Venus of Dreams (73 page)

Chen was afraid to reply. The strain on the pilot was beginning to show; she babbled intermittently or sat in a sullen silence. He could only guess at the mood of those inside the dome.

Teofila thumbed open her comm again. "And don't forget," she called out, interrupting the voices for a moment, "that we aren't to be punished. Better not leave that out." She closed her own channel. "See what happens when people are ready to act? Abdullah Heikal himself has to listen." She leaned back. Her fingers drummed against the armrests as she jiggled one leg.

Chen was silent, not wanting to provoke her.

"Why don't they put their talk on a public channel?" The pilot scowled; her mood had changed again, going from fierce, triumphant joy to anger and resentment in an instant.

"You're able to listen in," Chen pointed out quietly, "and so are the people inside."

"Why don't they put it on a public channel so that everyone can hear it?"

Chen swallowed as he thought of something convincing to say. "Because they'd want to keep it private until everything's worked out," he answered. "You wouldn't want them distracted by messages from people with other ideas. They'll make it public when they're done."

This comment seemed to assuage the pilot. Her leg stopped moving as her chin dropped toward her chest. "You shouldn't have come to the bay," she said. "You shouldn't have interfered."

"Maybe not. Right now, I'm hoping your plan works even more than you are." Chen paused. "Wu Fei-lin said something to me about a Guardian and Eleanor before he left." If he kept the pilot talking, he might ease her dangerous mood. "I've been wondering what he meant."

"A Guardian officer helped her lay out the plan. I only saw the man once. Most of the others don't know who he is."

"I wouldn't have thought a Guardian would get involved in this," Chen said.

"He pointed out that the only weapon we had was the Project itself, that because Earth can't afford to see it destroyed, we had to be willing to destroy it. The Mukhtars would have lost then. It makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. They practically handed us that bit of leverage when they refused to attack and just set up a blockade."

Chen's fingers were numb; his bonds were cutting off his circulation. His feet tingled as he wiggled his toes. "My bondmate's aboard that other ship," he said. "She may want to see me. I don't want her to see me like this. Can't you untie me? I can't do anything to you."

"You could try for the other ship when it lands. You could try to overpower me."

He shook his head. "I don't have a suit. I couldn't survive out in the bay very long. And if I try to fight you, you could just call out to Eleanor and the others, and I wouldn't want to provoke them. They have to stay as calm as possible now, or we're all lost." He gazed at her in appeal, hoping that he could touch some residue of feeling in her. If he could win even a bit of her empathy, his own danger might be lessened. Teofila might come to her senses long enough to have some influence on the other conspirators.

"I guess there's no harm in it." She stood up and went to him, cutting at the bonds around his hands until he was freed, then stepped back quickly. She held a wand aimed at him as he struggled with the ropes around his legs; his fingers throbbed with pain. He stared at the welts on his wrists, then stood up and stamped his feet, which felt full of sand. His legs were unsteady; he sat down again.

Teofila perched on an armrest across the aisle. "Don't tell Eleanor," she whispered. He nodded. He had already driven a small wedge between the pilot and the other conspirators. "When they come back to the ship, I'll have to tie you up again."

"No one'll care by then," he murmured. "You'll all be returning to the Islands in triumph." He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "Do you have anyone on the Islands—a child, a bondmate?"

"I had a bondmate once. Our contract lapsed, and we didn't renew it." Her voice was gentle now. "I'd visit him sometimes when I took a ship out to Island Nine."

"He's still there?" Chen asked.

"He went back to Earth a long time ago. He said the Project was dying, that Earth was barely maintaining it, and only for show. He offered to renew our bond if I went with him, but I wouldn't. I couldn't go back." She frowned. "I know about you, and what happened with your son—I guess everybody does. Did you and your bondmate ever have another child?"

"No, we haven't. We're going to have another, though, as soon as—" He shrugged. "Did you know my son Benzi?"

"No." She brushed a hand through her cap of short black hair. "Knew one of the pilots who went with him. Luckily for me, I didn't know her too well." She let out her breath. "God help me, I can understand why they went now. The Habbers never did anything to us, however creepy they sometimes are." She widened her eyes and stared at him with a supercilious Habber expression. He smiled. Teofila smiled back. At last she was seeing him as another person and not simply as a prisoner.

