“I think I remember Ruzik,” Ken said. “The big fellow.” Wryly he added, “Intimidating.”
“He can be.” Ruzik scared the hell out of people from Cries, with his large height, muscled frame, battle scars, and the crisscrossing tattoos on his arms that named him as the leader of his gang. “He’s more civilized than people realize.”
“He did ask about my research,” Ken mused. “We talked one time after a tournament.”
“Well, what you do is fascinating. How is it going?” I endeavored to sound sociable, rather than saying what I really wanted to ask, which was, What the blazes were you doing at the Vanished Sea starships while nefarious types crept around outside?
“Pretty much as usual.” He relaxed back in his chair. “We’re working on ways to increase the oxygen content in the air.”
“It’s never felt thin to me,” I said. “When I first went offworld, the atmospheres of other terraformed planets made me dizzy, they had so much oxygen.”
“The difference is only a few percent.” He was warming up to his subject. “Eons ago, Raylicon had oceans and a thicker atmosphere.”
“I never did get why the oceans dried up.”
“The atmosphere thinned out, far more than now. The boiling point of salt water dropped too much and the water evaporated.” He motioned toward the sky. “The ultraviolet light from the sun dissociates water vapor high in the atmosphere. The hydrogen probably escaped into space. The oxygen must have combined with minerals in the crust to form various compounds, especially iron oxide. That’s why the deserts are so red.”
This wasn’t how I’d heard our history. “When our ancestors came here, the planet had an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere.”
“Yes! Someone or something created it, probably using the gas giant in this system.”
“The fourth planet?” It was farther out from the sun than Raylicon.
“That’s right. One of its moons has a great deal of water and nitrogen ice. We think whoever moved this world into orbit also fired a continuous stream of ice and nitrogen projectiles from that moon to Raylicon. They burned up in the atmosphere, giving this planet water and nitrogen.”
“I didn’t realize such a facility existed on any moon.” In fact, I was sure it didn’t. No way did we have the technology even now to do what he described.
He smiled at my expression. “You’re right, it doesn’t exist. If it ever did, it was gone long before humans explored this system.” His smile faded. “That’s the problem. Whatever produced this atmosphere ceased operating ages ago. It’s been thinning ever since. If the oxygen content goes much lower, it won’t support human life.”
“So that’s what you’re working on? Making more oxygen?”
“That’s one project.” He leaned forward and tapped the table. “Would you like some tea?”
Tea? I never drank the stuff. Asking for ale didn’t seem right, though, so I just said, “Sure.”
He sent the order. “I’m also trying to figure out who terraformed this planet.”
Ah! An opening. “I’d always assumed it was whoever built the Vanished Sea starships.”
“That’s one theory. I can’t find evidence to support it.”
I leaned forward, fascinated. I’d never had the chance to talk with a leading scientist about our history. “Because the libraries in those ships are ruined, right?”
“Not exactly.” He paused as a bot rolled into the office, a cylinder on treads with a domed head and four limbs. It set our tea on the table and rolled out, blithely ignoring us. Logically I knew it didn’t feel blithe anything, but I couldn’t help thinking of it with human traits.
You’re used to me, Max thought. An EI better at being human than a human.
For flaming sake, I thought. What, you’re working on having an inflated ego?
He sent me a sense of amusement.
Ken poured two cups of tea. “Something corrupted the libraries in those starships. There had to be more ships, too. Those three could never have carried thousands of humans to Raylicon.”
I was one of the few people who knew an ancient EI had destroyed whoever dumped us here. It didn’t surprise me that they’d lost so many records during their battle with the EI. I said only, “You talk as if you’ve been out there.”
“I have, indeed.” He offered me a cup of tea.
I took the cup. It was too delicate, this creation of glazed white porcelain with flowers painted around its rim. I felt like an idiot. Good thing no one in the Undercity could see me holding it. That would destroy my credibility with the dust gangs.
