Alex looked at the woman and said, “I’m Alex Ligon.” She said, “Milly Wu.”
Bat waved his arms at both of them. “No time for that now. This has enormous potential importance.”
The woman said, “What about work on the SETI signal?” and Alex knew why her name sounded familiar.
“For the moment that is superseded.” Bat turned to Alex. “Even now, we must be thorough. I am ready to hear a summary of what the Ligon team considered important in their tests.”
Alex hesitated and glanced at Milly Wu. She shook her head and said, “I don’t understand one word of this. You might as well go ahead.”
Alex considered his answer. Bat was a devil for precision. “They didn’t say they considered that anything was important. They reported that one test gave unusual results.”
“Exactly. An excellent answer. Continue.”
“Ninety-four tests involved the chemical properties of the spherical nodules.”
“A waste of time and effort. Any salient results would surely involve the nodules’ structure, which would be destroyed by chemical tests.”
“Bengt Suomi took very seriously your request that they supplement your list with suggestions of their own. You asked that the team perform as complete a range of tests as possible.”
Bat bowed his head. “I did indeed, and I stand corrected. Bengt Suomi was right to proceed as he did. Continue.”
“Suomi happened to agree with your conclusion—after he saw the results. The chemical tests gave nothing. Then there were the structural microscopic tests, concentrated on geometry and mechanical properties rather than physical or chemical ones. They confirmed that although the nodules appear superficially as perfect spheres, they have a distinctive microstructure. Each one contains tunnels running radially in toward the center. The tunnels are minute, though wide enough to permit the passage of gas molecules. The team could not imagine any physical effect that might depend on such a structure. Bengt Suomi describes that result as interesting, but not informative.”
“An admirably cautious statement.”
“The remaining tests involve physics. The nodules are stable over a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and fields. Radiation and particle bombardment affect them little, except for lattice dislocation effects at high energy levels. Electric and magnetic influences appear unimportant, even with intense fields. There was just one test result that no one could explain. The nodules act as a catalyst in inducing phase transitions of certain gases.”
Bat was nodding. “That is indeed the anomalous test result. Phase transitions, moreover, for gases which do not exist in free form within the human body.”
“Apparently. Suomi found that the catalytic effect was the strongest—the phase transition is almost instantaneous—for free hydrogen. The effect weakens rapidly for heavier gases.” Alex was tempted to add, all this effort, and you’re saying you agree exactly with Bengt Suomi’s conclusions?
But Bat was not looking at Alex or at Milly Wu. He was staring at the display, which showed a magnified view of one spherical nodule. The dark pupils of his eyes had dilated against their luminous whites. He said, very slowly, “So we have the results I requested, and they prompt but do not answer the key question: Why would anyone place such anomalous structures inside the body of Sebastian Birch—a place where those structures are unable to exercise the only effect of which they seem capable?”
The question had not been addressed to Milly Wu, but she said, “Maybe as a protection? Maybe the nodules absorb free gases that shouldn’t be there.”
“I think not. According to these results, the gases are not absorbed by the nodules. They merely induce an instantaneous phase change, from a gaseous to a far denser liquid form. Therefore …” Bat did not complete his sentence. He puffed out his fat cheeks, frowned, and turned to Alex. “Do you know the exact location of the research quarantine facility where Sebastian Birch is being held?”
“I can find out.” A call to Karolus would provide that information, but Alex was pretty sure his uncle would not want his name mentioned.
“Do so. And then I have another request. It is possible that I am overreacting, but I would like you to go to that facility and locate Sebastian Birch.”
“I don’t think they’ll let me in.”
“You underestimate the power of the Ligon name. It commands authority. Once you find Birch, remain with him. Do not permit him to leave your presence, even for a moment.” Bat rose, an imposing presence that filled the room. “I will explain this later, but go at once, and quickly. Do not leave the research complex. I will join you there as soon as possible. Before you leave, tell me: will the link on these pages allow me to contact Bengt Suomi at any time and place?”
