Power Play Part 4

"I'm Clodagh."

"Clodagh!" Portia stopped groaning. "You're the one I wanted to speak with then. The medicine woman, right?"

Clodagh shrugged.

"Look, I'm prepared to make you an offer for your formulas and all the ingredients you can supply. That's just for now, of course, while we're in the development stage. Later on, when we've located the sources, we'll need to know the best places to set up our operations."

"Are you sick?" Clodagh asked.

"No, of course not, though I'm getting sick of being on this stupid horse, but-"

"You are the planet's handmaiden!" Sister Igneous Rock screeched at Clodagh, interrupting Portia and scaring the curlies. She jumped down from her mount and ran forward to Clodagh's curly-coat, grabbed Clodagh's hand in both of hers, and began weeping over it. "Oh, how I have longed to meet you since first we were given word of this miraculous place!"

"When was that?" Clodagh asked.

"About six weeks ago," Brother Shale said. "And believe me, since then Sister Igneous Rock has worked wonders forming our order. Why, she came straightaway and told me and the others, and we all knew at once that Petaybee was just what we'd been looking for. We had a little study group before, you know, about the evils of the universe and how to get back to what was natural and real-we tried talking to Terra, but it wasn't very responsive. Then, when Brother Granite told us about the Beneficence and how it caused Ruin to the Abominations Wrought Upon It by the Unworthy, well, we had to come see for ourselves."

"When can we see the evidence of Petaybee's wrath, Mother Clodagh?" Brother Schist asked.

" 'Scuse me," Clodagh said with a snort. "I don't have any kids."

"Please pardon our brother," Sister Igneous Rock said. "We mean that you are the spiritual mother of our order. Brother Granite told us of your wondrous bond with the Beneficence."

"What's that?"

"I think they mean the planet, Clodagh," 'Cita offered. People called it so many different things. The Shepherd Howling had reviled the planet and called it the Great Beast and said it was a man-eating monster, Coaxtl simply called it the Home, and Uncle Sean and Clodagh called it Petaybee, for the initials Pee, Tee, Bee, which also stood for Powers That Be, the local name for Intergal, the company that had first settled the planet. 'Cita thought that, of all of the names, Coaxtl's made the most sense.

"Why didn't they say so, then?" Clodagh asked. At once, all the white robes dismounted and prostrated themselves on the ground so that Clodagh's curly almost stepped on them, and loudly apologized and begged for forgiveness. They were coated by another layer of snow by the time the Rourke cousins got them to their feet and onto their curlies again.

Clodagh just shook her head. "Cheechakos," she said.

"What's that?" 'Cita asked. Her own Flock had many Spanish words and Asian words in their language, but here in Kilcoole, the people used some words in the old Irish tongue and some in the Inuit and Native American tongues of their ancestors.

"A cheechako is a newcomer, child."

"Like me?"

"No, because you're from Petaybee. You're used to the cold and all. A person is a cheechako until they've lived here from freeze-up to thaw. If they live through the winter, they know if they want to stay or go away."

"But the Beneficence helps helps you get through winters, doesn't it, Moth-Clodagh?" Sister Agate asked, a tad anxiously. "It surely doesn't kill anyone. From what Brother Granite said, it provides for all!" you get through winters, doesn't it, Moth-Clodagh?" Sister Agate asked, a tad anxiously. "It surely doesn't kill anyone. From what Brother Granite said, it provides for all!"

Clodagh rolled her eyes and said to 'Cita, "This could be a real long winter."

Sean Shongili was tempted to say "Look what the cats dragged in" when Clodagh, 'Cita, and the Rourkes, with curlies and felines, in escort of the most recently landed visitors, stopped in front of Yana's cabin that afternoon.

The newcomers, when sorted, turned out to be representatives of two rival pharmaceutical firms whose requests for interviews were allegedly somewhere in the stack of paperwork; three more hunters; four members of what seemed to be a newly formed religious cult wis.h.i.+ng, sight unseen, to wors.h.i.+p Petaybee; and eleven other people who claimed to believe they had long-lost family members living on the planet somewhere.

Sean sent 'Cita after Sinead, who came and took the hunters in tow to put them with the others she had previously captured. He told the drug company representatives firmly that they would have to go through company channels for any patents on medicines. As Intergal had first terraformed and settled Petaybee, it had prior claim to any economic windfalls the planet might generate. Any credits, that is, left over from what Intergal might decide to charge the planet for what had already been done to "improve" it up to Intergal standards, whatever they were. The religious cult and the so-called relatives required different handling.

"There are Monaghans living over at Shannonmouth," Sean told the lady who had asked. "I can send word to them that you're here, and maybe they'll come to see you in a couple of weeks."

"Two weeks! But I only have two weeks!" she said. "I've already taken a week of my vacation getting here."

