Eternity Row (38 page)

She bent down and got in my face. “Do you know how much Sensblok costs, you stupid female?”

“Bill me,” I snarled back.

“Mtulla.” Qonja appeared in the doorway, holding an energy pistol leveled at her. “Do not touch the Healer again.”

“Knock it off, Qonja. She isn’t threatening me.” To Mtulla, I said, “Neuroparalyzer accumulates in the body. If your people are taking it hourly, they’d have toxic levels in their organs within a few weeks. No one gets to be an old chill-juice junkie. How many people have died?”

“None.” Mtulla ignored the pistol and, after a moment, heaved a deep sigh. “I shouldn’t have shouted at you, but you don’t understand. Don’t get involved in this.”

“I’m a doctor. It’s my job to get involved in this.” I left her and went back in to the men, and brought them up to date. “I need to find someone in charge of medical, and talk to them. These people are addicts, and that’s got to be involved with the sterility problem. Let’s go.”

“You’re wrong, Doc,” our guide said as she joined us. “My people became sterile long before we started taking Sensblok.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Eternity Row

Our guide agreed to take us to the Rajanuk, a kind of council made up of leaders from all the domains in the city. They decided on matters pertaining to the people, and relayed data on larger issues to the planetary Rajan, who governed all the Rajanuk from Oenrall’s cities.

“I thought the Bartermen owned everything,” I said.

Her lips curled. “They are only interested in trade. The rest is left to the Rajanuk and the Rajan.”

As she drove us from Dhreen’s home to meet with the city’s officials, I sat behind her and took a couple of discreet scans, comparing the results to what I had on Dhreen. Allowing for the differences in size and body weight, they were essentially identical.

So why was Dhreen able to impregnate Ilona while the rest of his people remained barren?

Mtulla took us out of the boisterous Traders Row to a quieter domain with rows of silent, vacant-looking structures. She parked in front of one and nodded to the entrance. “Rajanuk convenes in there.”

Dhreen frowned. “This isn’t Governance Row.”

“Things change, child.” Mtulla shut down the engine and released the door locks. “The Rajanuk meet where the Bartermen tell them they may.”

Mtulla led us inside, to a large room sectioned off on the sides with small interview areas. What had been a working facility, probably an office, was now a void echoing with our footsteps. At the other end of the room, someone had set up a table, and behind it sat six smiling Oenrallians.

“I’ve brought the visitors,” our guide announced without ceremony, and identified us by name. “They come from the ship in orbit.”

All six smiles widened, and one of the males stood. “Welcome to Oenrall. We are so grateful for your generosity.”

“We have not been asked to be generous as of yet,” Xonea said, walking toward the table. “Perhaps you would explain your needs first.”

The young official held out his hands, palm up. “Our people suffer from the unbalancing disease. If you could spare some medical equipment and supplies, we could prepare a treatment facility and begin addressing the population’s present needs.”

“Oenrall has hospitals,” I said. “Plenty of them.”

“Unfortunately, all treatment facilities have been acquired by the Bartermen Association.” The young male put on an aggrieved air. “The equipment they contained has been removed, along with the medical database, and sold.”

That sounded like the Bartermen. “Why?” I asked.

The earnest amber eyes grew damp. “The people will do anything to get Sensblok.”

“Perhaps we can spare a few diagnostic units,” the Captain said.

I couldn’t exactly see refusing them myself, until Reever came to stand beside me and curled his fingers around mine.
Cherijo, he’s lying
.

Startled, I looked at him.
How can you tell
?

His body language, the tone of his voice, choice of words, everything indicates he is being deceptive
. My husband inclined his head toward Dhreen.
I have observed the same behavior from your friend in the past
.

So what do we do? We can’t just accuse the local government of being liars. Can’t we?

Duncan stepped up beside Xonea. “Official, what is your position within the Rajanuk?” “I am Moaan, the primary speaker,” the Oenrallian said, “here to-” Reever interrupted with, “What are the names of the members of the current Rajan?” Moaan looked at the other natives at the table. “I am not acquainted with their names, but-” “How often does the Rajanuk convene?” My husband paced the length of the table. “You- do

you know at what time they convene?” To a third, he said, “What was the last issue you decided on?” “We convene every six rotations, at- at the same time.” The Oenrallian lost his grin, and added, “I cannot discuss our past decisions with offworlders.” “But you can accept our technology.” Reever began pacing up and down the table. “When does

the Rajan meet? How do you communicate with the planetary government? Where is it located?” “These are also confidential matters,” another of the officials blustered. “A convenient answer,” Mtulla said, and moved toward the table. “I am Rajanukal of Handler

Row. You may answer to me on these questions.” One by one, the officials exchanged glances with each other, then rose out of their chairs.

“Another time, perhaps,” Moaan said, easing back away from the table. ‘This meeting is over.” “You’re not of the Rajanuk,” Dhreen said, startling everyone. “I know them. Who are you?” Xonea removed the dagger from his tunic. “Answer him.” Moaan grimaced, then swept a low bow. “Moann of Players Row.” Dhreen made a disgusted sound as the other “officials” scattered. “They’re role-players. Actors.” Mtulla made a sad, pointed comment on how some enterprising Sensblok addicts apparently

would do anything, including impersonating government officials, to get their fix. “One does what one must for Sensblok.” When Xonea eyed Moaan, he backed away with his

hands up. “No heat, friends. We take whatever work we can get.” I frowned. “Someone hired you?” Moann didn’t answer, but grinned before he raced out the back way.

