Orphan Star

  "Yes, Madam," Linda acknowledged.

  Momentarily forgotten, Flinx and Sylzenzuzex rested and treated each other's wounds as best they could. Before long a tall, muscular man entered the room.

  "I've been briefed," he said sharply. "How could this happen, Rudenuaman?"

  Pip bridled and Flinx put a tight restraining grip on his pet. His own senses were quivering. Something he had sensed the moment they'd left the shuttle was intensified in this newcomer's presence.

  "It could not be prevented," Rudenuaman told him, her tone surprisingly meek. "The child is apparently a psionic of unknown potentialities. She had fooled even her own father."

  "Not a difficult task, from what I am told of how Challis behaved. He will be more useful to us dead," the tall figure said, swinging around to face Flinx and Sylzenzuzex. "These are the two captives who penetrated the defenses?"

  "Yes."

  "See that they do not also escape, if you can," the figure snapped. "Though if the child escapes to tell of what she knows of this place, it will not matter what is done with these two. This entire deception is beginning to weary me...." Then he reached up, grabbed his chin, and pulled his face off.

  A gargled clicking came from Sylzenzuzex as the irritated not-man turned to leave the room. Flinx was shaken, too. He knew now what had been troubling him and his pet, since they had landed on this world. It wasn't just that the man turned out to be an AAnn- for that was a possibility he had suspected ever since he'd fished the image of Conda Challis and Ulru-Ujurr out of the reptilian infiltrator's mind back on Terra.

  It was because he knew this particular AAnn.

  But the Baron Riidi WW had never set eyes on Flinx, who had never strayed within range of the tridee pickup when the Baron had pursued him and the others on board Maxim Malaika's ship, so many months ago. Flinx, however, had seen all too much of that frigid, utterly self-possessed face, had heard too many threats pronounced by that smooth voice.

  Riidi WW turned at the door, and for a moment Flinx feared the AAnn aristocrat had recognized him after all. But he'd paused only to speak to Rudenuaman again.

  "You had best hope that the child does not escape, Teleen."

  Though no longer conveying the impression of total omnipotence, the merchantwoman was far from being cowed. "Don't threaten me, Baron. I have resources of my own. I could make it difficult for you if I were suddenly missed."

  "My dear Rudenuaman," he objected, "I was not threatening you. I would not ... you have been too- valuable to us- both you and your aunt before you. I would not have any other human holding the Commonwealth end of this relationship. But if the child gets away, then by the-sand-that-shelters-life this entire operation will have to be closed down. If a follow-up party from the Church were to discover this base and find that it is being partially funded and operated by the imperial race, that could serve as a pretext for war. While not afraid, the Empire would prefer not to engage in hostilities just now. We would be forced to destroy the mine and obliterate all trace of this installation."

  "But it would take years to replace this," she pointed out.

  "Several, at least," the Baron concurred. "And that is but an optimistic estimate. Suppose the Church should elect to patrol this system with crewed fortresses instead of gullible automatons? We could never come back."

  "I was right," Sylzenzuzex declared with satisfaction. "No private concern does have sufficient resources to bypass a Church peaceforcer station. Only another spatial government like the Empire could manage it."

  The Baron gave her an AAnn salute that suggested she had just won a Pyrrhic victory. "That is quite so, young lady. Neither would the Empire be concerned, as a private corporation might be, that your Church has placed this world Under Edict. What does concern us is that it lies within Commonwealth territory. Our danger in discovery lies in the diplomatic consequences, not in some imaginary devil someone in your hierarchy places here."

  "You haven't found anything on this world to justify its quarantine?" Flinx asked, curiosity drowning his caution.

  "Nothing, my young friend," the tall AAnn replied. "It is wet and cold, but otherwise most hospitable."

  Flinx eyed the Baron closely, trying to penetrate that calculating mind, without success. His erratic talent refused to cooperate. "You're chancing an interstellar war just to make some credit?"

