Not With A Whimper: Preservers

by D. A. Boulter

  CHAPTER 19

  FTL-1

  Friday 06 August

  The scrambled comm pretty much guaranteed their privacy. But Major Temple had less faith in such than did General Wingrove, who asked his questions directly, seemingly without care for security. It bothered her. Still, as she operated openly, his queries would have little of the confidential and classified about them.

  “Yes, sir,” she replied, “I’ve conducted my investigation as thoroughly as possible, given that none of the Families seem at all interested in having me aboard their ships – the Yrdens least of all.”

  His eyes seemed to sharpen. “And have you come to any conclusion as to their reasons?”

  She pondered that a moment. “They seem out of ordinary busy, sir. However, a quick visit wouldn’t put them out much. Personally, I believe their statement that they know nothing other than what they gleaned from the buoy. From their perspective, my presence on their ship can only be taken as an intrusion – and I feel that if I press the matter too hard, they’ll begin to suspect that I have other motives.”

  Did she see a quick tic under one of his eyes? She braced herself, and then asked the question she had begun to wonder about. “Have I other motives, sir?”

  His eyes snapped to that part of the screen that would have shown her own. She had scored. Whether that would turn out to be a good thing or not, she supposed she would discover in good time.

  The general relaxed a little. “Very good, Major. Very good, indeed. Yes, you have other motives. We don’t care about this particular incident. As you say, we have the recording they downloaded from the buoy – and one of our patrol ships has returned from Earth - AN 2 and confirms they have turned over the entirety of it.”

  And that had probably occurred before she had even received orders to report to FTL-1.

  “It might help our purposes if I knew what you want me to look for,” she suggested.

  Wingrove laughed, a short, sharp bark. “Yes, I guess it might. But if you continue your mission as I outlined it, you’ll do fine.”

  As he’d outlined it. That meant getting close to, and perhaps co-opting, Johannes Yrden – seducing him if necessary.

  “Mr Yrden has taken a general dislike to me, my presence, and my questions, sir.”

  The general’s lips tightened. “We sent you up to do a job. If you’re telling me you can’t do it...”

  She bit her lip to stop herself from telling him that if he needed a prostitute, he could find plenty down there to send up. “Sir, I feel that this dislike has a lot more to do with the uniform I wear than the person who wears it. Has he a reason to dislike us?”

  Wingrove looked away momentarily, and then glared at the lens, his eyes burning into hers. “That’s what we want you to find out. That, and what purpose their sudden buying surge serves. If you can’t get close to the Families, you’re of no use to us. You can come home, and we’ll give them more of what they have coming.”

  Her question had touched a sore spot. His suggestion that she should return to Earth hit an equally tender place in her. “Johannes Yrden may have separated from his wife, but he’s closeted away with an academic researching the Families for historical purposes.”

  How much of the truth to tell? She wondered. She certainly didn’t want to go back down to a dead-end job back on Earth.

  “I’m getting the feeling that he’s spending an inordinate amount of time with her. Should I try to get between them, he might react very negatively.”

  “So,” Wingrove sneered, “you’re worse than useless to us.”

  “Not so. I’m now working out with four young Family members – from four different Families – including Owen Yrden, the son of Johannes.”

  Temple saw his eyes widen and a smile come to his face. Better to talk it up a bit.

  “And young Yrden has taken a particular shine to me. I’m keeping it friendly at the moment, but I suspect he wants more.”

  The smile widened. “Give the boy what he wants, Major Temple, whatever he wants. Then pick his brain. Worm your way into that Family.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Whatever he wants? Make a whore of her, and then call her back to Earth expecting that, suitably softened up, she’d put up less of a fight when he offered some prize for sharing his own bed? She could see the progression of thoughts scroll across his face almost as if he spoke them aloud.

  “Anything else, sir?” She tasted something bitter on her tongue, as if he’d forced her to drink something vile.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact. I have additional duties for you. Space Force is in negotiations with Matt Yrden, Family Head and League President. We’re going to have a permanent presence on FTL-1. A much larger presence.”

  She blinked. If true, then why go after Johannes?

  “Obviously, civilians don’t have the security arrangements that we require for our bases. I want you to do a study of them so we’ll know what we need to upgrade.”

  That didn’t seem too difficult. “I’ll get on to Bill Tannon, sir.”

  His face hardened. “You will do no such thing. Our negotiations are with the Yrdens. Their agreement will trump any disagreements from other Families. However, we don’t have their agreement yet, and we expect some Families, including the Tannons, to oppose it. If they have advance warning, they might be able to scuttle the agreement before it gets made.”

  That sounded just wrong. All her studies showed the FTL to value consensus. Even if the Yrden Family had greater influence than any other, they didn’t rule by fiat.

  “So, you wish this done quietly.”

  Wingrove smiled his ingratiating smile, the one that repelled her. “Precisely. Once we have the agreement in hand, we’ll want to upgrade defences at once. As you’ve no doubt seen from commercial news as well as our own briefing sheets, tensions down here continue to mount. An incursion by forces of one of the other governments – the Europeans, for instance – would not surprise me. We’ll want to prevent any such possibility.

