It braked to a halt in front of the shuttle stop. The dust drafting behind wrapped around Colt and Lindsay, the only waiting passengers. The door slid open, “Howdy folks. Climb on in so I can shut out the dust.”
The shuttle driver, a slightly overweight man, wore civilian clothes and a billed cap lettered, “Tour Guide.” His thinning gray hair included a short beard that covered his face. Colt estimated that he was at least eighty standard years old. The only other people on the shuttle were a younger couple, both looking somewhat dazed.
“You folks got lucky. I usually wait at one end of the line or the other until somebody shows up, but these two are headed back to their farm. As soon as I drop them at their flyer, I’ll take you into town.”
A moment later the shuttle glided to a halt. “Here’s your flyer, youngsters.”
When the couple had disembarked, the driver swung the shuttle around and headed back toward town. They had to stop briefly to show their ID cards to a bored guard at the gate. As soon as they passed through the break in the tree line, the driver began to live up to his “Tour Guide” label.
He described many of the residences as they passed them, explaining their significance to the town. “On your left is Captain Miriam’s home. He commanded the crew that conducted the first survey of this planet. In fact, he’s the one who named it Corona. He retired here when he left the survey service.” The home was a large, brick two story dwarfed by the trees that surrounded it. As the shuttle passed, a gray haired woman looked up from working on a flowerbed. “That’s Miriam’s granddaughter.” He yelled out his side window, “Mornin’, Elise.” The woman smiled and waved.
With no other traffic on the road the shuttle moved along rapidly. Once they reached the commercial part of town, the traffic, almost all pedestrian, was heavy enough to get in the way. Still, only a few minutes later the shuttle drew to a halt in front of the middle building of the old settlers’ dormitory. The sign out front said, “Sykesville Plaza Hotel.”
“This is it, folks, your home away from home,” the driver said.
“Thanks for the ride,” Colt said as he stepped off.
“My pleasure. Hope you folks enjoy your stay.”
When they reached their room, Lindsay opened the door, and Colt carried the packs in. He tapped his wrist band, making sure Lindsay saw it. Then he looked around. “For a made-over dormitory this isn’t bad.” He headed to the bedside table that had a paper tablet on it.
“I think this is one of the more expensive rooms,” Lindsay said, walking to the window. She drew back the curtains. The Bright Mountain Range stood out above the trees. She put both hands on the windowsill and leaned forward until her breath fogged the transpex of the window. “That’s still a breathtaking sight.”
Colt walked up and placed the tablet on the sill. “It is, isn’t it? I wish we had more time for sightseeing.”
She turned to face him, her mouth in a mock pout. “Spoil sport!”
He pointed to the pad and began writing. Out loud he said, “Time to get to work.” He wrote on the pad, “This thing probably has a pickup, which I gather you thought of. It means we’ll have to play this like we’re really lovey-dovey.”
She smiled. He continued on the tablet, “At least, out loud.”
The smile became a smirk. She said, “Let’s get going then. We’ve got a lot of supplies to pick up.”
Colt’s and Lindsay’s first destination was an electronics store they had passed on the way in. Colt needed parts to repair the force field fence, and he needed to replace his communicator. He also needed some other parts that the local militia would be interested in when he hooked them up. They left the hotel and casually made their way back to the store on foot.
They entered a small but well-stocked showroom. Colt’s first objective was to select a new communicator. Then with the clerk’s help they rapidly got all the other parts together, including some that Colt had to explain because they weren’t exactly standard. The clerk had been uneasy when they walked into the store, but he brightened noticeably when Colt’s ID paid the bill without a hitch.
Stepping out of the store, Colt said quietly, “I wonder what was eating him.”
Lindsay pointed at the locator bracelet on his wrist, “Probably this.”
Colt laughed shortly, “I’ll bet you’re right.” He looked at his watch. “Okay, what’s next?”
“We need to go to the veterinary supply store and the livestock store on the west side of the Commons,” Lindsay responded. “It’s a three kilometer walk unless you want to take a cab.”
“I’m up for a walk,” Colt replied.
A few blocks north they came to a small jewelry store. Colt stopped and looked at the sign. “Now this is an interesting coincidence. Let’s go in.”
As they walked into the store, Lindsay said pointedly, “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
“The web has its uses.”
A well-dressed man with a slender mustache hurried up from the back of the store. “Mister Ackerman?” Colt asked. The man smiled and nodded. “I’m William August and this is my fiancée, Lindsay Hansen.”
“A pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Ackerman said. “Will you follow me?”
At the back of the store Ackerman reached into one of the display cases and pulled out a tray filled with a blue velvet cushion that had half a dozen engagement rings inserted in slots. “These are the only blue diamonds we have in stock. If you have a little more time, I can get more in from First Landing.”
“Blue diamonds? Gus …” Lindsay started.
When they left the store, the diamond on Lindsay’s left hand flashed brilliantly in the sunlight. She mouthed, “What’s this all about?”
He pulled her close to him. “Got to make it look real,” he whispered.
