Eternity's End (83 page)

"Sir?" said crewman Fenzy.

"—
please
go and get us all some coffee?"

"Yes,
sir
."

"And sandwiches. Call the galley for some sandwiches."

The tray of food arrived just as Cantha called out, "Legroeder! We've reached your friend Harriet—at the Narseil Embassy!"

"Harriet!" Legroeder cried, practically throwing himself onto the com-console. "Can you hear me?"

"Legroeder—is that you? You're really there, with Impris? My God, I can't believe it!"

"It's really me. Have you been following what's happening?"

"Yes, of course! Good Lord, Legroeder, what sort of a ploy are these Kyber up to?"

"I wish I knew. What's this about your releasing evidence on North? Is it true, what the Kyber captain said about him?"

"Quite true. We have not been Mr. North's favorite people lately. Robert McGinnis left a breathtaking record of Kyber meddling, and of North's complicity. I'm not sure I understand why this Kyber captain is proclaiming it, as if he ought to get credit."

"I can probably explain that, but it's—"

"Wait a minute, something new's coming over the net. From the secretary general..."

"Here it is," Tiegs interrupted, and put it on the main screen.

A voiceover was saying, "...statement from Secretary General William Albright."

The bearded world leader was standing at a podium, and speaking with a drawn face. "...to announce that I have relieved Spacing Commissioner North of his duties, without prejudice, pending a full investigation. I am naming Deputy Commissioner Ahmed to the position of Acting Commissioner, and am instructing him to take all proper precautions in dealing with the incoming fleet of ships..."

"Whoa," said Tiegs, lowering the audio slightly. "This is coming in at the same time." Two large frames appeared in the main screen, one showing the secretary general, and the other North. The latter appeared to be outside now, standing with an aide next to an aircar. The Spacing Authority headquarters were visible behind him.

North was hemmed in by a crowd of newscasters. "—I'll not comment on the secretary general's statement—"

"Commissioner North—"

"No comment."

"But Commissioner—"

"Whatever I have to say to Mr. Albright, I'll say to his face."

"Commissioner North!" a newscaster shouted. "What about the claims of the Kyber captain—"

"Reckless fabrications!" North snapped. "I have ordered our forces to full alert." North edged toward the car as his aide attempted to force an opening.

The newscasters yielded only reluctantly, with shouts of: "But the Kyber say—" "What about the accusations—?"

"No comment!"

The camera view moved up jerkily, practically into North's face. A rapid-fire voice asked, "Commissioner, the accusations of the Kyber captain seem consistent with those brought by Attorney Mahoney—"

Something in North's gaze seemed to snap at the sound of Mahoney's name. He stabbed an angry finger into the camera lens. "You mean,
ex
-attorney Mahoney. If you want to investigate something, investigate how a fugitive hiding out in an alien embassy can put out this kind of trash and get away with it. You're all so bent on crucifying Centrist Strength, which is only trying to
make
something of this world, when you
could
be exposing criminals. Well, if I have anything to do with it, we'll be making an example of Ms. Mahoney, very soon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an important conference to get to." He snapped inaudibly at his aide, who was trying to maneuver him into the car. Pressed by reporters, North swung his elbows to make room.

As the reporters fell back, one shouted, "What about Mrs. Mahoney's standing and reputation—?"

"Commissioner!" shouted another. "Who are you going to confer with? Are you going to see the secretary general?"

The car door slammed and the vehicle came to life with a thunderous whine. As journalists scattered back in alarm, a reporter turned into the camera and said, "That's Commissioner North's statement."

In the other frame, Secretary General Albright was stepping away from his podium, ignoring his own cacophony of shouted questions.

Legroeder leaned over the com. "Did you hear those announcements, Harriet?"

"Yes, I did, and I—just a moment. Legroeder, let me get right back to you. I have so much to ask you."

Legroeder nodded and stared with balled fists at the still-talking newscasters.

