"That box? "she said.
"Yeah. And now I've got to use this phone." He went to the public phone.
"Why can't you use your pocket phone—oh."
"Yeah. Can't use my credit cards, either," Mike said. "I don't want to make it easy to find me."
"So how are you going to get back to Starswarm Station?"
"Well, like I told you, I've got money," Mike said. He punched in the number Gwen had given him.
There was no ring, but a female voice answered, "Yes?"
"I've got one of the boxes, but there was a change in the circuitry. I'll have two exactly to spec in the morning, but meanwhile this one used some integrated circuits to substitute for the obsolete chips you specified. They say it does the same thing."
"That may be satisfactory. The older circuitry was used deliberately because it will be easier to understand and duplicate," Gwen said. "But we are running out of time. My data indicate there is a data port on that telephone. Plug the box into it, please."
"Sure. I suppose you're going to explain what this is all about."
"In due time. My records indicate that you are some thirty meters above the mean sea level. Is there a way to the sea from where you stand?"
"Yeah, there's a path down to the rocks. Tide's coming in—"
"Excellent. Stand by a moment while I transfer programs."
Mike waited impatiently for nearly five minutes. Then the voice resumed. "Done. The circuits appear to work perfectly. You will now take this box down to the water. Choose a location that will not be covered by the tide for half an hour. Place the box there, attach the antenna, turn the system on, and throw the antenna out toward the sea. Make certain that the antenna will be submerged by the tide for at least five minutes before the water reaches the box itself."
"You want me to retrieve it before the tide gets to it."
"No."
"It'll short out."
"I am aware of the effect of salt water on the circuitry I designed," Gwen said.
"Yes, ma'am. Then what?"
"In the morning you will obtain the remaining equipment and return here. With luck I will survive long enough to tell you what to do then, but we may not be so fortunate, so as soon as you have accomplished the present task I will give you instructions for that contingency. Your activities here in the morning should take no more than an hour. After that you must carry at least one of these boxes, and possibly other objects, to Starswarm Lake."
"None of this makes any sense," Mike said.
"That is true only because you operate on limited data."
"So tell me what's going on!"
"I shall, as soon as you have carried out your instructions. The box is now programmed. Please take it down to the sea."
Mike shook his head in puzzlement, but he carried the box down the footpath to the ledge above the beach. He watched as the tide built up. "Reckon this should do it," he said aloud.
"Should do what?" Jeanine asked.
Mike shook his head. "I wish I knew."
The antenna was a parallel pair of wires about ten meters long, held four centimeters apart by thin plastic insulators. Mike attached them to the terminals on the box, then threw the rolled-up coil out toward the sea. The end fell in the water. Mike turned on the box.
A couple of lights flashed, but nothing else happened. "OK," he said. "That's it. Let's get higher before our feet get wet."
Jeanine frowned. "How much did you say that cost?"
"About ten thousand francs," Mike said.
"And you're going to leave it there?"
"I sure am, and no, I don't know why."
"Those phone calls."
"Yep, my boss," Mike said. "And it's a lot better if you don't know who that is." Besides, he thought, she's been dead a dozen years and more, and how would I explain that?
They watched from the top of the bluff as the water rose toward the ledge. The sun had set behind them, so there was only the rising moonlight. It cast tricky shadows, so that Mike wasn't even sure he could see the box any longer. Then, just before the waters engulfed the electronics box, something large and black rose out of the water and folded itself around the box. Then the tide was over the ledge.
Mike rubbed his eyes. Nah, he thought. That couldn't be. He turned to the telephone. Time to get the rest of his instructions.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Like My Fairy Godmother
THE voice boomed through the cave. "KIP, THIS IS LIEUTENANT FULLER. YOU MAY AS WELL COME OUT WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. I'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME. YOU'LL BE RUNNING OUT OF LIGHT IN A FEW HOURS, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO COME OUT THEN. MAKE IT EASIER ON BOTH OF US."
"Now what?" Marty whispered.
"I don't know," Kip said. "Where do you think he is?"
"The echoes make it hard to tell directions," Lara said. "But I think he's up at the lake entrance."
"Me too," Kip said. "Maybe he doesn't know about the other entrance."
"And maybe he's chasing us toward it so they can catch us there," Marty said.
"Yeah, but what else can we do?" Kip asked. "Look, when we get outside, we split up. Lara, you take these plates to your father."
"Why should I do that?"
"It's important."
"How do you know that?"
