“So, did Manager Lavong work for the crew or the pharma?” asked Pico, brushing flakes of croissant off the front of Sojaire’s shirt. He thumbed a smear of jam off her cheek, then gently pulled her off the arm of the chair and willingly back into his lap.
“Crew, I’ll bet,” said Andra. “He had the expertise, and months to install the tech suppressor network, under the cover of the security upgrades.” A thought struck her, and she looked to Mairwen. “What did your security assessment say? Did you send it?”
“Yes. It said the labs had noticeably higher security than their value warranted.”
Andra snorted. Knowing the university, they’d assume it was high praise. Until the floater war, they’d probably been planning to give Lavong a commendation. “Romila, a chemistry professor who’s also a friend, and a data finder, said Lavong had been trying to get transferred to the Human Medical Department labs for years, and blamed the regents for blocking him. From what I saw, he was a vindictive bully, so maybe he thought it served the university right.” She shrugged. “Or maybe he just liked money.”
Jerzi nudged her knee with his. “Have you heard from Romila yet?”
Andra nodded. “Her townhouse got damaged by the same type of explosive micro-array that took out my apartment. She was across town at a party. It spooked her, so she burned flux to the other side of the planet, where some friends have a mountain resort, and holed up. She says by the time she got to thinking she should warn me, the floater war story was already trending.”
“Hmph,” said Jerzi quietly. She agreed, and yet didn’t, because civilians couldn’t be expected to act like a gunnin.
Luka pointed to the percomps. “The news says both short-axis floater anchors were sabotaged, but the north side went first. That’s a drastic way to protect your laboratory investment, so I like Andra’s theory. Hurting the university was justice. Money was his reward. What did the police ask you about him?”
“Nothing,” said Jerzi. “I overheard one of the military interrogators ask for a media blackout, and mention the Griens.”
Luka smiled sardonically. “That’s because they gave an exclusive interview to Zhàomíng Lùjìng, the planet’s top news outlet, and described how Lavong kidnapped them because they tried to stop him from taking the emergency evacuation boat from the dock, and that a stray crew bullet killed him. The interviewer made a point to ask where the military was while these poor students were being terrorized in their school.”
Andra sat up. “Majeed said the new fifth-floor lab in the Chem building, or what’s left of it, had a hidden security room, which was the origin of the explosion that took off the top of the building. She asked if I thought Lavong knew about it. I ducked the question, because I didn’t want any questions about his death, but I think the crew had secret working comms during the tech blackout, or they’d have never been able to avoid the mercs when they were hauling out their investments. Lavong would have enjoyed orchestrating the crew’s activities from his spider hole.”
“Mr. Foxe, why do you think the CPS is involved?” asked Pico.
“Call me Luka. The man you stopped in the Math building’s atrium all but admitted he was a CPS contractor. I still don’t know his name.” A troubled expression settled on his face, and he looked at Mairwen. She nodded so slightly that Andra almost missed it.
“The CPS protects pharmas they do business with, so when Medithera complained about the blackmarket clones undercutting their market, the CPS looked into the problem. It turns out Medithera has a subsidiary here on Nila Marbela that manufactures enhancement drug ‘overdose antidotes’ and sells them to anyone, not just the CPS. I think the CPS saw the opportunity to both help their partner and punish it, so they had their killer arrange ‘accidents’ for the crew chief and the pharma rep. I think a covert CPS unit had a prolific serial killer on a leash, and used him to do their dirty work. I doubt they expected it would start a war.”
“But why was he chasing you? He knew your name. He knew who Sojaire was.” Her hold tightened convulsively on Sojaire.
Luka slid his fingers through Mairwen’s. “We’ve been tracking him for the last four planets. I don’t know how the covert units are organized, or how much autonomy their contractors have, but I think the killer knew we were closing in, and saw the war as the opportunity to rid himself of us. He tried something new this trip, and hadn’t perfected his technique.”
