It took a minute for Fontaine to collect himself. “What you suggest,” he finally stated, “goes so far beyond the pale that no one in my Family could agree to it. It is one thing taking seeds that you have obtained from seeders, that – outside of laws that you corporations have purchased – should be free for any to plant. It is quite another to commit an act of grand larceny against The Vault, which holds the means for survival of the Human Race, should something go catastrophically wrong. I cannot agree to any such deal. Even the thought makes me uncomfortable. This discussion, Monsieur, is at an end.”
Fontaine reached out to disable the privacy device, but Sidney’s hand caught Pierre’s before it could do the job.
“Pierre, you said it yourself: the Seed Vault exists to ensure the survival of the human race. But if nuclear and biogenic war makes this planet unliveable, deadly to even visit, no one will have those seeds – ever. Better to remove them to space, n’est pas?
“And if legalities and moral codes constrict you, could you not return the contents to their ‘rightful’ owners once the danger has passed – if it ever passes?”
Fontaine just shook his head.
“Take it upstairs to your Family Head, to the Families. Consider if it would not serve humanity better should you have contingency plans. I have ongoing authorization to access the Seed Vault. The placement of seeds has become my responsibility.”
Fontaine shook his head again. “The Vault contains more than just the seeds of Agri-Inc. And, I do not believe for an instant that your corporation has given you the authorization to move its portion of the contents of the Seed Vault into Family hands in space, let alone those portions of other corporations.”
“Of course not.” If Sidney could keep Fontaine talking, he could eventually convince the man. “But the corporation has no plan to put into effect should a nuclear war break out. To my knowledge, no corporation has. The Vault is the contingency plan. As far as the world is concerned, all nations scrapped their atomic weapons many decades ago.” He held the other man’s gaze. “The fact remains, I have the duty to keep the seeds safe.” He allowed that to sink in. “Take it upstairs, Pierre. What could that hurt?”
Fontaine didn’t move. Sidney had one last throw to make.
“Take it upstairs, Pierre, and I’ll wait for an answer in London. If it is no, you need simply call me up and thank me for the invitation, but you will not find yourself in London in the near future.” And now for the hook. “Say you’ll take it upstairs, and I’ll go back to London tonight, happy. I must return to work. However, Kiera does not have such a job to go back to. She might stay in Paris for another week.”
Fontaine drew in a deep breath, and Sidney knew he had won. “I will take it upstairs. I guarantee nothing. In fact, I very much doubt I will have the opportunity to visit your fair city.”
He looked at the chrono. “Now, I believe, we should pick up Mademoiselle West, and escort her to dinner.”
CHAPTER 15
FTL-1
Friday 23 July
Major Temple kicked off lightly, aiming for a grab-hold on the opposite wall – or ceiling, or floor. Who knew in zero-g? She could tell immediately that she had kicked off too hard, that she would miss it, and that she had not pushed off evenly, imparting a tumble. She braced herself for impact.
“Omph!” the breath exploded from her as she awkwardly collided with the wall. The rebound left her floating out of reach of a grab-hold, heading for the centre of the room with almost no velocity. “Damn!”
Now, how might she get out of this without calling the training room’s supervisor for help? A voice-activated system would attract his attention – or so the brochure said. That would certainly improve her reputation on the station in a way she didn’t want. It might advantage her in some respects, but would damage it in terms of authority – and she definitely wished to avoid such. She could use the small compressed-air gun attached to her belt alongside the barf-bag. However, she had emptied it of its charge correcting previous tumbles. Her first experience in zero-g manoeuvres hadn’t gone as smoothly as she might have desired.
If she took her shoe off and threw it, that should give her some momentum in the other direction, something to carry her back to a wall, from which she could then launch herself to recover the shoe.
“Take my hand,” came a youthful voice.
She turned her head to see young Yrden floating towards her, hand outstretched. She reached out and took it, which sent them both into a tumble. But Yrden did something which countered that, and they arrived at the wall in good order.
She latched on to a grab-hold, and concentrated on breathing slowly, calmly. Who would ever do this for fun?
“Thank you, Owen.”
He grinned beside her, did a push-off coupled with a slow roll and ended up on the opposite wall, feet first, toes hooked beneath grab-holds.
“Now you try it,” he called over. At her hesitation, he explained how to accomplish the goal, and then demonstrated, ending up beside her again. “Your turn.”
“I thought you had classes,” she said, delaying what would likely end up in an awkward collision and embarrassment.
“Break,” he said. “I always come here to relax during my morning break.”
Which Captain Grenville had told her, resulting in her presence here at this time. But she hadn’t known just how difficult zero-g manoeuvres would be. Now she looked like a clumsy newby instead of an adult he could look up to....
“Come on, Major. It isn’t that hard. Watch.”
He completed the roll again. But she barely saw it. Perhaps the boy didn’t need a mother figure as much as a friend. And friends helped friends. If she allowed him to help her.... And everything fell into place in her mind.
“Like this?” she said, launching herself purposely too fast.
“Whoa!”
He moved to intercept her, his momentum cancelling some of her own as he latched on to her.
