Chapter 36 Sanre-tay Day 28 – The Snares of Regulations
01
I swung on to the gangplank, trying not to wince – or yelp – too much.
Are you alright, Wil?' asked Illy, waiting for me with the hounds on the landing stage.
'I'm fine. I decided I needed to blow off some excess energy and now I'm a little sore,' I said. She knew me too well to believe that, but I looked, and felt, grim enough that she let it ride. For now, I considered stopping at the medic bay, but decided to deal with the Min, Vynnia and Tenry situation first, though only Neb knew what I was going say to them.
Illy followed as I gently launched myself up the well to the bridge deck. 'Tallith Min called several times. You were supposed to meet her,' said Illy watching me. 'I called her after I heard from you to let her know you'd soon be on board.'
'Thanks, Illy. I'll freshen up and call her,' I sighed. 'Please tell Vyn and Ten I'll see them shortly.'
'Right,' Illy said, still eying me with a growing number of questions.
I slipped into my quarters, gingerly stripping off my clothes and drifted into the shower. They may have embraced some ancient culture or another, but Prusza – or Doc Hans, anyway – hadn't embraced its ancient medicine. He'd sealed my 'flesh wounds' with pseudo-skin and though any sudden movement of either arm or shoulder sent shooting darts of sharp pain as the painkiller wore off, I could shower and clean up without a problem. I slipped the air mask over my face and turned on the jets of hot water that swirled about me in a soothing spray. I didn't linger, though I would've liked to. I turned off the water jets and turned on the warm air jets to suck the water mist out of the small shower compartment and dry me off.
Dressed again, I anchored myself on my chair before my desk and called Min.
'Ah, Captain,' she answered, voice only. 'I seem to have been stood up.'
'And I'm very sorry about that. Truth is, I got scared. I was my way to Bramble Vale when it struck me how reckless it was to call on you now after having been so careful. Especially with your safe haven about to sail in hours. I gave it a miss, not even daring to call. Then, I'm embarrassed to admit, with some time on my hands and lot of nervous energy and frustration, I went on a little spree and lost track of time. I'm very sorry. It was not a responsible thing to do, and I apologize. I was very thoughtless.' That, I decided, was going to be my story, and I intended to stick with it. It was barely plausible.
'Yes, I can see your point about visiting. I wasn't thinking,' she said, carefully avoiding the spree, as I had hoped she would.
'Tallith, are you really determined to go on alone?' I asked, if only to give some credence to my tale.
'Yes.'
'Is there the slightest chance I can convince you to change your mind? I realize this is a dumb question after standing you up, but you must realize why I needed a spree.'
She sighed. 'No, Captain. There's not the slightest chance. I'm sorry. That's final.'
I sighed in turn – one last approach... 'Back at the Yacht Club I told you I was a partner in your quest. You've been running away from me ever since. You may not need me looking after you, but I don't need you looking after me either. Instead of running away from each other, let's work together to get to the heart of this mystery. So would you please trust me, Tallith, this one time, and sail with us to Zilantre or LaTrina for my sake?'
She didn't reply for a moment and said, 'For your sake, Captain, I won't.'
'Right,' I sighed again, Captain. 'Will you at least allow Vyn and Ten to accompany you for a while – a year or two until you've seen a bit more of the Nebula? With this Zilantre charter, I can readily spare them.'
'I'm going alone. I've already made my arrangements and they – or anyone else – will not be able to follow me or catch up, so they'd best stay with you.'
As expected. However, to keep my options open until I decided what to do I said, 'I still hope to get them to stay, but they'll insist on seeing you one last time if only to say goodbye. Will you see them for a few drinks before we sail? I'll give them leave, as soon as we finish talking. We're waiting on a container, so you've time to say your goodbyes without delaying sailing. You owe them that much.'
'Oh, I suppose so. I do owe them for many things.'
'Good. What are your final instructions?'
'I just wanted to impress upon you, that I don't expect you to run exceptional risks to earn credits for me. All I need is for the ship to pay its own way. As soon as you can swing it, get it into the planetary trade. I'll see what I can find in my travels and I'll keep you informed. If things work out as planned with this Isleta delivery, we'll be more than half way to being accepted for general transport, so that drift work might be kept to a minimum.'
'I'm thinking that, too. I'm sure we'll give you a good return without having to take extraordinary risks. You know me, given that option, I'll take it. And you needn't worry about the Lost Star, I'll keep it in one piece until you're ready to take it over.'
'Good. Well, Captain, I guess there's not much more to say, except fair orbits and good luck...'
'Good luck to you too, Tallith. Promise me you'll not do anything I wouldn't do,' I said with a smile she couldn't see. Everything she was doing I wouldn't do.
