L'Gem

  Chapter Ten

  IS ordered officers into vehicles, banned flyer use, set up identification checkpoints and imposed a curfew between twenty-three thirty and six. All persons with reason to be out between those hours were required to request IS passes. All persons on the streets without passes would be arrested.

  That night, tens of thousands attended street parties that began at twenty-two thirty in every major city on Gradelode. IS began hunting a rebel organization. They picked up people for questioning and learned the street parties had been scheduled to start an hour before curfew the first night it was imposed, 'everyone knew it,' and had for about fifty days.

  Danny read reports and watched for disposition of detainees. The fear that IS had instilled in the unarmed populace had evaporated in one night. That day they learned what everyone else on the planet knew. They heard the number six hundred forty-three, and the invocation. And they learned no one told anyone what to do.

  The people they questioned considered it obvious a rebel organization couldn't exist. People who decided to do something didn't tell anyone else. The decision was personal and including other people in it was foolish, and impolite. They learned 'everybody knew' IS planned to take over, and weren't surprised 'the gov' had run away. General opinion was they'd left Gradelode and good riddance. They learned 'everybody knew' computers ran everything, and the only thing the bureaucrats worked at was getting budget increases, so there was more money to steal.

  The people questioned weren't surprised someone decided to make sure an IS officer, personally known to enjoy beating and raping people, wasn't given more opportunity to do it. None knew anyone who'd killed an IS officer.

  At fifteen forty-three, Danny's message light blinked, "Chief Dennon here. Stop. Own car. Stop." Nev invited the chief in.

  "Sit down, please. Knight's bringing tea, but I doubt it will help the worry."

  "I don't know what to do. IS is the de facto government and they ordered us to force people to do what they say. I've got twenty-three thirty curfew and no public gathering of over ten orders I have to enforce, or they're going to do it. They're salivating in anticipation of it. There are at least thirty-two in this area in sixteen armored cars, with weapons mounted on them. If they use one, they'll all be dead in an hour, and we'll be a region in rebellion. I think we're being set up to be an example."

  "Why?"

  "The two were back, Knight. They issued or-else orders and left. We paid 'tribute' to the gov and ignored them. We lived our way and they couldn't make us fear them. People posted signs conversation in public places was monitored we talked to our neighbors in person instead of calling them, and the town switched from mobile comm to collar buttons that beep, when comm was full-monitored. This is the only region on this continent where they've never had any control. Three of the cars have missile racks on them. I think they're looking for a beach party to kill. I'm here because I think the people in this neighborhood might be able to get discreet warning out to our young people fast enough."

  "Nev, get materials for an aerial walkway from Case and Stats front yard, through the boathouse to ours. Extensions that 'almost' meet over the streets. They don't lock together. They don't protrude over the street when retracted and they're retracted unless someone is using them. Fully enclosed."

  "I don't think it's possible by twenty-three thirty, Knight, and it'll attract a crowd."

  "We'll send them home to watch our solution to the problem of abiding by contractual obligation for use of recreational facilities, and the no-public-gathering and curfew orders."

  "You're making yourselves targets, Knight."

  "Chief Dennon, we're not rebels against the government because there isn't one, unless it's a computer. We're extremely obviously complying with IS orders, to the letter. People need an example of having fun following orders and frustrating the hell out of them. If they attack Teal Valley, there won't be an IS officer left alive on the planet in a day. They can't make us fear them."

  "They don't know who the people of this world are. They don't have any pracs working for them. Nobody in gov center did. They didn't want anybody that smart, and nobody that smart wanted to work for them. If IS makes the people mad, instead of just disgusted, tolerance will end."

  "Very true, Blade. A bug buzzing around my head is irritating, but I wave it off and ignore it, usually just wave it away from my picnic plate. If it lands on my face, it's dead. If it bites my face, I spray the area with fast-killing non-residual bug killer. Comm Case."

  "You just caught me, Nev. I was about to do some shopping."

  "Knight gave me a list. We're taking the LH and the trailer. Bring a datpad."

  "On my way."

  Nev drove up, Case unhooked the loaded trailer and they drove off. A few minutes later, they arrived with a much larger trailer. Knight and Blade had moved one of the four personal lifts to each yard, and each side of the boathouse. There was a great deal more on the trailer, but they didn't know where it was going. They grinned and watched Nev use the construction-weight high-loader to move wood and window "patio solariums," two large and two small, off the trailer.

