Blood of the Cosmos (63 page)

In exchange for the medical data about Reyn's illness, King Peter had promised Zoe Alakis that he would deal with the biological markets on Rakkem. But before he could crack down, he wanted to know more.

He didn't particularly like or trust Zoe Alakis, and he had many concerns about her own Pergamus facility—such as why she had kept it secret for so long and why she refused to share her research—but Rakkem sounded far worse.

Peter was sure that Deputy Eldred Cain would know more about it, and so he asked for a full report. Cain was soft-spoken, diligent, and oddly reliable. Better yet, he was refreshingly free of higher ambitions, perfectly content to be the Confederation's Deputy. His only extravagant tastes lay in collecting rare art, and Peter did not begrudge him the hobby.

The pale-skinned man arrived on a diplomatic transport from Earth, bearing all the records he could find about Rakkem. Peter and Estarra reserved one of Arbor's high-tier rooms so they could enjoy lunch while reviewing the report.

Though the restaurant had many qualified servers, Zachary Wisskoff waited on them personally. The ma
î
tre d' maintained his self-important demeanor, no matter who the guests were. Without even taking an order, he brought plates of broiled caterpillar medallions, a salted compote of berries and nuts, and a sweet spun-sugar dessert confection made to look like a cocoon. Though he had nothing to do with the preparation, Wisskoff took inordinate pride in the meal he served.

Deputy Cain sampled his first few bites of caterpillar steak and immediately turned to business, to the consternation of the waiter. “The information you requested is of great concern, King Peter. It will make you lose your appetite.” He placed his datapad on the table next to Peter and Estarra, calling up a display. “Rakkem is one of those places that we know exists because the population expresses a demand, but we all wish it wasn't there.”

“We already promised Zoe Alakis that we would shut it down,” Estarra said. “How bad is it?”

“Rakkem sells replacement organs, and they perform unorthodox and unsanctioned medical treatments for the very desperate at exorbitant fees.” Cain called up items on a list. “They perform antiaging chelation treatments that can restore youth and vigor … but the treatment fails at least thirty percent of the time. The new skin sloughs off, and the victim usually dies within a week.” Cain looked up. “Rakkem doesn't disclose that part to potential clients.”

Estarra looked at the images, disgusted. “How can such a place exist?”

“Frankly, sire, I'm surprised Rakkem curesellers haven't flocked here to you, offering dozens of crackpot miracle drugs for Prince Reyn.”

“They wouldn't dare,” Peter said. “They know we'd retaliate if they took advantage of our son.”

“All those other victims are somebody's sons and daughters,” Estarra pointed out. “It seems Zoe Alakis was right to ask us to crack down.”

Cain's voice took on a cautionary tone. “You are in a gray area here, Majesties. Rakkem is not a signatory to the Confederation charter, and you don't have jurisdiction over independent planets. If you were to impose your rule on a sovereign world—even a disgusting one like Rakkem—there could be serious consequences.”

Seeing that they had not eaten much of their lunch, Wisskoff paced just out of earshot and finally approached with a challenging tone in his voice. “Is something wrong with the food? I shall reprimand the chef if necessary.”

“We're fine,” Peter said. “Just no longer hungry.”

“Perhaps I should offer you a digestive, then? I can bring you shots of our finest.”

Peter shooed him away.

Cain continued, “After the breakup of the Hansa, many planets chose not to join the new government. Frankly, I'm surprised the Roamer clans signed on at all, considering what the Hansa did to them. Other colony worlds felt so scarred by the repression of Chairman Wenceslas, that they wanted nothing to do with the Confederation.”

Peter frowned. “They'll come around once they see the benefits of being part of the Spiral Arm community. Another six joined us in the past two months.”

Cain tapped the datapad. “Worlds like Rakkem prefer to remain on the fringes, beholden to no authority. They can do as they like without consequences.”

Peter felt anger brewing inside. Their decision would cause controversy, but he had given his word, and Zoe had fulfilled her end of the bargain. Tom Rom was already on his way to Kuivahr to give Tamo'l the medical data.

