Ammonite Planets (Omnibus): Ammonite Galaxy #1-3

by Gillian Andrews

  The head of the donor apprentice house raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”

  “—it would be most unfortunate if any of the locals did find out about the facility. You would have to deal with them.”

  “Don’t worry. I will leave instructions with my men to take care of any intruders.”

  “Good,” said Atheron absently. “I will leave it to you then.”

  “How will you administer the compound? What is your plan?”

  “The new compound passes through the quantum barrier once the orthogel entity has come in contact, infecting the rest of the orthogel, wherever it is. All I … we … have to do is confront the alien in a place of my … our … own choosing, and make sure that the creature is exposed to the full dose. I do not envisage that presenting too many difficulties. Once we have the compound here on Valhai, we need only add the bait, and the alien will walk straight into our trap. We will simply locate the bait, and spring the trap. My experiments indicate that the effects will be instantaneous; the alien will be immediately affected.”

  “And that,” said Xenon smugly, “will be the end of that!”

  “Exactly.” Atheron smiled again. “Valhai will revert to the Sellites, and the old ways will be reinstated.”

  “What about Mandalon 50? He will have to go! I will have none of this nonsense about the Second Valhai Votation!”

  “Mandalon will be taken care of before all this happens. It will be better if you are off the planet – we wouldn’t want anybody to connect you to any unfortunate accidents. You know, that family has been most unlucky, they seem to have a propensity for accidents.”

  “Of course – his father was killed in that terrible accident when they were testing the new space trader, wasn’t he?”

  “A terrible thing.” Atheron shook his head. “Something nobody could have imagined, isn’t it? Really, Mandalon 50 is going to have to be very careful. The least little mistake and his young life could be cut short at its prime. And at only 10! Why, he will hardly have had a chance to reign over the rest of the Sellites, will he?”

  “I can leave it all up to you then, Atheron?”

  “Oh yes. You can leave it all in my hands. I know exactly what must be done. Now, I thought you were going to invite me for a drink in your skyrise?”

  THE LAST THING Grace had wanted to do was go up to the 49th floor. She had no wish to see either Amanita or her brother, although she would have liked to say hello to her niece and nephew. She hadn’t seen them for years. But she knew that Amanita would not allow them any contact with their aunt – and suspected that her sister-in-law would long ago have poisoned their minds against her.

  But Arcan had asked her to come, and come she had. It was part of her new job as head of the Valhai Foundation, she supposed. She sighed. She hadn’t wanted this post, but Arcan had insisted.

  The lift was arriving at the 49th floor main entrance, and she stepped warily into the receiving chamber. She was not looking forward to the forthcoming meeting at all. In fact, she gave a gulp.

  Amanita came towards her with a sour expression on her thin face.

  “Grace,” she acknowledged in an icy tone. “To what do we owe this … honour?” She slipped so much sarcastic nuance into the last word that it sounded like a curse. Grace put her chin up.

  “I am here on behalf of the orthogel entity,” she began.

  “Yes. You wouldn’t dare come on your own. I suppose he is hanging around spying on us from somewhere.” Amanita looked around, clearly expecting to see signs of the orthogel entity.

  Grace thought it prudent not to tell her that she had come completely alone. She wouldn’t put it past her sister-in-law to finish the job Xenon had started. She took a tiny automatic step back, let her hand slip down to the scabbard of her catana, and then began again. “I … I have been asked to tell you that you will be granted full and private use of the main orthogel lift, but that the kitchen lift must be shared with the other inhabitants of the building.”

  “Oh. We have been granted, have we?” Amanita’s voice dripped venom. “How nice of the orthogel entity. Does he rule Valhai now? And just when did that happen? Oh yes, that’s right – it didn’t!”

  “But he was granted the right to the first 48 floors of this skyrise,” said Grace reasonably, “and it seems logical to mark out just who has what, and where. I would have thought it would be to your advantage to have sole use of the front ortholift.”