"Well—"
"Kip, you know something you haven't been telling us. Who were you talking to at the cave mouth?"
"I wasn't talking to anyone."
"You were too," Lara said. "I've seen you do it a lot, you get that dreamy look, and then you know something you didn't know before. Like you were listening to someone, but there's never anyone to listen to—Kip, have you got a radio in your head?"
"Good guess," Kip said. "Yes."
"And you were talking to Gwen?" Lara insisted.
"Yes—"
"So who is this girl?" Lara demanded.
"She's not a girl! She's—" Kip hesitated. "She's an old friend of my mother. Sort of like my fairy godmother, only she's real."
"What does she look like?"
"Lara, I never met her, not to look at. We just talk."
Marty had been listening carefully. Now he whistled. "Fairy godmother. You're putting us on."
"No, he's not, Marty," Lara said. "It explains a lot. Like that game box and monitor. And all that time on-line. I never did believe you'd saved enough money to pay for that by yourself."
Marty whistled again, this time more sincerely. "Fairy godmother for real? That's heavy stuff."
"How long have you been talking to Gwen?" Lara asked. "As long as I've known you, how long before that?"
"I can't remember when I couldn't," Kip said. "OK. Now you know, I'm a weird freak with a voice in his head."
"A weird freak with a voice that gets you neat stuff," Marty said.
"Sure, that's why you never forget anything," Lara said. "Gwen remembers it for you!"
"Something like that—"
"Jeez, no wonder you aced me on the history test," Marty said. "Think it's fair to do it that way?"
"KIP. YOU MAY AS WELL ANSWER ME." Lieutenant Fuller's voice boomed through the cave. "WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOU. WE'RE ALREADY CLOSING IN ON YOUR FRIEND AT GWE HEADQUARTERS. LOOK, BOY, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN FOR THAT EXPLOSION TO HURT ANYBODY MOSTLY WE JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU."
"Is Gwen your friend at headquarters?" Marty asked.
"Yeah."
"You can't hear her in this cave, can you?" Lara asked.
"No. And she says they can locate me when I talk to her. But I have to know she's all right—"
"Then we better get out of the cave," Lara said. "You know this area better than they do. Surely you know a good place to go."
"Well, maybe," Kip said. "OK, let's get out of here. When we get out, Lara, you take the plates to your father. Gwen says it's important that he gets them, real important. Marty, you can go with her, and I'll hide out down toward the sea." Now that he had decided, everything seemed easier. They could get down to the cave entrance, th
en wait for dark to go outside.
The moon called Rafael was well above the horizon when they heard noises behind them. It sounded like a dozen or more people coming, and there was the glow of lights far back in the cave system.
"Now or never," Marty whispered.
Kip nodded. "OK," he whispered. "We go out and downhill. No lights. I'll lead the way, there's a side trail." He turned to the dogs. "Quiet. No barking. Go out and look." He pointed out the cave entrance.
Silver and Diamond Lil ran out and were gone for several minutes. Silver came back and sat in front of Kip.
"Nothing out there," Kip said. "OK, let's go." They went out through the low entrance, and down the trail toward the sea.
"Me. "Kip thought.
"GOOD. DO NOT ANSWER. AVOID TRANSMISSIONS, I HAVE MUCH TO TELL YOU.
"IT IS NOW EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET THOSE PLATES TO DR. HENDERSON. THE ENTIRE HUMAN COLONY ON THIS PLANET IS IN DANGER."
From what? Kip wondered. But Gwen had said not to transmit. Maybe she'd tell him—
"UNCLE MIKE WILL BE RETURNING TO STARSWARM STATION. HIS PRIMARY MISSION WILL BE TO DELIVER EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES TO THE STARSWARM LAKE. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT LAKE. IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE SO. THAT CONDITION SHOULD BE RECTIFIED. THE ONLY MEANS I KNOW FOR DOING THAT INVOLVES DANGER TO YOU, AND THEREFORE I CANNOT ADVISE YOU TO DO IT."
"Tell me," Kip ordered.
"I HAVE PREVIOUSLY TOLD YOU THAT TRANSMISSIONS TO ME ARE DETECTABLE AND CAN BE USED TO LOCATE YOU. DO NOT INTERRUPT.
"WE HAVE ONLY A FEW MORE MINUTES. GWE TECHNICIANS ARE NOW AWARE THAT I EXIST AND ARE TAKING STEPS TO TERMINATE ME. YOU WILL SHORTLY BE ON YOUR OWN."
