Foreigner - Explorer. Part 21

"So we should hear from these persons," Ilisidi said.

"More often and more clearly, nandi, and in communications protected from bureaucrats," Jase answered.

"Eavesdroppers," Bren corrected. The words were akin. Jase's Ragi occasionally faltered, even yet.

"Eavesdroppers," Jase said with a little nod, a slight blush. "Pardon, nandiin. The tether also provides a person-sized soft tube which permits one to come and go, rather like an ordinary boarding pa.s.sage, but very cold, very much smaller, easier to retract or even break free in case of emergency. Sabin-aiji is preserving our freedom of movement. We expect a clear under standing with the station before we establish any more solid connection, nandi."

Sabin meanwhile, not far distant, gave rapid orders establis.h.i.+ng that connection, Bren heard that with the other ear.

"Tether line is established," C1 informed the crew below-decks, in that operations monotone. "Links are functioning."

Sabin appeared in a far better mood now than an hour ago. She looked to have aged ten years in the last few hours, but there was a spark in her eye now-more like a battle-glint, but a spark, all the same.

"Now we have a physical communications linkage," Jase said, hands in jacket pockets.

Mechanical whine and thump. Airlock Airlock, Bren thought on the instant, with a jump of his heart. They hadn't heard that that in at least a year. in at least a year.

"Someone is going outside," he muttered to Jase.

"Fuel access, belly port. We are not asking their permission, nandiin. We will see what our situation is. But this process of arranging the port connection may take hours.

"One might might take the chance at this point to go back to greater comfort below," Jase said. take the chance at this point to go back to greater comfort below," Jase said.

"And when will the captains do so?" Ilisidi asked.

"Perhaps soon, nandi." Jase looked wrung out, at the limits of his strength. "But we shall go to s.h.i.+ft change soon. One antic.i.p.ates that Sabin-aiji may declare it her night, and when that happens, I shall likely sit watch up here claiming I know absolutely nothing, should the station have questions. We may well start fueling under that circ.u.mstance, granted there is fuel. It may cause a certain distress, but Sabin-aiji will not be disposed to listen."

"A diplomatic situation, then," Ilisidi said.

"But a human one, aiji-ma," Bren said quietly. "I should stay up here within reach, but there is clearly no reason for the aiji-dowager to miss breakfast."

Clearly it tempted. Ilisidi rarely admitted fatigue, except for show. The harsh lines of her face were not, at this point, showing. "One might consider it, if this s.h.i.+p has ceased its moving about."

"One may trust that, aiji-ma."

"This bloodthirsty child will go disappointed that we shan't raise banners and storm the station, I'm sure, but if matters have reached such a lengthy wait, I shall appreciate a more comfortable chair. And this boy needs his breakfast."

"One understands a young gentleman's endurance is very sorely tested. I don't know what other young lad might have stood and sat for so long."

"One makes no excuses," Ilisidi said sharply-though the young lad in question, eye level with a human adult, looked exhausted. "A gentleman offers offers no exceptions, does he, rascal?" no exceptions, does he, rascal?"

"No, mani-ma." It was a very faint voice. "But one would very much favor a gla.s.s of-"

Click. Softly, Ilisidi set her cane down in front of her feet.

"At convenience, mani-ma."

Ilisidi's hand lifted. A disturbance had just rippled across the bridge, Sabin and C1 in consultation, nearby stations diverting attention to that conversation. Technicians' heads actually turned, however briefly.

Something unusual was going on.

"A moment, nandiin." Jase excused himself toward the epicenter of the trouble.

"Excuse me, aiji-ma." Bren took Sabin's tolerance of Jase in the situation as a similar permission and went, himself, to stand and listen.

The team from Phoenix Phoenix had reached the fueling port. Video from a helmet-cam showed a yellow and black band and a hand-lettered label stuck across an edge. It said... G.o.d? had reached the fueling port. Video from a helmet-cam showed a yellow and black band and a hand-lettered label stuck across an edge. It said... G.o.d? Lock rigged to explode Lock rigged to explode.

"They've locked the fuel port," Jase said under his breath. "With a sign out there for us us to read." to read."

"Evidently there's something to protect," Bren muttered, "from us."

"Get me station administration," Sabin said in clipped tones, and C1 acknowledged the order.

A sense of unease welled up. Banichi and Jago hadn't followed him into the sacred territory of the operations area, but he felt a Banichi sort of thought nagging at him. "Jase. If we plug into their systems to talk, can they possibly get into our systems?"

"Two-way," Jase said. "I don't know the safeguards. I a.s.sume we both have them."

