexal is the likeliest target. If not -- well, it's really not my problem. Come -- I'd like you to observe our operation in action. This palace is a designated shelter for about ten thousand people.”