Harriet turned to Peter, who was plugged into the net monitor. His top-heavy head was tilted in thought, a crinkled smile on his face. "What are you thinking, Peter? Is it time to lean on our friend the A.G.?" They now had the McGinnis report, plus the Kyber captain's accusations, plus new allegations that had come in of armed Centrist Strength ships harbored in Elmira. The release on the worldnet, and investigative journalism in response, had turned up a raft of new information.

"More than time," Peter said.

Harriet turned back to her console. "All right, we're cued up to send." It wasn't as if the attorney general didn't have the information already—they'd been passing it to him as it came in—but so far he'd resisted taking action. Not enough evidence, he said. He'd known Harriet for years, and professed the greatest respect for her—but claims from an acknowledged fugitive required extraordinary evidence. Well, if he didn't call this extraordinary...

She pressed SEND.

After a count of five, she said, "You handle the press release, Peter." Then she keyed the voice-com. "Attorney General Dulley, please. Harriet Mahoney. I'll wait... yes... thank you. Frank? Harriet Mahoney. Yes, I have been. Mr. Attorney General, you've got a large packet sitting in your in-box, and I strongly recommend that you give it your
immediate
attention. The citizens are counting on you, Frank..."

Chapter 40

Power Play

Urgent... proceed at once to spaceport hangar... urgent
...

Major Talbott had gotten the call on his personal com while en route to a strategy meeting. It wasn't a secure line, so he had to wait until he got there to hear the rest. He'd changed course at once and made a beeline to the launch control center in the basement of Centrist Strength's east ramp hangar. On his way to the spaceport, he'd glimpsed a Spacing Authority patrol ship lifting under emergency thrust from the main field. What the hell was
that
all about? And in the Strength hangar, there was furious activity around one of the pursuit craft.
Arming weapons
. "What's going on?" he called, striding into the control center. The sound of his voice hurt his head; too much lace-bourbon last night.

Jerry the tech looked up. "Haven't you been following the news?"

Of course he'd been following. One disaster after another. What the hell was going
on
out there in orbit? Carlotta's people were blowing the whole thing open. Had they decided North was more of a liability than an asset? Were they getting ready to betray Centrist Strength, too?

"I've been out of touch for a few minutes. Anything new on North?"

The tech laughed. "You could say so. He headed off for a 'conference'—only instead of going to see the SecGen, he shook the press and came to the spaceport."

"And then?" Talbott prompted impatiently. He dropped into a seat and slapped his hand down on the DNA-reader to release the coded message waiting for him. "What did he do?"

"Took off in a police cruiser. No flight plan. They're halfway to orbit now, and Spacing Authority is going nuts."

Talbott grunted and hooded himself to the screen. The message flared up; it was from Kyber Command Contact. This was serious indeed; the Kyber liaison would not contact him directly unless drastic action was needed.

"Talbott!" someone shouted from across the room. "
Red Knight
's ready to launch. Are you taking command?"

He read quickly, not answering.

"...launch fastest available pursuit craft. Code Blue. Acknowledge at once."

Talbott drew a deep breath. Code Blue. That was what he'd been preparing for. Command was not deserting them, after all. He turned and shouted, "Get the crew aboard! We launch
now
!"

Legroeder was blowing on a cup of hot coffee when a shout brought his attention back to the newscast on the main screen.

"—major evidence just filed with Attorney General Dulley by Harriet Mahoney reportedly confirms claims made by the Kyber captain about Spacing Commissioner North. The commissioner's whereabouts have been unknown since shortly after he was relieved of duties by Secretary General Albright—though reports have come in of a mysterious launch at Elmira Spaceport. North last spoke to the press as he was leaving Spacing Authority headquarters for what he described as a high-level conference. Speculation has been rife about the possible nature of that conference, some believing it to be with the secretary general..."

Legroeder blew a kiss at the console. "Love you, Harriet!"

Captain Friedman, standing behind him, murmured, "Rigger Legroeder, you certainly have brought us back to interesting times."

Legroeder nodded. "Haven't I just?"

Some time later, Nav Officer Johnson reported a course change by the Spacing Authority destroyers.

"What are they doing?" Friedman asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Captain," Tiegs said, "there's a report of a high-speed ship making orbit from Elmira spaceport. A small one."