There had to be safeguards-had to be, if if the captains hadn't trusted the Guild. the captains hadn't trusted the Guild. If If the Guild had doubts about the captains. Or had they? "Captain," he began to say to Sabin, but Sabin leaned forward on C1's console and said, "Get me the station-master. Now. Asleep or awake, rout him out." the Guild had doubts about the captains. Or had they? "Captain," he began to say to Sabin, but Sabin leaned forward on C1's console and said, "Get me the station-master. Now. Asleep or awake, rout him out."

A loyal s.h.i.+p turned up after a decade-long voyage, there was a lock on the fuel and the stationmaster wasn't saying glad to see you as it docked? Granted station wasn't glad they'd approached the alien s.h.i.+p out there-it ought to be happy they'd gotten away alive.

"Anybody bothered by this silence from station?" Bren asked under his breath.

Sabin shot their small disturbance a burning look, intermittent with attention to the console. On the screen, some sort of official emblem appeared, links of a chain, the word Reunion Reunion.

"Stationmaster's answered," C1 said quietly. "Station-master, stand by for the senior captain."

"Stationmaster," Sabin said abruptly. "Sabin here, senior captain. We're tethered in good order. Speaking on direct. What's your situation?"

C1 had the audio low, but audible.

And below that circle of links, the screen now held the old Pilots' Guild emblem, a white star and a s.h.i.+p, superimposed with Pilots' Guild Headquarters, Louis Baynes Braddock, Chairman Pilots' Guild Headquarters, Louis Baynes Braddock, Chairman.

Nothing inherently terrible about that image. But seeing it actually in use, not pressed in the pages of a history book, sent cold chills down a Mospheiran spine.

That image dissolved to the heavy-jowled face of a middle-aged man, white-haired and balding, in an officer's uniform. Louis Baynes Braddock, Chairman Louis Baynes Braddock, Chairman.

"Stable at the moment, Captain Sabin," Braddock answered. "Where is Captain Ramirez?"

"Attrition of age, sir. Of the original captains, Jules Ogun is alive and well, directing affairs at Alpha Station." There was the shade of a lie, by way of introduction. "And I am senior in this situation. Second captain aboard is Jason Graham. No fourth captain has yet been appointed. We require fuel. I'd like to get that moving. What's the situation?"

"We have a full load for you, Captain."

Confirmation went through the bridge, palpable relief. Full load. Ready. They could do their job and leave. They could go home home. But not a single face, not a single eye, s.h.i.+fted from absolute duty.

"That's very good news, Mr. Braddock, very good news." No flicker of emotion touched Sabin's face, either, no rejoicing beyond that utterance, muscles set like wire springs. "And the watcher out there?"

"It never has interfered with us." Not what the alien itself had indicated. "We tried to advise you. Your interference in that situation is very dangerous, captain. I can't stress how dangerous."

Two lies and unanswered questions by the bucketful. The news about the fuel load was good-but Braddock lied, and Bren held his breath.

"I can report in turn," Sabin said, "that our Alpha base is secure, things there are in good order, and we're fit for service once we're fueled here-including dealing with any threat from that s.h.i.+p out there. Fueling should get underway immediately. I note your precautions with the fuel port. Can we get that open, priority one?" can report in turn," Sabin said, "that our Alpha base is secure, things there are in good order, and we're fit for service once we're fueled here-including dealing with any threat from that s.h.i.+p out there. Fueling should get underway immediately. I note your precautions with the fuel port. Can we get that open, priority one?"

"As soon as we've officially verified your credentials and reviewed your log records, Captain Sabin, we'll be delighted to deliver the fuel."

Not much fazed Sabin. There began, however, a sudden, steady twitch in her jaw. "Chairman Braddock, we've managed a peaceful contact with that observer out there. We seem to have a tacit approval for our approach, whether or not it's collecting targets into one convenient package, or just watching to see what we do. We don't know the extent of its comprehension. We're not anxious to postpone refueling and setting this s.h.i.+p in operational order in favor of a round of by-the-book formalities, h.e.l.l no, sir. Unlock that port."

"Essential that we ascertain your recent whereabouts and your authority, captain."

"You haven't got d.a.m.n else for a s.h.i.+p, sir, and I am am the authority." the authority."

"We're sure we'll be satisfied with your report, captain. But you'll appreciate that, even considering you're clearly in possession of Phoenix, Phoenix, there is a question of legitimacy of command. More to the point, there's the authority of this Guild to review, inspect, and post to rank. Those formalities we take to be important. The log records are requisite. We require you transmit them there is a question of legitimacy of command. More to the point, there's the authority of this Guild to review, inspect, and post to rank. Those formalities we take to be important. The log records are requisite. We require you transmit them."