“The existence of a place like Rakkem presents a material danger to the Confederation. Our citizens are being harmed by these dangerous and unproven treatments, not to mention the scams. And if people are being murdered to profit from the sale of their organs, the risk is too great. We can't turn a blind eye to a place like that.”

At the entrance to the private dining chamber, a flustered Zachary Wisskoff raised his voice. “The King and Queen should not be disturbed. They haven't finished their meal yet.”

A green priest ignored the ma
î
tre d' and hurried into the room. “Father Peter, Mother Estarra—General Keah has returned with the
Kutuzov
. She is on her way with a direct report of the battle at the Gardeners' home system.”

Peter's blood ran cold; they had already received reports from the green priest Nadd aboard the
Kutuzov
, but he wanted to debrief Keah himself. “Send the General here as soon as her shuttle lands. Deputy Cain will want to hear her summary as well.”

As the green priest dashed off to send the message, Wisskoff lifted his chin. “I'll bring a large pot of klee and reserve the balcony tier for the rest of the afternoon.”

Before long, General Keah arrived in full uniform. During their return flight she'd had time to prepare a full report, and now she presented actual images of the dead worldforest planet, the impenetrable shell made up of trillions of interlocked plates. Keah let the images speak for themselves. “The Gardeners were right to be terrified, Majesties. Look what the Shana Rei can do.”

Deputy Cain said, “If they tried to englobe the Theroc system we'd never be able to stop them.”

Peter felt a dread deeper than any he had experienced before. When the great shadow cloud built the nightshade above Theroc, that had been terrible enough. But an enemy that could encase an
entire solar system
was so much more powerful than anything he had previously conceived. “Send a message to the Wild and let the Gardeners know what we found.” Arita was about to depart for the other continent again on an expedition of her own.

Keah cracked her knuckles. “There is some good news. From Earth, Dr. Krieger sent word that his first large stockpile of the enhanced-design sun bombs are ready. A day late and a credit short, and he's tearing his hair out about it, but I told him not to worry.” She raised her eyebrows. “We're going to have a chance to use them, no doubt about that. The shadows will be back.”

“Arm all our ships as soon as possible,” Peter said. “Do we have enough of the new sun bombs?”

“Never enough, sire—but sufficient to cause a lot of damage.” Her eyes sparkled. “And if you don't mind, I would suggest sending a full load of them off to the Solar Navy—to be good neighbors, and also to remind them that humans can do things better.”

Peter looked at Estarra and they both nodded. “The Mage-Imperator generously provided us with the weapon designs in the first place. Let's help them with their fight—we have a common enemy.”

 

CHAPTER

108

TOM ROM

On his previous trips, the most efficient way to reach Kuivahr was to travel through the Klikiss transportal wall. Tom Rom had visited the ocean planet twice before: once to purchase specimens of potent kelp and plankton extracts from the Kellum distillery, once to meet with the Ildiran medical researcher to obtain all her data on the misbreeds. Now, he would return there per the agreement negotiated by Zoe, to present Tamo'l with the Pergamus research relevant to Prince Reynald's disease.

First, though, he returned Zoe to her sterile protective chamber. Too many variables, too many risks, and he would not expose her unnecessarily. Since she had reached a successful bargain with King Peter and Queen Estarra, Pergamus was safe for the moment, although Tom Rom was still not comfortable knowing that their location had been revealed to the Confederation government. He would have to go back to Vaconda, harvest yet another fortune of prisdiamonds, and use the money to double their defensive force. He hoped he would have enough time.

He flew his ship from Pergamus to Auridia, the planet beneath the Roamer capital of Newstation, paid a fee to leave it there, and used the transportal services for a dimensional passage to Kuivahr. He emerged through the Klikiss transportal onto the rock outcropping, surrounded by the calm sea. Behind him, the stone trapezoid shimmered and solidified, and he stood inhaling the salty air. He called for a skimmer to take him out to the sanctuary domes, claiming important business.

Zoe had been forced to share knowledge that she considered her personal private property, and he knew how much it had pained her to surrender it. But the exchange for the Onthos plague records, as well as an assurance that Pergamus would be left alone, was undeniably worthwhile.