'Of course,' she replied, probably with a smile too. 'You needn't worry. I'll never run any risks at all.'
I laughed. 'Excellent. I'll hold you to that standard, so when we next meet I'll expect only tourist vids of all the wonderful places and planets you've discovered.'
'I’m looking forward to seeing many strange and wonderful places,' she replied, and tiring of lying, added. 'Well Captain, I mustn't keep you. Good luck – fair orbits!'
'Good luck to you too, Min. Fair orbits,' I replied and the connection was broken.
02
I took a few minutes to gather all my ruthlessness, and called Vynnia and Tenry in. They must have been waiting on the bridge, since they arrived even as I closed the connection.
'Slide the door closed and have a seat,' I said as they knocked and entered.
'You never met with Talley?' asked Vynnia warily, getting down to business.
'No. But I've just finished talking to her,' I said. 'And I'm afraid I couldn't convince her to change her mind. Not about sailing with us or about taking you along. I tried, but she assured me she's made plans to see that she's not followed.'
They looked grim.
'As I see it, unless you sail aboard the same ship as Min when she leaves Sanre-tay, you're unlikely to ever catch up with her. And really, we can't even assume she's going out of system at this point.'
There was nothing they could say to meet those objections. I continued.
'Can your Patrol connections keep track of her?' I asked on the slim chance their reserves status would allow them to pull strings, maybe even hitch rides, to keep Min in sight.
Tenry shook his head. 'Vyn might be able to call in some favors, what with her folks being admirals, but unless the Patrol is interested in a person, tracking passengers is not what the Patrol does. Any ideas Vyn?'
'No. I wish I knew why she's being so stubborn.' She gave me a hard look, before continuing, 'It could be an adventure for all of us. It's not like we're asking to hang with her for life... We simply have to convince her to let us tag along for a while...'
I shook my head. 'She was very definite. She's traveling alone.'
'We're resourceful. We'll take our chance, Captain. It's our duty,' said Vynnia watching me closely. 'We're packed and are ready to go down. I hate to leave you like this, but you know our agreement. You have that list of possible replacements I sent around the other day?'
'Yes, I do,' I said slowly, but thinking furiously. Nadine bragged she could monitor the comings and goings of our boats, but I don't think even a small spy bot could've been attached to the ship's hull without it being registered by sensors, though I suppose no action may have resulted since it would likely have been considered simply floating trash... Still
it was probably dropped off a dozen kilometers or more away, so with all the moving the ship has done over the last several days, I doubted they'd been able to keep it current, especially since we'd just moved again while our little drama was being played out. On the other hand, if either of Vynnia or Tenry had been tagged like me, sending them down would lead Nadine right to Min. But not sending them down... I didn't think Nadine was as sure of her knowledge of Min's location as she'd have me believe, but I didn't know how long Min planned to stay on Lontria either. Would Nadine have time to find her or not? There simply wasn't a clear course through this drift.
I drummed my fingers on my desk thinking. The bloody Neb of it was I could do as I pleased, I could let them go or force them to sail with me. But by the same token, it made it my responsibility, no matter what I decided to do, or not to do. I needed to be ruthless, but I needed to be ruthless no matter what course I chose, so ruthlessness was no help at all. Be careful what you wish for. Me, I'm never going to wish for anything ever again...
'If you'd just drop us downside, we'll be off,' said Vynnia, as I continued to weigh my options in silence.
'Hold your jets a moment. We're all agreed that she needs more experience before she goes off on her own?'
'Yes,' Tenry said, watching me closely. He knew something was up.
'And I believe we understand that she may be in some danger from the people who may have killed her parents and almost killed her.'
'Perhaps, but we don't know that for certain,' replied Tenry, with a quick glance at Vynnia that I took to be a warning he'd not fully shared our concern with Vynnia.
'Right,' I said, to prevent Vynnia from asking any questions. 'I believe the threat is real, so what I'd like you two to do is go down to meet Tallith for a few goodbye drinks. She's expecting you. Make sure she has more than a few drinks. Mystwine should do the trick. You'll need to get her dead drunk by the time you bring her up. I'll send along several sedative jabs to make sure she's out of it until we're well on our way. I realize this is a somewhat unusual request, but I'm sure with a hundred years of Patrol service behind you, it's a mission you can bring off without a hitch.'
Tenry settled back with the faintest of smiles.
Vynnia bristled. 'Is that your idea of a joke, Captain?'
'Why, you're asking us to shanghai her!' Tenry exclaimed with a wink.
'If you have a better plan to get her safely aboard, I'm open to suggestions.'
