A Pattern of Details

by James Matt Cox

  "So far you have me on knowledge," said Harkin, amused, "That's hardly a crime."

  "The traffic computer was offline. I deactivated it when I found that metavirus inside it. I pulled the logic core and left it on my workbench in the cargo hold. The only thing left in the float was bare memory and a simple processor. The only way to access the physical machinery to implement the override would be to have a logic core and operating system present. One like that metavirus. I don't suppose you'd tell me how you created it."

  "I didn't," said Harkin with a shrug, "It's from our Southern-West Data Corruption department. I suppose they created it."

  The Consortium! That confirmed Morris' and Harper's theories.

  "But now you've left out a detail, Morris," said Harkin, "All of those point to me but not a single one makes this site a fake."

  "Put down your blaster and we'll talk."

  Harkin laughed a brittle chuckle. "I don't think so, Morris, but not a bad try." He tightened his grasp on Lace's hair until she whimpered. "I will not bargain. You are now all expendable. The only choice you have is whether to die painfully," He tugged Lace's hair again, "or not. How did you know?"

  Morris nodded toward the pile of parts at his worktable.

  "I built a working high-res data uplink using salvage from here and components from the site."

  "Yes, and you did a most excellent job. We'll need to revise our virus now as well as our assessment of your Technical Guild. I fully expected to be forced into stasis to await rescue. You still haven't answered my question."

  "Think back to Spigot," said Morris, weary with hindsight, "It took me four thousand credits' worth of specialized equipment to repair Jena's box and Jared's 'bot. I assume they're still locked in Commander Blakeschiff's personal safe because he never returned them to me.

  "My regular tools will not work on true Imperial technology. Even if they would I'd need to massively reconfigure my toolbelt, and I didn't. My tools worked as well on these allegedly Imperial machines as they do on modern League ones."

  Another detail snapped into place.

  "There is also this planet. It is at best marginally habitable." That fact should have alerted League Intelligence all the way to Metropole. "The Imperium picked only the choicest worlds for its strongpoints. There are more inhabitable systems within easy survey distance of this one."

  "Brilliant," said Harkin, "You possess a truly keen mind, Morris. I don't suppose you'd consider defecting. No no, don't bother lying to me. We both know I cannot afford to believe you."

  Harkin snapped a quick shot into the life support unit and followed it with another pair through the walls. The LS unit sparked, shorted spectacularly and died. He untangled his hand from Lace's hair and thumbed his 'comm. Morris heard a series of muffled explosions and the lights flickered and switched to battery.

  "I'm afraid your posthumous reputation is going to suffer, Morris," said Harkin, "Once you let down your guard it was terribly easy to plant explosives exactly where they will do the most good. I promise you each one will make up the perfect accident."

  With his blaster firmly against Lace's skull Harkin donned his respirator. He maneuvered it deftly, not allowing anyone out of his sight as he did so.

  "You killed Tran."

  "Why do you think that," asked Harkin, almost playfully.

  "He was killed in the middle of drawing his weapon," said Morris, "Shot precisely where a laser would do the most damage. Crystal Delroy couldn't shoot straight and she tended to panic under pressure."

  Lace winced at this but Harkin merely smiled.

  "Yes. Quite so. I was on my way to infect the rover but Crystal was already there. I suppose Tran saw you, or her, perhaps me. Whatever the reason he spotted me when I tried to slip back into my tent. It was a regrettable incident but he was a bit of a nuisance. He almost caught me more than once."

  "Burn you!" Morris couldn't help those words. The thought of Kody, always so eager to help...

  "Civility, Morris. Don't take it personally. It's a job, nothing more."

  Sulfur and other trace chemicals began to tickle the back of Morris' throat. He'd have to act soon.

  "Tell us why? Is it worth that much just to embarrass the League?"

  Again Harkin laughed.

  "Oh, Morris, Morris. You think entirely too small. Humiliating the League is always a desirable goal but it pales to nothing against a bloodless takeover of the entire Halcyon region."

  Morris' eyes started to water. Jackson hacked a ragged cough and doubled over, blood spraying the floor in front of him.

