“Sequence understood, procedure understood. Decisions noted,” responded Peter tranquilly.
Kwango made his approach. He did not get very far. When he was barely twenty metres from the base of the tree, the liana-like tendrils whipped out with fantastic speed and gripped him. At the same time, his laser rifle was torn from his hand, and within five seconds he was spread-eagled hard against the trunk, unable to move. He struggled, but only for a moment or two. He became aware of a sweet, overpowering scent; and the will to struggle died. He experienced pleasant sensations. The tree seemed now to be holding him gently, caressing him, stroking him, releasing strange voluptuous visions in his mind. He saw Ruth Zonis, naked, beautiful, beckoning. The world be-: came deliciously dark…
The next thing he knew, he was lying flat on his back, blinking uncomprehendingly at the sky. He collected his wits—slowly. He was aware of a smell of burning. Peter was squirting something onto his neck.
*‘What the hell are you doing?” he demanded shakily.
“Cleaning the wound, sir, and applying a coagulant. It is only a very small wound. Query: shall I give it a film of synthaskin?”
“You do that,” said Kwango, still not entirely in possession of his faculties. “Tell me later what happened.” For the time being, he could only remember the haunting nearness and sexuality of Ruth Zonis.
“Decisions noted,” said Peter. “Execution proceeds.”
Kwango managed to sit up, and saw that nearly half the tree had been burned away.
Lisa Uhlmann was making a remarkable recovery. That much, Conrad had already ascertained from Lieutenant Smith who was with her in the sick bay. Uhlmann’s temperature was back to normal, her blood pressure was good and the neck wound was healing nicely.
Conrad, having made his rounds, was sitting at the desk in His cabin. He had inspected the vessel and the compound. He had also been outside the stockade and assured himself that Khelad and Zonis were laying the minefield. The indefatigable Matthew was on the navigation deck at the communications console. All was well. The robots had their instructions—very precise instructions.
With Alexei’s death, the problem of the potential saboteur had been simplified. Now there were only three to worry about, Khelad and Zonis were—temporarily, at least r—neutralising each other. There remained the enigma of Lisa Uhlmann. It was all a question of timing…
Conrad reached a decision. He called Lieutenant Smith in the sick bay.
“I have just knocked my arm against the bulkhead. It has begun to bleed again—not much, fortunately. But there is a fair amount of pain. Can you come down to my cabin and look at the damage?”
“I’ll be down in two minutes.”
“Good. How is Lisa?”
“In great spirits. She has disposed of a very good break-last. She will probably be fit for limited duty tomorrow… I’m on my way. Out.”
When Lieutenant Smith reached Conrad’s cabin, he said: “You left the laser rifle?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think your actions seemed natural?”
Indira shrugged. “I hope so, but how can I know? I think you are wrong, James. I think you are wasting—-”
Matthew’s voice came over the intercom. “Commander, Miss Uhlmann has just lasered Luke and John in corridors A and C respectively.”
“Message received, Matthew. Take no action.”
“Decision noted.”
Lieutenant Smith gazed at Conrad despairingly. “How could you know?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t. I merely created the conditions for finding out.”
Matthew came in again. “Miss Uhlmann appears to be making her way to your cabin, Commander. Do you wish her to be intercepted?”
“No, Matthew. Intercept only if she approaches a sensitive area as previously defined. Over and out.”
Conrad took two small metal cubes out of his pocket. Each was a radio transmitter. Each had a button. One was red, one was green. He pressed the red button, and placed the transmitter on his desk. The other he held in his prosthetic hand. Then he turned to Indira and held out his injured arm. “Make it look authentic, Lieutenant. Inspect the damage.”
While Lieutenant Smith was taking off the bandages, Lisa Uhlmann burst into the cabin. She held the laser rifle firmly, ready to burn them both.
“Uhlmann, what the hell are you up to?” asked Conrad angrily, affecting great surprise.
There was a wild look in Lisa Uhlmann’s eyes. “Commander,” she said icily. “I regret to report the party is over. You will never prove Tantalus. Believe me, I wish it were not necessary to kill; but there is no other way. The Santa Maria and all of us will stay on Tantalus. The
ExPEND project will be discredited. This, at least, gives the people of the Third World a fighting chance.”