Sabin took her hand off the console shelf and stood upright. There was still not a flicker of expression on her face. But she paused a moment to gather composure and reason before she leaned near the pick-up again. "Stationmaster, do I correctly gather that you're asking me to come to your offices to fill out forms and deal with red tape with my s.h.i.+p unfueled and a s.h.i.+p you can't account for already having constrained us on our way in? And that you're trying to a.s.sert Guild Council authority over Phoenix Phoenix? I reject that, categorically. My second captain may be new, but I'm not, and I know what's in order and what's not. h.e.l.l h.e.l.l if I'm putting our navigational records and the precise location of our remote base into your records when you can't even guarantee the security of your own station." if I'm putting our navigational records and the precise location of our remote base into your records when you can't even guarantee the security of your own station."

"Captain Sabin, we're asking specifically that you observe Guild law and procedures which our office, our entire reason for being, requires us to follow. You'll appreciate our safeguarding that fuel, to release it to appropriately const.i.tuted authority, operating in our interests and at our orders-"

"The h.e.l.l? We are are the s.h.i.+p. That's the plain fact." the s.h.i.+p. That's the plain fact."

"Our orders, I remind you, supercede yours, where it regards this station, and the fuel, captain, is on on this station. For your convenience, and precisely to expedite this process, we have an inspection team and an escort ready to come up to the s.h.i.+p this station. For your convenience, and precisely to expedite this process, we have an inspection team and an escort ready to come up to the s.h.i.+p."

"Escort."

"To Guild headquarters, captain, where you can present your request to the Guild. This transfer of personnel would be far easier in hard dock. We have questions to ask about the encounter out there."

"After refueling."

"We understand your worry. But we have legitimate worries. We feel you've exacerbated the situation with your adventurism out there-adventurism which brought this situation on us. We are not disposed to be patient, captain, and we strongly suggest you hard dock and come in for consultation."

"Until you can present solid information about our watcher out there, I'll keep us soft-docked. I may change my mind once we're sure you're in control of the station."

"I can a.s.sure you, captain, we've never ceased to be in control of this station."

Their advantage was leaking away, utterance by utterance. "Captain," Bren said, and recklessly if gently interposed his hand between Sabin and the console.

Sabin reached past that intervention and pushed a b.u.t.ton on the console. Held it down, preventing transmission to the station, one hoped.

"A sudden bright idea, Mr. Cameron?"

"You're senior ent.i.ty. Demand the Guildmaster board and prove what's to prove. And don't let him off again once he's here." senior ent.i.ty. Demand the Guildmaster board and prove what's to prove. And don't let him off again once he's here."

"I'd enjoy that, but it doesn't get that fuel lock released, Mr. Cameron, and I don't want someone to panic and dump the load. Traditionally, captains have have gone to station offices." gone to station offices."

"And if they hold you you?"

"Then we'll know something, won't we?" She released the b.u.t.ton and spoke to Braddock, at the console. "I use my own escort, sir, under my own command."

Bren's heart sank. Ignored. Absolutely ignored.

"I'll expect a full explanation of the situation from your side," Sabin said to Braddock. "As for your officers boarding this s.h.i.+p, inspect as you like, under Captain Graham's supervision, but I've no intention of transmitting s.h.i.+p's log containing base location into your station records in the presence of an unexplained foreign presence, and that's the law on this this deck. Personnel link is adequate for current business. Beyond that, I a.s.sure you deck. Personnel link is adequate for current business. Beyond that, I a.s.sure you Phoenix Phoenix remains the senior ent.i.ty in this organization: we are your remains the senior ent.i.ty in this organization: we are your founders founders, sir, and we don't take orders."

"We're well aware of your unsuccessful maneuver to breach the fuel port." Did one imagine a sudden, desolate chill in relations? "When we see the doc.u.ments that confirm your authority to command, we'll have more to say, Captain Sabin. Our personnel are on their way and expect entry."

"I'll expect your escort momentarily, Mr. Braddock. Let's get this business done. Sabin out."

C1 cut the connection. Sabin wasn't happy. That needed no translation. She straightened, glowered straight at Bren, looked at Jase, at the lot of them. The tic was still pulsing away in her jaw. It wasn't a good time to argue-but, Bren thought, feeling the deck had just dropped away under his feet, it was a very unfortunate time for Sabin to shove advice aside.

"Captain Graham."

"I'll be honored to go in your place," Jase said quietly. "In that capacity, I might be more useful."

"Protocols, second captain, protocols protocols say you aren't the one to go, sensible as it might otherwise be. Main security will go with me. With weapons." say you aren't the one to go, sensible as it might otherwise be. Main security will go with me. With weapons."

"Yes, captain," Jase said quietly and Bren stepped to the background with a glance at Banichi and Jago.