“It ought to reach him wherever he is. But it’s the middle of the night.”
“I am not unaware of that fact.”
Milly said to Bat, “It sounds like your meeting with me is off.”
“No. It is, I hope, merely postponed. Go with Alex Ligon, and help him if help is needed. You and I can meet tomorrow—if there is a tomorrow.”
He turned to the communications unit, ignoring the other two as though they had already left.
As they headed away along darkened corridors, Milly said, “What’s this all about?”
“I don’t know.” Which was the exact truth, but Alex felt compelled to add, “Although I have no idea what’s going on, I do know one thing. Magrit Knudsen is way up in the Ganymede power structure, and she was Rustum Battachariya’s boss for over ten years. She says that although he often understates, or refuses to say anything at all, he never exaggerates. I think we ought to hurry.”
31
Bat made it sound easy. You go along to where Sebastian Birch is being held, and exert your authority to make sure that Birch does nothing out of the ordinary.
Maybe it was easy, when you tipped the inertial mass indicator at over three hundred kilos; but Alex didn’t command that much weight to let him push people around. As they ascended the riser shafts and skimmed along interior slides, he saw Milly’s eyes on him and he read their question: Who is this Alex Ligon, and how is he going to do what even the Great Bat says is beyond his powers?
That was Alex’s question, too. When they had been traveling for twenty minutes he flipped on his wrist unit at emergency interrupt. He tried to call Bat, and for a change the line was open; but it was locked into high-priority mode with another caller. Alex’s ID check indicated that Bat was talking to Bengt Suomi.
It was the time for desperate measures. Alex placed another call. After a pause, in which Milly said “Who?” and Alex answered “Reinforcements,” the tiny screen came alive.
“Alex? What the bloody hell are you playing at?” The growl was muted and tinny, but the glowering face had lost none of its malevolence.
“I don’t know. All I know is, I’m out of my depth.”
“If you’re calling me at this hour because you’re in trouble with some goddamned woman …” The wrist unit must have captured Milly in its viewfinder, because Uncle Karolus went on, “My God, it’s not even the same one. You’re getting to be as bad as Hector.”
“I need help.”
“You need treatment. D’you know what time it is? You’re lucky I’m not a few years younger, or I’d be out trolling for my own trouble in the lower levels. What the devil do you want?”
It was a waste of time explaining the whole thing to Uncle Karolus, and anyway Alex didn’t know the whole thing. He sketched in the minimum, then said, “We’re on the way to the research quarantine facility that’s holding Sebastian Birch. I don’t believe we can march up to the entrance and expect them to do whatever we ask. Can you get us in?”
Karolus yawned, squinted, and said, “Who is she?”
“This is Milly Wu. She’s helping me.”
“Helping you do what?”
Bat only knows. “She’s on our side.”
“Sweet Alonzo. You think that’s an ade
quate explanation? Either I’m going soft in the head, or you are. I can’t be bothered with position fixes. Where are you now?”
“Level fifty-nine, Sector one-thirty-four. At least forty minutes away from the lab, maybe forty-five.”
“I must be crazier than you.” From the grunting sounds, Karolus was pulling on pants or shoes. “I’ll get you into the place, and that’s all. I’m closer, so I’ll probably beat you to it. But if you arrive first, don’t try to go in. Stay on Level five at the end of the final bend in the Sector corridor. Don’t talk to anybody—including me. I have a call or two of my own to make.”
Karolus was gone. Milly raised her eyebrows at Alex.
He shrugged. “That was Uncle Karolus. I’m sorry he’s such a wild animal, but he does know how to get things done.”
“No need to apologize. He seems pretty reasonable for a man who’s just been woken up in the middle of the night. My own boss is an ogre. Compared with him, your uncle’s a teddy-bear. Hey. Wouldn’t this be quicker?”