  "What do you mean?" Morris coughed now, his lungs starting to burn.

  "I think not, Morris. I really should arrange painless deaths for each of you. It's the least I can do."

  "Humor me," coughed Morris. His laser lay yards behind him and Jackson had fallen to one knee.

  "Oh very well," said Harkin impatiently, "Since you cannot seem to puzzle it out for yourself.

  "Finds of this magnitude are rare indeed. Once it is opened the Halcyon region will sink hundreds of billions of halcies into its development. That represents significant resources to such a small and snug economy. The League may offer to help but with our other agents in place the Halcyon Parliament will see that as an attempt to take it away. If the Consortium shows an interest as well Halcyon will move the majority of its military assets here to guard it.

  "When we do attack, well away from here, we will conquer by sectors with lightning speed. By the time they move their military we will have an unassailable foothold. From there it is only a matter of time."

  Rackwell started coughing with Eisley and Polov trying not to. Jackson gasped for breath. He gave Morris a desperate look but one with cold purpose deep inside. Morris nodded slightly.

  "NO, Culle! We won't let that happen!"

  Morris' sudden volume drew Harkin's attention. With a roar more beast than human Jackson hurled himself at Harkin. Harkin turned and fired but the big man's hips were now where his head had been. His massive muscles served him well.

  Or not! Harkin did manage to hit and the impact from the blaster slammed Jackson back and far short of him.

  "Foolish," snapped Harkin as he lined up for another shot.

  With a sudden explosion of sparks Harkin's blaster fell in three pieces. Then the powercell exploded and took his hand with it.

  "What?!" Harkin stared at the bleeding stump of his hand, and then at Morris.

  "It's over, Culle." Morris leveled his cutter at Harkin, its marker beam centered on his forehead. "Stand easy and move back. I don't want to kill you."

  Harkin shoved Lace forward and reached for his belt. Without flinching, without considering and without remorse Morris fired.

  ***

  "He did a hades of a job," said Morris as the 'lock cycled behind him, "He damaged the rover, the floats and every major piece of equipment we need."

  Eisley wilted in her chair and Rackwell reached out to her. Lace and Polov worked to stabilize Jackson. Polov looked pale and unsteady but what Lace asked he did.

  "He... would," said Jackson.

  The amount of pain the man endured stretched beyond Morris' ability to comprehend. Jackson clung to life as tenaciously as Rackwell with a contentious theory. The blaster did him grievous damage but he refused stasis until everyone else was prepped.

  "Life support?" Eisley hoped for reassurance but feared she'd receive none.

  "I fixed what I can but it won't last long. I want everyone in stasis. Now."

  "Green... jolt," said Jackson through clenched teeth, "Double... dose."

  "Hush Jared," said Lace, "Don't strain yourself. Morris, do it."

  Morris calculated the dosages as quickly as he could. That much of the drug would ensure a high stat-sat quickly but would also kill anyone who didn't go into stasis before the levels peaked.

  Morris dosed Eisley and Rackwell first. Green jolt also contained a fast-acting sedative so he hurried them into the stasis fields. />
  "So close," said Rackwell, already drowsy, "So ruddy... frosted... clo..."

  Morris sealed the field and turned it so that Jackson could see the readouts. While he froze Rackwell Morris sealed Eisley.

  "Go, Greg," snapped Lace, doing a calculation of her own.

  Though Jackson's life ebbed quickly he refused the jolt. While he configured Polov's field Lace held up a hypo behind his view, an anxious look in her eye. Morris nodded again.

  "Jena..." Jackson barely whispered.

  In response Lace injected him.

  "N-nn..."

  "Hush, Jared. You."

  Morris began working the big man into the stasis pod. He speared both of them with foul looks but he knew Lace had given him no choice. Though it cost him most of his life he configured the field.

  "Mo-rris..."

  Morris leaned down, his ear close to Jackson's lips.

  "Take... temperature..."

  That did it. Hot tears spilled out of Morris' eyes as Lace activated the field. It hummed softly as it powered up, then the telltales all turned green. It was a good freeze. They all were.

