Deep Six bobbed in his tank. Imitating a human shrug.
"Kaee ir, pa ka AK ir."
"What's that mean?"
"From small shocks, large waves grow."
Just then, though, thecomm panel behind Snapshot beeped, and she spun back around to respond to It.
"A new transmission?" Deep Six asked.
"No, a power Increase. Soledad Radio has increased Its transmission strength by 150 percent."
"Why don't you put the transmission on audio."
"Roger."
Snapshot picked up the intensified transmission pan way through a radio announcer's lead-in, "...People of Soledad, this is an important announcement No, check that—ills the most important message you will ever hear. I give you President Vazquez,"
A silent pause followed, pregnant with anticipation even aboard Hornet, during which time the president was probably collecting her thoughts.
"People of Soledad, this Is Miranda Vazquez, coming before you not as your president nor even as your cardinal, but rather as an ordinary citizen of our world, prostrate before the glory and majesty of our Lord and Defender. Blessed be the saints, and the heralds and The prophets of the Palabra—St. Kilalt has risenl "All work and public celebrations are therefore canceied until further notice. Please stand by your radio for further announcements of consequence to this divine and holy miracle.
"Cod be praised."
The transmission then blasted into a triumphantchoral hymn, underscoring Vazquez' theme.
"Did you hear that down In engineering?" Snapshot asked afterward.
"Oh yeah," Crowbar said. "We heard it"
"Any orders?" Snapshot asked.
"No," Gyro said, after a moment's reflection. "Continue to monitor the situation."
"Do you think this could be Red Sun's emergency?"
"I don't know about that," Cyro said, "but I've never seen a saint come back from the dead, and I have heard about plenty of groundhogs pretending to be something they're not. so keep your ears open. Red Sun may just need our help before long."
To call the entry of 51 Kilalt merely majestic would be doing It a gross Injustice. Obscenely lurid, Coeur believed, would be closer to the mark.
With Physic, Coeur viewed the arrival In Soledad through a slit in the lower cargo level of Kilalt's two-level grav barge—an ignominious chamber Into which they were locked during the entire two-hour transit from the depot. The barge Itself was a 50-ton colossus, bedecked In gold and Ivory appliques, and rather resembled a flying ark. The magic of projected holograms made It appear to ride In its own Illuminated cloud, while simultaneously showering beams of multicolored light on the strangely silent crowd lining nighttime Ervea Avenue before the Defense Ministry.
Coeur's will to concentrate on that gaudy spectacle was limited, as she remembered a lesser spectacle at Mexit Depot; The depot hospital.
Concerned that the Arses were worrying unduly about the welfare of their absent comrades Fubar and Gremlin, Craylord took Coeur and Physic to an observation room near St. Kllalfs command room. This appeared to beaclrcuW operating theater, but the transparent floor looked down not upon a surgical procedure, but upon the naked and manacled bodies of the two Marines, who lay on a pair of gumeys with curious black helmets over their heads and a profusion of needles leading Into their bodies.
"What the hell are you doing to them?" Coeur had asked.
"I am proving to you that your men have not been harmed," Graylord said. "Surely, you con see Iram the monitors that their metabolism, heart rate and respiration ore normal."
"I can see that," Physic said, "but their brain waves are all distorted. What are you doing to them?"
"Only what must be done for their happiness here. Their brains are being conditioned for insertion of prefrontal control modules next week."
"Red," Physic said, "I think I'm going to be sick."
"But you should be happy, "Graylord said, leading thewomenout of the theater. "Your friends will be servlrtg the wondrous purposes of our beloved Defender."
"With mind control," Coeur observed.
"I assure you, it is only o temporary expedient. Most of our servants ore Inherently awed by the honor of serving Kilalt But for the rare off-wortder we recruit, more drastic measures ore temporarily employed—until the mind becomes accustomed to Its new surroundings. "
"I assume you 'recruited' our Marines because of their martial training," Coeur said.
"Yes, "Craylord answered. "It will hove obvious usefulness here."
"What about us?" Physic asked. "Is that going to happen to us too?"