This was a high-speed lift that they were passing. It was intended for cargo only. Before Alex could point out the dangers, Milly had stepped onto it and was whisked upwards out of sight.
He followed, and felt the crushing load of a two-gee acceleration. As his legs buckled and his guts bottomed-out on his pelvis, Alex thought again of Bat’s words: It would seem that all the major actions in your life are entirely dictated by women. There was no way he could make a call while boosting upward, but when the lift tube spat him out on hands and knees on Level 12—as high as it would go—he tried his wrist unit again.
Still busy. He swore, stood up, and set off along the Sector connector.
“Your uncle did tell you not to call him.” Milly led him by a couple of steps, not a hair out of place.
“I was trying to reach Bat, not Karolus. We need to know what’s going on.”
“Bat doesn’t think so. It’s the Puzzle Network mindset. You’re expected to operate with incomplete information.”
“We certainly have that.” Alex, in the middle of placing another call, slapped at the unit to cut the sequence off halfway. What was he thinking of? He had been all set to talk to Kate. And tell her what?
Milly’s use of the high-gee cargo lift had gained them at least ten minutes. They were on Level 5 and into the final approach to Sector 82 when Alex saw someone hurrying from the other direction.
Karolus greeted them with, “There’d better be a good reason for all this, young Alex. And don’t you utter one word unless I ask you to.” Then he smiled at Milly and said in a quite different tone, “I hope I wasn’t rude when I first saw you. I was half-asleep. Maybe we can meet later on under better circumstances, and start over.”
Milly’s nod to Alex—See? I told you he sounded nice—was at least as irritating as being called young Alex.
They were not heading to Level 4, where the only interior entrance to the research quarantine facility was supposed to be located—all other entrances led in from the raw surface of Ganymede. Instead, Karolus was leading them along a narrowing tunnel. A strong breeze blew in their faces.
“Not much farther.” Karolus paused beside a door set flush into the tunnel’s side and banged on it hard. “Now, if they’re worth half the money I agreed to pay—here we go.”
The door cracked open, noisily, and a worried, gnome-like face poked through from the other side.
“Quick. In.” The man gestured to them, and jerked his head to glance along the corridor in each direction. “If anyone finds out that I let you in—”
“I know. They’ll cut your balls off and make you swallow ’em.” Karolus pushed past him. “So you’d better keep your mouth shut.”
“You said cash.”
“Damn right I did. What do you expect, that I’d give you a credit chit made out from Ligon Industries? I’ll pay you cash—tomorrow.”
“You told—”
“Never mind who I told or what I said. I was in a hurry. D’you think I carry that much on me in the middle of the night? You’ll be paid all right. Where is Sebastian Birch?”
“Up the staircase, one level. Along the corridor, right turn, and fourth door on the left. Locked.”
“Key?”
“Spinor lock. Here’s the codes.” The gnome handed over a slip of paper. “When you’re in, swallow it.”
“Right.” Karolus handed the paper to Alex. “Here you are. A chance to do something useful. We’ll save the explanations for later, but I hope you know what you’re going to do after you eat that. Because I sure as hell don’t.”
That made two of them—three, since Milly Wu was undoubtedly as ill-informed as Alex. The interior of the research facility, not surprising given the hour, was deserted, but the directions were easy to follow. They headed up a staircase, Alex one step behind and feeling like a criminal. Karolus walked in front and chatted easily to Milly, exactly as though they all had every right to be where they were.
“Along the corridor, fourth door on the right, and here we go.” Karolus halted. “Alex, do you want to do the honors?”
The lock was reasonably simple, in keeping with a minimum-security installation. Alex suspected that he could have opened it in fifteen minutes, even without the spinor codes. Five four-space rotations and a parallel displacement, and the spinor keys hissed finality.
“Right. That’s my job over and done with.” Karolus pulled the door, checking that it would open a fraction. “He’s all yours. If anyone ever asks, I was never here—and I’ll have half a dozen witnesses to prove it.”