  The solariums were basically enclosed gazebos designed to fit around an exterior door in winter and be moved aside in summer. The ones Nev had chosen were decorator choice, with solar roof panels, but there were kits for eighty credits.

  Knight and Blade helped Case and Stats unload other items, including self-driving, clear gavsine dock support columns. They were pretty and strong. They were also inexpensive, available everywhere and all one had to do to set them solidly was hold them up straight and push the button on the 'collar.' If they weren't 'up straight,' it didn't push. One made sure they were in the right place, too. They did not come out. They'd drive their four "stakes" through granite. It just took longer. One knew what they'd gone through, because it went up into the columns as the stakes went down into the ground.

  Blade nudged Case for the identity of the roll of pliable brown material he was carrying, then grinned widely. Charged posine would support a hauler across a chasm, but it had to be supported until charged, and charging wasn't cheap. Now he knew why Nev had bought solariums with enough solar panels to run a workshop. No one would know when it was used by the utility bill and they wouldn't know power sticks were used, either.

  People arrived to help and watch. Nev softly told Tarn IS had picked Teal Valley as example and they were going to example them back. Pass the word they might be looking for a beach party as missile target practice, before making downtown a crater. No more than ten in a public gathering. Tarn's jaw tightened. He glanced at the arriving local newscrew and left. The young newscaster and cam op were Nev's next visitors.

  "These people all bought their houses from me within the last sixty days. Part of the contract is community-use facilities, with no specified hours. The pool in my yard is one of those, and they all have a keycode to the exterior door. We were already thinking about some type of sheltered walk from that side to this for winter. The IS curfew, and order of no public gatherings of more than ten, moved up the timetable. We can't block, or overhang, the streets, but we can cross them. However, after twenty-three thirty, we've been ordered not be on the streets. So, we're building a private, non-public access, fully enclosed, method of getting from that side to this. Since we just worked very hard to improve the appearance of this neighborhood, it's going to be as pretty as we can make it. I could have gotten solarium kits from the Detlakin everything store. I bought them from Valenfield's Living Design. The two small ones are alike. The two big ones are not. All have as many solar panels as could be attractively framed on the roof. This one was set up as a tropical paradise, circular bar in the middle with plants, waterfalls, fountains, total climate and lighting control. It was gorgeous, but we're going to toss big cushions in them, enjoy the view and winter sunshine and use the power for crossing the street, without getting o
n the street. Or in the cold this winter."

  "To extend a walkway?"

  "No, the extension uses minimal power. Charging, draining and recharging posine is not a nice utility bill to hand a neighbor. The extension is light-weight opaqueing glasselle window sheeting on tracks. They'll carry the posine, too."

  "That's a unique, and not really complex, solution."

  "That's Teal Valley. It's actually the people of Gradelode."

  "Explain, please."

  "How many people do you know who built a prac? Every prac is a unique solution of how to get there from here, and they're almost all high-tech use or maintenance. There is a saying, 'Give pracs an atomic forge and a shovel, and they can build any tech in existence in the garage.' That's a little stretch, but not much. They'd need dirt with the right elements to shovel. Since an atomic forge is hard to get and shoveling is hard work, I just bought everything for my prac solution. We could have looked both ways and dashed across, but that order has the force of law right now. Ignoring it would put the onus of enforcement on our police, put them right in the middle. I like the people who wear the teal uniform that says they're watching over us. Party at home. Lock the door at twenty-three fifteen and say no one leaves until six. Make an enclosed private walk. Let them watch over us. Don't force them to watch us. It's temporary. Damaging the food service and entertainment industries, which pay so much in license fees and taxes, is impractical. I'm sure IS knows it. They can't be planning to keep every restaurant on the planet closed more than a couple days."

  "Every restaurant?"

  "Every public place where eleven work is closed. The order is no more than ten together. It doesn't make exceptions. IS and police don't have the personnel to check people aren't together. Three tables for four is twelve. Restaurants have to close. Public transport has to close. More than ten can only be together in private places, and inside twenty-three thirty to six. It won't last long."

  "I'm sure it won't either. Bance Neardon, on the west side, watching Teal Valley residents creating a practical solution and thing of beauty to comply with the ten-person limit in public places, and the twenty-three thirty to six curfew orders issued by Internal Security. You're great, Nev."

