But logic-mind gave only questions and warnings.
Don’t fall in front of that loader! Look for the exit! Which ship is leaving next? Check the signage.
Tekton scanned the leader boards for each dock, but the ship names and codes meant nothing to him. Something commercial. A captain who’ll accept money and ask few questions, logic-mind instructed.
He walked purposefully through the crowd, his suit lending him agility and speed, praying to avoid an accidental meeting with Commander Farr or Samuelle. Soldiers in a host of differing uniforms swarmed, waiting to be let aboard their ships. Tugs descended to pull the bigger ships to the launch bays. As soon as one left, another replaced it, and the loading continued at a frenetic pace. Tekton could barely make sense of the endless broadcast announcements.
To avoid Farr’s soldiers, he headed to the furthest dock, stopping only to ask random ‘esques where they were going, hoping to find a non-military ship. His enquiries were met with either garbled panic or ignored.
‘I’ll pay double your normal fare,’ he begged one harried ship’s bursar.
‘I told you there’s no room, mate. I don’t give a crap about how much you can pay. We’ve got the entire Matamon government aboard, and not enough res buffers to fit them. You come on here, and you’ll likely rattle to death. That’s if we even get out of this damned system in time.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The fucking Extros are coming, mate. That’s what I mean.’
Tekton stepped back from the bursar’s sweaty vehemence. The man was almost harassed enough to pull his holstered pistol and shoot the next person who asked to be taken aboard.
With a growing panic fingering his insides, Tekton watched as the bursar shouted closing instructions for the hold and headed up the ramp.
What will I do? he asked his minds. Wild and dangerous options danced across his thoughts.
Then, unexpectedly, the bursar stopped and ran back down.
‘Look, there’s a ‘zoon hybrid scheduled for berth as soon as we pull out. It’s one of the last coming in. Everyone else is in the shift queue or gone in-sys. Hang around this berth and you might get luckier with them.’ He checked his hand-com. ‘Ship’s name is Salacious.’
Tekton nodded his appreciation.
‘Good luck, mate,’ said the bursar and hurried onto his ship.
Tekton’s minds considered options while he waited for the trader ship to slip dock. He could go to the station master and request assistance, but with the station in utter chaos it was unlikely he’d be heard. That option also meant he risked an encounter with Farr.
Or he could pay his way onto this hybrid and take what fate brought him. If the Extros were indeed coming, a biozoon might be a safer option than an OLOSS military ship or a mercenary vessel. Biozoons were rumoured to trade with the Post-Species.
All he needed was to get himself, and the DSD that pressed so uncomfortably against his ribs, out of this system. He could make different travel arrangements from the next place he docked. He would wait. Yes. That was best.
Stepping back near the frame of a loader, he grasped its hydraulic arm and held on. The structure shook as ships peeled from their moorings in quick succession, hurrying from the station.
In an absurdly short amount of time, Tekton was alone on the dock and the vibrations had stopped. It was eerie and surreal; just him and the rows of automated loaders.
He wondered, irrationally, if he was the last left here.
Ridiculous, snapped logic-mind. Not enough ships to get them all off.
How can you be sure? challenged free-mind.
Tekton let them bicker while he concentrated on his breath and attempted a meditative manner.
At inhalation three hundred or so, he heard a noise. Glancing up, he saw the scarred grey belly of a biozoon descending through one of the docking channels. It set down heavily into the mooring, as though worn out with the effort.
For the briefest flicker Tekton thought it was the Baronessa Fedor’s biozoon, the one he’d seen docked at Rho Junction, but upon inspection it was smaller and less impressive. The restrained cephalic fins and generally degraded appearance confirmed the bursar’s statement that it was a hybrid. From what Tekton knew of biozoons, hybrids tended to lose their condition, especially those who fell into the hands of less considerate operators.
Tekton quickly reached inside his suit and shifted the DSD so that the telltale bulge lay at his back.
The egress scale peeled open, and an ‘esque climbed out onto a set of rungs crudely pegged to the biozoon’s skin.