And a Confederation crackdown on the vile activities on Rakkem! That was more than Tom Rom had hoped for. He hadn't been able to hide his grim smile when Zoe included that surprise demand. He was proud of her. That was pure genius.

He knew the scars and painful memories that Rakkem held for Zoe—and for himself. He understood why she had made that bargain. Bringing Rakkem down was worth any sacrifice.

*   *   *

Once they had learned that Zoe's biological mother still lived on Rakkem, Zoe could not let the knowledge go. And neither could Tom Rom. Especially after he learned what Muriel had become: a factory womb—continuously inseminated and producing baby after baby for sale on the black market.

Tom Rom had hardened his heart long ago, but at times he thought about what had happened to Muriel, who had been his lover before she became this inhuman
thing
 … and to his innocent daughter, whom Muriel had sold
for parts
. He grieved for what might have been. If only he had been able to intercept her mother before it was too late, to rescue that little girl. Once, he even caught himself weeping for the unnamed baby in private, but forced the tears away and replaced them with determination. Only by a miracle had Zoe avoided the same fate from that awful woman.

After tending Adam Alakis during his long decline from Heidegger's Syndrome, Zoe was wise and grim beyond her years. Once she learned the details about her biological mother and Tom Rom, and her sacrificed half-sister, she had looked at Tom Rom, her dark eyes boiling with anger. “We have to do something about this. We will find my mother—and we will take care of her.”

“Yes,” Tom Rom said. “Yes, we will.”

Since Rakkem held confidentiality in such high regard, keeping no records and asking no questions of those who came to buy and sell biologicals, Tom Rom had to use subtle tactics as he made inquiries. He told Zoe to remain safe and unseen aboard the ship, but she insisted on accompanying him—except on his darkest investigations, when he absolutely refused to let her get her hands bloody.

It took him two weeks to find the information he needed.

He didn't waste time making threats or giving warnings. What would the point have been? Instead, he armed himself with enough weapons to take out half a city. He didn't consider it overkill; he thought of it as a safety factor. He needed to be absolutely certain, because Zoe wanted to be part of the operation, and with this personal vendetta, he could not deny her request. She had as much reason to want revenge as he did.

Under Rakkem's cloudy nighttime skies and spitting rain, they moved out together to the fortress facility where her mother and other factory wombs produced infants as biological commodities.

If Adam and Evelyn Alakis had not decided to adopt a daughter exactly when they did, and if they had not paid the exorbitant fee for the baby, Zoe would also have been sliced up and sold piecemeal for her organs, fluids, and cells.

“We have to do this, Tom Rom,” Zoe said.

“I know. You just stay safe.” He adjusted the projectile-proof armor he had placed over her chest.

Her expression was hard. “I will deal with my mother myself.”

“No, that woman was also the mother of my daughter. And she was once my lover. We'll do it together.”

Zoe agreed.

They made their way to the large lowland facility guarded by swampy moats, security fences, and bored guards. Tom Rom guided a small flatbed transport with no running lights along a weed-clogged transportation canal.

Tom Rom removed his silent projectile weapons, and as they broke into the high-security facility in the dead of night, he opened fire on anything that moved: three armed guards, a receptionist, and a medical doctor who strolled out from the back laboratory chambers to see what the commotion was about.

There were no innocents in this place.

Two more guards came running in response to the intruder, and Tom Rom shot both of them, then kicked open the door. “Inside, Zoe.” Muriel would be in the big gestation dormitory with lines of beds and monitoring apparatus.

They entered side by side, startling three more doctors and five technicians who were tending a row of twelve women sprawled flat on gestation beds. Tom Rom killed the nearest two doctors, while technicians began to yell and run. Some of the women in the beds were drugged and dozing, but three were awake. They struggled and screamed, but could not lift themselves from the medical apparatus, the tubes, the monitors.

“Find your mother, Zoe. The IDs will be on the beds,” Tom Rom said while he stalked after the fleeing technicians, shooting each of them in the back. One sprawled on top of an obscenely pregnant woman who clawed at the dead body, but could barely move with all the IV tubes stuck in her arms. Though he had prepared himself for what he expected to see, he was still sickened.