  Amanita looked momentarily taken aback. “That’s as may be! It doesn’t give that … that … alien thing the right to lord it over everybody, does it?”

  “He is the rightful owner of Valhai,” said Grace quietly.

  “We were sold out by Mandalon 50! That boy should never have been allowed to take over as he did. Atheron is the rightful leader while Mandalon 50 is still a minor! It was all a plot to oust Atheron from power! You think we don’t know that! That boy ruling all Sell!” She gave a sharp hiss of disgust through her teeth.

  “Yes. Well. I was also asked to tell you that your entry into any of the lower floors is not allowed.”

  At that, Amanita’s eyes blazed. “I shall go where I want in this skyrise!”

  “Atheron tells me that you have been doing just that. He would like you to stop.”

  “I bet he would! I will never give up my rights! I do not accept that ruling made by Mandalon 50.”

  “It was voted on by all of Sell, and the vote was carried. You must abide by it.”

  “I will not!”

  Grace blew a sigh. She had known this would not go well. “Look, Amanita, this is Sell legislation. You can contest it through the Voting Dome, but until it is revoked, you must uphold the law. You really have no choice in the matter.” Grace tried to make her words less harsh by forcing a smile, but her sister-in-law looked back in stony hatred.

  “You should have died back there on the Kwaide Orbital Station,” she looked Grace full in the face, and her lip curled. “I wish you had!”

  Grace tried very hard not to show how much – even though she knew exactly what plans her family had for her – that comment still hurt, and lowered her head. “Arcan wishes to come to an amicable agreement with you, but if that is not possible …”

  “What? What will the great Arcan do? Turn us into puffer eels?” The woman gave a harsh bark of what passed for laughter.

  “He simply said to tell you that the ortholifts will no longer stop anywhere between the ground orthotubes and your own floor.”

  Amanita hesitated. “Then we will go down the emergency ladders!” she said, without conviction.

  “You would find the outer doors firmly biolocked against you,” Grace told her. “I am afraid that you really have very little choice in the matter. I am sorry.”

  “Oh, I bet you are! Sorry. I suppose you think you will be the golden girl of the new regime, don’t you? Well, just don’t get too pleased with yourself, you might not last long enough to enjoy all that importance.”

  Grace bit her lip, and took a few steps towards the ortholift.

  “I thought you said we would have exclusive use of the main ortholift?” demanded Amanita.

  “I did.”

  “Then where exactly do you think you are going?”

  “I thought … that is …”

  “Well, think again. None of your little band is going to set foot in that lift again. Or is your great Arcan going to break his word before it even starts?”

  “No. I …”

  “You may leave through the back lift. And don’t ever come back. The orthogel entity might have hoodwinked the rest of Sell into accepting his devious plans, but he can’t rule in my house. I believe I still have the right to say who comes and goes in my own home, or do you and your friends want to take that away from me too?”

  Grace looked around, with a hunted expression. She wished she had thought to bring Arcan with her. He would have evaporated her from this current predicament with no trouble. As it was, she foresaw an awkward few minut
es.

  “I’ll use the kitchen ortholift then,” she said. “I think I know the way.”

  “Oh no you don’t! I will escort you. I don’t want you touching anything!”

  Amanita led her slowly across the receiving area and between the two imposing columns which lined the archway into the visitors’ chamber. She by-passed the larger and more ornate magmite columns leading into the voting room with its four chairs, and took Grace along the passageway which led into the music chamber.

  This proved to have been a mistake, for Amanita’s two children were dutifully practicing their music squares there, and they stopped abruptly as they saw who had entered.

  “Aunt Grace!” Xenon 50 shouted, throwing himself a couple of steps in her direction before he remembered that his mother would not approve, and stopped dead in his tracks.

  “Aunt Grace!” whispered Genna, her hands going to her face, not fast enough to hide the leap of pleasure she had felt. The little girl’s eyes slid guiltily to her mother, waiting for retribution, and clearly expecting it.