“So you are the one,” said Conrad. He did not seem greatly perturbed.
“Yes, I am the one.” She lifted one hand from the laser rifle for a moment and scratched nervously at the bandage round her neck.
“Just now you spoke of a fighting chance. That is exactly what you will be giving the Third World—in fact, all of Terra—if the ExPEND project is finished. Eventually, they will be fighting each other for land, raw materials, food.”
She gave him a cold smile. “I am not going to be drawn into discussion. I regret this, but you and Lieutenant Smith have two minutes left. Use them for farewells, prayers, whatever you like. But don’t plead. Otherwise, I will laser you instantly.”
Conrad stood up. “Before Alexei Pushkin died,” he said tranquilly, “I asked him to fit one laser rifle with an electronic override. This he did. The weapon was tested. You now hold it. It is useless.”
Lisa Uhlmann was not to be shaken. “I would have expected better from you, Commander. I have just lasered two of your robots.”
“I know. I hope they can be repaired. Now laser me.” ‘t Expertly she aimed for his forehead. Nothing happened. She pressed the stud again. Still nothing. She froze in bewilderment.
Conrad calmly reached for the tiny transmitter with the green button. He placed it close to the edge of the desk. “Lisa Uhlmann, I hereby charge you with mutiny, destruction of U.N. property and attempted murder. According to Space Regulations you will be tried by court-martial on Terra when this mission is completed. Meanwhile, you will be placed in suspended animation until this project is completed.”
“Damn you!” In rage and frustration, she flung the useless laser rifle at Conrad with all her force. Expertly, he caught it with his prosthetic hand and placed it on the desk by the transmitter.
Lisa Uhlmann turned to rush from the cabin. She never made it.
Conrad pressed the green button.
She felt a stinging sensation in the side of her neck, raised one hand feebly towards the bandage, then slumped silently to the deck.
Indira knelt by her, checking heart-beat and breathing. Finally, she looked up at Conrad. “Sometimes, James,” she said heavily, “I think you, too, are a bloody robot.”
“Compliments, compliments,” said Conrad lightly. “Last night, Kwango called me a real mean bastard.”
“He was dead right—as always.”
Briefly, Conrad’s mask fell away. “I’m going to prove this planet for colonisation, and I don’t care what it costs j so long as I succeed.” His voice seemed to have a cutting edge. “Now, cut the subjective evaluations and get on with your job, Lieutenant. Put Uhlmann in the cooler, then go and tell Khelad and Zonis they can be nice to each other.”
“Ay ay, sir.” Indira’s tone conveyed much sarcasm. “What makes you think, mighty Caesar, that you can command a cessation of the Arab-Israeli hostilities you have encouraged?”
“Hate is a marvellous tool—if you know how to use it,” observed Conrad. “Tell them I took the mines. They will stop hating each other and only hate me.”
But that was part of Conrad’s calculations which came unstuck.
While the unconscious form of Lisa Uhlmann was being r
emoved by the robot Paul, under Lieutenant Smith’s supervision, back to the sick bay where she would receive a thorough medical check before being prepared for suspended animation procedure, Conrad ordered Matthew to investigate the condition of the two lasered robots.
Lisa Uhlmann had aimed well.
Matthew reported back: “Vizors and vision circuits in both robots completely destroyed, Commander. Breastplates punctured, memory banks have sustained heavy damage, power systems have sustained moderate damage. Luke’s systems have suffered approximately seven point five per cent less damage than John’s systems. With spare components from store and the facilities available, it is possible to recover one robot only. Recommendation: that Luke should be recovered.”
“Recommendations accepted, Execute.”
“Decision noted. Execution proceeds.”
Meanwhile, having seen to the welfare of Lisa Uhlmann, Lieutenant Smith tried to raise Khelad and Zonis on the radio. She failed. She went to the nav deck and glanced at the screens. Neither of the Expendables was visible. But that in itself was not necessarily significant. The vids could not show what was happening immediately outside the stockade. The vid cameras were set at an angle that would allow at least fifty metres of dead ground.