  "What's wrong with money? The Empire thrives on it, as does your Commonwealth, Who knows," the Baron said, smiling, "it may be that my hand in this is concealed from my own government. What the arkazy does not see in the sand will not bite him, vya-nar?

  "Now you must excuse me, for we have a runaway infant who requires scolding." He vanished through the doorway.

  Flinx had dozens of questions he could have thrown at the AAnn aristocrat. However, while the Baron had not given any sign of recognition when replying to the single question, the danger remained that in an extended conversation Flinx might let some unthinking familiarity slip. If the AAnn ever suspected that Flinx had been among those who had cheated him and the Empire of the Krang, those several months ago, he would vivisect the youth with infinite slowness. Better not take a chance.

  They stayed there waiting while Teleen recomposed herself from both the ordeal of Mahnahmi's escape and from the trauma of confronting the angry Baron. Flinx watched from a broken windoiv as a distant, concealed elevator lifted two big military shuttles from the ground beneath the landing strip. A single groundcar, no doubt containing Riidi WW, pulled up alongside one of the shuttles and several figures hurried from it to the waiting ships.

  Once the groundcar had moved out of the way, the two shuttles thundered into the heavens, where they would likely rendezvous with at least one waiting AAnn naval vessel. Mahnahmi had had a good start, but Flinx knew his rented craft could never outrun even a small military ship. However, the girl's mind was like a runaway reactor: there was no telling what she was capable of under sufficient stress. The Baron, he decided, had better-watch out for himself.

  Turning from the window, Flinx conversed in low tones with Sylzenzuzex. Both tried to come up with reasons for the AAnn's presence here. She no more believed the Baron's casual disclaimer that he was on this world for mere profit than he did. The AAnn had been the Commonwealth's prime enemies since its inception. They never ceased searching, guardedly yet relentlessly, for a new way to hasten its destruction and hurry what they relieved was their destiny to rule the cosmos and its "lesser" races.

  There had to be a deeper reason involving those unique Janus jewels, though neither of them could think of a viable theory.

  On Tharce IV lived a woman called Amasar, who was widely celebrated for her wisdom. Ai the moment, however, she adopted on air of drunken ecstasy as she reveled in the beauty of the object she held.

  Adored by her constituents and respected by opponents, she had been the permanent representative from the Northern Hemisphere of Tharce IV to the Commonwealth Council for two decades. Her mind never rested in its search for solutions to problems or answers to questions, and she worked hours that embarrassed colleagues and assistants half her age. Currently she held the post of Counselor Second in charge of Diplomatic Theory on the Council itself. As such she was in a position to influence strongly the direction of Commonwealth foreign policy.

  She should have been studying the transcript of the up-coming agenda, but her mind was occupied instead with the magnificence dwelling in the object in her hand. Besides, on the majority of questions that would come to a vote in the Council her mind was already made up. As a respected counselor, her advice would be a powerful influence.

  Yes on this issue, nay on that one, leaning so and so on this proposal, not to withdraw on this matter, not to yield on that particulw point-it was a long list.

  Her mind focused elsewhere, Amasar switched off the viewer, which had been running blankly for several moments. Leaning back in her chair, she continued to store raptly at the shining irregularity of the abject on her desk.

&nb
sp; Tomorrow she would board ship for the annual Councle meeting. The gathering place varied between the dual Commonwealth capitals of Terra and Hivehom. This year the thranx capital world was to be the site. This promised to be an absorbing, stimulating session, one she was looking forward to. Several issues of vital importance were due to come to a vote, including measures involving those sly murderers, the AAnn. The Council had some who believed in moderation and appeasement of the reptiles, but not her!

  But why worry about such things now? Moving as if in a dream, she opened the center drawer of her desk to perform a final check. Everything was there: diplomatic credentials, reservation confirmations, documentation and information topes. Yes, it should be an interesting session this year.

  She was still aglow with pleasure as she reached into the lowermost drawer on her right, took out the small, lightweight needler, and fried that insidiously seductive thing before blowing out her brains!