Pico looked puzzled, until Sojaire said, “Valenia.”
Her expression turned thunderous. “I already wasn’t sorry to have hurt him, but now I hope each and every one of his molecules eats hot death.”
Andra had the flash of an idea, and was too tired to lead the others to it gently. “You need to distract the CPS, or they’ll be looking where you don’t want them to.”
That got their attention. “Me, I’m just a simple gunnin,” she said, ignoring Jerzi’s soft snort, “but the rest of you have secrets. So does the CPS, in this case.” She looked at Luka. “Individually, they could destroy you, so you need allies. Connect the dots for your rich client on how the killer of their relative was protected by ‘someone in the CPS.’” She made air quotes around the phrase. “Tell them your hands are tied. Even better, do the same with any other rich or powerful families who lost someone to him.”
“But he’s dead,” said Sojaire.
Andra shook her head. “We can hope, but there’s no corpse to point to. That ought to be enough to shine some spotlights on a dark corner or two. If the CPS does anything to Foxe Investigations, it will confirm the suspicions of motivated people with money. The CPS is big and powerful, but they have the same public relations problem as the university. They fucked up, and will be willing to make certain sacrifices so they don’t have to admit it. Has to be fast, though, before they can fortify their defenses and tie up loose ends.”
She cast a sidelong glance at Jerzi, wondering if he thought her proposal sounded ridiculous now that she’d said it out loud. His secrets were minor, outside of the extra-judicial takedown of Lavong, but his daughter’s were significant. The CPS Minder Corps would love to get control of a multi-weight teke like Pico. It had happened to a squad mate of theirs from Forward Intelligence days, and the results had been ugly.
“For what it’s worth,” said Jerzi, “I think it’s a good idea. Sting a bear on the nose a few times, and it’ll leave the honeycomb alone.”
Luka stood, restlessly, then took a deep breath and sat back down. “I like it, but I want to think about it.” He gave Jerzi a crooked smile. “Always good to know who your friends are.”
“And to have more than one way off the planet,” he agreed with a return smile.
Andra snorted. She’d like nothing more than to stay and find out what it meant, but she got to her feet instead. “The real world beckons, or in this case,” she said, showing them her frantically blinking percomp, “sends priority pings every five minutes. Once I answer, I’ll have to play by their rules, so I need to buy some clothes and get a hotel room while I’m still free.”
“I’m sorry,” said Luka, “I should have mentioned it sooner. While you were in the shower, we, Foxe Investigations, decided we’re leaving early. Today, in fact. Would you like to take over one of our suites?”
Andra turned to look suspiciously down at Jerzi. He held up his hands in surrender. “Not my idea.”
“It was mine,” said Pico. “I was going to invite you to stay in my flat while they repair your apartment, because Valenia’s withdrawing from the university and going back to Rekoria.”
Andra was both touched and annoyed at the same time, because Pico should know better. “You are kind to worry about me, but I’d have to decline. Students and professors–”
Pico laughed. “I’m not a student. Or I won’t be about five minutes after my interview with Zhàomíng Lùjìng goes live at eight o’clock.”
“Why, what did you say?”
She held up fingers to enumerate her points. “Zero university security st
aff on the floater to protect the students. Seven children abandoned to the mercy of a vicious crew. The university didn’t address the glaring, single point of failure in the floater’s anchor system that our regent-prize-winning class project warned them about, and the incident brought to light the insufficient number of emergency evac boats on hand, unable to accommodate even half the school’s student population.”
Andra whistled. “Well, Ms. Adams, that’s an impressive boom-down of your bridges.” She smiled and crossed her arms. “I’d say you chose your career field well.”
* * * * *
Jerzi switched on the last candle and checked the time. Andra was either going to thank him or shoot him. Or maybe both.
Since he couldn’t cook for her, he’d done the next best thing and ordered takeout from her favorite restaurant, Blue Clouds in Sky. He filled every available table and counter in her hotel suite’s reception room with small plates and appetizers that she liked, at least according to the restaurant’s manager.