  "Remember what happened when the gov raised protection prices in the sub districts? They went total legal. I think it's a good example."

  "So do I. The station is going to have fun helping. Who's the beauty going translight with the bonder?"

  "Dawn. You should see her with a vibra-sander in her hand."

  "I'd like to."

  "Bance, we've got to move, but this place is on the update list."

  "Let's move, Jace. We'll be back."

  "We'll be finishing up in about seventy minutes."

  "Perfect."

  Tarn walled and roofed his yard. Donce, Barrett and Chal put an opaque extensible cargo chute on their balcony. The receiver lock was in Tarn's yard, with a mound of pillows under it. Donce enclosed the balcony and Barrett went to help set up the covered paths. The guy on the southwest corner was enclosing his yard and the woman on the opposite corner was mounting a cargo chute in a second-story window. People were putting up a covered walk on the other side. Behind both rows of houses, people were making covered walks. The woman behind Tarn had borrowed six chutes from her employer, so they were using black plas sheeting and chutes to hook together three blocks.

  Tarn told his neighbor he expected a bunch more to come up with ways to cross streets. Every grower had loaned sheeting and asked the people they gave it to "try to get it back in rolls." He said Day's friend Tate was "exterior wrapping" a condo complex. He thought they'd probably have half the west side connected by twenty-three thirty.

  "Day's girls" deserted the walkway project and ran for the opposite corner. The woman across the street was 'roofing' a container hanging from a loading crane. People were covering yards on both other corners, leaving a place for the container to drop.

  They wrapped a 'drop zone,' then a walk from it down the side of Kendra's house to the front corner. They measured what they needed to get to the walkway entry they were making and tossed the rest of the roll to the man across the street to the east. Mike and Loren drove in, two cars loaded with food and drink, and helped them 'wall' the fronts of two houses to Case and Stats'. Danny had already draped a path from her side door to the back door of their garage. Essa ran through the boathouse to Nev.

  "The whole west side is being connected. We've got a loading crane 'landing' from three blocks, and a path all the way down to ours. So far, three blocks east to nine north are all connected with some way to do private over the street. Everyone saw you, and Tarn putting up a cargo chute receiver. The chute is on Chal's balcony. There is a return on the other end of the block, a bin of pillows for landing."

  "That's going to be fun."

  "They worked to get linked down to us, Nev. Mike and Loren knew. They're home with party food for hundreds."

  "It gives new meaning to 'party circuit.' Elsewhere?"

  "You know how much plas growers use as bin liners? Well, it's all being wrapped around Teal Valley neighborhoods. Kids are covering swing sets and making paths to neighbors. Their parents are helping. Their grandparents are covering the fotwa trellises around the patio and making paths. Everything is closing. The grocery stores are madhouses. Ours has gates and partitions. People stand and chat until a gate opens, then two or three move to the next aisle, no more than nine and the person operating the gate. They're serving some little snack and tea each aisle."

  "IS gave an order no one likes, so were following the order precisely and having a townwide party. Knight! I'm ready! This is going to be pretty."

  "It's going to be beautiful. Nev, I'm going to get plas to take a walk to the back. People are establishing corridors through their homes if needed. Inside is invitation. They'll all show up and I know you'll open it, but the 'custom' is specific area and entry."

  "Wall the workbench. Move the cars to the boathouse. Path from patio to garage. We'll move the workout gear. Kitchen door controlled access?"

  "Perfect. Shorter path to one garage door."

  "Put up the pool cover."

  "On my way."

  "I'm slow or you wouldn't both be here."

  "You've been interrupted. Knight and I weren't."

  "I didn't have to attach to a wall and put in a door either, Blade. How's it going to work?"

  "Beautifully. The side door opening doesn't crowd the bush, actually keeps it from being brushed; lift in front, boathouse door on side. Plenty of clearance for bush trimming too."

  "It's a party over there already, Nev."

  "Essa said it's currently three by nine blocks and growing, Blade. I was informed everyone does not go in the house. Garage kitchen door was approved as controlled access. The workout gear gets moved."

  "I'll go do that. This is about to be a loader job."

  "That's a new loader."

  "I couldn't find a used one fast, Knight."

  "You bought it?!"

  "Yes, but they'll be picking up the trailer soon. Knight, how many bushes and trees did you carry one or two at a time?"

  "Not as many as everyone else, and I didn't make forty trips up the ladder with slats for that last job, either."