Sean just told her he'd do what he could, and privately decided to have a word with Whit about having Johnny Greene stop off to leave word with the Monaghans the next time he was over Shannonmouth. But with the other relative-seekers listening, he didn't want to make a promise aloud.

"Just show us the way to the hotel and we'll find our own transportation tomorrow," said the man who was looking for the Valdez family.

"There's no hotel," Sean said.

"Well, then, where are we supposed to stay stay?" the drug representative, Portia Porter-Pendergra.s.s, demanded.

He took two deep breaths before answering. "Don't you think you should have taken that up with the people who provided you transportation to the surface?"

She shrugged off what he considered a very pertinent question and answered with what he recognized as a bald-faced lie of convenience. "They indicated there should be no problem. It's not as if we can't pay pay."

"That's not the issue," he told her, and gestured grandly around the paper-engulfed cabin. "This," he said, "is the governor's mansion, if you will. The other houses are no bigger. s.p.a.ceBase is still out of commission from the quake, or I'd send you there. I'm afraid no house in Kilcoole can accommodate more than two of you at a time, and even that's going to crowd folks. It's not too cold yet, though, so there're probably extra blankets enough to go round and floor s.p.a.ce by the fire."

"Very well," Portia said. "I'll stay with Clodagh."

"Not so fast," said Bill Guthrie, from the rival drug company. "If you stay with her, so do I."

"You will both both stay where I tell you to," Sean said severely. "My niece, Buneka, isn't using her shack right now. You, Mr. Guthrie, and you, Mr. Valdez, can stay there. Seamus, if you wouldn't mind staying over at the Maloneys', I'll bunk Miss Porter-Pendergra.s.s in with Moira and the kids." stay where I tell you to," Sean said severely. "My niece, Buneka, isn't using her shack right now. You, Mr. Guthrie, and you, Mr. Valdez, can stay there. Seamus, if you wouldn't mind staying over at the Maloneys', I'll bunk Miss Porter-Pendergra.s.s in with Moira and the kids."

The male Rourke cousins looked very cheered at that.

"You gentlemen," he nodded to the five men who claimed to be looking for relatives named Tsering, Romancita, Menendez, Furey, and O'Dare, "can stay with Steve Margolies and Frank Metaxos. There's only the two of them with Diego gone, and they've got more floor s.p.a.ce than most because they haven't been here long enough to fill it up yet. As for you ladies..." He looked rather hopelessly into the apprehensive faces of the women who introduced themselves as Una Monaghan, Ilyana Salvatore, Dolma Chang, Susan Tsering, and Furey's wife, Wild Star. "I'll have to see."

"Excuse me, Governor Shongili." Una Monaghan stuck up her hand like a schoolchild.

"Dama?"

"Well, it seems to me we're causing you a lot of trouble. I never meant to, actually. It was just when that man suggested that I might find some of my people... well, I'm an orphan, you see, and my family line on TerraD died out and, well, what I mean to say is, it looks like you could use help here and I am am a file clerk and if it's going to be an awfully long wait, well-" a file clerk and if it's going to be an awfully long wait, well-"

"Me, too," Susan Tsering said. "I can file, too. You look like you need help with this office."

"I don't suppose any of you people are teachers?" Sean asked hopefully.

"I am," Wild Star Furey said. "I've been company librarian on Minnehoma Station for the last nine years, and I've helped Petaybean and other colonial recruits learn the basics when they come on active duty."

Sean smiled for the first time. "Then, ladies, I will find a place to stay myself and you may take over the gubernatorial mansion."

There was a meow from the top of a stack of papers. "With the help of the resident paperweight. This is Marduk. He lives here."

"What a nice kitty!" Una Monaghan said.

"But Governor Shongili, what of us? When shall we, how shall we, where shall we meet with the Beneficence?" Sister Igneous Rock asked. Sean had to hand it to the white robes. They had been very patient and quiet throughout the proceedings.

"You're the ones who should stay with Clodagh," he decided, knowing that he was probably going to regret it. the ones who should stay with Clodagh," he decided, knowing that he was probably going to regret it.

6.

Brother Granite did not have to go far to find the believers he sought. Many people were already searching for something better, something they didn't have, something to lift them out of the ordinariness of their lives, to put them in touch with greatness.

What could be greater than an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-embracing planet? Even Dr. Luzon, who had been very difficult for Petaybee to convince, recognized that precept now. That was why Dr. Luzon had sent him forth, to spread the news to those in need of hope.

"Braddock, my boy, I was in error," Dr. Luzon had said from his hospital bed. "That planet is indeed sentient. I mocked it, and it rose up against me."

"Oh, Doctor, I'm so glad you agree," Braddock had said with considerable relief. "I, er, came to the same conclusion."

"Well, of course you did. You're a very perceptive fellow. That's why you have my trust. And you do have it, son. In fact, now that we know the truth about Petaybee, hallowed be its name, it occurs to me that our doubts may have been for a very special reason, that we may have been where we were, when we were, for a very special purpose."

