THE ALTIAN PLAGUE

by D M Arnold

  “Talked about what?”

  “About her and me ... about Altia and Lexal ... about my work on Earth. She's so kind and gracious. I see why her people love her. She gave me this.” Dyppa opened her gown. Between her blotchy breasts nestled a pendant comprising a blue and white gem-studded disk eclipsing an orange enamel one.

  “It looks like Lexal and Lexal Prime.”

  “Yes,” she replied. “Janna explained it to me. It's the Order of the Twin Worlds. She said it's given to Lexalese citizens who risk their lives for the colony. She said I'm the first offworlder to receive one. Imagine ... me -- an Altian...” She picked up the pendant and looked at it. One of her tears fell onto it and she buffed it on her gown. ” ...and I can't bring it to Earth with me.” She closed her gown. “Nyk ... hold me.”

  He put his arms around her and she rested her head against him and sobbed. “Dyppa -- you relax ... do what the doctors tell you to do ... get well. We need you on Earth. Will you do that?” She nodded. He stroked and kissed her hair. “Good.”

  “Nyk... I really do think I could love you.”

  “I know I could love you. I'm beginning to.”

  “First, I have to give myself permission to love again. I don't know how long that will take.”

  * * *

  The sound of a throat clearing startled Nyk and he looked up from his desk. “Yes, Venn.”

  “Someone to see you.”

  “Thank you, Venn. And -- thank you for your attention. I'll probably be leaving tomorrow, and I wanted you to know much I appreciated it.”

  “Thank you, sir.” He gestured and Sirk entered.

  “Nykkyo,” the captain said, “if you'll present me to the Chancellor.”

  “This way.”

  Nyk approached Wygann's office and rapped on the door jamb. “Yes, Nyk?”

  “Chancellor, I'd like you to meet Captain Sirk of the Altian Security Forces. He was a member of our task force. Captain, Chancellor Mykko Wygann.”

  Sirk extended his hand. “A pleasure, sir. On behalf of Altia, I want to extend my deepest regrets for the incident. We worked hard to stamp out these terrorists.”

  “Not hard enough, it seems,” Wygann replied.

  “If we could've prevented this -- we would've. We tried. We were making progress, but we ran out of time.”

  “I see.”

  “Believe me when I say no one in the legitimate Altian government had anything to do with this.”

  “Indeed. Can you explain why your consul was the go-between?”

  “I'm sorry, I'm not following.”

  “Your consul trafficked messages between the attackers and Seven leadership.”

  Sirk attempted to speak.

  “We have irrefutable evidence -- vidphone call logs.”

  “If this is true, then we will take him home to face justice.”

  “I'm afraid we can't satisfy that request.”

  “Chancellor -- he is an Altian citizen protected by diplomatic convention. I insist.”

  “Maybe so. He is also dead -- a victim of the virus. He expired this morning.”

  “What of the man who shot you... You seem to have recovered rapidly.”

  “Another virus casualty... Captain -- why ARE you here?”

  “This incident involved Altian citizens engaged in an illegal activity. It is my responsibility to investigate so any culpable can be turned over to our legal system.”

  “Investigate to your heart's content, Captain. You won't find much, though. They all succumbed to the virus. Now, if you'll excuse me.”

  “Chancellor.” Sirk snapped to attention, turned and left.

  * * *

  Nyk lay in bed in his guest room. Andra pulled herself against him. “Not a single Lexalese fatality,” he said, “only a few hundred requiring hospitalization -- it's a remarkably successful vaccine.”

  “I was worried for the infants and children,” Andra said.

  “Parents with infants and the elderly were told to seal themselves in their houses during the Grand Assembly. Older children tolerated the vaccine well.” He kissed her hair. “I understand a motion to censure Wygann has been killed in the High Legislature.”

  “Voted down?” she asked.

  “Killed in committee.”

  “Why censure Mykko?”