  The apparent suicide was recorded by the local coroner and confirmed by Commonwealth officials as another of those inexplicable occurrences that periodically afflict even the stablest of human beings. Anything could hove been the cause. Too little confidence, too little money, too little affection...

  Or too much of an especially lethal kind of beauty.

  "A remarkable infant," Teleen auz Rudenuaman finally said, interrupting their talk. She eyed them, and commented, "This appears to be a day for unusual infants." When her captives remained sullenly silent, she shrugged and looked out the panels again. "I knew there was a reason for hating that brat so strongly. I admit, though, that she had me completely fooled. I wonder how long she'd been manipulating Challis to suit her own ends?"

  "According to what she said, all her conscious life." Flinx thought it a good idea to keep the merchantwoman's attention focused elsewhere. "Are you going to kill us now?" he asked with disarming matter-of-factness. "or have you decided to believe me?"

  "My having you killed has nothing to do with your story, Flinx," she explained, "though Challis seems to have confirmed it. I have plenty of time to get rid of you. I still find you a novelty." She gazed appraisingly at him. "You're a bundle of interesting contradictions, and hard to pin down. I'm not sure I like that. I tend to get frustrated with something I don't understand. That's dangerous, because I might end up killing you on a whim, and that would only frustrate me more, since you'd die with all the answers."

  "No, I think I'll wait for the Baron to return before doing anything irreversible with you two." She showed white teeth. "The AAnn are very adept at clearing up contradictions."

  Sylzenzuzex climbed to her trulegs and tested her injured limb. She would be forced to limp along on three supports until it healed. She glared at the merchant- woman-compound eyes being especially good for glaring.

  "To work so with the sworn enemies of humanx-kind."

  Rudenuaman was not impressed. "So much outrage over a little money." She looked reprovingly at the thranx. "The AAnn have given me exclusive rights to distribute the Janus jewel within the Commonwealth. In return I permit them to take a certain percentage of the production here. I supply much of the means for the mining, and they neutralized the peaceforcers.

  "I've made Nuaman, now Rudenuaman, Enterprises stronger than it has ever been, stronger than it was under my aunt. We have discovered only the one pocket of jewels, which appear to be an isolated mineralogical mutation. In five to ten years we will have taken the last jewel out of that mountain. Then we will depart from here voluntarily, with the Church none the wiser and the Commonwealth hurt not at all. By that time Rudenuaman Enterprises will be in an invincible financial position. And my aunt, may she rot in limbo, would have approved. I think-"

  "I think you're blinding yourself." Flinx put in, "voluntarily. There's a great deal more in this as far as the Empire is concerned than a little petty cash."

  Rudenuaman eyed him curiously. "What gives you the right to say something like that?"

  "I was at the Church administrative headquarters before we came here. During that time an AAnn in surgical disguise-similar to but rather more elaborate than what the Baron was wearing-tried to sneak into the command center there. After he killed himself I found crystalline dust scattered all over his middle. It could have come from a pulverized Janus jewel."

  "But the crystal syringe-darts he was carrying ..." Sylzenzuzex started to remind him.

  "... could have been manufactured from flawed Janus Jewels themselves," he told her. "Did you stop to think of that? Wouldn't it make a marvelous cover?" He turned to look at her. "I don't think that infiltrator killed himself to keep from being questioned. You can't break an AAnn. I think the explosion was to destroy what he was carrying - a Janus jewel."

  "But what for?" she wondered. "To bribe someone?"

  "I don't think so ... but I'm not sure. Not yet."

  "As if I cared what happens to the Church," Rudenuaman added in disgust.

  Sylzenzuzex responded with great dignity, "The Church is all that stands between civilization and barbarism."

  "Now would the Commonwealth representatives like that, my dear? They appear to consider themselves the guardians of humanx accomplishment.

  "The commonwealth stands only because it's backed by the incorruptible standards of the United Church."

  "There is someone I'd like to meet," The merchant-woman quipped, shifting on her couch. " An incorruptible."

  "Me too," admitted Flinx.