  “To that end, Space Force plans to send up a second team – security experts. Ostensibly, they’ll replace your team, who are due to transfer to Topside-2. Unfortunately, Topside-2 will experience some difficulty, thus preventing that transfer.”

  Her eyebrows went up, despite her orders to them to not do so. “And how long will that difficulty be manifest?”

  “Until we don’t need it any longer; until we sign with the Families. Just ensure that the Families don’t take grave exception, and kick them off.”

  And how would she accomplish that? “I can authorize greater than usual rental fees?”

  “Whatever it takes, Major, whatever it takes. I’ll back you one hundred percent. Do your job well, and you’ll get awarded appropriately.”

  Just what she needed: a reward from General Wingrove. She could just imagine what he’d consider appropriate.

  “I’ll see to it. And I’ll get to work on Owen Yrden.”

  Her jaw clenched at the smirk he sent her way. She recognized his wave as a dismissal to duties.

  “Major Temple out,” she said, and disconnected.

  Ensuring that transmission had indeed ended, she glared at the lens. “You slimy, pathetic bastard!”

  Only then did she begin to wonder why they needed another team on FTL-1. The Europeans and other governments used the Families’ faster ships for better control of their colonies. To actually attack FTL-1 – even if such an attack were limited to espionage or sabotage of Space Force assets – would place them in a perilous position vis-à-vis the Family Trading League.

  Something else bothered her. Wingrove had suggested that the Families had something ‘coming to them’. Not only that, but he’d slipped up when he said ‘more of what they had coming’. What had they ‘given’ the Families already, and did that explain why no one wanted to talk to her? Other than Owen, of course.

  Thinking of him, she glanced at the chrono. She had ‘class’ with the four Family members first thing next
morning, and it grew late. She began to consider just what she would teach, then gave it up for the moment. She felt dirty, and needed a shower – and she would take just that before considering anything else.

  * * *

  Saturday 07 August

  Sharon Temple glanced at the chrono. Her four ‘students’ should have arrived by now, yet the room remained empty but for her. After her boasts to General Wingrove of the day before, a no-show wouldn’t go down well.

  Taking a deep breath, she commenced her stretching exercises, hoping the youngsters would show up.

  The door to a changerooms opened, and she breathed a sigh of relief. But only Owen Yrden stepped out and came forward to meet her.

  She put on her best smile. “Good morning, Owen. Good to see you.”

  He smiled tentatively. “Good morning.”

  “Where are the others?” Best to get that out of the way first.

  “Warned off, Sharon.”

  Well, at least he didn’t call her ‘Major Temple’. But that other sounded worrisome. What reason would they – whoever they were – have to warn off the others? She asked.

  “Family Heads or the highest representatives on station,” Owen replied. “And they didn’t tell me their reasons – didn’t tell the others, either.”

  Well, that sounded less than good. She stretched down, and touched the floor between her feet, wondering if Johannes Yrden had given similar instructions to Owen. And how would she go about asking that? As it turned out, she didn’t have to.

  “Dad warned me off, too, but I make my own decisions.”

  She straightened up, put her hands on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “I’m glad you decided for me.”

  A smile came to his face. “I’m glad, too.”

  She held his gaze just a moment longer, then dropped her arms. “Better do your stretches; we’ll talk about this later ... if you want to.”

  Apparently, he wanted to. After forty minutes of intense work, with her showing him two different throws, and them throwing each other around the mats, he called a halt. Temple walked with him over to the cool-down room, where they sat at the table and opened their water bottles.

  After quenching her thirst, she looked across the table at him. “Well?”

  “Dad doesn’t like me working with you.”

  She nodded. “But you’re your own man and decided differently. Thank you. However, the talk seems to have worked for the others – and that leaves just you and me again.”

  She took a brief moment while they both took another swig of water to consider how to approach this. Then she had it.

  “If I’ve done something to offend, I apologize. If I hurt one of the others,” she hadn’t, “then please convey how sorry I am.”

  He rushed to defend her, as she knew he would.

  “No, no, it’s nothing like that. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

  And that would put him firmly on her side. She put on a puzzled expression. “If I’ve done nothing wrong, then what is it? How have I offended?”

  Owen pressed his lips together. He looked her in the eyes, as if searching for something. He must have found it, for he took a deep breath.

  “Dad says you’re two different people.”

  She raised her eyebrows. Owen hurried on.

  “He says you’re both Sharon – my friend – and also Major Temple of the USNA. I know it’s ridiculous.” He threw up his hands in defeat.

  It must have taken something to stand up to his father – his being here proved that he’d done so – and yet, he obviously looked up to the man.

  “Your father is correct. I am two people – your friend, and a major of the USNA.” She smiled at his relief and puzzlement. “And you are two people, too, Owen. You are my friend, and you are also an Yrden Family member.”

  “What?”

  She grinned at him. “Not so hard to understand. Suppose I were walking along the concourse and someone – let’s make him an otherhire from Earth who works in Sanitation – attacked me. Would you help me?”

  He looked at her, askance. “Of course, I would.”

