Relic Tech (Crax War Chronicles) (21 page)

“I don’t know you well enough to make that judgment.”

“But you know Chief Brold,” I said. “If he thought I was incompetent, would he have allowed me on board? And if Negral Corp overruled him, I’m confident that as head of Medical, you would’ve been informed.” I checked my gear. “If not by him, then by the XO.”

“And if I question your competence, I am in fact questioning his?”

“That’s how I interpret it.”

“Interesting line of thought,” Dr. Sevanto said. “Although, whenever possible, I prefer to make my own judgments. Don’t you?”

“I do.”

“I don’t hold the incident with Tech Stardz against you. But the abrasions and contusions around your face and hands I question.” He crossed his arms and waited.

“Fair enough. Some were received in the aftermath of an attempted theft. They were mistakenly inflicted by over-zealous security, who also preferred to make their own judgments.” He raised an eyebrow and nodded. “The others,” I continued, “were delivered by a colonial marine nicknamed Pillar.” His smile followed mine. “You have the transferred medical reports which can confirm this. The first bruising was in the line of duty. I will defer to your judgment on the second.”

He grabbed a nearby computer clip. “You may pick up the Triskiseral tomorrow. See Administrative Specialist Tahgs.” He placed his arm on my shoulder and led me out. “And try to avoid running into bulkheads, or pillars.”

It was a lame joke, but I laughed anyway.

While many languages remain in use on Earth, especially in R-Tech dominated pockets, English prevailed as the dominant corporate and, by default, intra-colonial language. This is because the majority of scientific research continues to be recorded and published in English. Although not easy to learn and comprehend, especially by alien diplomats, corporations determined retaining it more practical than implementing change.

My alarm startled me from a troubled sleep. Normally I dreaded dreams that recounted my participation in the Colonization Riots. This morning was an exception. The first thing I did was enter in my electronic notebook a reminder to mention it to the chief.

The last three days had passed quickly. I checked the rest of my schedule. A morning security meeting; the first one with the entire staff. Next, I was to accompany Dr. Sevanto to the dock while the colonists were brought out of cold sleep. After that, I was to check on the modifications to the colonists’ area.

I wasn’t the only one getting an early start so I skipped most of my exercise routine. I could work out later. After a hurried breakfast I arrived five minutes early and took a seat in Specialist Liu’s office. She smiled politely and went back to work. Club entered with a tall, lean man a little older than me. His ID tag read Frost. He carried a military issue MP pistol, stun baton and a light-duty hand laser that was good for maybe three close-range shots.

Before they sat down I got up. “Good morning.”

Frost said nothing. Club replied with a nod, then sat, leaned back, and closed her eyes. Frost took out a palm computer clip and tapped away. I pulled my pocketknife and cleaned my fingernails.

A moment later a muscular, heavy browed man wearing tan coveralls sauntered in and sat next to me. His gray-green armband identified him as auxiliary security.

“Greetings, Keesay,” he said. “Anatol Gudkov. Glad to have you on board.”

“Nice to meet you, Maintenance Tech Gudkov.” I offered my hand.

He shook and chuckled. “The more Sec-Specs they hire, the less I have to cover.”

“Prefer your other duties?”

“Only an aux because of a stint at a penal colony, and failure not to volunteer.” He grinned at the admin specialist. “Liu, heard they might bring another sec-spec on. You know anything?”

“Can’t confirm that one, Gudkov,” she said, still engrossed in her work.

“You, Club?”

Eyes still closed she shook her head.

“You just came from the dock, Keesay?”

“Correct. But I wasn’t impressed with what I saw.”

Frost chimed in. “Shortage everywhere. Give it up, Gudkov. You’re stuck.”

“What do you know, Frost?”

Frost went back to his clip without response.

Gudkov opened his mouth to say something more when the door slid open. A woman and two men entered. All three were armed like Frost, but the lean, dark-skinned man’s coveralls were creased and worn across his right shoulder. It mimicked my coverall’s telltale sign of a rifle sling. The rifleman stood next to me. “Hey, Keesay,” he said, looking down at my fading bruises.

I stood, read his tag and offered my hand. “That’s correct, Nist.”

“Go in for that old stuff I see.” We shook briefly and he slapped my shoulder. “Heard about you.”

Gudkov cut in, “Nist, you know anything about new sec-spec hires?”

“Now, why would I know anything about that? I was on leave.” He turned his back to Gudkov and said to me, “We’ll talk later.”