Wait, both minds warned him simultaneously. Don’t approach him.
He listened to them. Samuelle’s combat suit could be interpreted as threatening, and he noted that the ‘esque carried a weapon. Tekton didn’t wish to test the suit’s weapon resistance ability. It was, after all, Samuelle’s spare.
The ‘esque stopped just short of him, giving him a slow appraisal. At the same time a grey-skinned Balol emerged from the egress scale and began to climb down.
‘You the welcoming party?’ asked the ‘esque.
Tekton slid back the suit hood and showed his face. He and the ‘esque were of similar height and both lightly built. Tekton, of course, had the advantage of wearing combat protection but even so the man’s casual demeanour unnerved him; his pale eyes were not unlike Lasper Farr’s.
‘Of a sort, sir,’ Tekton said. ‘It’s been recommended that I seek passage on your ship. I’d be happy to pay a generous fee, of course.’
The man scowled. His skin was as pale as his eyes, giving him the look of one of the nocturnal races or that of a perennial space traveller.
‘Recommended by whom?’
‘The last ship leaving,’ said Tekton a little ruefully. ‘My decision to leave my own billet was rather last-moment. It seems that passage has become rather hard to acquire, due to... circumstances.’
‘Circumstances!’ The ‘esque snorted out a laugh, ‘like, you hear that? These are circumstances.’’
The Balol sauntered up and stopped alongside her companion. Unlike him, she was stocky and muscular, and wore no clothing other than her natural grey skin plating to cover the fact that she was female.
Tekton couldn’t help but examine her with interest. He had heard that Balol females made energetic, though often violent, lovers, if you could ignore their odour.
The ‘esque noticed Tekton’s scrutiny and laughed again. ‘What’s yer name?’
‘Tekton,’ said Tekton. ‘From Lostol.’
‘Well Tekton-from-Lostol, I’m called Jancz, and we’re picking up some urgent payload. If yer credit checks out, then maybe we can offer you a ride. Where would ye be heading?’
‘Primarily, away from here, but if the reports of imminent invasion are true then I would be seeking transportation to Mintaka. Or thereabouts.’
The ‘esque nodded as if giving the request serious consideration. ‘That’s a fine combat suit you’re sportin’ there, Tekton. Only seen one like it before.’
‘I... err... borrowed it from a friend. She was concerned for my protection in these uncertain times.’
The ‘esque exchanged smirks with the Balol.
Tekton didn’t mind if they danced naked together as long as they took him off this doomed station.
‘Got some things to attend to,’ said Jancz when he’d gotten through being amused. ‘like will check yer credit and take ye aboard.’
Tekton stifled his misgivings as Jancz moved on. After all, lowbrow types like this wouldn’t have enough imagination for anything sinister.
MIRA
Mira?
Si?
We are close to Scolar.
Mira worked to get her eyelids open. She’d slept the entire sub-light leg from the shift station to Scolar orbit, and her body craved more. Still.
Baby? She moved her hands through the viscous protection of vein-sink and touched her stomach.
Our baby will be born soon. Its
survival is now dependent on the humanesque medics, Insignia commented.
Mira shifted, and Primo responded by buoying her up and withdrawing its receptors from her skin. She swung unsteady legs onto the floor of the buccal, wiping a layer of goo from her face and blinking rapidly.
As her hand fell back to cup the small curve of her belly, she watched Thales, sedated in Secondo, his face relaxed in sleep. Less ravaged.
She felt a flowering of tenderness for him. He wasn’t the person she’d first imagined him to be, but he had his own strengths, his own sense of honour. She was glad to have seen to the true heart of the man.
Thales?
He is recovering. But diverting attention to his medical needs has been... distracting.
Mira wanted to smile at Insignia’s annoyed tone.
The biozoon didn’t welcome relationships with ordinary humanesques. It cared only for itself, her and her baby. Thank you for caring for him. Where is the soldier?
