“What do you want?” she asked, staring up at the huge Berellian.
“You’re about to leave the ship,” Radif replied.
“So?”
Radif didn’t say anything.
“Im going to see the governor.”
Radif looked at her.
“Fine.” Aurelia spun on her heel, marching down the corridor, her boots echoing against the metal. She could hear Radif’s heavy tread right behind her.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, Aurelia felt dismayed. Davis’s main docking area was crammed to capacity with people. There had to be several thousand Jidalians and who knew how many others, all refugees from the planet.
The air was stifling and difficult to breathe as Aurelia tried to push her way through the crowd. In a moment, she found a path opening before her and realized people were seeing Radif first and moving out of the way.
At least he’s good for something, she thought.
They had to wait several minutes for the express elevator. Aurelia stood drumming her fingers on her arm, the noise pressure from thousands of voices talking at once pounding pain into her head.
The Phoenix had to have taken off by now, she worried.
The elevator door slid open and Aurelia found herself pushed back against Radif’s furry arm as it emptied. He pushed her forward and into the car at last.
Aurelia slipped into the five point harness while Radif crossed his arms across his chest and stood stockstill in the middle, facing the rear wall. He barely swayed as the car went swooshing toward the governor’s wing.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Aurelia reopened them to look at the Berellian. “Shouldn’t you be on the planet doing something?” she asked.
“Like what?”
Aurelia shrugged.
“It’s dangerous to go back now. I couldn’t stop the fighting anyway.”
Aurelia closed her eyes again.
“I think your sending the Phoenix down was the only choice you had.”
Aurelia opened one eye to look at him. His face was impassive as always. She wasn’t quite sure how to take that.
Radif turned to face the door. “I hope my people have gotten out.”
Nothing more was said.
The elevator slowed, stopped and opened on another scene of chaos. the clerks were cleaning out desks,pulling items off walls, stacking up boxes. It appeared they were doing a data dump from the computers as well.
Aurelia stopped a heavy-set woman with short gray hair who was huffing as if she had just run a marathon.
“Where’s the governor?”
The woman caught at a breath, “In his office. But you can’t go in there.” She tried to snatch at Aurelia’s sleeve but missed as Aurelia shoved past.
Governor Arnott was frantically pulling things out of desk drawers, his face flushed and hair askew. He looked up like a kid caught with the cookie jar as Aurelia and Radif walked in.
“What the hell is going on?” Aurelia demanded.
“We’re leaving,” Arnott said.
“Excuse me?”
“Who’s your friend?”
“Never mind him. Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m moving the station.”
“Like hell!”
“I can disconnect the main docking section. It’s perfectly capable of jumping to hyperspace.”
“You’re not moving this station.”
Arnott slammed the desk drawer shut. “Oh, yes, I am.”
“You’ll never work for GEM Co. again.”
“I think I will.”
“You’re not leaving until every last soul down there is safe.”
“They’ll have to look after themselves.”
Rage propelled Aurelia across the room. She saw Arnott’s eyes widen, saw him tumble over his chair, felt her palms hit the smooth mahogany desk.
It turned over and hit the floor with bone-shaking vibrations. The corner splintered, flying off to leave a deep scratch in the wall.
She would have had her hands on Arnott’s neck but she suddenly couldn’t move with Radif’s arm around her. He lifted her off her feet and pulled her back.
“Let go of me!” Aurelia struggled against his brute strength.
“Trying to prove you’re capable of murder?” Radif set her down and raised both bushy eyebrows at her.
“You saw her!” Arnott shook his finger at them, trying to put his hair in place, his lips visibly trembling. “She tried to kill me.”
Aurelia caught her breath. “You’re not worth the effort, colo-bate.”
Straightening his clothes, Arnott walked around his overturned desk, the long way, with Radif between him and Aurelia. “We’re still leaving.”
“Not with my ship you’re not,” Aurelia warned.
“If it’s still docked in one hour, it goes.” Arnott had the last word as he walked out.
Aurelia slumped against the arm of the couch, seething with frustration. She rubbed her palms. They both had a band of red where they had hit the desk. She sat up.
“Dammit. I forgot to call Jak back.” She pulled out her comm-link. “Jak, where are you?”
“In a dirty, smelly basement,” Jak replied, sounding as tired as Aurelia felt.
“The Phoenix is picking everyone up at Linden Court. Cna you make it there?”
“I’m not sure. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be okay.”
“I am worried. Why did you want a secure link?”
“Keller gave me a lot of information. Althan Tahk sabotaged the Pasteur.”
“Figured.”
“What?”
“Never mind. Go on,” Aurelia shook her head.
Jak continued, “He said there’s some kind of conspiracy within GEM Co. Said to ask Rekhaan about Operation East India.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fine,” Aurelia sighed. “Just try to get to Linden, okay?”
“All right.” Jak signed off.
Aurelia looked up at Radif. “Let’s go, jailer.”
Back in the main docking section, there were definite signs that Arnott was moving the station. It was even more crowded and GEM Co. employees were sealing hatches.