A few minutes later they came to the veterinary supply house. Lindsay quickly collected all the supplies she needed for the farm plus an extra supply of tranquilizer and some replacement darts. “Sarah keeps getting through the fence, and herding her with the family van just makes her panicky,” she explained.
They stopped briefly at the farm supply just across the street to buy a new pump and arrange to have it delivered to the parking lot in the morning. Colt also bought two one meter lengths of plastic pipe, which he took with him.
The relay station was just across the loop road at the north end of the Commons. They strolled slowly by it so Colt could take in the security measures. It was a single-story, L-shaped building. The subspace array was in a fenced enclosure behind the building. He counted only two guards outside the building, and neither of them was paying much attention. That didn’t surprise him. He felt sure no one had tried to break into the building since the rebels had taken it, and the building had two sensors on every corner. It was impossible to confirm Fitzhugh’s report about their type without being obvious, but they appeared to be the same ones in the photos.
Back in their room Lindsay turned on the webcast. While she was watching the news, Colt pulled out assorted pieces of electronic gear from the shopping bag. He spent a few minutes twisting wires and components together, then dropped the gadget and a battery into his pocket. He opened the back of his communicator and attached a micro-oscillator across two exposed contacts. Finally, he sealed up the bag and placed it on the floor by the packs.
He walked up behind Lindsay. “Any signs that sanity is returning?” he asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Nothing definite. Most of the fighting seems to have died down. I think both sides are licking their wounds, trying to figure out what to do next.”
“Why is it that people continue to believe that they can solve problems by force? In all the time I spent in the navy, I never saw one problem that couldn’t have been worked out better by honest negotiation.”
“But how can you negotiate when the rules are stacked against you?” Lindsay asked.
“There is that,” Colt acknowledged, recognizing she was referring to the laws abou
t not colonizing inhabited planets, “but I’d be willing to bet that there are legal ways around the rules. What we need to do is find out a way where the rules don’t apply.”
Lindsay looked at him questioningly. “Do you really think we can do that?” She asked.
Colt hesitated. He didn’t want to raise false hopes. “I wish I could tell you yes, but frankly, I don’t know. The trouble is I can’t even check until we have subspace communication again.”
“In other words we need to get you,” she hesitated. She appeared to have noticed how dark his expression had become, “on the Republic web as soon as a relay station is available.”
He mouthed, “Nice recovery.” Then he said aloud, “Look at the time. We should make a reservation for dinner. I’ll call.”
She held her hands over her gaping mouth, still shocked at what she had almost said.
“Say, while I’m doing that, why don’t you call the church and confirm our appointment with the minister this afternoon?”
###
Colt took in the details of the church as he and Lindsay walked up to its massive granite structure. The building stood out among the manufactured buildings that occupied the rest of inner city Sykesville. He saw that the twin belfries gave easy access to the roof and an emergency ladder led down from the peak to a fire escape on the second floor. The church, the school, and the parking facilities took up an entire block, making it unlikely that anyone would see activity on the roof in the dark of night.
He and Lindsay walked up the stone steps to the narthex hand in hand. A sign inside the doors pointed to the minister’s office in the south wing. On the way Colt looked around carefully and ducked in and out of the door of the stairway to the southernmost belfry. In a moment they stood in front of the minister’s youngest daughter, a small brunette, who served as the receptionist. She immediately recognized Lindsay and burst into a radiant smile. She jumped out of her chair and hurried around the desk. “Mrs. Hansen, how are you?”
“I’m fine, Victoria. How are you?”
Victoria beamed and held out her left hand. The diamond on her ring finger sparkled brightly. “Ray, Raymond Woolsey asked me to marry him.”
Colt chuckled. “It seems to be going around. May I offer my congratulations?”
Victoria continued to smile. “Thank you, Mr. August. Daddy is waiting to see you. Please go on in.”
Bill Riemann was an athletic-looking man with close-cropped brown hair and hazel eyes, whose face and physique belied his age. Colt found it hard to believe he was old enough to be the father of the young woman in the next room. He stood up and walked around his desk when Colt and Lindsay came into the room.
“Lindsay!” he said. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her an enthusiastic hug, “It’s so good to see you!”
He turned to Colt and extended his right hand. “Mr. August, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir, but please call me Gus.”
“All right, Gus. Then you can call me Bill.” He looked Colt up and down. “You a swimmer, Gus?”
“A deck hand,” Colt responded. “I developed my shoulders by hoisting sails and climbing the rigging when I was a kid.”
Riemann got right to the point. “So what can I do for the two of you?”
“We were hoping you could preside at our wedding,” Lindsay said.
Riemann smiled and said, “I’d be delighted. When did you have in mind?”
They spent the next several minutes setting up the ceremony and other details. When they finished, Riemann asked, “So, Gus, how long have you been on planet?”
Colt hesitated very briefly before saying, “Only a few weeks.”
“Was that on the Sunbird?”