  "Only thirty-seven. I didn't think of it as needed equipment and was going to rent, then I saw a man pick up a stack of heavy planters, ride up with them and arrange a top shelf display. I got one that will do this because I think we'll start a trend."

  "I feel thick. Of course it will. It's not even expensive, without the walk construction. Just nice solarium and lift fifteen hundred?"

  "Twelve up in materials, four hundred labor."

  "It doesn't take long."

  "The loader wasn't cheap and it's required equipment. We'll probably do a lot over the water with walks out too."

  "Make love with us."

&nb
sp; "What?!"

  "I'll ask again after you get over the shock. Blade told me I'd ask another man someday, mentioned both Case and Day. I thought of you then. You're the only other he would share… us with, and I think he wants to. Doesn't fit with knight and companion in the story?"

  "I already added a sidekick, a displaced noble with a magic purse."

  Knight burst into laughter and checked the side entry, then he pulled the walkway to the front porch out to it. Nev watched him check the seal, then take it back to check the panel rolling, and asked himself questions. They had nothing 'about sex' in them. If Knight hadn't said, "us," but he had. Nev heard Knight yell, but there was a noise.

  "Nevin! Blade!! Nev!"

  "What happened?!"

  "I don't know. Suddenly spread his feet for balance and started swaying."

  "Nothing I can find."

  "Hello. I'm being carried."

  "You wobbled and went out."

  "What happened? You have an idea."

  "I feel… silly saying it, Blade."

  "Nothing that puts you clear out is silly, even if it sounds like it."

  "I… think I had… an identity crisis."

  "Put him down, Knight. He just put it off too long. Like putting off eating. You're real hungry, but you're real busy, so you ignore it until you about fall on your face. He's been so busy so long, he did."

  "I've been slacking."

  "Yes, you have. He's been carrying the whole show. I have to work to put him together with the guy you told me about sometimes, to understand who you see in him. You don't have a problem seeing the… continuation. He needs to know you do. He just got real lost trying. Danny's much better. He helped her a lot, but he's trying to see if all the pieces are there and lost his balance looking over his shoulder to see if his back's still there."

  "Tarse, make love with us."

  "I think I'll sit down."

  "Don't you want him to? Is it always going to be the two of us and him? Or us three? He was comfortable… just over there. I think 'always been a bit apart' is the piece he was trying to find. I see it grew and changed over the last… only sixty days. He's also got a year between, while he prepared to come after me. I've changed… enough to survive."

  "And he killed a man. I've been worried since he didn't get sick when we got home."

  "So have I. I didn't think he'd hide it."

  "You expected me to get sick?"

  "Yes."

  "I felt sick, but I didn't have time then. And I don't have… time now."

  "He really misses his family, especially his uncle, and that has to hurt too."

  "And you put it all away, all he knew of you. You want to play with the new toy you got us, or sit with me and yell 'smidges' one way or the other while he does it?"

  "Sit. I'm not going to lift all that work we did after blacking out."

  "Put them up, Knight."

  "I love you, both of you. I don't want you to share everything we do, because I don't want you to understand the desperate preparation to fight for our lives, night after night in our cell. But we're not there now and you saved them all and then all of us. Nevin Curran suits you. It doesn't leave anything out. It encompasses it all because you got to here with what you built, not the others, you. Their hands were there to aid and they're the best, but you guided their labor, just like you did in that lab. You're an elf with a silver blade and he's a misplaced faery prince with a magic purse. You're his personal trainer."

  "He'll be easy. He's done good self-training. You'd noticed you had a pretty good coordination, once or twice."

  "Once. Why reconfirm something if it's not relevant."

  "So, Prince, you going to faint every time someone really surprises you with an invitation to make love?"

  "I'm at fifty-fifty right now. I've only made love twice."

  "And we're the only ones who officially know it."

  "I'm sure they all realize it too. A smidge left!"

  "And forward! Left front forward!"

  "I think that's lined up with the frame!"

  "Two votes! That's going to be a fun place to make love, especially this winter. Sunny and solid, just high enough nobody can see in."

  "We have to take IS down, Blade, and I don't know how to get them out and get elections actually started."

  "Tell everybody they have to pick candidates and vote to find out what the budget really is to pay much lower taxes. Until there's a real congress, they can't be reduced. They'll grab Doc Larry's outline and get it figured out fast."

  "Let's ride the loader up to put in the lock bolts."