"I should hope not. You seem tike reasonable people, and I believe I con Vvst you lo help me voluntarily in my next tosk."
"Which is?" Coeur asked.
"Ah, but that must wait," Graylord said, "until we travel to Soledod."
"Damn, but that is weird,* Physic exclaimed, bringing Coeur back to the present. "The crowd's not making any sound at all."
"Well, it is the second coming," Coeur pointed Out. "I guess I'd be awestruck too."
The main street of Soledad was far from silent, inough, as the holy barge descended from the sky. The squadron of nightjacks escorting Kilalt (Coeur counted at least eight) not only appeared in the guise of angels, but also produced an unearthly chorus of musical sound through their voders, voluminous enough toecho through all the side streets and avenues of the Federal District.
"It*s looks like we're landing now. I can see Vazquez."
"Pretty happy-looking isn't she?"
"Now, now, doctor," Coeur soothed. "We still don't know her part In all this."
And well they might not, but it was difficult to see how Vazquez couldn't have known this would happen beforehand.
Far from stupefied—as most of the people were in Soledad— Vazquez appeared supremely contented, with a benign smile on her face as she watched the barge settle to the ground and disgorge its holy passenger, St. Kilalt, before her, "I can't believe it," Physic said. "He's got a halol"
"Yeah, sure does, I guess modesty isn't in Kilalt's vocabulary."
The last thing Coeur and Physic got to see was an embrace between Vazquez and Kilalt, for the barge began to rise again almost as soon as it set down. Uncertain what to make of this, the Arses exchanged curious glances, but soon enough they saw where they were going—toward the dark berths and warehouses of thestarpon—well away from the thronging crowds a kilometer away,There, the bargecame to a stop Inside the very berth where W fr Armis was parked.
"Damn," Physic said, "that's Tom's ship! Do you suppose her people got your signal and got out?"
"Dunno," Coeur answered. "I hope so, for their sake."
The top hatch then slid back, revealing the form of Craylord staring down at them.
"You can come out now," he said.
"C.ee, thanks," Coeur answered, letting Physic dimbout of the hold before her. Coeur followed behind, up into the sumptuous parlor that had carried Kilalt just moments before. Doubtless, the big picture windows that formed the walls of the parlor had afforded a spectacular in-flight view of the city, but now they only revealed the lonely, unlit hulk of the pirate cruiser, her drive section in disarray from her interrupted repairs.
"So," Coeur said, resisting the urge to appear over-anxious about Tom's ship, "I suppose your master will be installed now as ruler of Soledad."
"No, not yet. More than likely, that will come some time in the future."
"I don't suppose we'll be allowed to meet Vazquez, then, will we?" Physic asked.
"Of course you will, as soon as it Is convenient for her."
"But what if we told her what we know?"
"What you know about what?" Craylord asked.
"About the depot, Craylord," Coeur said, "and the kind of crass, self-serving jerk your so-called saint Is."
Craylord chuckled.
"Oh, Captain, how little you understand. St. Kilalt is not Cod, but rather an agent of Cod. Cardinal Vazquez knows that if he treats you roughl
y, it Is to test both your faith and hers."
"You gotta admit," Physic said to Coeur, "he's got all the angles covered."
"Well," Coeur said to Graylord, "maybe now you can tell us why you brought us here with you, instead of leaving us at the depot."
"Yes, the time has come for that. Rather awkwardly, I have learned that all your personnel have abandoned Soledad."
"Pity," Coeur sakJ.
"Yes, doubtless an effect of your warning signal. However, It Is my belief that you and the doctor can help me accomplish our next mission for St. Kilalt"
"Which," Coeursaid, "I assume, is helping you get Viit Armis ready for space."
"Precisely. As soon as that is accomplished, the word of our beloved Defender will know no limits In the universe."
"I can't wait. And if we refuse?"
"I'm afraid that won't be acceptable," Graylord said, opening the side boarding hatch, and revealing the hovering forms of two demonic nightjacks. "Martillo and Yunque would certainly lake It as a personal affront to them."