  Amanita’s firm steps on the magmite floor stopped, and she glared at her children, nostrils flaring with displeasure.

  “Never address this person as your aunt!” she snapped.

  “No, Magestra.”

  “Sorry, Maestra. I forgot.” They chanted in unison, hanging heads low.

  “She is nothing but a traitor. I thought I would die when she betrayed us.” Amanita put a hand over her heart, as if to measure its pain.

  “Yes, Magestra.”

  “I know, Maestra.”

  “You must never, ever forget how evil this person is, how she has tried to exterminate our family, how she has destroyed our lives. She is not, and never was a member of this family. She is vermin, and should be treated as such.”

  The two children kept their heads down submissively, and Amanita swept her unwanted visitor on, taking her now out of the music room and into the passageway leading to the eating area, and the back ortholift. Unfortunately, at that moment, the door to the head of house chamber opened and Atheron walked out, with Xenon 49 close on his heels.

  All four parties came to a stop, and stared at each other. Grace felt a frisson of fear travel up to her neck, out across her arms, and then all the way down her back again. She tightened her hold on the scabbard of her catana automatically, and swallowed, waves of absolute panic keeping her frozen to the magmite she was standing on.

  Atheron was looking around with interest. Had she come here alone? Perhaps this was the moment? His plan involved something else, but he should be flexible, after all. His own hand went to the weapon at his hip. Then his eyes caught the flicker of movement to the right. Xenon’s two children were peering nervously around the music room door, their eyes like saucers.

  He pursed his lips, thinking quickly. No, then. Not the time. Well, she would wait. There was no reason to abandon the plan, after all. Everything should be implemented at exactly the right moment. It was always a mistake to improvise in these things. He let his hand move away from his hip, and assumed his famous smile.

  “A most unexpected surprise!” He licked his lips. “A fraternal visit! How charming.” He saw that Xenon was staring at his sister with undisguised hatred, and smiled even more. “So nice to see families staying in touch!”

  “I was just leaving,” managed Grace, trying desperately to keep her voice reasonably even.

  “Were you? What a pity. We could have had a little chat about old times, couldn’t we?”

  “Another day, perhaps?” Grace was already retreating slowly towards the eating chamber.

  The smile came again. “I am sure of it,” he said, putting a promise in his voice, “I shall look forward to it – most eagerly, I assure you.”

  Grace had reached the archway into the eating area, and stepped backwards into it, turning quickly and crossing to the back ortholift in one fluid movement, leaving the two Sellite men thankfully behind. Once she had touched the buttons to the lift she felt much safer. For a moment there she had felt that Atheron was going to kill her on the spot. As the ortholift arrived, she stepped thankfully in. Sweat had broken out on her brow and she was shaking all over. Atheron’s smile did that to her, she realized.

  The last she saw was Amanita’s face, another beacon of hatred. She shivered again. She hoped she never had to come back here. She actually felt relieved that she was leaving soon for Xiantha, with Six and Diva. Arcan had agreed to transport them all over to the orbital station in the Independence, once the details of the new Valhai Foundation had been finalized.

  THE FOLLOWING DAY Grace sat down in her old skyrise, and put a tridi call through to Vion, on Coriolis. She wondered how she would feel when she saw him again.

  When he answered she saw that he was surprised to see her, and he seemed pleased, too, she thought. Grace looked at the face in front of her on the screen. Vion was just as attractive as always, and yet he didn’t arouse the same feelings in her as he used to. She began to relax.

  “I wanted to sound you out about something, Vion.”

  He smiled. “Go ahead, Grace. You are looking very well.”

  That did make her blush, but she tried to dissimulate it. “It is about Aracely.”

  Immediately Vion’s face became alert. “Yes?”

  “Do you think she would come to work with me on the Valhai Foundation? She finishes University this year, doesn’t she?”