Laughing, they hit the wall with less than the jarring impact she had experienced last time.
“Too fast,” he said.
She extricated herself from his arms, fingers tightening about a grab-hold.
“First time,” she replied.
His eyebrows rose. “Then you’re doing well. Let’s try it again.”
His strong hand took hers, and she allowed Owen to set the speed and power of the launch. Together they did the slow tumble and came out, feet ready to meet the wall.
“Excellent,” he told her, eyes on her flushed face. “Now, you try it alone.”
She did so, and ended up smiling triumphantly back at him across the distance. He applauded.
“Really your first time?” he asked.
“Really my first time,” she confirmed. She didn’t bother telling him that she had studied zero-g manoeuvres some years ago, practiced in a water environment, and had refreshed her knowledge during the past two days in anticipation of this meeting. She had all the theory, just none of the practice.
Forty minutes later, they launched for the exit. Gravity hit, bringing forth slight nausea, which she contained. They walked to the change rooms. She felt his gaze on her, and she turned to catch him, eyes not on her face.
Well, why not? He had attained nineteen years of age, and she hardly qualified as an old maid. Fit and trim, Sharon felt quite warmed by his look.
“Sorry,” he said, gulping as he realized she had caught him out.
“Nothing to apologize for,” she said, shrugging. “It’s been a while since a man looked at me like that. I find it flattering.”
His head went back. “I don’t believe it.”
“The uniform,” she said, as if it explained everything.
Owen pursed his lips, and then nodded. “Yeah, that makes a difference.”
Sharon wondered what that meant, coming from him. She had heard that the Families liked things quite informal.
After showering, they met back in the ready room, and dutifully signed ou
t.
“Enjoy yourself?” asked the supervisor, one Carl Tannon.
Sharon made herself smile. She caught a glimpse of the vid screen showing the training room. She hoped he hadn’t recorded the session to show around the station for laughs.
“Some times more than others,” she admitted ruefully.
“Yeah, I saw you get caught in the middle.”
Great. He had seen.
“Before my rescue came,” she said, indicating Owen, “I considered throwing a shoe; I’d run out of compressed air.”
He nodded. “That would have done it eventually. Or you could have tried swimming – you can manoeuvre in air, same as water, just not as efficiently.”
Owen nodded. “That won’t work in vacuum, though.”
Tannon agreed. “However, I would have intervened – even if you hadn’t called. Can’t have it getting around that I run a slack shop, allowing people to waste their time.”
Tannon didn’t seem at all interested in making fun of her.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to take you from your duties to come and rescue me,” she replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “Nothing to it, Major. I’d just give the room a touch of gravity for a second or two to get you started. I wouldn’t have to move more than a finger or two.”
Of course. Now she felt stupid.
“Next time, just call out.”
“I hope there won’t be a next time.”
Now he did laugh. “There’s always a next time – for everybody, no matter how experienced. Oh, and you can recharge your compressed-air gun at several points in the room.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember that for next time.”
As they walked out of the Zero-G Training Centre, Sharon thanked Owen once again.
“It was nothing,” he replied.
“Not to me, it wasn’t. How about I treat you to a quick drink before you head back to class?”
“Drink?” he turned and looked at her, puzzled.
“Orange juice,” she replied. “You need something before heading back to the boring stuff.”
He laughed. “You’re on. However, Detection School isn’t boring. I do find it challenging, but ...” His voice tailed off.
“But?” she asked, raising her eyebrows a little.
“Ahh, nothing.” He kept walking.
A quick feeling of triumph went through the major. Something bothered the boy, and if she could get him to confide in her, she would come that much closer to doing her job. For the moment, though, she said nothing, and they walked in to a small eatery.
“If we went to the Family Cafeteria, we wouldn’t have to pay,” Owen protested.
She smiled at him. “I know. However, Darcy’s here gives us a little more privacy.”
He looked at her, puzzled again, but she ignored that, and ordered them both an orange juice. Expensive. It cost bringing it up from Earth. She shrugged to herself; she would just put it on her expense account.
They sat down at a booth a few tables away from the nearest other patron.
“So, tell me the ‘but’,” Sharon said, after taking a sip of the juice. Good stuff.
Owen looked across the table at her, and she could tell that he knew just what she meant. His lips tightened.
“Or don’t,” she said, offhandedly, as if it meant nothing. She then waited, not looking directly at him, but off towards the door.
“I guess it’s no secret that we and the Paxtons don’t get along.”
She laughed. “No, no secret at all. What started that?”
He shrugged, and took a quick sip before replying. “Who knows? Happened before I was even born.”
He lied – at least a little. Everyone who listened – and Captain Grenville listened well – knew that the Paxtons resented the Yrdens for the hold they had on the leadership of the Families. Just how they kept that hold, on the other hand, no one outside the Families knew.
“Yeah,” Owen continued. “Anyway, there’s a Paxton in my class, and another one teaching it.”
“Ouch,” she said. “That’s rough. They making it hard on you?”