“What are the ships like?” I asked.
“Old.” He took a swallow of tea. “Six thousand years old.”
“Like the aqueducts.” My curiosity jumped in. “Not all, though. Our ancestors built some of the Undercity, but a lot of those ruins came from before.”
“Yes! So much is a mystery about all these ruins, including the ships, not only in them, but below them, too.”
I wished I could tell him more. More than Undercity reserve held my tongue; I’d signed an ironclad agreement never to reveal anything I knew about the origins of the Vanished Sea starships, with good reason. The army didn’t want to wake any more pissed off super EIs.
“I understand it’s difficult to get permission to visit the ships,” I said.
Ken grimaced. “It took me years of applications before they gave me limited clearance.”
“Your team, too?” Maybe he associated with the High Mesh through academic channels.
“Just me, for now. I hope to publish my work this year, but I have to submit my paper to the military for clearance first.”
I could just imagine what a scholar who was used to the freedom of research in a university felt about those constraints. “You’re a patient man.”
“Hardly.” He gave me a wry grin. “You haven’t seen me up here swearing and pacing.”
“I can imagine. But I do I understand why they can’t let many people visit the ships, though.” I grimaced at the image of tourists flocking to the ruins. “It would destroy them.”
“I know. It’s a shame.” He finished his tea. “The site is fascinating.”
“I’ll read your paper when it comes out.” I would, too, assuming I came out of this alive.
He set down his cup with care. “I’m always afraid I’m going to break one of these.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Me too.” I sipped the tea. The warm liquid went down easy, tasting of citrus and caffeine. I blinked. “That’s actually good.”
Roy laughed. “You don’t have to sound so surprised.”
“Ale is more my style.”
“Visit me at the end of the day sometime. I’ll take you down to the faculty club.”
It sounded so much like a place I’d never fit in, I immediately wanted to visit. “I’ll do that.” I set down my cup and rose to my feet. “Thank you for your time, Professor.”
He stood up. “Call me Ken, please.”
After I left, I mulled over his words. Max, I don’t think he’s involved in any cabal.
He doesn’t seem like the type. But you never know.
I need to figure out how Detective Talon is involved. I thought of Lukas. Her link to all this must be why she keeps pushing the guilty accusation on Lukas Quida. She’s a major pain, but she’s not stupid. It’s obvious he didn’t kill his wife.
To you, maybe. Everyone has their own view of supposed true love.
I suppose. More likely, Talon was deflecting attention away from the High Mesh.
You just got a message from Gourd, Max thought. He says, “Bhaaj, the crystal has a glitch.”
Interesting! I’ll go see him. Call me a public flyer.
For the Undercity?
No. I took a breath. First I have to visit the palace.
CHAPTER XIV
QUEEN’S GAMBIT
“Are you sure you want me to keep going?” the flyer pilot asked. Sweat beaded on her forehead.
“I’m sure,” I said, even though I wasn’t. Max, did your message to the palace go through?
Yes. Their security knows you’re coming. However, they haven’t said they’ll let you in. Then he added, I hope you know what you are doing.
So do I.
The comm crackled with a woman’s voice. “You are entering restricted air space. Identify yourself.”
“This is Del Jase, captain of public flyer H43,” the pilot said. “My passenger says she has clearance for your airspace. I’m sending her ID.”
I undid my safety harness, got up, and leaned over the captain’s seat so I could speak into the comm. “This is Major Bhaajan, here to see General Majda and Colonel Majda.”
The pilot’s face went ashen. To her credit, she continued flying.
“ID confirmed,” the woman said. “Captain Jase, we are sending coordinates for a landing pad on the palace roof. You will land, leave your passenger, and depart immediately.”
“Understood, ma’am,” Jase said.
As I sat down, Jase soared into the mountains. The palace came into view, golden and glorious in the sunlight. We descended to the pad, where two large guards waited.