Pico was back at her apartment, where both she and Valenia were packing. As she’d predicted, Optimal Polytechnic had expelled her, though it had taken them half a day to come up with a plausible reason, some vague accusation about the “domestic rocket launch” damaging the Math building’s dock. Pico was quite certain any university in Etonver would be happy to take a new student with high marks and money, because that was where she was going.
Jerzi’s introduction to the upcoming changes in Pico’s life was through her startling announcement when he’d walked in the door of Sojaire’s hotel suite after returning from the police station. “Hi, Dad,” she’d said. “I’m desperately in love with Sojaire Celeyron, and we had glorious sex last night. I’m moving back to Etonver to go to school, and we’re going to live together. The fresher’s right through there.”
While in the shower, he considered all sorts of responses, but in the end, he settled on quietly telling Sojaire to keep her safe. The worry in Jerzi’s heart eased a little with Sojaire’s reply. “We’ll keep each other safe, sir.” Seeing them happy together, clinging to each other like papużki nierozłączki, inseparable parrots, made him smile.
Andra had given in and taken over Sojaire’s room when he, Luka, and Mairwen left for the spaceport at ten. He knew she didn’t like owing favors, and hated being cosseted, but it made perfect sense, especially since her name was peak-trending and journalists had their best finders out looking for her. She’d insisted on reimbursing Foxe Investigations for the cost.
She hadn’t been joking when she’d implied O-Poly would shut her down. They’d invoked every clause in her contract to keep her from talking to anyone about anything, up to and including the weather. Her boss had tried unsuccessfully to pressure her into moving into a different hotel at the university’s expense “for her safety,” in between giving her coordinates and room numbers for the temporary classrooms where she’d be teaching Materials Science starting in three days, and oh-so-regretfully informing her the Practical Applications class was suspended for the session owing to lack of suitable laboratory space.
Jerzi had hung around long enough to make sure she didn’t need a ride, then left, because he knew she needed to be alone. In between packing for his trip home tomorrow, helping Pico and Valenia get ready for the movers, and yet another visit to a medical center to get better treatment for the deep, massive bruise on his hip, he’d contemplated what to do about his friendship with Andra. All things being equal, he wanted Andra in his life, but all things weren’t equal. She had a career on Nila Marbela, doing something she loved, on a paradise destination planet. She didn’t just teach students, she inspired them. He had a successful career on Rekoria, doing something he was good at, with a great boss and friends. And soon, his daughter.
Knowing Andra had a hundred details to sort out, he’d decided he’d surprise her with a quiet dinner, and hope the universe had run out of any more surprises for the time being. She was smarter than he was, so maybe she could figure out how they could keep their re-established connection alive, assuming that’s what she wanted.
Looking around, he had second thoughts about the candle-shaped light sticks, which suddenly seemed too romantic. He grabbed four of them and turned up the general lighting. He was just putting the candles in the bottom drawer of the pretend kitchen when the hotel room door slid open.
Andra entered carrying several bags, saw him, then looked around. She was wearing new, bright casual clothes and sandals, and her hair in a loose ponytail. She shook her head and smiled ruefully. “I should have checked with the hotel on who still had access to this suite.”
“I figured you’d be busy today, so…” He waved his hand to indicate the food.
“Good thing I didn’t already order room service.” She shook her head, then crossed toward the bedroom. “I’ll be back.”
She reappeared a few moments later. “So, does this catered meal include any beer?”
“It does.” He opened the tiny cold box and pulled out two and handed her one.
She took it, opened it, and drank a healthy couple of swallows. “Did Pico put you up to this?”
“Nope, my idea. She and Valenia are packing the stuff they don’t trust the movers with. Valenia’s parents are paying for them both to go back to Rekoria the day after tomorrow, which saves Pico the cost of separate freight.”