“I thought you wanted to know why we need to see Birch.”
“I do—some other time. You owe me a favor, Alex, as well as an explanation. You get one, you give one.”
Karolus left. Alex pulled the door open wide. He peered in. The interior was a well-furnished apartment, not at all like the detention cell that he had expected. The living room was comfortable, dimly lit, and empty; as it should be, at this hour.
Two more doors stood at the far end. Alex advanced and opened the left-hand one, with Milly close behind. It revealed a tiny kitchen, unlit. Alex took a deep breath and turned to the final door.
It opened silently, revealing a small bedroom with a shower and bathroom attached. All the lights were off, but enough came in through the open door. Alex surveyed the room, then turned for a second inspection of the living room and kitchen.
They had hurried through the night to find and guard Sebastian Birch. Since this was a quarantine as well as a research facility, the one certainty should have been Birch’s presence.
So much for certainties.
Sebastian Birch, whoever he might be, whatever he might be, and wherever he might be, was nowhere in this apartment.
32
Jan had eaten a little too much cultured lobster at the Belly of the Whale; or maybe it was the rich chocolate dessert that did not agree with her. At any rate, at the time of night when she normally would be in the deepest phase of her sleep cycle, she found herself poised on the edge of consciousness. Faint imagined voices spoke inside her head, their mutterings just too faint to be understood.
She lay flat on her back, her thigh in companionable contact with Paul’s. He was sleeping soundly, as always. He didn’t usually stay over at the research facility—Valnia Bloom somewhat frowned on the idea—but preparations for the next voyage of the Achilles were going smoothly. He had pleaded for one more chance to capture her in his painting. She was, he said, an unusually difficult subject. Something in her smile—a certain wistfulness, a certain longing—eluded him. He wanted to try first thing in the morning, when his hand was at its steadiest.
Jan opened her eyes and stared up into darkness. Suddenly she was fully awake. The voices were not in her head, they were real. They came from the monitor system in Sebastian’s apartment. Was he talking to himself, in his sleep?
Not unless his voice could change instantly from male to female and back.
She stared ove
r at the video monitor and saw nothing. Sebastian’s living room was empty, and his kitchen and bedroom were dark.
“Paul.” She nudged him, and he muttered a sleepy protest. “Paul, there’s someone in with Sebastian.”
She poked him in the ribs again, harder, and swung out of bed.
“What was that for?” He was finally awake, and grumpy.
“Someone is in Sebastian’s apartment. In his bedroom, I think.”
“What of it? Isn’t he allowed visitors?”
“At this hour?” Jan was into her clothes and feeling around for her shoes. “Look at the time.”
“I just did. Everyone in their right mind is asleep—as I was.” But he was on the edge of the bed, feeling for clothing. “I feel sure that he’s all right.”
“Somebody is with him. I heard a woman’s voice.”
“Then it’s Dr. Bloom.”
“It isn’t. She told me she would be away from the facility tonight.”
“So she changed her mind.” But Paul also was looking for shoes. “Oh, all right. Go ahead, I know you’ll worry unless you see for yourself. I’ll follow you down.”
Jan gave him a quick kiss on the top of his tousled head and was on her way while he was still fumbling at the bedside.
Thirty seconds took her to the door of Sebastian’s apartment. It was ajar, when it ought to have been locked. Suddenly wary—this was a quarantine as well as a research facility, so no one should be able to enter—she eased the door open and quietly stepped inside.
The living room was deserted, but she heard voices coming from the bedroom. A man and a woman—and neither one was Sebastian.
She moved to stand at the bedroom door and listen.
The man’s voice said, “I don’t know. I’ve been trying to reach Bat for the past quarter of an hour on my wrist unit. He’s inaccessible.”
“Not answering?”
“Busy line. He’s talking to Bengt Suomi. He’s ignoring my request for a priority override.”
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