Indira went outside to investigate. Pretty soon, she found Ruth Zonis.
Ruth was lying flat on her back, only half-conscious, her clothing torn, her face bruised and bloody, her legs wide open.
She could talk, but not too well. “Khelad raped me,” she said thickly. “Maybe it was my fault. I don’t know. Maybe I pushed him too hard.” She raised herself a little and smiled weakly. “But, anyway, it must be clear he is the saboteur… Don’t worry about me, Lieutenant. I’ll live through it. Just get Khelad and take him out.”
Indira stroked her hair. “Khelad wasn’t the saboteur, Ruth. It was Lisa Uhlmann. Where is Ahmed?”
“I don’t know. All the time, he was shouting wildly in Arabic.” She gave a faint smile. “An Israeli woman is no match for an Arab male when he comes up from behind and hits her on the head… He is not in the compound?”
“No, he is not in the compound.”
“Then he has gone over the hill, hasn’t he?” Ruth sighed. “Three down. How are we going to prove Tantalus, now?”
“We’ll prove it,” said Indira fiercely. “No matter what it costs.” Suddenly, she realised she was echoing Conrad’s sentiments. She was strangely glad.
She reported back to him, telling him what she had found.
Then she turned to Ruth. “Can you get up and walk, or shall I send for a robot?”
“I can walk,” said Ruth with great intensity. “No bloody Arab is going to have that satisfaction.”
Phase Seven KHELAD FALLS OUT OF A TREE
Conrad talked to Kwango. “How far are you away now, Kurt?”
“About fifty kilometres south-west. I had an intimate time with one of those things that tried to knock off Lisa.”
“You hurt?”
“Not much. Anything been happening back home?”
“Not much,” returned Conrad grimly. “Uhlmann lasered two robots, then came to burn me and blow the project. She’s being readied for S.A.”
Kwango let out a whistle.
“Don’t do that over the radio,” snapped Conrad.
“Sorry, Boss… She was the one. Now we can relax.”
“Kwango, you have a talent for saying the wrong thing. Zonis has been raped by Khelad, and he has gone over the ;hill. Now get that thing on high drive and jet back fast. Find Khelad. We are two Expendables and one robot down. I want Khelad back before a clockwork monkey tosses him a present. By the way, the mine-field is laid. Make your approach to the stockade entrance tangentially; then you won’t blow any of the things. You read me?”
“I read you, Commander. Is Khelad armed?”
“No. Not unless he thought to take a couple of mines. And even if he did he wouldn’t want to carry them long.”
“Boss, is Ruth O.K.?”
Conrad gave a grim laugh. “For a genius you are pretty stupid. She can walk and she isn’t screaming. But her face doesn’t look too good and I don’t think she’d like to play tennis. Move, Kwango! Get Khelad and don’t make a mess of him.”
“Ay ay, sir.” Kwango felt the small wound on his neck. It didn’t bother him too much.
From ten kilometres, Kwango began to spiral in towards the Santa Maria. He figured that ten kilometres was the most Khelad could have travelled. The ground favoured th$ hunted not the hunter. But, Kwango reasoned, Ahmed Khelad would probably be in a state of panic. Would he have enough nerve to lie still in the long grasses or, perhaps, climb a tree and hide in the foliage if the hover-car came near? Kwango thought not. He wondered if there was any way to increase the sense of panic and force the fugitive to break cover. He thought there was. He turned to the robot, Peter. “What is your maximum speed on foot?”
“Query, sir: maximum speed for what terrain?”
“The terrain we are passing over now, stupid.”
“Query, sir: why am I designated stupid?”
“Cancel statement, Peter. My mistake. Supply required data. The ground is firm but uneven, the grass is long. What is your maximum speed under such conditions?”
“Maximum speed estimated at eighteen kilometres per hour plus or minus seven point five per cent, allowing for variation of terrain.”
“Then I will stop the hovercar and you will get out. You will take a laser rifle and you will proceed ahead of. me and you will make zig-zag sweeps at an angle of forty4 five degrees, each sweep to extend two hundred metres.
You will use the laser rifle only at my command.” Kwango stopped the hovercar.
“Decision noted. Execution proceeds.” Peter got out.