After the pilot set down the flyer, she turned in her seat. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” I was going to need it. Big time.
I opened the hatch and jumped down to the roof. As soon as I stepped clear, Jase took off.
I recognized one of the people waiting for me: Randall Miyashiro. I’d always liked him. He came from offworld, from a more egalitarian culture. Here, he was as the only male tykado instructor at the palace—but he was also the only seventh-degree black belt on the entire planet. Randall served as the Majda tykado master, the expert who trained their police and security staff, a highly coveted position. Vaj Majda had sought out the best for her forces, taking her search across the Imperialate. And when she found the best, she hired him, even though he didn’t turn out to be the woman she’d undoubtedly expected.
Randall nodded to me, and I nodded back. He and the female guard fell in beside me, heading for my meeting with the Majda queens.
Vaj and Lavinda Majda were both in uniform, dark green tunic and trousers, and plenty of gold braid. We met in the Azure Alcove, a circular room with silver and blue mosaics on the walls. A chandelier hung from the domed ceiling and arched windows stretched from floor to ceiling. The room had no chairs, only a round table by one wall, all the better to keep guests from relaxing.
General Majda stood leaning by a window, her body backed by the view of the mountains towering outside, their peaks desolate against the sky. She was taller than Lavinda, taller even than me, fit and healthy, with black hair dusted by gray. Her high cheekbones and angular features defined the word aristocratic. She didn’t seem pissed, but neither did I see any sign she wanted to hear what I had to say. Compared to her duties as General to the Pharaoh’s Army, this investigation probably ranked at the bottom of the bucket.
Lavinda stood with me in the center of the room. I hoped that was a good sign.
“You have a report?” Lavinda asked.
I considered her, glanced at Vaj, then back to Lavinda. “First I need to know something.”
“Yes?” Her face was impossible to read, as if she’d drawn a shutter over the window she’d opened to me outside the police station.
Keeping up my own mental shields, I took a breath and spoke before I had a chance to stop myself. “I need to know—does Majda want me killed?”
Vaj stiffened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I turned to her. “Did you tell Sav Halin to kill me the night Mara Quida disappeared?”
“No,” Vaj said flatly. “Why would I?”
“So I wouldn’t find out about the High Mesh.”
Lavinda stared at me, and the sudden tension in the room felt tangible.
Vaj walked over to me. “You have heard of the Mesh?”
“Yes,” I said. “Are you a member?”
Her gaze never wavered. “What do you know about it?”
I plunged ahead. “It’s a secret society of powerful executives, possibly also the Vibarr noble House. Their purpose is to develop and own new technologies in such a manner to increase both their wealth and their ability to manipulate human populations.”
Lavinda and Vaj stared at me with a look I’d come to know well, an impassive expression that actually meant How the bloody hell did you know that?
Vaj said only, “The House of Vibarr? Take care whom you accuse, Major.”
“I’m not accusing anyone of anything.” I was too busy hoping I survived this.
“Why do you think we have anything to do with Sav Halin?” Lavinda asked.
“Because after I escaped, I sent one of my bots to follow her. She went into the foothills, stayed overnight in a backcountry hut that belongs to your family, and then met a Majda flyer the next day, which took her somewhere my beetle couldn’t follow, because the flyer was putting out a signal that corrupted the bot’s internal systems.”
“Halin is a news broadcaster,” Vaj said coldly. “Why would she want you dead?”
I met her gaze. “Why did a Majda flyer pick her up in the morning?”
“I have no idea.” The general thawed a bit. “Are you sure it was Majda?”
“Black and gold, with the hawk insignia,” I said.
“That sounds like Majda,” Lavinda said. “Do you have the footage from your bot? We can see if we can identify the craft.”
“I’ll have my EI send it to you.”
Sending, Max thought.
Vaj nodded to her sister, then turned the full force of her gaze back on me, that look I’d always felt could bore a hole into my brain. “What does this have to do with your investigation? Do you think the Mesh is involved with the disappearances?”