Andra picked up an empty plate and began loading it with selected appetizers. He finally relaxed a little, glad she didn’t appear to want to shoot him, and began filling his own plate.
Seated on the couch, they’d eaten their fill and were enjoying the last two beers. “So, are you okay with Pico and Sojaire?”
“He makes her happy. What father wouldn’t want that for his kid?” He smiled. “Besides, it’s bringing her back to Etonver, and I like Sojaire.”
“You really like family, don’t you? I don’t think I ever knew that about you.” She set her beer down on the table and turned to face him on the couch, curling her legs up under her. “I’m ambivalent. My biological family doesn’t know what to do with me. They’re big and successful, but they still have frontier-planet values—produce more offspring, acquire more land, loyalty above the law. I wanted to see the galaxy, learn new skills. The first time I really felt at home was in Forward Intelligence. By marrying Da’vin, I was really marrying into the unit. Da’vin’s death devastated the whole unit, and the colonel blamed herself. I couldn’t stay, because the memories were too much for me, but I miss that family, the one we made.”
“I do, too.” He never talked about his past much, because he didn’t want the pity, but he thought Andra might understand. “My family was tiny. My mother was a casino game master, and my father was a watership crewman with serious cases of wanderlust and claustrophobia. He’d put up with domestic tranquility for all of about three weeks before taking another job on a new planet that put him out to sea for months at a time, and we followed. When I was eight, he took a job on another planet, but didn’t send for us. My mother dragged me and my baby brother around from planet to planet, one step behind my dad each time he took off.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “You have a brother? Where is he?”
“No idea. My mother left with him when I was sixteen. She lined up a new job where my father was and wanted us to move again, and I didn’t want to go.” Jerzi shrugged. It was water under the bridge. “She never pinged, and never answered mine. I don’t blame her, though. Paweł was still too young to take care of himself. I wasn’t.” He took a long pull on his beer. “I think part of what attracted me to Dhorya was that she had a large, stable family that wasn’t going anywhere. Of course, as it turned out, ‘stable’ didn’t mean ‘pleasant,’ much less loving or welcoming.”
A ripple of laugher went through Andra. “I think all big families are wobbly, if you look past the genealogy lines and award plaques. Da’vin had two great aunts who believed they were secret aliens from the Mirach’s Ghost galaxy, stranded here. My fami
ly is littered with crew chiefs and con artists. Half my great uncles are probably wanted criminals on a dozen planets.”
Jerzi smiled. “No wonder they didn’t approve of your military career. Conflict of interest.”
“I believe the phrase used was ‘fraternizing with the enemy.’”
A comfortable silence stretched between them, and he cherished it, but time was slipping away. “I had an ulterior motive in bringing dinner.”
“Getting out of helping two young women pack their extensive wardrobes?”
“That, too, but mostly I wanted to thank you for being my friend, and I hope we can keep the connection.” He snorted. “Sorry, that sounded like a greeting card. You have a life here, and I have one on Rekoria, but maybe we can meet in the middle every once in a while. Preferably not in a war zone.” Some quiet place where they could relax and get to know one another again, and maybe more.
“I’d like that,” she said. “But based on empirical data over the last week, there’s something about the Adams clan that attracts extraordinary events, so we should probably come prepared for them, anyway.”
He didn’t know if he believed that, but he felt like he should apologize. “Uhm, sorry?”
“I don’t mind, Jerzi. Es lo que hace la vida interesante.” She unfolded her legs and stood up. “That’s what makes life interesting.”
She started gathering the mostly empty plates, and he got to his feet to help. The small kitchen’s recycler was thankfully normal size, and able to handle the debris.
“What’s next for you?” she asked. “Once you get home, I mean.”
“Help Pico and Sojaire find an apartment in a decent neighborhood. Plot with my boss how to take over the company with our little division. Help Pico get a handle on her teke talent, if she’ll let me.”
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