  She gave him a tender smile. “Of course you would. I have no doubt of that.” She held up her hand to stop his next comment. “Now, suppose a relative of yours from Venture got into an argument with me, which degenerated into a fight. Now, would you help me or would you help this other Yrden?”

  Owen blinked rapidly. His gaze caught hers, then he looked away. “I, uh, I suppose it would depend on what started it – what you fought over.”

  Now to stop his anxiety at having betrayed – in hypothetical circumstances – a friend.

  “Of course, it would. You owe me something as a friend, just as I owe you something as a friend. However, you also owe that other Yrden something as a shipmate and as a Family member. If I saw you trying to sabotage a USNA shuttle, I’m afraid that Major Temple wouldn’t protect you, even though your Sharon would want to.” She gave a little laugh, “And if you caught me trying to sabotage an Yrden shuttle, Owen might want to protect his friend, but duty would force Mr Yrden to do otherwise. So, Owen, you see that your father made no error. Yet, despite his doubts about Major Temple, he only warned you off, he didn’t forbid you from coming to see Sharon, did he?”

  “No,” Owen admitted, “he didn’t.”

  “I think that’s pretty fair-minded of him, don’t you?”

  She could almost see the relief pour over him. It must have caused him a lot of inner turmoil, taking sides as he had. And, as she had won, it wouldn’t hurt to give Johannes his due; it would help, in fact.

  “Yeah, I guess so. He’s not a bad person, really.”

  She laughed. “You get no argument from me.”

  “But he said something else that I don’t understand.”

  Sharon raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. However, he just sat there, saying nothing. She needed to press him.

  “What did he say?”

  “He said we weren’t friends.”

  “You and I?”

  “No, Major Temple, as representing the USNA, and us representing the Families.”

  Controlling her features, she deliberately softened her face into a closed-mouth smile. She said softly, “And he’s right, there, too, Owen. We aren’t. We more closely resemble business associates. The Families, in part, pay us to patrol the space lanes and protect trade.”

  Owen’s face cleared, but Sharon knew that Johannes Yrden hadn’t meant that at all. She gazed up to the wall opposite, and wondered exactly what he had meant. Bringing herself back to the present, she opened her mouth to say something else reassuring, but had to smile.

  Owen’s gaze had gone down from her face to where her sweat-soaked workout shirt showed the outline of her breasts plainly. And her nipples pushed out as the sweat evaporated, and cooled them.

  Suddenly aware that she had caught him, he flushed, and looked down at the tabletop. And that gave her another opening.

  “Hey, Owen.” She waited until his eyes rose to meet her gaze. “We’re friends, and they are just breasts. Look all you want.” She hefted them with her hands, making them bounce a little, and laughed.

  “You don’t mind?”

  She laughed again, and reached out to take his hand. “Why should I mind? I’m flattered.”

  He glanced down again. “They’re nice.”

  “Why, thank you.” She grinned at him. “However, I have to let you know that I had nothing to do with how they look. They came, issued with the body.”

  Feeling somewhat braver, what with her casual acceptance of him, he ventured a little further.

  “It is a nice body.”

  She gave her head a quick side-tilt. “I think so. Never really complained. And you have a nice body, too.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” She looked at the chrono on the wall. “And that nice body should take a shower while there’s still time before your first Saturday class.”

  H
is eyes went wide as he noted the time. They stood and walked to the changerooms together. He looked down again.

  “They really are nice.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud,” she said, taking his hands in her own, “why not just do what we both know you want to do?” She lifted his hands, and placed one on each breast. “And that’s what they feel like,” she said, dropping her own. “Just flesh.”

  He stared into her eyes, wonderingly. She smiled at him. “Just flesh,” she repeated. “Now, give them one more squeeze, and then go take your shower. I need to take one, too, before Major Temple takes over and kicks Sharon’s ass for not getting to work on time.”

  CHAPTER 20

  FTL-1

  Tuesday 10 August

  Bill Tannon sounded far from happy as Major Temple made her pitch.

  “They had orders to go to Topside Two, sir,” she said. “We had them all packed and ready to leave when we got the word that Topside Two has accommodation problems. Something about the air circulatory system pumping in poisonous fumes to a whole bank of rooms.”

  Tannon shook his head. “Then send them back down to Earth on the shuttle.”

  She tried her best disarming smile. “Sir, you know the cost of bringing a shuttle with ten passengers up into orbit. We’d much rather just pay rent here until we can shift the crew elsewhere.”

  “Rent is it? FTL-1 is not a hotel.” He frowned. “And people consume supplies ... and air.”

  “Which we will be more than happy to pay for and/or replace.”

  Tannon sat behind his desk, and rubbed his head with one hand. She remained standing, nearly at attention, but not quite. Civilians didn’t seem to appreciate it the way the Forces did.

  He glared up at her. “We’ll give you one week, no more. After that, you’ll have to find somewhere else to stash them if Topside Two hasn’t fixed their problem.”

  Temple bowed her head in acknowledgment of the boon. “More than generous, sir.”

  Tannon turned to his screen, studied it for a minute, and then told her, “Transient Rooms TQ7 through TQ16. I’ll call Stella up and let her know. She’ll have keys for you by the time you get your people there.”