"Inform the dowager and fifth deck, nadiin-ji. The fuel port is locked with an explosive device and a sign in human language. The station demands Sabin-aiji come report in person to establish her legitimacy before the Guild chairman will release the fuel. We believe this is subterfuge. Captain Sabin is arming her primary guard to go outside the s.h.i.+p, but she has admitted Guild officers inside our security, expecting Jase to finesse this."

"Shall we a.s.sist?" Banichi asked, surely with a certain antic.i.p.ation he hated to hold back.

"Not yet, Nichi-ji. Not yet." The troubling truth was that Phoenix Phoenix had relatively few security personnel on each s.h.i.+ft-they weren't a wars.h.i.+p: they were a small town; and their advantage was they knew each other, but their glaring disadvantage was-they only knew each other. had relatively few security personnel on each s.h.i.+ft-they weren't a wars.h.i.+p: they were a small town; and their advantage was they knew each other, but their glaring disadvantage was-they only knew each other. Sabin Sabin thought she knew the Guild better than the rest of them, and that might be true, but the move she made scared him-scared him in the extreme. thought she knew the Guild better than the rest of them, and that might be true, but the move she made scared him-scared him in the extreme.

Ilisidi had moved forward, into the aisle, with Cajeiri, with Cenedi, and her gold stare fairly sizzled.

"We have have understood. This is dangerous insolence in the absence of power, in this wrecked station. Say so to Sabin-aiji. Say that we shall lend force to her actions." understood. This is dangerous insolence in the absence of power, in this wrecked station. Say so to Sabin-aiji. Say that we shall lend force to her actions."

He foresaw refusal. But he went closer to Sabin and rendered that: "The dowager calls the station dangerously insolent, says people sitting in a wrecked station have no real authority; she offers atevi a.s.sistance."

"Unfortunately," Sabin said between her teeth, "and the governing fact, we have no real fuel fuel."

"If you board, ma'am, they have you and the fuel," Jase pointed out. "And without you, this s.h.i.+p has no way home."

"On the contrary, Mr. Akers seems quite undamaged and serviceable." That was the senior pilot. "Failing Mr. Akers, Ms. Carem and Mr. Keplinger. And they surely have your your canny advice, Captain Graham." It was the sort of petty sniping that consistently flew at Jase and his appointment. "It also has canny advice, Captain Graham." It was the sort of petty sniping that consistently flew at Jase and his appointment. "It also has you you, Mr. Cameron, and the dowager and her security, and Ms. Kroger, and if the station does an explosive vent on the fuel, I'm hopeful we have machinery as adequate to recover it as it is to mine in the first place."

"With extreme difficulty, captain. With that s.h.i.+p lurking out there, that-"

"We can't do anything about that s.h.i.+p, now, can we, Mr. Cameron, without that fuel, except run to a point where we'll be definitively out of fuel and stuck, probably a place, as you so eloquently maintain, that our alien observer can find us with no trouble at all. Meanwhile we don't know the situation on station, which I mean to find out. And when I do, I intend to enforce common sense with information and observations I don't intend to pa.s.s through station's communication system. I'll be in touch. Failing that, Mr. Collins or Mr. Jenrette will be in touch."

Jase frowned. "I'd ask you not take Mr. Jenrette, ma'am. He's a resource I could-"

"Mr. Jenrette, I say, who knows the station intimately and who's a resource for me."

"His loyalty is suspect," Bren said sharply.

"By you, sir. Confine your speculations to the aliens. And I don't expect innovation aboard this s.h.i.+p, second captain. Wait for my orders. If things go ma.s.sively wrong and you have to go to aggressive measures on your own, ask C1. If you have to take this s.h.i.+p out of dock, call on Mr. Akers and follow his advice meticulously. If at any time we get another flash from the observer out there-advise me before before you start freelancing any communications back to it; and if you can't advise me, advise station to advise me. Above all, have a clear idea what you're going to do if it all goes wrong. We don't want surviving records, second captain. you start freelancing any communications back to it; and if you can't advise me, advise station to advise me. Above all, have a clear idea what you're going to do if it all goes wrong. We don't want surviving records, second captain. We do not want that We do not want that."

"I understand you," Jase said faintly. And they all did understand. It was self-destruction she meant. Terrible alternatives. Even Phoenix Phoenix had a major stake back at the atevi planet-all there was left of humanity in this end of the universe was at risk if things went wrong here. had a major stake back at the atevi planet-all there was left of humanity in this end of the universe was at risk if things went wrong here.

Sabin sealed her jacket, implied preparation for cold. For pa.s.sage out of the s.h.i.+p and into the station mast.