Espero (The Silver Ships Book 6)

by Jucha, S. H.

  Terese touched her hand to her heart and dipped her head. “I would dearly love to attend your children without a fee, but I believe Ser Gonzalez understands the machinations of her world far better than me. So, if a fee must be submitted, I too request one credit.”

  Consuela’s hands flew to her mouth, and she uttered a small cry of pleasure. Then the heavy-bodied woman grabbed Terese, holding her in a mother’s warm embrace. The tears falling from Consuela’s eyes were echoed by those on Terese’s face.

  Maria was furiously tapping on her reader and handed it to Orlando, but Consuela snatched it and wiped her eyes to identify the signature line before she signed off on the agreement. She held it out to her husband, who added his and gave the reader back to Maria.

  “Come, dear,” Consuela said to Terese, taking the slender Haraken by the arm, “the children are upstairs.”

  The group dutifully followed the two women up a long staircase to a large room occupying the entire back of the house.

  “This used to be the children’s playroom,” Orlando said, surveying the eighteen occupied beds. He was shaking his head, a sad expression on his face. “Once the children were put to sleep, we moved them in here where we could keep an eye on them all at once.”

  “Who first?” Terese asked Billings.

  “The oldest and the strongest,” Billings replied.

  “That would be Davie,” said Consuela, hurrying to stand beside a bed where a robust teenager lay peacefully asleep. “He was never adopted. A bit of a strong temperament, but he’s a good boy, and he’s been a great help with the little ones for years.”

  Terese, Cordelia, and Billings went quickly to work. Cordelia picked up Stratford’s injector and squeezed an amount of the sleep medication into her mouth.

  Consuela’s mouth opened in surprise, but she held her tongue since Harakens were known to be different.

  Cordelia identified the chemical and shared the information with Terese, who sorted through the med-kit for a counteragent to the sleep agent. She loaded her med-injector with a small dose and placed it next to a second injector loaded with the new agents. Removing the monitoring device from her medical reader, Terese placed it against Davie’s temple. Then she handed her reader to Billings.

  It was Billings’ job to monitor the reaction and judge whether to let the boy continue to awaken or put him back under, if the agents proved ineffective in compromising the withdrawal reactions.

  “Ready, Emile?” Terese asked.

  Billings was pleased to hear Terese use his given name again. The first time she had done so, Billings was relieved to have achieved human status in Terese’s mind, separating him from the “it,” as Stratford was still referred to by her. Billings nodded his head, but kept his eyes focused on the readouts Terese had taught him to watch. He marveled again at the degree to which the Harakens could monitor the brain’s functions.

  Terese injected Davie with the new concoction and waited a quarter-hour before she injected the boy with the sleep counteragent. She looked over Billings’ shoulder to watch the readout. After several moments, the biorhythms increased, and Terese pointed to the subtle, horizontal line, which demarked the patient’s return to consciousness.

  However, Billings was fixed on a data point that monitored the brain’s neurochemistry. He expected a significant rise in the readouts, as consciousness returned and blood flow increased, but if the indicator rose too high, it would mean the neurotransmitter mimic was in high production by the presynaptic cells, which meant the RNA strands were unbound. The result would be a wide-awake patient craving a second dose.

  Davie’s eyes fluttered open, but they seemed to have difficulty focusing. A soft moan escaped his lips, and his head lolled from side to side. Then his fingers flexed and curled harshly, and his body began to writhe.

  Consuela was moved to come to the boy’s aid, but Orlando held her back. “Wait, mother,” he whispered to her.

  Davie twisted on his side and his knees came to his chest as his moans grew louder.

  Terese touched Billing’s forearm to gain his attention, but the biochemist’s eyes never left the reader, as he signaled with a free hand for Terese to wait. “The indicator is already slowing in its climb. Give it some time.”

  Despite Billing’s pronouncement, Terese loaded a third injector with a Haraken soporific, a much milder sleeping agent than that used by Stratford.