  “His decision to quarantine the planet after the attack was initially perceived as a ploy to hold offworld visitors hostage. Now, cooler heads prevail and the delegates realize his actions probably prevented spreading the virus to unprotected colonies. He also demonstrated the vaccine can not only prevent the disease but cure it -- if administered promptly enough after exposure.”

  “As in Dyppa's case. I hadn't heard of a censure motion. How did you?”

  He kissed her forehead. “You see -- there are advantages to having a boss who's the ExoService liaison to the HL Committee on Colonial Security.”

  “Mykko was right,” she replied. His way wasn't the right way -- it was the only way. It's the reason HE's chancellor -- it would've been too risky a decision for me to make.”

  “Me, too,” he said. “Successful leadership is managing risk -- not avoiding it.”

  “Mmm ... that sounds like something we learned at Vebinad. Mykko's risk paid off. It started a process.”

  “What process?”

  “The Altians are performing a thorough house-cleaning of their bureaucrats and mid-level functionaries. When the old regime was dissolved and the new senate installed, they left the lower levels intact. THAT's where The Seven had its operatives.”

  “So,” he mused, “the External Affairs minister was clean but his consuls were tainted.”

  “Exactly. With the planet sealed, what's left of the independence faction has no place to go -- nowhere to hide.”

  He pondered. “I haven't seen any of that on the news.”

  “That's because,” she replied, “it's being done quietly, so as not to embarrass the current Altian regime -- and, to keep the culprits off guard.”

  “How do you know about it?”

  “Secret, summit-level communications have begun between the Lexalese and Altian capitals.”

  “And, how do you know THAT?”

  She kissed his cheek. “You see -- there are advantages to being a member of Janna's closest and innermost circle of personal friends.”

  “So, Kronta might be right. Maybe we HAVE broken this once and for all.”

  “And,” she added, “now we know who was responsible for the virus.”

  “Yes -- Illya tells me they have Egon Hanri in detention.”

  “Are they going to interrogate him?”

  “No -- they can't. You see -- he possesses an ore-worker's implant.”

  “Why would he have one of those?” she asked.

  “He was born on Altia and was an ore-worker until he saved enough to pay his way to Floran to attend university. It was there he distinguished himself as a geneticist.”

  “If they can't use truth drug -- what are they going to do?”

  “They're attempting to wait him out. I'm sure he knows what happened to Senta.”

  “Hmm...”

  “Hmm what?” he asked.

  “I'm thinking.”

  16 -- Doctor Hanri

  Nyk stood with Andra on the palace landing strip. “Nykkyo,” Wygann said, “thank you for your efforts. With any luck we will dispose of this threat in short order. We'll rid the hegemony of these terrorists.”

  “I'm afraid not, Chancellor,” he replied.

  “What do you mean?”

  “It's something I've observed on Earth. That world seems perpetually threatened by this group or that who believe violence and terror is the way to impose their will. If you seize or kill one of them another will take his place. Even if you capture or kill the leader, another will step forward.

  “Floran authorities are holding Egon Hanri -- the man who invented the virus. Perhaps another man of his stature won't come forward, but others will -- o
thers who are just as vicious and just as clever in their own way. No, Chancellor -- before we can eliminate these groups we must understand and eliminate the root cause.”

  “Of course,” Wygann replied.

  Janna extended her hand. “Nykkyo -- you are welcome here any time.”

  A transport cart stopped near them and an attendant helped Dyppa to her feet. “The medics think I'm well enough to travel -- and, I'm not contagious.”

  “Do you feel well enough?”

  “I think so.”

  Nyk turned and climbed the steps into the diplomatic deep-space courier. The hatch closed and the vessel rolled down the landing strip, lifted off and headed into orbit.

  * * *

  The courier touched down at the Floran City shuttleport and taxied to a stop near the diplomatic terminal. Nyk supported Dyppa as they walked through the boarding tunnel and into the concourse. Among the sea of blond hair he spotted black. “Suki!” he yelled and waved. “Over here!” She pushed her way through the crowd and embraced him; then, she hugged and kissed Andra. “This is Dyppa Hawryt.”