"I see your point," Coeur admitted, remembering the deadly grip of Yunque as she stepped down the boarding ramp beside Physic.
"Good," Craylord said, following behind the Arses and then waving to the barge's human slave pilot to let him lift off. It did so—reengaging its special effects holograms lest any common citizen should happen to see it from alar—then rose up Into the starry night as the all-weather tarp began to retract over the berth.
"Yes, good," Grayicrd repeated, "for Viei Armls awaits and will be your home until she is repaired."
Chapter 20
While Coeur and Physic could hardly call their situation Ideal, they did have one factor In their favor: Vink'sinarguable capacity to make a mess. Thoughit was doubtless ordered in the engineer's mind, the scattered parts of W it Arrms'drive section—damaged parts removed from the ship and salvaged parts Intended for installation—would lake days to sort out, let alone the time it would take to set the heavier components Into place, "You may leave the manhandling to me," Craylord said, addressing the Arses under the retracted tarp of Vi Et Armis' berth. "Your Immediate purpose shall be to catalog these parts In and around the vessel."
Pursuant to which, the android handed over computer notepads to each woman.
"Are you sure you trust us?" Coeur asked.
"No. However, I have a fair degree of experience with starship engineering and will probably detect any subterfuge."
Craylord paused a moment, presumably thinking to himself, before continuing.
"And, of course, there is the motivation of self-interest. Both you and I shall be part of this ship's crew when she is reassembled."
"What was that you were saying. Physic?" Coeur asked the doctor, "about his having all the angles covered?"
"Please cease your procrastination and begin your work," Grayiord ordered. "I shall go inside the vessel and begin the cataloguing there."
"Well," Physic said, wary of Martillo and Yunque standing nearby, "I wouldn't knowazuchai crystal if you threw one at me. What say I take the electronic parts, and you take the heavy machinery."
"Sounds like a plan," Coeur agreed, resignedly.
As their work day began, the women realized they had become accustomed to sleeping during the daytime. Like native Mexitans, they saw the day as a Ume to refrain from work, and could not help but feel forlorn as the distant hum of massed humanity died off with the coming of the morning light filtering through the canvas fabric of the overhead tarp.
Crowd noise was the last thing on the minds of the women, though, as they went about their assigned task. Trying not to look to obvious about It, they found their way to every hangar door and maintenance hatch they could, testing these while the nightjacks weren't watching. Unfortunately, none of them were unlocked, and no convenient handholds offered the prospect of climbing up the steep walls of the berth to escape under the loose edges of the covering tarp, but that didn't keep either woman from visualizing ways they might arrange to escape.
Si* hours into their 12-hour day, therefore, the women contrived to meet alone and unsupervised, after the half-hour break they were given for lunch In Armis1 galley. Hoping Graylord wasn't as briefed on human restroom habits as he was on seemingly every other subject. Physic contrived to flush the toilet in the head—so that It would sound as if she was done—and then waited for Coeur to come In and join her.
Here, at very close quarters, the limitations of Anslan for complex conversation diminished substantially. Though neither Arse possessed great skill in the gestural language, at a meter apart, they could easily use lip reading to fill in the blanks. They quickly launched into a silent conversation almost as fast as regular speech.
" Think he's suspicious?" Physic asked.
"Of course he's suspicious," Coeur answered-
"I think I might hove found a way out. The ventilation sholt by the starboard wing is only held on by a couple of screws. "
"I know. We'll have to delay our escape attempts, though."
"Whot? Why?"
"Because! need to reach Drop Kick and the o then, and the meson communicator to do that with is hidden an this ship."
"Contact them? Why?"
"I know the coordinates of the depot meson gun sensor, and I hove to get It to them. If they want to get into the depot, they'll hove to destroy that sensor."
"Understood."
"lust don't try anything stupid, "Coeur advised, "at leost until I send the message."
"You know where the communicator Is?"
"You forget—I spent two months on this ship. But I can't be too obvious about it, or Craytord will know for sure."
"Understood."
Coeur then flushed the toilet as well and opened the stall door to find Craylord wailing outside.