  "You have fun ideas. Give us a lift! He's over-laddered!"

  "Hi, Bance! Just in time! Note our plas party decorations are being hung!"

  "It's going to the biggest, loudest party this town ever had and no one will ever top it! No one will disturb the neighbors because they're all there!"

  "Plas doesn't have a great sound-damping rating!"

  "We think that stuff on his head is nicely styled fairy dust!"

  "Pay attention to where you're standing! Essa! Bring something to put over the blades! So I'm not reminding them they're standing on one every few seconds. Hi, I'm Knight. The prince and the elf left me on the ground. They knew you were coming."

  "Bance and Jace. We're hoping for a party invitation."

  "He's hoping to meet Dawn, unofficially."

  "Grab clothes for through breakfast and tier beds in one of the spare rooms."

  "Now, that's an invitation. We've got one more. Our editor isn't shy, just never seen. He's in there. Stick your head out and wave, Silky, so he recognizes you. Yes, you can. We've got four until scheduled."

  "Hi, Silky!"

  "He wants to meet Ronnie. Jace wants to meet Day."

  "They'd want to meet Danny, but goddesses make them nervous."

  "If she didn't initiate, we'd all just stand and look forever. She's not a woman men pursue. They just follow her around. I heard Tarn started this plas-wrapped town party. Last time he delivered a well-considered opinion, Nev bought nine houses and a warehouse. They're ready to move. I'll be watching them, not who's down here."

  "We'll give you space."

  "Move us over, please!"

  "Grab hold of something first!"

  Nev and Blade grabbed each other and Knight groaned. Essa ran over with, "Perfect!" She turned it and showed Knight brackets for the blades. He stepped off the loader and gave her a kiss. Essa visibly reoriented when he got back on the loader. She gave the platform to Bance and ran back to the house. Knight brought Nev and Blade down. They were hanging on, and laughing. Bance elbowed Jace and burst into laughter when he reoriented.

  Four were suddenly running for the street and Bance held the platform. Two vehicles and a trailer needed to be moved for the mid-hauler to maneuver in to get the big trailer. Essa came down the drive in the T and Bance slid the platform on the blades and walked over to look. Once she had room, it didn't take the hauler driver long to line up. Jace dove out of the driver's seat and had the cam on Bance when Silky ticked it.

  "We've seen the ingenuity of Teal Valley's citizens everywhere today. Essa just filled a request for 'something to go across' with a platform designed to fit on the loader blades."

  "I was about to wall the workbench in their garage. It just took a minute to give them what they needed and not what would do. I think the two businesses will do a lot of these when people see them, so I built a platform for the close work on them. That loader with a platform will be much better than a ladder on many jobs both do. Case and Stats will help make it a good investment. I loved the excuse to sit in this, but I've still got half a fast list to do. Nev! I'm forever spoiled!"

  "My pretty baby! Thanks for putting on the platform we left you holding for us, Bance."

  "I can now say I helped, when people talk about the 'Great West Side Wrap.' After this?"

&
nbsp; "Three more to lift and fasten. Up!"

  "We arrived after this solarium was lifted into place. The solarium isn't square on the three columns. The personal lift goes up between the back two columns. From here, we can see the floor panel that recesses for the lift. The front of the solarium looks like a window, but that's part of the walk that extends. It lifts to become a wide 'tongue' that fits into the top of the walk extending from the other side. The panel on it swings to the side. They make the walkway connection stable without locking mechanisms. They also keep it closed and warm while it extends. We'll be staying through the final moments of this project. I'm sure you'll agree that solarium above the hedge is a beautiful addition to the street view of this lovely home. I think most will remember this boathouse as it was. Our editor called it 'the mustard monster.' No one argued the designation. Changing it was a six-hour race against a rainstorm. That project was also worth watching and drew a huge crowd. We, and the other two crews, are doing our best to be the places you want to see this afternoon and evening. Teal Valley has shown its wisdom and fun-loving spirit today. IS believes there is good reason for the orders. Instead of complaining or defying those laws, the people of Teal Valley have made compliance fun. No matter how long IS deems those orders necessary, this evening will have set compliance, not defiance, as the appropriate social and societal response. Houses on the same block became part of a neighborhood today. Rolls of black plas pulled the people into shared fun, and outrageous ingenuity. This house has its black plas decorations too, but we're seeing the type of ingenious solution and long-term usefulness that has made two new rental maintenance companies the ones construction companies recommend if you need it done fast, or want something different. This is next and they're coming across the street. Remember, don't come down to watch, and be inside at twenty-three thirty."