I sat down, adjusted my gear, and began to ponder how Specialist Club armed herself. Specialist Liu stopped her work. The door to the adjoining office opened. “Come on in, team.” We all moved at Chief Brold’s order. Six folding chairs supplemented the two cushioned, resulting in cramped conditions. Liu and Club took the good chairs. I sat between Frost and Club.

The chief tapped a key on his desk, closing the door. He tapped another. “Let’s get started.” Liu pulled out a large clip and began recording.

“We have one new member. Class 4 Security Specialist Krakista Keesay, stand up.” Chief Brold began to his right. Each nodded as they were introduced. “Zabden Frost, Dorian Ross. You know Li Liu and Joyce Club. Anatol Gudkov, Faxtinian Muller and Larcher Nist.” He paused and I sat down. “Keesay comes to us from stationing on Pluto. And for those of you who’re interested, the XO rated him a 6.4 on his diversion assignment. That tops everybody but Club. And doubles Gudkov.”

It took me a half a second to recall my meeting with Lt. Commander Devans. It
had
been planned. Whatever the measuring criteria, I did well enough.

Slipping a red toothpick from his mouth’s corner, Chief Brold glanced at his agenda. “You all can get acquainted on your own time. On to business.” He paused. “Hope those who had leave enjoyed it. Those still scheduled, it’ll be just as short. Soon enough we’ll be several months hurtling through space in this steel can.”

Several groans followed but it couldn’t be worse than warehouse duty.

“Club and I’ve worked out a tentative duty schedule. Nist, you’re our liaison with the marines. Keesay, you’re assigned to the colonists. Gudkov, sec-bot maintenance and relief duty in the Control Room. Frost and Ross, passenger support. Muller and Club are primaries in Control. Liu, administrative. Everyone but Liu will be on roving patrol, especially around engineering.” He paused. “Any questions thus far?”

Gudkov stood. “Chief, I heard that the company might provide more assistance.”

“Still angling?” The chief shot a glance over to Club.

“Mer’s gone planetside,” she said, standing to address us, “and came up empty. Maybe on the dock, but even if he does, you’ll still be part of the team.”

She continued in a low tone. “I know we’re short. Everybody is. Negral is doing the best they can. We’ve got the marines to take some stationary watch, if needed.” She looked over at Gudkov before sitting. “We have sec-bots to supplement our efforts.”

“How is that project going?” asked the chief.

“Slow,” said Gudkov. “The three we got were less than preassembled. And the reprogramming protocol established by Senior Engineer McAllister is, well, time consuming.”

“I’m sure it is. When will you be finished?”

“They’re assembled, Chief. The first has been programmed and I’m awaiting evaluation from the engineering department.”

The chief glanced toward Liu. “Chief,” she said, “the engineering department has placed priority on the special maintenance project.”

He acknowledged her statement with a nod. “Gudkov, you may have a forty-eight hour leave after this meeting, provided your primary supervisor approves.” Everyone but Gudkov frowned, or held a straight face.

“Liu, recheck the passenger list. Make sure we have all available background downloaded. Ross, check the manifest and monitor the loading of the corridor cargo pallets. Muller, inspect the scientific survey vessel loaded in the cargo hold. Then go on leave. Forty-eight hours.” Some activity on his desk distracted the chief. “Keesay, you’re to meet Dr. Sevanto at the main docking hatch. Accompany him while he monitors the colonists’ cold sleep recovery.” Brold surveyed us. “Any questions? Those on duty, same time tomorrow. Dismissed.”

Everyone filed out except for Liu, who gathered the folding chairs. Club stood aside, waiting to speak with the chief.

“You’re keeping the doc waiting, Keesay.”

“I know, Chief, but I think you might want to hear this.” I glanced at Club and Liu.

“Club, assist Liu and report back in five.” They exited. “Okay, Keesay,” he said, sitting down. “What’s burning your tail?”

“Well, Chief, I recall where I encountered Engineer McAllister.”

“This better be good to keep Dr. Sevanto waiting.”

“If my memory is accurate, she remembers me from an action I took while assigned to, a duty.” I awaited acknowledgement before I continued. “It was during a confrontation with a hostile mob. I was part of a small security contingent and we were forced to engage. I recall clubbing her with the butt of my shotgun. Mismatched eyes, red hair, same face.”

“Hardly qualifies you as a murderer.”