  He nodded. “House management. Yes, she takes her finals in about a month, I think.”

  “Only I need somebody with administrative skills, and she always had a great sense of humour … I thought … she might like it.”

  Vion was silent for a few moments.

  “Sellite women have never worked,” he pointed out.

  “I know, but Arcan has spoken to Mandalon 50, and he says that he will give special dispensation in this case.”

  That made Vion arch one eyebrow. “Did he? That will set quite a precedent on Valhai. Mmm. I should think she would jump at the chance.”

  “Then would you put it to her? I wasn’t quite sure how to ask her. I know she will need your father’s permission, and I didn’t want to breach any protocols. You know I can’t speak to either of them directly, not unless Aracely accepts the job, that is.”

  “Will she be paid?”

  “Oh, sorry. I forgot. Yes, she would receive four thousand credits per year. Mandalon insisted.”

  Vion whistled. “That will be a very persuasive argument for my father. I will see what I can do.”

  “Thank you. —How are you, Vion?”

  He gave one of his old smiles. “I am well. Mercy and I are very happy. I would like you to meet her – I don’t think you knew her on Sell, did you?”

  Grace shook her head. “She is a couple of years older than me. I know about her, of course, but I don’t think we ever met.”

  “Things are good between you and I, aren’t they?”

  She smiled back. “They are good. We weren’t right for each other. I wouldn’t have made you happy.”

  “Perhaps. I certainly would have hampered you. I hear you solved the Kwaidian war single-handed. I didn’t know you were a warrior princess at heart!”

  Grace looked down. “People died because of me.”

  “Yes. But it is also true that people lived because of you. I go to New Kwaide regularly, and the untouchables are really building a future for themselves. They had no future before. Too many of them would have ended up in the effluent conduits of Benefice.”

  “Are you happy with your work?”

  He nodded, serious. “Yes. I am very glad to have had this chance – I’m a much better doctor because of it.”

  “You were pretty good before.”

  He grinned, and the slight strain between them vanished completely. “But now I am better!”

  Grace smiled back. “But less modest! Let me know about Aracely, will you? I am going to Xiantha for a few weeks, and I would like to know her decision bef
ore I go.”

  “Will do. Take care, Grace. I hope Mercy and I can see you non-virtually soon!”

  “I would like that. Maybe after we get back from Xiantha? Cutting the connexion.”

  Chapter 8

  AS SIX MANOEVRED the shuttle carefully down onto Xianthan soil, they got their first chance to see the rich colours of the planet. The area they were landing in was semi-desert, which reflected the sun and Cian off its sandy surface and so was brighter than even Coriolis. The Xianthes were clearly visible, towering off into the sky to the north of the spaceport.

  Six’s eyes slid over to them and brightened. “It’s almost worth coming here just to travel the Xianthes,” he said. “When are we going up there?”

  “Just remember that is not why we came,” said Diva.

  “It might not be why you came, but—”

  “Six!” Grace’s soft voice broke in reproachfully, “you know we have to sort things out first.”

  “Err … I was just thinking that you won’t really need me for all that, and since I’m here anyway, I might just as well go on up there and wait for you at the cages.” Six tried to look innocent. “You know, so as not to get in the way.” He stared out of the porthole at the two huge fingers of metallic rock which jutted a staggering 25 miles up into the sky. Even at this distance, they were awesome. He could see that the left-hand side Xianthe was half in sunlight, half in shadow, although the one to the right of the Lost Valley was in full sunlight. That meant that it was nearly the perfect time of year to travel the Dark Xianthe, he knew. The elves, sprites and blue rays against the night sky were supposed to be the most spectacular sight in the whole binary system, and there was no way he was going to miss out on a visit.

  “I might need you, Six,” Diva snapped, “so you needn’t think you are going to oozle out of it and take off for a ride up to the stratosphere. Not yet, anyway.”