  “I'm Sukiko, Dyppa. Nykkyo told me of you.”

  “Dyppa will spend a couple days recuperating at Central Clinic, and a few more convalescing at the Residence before we head to Earth together.”

  Andra turned to Suki. “Did you bring what I asked?” Suki reached into her lifxarpa and handed over a packet.

  “What's that?” Nyk asked.

  “Something,” Andra replied.

  “I can see it's something.”

  “Something we may or may not need.” Andra tucked the packet into her own sash.

  “More need-to-know?”

  “You might consider it that,” Andra replied with a smile.

  * * *

  “Has your questioning of Hanri revealed anything?” Nyk asked.

  Kronta shook his head. “He maintains an air of cool innocence. 'When will I be permitted to return to my work?' he asks. I've had to plead before a magistrate to extend his detention, and that extension is about to expire.”

  “You've confirmed the implant?”

  “Yes -- we've performed blood tests. No interrogator would touch him.”

  “You've searched his home and office?”

  Kronta let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course we have and we've come up empty.”

  “Maybe Lom was wrong.”

  “I believe Lom,” Andra said. “It's the only explanation. Senta must've conferred with him on the viral genetics.”

  “Yes,” Nyk replied. “I recall her telling me she discussed it, early on, with her advisor. He gave her advice that steered her in the wrong direction.”

  “Misinformation,” Kronta suggested.

  “She obviously got it right, eventually.”

  “May I suggest something?” Andra asked. She withdrew the packet from her sash. “These are cartridges containing Zander's mind-control mixture. It can serve as a truth drug. Perhaps one of these will loosen Hanri's tongue.”

  “Those are hypnotics,” Kronta replied. “Hypnotics have been outlawed.”

  “So has kidnapping been outlawed.”

  Kronta drummed his fingers on his desk. “Let's have a talk with Hanri.”

  Nyk followed Illya to a detention center located beneath the Government Center tower. Inside a cell was a distinguished looking slender man with grey hair. “Good day, professor Hanri,” Kronta said.

  “Mr Kronta again... Can you tell me when I'll be released -- or speak with my solicitor?”

  “That depends on you.”

  Hanri's gaze fell on Nyk. “I'm Nykkyo Kyhana.”

  “Ah, yes... I believe we've met, years ago. You're with Senta. She was my best student.”

  “We thought you might know where she is.”

  “Me?” He shook his head. “I haven't spoken to her in... I don't know how long.”

  “She informed me the two of you spoke not more than ... twenty-five to thirty days ago.”

  Hanri looked at the ceiling. “Now that you mention it, I do remember a vidphone conversation with her. She was asking about some ... rather esoteric aspect of DNA replication if I recall.”

  “And you haven't seen nor spoken with her since?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Doctor Hanri -- My name is Andra. Andra Baxa.” Nyk observed Hanri's body language and saw a stifled recoil at the sound of her last name.

  “I ... I don't think we've met.”

  She tilted her head. “Did you know my husband? His name was Zander.”

  Hanri licked his lips. “N...no, I don't recall a Zander Baxa.”

  She reached into her lifxarpa and held up a red cartridge. “Do you know what this is?” She withdrew an injector, loaded the cartridge into it and pulled off the needle guard. Hanri shrank back as she approached him. “It's nerve toxin. One of my husband's colleagues developed it -- from Earth materials. My husband died of a dose of this.”

  “Surely you ... you're not going to threaten me with that.”

  She replaced the needle guard. “No. But -- this was one of Zander's contributions to a certain Altian separatist group.” Andra withdrew another cartridge -- a green one, and loaded it into the injector. “This is another. Do you know what this is?”

  Hanri's jaw dropped. “No...” Andra cocked the injector and advanced on him. “Stay back...” He stood and backed until stopped by the cell wall. “Keep her back from me.”

  Andra threatened him with the injector, waving it back and forth before his eyes. Nyk could see fury building in hers. “I think you do know. I'll bet for the past few days you would've ransomed a world for some of this. But -- you didn't have it, did you? I do -- I have the last of Zander's stash.” She approached him, drawing back her arm.