  An arm across his shoulder. A soft warmth enfolding him. The sound of grief, both his and another's. How long they held each other Morris didn't know or care. Finally, exhausted, they drew apart.

  Chapter 16. Confessions Of Youth...

  "Hades of a spot we're in," said Jena.

  "All truth, no blather."

  She waited a while before speaking again.

  "So how long do we have?"

  "Plenty of rations." He chuckled at the irony there. "Likewise water. As to air I can salvage some from the rover. We have some respirators. I can patch the LS unit but I doubt it will last long. He knew just where to shoot it."

  "How long do we have?"

  "Four days. Maybe five."

  She did the math. Morris already had but saw no reason to share it.

  "And we have at least six days left. Torque!"

  A lone tear slid down her cheek. He reached out and brushed it away.

  "There's a good chance we'll make it, Jena. This close to the margin plus or minus twenty percent is not an unreasonable error."

  "Blather," she said, but without punch, "Are you telling me or asking me?" She scooted close to him. "Morris... Hold me. Please, just hold me a while."

  He put his arm around her and held her. Hard. She took his free hand in both of hers. She trembled, but silently. Morris silently offered what comfort he could but that summed up to not much.

  ***

  Morris woke with Lace curled against him, his muscles sore and cramped from sleeping in an awkward position. When she sensed he was awake Lace looked up at him. Her eyes were red and she'd obviously been crying, but silently.

  Morris prepared two plates of rations.

  "You should eat."

  "So should you."

  Morris raised a soyabar in toast and tucked in. After a few minutes she did likewise but she picked more than she ate. Then she took out a drugstick, thought about it and put it back.

  "Go ahead," he said.

  "But..."

  "It's polar. That part of the LS is working perfectly, it's the toxic extractors that aren't."

  Though doubtful she lit the 'stick, then finished it quickly.

  "There. That will do for now." Then the momentary cheer left her eyes. "For a lifetime, I suppose."

  "Don't think that way! Don't give up just yet. We're still alive and that always gives options!"

  "Truth, I suppose." She smiled. "I'm alert, alive and alone on a whole empty planet with only Technician Morris Taylor for company." Her smile widened. "For truth, when we started this mission I'd have traded my soul for this situation. Now that I have it I only want out."

  "What?!" That shocked Morris. He thought he misheard.

  "Oh yes. When I first saw you I decided I would do my best to arrange a private concert for two with only us singing."

  She smiled at the stunned look on his face.

  "Unfortunately for me you were ruddy well impervious to all my little lustful innuendos. Then, just when I decided you were a robot Lydia joined the band. I don't know what she did but she did a frosty good job of it. At first I was jealous but then, when you finally opened up I realized you were way, way too much for me."

  "What?!!"

  "Truth pure and pristine. Morris when you pair up it will be strong and solid and intense and fifteen different kinds of polar but it will be for life. I envy the lucky lady who ends up with you but it won't be me. I like variety and I'm not ready for a deep soul-shaker yet."

  "But..."

  She put a finger to his lips.

  "Hush!" She smiled when she said it. "I don't know why you don't see what the rest of us do but at least Lydia started you down that path. You need to not underrate yourself, Morris Taylor. You've done too much of that already."

  "But..."

  This time she used two fingers.

  "Full truth and no blather, Morris, I try with all my heart not to hate. Sometimes it's really hard but it's always worth it. I don't know who put in your head that you're not thermal drooly with a side order of brilliant but I would be sorely tempted to break my rule on them."

  Before he could reply she took the plates and stacked them in the corner. He checked the LS; it was working but could stop at any second. She brewed a small cannister of tea and poured two cups. She sat and patted the seat beside her.

  "Tell me about Acre," she said once he sat.

  "Long and boring story."

  "We have time."

  Morris told her. He told her of the vast and flat farmland that made up the world he no longer called home. He told her of the joys, trials and tribulations of growing up the only child for many kilometers around, of the rare occasions when the farmers and their families gathered for celebration or loss. He told her of learning to fix the machinery by virtue of doing it and of learning how it worked as a matter of course.