“Ms Paxton – Ms Veronica Paxton – well, she’s all business as far as class is concerned. But she asks me the hardest questions – I think she wants me to fail, or at least to embarrass myself.”
Sharon shook her head. “That’s not good.”
He brought up a tentative smile. “No, not good. But not too bad, either. I studied hard before coming here, and I’ve kept it up. She doesn’t get me very often.”
Sharon reached over and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. The contact brought his eyes up from the table to hers. She didn’t avoid his gaze, but gave his hand a second squeeze before releasing it.
“And the Paxton student?”
“Ah, yes, Ben.” He sighed. “Ben pushes me. I think he wants a fight – something to prove himself – and to prove his family superior to mine.”
“And you don’t want to fight,” she guessed.
He laughed. “Yes, yes I do. I’d love to put a fist to his nose.”
“But?”
Owen laughed again. “But my father would ... uh ... not look kindly on my doing that. It also might get me kicked out of the school.” He looked down a moment, then up again. “And I think I would lose the fight. My father wouldn’t like that, either.”
“He’s bigger than you?”
“A little. But that’s not it. He brags about his training.” The boy shrugged. “I’ve had a little, too, but we’re expected to not get into trouble in the first place.”
Sharon laughed. “That’s not always possible. I know.”
He looked up at her, a question in his eyes.
“So, yes, I’ve taken my fair share of bumps and bruises.” Her voice lost the laugh. “And then I made sure that it wouldn’t happen again – at least not where I didn’t give as good as I got.”
Interest.
“You took self-defence?” Not really a question, though he had asked it as such.
“Not really,” she replied. “I took self-offence. And that happened before I joined Space Force, and received proper training.”
He blinked, unsure of what she meant. “Self-offence?”
“If I think someone wants to do me harm, I don’t wait to defend myself; I attack. The Forces appreciate aggressiveness in their officers. I haven’t let anyone push me around – not after the first.”
The Yrden boy looked at her, envy showing in his face. Yes, that might work out well.
“I practice every day ... when I can. I booked a training room first day I arrived on station. Occasionally, Captain Grenville joins me, but most often I have the room to myself.”
She could see the longing growing, but he said nothing.
“I wouldn’t mind a partner. Some things you just can’t do by yourself.” She looked at her wristwatch, and stood. “I have to go.” She paused a moment. “Training Room #7. You should be able to find a schedule.”
Sharon swallowed the last of her juice. “See you around.”
And she walked out, leaving him sitting, contemplating. Without a doubt, she would soon find herself with a partner. She’d have to remember to tell Grenville that they would have to go elsewhere for their little sessions. She couldn’t have Owen show up to find the captain there with her.
* * *
Paris, France
Friday 23 July
Kiera waited in the room with rising anxiety. She didn’t know just what had occasioned the trip, but Sidney’s talk of vacation had become suspect. He had brought them right to Pierre Fontaine’s doorstep – no need of that if he merely wanted a weekend away from home. And he had gone out of his way to contact Pierre. Further, he had basically told her that he intended to offer her ‘services’ to the Frenchman again, as if he could just use her as a credit chip whenever he wanted.
She had to leave him. He didn’t value her as a person, only as a thing. Better to go back to waiting tables. At least there she k
new she had worth – even if those who saw that tended to underpay and cheat her out of it. She started pacing the floor.
One of her shoes went flying across the room as she kicked it. She winced. That had hurt! The mirror showed a worried woman. The thought of going back to her old job gave her a hollow feeling in her stomach. But, if she didn’t respect herself, what did it matter how high she lived?
Her eyes in the mirror told her that she had already made the decision – her conscious mind just hadn’t received the information yet.
“If he offers me to Pierre, it’s over,” she told her reflection. And, in that moment, she felt lighter, more confident, finally sure of herself.
Kiera put on her shoes. She no longer felt the need to pace. Instead, she stood at the window, and looked out at the street below. She saw someone looking up, perhaps envious.
“You wouldn’t want to change places,” she said quietly.
The door opened.
“We’re here,” came Sidney’s voice. “Ready to go?”
Kiera dredged up a smile. “Ready, Sidney.”
She sat next to Sidney at the table, with Pierre sitting across from her. The two men made only light, casual conversation, but she caught Pierre’s eyes on her more than once. Had he decided to accept Sidney’s offer this time? Had he regretted his more generous action during her past visit?
“Kiera,” Sidney said, as they finished dessert, “I received word that I have to return to London immediately. Some sort of emergency in the company.” He gave her the look that told her he wanted total compliance without argument.
He continued, “It seems a shame to cut your trip short when I’ll need to work long hours. Consider staying. Pierre says that he can show you the city.”
Inside, she died a little. Now. She needed to do it now. She took a deep breath, glanced across the table, and opened her mouth to speak.
Pierre gave a quick shake of his head. “I would be honoured to show you the sights, Ms West.”
The look in his eyes as he said that appeared a warning. She hesitated. The break-up could wait a day or two. Besides, back in London, she’d have the opportunity to pack her things and get them out of the flat. If she broke up with Sidney here, he might deny her access.
Not With A Whimper: Preservers Page 17