"You're right," he said. "They never did. It might not be a good thing to threaten some of their people this way."

She jumped to her feet. "Maybe they'll act now, and force Earth to give in." Her voice was harsh again. "Stay in your seat, and keep your harness on, and don't move. I don't want to hear anything out of you."

The friendly mood had been destroyed. The pilot strode back to her seat and sat down, keeping her wand aimed in his direction.

The wall dividing the cradles from the bay was rising again. On the large screen, Chen saw the airship that had arrived only a few minutes ago. Iris, he thought, you shouldn't have come.

Teofila was already arguing with the other pilot. "I don't care," she said. "There's no reason for your passengers to come in here."

"Iris Angharads wants to see her bondmate," a man's voice replied. "She wants to be sure he's well."

"He's well enough. She can see him later."

"Teofila." Eleanor's voice had broken in over the comm. "Let her see her precious bondmate. Just leave the channel and amplifier completely open, and make sure they use Anglaic. We'll be listening to everything they say."

"Very well." Teofila fidgeted. "I don't want any tricks," she said to the other ship. "I'll be watching. No arms, understand?"

"We have no arms," the other pilot replied.

Teofila glanced back at Chen, waving her wand as she motioned to him to stay in his seat. She turned toward the screen. Two suited figures were descending a ramp, their faces hidden by helmets; the taller one hovered over the smaller protectively. Amir Azad, Chen knew, had come with Iris; he felt a sharp pang, hoping the Linker could protect her.

The two disappeared from the screen. Teofila got to her feet and went to the cabin's lock, covering it with her wand. At last the door opened. The two people stepped inside; Iris reached up and took off her helmet.

Chen was about to release his harness and stand, then recalled Teofila's earlier warning. Iris hurried toward him; she dropped her helmet in a nearby seat before she knelt and reached for his hands.

"You're all right," she said softly. "But you're hurt." She touched his bruised face lightly.

"Iris." He held on to her. "I wish you hadn't come."

"Don't worry, I'm safe. We're all safe. Nothing's going to happen." She seemed to be speaking as much for Teofila's benefit as for his. "This will all be settled," she said as she turned slightly toward the pilot. "Pavel is optimistic." He could hear the tension in Iris's voice and wondered if Teofila had caught it too.

Amir had taken off his helmet. Teofila tapped her foot as she trained her weapon on the Linker. "Why did you come here?" she said harshly. "Earth is talking to the Islands now—what can you possibly do here?"

"We want to talk," Amir replied. "Administrator Pavel thought that the presence of intermediaries here might be necessary. Our presence should reassure you that everything's being done to bring this matter to a happy conclusion."

"You'll have to talk to Eleanor," Teofila burst out. "I don't think she'll listen. You're up to something." Chen saw that the pilot was beginning to work up another rage. "You're just trying to confuse us."

"We've put ourselves in your hands," Amir said. "We wouldn't have done so if we didn't think these negotiations would be successful. We're even willing to stay until this matter is concluded."

"You may not have any choice," the pilot replied.

"Send them inside," Eleanor said over the comm. "We're in the shelter. We'll hear what they have to say." Chen hated the sound of her voice, and was even more fearful for Iris.

"I love you," he said to his bondmate, not caring who heard.

"I love you too. It'll be all right. We'll be back on the Islands before you know it."

"I'll make a carving of you. It's about time I did."

Iris tilted her head. "You're not afraid you'll imprison my soul?"

"I don't think anything could imprison it."

She rested her cheek against his hand, then stood up and crossed to the lock. "Our pilot will stay in his ship," Amir said to Teofila. "He has no desire to provoke anyone."

"Good. And I don't want him talking to me, either."

Iris cast a glance at Chen, then turned toward Teofila. "You don't need Chen here," she said. "Couldn't you let him wait in the other ship with our pilot?"

"No," Teofila snapped. Iris closed her eyes for a moment. "He has no suit," the pilot added more quietly. "He has to stay here."