  Finally and with great difficulty he told her of the government and its Mineral Union thugs and solicitors who took his father's land for the dubious content beneath it.

  "He had a job," said Morris, speaking of his father, "but not a life. He just slowly wilted away, like a versoy plant without water. Mother tried to survive without him but she just couldn't. She loved him so much. Once she knew I'd be able to make it..."

  The anguish of memory tore Morris apart but it felt good to talk of it, to tell someone about it.

  "That's when I took the Placement. I qualified for full scholarship and once I reached Academy I never looked back."

  Jena brushed his cheek gently.

  "Such a shame," she said.

  "Whyso? I loved Academy."

  Jena shook her head.

  "You and Crystal are so much alike it's scary." She shifted herself against him. "She'd kill me for telling you this," Here she smiled at the irony, "but what the hades? I knew Crystal a long time before we went on this mission.

  "We both attended Sylvan University on Sylvan Hold. I was majoring in Biology and she was doubling in Computer Theory and Information Structure and Analysis. We were assigned as roommates because we both rode the same shuttle down.

  "She was a different person then. You don't know, Morris, but she could never, never do what... You were totally wrong about her."

  "I know." Guilt ripped his heart at that. "I was bone-dray stupid and I acted with no thinking involved. I wish I could pay the price instead of Tran and her. And the rest of you."

  Jena put a comforting hand on his shoulder. After a while she continued.

  "She was a lot warmer and more open then, but still pretty shy. She also didn't believe she was double-thermal drooly with soft-orbit curves, but she was. Hades, she still is! As is the usual story with roomies we started hanging out together. I don't remember a time I was without a boyfriend but she never had one. She and I doubled a few times but she never took it past that. At the time I thought that was important."
<
br />   A shadow passed over Jena's face.

  "That got us to our second year, last term. We were close to finals when it happened. She was snoozing through some obscenely-higher mathematics, that was always easy for her, when this scroot from the Golden Society asked her for some help. I was with her and I almost fainted. I thought he was top exot and that we'd been given an opportunity.

  "Crystal helped him with his math but nothing else. He didn't impress her, she wasn't interested and she didn't care if he knew it. That phased him full out of sync and when he decided he'd had enough he decided to invite her to a Golden Gateway. That's usually only for seniors or really special others; I couldn't believe it. Then she turned him down and his arrogant ego just couldn't accept that."

  Pain clouded her face.

  "I didn't believe it either. I smiled wide and told him to sit still, grabbed her and headed for the 'fresher. I gave her a lecture to pull hydrogen out of a hypermass. I told her to waggle back out there, tell him she was joking, mean it and tell him we'd love to go. She pulled it off and I knew we were on our way. Before long we'd have a social life worthy of us."

  ***

  Jena fidgeted with her dress, then with Crystal's. Neither of them had a lot of money so hotfash was out but Jena was a past master of improvisation. Frustratingly, Crystal refused to glitter her hair but at least she allowed a lightribbon braid.

  "I feel ridiculous," snapped Crystal, "Why don't you just go without me?"

  "Phase down and ground!" Jena absolutely did not understand how her roomie could think that way. "This is top exot, center of the sector and zone into Metropole, vix! This night we are destined for greatness!"

  "Well thermal torque." Crystal took a hit off her 'stick then scowled as Jena misted her with perfume. Again.

  Before Jena could start another round of adjustment their dates arrived. Jena's was everything she imagined: tall, strong and immaculate hair with a hint of glit. They both presented flowers pierced and interwoven with thin optical fibers that flickered, glowed and sparkled. Each also cost more than Crystal's and her dresses combined.

  Jena faced innumerable challenges at the party. She had plenty of competition and the ones who made it here played for blood. Nonetheless Jena showed herself equally ruthless, dancing first with one and then another but always her escort when he asked. The general party separated her from Crystal almost immediately but surely she could handle a few dances.

  Much later Jena realized she hadn't seen Crystal for a long time. She'd had a fairly steady stream of stellar maidens and it took her a while to add up the hours and minutes. By then she forgot what she wanted and why. She puzzled it over another maiden when someone grabbed her arm.