  Sylzenzuzex spun on him. "Whose side are you on, anyway, Flinx?" The fine hairs rose on the back of her b-thorax.

  "I don't know," he replied feelingly. "I haven't studied all the sides carefully enough yet."

  "Would you like to see the mine?" Teleen asked suddenly.

  "Very much," he admitted. Sylzenzuzex looked indifferent, but he could sense her interest.

  "Very well," the merchantwoman decided, apparently on impulse. "Linda ..."

  "Groundcar, Madam-and guards?"

  "Just a driver and one other."

  The squat bodyguard looked uncertain. "Madam, do you think that ...?"

  Rudenuaman waved her objections aside. She was in the mood to wipe away the distressing events of the afternoon. Boasting and showing off would be excellent therapy. "You worry too much, Linda. Where can they go? Their shuttle has been stolen, the Baron has taken our craft, and this world grows progressively more inhospitable no matter which way one travels. They're not about to run away."

  "Right," Flinx agreed. "Besides, my companion has an injured limb."

  "Why should that matter to you?" Sylzenzuzex sneered.

  He turned on her angrily. "Because despite everything that's happened, and I regret much of it, I do care what happens to you-whether you want to believe it or not!"

  Sylzenzuzex stared at his back as he spun away from her, jamming his hands into his jumpsuit pockets. Security schematics, archeologic chronophysics- all appeared simple alongside this impenetrable young human. It would not have comforted her, perhaps, to know that her opinion of him was shared in varying degrees by the other two women in the room.

  No doubt Flinx would have been easier to understand if he had understood himself....

  Chapter Ten

  The groundcar whined smoothly, well tuned as it was, as it climbed a sloping path covered with a low growth resembling heather. Flinx leaned back and stared through the transparent roof. Just beyond the mine buildings, the mountain became nearly vertical, soaring another 2,500 meters above the lake.

  At the moment neither the incredible scenery, nor their present dim prospects, nor Sylzenzuzex's occasional whistling moans of pain held his attention. Instead, his mind was on that stolen tape which might contain the early part of his life. And in his mind, the tape was still inextricably linked with Conda Challis, who would run from him no longer.

  Flinx had already seen the sumptuous living quarters/office occupied by Teleen auz Rudenuaman. No doubt Challis possessed a similar if less extensive chamber somewhere in the complex b
ehind them ... probably in the very same building. Eventually Challis' rooms would be cleaned out, his effects disposed of so that the space could be put to new uses. But for now it was doubtless sealed and undisturbed-including that tape, so tantalizingly near.

  If this unpredictable young woman could be persuaded to keep them alive awhile yet, he might still have the chance to see what was on that stolen spool. Though if she knew how desperately he wanted it, she might just slowly unwind it in a dish of acid before his eyes.

  It was a measure of her megalomania, or confidence, that she had ordered Challis killed. Someone would have to go to considerable lengths to cover up his disappearance-not that his company subordinates would object. Rudemiaman's agents should have no trouble locating several survivors who would be eager to take over the reins of power unquestioningly. Besides, Challis' private activities were of such a nature as to discourage close investigation. A man engaged in such distasteful hobbies could come to any number of sudden, unexpected ends.

  Flinx wondered if the merchant's mind were still functional enough for him to regret the simple manner of his passing. No doubt he had conceived an eventual demise of grandiose depravity for himself.

  The groundcar came to a halt level with the lowest part of the sheer-sided, gleaming metal buildings. These were constructed on a more or less flat area that had been gouged in the flank of the mountain. Suspended at a higher elevation, a series of square metal arches punctured the rock walls like silvery hypodermics sucking blood from a whale. From within the structure, clear mountain air carried to the arrivals the steady ca-rank, ca-rank of tireless machinery.

  A guard who may or may not have been as human as he looked saluted casually as they entered the structure. "The exterior building we are now in," Rudenuaman was explaining, "houses all our milling and processing facilities." She waved constantly as they made their way through the building. "This installation has cost an incredible amount of credit ... a tiny drop when compared to the profit which we will eventually realize."