  “Look,” Billings said with enthusiasm. He pointed to the indicator, and Terese watched it slowly fall. In time, its level indicated a minimal effect from the residual amount of neurotransmitter mimic.

  On the bed, Davie took a gasp of air, as if his lungs were freed from a vice. He rolled onto his back, panting from his exertions. His eyes focused on Terese’s face and her flame-red hair, as he spoke his first words. “You’re pretty. Did I die?”

  “No, Davie. I’m real, and you’re back.”

  Consuela ran, crying, to hold Davie, who hugged her in return.

  “Momma, what happened?” Davie asked.

  “We’ll talk later, Davie,” Consuela said, happily. “You’re okay now.”

  Davie’s gaze traveled from Terese to the twins. “Harakens,” he announced with a smile, “and a SADE too,” he added, his eyes lighting up as he took in Cordelia’s body shape.

  Davie’s comments caused both Orlando and Consuela to take a second look at the woman the boy was intently watching.

  “Greetings, young Ser, I’m called Cordelia.”

  “All the things you must be able to think of in such a short period of time,” Davie said admiringly.

  Terese grumbled to Cordelia, but there was warmth and humor behind her thought.

  “Sers,” Terese said, addressing Orlando and Consuela. “I would recommend you make use of the next hour to prepare food for this group of young ones. They will be starved, but will require easily digestible dishes.” When the husband and wife looked with concern at each other, Terese waved away her comment.

  When the twins hurried out the door, Terese added, “We have recipes aboard our traveler that will suffice. The de Long twins have gone to prepare meals for each child. That will give you time to acquire supplies and prepare suitable meals for them until they regain their strength.

  “We have a problem,” Orlando began.

  “Peto Toyo robbed our accounts,” Consuela finished for her husband. “He said it would prevent us from thinking we could run … as if we would leave the children.”

  “You need no longer worry about insolvency,” Cordelia said. “You now have sufficient operating funds for the next year.”

  “How?” Orlando stuttered.

  “She’s a SADE, poppa. I told you about them. They can do anything,” Davie said, his eyes shining even brighter as he looked at Cordelia.

  “We have our limits too, young Ser,” Cordelia replied. “The universe finds a way to limit everyone and everything. It’s how balance is maintained.”

  “Are you married or anything?” Davie asked, and the room broke into laughter.

  “I think Davie is going to be fine. His hormones seem to be functioning normally,” Steve said, laughing.

  “I will treasure your request, Davie,” Cordelia replied. “But I have a partner, who is the love of my life.”

  “Oh,” Davie said, deflating.

  “Think on this, Davie,” Sarah said, stepping beside the bed. “In a few days, the Embracing Arms Orphanage will be all over the media. People here will be heavily featured, and many girls will wonder who that young, strapping boy is who met the Harakens and a SADE. You will be the center of their attention.”

  “You think so?” Davie asked, perking up.

  “Know so,” Sarah said, winking at him.

  “Okay, people, we have more children to wake up. Let’s hope Davie is a typical case,” Terese announced. She requested Maria’s investigators wheel Davie’s bed back to his room, so the boy wouldn’t see the conditions
under which the next teenager was woken. But before they did that, she injected Davie with a dose of short-term medical nanites that would scrub his brain of the mimic that might lurk in the synaptic gaps.

  One by one, Terese and Billings woke the children. Each time, the recovery period was painful to watch. Not all took up the new agents as quickly as Davie. In fact, the younger the child, the more painful and longer the recovery became.

  “I bet the ‘it’ used the same dose level for every child,” Billings growled, referring to Stratford, after a girl of about eight struggled for nearly a quarter of an hour before she quieted. Her bed was soaked with sweat, and she was seriously dehydrated.

  Étienne and Alain made several trips to the traveler, transporting the food and drink Terese requested. She tasked them with ensuring the revived children were continually hydrated before and after the investigators rolled the child’s bed back to his or her room. More than one little person stared at Terese in awe after they regained reality, exhausted from their struggles.