“I bayoneted a young man next to her when he pulled a sonic blade. She went to him, then for the blade.” Chief Brold frowned as I continued. “I was in full riot gear, but close enough to be identified.”

The chief ran his hand from his chin to the back of his neck. “You certain of this?”

I thought back hard, reviewing the unpleasant experience. “It was chaos,” I said, placing a hand on the cushioned chair. “We’d been ordered to hold. They’d sniped our C1 along with two others. We were on high ground, no cover.” I took a steadying breath. “We were there for show. I took command. We couldn’t retreat so I ordered us to close.” I saw it all again. “They fell back, then surged.”

“I read the reports,” the chief said. “Viewed the holos. It was bad.”

“We all,” I started. “We were a diversion. A sacrifice to pull the ire of the mob. Of the public.” My back stiffened. “I put down at least fourteen rioters. Wounded dozens. It could’ve been any one of them. But I think it was.” I paused. “The bayonet wound took him square in the chest. He was one of the fourteen. She was next to him.”

“Understood, Specialist.” He tapped at his desk and spoke into his collar. “Dr. Sevanto, I have detained Specialist Keesay. He will be there shortly.”

I forced the images back into their dark corner. “That is all to report, Chief.”

“Gives me something to chew on,” he said. “She’s a little older than you’d guess.” I turned to go but he signaled. “Keesay, speculate for me. Is McAllister anti-Phib?”

An odd question, I thought, but answered anyway. “Hard to tell, Chief. Factions were there for half a dozen reasons.” I scratched my head. “She was among one of the more militant. Could be.” Maybe not so odd of a question. “Definitely anti-ME though.”

He nodded. “Steer clear of Senior Engineer McAllister.”

“The
Kalavar
is barely medium class, Chief. But I’ll do my best.”

“You’d better, or your pelt may be tacked up on her wall.”

I nodded once, recalling our past conversation. Wasn’t cornering a raccoon risky business?

He guessed my thoughts. “That wasn’t a suggestion.” He tapped the door open. “Now get to Dr. Sevanto, like yesterday.”

After adjusting my communications gear for full capacity send and receive, I sent an electronic message to O’Vorley, informing him that a
Kalavar
representative might be on board recruiting. It took me several minutes longer than it should have, so I double-timed it.

Dr. Sevanto dragged his eyes from me to the chronometer. “We’re on a schedule. Theirs, not ours.”

“Understood, Doctor.” Dock security waved us through. I fell into step. “Security Control.”

“This is Control,” Club answered.

“Just checking my gear,
Kalavar
. I’m onboard the Mavinrom Dock.”

“Signal’s strong. Shouldn’t require dock relay.”

“Acknowledged,
Kalavar
. Out.” Dr. Sevanto’s set a brisk pace so no need to workout later. We headed to the lower decks. “We’re not going to Medical?”

“No, Specialist. The recovery area is elsewhere.” We turned. “I sent Administrative Specialist Tahgs ahead to check on Maintenance Tech Cox before coordinating with the recovery staff.” After a few more steps he asked, “What do you know about cold sleep?”

“Very little, Doctor. I know that chemicals are injected to affect the cell metabolism. Complex sugars too? Alters the cellular fluid.”

“Cytoplasm. Go on.”

“Cytoplasm. So that when put to sleep and the temperature is lowered, the cell structure isn’t damaged.”

“Is that all?”

“I hear it makes you ill.”

“In recovery,” he said. “Actually the catalyst which initiates and accelerates, thawing, has several side effects.” He pointed. “Turn here. Once activated, its residual components cause fever and severe muscle ache. Some nausea.”

“My knowledge comes from reading journals and viewing still photos.” He nodded. I asked, “What are the tubes in the stomach, nasal cavity and colon for?”

“They’re inflated after induced sleep, but prior to cold sleep,” he said flatly. “So that activators can be pumped in and released to the body core and vital areas more rapidly.”

“That simple?”

“Actually, no. You received the layman rendition.”

“Why aren’t there holos of the procedure?”

“Because, as you’re about to see, recovery is, shall we say, unpleasant.” We stopped at an elevator. “It isn’t advertised because full knowledge might discourage its use.”

“So, there are few repeat customers.” If they can afford it, I assessed silently.

“Actually, once in the system, the chemicals remain for months. And after the first reaction, antibodies reduce the catalyst’s side effects.”

“The colonists shouldn’t be able to cause trouble in their condition. Correct?” He nodded once. Maybe now was my chance to get some answers. “So, what am I there for?”