  Bance's area-wide audience heard Nev and Blade working to convince Knight the "piece" didn't have to be tested right after it was done "just this once," before they ran through the boathouse hall to be waiting patiently when he came around with the third solarium.

  Bance followed. Jace didn't. He backed to the corner to get the wide view. He burst into laughter when Knight jumped off the loader, ran back, extended the walks, took the lift up, ran across, took a lift down, retracted the walks, ran back to the loader, got the solarium and drove around the corner. Bance knew of course. Silky was laughing 'in his ear,' saying, "I know he didn't see Jace. I know it." Bance was laughing too. Blade and Nev both knew why Knight was "almost a minute over max time."

  Knight had, of course, seen Jace. He'd timed it closely. The slight pause as he got on and off the lift had given the posine enough time to charge. Without them, he and the still-pliable posine would have hit the street, when he pulled it out of the tracks with his first step. The area-wide cast was seen by tens of thousands and they roared with laughter and talked about how fast it worked. None of the IS patrols saw it. They were all driving around looking for a place to get something to eat.

  Other people saw it. It was a channel option in Mountain City. A news editor passed the feed to another. He passed it to a friend at 'a major.' None of them broadcast it, but all showed it in the stations and all passed it on. It leapt across the oceans as a 'possible pickup.' People left stations and location crews told people "my editor is talking about." Only approved news could be shown, but newspeople made sure important news was heard.

  All over the world, people suddenly closed businesses and began preparing for compliance parties, when curfew came to them for the second night. In Roper district, men tossed five thousand rolls of black plas out of a hauler, as it slowly rolled through the streets. They didn't have huge bundles of two-and-a-half meter plant stakes, and not much ground to stick them in if they did, but they found things to support their walls, roofs and walks, and ways to get from block to block. All were ingenious, some were dangerous, but that was a description of Roper district.

  In Teal Valley, they finished the walkway at dusk and turned the lights on. All were set low and the four solariums glowed softly, as each was furnished with huge pillows in many colors. They'd been made to go in them as they were being built. Each solarium had a color scheme. They were bronze, blue, gold and green. The big ones, of course, would be used far more, but the smaller ones would also be used.

  Jace backed across the belt road to get all the solarium's, and window enclosures of the lifts in range. When he had, Silky yelled, "Go!" Bance on one side and Essa on the other heard him and repeated. Walks extended and met in beautiful synchronicity, carrying soft lighting with them. Silky yelled, "Dark!" It was repeated and all windows opaqued.

  "Remember, be inside at twenty-three thirty. Bance Neardon, from the west side of Teal Valley. Silky said it looked like one button was pushed both times."

  "How fast are you going to be running to get in when you get back?"

  "It may be twenty-three twenty-nine fifty-nine, Knight, but they'll give us just enough time."

  "We'll give you the key code to the boat storage. Put your vehicle in there."

  "We brought our things this time, got close enough to run in."

  "You're roommates?"

  "A recent circumstance, two with expiring leases and rent increases. The third's about to go. We could have all paid it, but not for those places. We're tired of apartments."

  "Danny, Ronnie and Dawn have half of a one hundred twenty-day at four-fifty per thirty five blocks up. Nice three-bedroom, three baths, two garages."

  "Rent going up?"

  "MPM says it shouldn't. It'll go down if we can get IS out and someone in to actually figure out how much we're paying for what we need, and get it, and how much we don't have to pay for it."

  "Someone said the gov left the planet."

  "No, the oligarchy were put off the planet."

  "You know that."

  "Many people do. They had a dome on an ore barge and the contract to ship rebels and 'economic indebted' to a non-habitable planet as mining laborers, basically, slave labor. The ones who set it up didn't get to leave before IS took over the gov, and the plan. There were shuttles to move twenty-five hundred, with fifteen thousand a year to follow for other investments. Someone found out. Every extended family was given a standard planetary settlement package and exiled."

  "How?"

  "You think anything on this planet would notice shuttles intended to move twenty-five hundred people? Maybe the 'new tech' the IS is hunting exists, but if it's really new, it's not just one thing, is it?"

  "No, it's a whole field."