  Maria and the investigators helped Orlando and Consuela feed soups and drinks to the revived children, most of whom were too tired to feed themselves. It was not long after the nourishment hit their stomachs that they were fast and peacefully asleep.

  At one point, Maria watched the husband and wife hug each other as the youngest child, who had been revived, fell asleep after eating. Terese had poised the injector with its soporific over the tiny boy’s neck, expecting to have to put him back under, when Billings’ hand grasped her wrist to halt her. Moments later, the little body stopped its thrashing. Sweat covering his face, the boy’s eyes opened and he burst into tears. Terese had swept him into her arms, soothing him with her words.

  Watching Terese with the children, it occurred to Maria that she should warn Alex about Terese’s possible response when she faced Stratford again but realized Cordelia had witnessed the same events. Maria laughed to herself, thinking, Cordelia probably made a note to warn Alex the moment Terese saw the children. Maybe had hundreds of other simultaneous thoughts. Me … I’ll stick with my poor human, one-thought-at-a-time process.

  When every child was revived, dosed with medical nanites, hydrated, fed, and fast asleep again, Maria put Fredericka, Sarah, and their transport under contract for two weeks to assist the elderly couple with getting the orphanage back on its feet.

  Orlando was heartily shaking hands with everyone as they sought to leave, but Consuela was hugging everyone, sometimes twice until she reached Terese. She held the Haraken’s face gently in her hands, and said, “Such a sweet healer. Your people are graced to have you.” Then Consuela hugged Terese for so long that even the Haraken became embarrassed and gently eased out of the embrace.

  On the walk back to the traveler, Billings was beaming, and he grinned at Terese, who walked beside him.

  “Yes, Emile, you did well,” Terese said, laughing, and took his arm, “but don’t let that go to your head.”

  -39-

  The Harakens were overjoyed at the news of the successful tests, freeing the New Terran children of their addiction, and Terese and Billings were heaped with adulation.

  While Harakens softly touched Terese’s arms or shoulders in passing, New Terran crew members delivered hearty slaps to Billings’ shoulders and back. At one point, after a particularly heavy round of approvals, Billings shrugged his shoulders, wincing from their soreness. His comment to Terese was, “I don’t think I can take many more congratulations.” But Billings was introduced to medical nanites by Terese, and he went on accepting his due.

  The only person not smiling was Stratford, who felt the praise should have been directed toward him, but not a single person agreed.

  Miranda and Cordelia joined the crew for evening meal, soon after most started eating. They were making their way to Terese’s table, where Svetlana, Deirdre, the biochemists, and their families sat. Terese spotted them entering the room and sent,

  As one, the entire room stood and paid honor to Miranda and Cordelia, each individual facing the SADEs with hands over hearts and heads bowed. Billings belatedly jumped up and joined in the ceremony, but Stratford remained seated, a disgusted expression on his face.

  The SADEs nodded their appreciation. Cordelia smiled, but noticed Miranda wore a neutral expression. Cordelia sent.

  Miranda replied.

  Thousands of thoughts raced through Cordelia’s crystal kernel in an effort to choose something to comfort Miranda. Unfortunately, nothing seemed appropriate. What Z began as an experiment had created a conundrum for the SADEs. It occurred to Cordelia to recommend to Z that he never again resurrect the Miranda persona. Yet, her central thought was that she would miss Miranda too.

  * * *

  Terese sent to Alex with great relief.

  Despite every Haraken’s expectation that their ships would break orbit soon, they remained over New Terra. When a full day passed without a word from Alex, Tatia, Renée, and Julien caught him on the Rêveur’s bridge, chatting with Lumley.

  The first mate surveyed the serious expressions on the three standing inside the bridge accessway. “Would you like to be left alone, Mr. President, for the coming discussion?”

  “Depends, Francis,” Alex replied, grinning at the first mate. “If you’re any good at hand-to-hand combat, you can stay and help. I think I can take the little one, if you can handle the other two.”