Iris gazed at Chen one last time before she put on her helmet. The door opened; Amir followed her into the lock. A knife twisted inside Chen; he wanted Iris safe and was powerless to help her.

Teofila was suddenly at his side. She tied his hands swiftly and then bound his feet.

Inside the dome, a bright yellow light illuminated the reddish, rocky land. The cart rolled forward as its treads ground against the rocky soil. Diggers and tractors, idle now, were distant, indistinct shapes near the shadows at the dome's perimeter.

They passed a gully where a bush had taken root; the plant's leaves were spread wide, soaking up the light. Iris could now see patches of grass; microorganisms were enriching the soil, and the land was beginning to yield to its gardeners. Iris was suddenly angry at those who were willing to destroy the years of effort.

Another bit of green caught her eye; these plants were small, but in a few years they would be the beginnings of a grove. She could finally imagine how the settlement would be, with its rolling hills and green land. She could see it as her home.

The cart moved on until they were near the shelter. The square, windowless building was almost directly under the dome's center; two other carts were parked at its entrance.

Amir braked the cart and they climbed out. Amir leaned over, resting his helmet against Iris's; they had kept their suit comms closed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

They walked toward the entrance. The door slid open, then closed behind them; they waited in the lock until the inner door opened.

A row of cots stood against the wall of the large room. The opposite wall held a screen; a table and chairs were in the center of the room. A few people were resting on the cots, but didn't seem to be asleep; others, all of them armed, sat at the table with Eleanor.

Iris took off her helmet. Fei-lin, who was sitting at the table, looked away.

Eleanor ran her fingers along her wand. "How nice," she said, "to see you two together again." She smiled maliciously at Amir, who had also removed his helmet.

"Greetings," Amir said calmly. "I would like to verify that those you are holding are safe."

"They're safe," Eleanor said. "Odd that the Habbers don't care more about what happens to their friends here."

"Let me assure you that they do."

"Then they ought to be putting pressure on Earth. The Mukhtars drove us to this."

Amir cleared his throat. "The Habbers don't want to act rashly and distract Earth with a confrontation when it is so likely that you'll win your demands without their interference. I'd like to see that the people here are safe, and assure them that they'll soon be out of danger."

Eleanor motioned with her head toward the back of the room. "They're behind that door." Two armed men stood near the door. "We put them in a storeroom. They've been given some food and water. We put their suits and helmets in the lab, of course, in case anyone got ideas about trying to escape. Antonio." A burly man with a moustache stood up. "Take the Linker to the prisoners. Let him see them for a minute, and then bring him back out."

Antonio glanced sheepishly at Iris as he began to lead Amir toward the door. She had helped Antonio when his quick temper had caused trouble with his team of workers; she had argued an engineer out of giving him a reprimand. Apparently he was remembering that; Iris hoped it would be useful to her.

Eleanor continued to stare at Iris. The blond woman's face was slack with fatigue; her hands were clenched so tightly around her weapon that her knuckles were white. Iris balanced her helmet on her hip; the silence was growing oppressive. Amir and Antonio disappeared behind the door.

"I hope," Iris said carefully, "that you'll release the people you're holding soon. You see, Earth is already prepared to reach an agreement with you—they have no choice. But we'll need the Habbers' help to continue the Project with any real hope of success. The Habbers on the Islands don't like seeing their people placed in jeopardy here. They might withdraw from the Project even if you have your agreement with Earth."

Eleanor's face was white; Iris had to be careful here. "The Habbers, you see," she continued, "won't bargain for the lives of the ones here. You know how strange they can be. We're responsible for their safety, we asked them to return. They stayed with us even after Earth threatened its blockade and their ships were forced to withdraw. They felt that at least they had nothing to fear from Islanders. Now, you hold some of them here, and they wonder if that might happen again in the future if we want some concession from them—it's why they won't bargain now." Iris took a breath; that sounded reasonable enough. "If you continue to hold prisoners here until you have your agreement with Earth, the Habbers may not want to aid us any more, and Earth may find it hard to give us enough to replace the loss of that help. Your victory may be an empty one." Sweat was trickling down the back of Iris's neck; her face felt hot.