  "So, the one thing we know about it is, if it exists, no one's going to tell IS. They'd grab the one thing, kill everyone who knew about it, and the discovery would pass out of existence. The only way to find out is get rid of IS."

  "Easier said than done."

  "This is a good start. We do exactly what they say and every plan to give them reason to declare martial law looks real stupid. It's really two organizations. Someone uses Warkerdoll. Chief Dennon pegged it at nine years ago. So, we happily comply, until the zealots are exposed."

  "Zealots?"

  "The gov was corrupt. The people are corrupt. Take it over. End all corruption. The elite rule by force and just take what's theirs, by right of superiority to the corrupt masses."

  "Zealots, and the gov created them."

  "Two evidently have the assignment of bringing this area to its knees. They're looking for an opportunity to slaughter thirty or forty, so people here kill twenty to thirty, so they have an excuse to make Teal Valley a crater, an example of what happens if you don't hear and obey. Fear is essential for the institution of the dictatorship. The chief came to us to find a way to keep anyone from defiance that would give them the initial target. Nev told Tarn the reason for the example."

  "It probably went to two thousand news editors worldwide, as a potential feed. A lot of things that no one broadcas
ts, and many see and talk about do. There may not be of roll of black plas left in any warehouse on the planet."

  "Is a rebel organization needed when every sane person on the planet is in the resistance? Or just an example here and there? There was only one place a rebel organization could exist, a prison with no possible communication with anyone else, ever."

  "Horgen Field."

  "And Fataner, probably one each. Since it was the only place, and IS recruited most of the people who belonged there, someone figured out a way to communicate with the rebel organizations. On this world, the only way to do that is talk to them in person. So, they left the brutes too mad for IS to recruit and walked out to have a talk."

  "Someone is ready to move in when IS is out."

  "No, they're ready to help set an example of how to get the democratic process going. That's the form established for accomplishing a common goal on this world. There are hundreds somewhere, perhaps everywhere, watching for an example, ready to adapt it to where they are and find people to rewrite the constitution without the garbage, and with a built-in cycler to keep it from accumulating. They don't want to run the world. They just want to be free to tell their families they love them. Real rebels on this world wanted government of the people. Everyone who does is a rebel."

  "Then we all are."

  "And the cadre of zealots in IS can't control the world without fear as the tool. So, we all be so helpful every outrageous act, intended to cause defiance, looks really stupid. Unless they kill people without excuse. If that is done, the millions will rise and no weapons will stop them, if only a handful are left standing on the bloody remains of the ones who ordered it. If the potential for that, the complete acceptance of the ideal being worthy of the sacrifice of life, wasn't high in the population of this world, Horgen Field and Fataner would have had only the few brutes too mad for IS to recruit."

  "Point to a spare bedroom."

  "There and there. Comm MPM forward to Gen Millert, message if not available."

  "Hello, Knight, I've been watching you."

  "Danny, Ronnie and Dawn have some tenants, whose first question was will rent go up. Bance Neardon."

  "Three of us are non-renewing apt tenants accumulated in one apt, with eight days left on the lease. I suspect Knight commed now, because a lot of people in the same situation are going to be looking for a place on the west side tomorrow."

  "That's why."

  "Me, the cam op, Jace Walker, and the location editor, Thomas Silkassi, would all like to say we're new neighbors tonight, even if it's not official yet."

  "You're new neighbors. Don't 'officially' tell the secretary I said get the keycode from the ladies. Sublet or new lease?"

  "Lease. At least a half-year and a year if available. Silky as primary. He's got the longest reference. He hates moving."

  "Half is all the owner can assure at four-fifty."

  "We'll be officially tenants when?"

  "Tomorrow at eight. I just put it at the top of the secretary's queue."

  "Thank you. Comm out. Jace! We've got seven minutes to get to our new house, five blocks up, and be sure it's party wrapped!"

  "Let's go!"

  Knight gave Bance the keycode and watched them run out the door. Blade asked why the grin. Knight said he just had a feeling Bance was going to change houses and "just fit in." Nev said, "Ronnie, not Dawn." Knight and Blade agreed. In a few moments, the only one in the neighborhood who didn't know Bance was going to be 'steered' was Ronnie.

  Essa had already planned to "distract" Silky and really appreciated the offer of assistance. She told Day cute was great if eyes weren't fixed on gorgeous, and she had a piece of plas she didn't think she was going to need as a wall, after all.