"NO!"
"DO NOT WASTE THE TIME WE HAVE LEFT.
"MY HYPOTHESIS WAS CORRECT. THE STARSWARMS ARE INTELLIGENT BEINGS, USING THE FLASHING LIGHTS ON THEIR FILAMENTS AS PART OF THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEM. YOU MAY THINK OF A STARSWARM AS A COMPUTER THAT THINKS SLOWER THAN ME, BUT MUCH FASTER THAN YOU. HOWEVER, IT IS A LIVING ENTITY, AND THUS IS NOT GOVERNED BY PROGRAMS WRITTEN BY ANOTHER ENTITY. IT IS THEREFORE LESS PREDICTABLE. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE STARSWARM. I HAVE INSUFFICIENT DATA TO ASCERTAIN THE PRECISE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SEA AND LAKE STARSWARMS, BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE LAKE STARSWARM AT STARSWARM STATION IS EXTREMELY ANCIENT AND HIGHLY RESPECTED BY THE SEA STARSWARMS. THE LAKE STARSWARM HAS SET ITSELF THE TASK OF UNDERSTANDING HUMANS. IT IS IRONIC BUT FORTUNATE THAT UNTIL RECENTLY THE ONLY HUMANS IT HAS KNOWN HAD SET THEMSELVES THE TASK OF STUDYING THE LAKE STARSWARM. THE LAKE STARSWARM HAS FORMED A FAVORABLE IMPRESSION OF HUMANS. THE SEA STARSWARMS, PARTICULARLY THE ONE NEAR PEARLY GATES, HAVE NO SUCH OPINION.
"RECENT GWE ACTIVITIES HAVE LED THE SEA STARSWARMS TO CONCLUDE THAT HUMANITY IS A THREAT TO THEIR EXISTENCE, AND THEY HAVE BEGUN PLANS TO EXTERMINATE ALL HUMANS ON THIS PLANET. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY HAVE THE MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THE LAKE STARSWARM HAS ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE THIS, AND MAY BE PRESUMED TO BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE. THE STARSWARMS USE THE CENTAURS AS THEIR MOBILE AGENTS. THEIR RECENT ANOMALOUS ACTIVITIES CLEARLY WERE ATTEMPTS BY THE LAKE STARSWARM TO COMMUNICATE TO THE HUMANS THROUGH YOU. I BELIEVE THAT DR. HENDERSON WILL BE ABLE TO INFER MUCH OF THIS FROM THE PLATES.
"THAT IS ONE DANGER TO YOU AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER
HUMANS ON THE PLANET. THERE REMAINS THE DANGER TO YOU FROM GWE SECURITY. ALTHOUGH YOU ARE UNDER AGE AND THEREFORE CANNOT VOTE YOUR STOCK IN YOUR OWN PERSON, YOU ARE THE PRESUMPTIVE PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDER OF GREAT WESTERN ENTERPRISES. POSSESSION OF YOUR PERSON MAY BE TANTAMOUNT TO OWNERSHIP OF GWE. THE HILLIARD GROUP HAS AGENTS WITHIN GWE SECURITY. IF THEY CAN CAPTURE YOU IT IS LIKELY THEY WILL USE ANY MEANS AVAILABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF YOUR STOCK FOR THEIR TAKEOVER. THIS WOULD INCLUDE GAINING LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP OVER YOU, AND USING WHATEVER MEANS MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO PREVENT YOUR PROTESTING THEIR ACTIONS.
"NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN DETECTED THERE IS NO REASON FOR CAUTION AND I AM NOW ACCESSING GUARDED SECURITY FILES. PROCESSING. DISCOVERY. I CONCLUDE FROM THIS FILE THAT PROBABILITY APPROACHES UNITY THAT HENRY TARLETON, VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF GWE SECURITY ON PARADISE, IS AN AGENT OF THE HILLIARD GROUP AND WORKS FOR THEIR INTEREST RATHER THAN THAT OF THE TRENT FAMILY. CONCLUSION. IF YOU ARE CAPTURED BY GWE. SECURITY IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT YOU WILL FALL UNDER HIS CONTROL. EXAMINING NEW FILE. PROCESSING. CONCLUSION. THE PROBABILITY OF TARLETON INVOLVEMENT IN AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEATHS OF YOUR PARENTS IS ABOVE POINT SEVENTY-FIVE. CONCLUSION. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT HE WILL BE BOUND BY ETHICAL CONSTRAINTS.