'There are limits, Captain. Yes, I'd want Talley to sail aboard the ship, but Ten and I are not about to shanghai her. She's not a child and we must respect her choices however much we doubt her wisdom. And by Neb, she's your owner! She trusts you, Captain. You can't treat her like that just because she's young and...'
'Foolish?' I suggested.
'She hired you,' snapped Vyn.
I smiled. 'Foolish. Or rather, impulsive. Nevertheless, all I'm proposing to do will just clip her impulsive wings for a passage or two. In Zilantre, or better yet in LaTrina, she can go her way, alone, if she still cares to. But by then she'll be far better prepared, and, I believe, far safer than she is today.'
'Why didn't you meet her, get her drunk and bring her aboard yourself?' asked Vyn adding, 'You didn't even have the guts to see her.'
'I think that explains why,' I said mildly. 'Which makes you two far better suited...'
I could see Vyn fight to contain her protective temper. 'I realize you're trying to protect her, but this is just too demeaning. She deserves your respect,' she said carefully.
'Can I change your mind, Vyn?'
'No. Ten and I will find some other way.'
I turned to Ten. 'Ten? You've been very quiet.'
'You know Skipper; I've been on this side of the desk far too many times in my career – such as it was – not to realize you're just being diplomatic. What I or Vyn want is neither dust nor gas. It's what you want,' he said with a slow smile. 'What do you want?'
I thought again, before I answered. I took a breath, which hurt. That finally decided it for me. I thought of Nadine, blade in hand and ready to slip it into me though we were surrounded by people. Everything that had happened validated Min's concern – and mine.
'I want Min safe,' I said. 'Ten knows I'm not asking. I'm giving you your orders. Call and arrange to meet her for drinks and goodbyes. Get her drunk. I'll foot the bar bill. As I said, you'll need to get her too drunk to know what's going on or too able to sling orders about when you bring her aboard. We'll stop at the medic bay to get some sedative jabs that'll accomplish what the Mystwine doesn't. It's critical that she's unconscious when you bring her on board, and will stay that way until we're well underway. Any questions?' I hoped Vynnia was enjoying this more authoritarian version of Captain Litang.
'We're not under your orders anymore. We resigned,' said Vynnia. 'Let's lift, Ten.'
Tenry didn't move, he just watched us in turn. He knew what was up.
I sighed and tapped my desk, calling up my crew list. I pulled up Vynnia & Tenry's Guild contracts. I noted that there was now a notation on them, Resignation Pending. That was new, but neither dust nor gas.
'Ah, I see you've gotten around to officially requesting a termination of your contracts. As I'm sure you know, any resignation within 48 hours of sailing requires the approval of the captain. Your resignation is only, ah, some six hours old, and since we'll be sailing inside of ten I'd have to sign off on it, and well, I'm not going to do that. Sorry,' I said, and with that I touched the notation on her contract calling up the short resignation request and denied it. I did the same for Ten's and looked up into Vynnia's furious face. '... so you're still under my orders, and you have 'em,' I added.
'Why, you...' stuttered Vynnia, searching for a way to say what she thought without being crude...
'I believe the word you're searching for is Yes, sir.'
'I took you to be a gentleman. A man of his word. A man of honor...'
'You took me to be lazy, careless, and spineless, Vyn. Or you'd have taken the simple measures needed to avoid this.'
'It wasn't that. I thought you were working with us. You gave us your word, and I accepted it. To think I took you to be a man of your word. To treat us this way is bad enough, but to treat your owner in such an underhanded, disrespectful way, not to say illegal...'
I pulled up the pilot contract Min had signed back on Calissant and pushed the image over to their side of the desk.
'As you can see, Min also overlooked resigning her pilot's berth. I overlooked the breach of contract when she skipped on Calissant but I'm not prepared to do so twice. I've the legal right to bring her aboard, drunk or sober, and by duress if necessary. And I've the legal right to order you to do it, as you know full well, Captain enCarn. And I should also point out that I gave you my word that I'd keep the three of you together. My orders will keep the three of you together, as long as you do your duty, which, I might add, is more than you can promise me.'
'At what price?' she snapped. 'Anyway, Talley can simply order you to void that contract. And she will, if I've anything to do with it.'
I shrugged and winced with the twinge of pain. 'True, if she can reach me. But I'd not advise it. She wants you aboard the Lost Star so she's not likely to order me to void your contracts. Tip her off and she goes her way alone and we go ours.'
'We'll go our own way whether or not you release us. We don't need the Neb-blasted Guild...' said Vynnia.
'I haven't threatened you with Guild sanctions. But you're ex-Patrol and you know regulations are regulations, orders are orders, and you know honor as well. Like it or not, you'll follow my orders.'