Eating. The humanesque female has an insatiable appetite. There is only a small stock of food left. My stores have not been replenished for some time. Nor has my nutrient supply. My own health is at risk.
Insignia’s last statement brought Mira fully awake. The biozoon had not received an amino acid boost since visiting Akou. I will negotiate for refugee aid on Scolar.
It is possible that you will not be well received on that score.
Why so?
Planets have begun stockpiling supplies.
What do you mean? Mira waited in silence. Insignia? Please answer me.
The biozoon gave its grunting equivalent of a sigh. It is best you see the farcasts for yourself. It will no doubt affect how you negotiate with Scolar.
Because she was no longer deep in vein-sink, Insignia broadcast the images in the space above her. For a moment she couldn’t make sense of the images blinking in and out of existence.
What is it?
A sampling from the OLOSS ‘casts from Dowl and Intel stations.
Mira studied the images again. At Intel, craft fled the system in panicked disorder. Dowl was a different matter. The station space was studded with traffic and the unmistakable signatures of Geni-carriers.
OLOSS is trying to close shift stations across Orion, but that means a halt to all trade. Some worlds won’t survive without it and are objecting. It’s maybe too late for many, anyway. Geni-carriers have already been reported in dozens of systems. The Pod has been informed that the Melal, Sharmet and Keoskie systems have been attacked.
Mira wasn’t familiar with the places that Insignia listed. Are there casualties?
The Pod estimates several billion lives lost between the three.
Billions! Mira found it almost impossible to comprehend that kind of devastation. What about Scolar?
The bulletins report that the Scolar Sophos are advising OLOSS. There has been no change to the status of the system.
Advising? Isn’t it too late for that?
Not entirely. Your pre-emptive warning has allowed many of the OLOSS leaders to escape. Another few hours, and they would have all been trapped at Intel.
Has station master Landhurst been mentioned? He drew all the leaders to Intel. He wasn’t surprised when I told the summit what I knew. I think that—
He has been connected to the Post-Species?
Si.
The Pod has been suspicious of that, also.
The tiny consolation Mira felt that she might have averted the deaths of some OLOSS leaders was overwhelmed by the knowledge that so many souls had already been extinguished. She should have done more. What can OLOSS do?
Insignia took another pause before replying. I’m not experienced in aspects of war but if res stations are being disabled then the Post-Species have already divided us. Farcast will be our only communication outside our worlds. The Pod believes if this situation persists then, in time, the sentient species on the isolated OLOSS worlds will die.
No!
Many are not self-sustaining, Mira. It is the simple truth.
Insignia’s prophecy galvanised her. I’ll wake Thales.
You must move slowly, or the amniotic fluid will flow again.
Mira left Primo and shuffled across the buccal to sit on the edge of the Secondo vein. Her clothes were sodden with Insignia’s secretions, her hair matted, and she felt a rivulet of warm fluid leak onto her thighs.
‘Thales.’ She touched his shoulder lightly.
His eyes opened wide in fear, then relaxed when he saw her face. He licked his lips before speaking. ‘Baronessa. We are alive?’
‘Si,’ said Mira. ‘Although dead people have felt better, I’m sure.’
He smiled weakly.
‘Insignia has healed your face,’ Mira added. ‘There is scarring still, but the colour is better. The necrosis has gone.’
He lifted his hand to his cheek and felt along the contour. This time his smile was wider, more animated. ‘Truly I am grateful.’
Mira nodded.
‘Where are we?’ he asked.
‘Scolar.’
‘Home? I am home?’ Gladness crept into his voice, colour to his skin.
Mira let herself enjoy his pleasure. ‘There are people I’m sure that you wish to see. I would only ask that you support my request to be treated at the Mount Clement clinic.’
Thales jerked up a little. The vein responded by buoying him upright. ‘Of course. Baronessa, forgive me. How is your baby?’
‘‘Insignia has slowed my fluid loss, but I risk infection without proper care. I would ask your advice on how to contact the clinic quickly.’
The colour deserted his face as he climbed to sit on the side next to her, the effort taxing him. ‘I must contact my wife.’