  “I believe this fight is all yours, Mr. President, if you’ll pardon my cowardice.”

  “It’s not cowardice when you know you’re outnumbered and don’t stand a chance, Francis,” Alex replied, patting the first mate on the shoulder. Alex exited the bridge, signaling the three to follow.

  “Thé?” Alex asked when they reached the suite, and he set about making cups of the brew. “The three of you are wondering why we’re still here. You think we should be headed back to Hellébore to deliver Terese’s concoction and break the addiction demand on our teenagers.”

  When no one said a word, Alex handed cups of thé to Tatia and Renée. “First, let me assure you that I checked with Terese, and she says that our young people are in no danger if we delay our return for a short while. What occurs to me is that we’ve won a single engagement, but we’re in danger from the criminal gangs that still exist.”

  “Are you considering actions against Kadmir and O’Brien?” Tatia asked.

  “Not overtly, no,” Alex replied. “What I am interested in is staying put and acting as witnesses in any cases brought against people such as Kadmir.”

  “Has he been charged?” Renée asked.

  Alex glanced at Julien, who raised a finger, requesting Alex wait, while he accessed the government’s judicial database.

  “There is nothing on record. Possibly, Counselor Bernoulli requires more time to collect evidence before she brings charges. There are extensive files on both Kadmir and O’Brien.” Julien said.

  “Speaking of Bernoulli,” Alex said, “she’s asked again for the biochemists and our evidence to be turned over to her, and I told her it would be made available to her tomorrow morning. The TSF troopers we have aboard are inventorying the equipment and drug-manufacturing samples, taking possession of all of it. The scientists and their families will be leaving with them.”

  “Terese is adamant that we speak up for Emile Billings,” Renée said.

  “That will be a challenge,” Alex replied. “When I spoke to Bernoulli, she said that she was leveling the same charges against both biochemists. She said there was not enough evidence to substantiate the kidnapping of Billings’ family. None of them showed any signs of torture or deprivation. More critical, Billings had prior knowledge of Stratford’s activities before Toyo engaged Stratford.”

  When both Tatia and Renée raised their v
oices in response, Alex held up his hands for quiet. “I understand and agree with you. Thus, one of the reasons we’re staying. I also wish to present evidence to encourage a change where it concerns this mining charter, and while the New Terrans seek to apply their laws, I wish to see justice done.”

  Alex and Julien exchanged glances. It was the slippery slope again, which they had discussed nearly a decade and a half ago … the laws of one society hampered in the prosecution of criminals due to the lack of evidence versus the unequivocal judgments of a superior technological society that possessed proof of their actions.

  * * *

  New Terra’s government investigations and subsequent trials got underway in earnest. The Assembly requested Counselor Bernoulli specify the formal charges that would have been preferred against Peto Toyo had he survived the fight at Azul Kadmir’s domes. Underlying the request was the representatives’ intention to understand the degree to which the mining charter had been jeopardized.

  Bernoulli selected an inquiry panel to hear witnesses and view the evidence presented. The first witnesses called were the Haraken girls.

  “Alex, they need to see what we saw at the club,” Christie shouted. The Haraken girls had landed at Maria’s home the day before, intending to be available for the proceedings, but Alex announced he was considering declining Bernoulli’s request for Christie and her friends. As Haraken citizens, the girls could not be compelled to testify,

  Renée sent to Alex.

  “Mr. President, there are no examples in Oistos of addicted children,” Amelia argued. “Ser Lechaux has cured the orphans. How can the jury members determine the danger of what Peto Toyo created if they don’t see the effect on people?”

  “Cordelia has downloaded their entire recordings of events. I could augment their testimony by displaying their recordings,” Julien said.

  “Okay, I agree, you three may appear, but hear me out. I will be in the courtroom. If I feel the questions step outside the scope of the investigation and into Haraken affairs, I will signal you and you will walk. Is that understood?”