Aurelia started to run as fast as her leg and the crowd would let her. Racing down the connecting corridor, she boarded the Pasteur and headed for engineering. Radif disappeared the moment they stepped on board.
“Chief!” Aurelia yelled.
Rekhaan looked up from the computer monitor he was bending over. His chin was rough with stubble and the skin around his eyes was darker. “What is it?” he asked.
“You’ve got less than an hour to get us up and running. Arnott is moving the station.”
Everyone within earshot grew silent. The chief looked stunned. “He cannot do that.”
“Well he is. And what do you know about Operation East India?”
Frowning, Rekhaan repeated, “Operation East India?”
“Yes. What is it?”
“I have no idea.”
Aurelia snapped her fingers at him. “Well think! East India.”
Lifting both shoulders, Rekhaan shook his head, “It is a direction. The Punjab perhaps?”
“Is something going on there?”
“Such as?”
“I don’t know. A conspiracy. A code word for something to do with GEM Co. Think.”
“Unless...”
“What?”
“But that has no significance now.”
Aurelia gritted her teeth. “Just say it.”
“There was a British East India Company hundreds of years ago. I studied it in college. But what would that...”
“A company? Like GEM Co. is a company?”
“Yes. It traded in spices, silk, other goods like that.”
“Anything else?”
“Ruled India.”
“Ruled...I don’t like the
sound of that.”
Aurelia’s comm-link beeped. It was Daan, their navigator. Rekhaan had picked him to head the crew on the Phoenix.
“Doc, we’re just about to head back.” Daan was shouting above the background noise.
“Is everyone on board?” Aurelia asked.
“Uh, that’s negative. But, Doc, I don’t think we can wait much longer.”
“Who’s missing?”
“The four medical students.”
Chapter Thirty Seven
Bridget snapped her comm link back on her belt in frustration. Her call had been answered once, put on hold then disconnected. Standing to her feet, she stretched widely and felt her back crack in several places.
“What kind of stupid nidge builds a building with one door and no windows?” she wondered aloud.
“I wonder how much air we have left,” said Fredrichs, looking glumly up at her from his seat on the box he had brought with him.
“Oh, it’s not airtight,” Bridget retorted. She didn’t want to think about that possibility. She looked around the warehouse. Torp and Miguel were wandering around searching for a way out again. Steve was trying to call the Pasteur. His face looked flushed but he didn’t seem to be getting any sicker. Hopefully, it was nothing serious. She glanced back at Fredrichs. “What’s in that box anyway?” she asked.
Fredrichs stared at her for a minute then shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter now,” he said and jerked his thumb in Steve’s direction. “He already knows. It’s my new hyperspace drive.”
“It’s too small.”
“That’s the point. It’s smaller, more efficient and doesn’t create Hanson’s spatial anomaly.”
“And what does that mean?”
“You can use it within a gravity well. It means you could go from Earth to Mars in about ten minutes. You won’t have to buckle down for the jump to hyperspace, you won’t even feel it.” Fredrichs’s rolls of fat were beginning to quiver he was so animated.
Torp and Miguel had finished their circuit of the area and had wandered back. Torp stood looking down at Fredrichs’s box. “If that thing really works, “ he said. “you’ll make an unbelievable amount of money.”
Miguel broke in, “I would think there would be a lot of accidents. I mean you pop out of h space within 100 detels of Earth and you’re going to hit somebody.”
“The navi comps would take care of that,” Torp argued.
Bridget joined in though she really had no idea what they were talking about,” You could have Kartillions showing up on your doorstep.”
“I wouldn’t sell it to them,” Fredrichs protested.
Torp laughed. “The minute you sell it to anybody the whole galaxy will have it.”
Any further conversation was interrupted by the sound of Steve retching. Bridget glanced at Miguel. His face had gone pale.
Torp had already reached Steve’s side and was bending over him with his scanner. Its shrill warning signal bounced around the warehouse. Torp fumbled to turn it off.
Miguel clutched Bridget’s arm. “My scanner only showed elevated temperature, “ he whispered.
Bridget shrugged helplessly. “What is it, Torp?”
If it were possible for a Raman to turn white, Torp would have been a ghost. “Phinotheria.”
“Oh, shit,” Steve moaned.
“Are you sure?” Miguel demanded.
“Why didn’t you get your booster shots?” Bridget’s voice rose almost to a wail.
“Of course I’m sure,” Torp snapped, rising to his feet.
Steve stared up at Bridget. He was breathing rapidly while tendrils of spit and vomit dripped from his mouth. “How did you know that?” he gasped out.
“Well it’s obvious,” Bridget replied, trying not to implicate Miguel.
“I’m allergic...” Steve broke off to heave again.
“This is Aurelia calling all medical students. Respond now.” The chief surgeon’s voice suddenly boomed over all four of their comm links.
Bridget never thought she would be so glad to hear that voice. She was the first one to react fast enough to answer the call. “Bridget O’Connor here, Doctor.”