"So?"

"Apparently Commissioner North is aboard. Wait—here it is." A news loop displayed an image of a small vessel streaking into the sky above the spaceport. It was not assisted by a tow, which meant that it was most likely military or police. A voiceover was now giving it a tentative identification as a Spacing Authority police cruiser commandeered by North.

Good God, Legroeder thought.

"Can we see it?" Friedman demanded, as the main screen switched back to the outside view.
Impris
was presently at two thousand kilometers, and moving inward. The globe of the planet was much larger now, its horizon a gentle curve across the viewscreen.

"Not yet, sir," said Johnson. "But it should be coming over the horizon soon. The two destroyers are moving to intercept, I think. Maybe to protect it?"

"Captain, Cantha's picked up some of the military com-chatter off the net," Tiegs said. "Someone's decoded the secure freqs and they're rebroadcasting it!" Tiegs was chortling as he switched on the audio.

A voice that Legroeder recognized as North's came through, slightly distorted.
"Vigilant, I am en route to an emergency parlay with the intruders. I require you to deploy your ships to ensure my safe passage. This is a top security mission..."

The signal broke up; then another voice replied:
"Commissioner North, we have no authorization for your flight. Technically, you are no longer in command. If we can obtain confirmation—"

There was a hiss, as if the commissioner were stepping on their transmission. Then his voice again.
"...no time, there is no time. These Kyber are treacherous. If you permit Impris to dock, there may be very serious consequences. Time is of the essence..."

Freem'n Deutsch floated alongside Legroeder. "Is he making this up as he goes? Why's he trying to keep us from docking?"

Legroeder shook his head helplessly. Was North just scared now, scared and running to Carlotta, and trying to distract everyone in the meantime? Legroeder felt a growing sense of unreality. Too many incomprehensible actions...

"Captain, a call coming in from the Kyber," said Tiegs. Friedman frowned, as the Kyber captain's face appeared in a small frame at the corner of the screen.

"Impris, this is Arden of Farhawk. We've received an interesting proposal from Commissioner North. He says he can make new arrangements for your ship. If we escort you directly to the Narseil Rigging Institute, we can avoid a great deal of entanglement here. We are contacting the Narseil directly to confirm this arrangement. In the meantime, prepare for a course change..."

Legroeder drew a breath, his blood suddenly cold. If KM/C had a chance to hijack
Impris
, he didn't doubt they would take it. Who would there be to stop them, if they left the Faber Eri system? "Captain, no—" he whispered "—don't do it."

Friedman was already scowling over the com board. "Get me that Narseil diplomat ship," he snapped to Tiegs. Cantha stirred uneasily at the com-console, while at the back of the bridge, Fre'geel was looking increasingly alert. "Narseil courier," Friedman barked. "Have you received any messages from Commissioner North or the Kyber ship? Please respond."

Fre'geel was moving forward, toward Captain Friedman.

There was a long delay. Then a reply from the Narseil ship:
"This is Narseil Diplomat Vessel Essling. We have received messages from both parties. Although the Narseil government has no wish to be a party to hostilities in any form, we do guarantee shelter and asylum, if you choose to bring your vessel to our Rigging Institute."

Captain Friedman cleared his throat. "Are you saying that you intend to cooperate with North and the Kyber ship?"

"We will cooperate with whatever action provides your ship the greatest protection and security."

Cleverly put, Legroeder thought. Especially since the Faber Eri authorities had hardly been welcoming. He felt his throat tighten. Were the Narseil about to have a change of heart here, to get
Impris
sooner? Legroeder glanced at Fre'geel, whose neck-sail was quivering. The Narseil commander seemed ready for the possibility; he was avoiding Legroeder's gaze. Legroeder frowned and edged toward Freem'n Deutsch. Freem'n met his eyes with a steady, glowing gaze.

"What's that?" asked Friedman, pointing. "Is that North's ship, coming over the horizon?" On the screen, a point of light was moving just above the delicate boundary line between the planet's atmosphere and the black of space.

"That's him," said Johnson. "He's not the only one, though. There's another ship following him up. I wonder who that is."