That she even had to ask that question suggested she wasn’t involved—I hoped. However, she said, “The Mesh,” which implied she’d heard “High Mesh” enough to shorten it. “I think the two execs who disappeared are members of the High Mesh.”
Lavinda went very still. “Chiaru Starchild?”
Lavinda, I’m sorry, I thought. “Yes, both Starchild and Quida.” I spoke to Vaj, doing my best to show no weakness. “Both are also members of the Desert Winds.”
Vaj considered me. “As am I.”
“Yes,” I said. “As are you.”
“A lot of people belong to the Desert Winds,” Lavinda said. Although she hid her reactions, her shoulders had tensed.
I spoke carefully. “Chiaru Starchild and Mara Quida also met outside the Desert Winds.”
“Met where?” Vaj asked. “And why?”
I just looked at her. I had no intention of talking about the casino.
“Who do they meet with?” Lavinda asked.
That I could answer. “For one, Daan Bialo at Scorpio Corp.”
“Bialo is a member of the Mesh?” Vaj snorted. “That seems unlikely.”
Lavinda regarded her sister with exasperation. “Why? Because he’s young, male, and good-looking? Honestly, Vaj, you need to get out of the dark ages.”
Vaj waved her hand in dismissal. “He’s a party boy.”
I kept my mouth shut. I knew no one else who would dare talk to General Vaj Majda the way Lavinda had just done.
The general considered me with a hard stare. “Who else is involved?”
Who indeed? Jak had told me about seven execs, Inna Starchild, and also Bessel. From what I’d seen, Detective Talon of Scorpio Security and Sav Halin were part of it as well.
A thought came to me. Max!
Yes?
Do any execs who go to both the Black Mark and Desert Winds work at Suncap Corp?
Checking.
“Major?” Vaj Majda asked. “Who else?”
Yes, Max said. Ana Liara, the chief financial officer at Suncap, is one of the seven.
“Holy shit,” I said.
Lavinda smiled. “I hope that isn’t a
person.”
I looked from her to Vaj. “Bak Trasor is a member, isn’t he? That’s the reason you wanted him out of Suncap!” He hadn’t been on Jak’s list, so I hadn’t suspected him, but if his CFO went to the casino, she could give him any messages she got there.
Vaj turned icy. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Neither do I.” Lavinda was no longer smiling.
You better find a reason for what you just said, Max told me. Or you are in deep shit.
“I have stocks in Suncap,” I told them. “They took a dive yesterday because the board kicked out the CEO. Your husband is listed as voting against him.” I was so caught up in fitting the pieces together, I almost forgot to be afraid. “Ousting Trasor benefits your House because you have more holdings in citrus than water. But that’s not the real reason, is it? Both Trasor and the Suncap CFO are part of the Mesh.”
Vaj stared at me. “Ana Liara is a member? Are you sure?”
“About as sure as I can be without asking her. Mara Quida, Chiaru and Inna Starchild, and Daan Bialo as well.” I listed the other execs and then said, “Also Bessel, Lukas Quida’s assistant.”
“I’ve never heard of this Bessel,” Lavinda said.
“What about Detective Talon at Scorpio Security?” I asked. “She has some link to all this.”
“Not at the Winds.” Vaj frowned. “She’s the head detective on the Quida case, isn’t she?”
“That’s right.” A head detective who seemed to be doing exactly zilch. “The last time I talked to her, she had no new information. No leads. No ransom demand. She seems more concerned about whether or not I’ve found anything than actually solving the case.”
“We’ll look into her,” Vaj said. “Anyone else?”
I might as well go all the way. “Possibly someone named either Tandem Walkerdale or Ti Callen who is either a circus magician from Metropoli or a covert military agent.”
“For gods’ sake,” Vaj said. “A circus magician?”
The Vanished Seas (Major Bhaajan series Book 3) Page 21