“Where are you? And where are Martinez, Miller and Nevad?”
“They’re here with me. We’re trapped in some kind of warehouse with no way out.”
“Where in the city are you?”
Bridget looked at Torp and Miguel who had crowded around her. They both looked blank. “We’re not sure.”
“We can’t be that far from the vaccination site,” Torp added.
“Never mind. Just leave your link open. I’m coming after you.”
Miguel spoke up, “You better bring an eight-seater. We have an extra person.”
“Who’s that?”
“His name is Peter Fredrichs. I think he works with Steve Miller’s dad.”
“And Steve’s got phinotheria,” Bridget blurted.
Static from the link filled the room. Then, “Stay put. Aurelia out.”
Bridget looked around at the others. Relief showed on their faces.
Fredrichs moaned loud enough to create an echo. “I feel sick too.”
Bridget could have cried.
***
Aurelia felt the blood pounding through her body. Just for fun she checked her pressure with the scanner: 145 over 110.
“Where are you getting a shuttle?” Rekhaan asked.
“I have an idea.” Aurelia jabbed her finger at the crew chief. “You just better have this ship disconnected from the station and those bay doors open by the time I get back.”
***
Millie eased the top half of her bed down to sleeping position. She had just had a steady stream of visitors until Dr. L’Ruh had ordered them all out. It was gratifying to know her shipmates were so concerned about her, but Millie was exhausted. She closed her eyes.
She still couldn’t sleep.
Opening her eyes again, she started counting the little dots in the design of the ceiling plates. Her mind was still trying to grasp the concept that the Sclarians and Kaprinians were fighting each other. It seemed to have happened so fast and make no sense at all. Would Earth enter the conflict? The galaxy could get real nasty real fast if that happened. They had managed to stay out of most fights so far but Kaprine was a major ally.
The three-toned chime sounded.
“Come in,” Millie called.
Neil Sanders grinned at her over an armful of red ferns. “I stole these from the lounge,” he announced. “Couldn’t find any flowers.”
Millie laughed. “LRuh will kill you. Those are her babies.”
He eyed the plants dolefully. “Think I can replant them?”
“Looks like you just pulled the tops off,” she laughed again. “Never mind. They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
He stuffed the leaves into the pitcher of water on the sink then leaned over her bed to kiss her forehead. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired and swollen.”
“But still a knockout.”
“Now I remember. You’re part Irish, aren’t you?” She studied his face as he chuckled. “You seem different than I remember, Neil. I want to say more confident but you were always confident.”
“Maybe it’s because I finally know what I want.” His fingers were gentle against her cheek.
Her head began to buzz as she stared into those wonderful blue eyes. If only she wasn’t so tired...
“Go to sleep, Mil. You’ll feel much better when you wake up.”
She felt the slight pressure of his lips on hers then nothing.
***
Radif had disappeared as soon as they had boarded the Pasteur. Aurelia hurried through the connecting corridor without being stopped by the Berellian. Heart pounding, she maneuvered through the crowd in the docking section and down a little-used corridor that ended in an airlock.
Getting lucky, she thought, seeing no one around.
Her instincts were paying off. Since Arnott was moving the whole station, he wasn’t worried about his personal shuttle.
She walked over to the control panel. Now if the little weasel hadn’t illegally changed the controls, her name, number and the code for a medical emergency would give her access.
The airlock swung open, the cabin lights came on and Aurelia scrambled inside, breathing a sigh of relief.Scratching at the skin around the cuff, Aurelia slid into the pilot’s seat. Never should have let him put it on me, she thought scratching furiously. She should have bitten him, kicked, anything. Then it struck her. The tingling sensation meant the damn thing was signaling Radif. Her guess was confirmed a few minutes later when the huge black Berellian’s face appeared in the hatchway.
His voice made her jump despite her effort at control. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, with his furry eyebrows pulled into an unbroken line.
Aurelia kept her eyes on the control panel of the shuttle. “I know I’m going down to the surface.”
“Not a safe thing to do.”
She looked him in the eye. “I have people down there. I have sick people down there. If you’re not out of that doorway by the time I start these engines, I’ll blow you into space.”
For answer Radif gripped the top edge of the hatchway, pulling himself into the shuttle.
“You can’t come,” Aurelia protested, “there’s no room.”
Radif stuffed himself into the co-pilot’s seat to her left. He had to keep his head bent to avoid the roof.
“Either I come along or you stay.”
Aurelia doubted she could budge the Berellian. He had to weigh at least 600 pounds, all of it muscle. She turned around and began preparing for take-off without another word.
A slight hiss as the hatch sealed itself shut then the green light on the dash flashed go. Aurelia put on a headset to call the Pasteur’s control room. “This is Shuttle Ace. Patch in the comm link signal. And keep this channel open, I may need you.”
“Doc?”
Aurelia wasn’t sure who belonged to the voice on the other end but he sounded confused.
“What shuttle are you on? And where are you?”
Shadows In Still Water Page 23