Mira stared at him steadily. ‘Sophos Mianos’s daughter, the one you spoke of in front of the summit meeting? Will she help you?’
‘I—I’m not sure.’ He stared back at her just as intently. ‘But we have been through much together, you and I. I will do my best for you.’
‘Give Insignia the details and she will attempt contact. Do you wish to bathe first?’
‘That would be preferable, or my wife may not recognise me.’ Mira heard the tinge of bitterness in his humour.
‘I would bathe also.’ She rubbed her hand across the small hard lump in her belly. It felt lower, as though it pressed on her bones. ‘But I don’t have much time, Thales.’
He nodded. ‘I will hasten.’
They helped each other as far as the cucina, where Fariss appeared. The tall soldier’s face softened when she saw Thales. ‘You’re awake.’
‘Could you help him to a cabin?’ Mira asked her.
Fariss stuffed the biscuits she held into her mouth, and scooped up Thales in her arms as if he weighed nothing. The young scholar sank against her with complete trust.
As Mira watched them disappear along the stratum, her heart tugged a little, not from jealousy but envy. She hadn’t experienced comfort in another’s company since her sister Faja had died. Even Insignia and the nurturing of the Primo vein did not fill her need for humanesque intimacy.
She continued on to her cabin, where she bathed and brushed her hair, taking care to keep her movements slow and steady. When she was finished, she located an absorbent wad in the cabin cupboard and inserted it into her fresh underwear.
Feeling more ready to cope with what would come next, she sat on the bed.
‘Wanton?’
The Post-Species individual was where she had left it, resting on her bed covers against the tiny blisters of mycose. The pile had dwindled since her last visit to her cabin, indicating that Wanton was still in trouble.
‘Mira-fedor. Wanton is most pleased to hear your voice.’
‘H-how are you?’
‘The mycose has preserved my life. It is not an inexhaustible supply though. I would hope to heal the fracture in my casing before it has depleted much further.’
Mira leaned closer to the small gelatinous object. Its voic
e sounded plaintive, but she was never sure if attributing humanesque characteristics and emotions to it was appropriate. Did Wanton have feelings in the way she understood them? The Extro had helped her to escape her Post-Species gaol, and had displayed a very humanesque sense of self-preservation throughout their escape from the Hub world, but something was intrinsically different between them. Something she couldn’t qualify.
‘We are in Scolar space,’ she said.
‘Yes,’ said Wanton. ‘The biozoon has been exchanging information with me.’
‘Insignia? said Mira with surprise. ‘And you?’
‘We have shared our knowledge of humanesques. It is surprising to see what information we both lacked.’
Mira sat back, annoyed and amused. Wanton and Insignia had been talking about her. ‘And what did you learn?’
‘Contradictory would seem the most appropriate word.’
Mira couldn’t control her defensive reflex. ‘I wouldn’t specify that as a solely humanesque trait. I have known you to be evasive, and Insignia to be contrary.’
‘It is true that both biozoons and Post-Species Hosts display minor idiosyncrasies, but with humanesques it seems to be... quintessential.’
‘What do you need to heal yourself?’ Mira changed the subject quickly. Together Wanton and Insignia, it seemed, would be impossibly superior.
‘I am not permitted to disclose the required healing substance.’
‘Then how can I help you?’
‘I will tell you when and how.’
Mira let out an exasperated breath. ‘Now who is being obtuse?’
Mira, interrupted Insignia, Thales is ready to contact Scolar.
Mira pressed her hand down into the bed to ensure that the mycose blisters rolled as close to Wanton as possible.
I’m coming.
BELLE-MONDE
The tyros filled the ménage lounge with chatter and the smell of fruit cocktails. Chief Balbao seated himself, stiff-backed, in a lounge chair in the centre of the small bar and waited for them to assemble around him: Miranda Seeward, Javid Javiddat, Labile Connit, Lawmon Jise, Ra of Lostol and the uuli pair whose names he could never remember.
The Sentients of Orion Page 93