Mtulla apologized before she sent a signal to her row to locate the “real” Rajanuk. “I should have run a check on them, but it’s been so long since I’ve had dealings with the government that I took it for granted they were genuine.”

That seemed a remarkably naive statement from someone in her line of work, I thought. Then

again, maybe acquiring all those “lost” goods made her avoid the authorities. “I thought you said row leaders regularly reported to the Rajanuk,” Squilyp said. “We did, before the unbalancing. Now little matters beyond doing whatever is necessary to

acquire Sensblok.” Her eyes dulled. “You’ve seen how our people are caught in its grip-no one can work or eat or sleep without it. Our society has fallen apart.” “Is it the same in other cities?” I asked, and took a deep breath when she nodded. “If this drug addiction is on a planetary scale, then it is directly related to the infertility problem.”

“I told you, we stopped bearing children long before we discovered Sensblok, Healer.” Mtulla stopped the transport and rubbed the sides of her temples. “It brings us no pleasure to medicate ourselves into a stupor, but the alternative is much more disagreeable, I assure you.”

Something in her voice made me activate my scanner, and run it over her from behind. “You’re in pain.”

“Handler’s pride,” the Rajanukal admitted with a wry smile. “I only take a full dose at night, so I can sleep. I was due for a partial three hours ago, but you smashed it under your heel.” She looked down at the scanner’s display. “You can tell what I feel on that thing?”

“Your pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature indicate the stress.” I saved the readings, and glanced up at her. “There’s so much adrenaline in your bloodstream that I wouldn’t be surprised if you jumped up and punched a hole through the roof.”

“That’s why I stay on foot, Healer.” She patted the surface above her. “To preserve the interior.”

I took out my medical case and sorted through it. “I can’t give you neuroparalyzer, but a tranquilizer might help, temporarily.”

“I’m grateful, but I have to stay on edge now.” She nodded toward a building seething with activity. “That’s my place. Come on in. I’ll arrange a meal for us.”

Mtulla’s handlers moved constantly in and out of the building, like a living tide, bringing reports of goods being acquired, sold, and relocated. No word on our launch, but the Rajanuk assured us we could arrange transport from a local trader or signal the ship to send down another shuttle.

“I’ve got a signal out to the real Rajanuk, too. We should be receiving confirmation any moment.”

I didn’t apologize for scanning the food before allowing the team to sit down with the handlers, and refused everything but a server of water and a couple of thin rounds of cooked grain that tasted a little like rye bread. Qonja paced around me like a guard dog.

“Resident, go sit down over there before I thump you.” I turned to my husband, who, like me, wasn’t hungry. “What’s wrong?”

“We need to leave this place.”

“I haven’t found anything that explains the symptoms I’m seeing in the population or the mass sterility.” I took a sip from my server. “Chill-juice addiction will wipe them out, though. If anything, I should set up some kind of treatment facility to wean them off it.”

Across from me, Dhreen reached for the pitcher of water between us. When he caught my interest, he filled, then lifted his server. ‘To finding a cure.”

I completed the toast and watched him drain the water in a few swallows. “How are you feeling?”

He shrugged. “Better.”

His color had improved, I decided, and he was definitely moving easier. “Is your memory improving? Any desire to go dancing in the streets?”

“Things feel familiar here, but I don’t want to dance.” He grimaced as someone bumped into him from behind-a pair of young men, who grinned and went back to chasing each other and a hoverball. “Mtulla’s nephews.” He grinned. “I remember them. Tiilm and Fduuv.”

I scanned the room. “Are any of these people her kids?”

“I remember a daughter, but I don’t see her.” Dhreen turned and caught the hoverball. “Take it outside, boys, will you?”

We visited with Mtulla’s extended family and employees, who all seemed to have their symptoms under control. Several seemed a bit sluggish, but responded readily to whatever I asked them. We kept the conversation light and inconsequential. It was obvious that the Rajanukal commanded a good price for her services, and treated her people well, because everyone under her roof seemed devoted to her.

“Mtulla is the best handler on the planet,” a young woman confided as she passed around what equaled tea and cookies. She looked across the room at the Rajanukal, and smiled. “We’d be on Beggars Row, without her.”

“Are you her daughter?” I asked after I refused the treat.

The young woman nearly dropped the tray in my lap. “No, I am one of her nieces. Forgive my clumsiness; it is time for my Sensblok.”

Mtulla left us for a brief interval, and returned to inform us that the launch had been located, and the Rajanukal of Peddlers Row had sent a pair of representatives to speak with us. “If you want it back, you’ll have to bargain for it.”

“What do they want?” Reever asked.

She glanced at me. “Sensblok.”

The representatives met with us in one of Mtulla’s central row buildings, this one in slightly better condition than the others we’d seen. No conference table this time, only an older Oenrallian male and female dressed in clean but slightly ragged garments.

“Mtulla told us you were subjected to a ruse by some of the Players,” the man, who identified himself as Loaj, said. “We will not subject you to that. We are honest traders.”

“Indeed,” Xonea said. “Yet you stole our launch from Main Transport.”

“We acquired the space vessel to satisfy an existing debt,” the female said. “Under Bartermen ordinance, we were entitled to take it.”

“And now you want neuroparalyzer in exchange for it,” I said. The male nodded, and both looked eagerly at my sojourn pack. “We came here to try and help your people find a cure, not supply you with more drugs.”