"Interesting," he said. "Do you often relieve yourselves together?"
"Oh, no, of course not," Coeur extemporized, "I was just asking Physic about my...ah...tan."
"That's right," the dark-complected Physic said. "I was concerned about that, since Mexit has such a Thin atmosphere "
"But you're working Inside."
"You can never be too caulious where malignant melanomas are concerned," the doctor said. "But then, I suppose, being a machine, you wouldn't know much about that."
"No, I don't suppose I would. Carry on, ladies."
True to his word, Craylord obliged the Arses to sleep aboard W it Armis that night, though their separate rooms were locked to prevent nighttime wanderings.
Accustomed to the Mexit cycle of nighttime activity and daytime rest, they found It difficult to get to sleep and even harder to get up the next morning, though Coeur believed she understood why the change in work pattern had been Instituted.
So we'll be up when Soledad is asleep, and our friends will he up when we're asleep.
Yet Coeur could not lei herself dwell on what she couldn't control. The hidden communicator was her singular objective, and she would be patient awaiting the opportunity to use it "Captain, doctor," Craylord greeted them, at that morning's breakfast "I find that your efficiency diminished substantially toward the end of yesterday's work period. Today, therefore, I shall have Radio Soledad piped into the berth to make you more relaxed and productive."
"Oooh," Physic said, underwhelmed "Hymns."
"Come now, doctor," Coeur replied. "You should be more thankful."
"Oh, but I am."
"So," Coeur said to Craylord, "will we be working Inside today?"
"Negative. Today you will help me remove the maneuver drlvecowllngso that tomorrow wemay begin re placement of the ignition chambers,"
"Any idea how long until we'llget to work on the jump drive?"
"Four days, I should think. But why are you so curious, Captain? just twodaysago, you expressed great skepticism about the holy purpose of St. Kilalt,"
*Just curious," Coeur said.
four days, four damn days uniS I can get to that communicator. * i *
Frustr
ating as the defay was, It was also Instructive. Over the course of that short span of time, Coeur heard the proud city of Soledad reduced to madness—thanks to the radio.
However Kilalt had come to be a priest andacardlnalln the first place, Coeur couldn't guess, but he certainly didn't seem to have a knack for political compromise—a fact that became clear as the week wore on.
The first day the radio was on, news breaks discussed in gleeful terms the miracle of Kllalfs arrivaf, with blow-by-blow accounts of his miraculous generosity—producing food to feed thousands and healing horrible cases of skin cancer while simultaneously dispensing pious wisdom derived from his personal relationship with the Defender.
"'Love thy neighbor as thyself,'" Kilalt said in a news bite, pausing sanctimoniously as If he were the first to have said 1L "The Defender taught me that"
The bad news started coming soon after that.
On the second day, a humiliated Vazquez admitted that members of her own provisional cabinet had been caught 'performing the work of the devil.' Kilalt himself took on a stem tone, admonishing the people of Soledad to beware that devils lurked everywhere in the city, and advising the common folk to report blasphemous conduct to their local constabularies.
Yet it became worse still, Vazquezceased to be heard on the radio at all on the third day, doubtless riven with fear by reports of common blasphemers being hung In public squares without trial, to the accompaniment of public cheering. That cheering quieted on the fourth night, though, when captured rebels were publicly burned to death as a lesson In Impiety.
"This is madnessPhysic signed the following afternoon, meeting Coeur again in the privacyof the galley head. "Haw can the people accept it?"
"I don't know," Coeur answered, reading Physic's lips and answering with her own mix of signs and unvoiced words. "But it is hard to argue vsith Cod."
"What I don't gel is Craylord. I'd swear he seems almost shaken whenever we hear obaut the executions."
"But not shoken enough 10 do anything about I hem."
"I've got a theory about that," Physic said, slowing her signing to let Coeur follow this complex thought. "Craylord probably wasn't setf-aware until after Kilalt was In suspension—when Virus infected Craylord—so he might not have any real knowledge of the man—just beliefs formed alter he came to sentience."
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