"Protecting the company's interests..."

A look of annoyance momentarily crossed the doctor's high brow and ascetic mouth. His expression changed so quickly that Braddock felt that the doctor had probably suffered a twinge of pain. After all, he had been severely injured in the earthquake. "No, my boy, I mean an even higher purpose. We were doubters and we were made to believe in the positive force of Petaybee. I see now that we were put on the spot as witnesses. It is our duty now to go forth among other worlds and spread this news to others. Indeed, it is up to us to make sure that others are able to contact Petaybee so that Petaybee can expand its influence beyond those few insular settlers we met."

"But, sir, I didn't get the impression that any more people were wanted wanted."

"Not by the settlers, perhaps. They wish to keep the wonder to themselves, to have Petaybee serve them alone. As for the planet, because its people are selfish, it has had little opportunity to expand its influence to others. That is our purpose."

"Ours, sir?"

"As I have lain here, reviewing all that happened to us on Petaybee, I have reached some inescapable conclusions, besides those I have just imparted to you. One is that I must use my resources and facilities to help, help, in as selfless a way as possible, to expiate my sin to Petaybee. However, my physical condition"-he waved his hand at his legs, stretched before him on the bed-"prevents me from taking as active a part as I would like. There is also the fact that my name and my connection with the company might be construed as a conflict of interest in what I propose we do. Therefore, so that a.s.sociation does not stand in the path of my expiation, I must begin by firing you." in as selfless a way as possible, to expiate my sin to Petaybee. However, my physical condition"-he waved his hand at his legs, stretched before him on the bed-"prevents me from taking as active a part as I would like. There is also the fact that my name and my connection with the company might be construed as a conflict of interest in what I propose we do. Therefore, so that a.s.sociation does not stand in the path of my expiation, I must begin by firing you."

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand, sir," Braddock said cautiously. Normally, if the doctor was unhappy with him, he had no problem figuring out exactly where he had failed his employer. But the doctor had not given him any indication that would cause Braddock to antic.i.p.ate being fired. Why, even the beaming, kindly expression on his intelligent face did not look look like the expression of someone who was firing someone else. like the expression of someone who was firing someone else.

"Only so that you will no longer be a.s.sociated with me, of course," Dr. Luzon said hastily, noticing Braddock's confusion. "In fact, I don't even want it known that I am setting you up in a business that will facilitate our mutual desire to help people discover the magic of Petaybee."

Braddock gawked at his erstwhile employer.

"You see, Braddock, I am going to set you up in business. The transport business. So that you can travel easily throughout this star system and all others controlled by the company."

"You are, sir?" Then the light slowly dawned on him. "Ah! So that I can tell others about the planet, sir?"

"That's it, Braddock. Absolutely correct. You will form a company which will enable you to enable those searching for the nirvana which only Petaybee can provide to reach the planet. A transport company. Now then, I know a thing or two about how people's minds work, how to discreetly encourage them to do the right thing. Some people we will be able to attract simply by appealing to what interests them. The wealth of animal life on the planet, for instance, should appeal to sportsmen. And of course, there will be financiers hoping to benefit by the company's necessary withdrawal. We are not playing favorites here. We'll carry anyone who can pay the fare. But there are others who will want to come because they have relations there, from whom they were separated during the company's relocation programs following land purchases after the various Terran wars. But many, Braddock, will simply hunger for a greater truth, a higher purpose, than any they have known. They must have a leader they can follow. You, Braddock, will become that leader, but not as Braddock Makem..."

Thus the PTS transport company was conceived.

Thus Brother Granite received his name and his instruction in the sort of language to use in bringing the truth about Petaybee to other worlds.

And it was good.

Gal Three-Several days later

This whole CIS thing wasn't working out the way Diego had thought it would, but he was glad he'd come along anyway, just to keep Bunny's head straight, if nothing else. Marmie was a nice lady and all that, but he could have done without the niece and nephew. The nephew was way too nice to Bunny, and the niece kept trying to get her to act and dress like s.h.i.+pside girls. Diego liked her the way she was already.

He had looked forward to her reactions to the advanced gadgetry that was part of s.h.i.+pboard life and had imagined her repairing something she hadn't known existed until then, but every time he started pointing something out, Charmion got bored and suggested going to the fancy gymnasium where Bailey impressed Bunny and depressed Diego, who had never been a jock, with his gymnastic prowess.

And he couldn't really say anything about it to Bunny. She was like some little kid who'd never seen candy before. He, of course, was already pretty familiar with all this stuff, though neither of his parents had ever inhabited the same lofty circles as Marmion Algemeine. But Bunny, who couldn't imagine doing anything athletic in less than sixteen layers of down and fur, was easily swayed and tried very hard to learn what Bailey and Charmion had been doing all their lives.