Again Colt hesitated almost imperceptibly. “No, I came on the Invincible. I had arranged to retire as soon as we arrived here. I spent several days wandering around before I made my way into the province.”
Riemann looked aghast. “Then you haven’t heard what happened? The reports from First Landing were that there was a nuclear explosion just as one of the shuttles was approaching the Invincible. When the ionization dispersed, none of the sensors could detect either vessel.”
Colt did his best to look horrified, “My God!”
Without smiling Riemann said, “Indeed. God does seem to be looking after you.”
The AI cut in, “Your next appointment is here, Bill.”
“Thank you, Jeremiah.” Riemann stood. He shook hands with both of Lindsay and Colt and escorted them to the door.
Before they left the church, Colt insisted on taking an unguided tour. With the security bracelet on he couldn’t explain, but he used the tour to set up a reason for returning that evening. On the way out Lindsay stuck her head into the outer office and waved goodbye to Victoria. Then they strolled back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
Chapter 22
A broad, spiral stairway covered with a deep red carpet rose through the center of the building to the rooftop restaurant. Heavy, highly polished brass railings ran the length of the stairs on both sides, adding to the air of opulence.
“Are you sure we can afford this place?” Colt whispered when they entered the building.
When they reached the roof, Colt saw that most of the tables were occupied by brightly dressed couples or families. It was hard to believe that the planet was in a state of civil war.
A hostess hurried over to greet them. She smiled brightly, found their reservation, and ushered them to a table. A live waiter took their order. Since they were having wine with dinner, as soon as the waiter had left, Colt took a Buzz-Off tablet from the table dispenser and passed it across to Lindsay. Then he swallowed one himself.
Colt turned to look toward the Bright Mountains. Corona’s sun had slipped most of the way behind one of the peaks, making the peak look as if it were on fire, lighting the edges of the clouds in a golden glow. When he turned back, the glow was bathing Lindsay’s face, and he felt his heart jump in his chest. He considered reaching across the table and taking her hand. He wondered how she would react and reluctantly tried to chase the thought from his mind.
The uneasiness must have shown in his face because she said, “Is something the matter?”
He glanced down at the table and then back up at her. “I was thinking …” He stopped, looking at the unwanted bracelet encircling his wrist. He realized he would have a hard enough time under normal circumstances. How could he say what he really felt without giving something away through a possible bug in the device?
A voice from the head of the stairs said, “Lindsay?”
They turned to look. Jeff Lippmann, the rebel who had vouched for Lindsay, was walking toward them in civilian clothes. As he came up, both Colt and Lindsay stood. Lippmann’s first words were, “I’m sorry about the other day. We have orders to check out everyone who goes near that wreck, and Grainger is a jerk of an ex-marine who doesn’t trust his own mother.”
He reached out and shook Colt’s hand.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Colt said. “Thanks for getting us out of there with no trouble.”
“You two haven’t been properly introduced, have you?” Lindsay said. “Gus, this is Jeff Lippmann. Jeff, this is William August, Gus for short. Can you join us?”
“Sure, for a few minutes. I’m expecting my wife, Rebecca.” Lippmann took a seat.
For a moment all three sat in silence. Trying to appear as casual as possible, Colt finally said, “I have to admit that raid on our picnic made me wonder. What’s the big deal about a wrecked shuttle?”
Lippmann clearly tensed in his seat.
Colt recognized his unease, “Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. I’ve been in the navy so I know how the military can be about civilians wanting to know things they’re not supposed to know.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that the higher ups really didn’t tell us very much. They just said that almost everyone survived, and that
the navy crew was in protective custody. They told us they wanted to find out who got curious about the wreck.”
Colt managed to keep a bland expression. “Well, I have to hand it to the pilot who got that thing on the ground. From the looks of the site, he must have had to dead-stick onto that plateau. That had to be tough. How many were killed in the crash?”
“Actually,” Lippmann said, “No one was killed during the landing. They lost a navy commander while they were trying to get down the mountain. He fell off a cliff. By the time they could get to the bottom the next morning the body was gone. It looked like one of the local carnivores had dragged it off. Maybe a Banshee, but I suppose that’s not the sort of thing to talk about just before dinner.”
Colt nodded and smiled. “I suppose you’re right.”
Lippmann quickly changed the subject, “So, Lindsay, how do you know Gus?”
Lindsay’s face twisted briefly into an unrecognizable expression that Colt suspected was a cross between sorrow and amusement. “Believe it or not, he was out hiking and had an accident. He managed to make it to my farm before collapsing. While he was recuperating we got to know each other …” She paused, looking at Lippmann’s expression.
“Oh, you don’t know,” she said. She continued in a measured pace, “Ed died two years ago. He was killed protecting some students during a riot.”
Lippmann’s face fell. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right,” Lindsay replied. “It was tough at first, but I’m getting on with my life. Gus has been just what I needed.”
“We’re getting married,” Colt added a little too hurriedly. “We’re here in town to make the arrangements.”
Peacemaker: The Corona Rebellion 2564 AD Page 17