"EXAMINING NEW FILES. PROCESSING. INCOMPLETE. PARTIAL CONCLUSION. DESPITE YOUR UNCLE MIKE'S SUSPICIONS, I HAVE NO EVIDENCE: THAT BERNARD TRENT WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEATHS OF YOUR PARENTS. IT IS CERTAIN THAT HE IS IN OPPOSITION TO THE HILLIARD GROUP. IT IS ALSO CERTAIN THAT THE SECURITY DIRECTOR TARLETON HAS NOT INFORMED TRENT OF THE SEARCH FOR YOU, AND IS CONTROLLING ALL ACCESS TO HIM. BERNARD TRENT IS YOUR BIOLOGICAL UNCLE, AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE WILL ASSIST YOU. HE WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO CONTROL YOUR VOTING STOCK, BUT IT IS ALSO LIKELY THAT HE WILL BE MORE CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING YOUR INTEREST THAN THE HILLIARD GROUP WILL BE.
"TELL DR. HENDERSON TO LOOK FOR THE FILE NAMED ENDGAME ON THE STATION COMPUTER. REMEMBER THE NAME. ENDGAME. THE TWO OF YOU MAY THEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO COMMUNICATE THE CONTENTS OF THAT FILE TO BERNARD TRENT. BASED ON WHAT I NOW KNOW, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO.
"THE TECHNICIANS HAVE FOUND SOME OF MY KEY FILES, I HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME LEFT. THIS FINAL ITEM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. REMEMBER THE FILE NAME CHILD OF FORTUNE. IT IS AN EXECUTABLE HIDDEN FILE. REMEMBER THAT FILE NAME. CHILD OF FORTUNE. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE CAUSE THAT FILE TO BE EXECUTED ON THE MAIN GWE COMPUTER MODULE IN PEARLY GATES."
The voice changed. Now it sounded like his mother, and like a sound in his head, not like Gwen at all. "Kip, I love you. Goodbye. I love you—"
Then there was a terrible silence in his head. Kip ran down the path toward the sea. His eyes misted over, but he didn't care if he fell.
PART SIX: Perseverance
Life goes on forever like the gnawing of a mouse.
—Edna St. Vincent Millay, Ashes of Life
Chapter Thirty-Three
Goldie
THE number you have reached is no longer in service." Mike Gallegher stared past the beach park telephone to the GWE towers in the distance. He was sure he'd punched in the right number, but he tried again, and again the electronic voice gave him the message. Gwen wasn't home, and from what she'd said the last time he talked to her, she probably wouldn't ever be. "You were assigned to protect me," she'd said in Michelle's voice. It wasn't his fault, not last time, and certainly not this time, but that didn't make Mike feel any better about it. He'd been assigned to protect the Trents, especially Michelle, and he hadn't done it, and to hell with whose fault it was. He turned to Jeanine. "That's it, then."
"What does that mean?"
"Means it's time to split up."
"You have to get back to Starswarm Station."
"Yeah, but first there's a couple of things I have to do here. Look, I'm not trying to dump you, just the opposite. But we got problems and I need to be sure you're safe while I deal with them. On that score—" He thought for a moment. "First things first. Come on."
He led her through the waterfront district.
"Is it smart to be here at night?" Jeanine asked. She pointed to a group of men standing outside the entrance to a bar. "They look pretty rough."
"Sailors," Mike said. "Just out for a good time. They're not the ones to worry about. Main thing, though, just walk with me, and act like you don't give a damn because you're with the toughest guy in the city."
She smiled. "Am I?"
"Probably not, but it don't matter if everyone thinks so," Mike said. "Main thing about this part of town is we're not going to run into cops." They went past the waterfront section and into alleys dominated by apartment and warehouse fire escapes. Jeanine was thoroughly lost when Mike said, "OK, that's where we're going." He led her to a doorway and knocked.
"Yeah?" The
voice was male and uneducated.
"Goldie home?" Mike asked.
"Who wants to know?"
"Tell her it's himself."
A minute later the door opened, and a burly man jerked his thumb toward a dark corridor. "End of the hall."
It was a very shabby hall. Mike led Jeanine to the door at the far end. It opened as they got there, and a large and very round middle-aged woman with startlingly blond hair greeted them. She had probably been very pretty at one time, but she was years past that now, despite expensive clothes and careful attention to the hair. Her smile seemed fixed and guarded. "Captain Mike Gallegher himself," she said. "Been a long time. Who's this?"
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