The hovercar had a loud hailer. Kwango used it. “Ahmed, I’m coming after you. So is Peter. He has a laser rifle and he is programmed for homicide. If you don’t want to burn, surrender now.”
Kwango put the statement on a loop replay at intervals of fifteen seconds. The hovercar continued to spiral slowly in towards the Santa Maria with Peter preceding it, running tirelessly and methodically over the ground in the appointed pattern.
Khelad was trapped less than four kilometres from the stockade. Kwango almost ran him down. Ahmed leaped up out of the grass directly ahead of the advancing hovercar. He raised his hands over his head, and he was obviously shouting something. Kwango didn’t hear what it was until he grounded and got out of the hovercar.
“Don’t let that bloody robot burn me, Kurt! Take me to Conrad. Let me talk to him. That bitch Zonis brought it all on herself. She taunted me and taunted me. She wouldn’t stop… All that stuff about Israelis being superior to Arabs… It got at my pride… I had to do something… She is the saboteur, Kurt. She took the mines.”
“Ahmed,” said Kwango calmly, “Ruth did not take the mines. Conrad did. He wanted you both to watch each other like snakes.”
“Oh, my god!”
“Also, she is not the saboteur. Uhlmann is. Even now, the good Commander has her routed for the cooler.”
“Oh, my god!” repeated Khelad weakly. “Can I lower my arms?”
“Yes, you light-skinned great-grandson of a slaver. You can do what you damn like. Conrad told me not to mess you up. But there is a destiny that shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will. Ahmed, my friend, you have just fallen out of a tree.”
“Have I?” said Khelad, uncomprehendingly.
“That is what it looks like to me,” said Kwango. Expertly he chopped Khelad in the throat. Then, even before the Arab could fall, Kwango kicked him in the crutch. When Khelad hit the ground, Kwango rolled him over and stamped on his belly. Then, almost as an afterthought, he smashed the flat of his hand down on Khelad’s nose. Presently, when Ahmed Khelad could get his breath and stop groaning, he managed to vomit.
“I have some affection for Ruth Zonis,” explained Kwango tranquilly. “That is why you fell out of a high tree. Unde
r the circumstances, it is amazing that you didn’t break any bones.” He lifted the still retching Khelad to his feet. “Now, let’s go talk to the good Commander. Feel free to tell him what you want. I shall not complain. It was worth it.”
Conrad gazed at Ahmed Khelad, who swayed a little, dabbed at his swollen and still bloody nose, occasionally felt tenderly at his throat, his belly and his crutch. Ruth Zonis was present, as also were Lieutenant Smith and Kurt Kwango.
“So you still claim you fell out of a tree when the hovercar passed close by?”
“Yes, Commander. The approach was—was very unexpected… I panicked.”
“Lieutenant Smith, do you think Khelad’s injuries could be consonant with falling out of a tree?”
“They could be,” said Indira carefully. “But it is unlikely.” She glanced briefly at Kwango.
Conrad followed her glance. Then he turned to Khelad. “Be that as it may. You are back. You are expendable, Khelad—but you are expendable on ray terms not on yours. You are charged with rape and desertion. How do you plead?”
Khelad shrugged, and let out a sigh. “Guilty.”
“Have you anything to say in your defence?”
“What is there to say?”
“You could plead extreme provocation.”
Suddenly Khelad drew himself up. “Commander, I do not wish to plead extreme provocation. I have done stupid things which I regret.” He looked at Ruth Zonis, her face still badly bruised, one eye swollen and almost closed. “But I will not shame my race by showing cowardice.”
Conrad said: “Then I find you guilty as charged. Before I pass sentence, will anyone speak in defence of this man?”
Kwango shook his head.
Indira remained silent.
Ruth Zonis said: “Yes, Commander. There are extenuating circumstances.”
“What are they?”
“My reactions to Ahmed Khelad since we came to Tantalus. It is common knowledge that I thought him to be the saboteur. It is also common knowledge that I taunted him and provoked him. He did dreadful things to me, and I hope that, in time, the memories will fade… But I am aware of my own responsibility, Commander—and of yours!”
The Rings of Tantalus [Expendables 2] Page 12