  Then, cobra-fast she struck, jabbing his shoulder and triggering the roller.

  Hanri reached for his arm. “This is an outrage.”

  Andra stepped back, calm returning to her face. “Wait for the drug to seize him,” she said and ejected the spend cartridge.

  “I know how this works,” Nyk replied. He stood and watched as Hanri's eyelids drooped and his jaw slacked. “Start recording this, Illya.”

  “Remember -- this isn't truth drug,” Andra added. “In order not to contaminate his memory you must ask neutral questions. If you ask leading questions you can lead him the wrong way.”

  “Dr Hanri,” Nyk said. “You will obey me. You will answer truthfully the questions I pose. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” he answered in a monotone.

  Do you know where Senta is?”

  “Yes...”

  “Tell me where.”

  “Zoltertown. 16112-47001 apartment 404.”

  Kronta pulled his handheld from his xarpa and began making a call. “Wait,” Andra said. “Find out if anyone's with her.”

  “Is anyone with her?”

  “Yes.”

  “How many?”

  “Five.”

  “What will they do to her if enforcers show up?”

  “Kill her.”

  Nyk turned to Andra. “How long does that stuff last?”

  “The effects begin to fade after a segment or so.”

  “Do you have more of it?”

  “I have four more cartridges.”

  Kronta left the cell and returned a short time later. “We're bringing him with us.” He gestured to someone outside the cell and a pair of Service enforcers stepped in. “If he makes a false step -- stun him.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “It shouldn't be necessary,” Nyk said. “Doctor, please follow us.”

  Hanri stood and followed the enforcers down a corridor, outside and into an awaiting skimmer. “Zoltertown,” Kronta instructed the pilot. He consulted his vidisplay. “16112-47001.”

  The skimmer lifted off and flew between the towers of central Floran City. Zoltertown was in the southwest quadrant, an older and run-down part of the city, built upon one of the first residential settlements. />
  Kronta reviewed a message on his vidisplay. “Internal Affairs is on their way.”

  The skimmer flew over low rooftops. The streets narrowed as they approached the older sector, and were congested with slow-moving groundcars cautiously avoiding each other.

  “Sector 16112,” the pilot announced. He pointed to a sprawling, four- story apartment building. “Set down by that square,” Kronta ordered. “I imagine they have lookouts posted. Internal Affairs will land on the roof.” He ordered an image of the buildings floor plan from the Internal Affairs database. “Apartment 404 is here,” he said, pointing. He turned to the enforcers. “You go in first -- Knock on the door of a nearby apartment. If it's occupied, make some excuse about having the wrong address.”

  The enforcers set their stun wands on standby and headed into the building.

  “Okay, Nyk. Escort our distinguished guest.”

  “Dr Hanri -- My name is Nemo. I'm from Altia... Who is your head man there?”

  “Jann Devri”

  “Jann Devri sent me. Altian Security is closing in and he wants the woman as a hostage. Do you understand?”

  “Yes...”

  “It's essential Devri have the woman as a hostage. Now -- let's go.”

  Hanri approached the apartment and pressed the doorchime twice, a pause, twice again, a pause and once. Daylight in the peephole was obscured. “What are you doing here?”

  “Devri wants the girl,” Hanri replied.

  “Who's with you.”

  “Nemo -- Devri's man.”

  A long moment passed. “We don't know Nemo.”

  “He's Devri's man.” Hanri began to sound impatient. “Open up -- there's foot traffic in the corridor.”

  Nyk heard a bolt being released. The door cracked open. Hanri pushed it the rest of the way and Nyk stepped in.

  The two enforcers pushed their way into the apartment with stunners drawn. Internal Affairs officers streamed down the roof stairs. They carried the occupants, unconscious, to the awaiting skimmers and began searching the apartment. Kronta turned Hanri over to an enforcer. “I can understand why Zander wouldn't want that drug mixture out of his own hands,” he said. “That was remarkable.”