Meanwhile, Marmion and her crew were keeping the colonel entertained and as busy as possible, but Diego could tell that Yana was getting a little antsy when they'd been there a week and the CIS hearing still hadn't convened. Every day he got up thinking, Today we'll do what we came here for. Yana will tell them how it is and Bunny will speak for the planet and maybe I'll sing them my song, and then we'll go home. He should have known better. His dad was always complaining about how long it took the bra.s.s to move on anything significant.

There was one delay after another. Anaciliact was away on another a.s.signment, and Farringer Ball, who represented the company's interests, had been stricken with a mysterious illness that was sweeping through the upper echelons of the power structure on other stations. Ball normally inhabited Gal Three, but had been away conferring with the leaders of other terraformed colonies when the illness struck.

That was the scuttleb.u.t.t, anyway-the details were being kept fairly hush-hush. Not that Diego cared, except for the inconvenience it was causing him. While his father's recent illness made him pity anyone who was very sick, Farringer Ball had never seemed particularly human to him. Trust a bigwig to show his only signs of humanity just when it would royally screw it up for everyone else. Diego wondered what would happen next to detain them.

The colonel was anxious, too, he could tell. One day she and Sally swung by to collect Bunny on the way to the doctor. Yana was getting checked for her pregnancy and she wanted to see if Bunny was having any problem being cut off from the planet.

When she returned, Bunny was oddly quiet, and fingered the little bag of Petaybean dirt that now looked so incongruous with the modern fuchsia and teal-striped bodytight.

"How'd it go, Bun?" he asked her.

"Okay," she said. "The doctor says my immune system should hold up a few more years and my brown fat deposit isn't large enough yet to make me uncomfortable off-planet. After I'm about twenty or so, though, I won't be able to leave for very long, ever, or I'll end up like Lavelle."

"So what? You don't want to leave Petaybee anyway, do you?"

"Not for good, no, but Charmion asked me to come to her family's chalet in the Strigian Alps sometime to help her set up a dog team and ski. She showed me pictures and it's really beautiful there-all these beautiful houses, and there's flowers all the time, even when the mountains are covered in snow. It's not that I want to leave Petaybee, really. It's just that I want to be able to if-you know, if I want to."

"Not me," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I've been lots of places, and Petaybee is the best."

"Sure it is," she said. "But at least you got to pick."

"You'll get a chance to wear those formal clothes this evening," Marmion said, emerging from her office to the main room, where her guests were lounging. They had spent the morning exploring yet another level, as well as making another visit to the extensive gymnasium that so fascinated Bunny. Marmion was delighted with the way Bailey and Charmion were filling their days on Gal Three, and the youngsters all appeared to like each other, though young Diego seemed rather quiet at times, and for the last day or two Bunny had been less bubbly than usual.

Once Yana and Bunny had been a.s.sured by a visit to Marmion's personal physicians that their absence from Petaybee was causing harm neither to them nor to Yana's unborn child, Yana had relaxed considerably. Afterward, Sally had induced Yana to enjoy some of the beauty treatments available on Second Level. But, even with so much to do, the continual delays in convening the CIS hearing were irritating and nerve-racking.

Distraction on a grander scale was needed, Marmion decided.

Calling for the attention of her guests, she waved a sheaf of messages in her hand. "We could go to a party on every single level. How do do they find out so quickly that I'm back?" The question was rhetorical. "But I've chosen just the one for us," she went on. "A sort of welcome for a new executive in..." She peered down at the sheet in her hand. "Oh, Rothschild's. So everyone who they find out so quickly that I'm back?" The question was rhetorical. "But I've chosen just the one for us," she went on. "A sort of welcome for a new executive in..." She peered down at the sheet in her hand. "Oh, Rothschild's. So everyone who is is anybody on Gal Three will come, but that limits the attendance nicely." anybody on Gal Three will come, but that limits the attendance nicely."

"It does?" Yana asked, raising her eyebrows in surprised amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Certainly. There aren't aren't that many 'anybodies' on Gal Three at the moment." Marmion gave a trill of her delightful laughter. "I already checked the guest list and most of that many 'anybodies' on Gal Three at the moment." Marmion gave a trill of her delightful laughter. "I already checked the guest list and most of them them are the sort of people I'd like you to meet anyway while you're here. So that's settled. We'll leave at 2030 hours. All right? And everyone dressed in your finest." are the sort of people I'd like you to meet anyway while you're here. So that's settled. We'll leave at 2030 hours. All right? And everyone dressed in your finest."

Bunny and Diego groaned, while Bailey and Charmion looked quite pleased.

"That'll be loads of fun," Charmion said, and turned to encourage Bunny and Diego. "This'll be much nicer than you know. More like what you were describing as a latchkay, only Gal Three style."

"People sing?"