Tenry spoke up, 'Wil's right, Vyn. This plan should work, and it'll be Wil here who gets shoved out the airlock when Talley comes around and realizes what happened. Plus, method aside, it accomplishes what we all want.'
'Then he can get her drunk himself. We'll come down to pick them up.'
'If she should get wind of what I was up to; she could order
me to stop. I don't know if jabbing an owner with a sedative constitutes mutiny or not, but I prefer not to take the chance... You can ignore her orders as it's customary for the owner to deal through the captain in operational matters. You're just following my orders and she can take it up with me when she comes around,' I said. I'd it all worked out for weeks. It seemed pretty slick at the time. Now, it just seemed ugly but necessary.
Vynnia glared at me and Tenry. 'I'm not going to do it.'
'Right. I believe she's in immediate danger, I wouldn't be doing this for any other reason. However, you have a far stronger claim to protecting her than I. So if you're willing to assume complete responsibility for her security, I'll release all of you from your contracts and just go about running this ship. You keep her safe – whether she wants you to or not. And good luck with that. Your choice, Vyn. What do you say? What should I do?'
She glared at me, furious. I called up their contracts again and waited.
'We'll bring her back,' said Tenry, quietly. 'We don't have a choice. It's for the best, Vyn.'
They shared a look, and she gave a slight nod.
'Right,' I said, 'You've your orders. You know what you have to do. Min is waiting and it must be getting late in Bramble Vale...'
Tenry looked to me. 'I've got'a hand it to you, Skipper, during my Patrol career I've been dragged into one Neb-blasted quantum-fuck-up or another by some desk-bound CO more times than I care to count, and I must say yours has been a classic performance. If Talley decides not to shove you out an airlock, you should consider a career in the Patrol. You've got the deviousness to go far,' adding Tenry with a sly smile. 'I'm sure Vyn here is just mad she didn't think of it on her own. Which earned us both a glare.
'Thanks, Ten. I think.'
'Right. Now let's get this mission lifted and on its way,' said Tenry, rising.
'Good. See to the gig, First. I'll issue some sedative jabs to Ten,' I said carefully getting to my feet. It hurt just breaking magnetic contact with the chair.
Vyn turned and stalked out – a hard thing to do in free fall.
'She'll get over it,' Ten said in a low voice.
'I'm sure she will,' I said, adding as I followed him out. 'You can pull this off?'
'It should be easy enough, I can't imagine she'd suspect that we'd come to shanghai her.'
We swung up one deck and made our way to the medic bay.
'Here's the jabs. You might want to use one even if the Mystwine works, just to make sure. I don't want to have to choose to obey her orders or not.'
'Right.'
'And, Ten, I wasn't bluffing about the danger. I don't know if your reserve status allows you to take weapons downside, but keep a look out for a slim, dark haired woman. I don't expect you'll see her, but she's dangerous and desperate, and Min's her target.'
He was watching me closely now.
'We need to bring her off. It's the old Four Shipmates thing, and I've said too much already.'
He nodded. 'Aye, we'll bring her aboard.'
03
I stayed in the medic bay after issuing Tenry the jabs, and programmed the robotic treatment table's healing fields to greatly accelerate the natural process on my cuts. It took twenty minutes under the accelerated healing probes to reduce the wounds to faint scars, which I decided to keep, if only as a reminder to be more careful in the future. I also had the system find and remove the sliver-sized tracer from the nape of my neck, and make certain there was nothing else in me that didn't belong.
Illy turned and watched me closely as I entered the bridge after the treatment – feeling a whole lot more alive. 'Your orders?' she asked.
'Let me know when the gig or the quarter box arrives. We'll sail directly after both are aboard.'
'I thought Ten and Vyn were leaving us. Are they bringing up their replacements?'
'Just a pilot. The one we already have on the books.'
'Who would that be?'
'You're the purser, Illy.'
'Talley? You sent Ten and Vyn down to collect Talley? How in the Neb did you manage that? And more important, how in the Neb do you think you can get away with it?' she asked, watching me with her shrewd eyes.
'I can get away with it because I'm the captain of this packet. All three of them neglected to formally resign before the Guild limit. I'm simply choosing to enforce their Guild contracts.'
'Have you gone crazy, Wil? You can't force the ship's owner to honor a Guild contract. For one thing, she can just cancel it. And for another, she can find a new captain.'
'A contract is a contract, Illy. A pilot or a ship owner needs to pay attention to all the little details... And as for the rest, she'd have to be awake and reasonably sober to do all that...'
'Wil, you're not...'
'Nope. Vyn and Ten are. And they've orders to make sure she's neither when they bring her on board...'
'She'll sober up...'
'Not before we'll be well on our way.'
She sighed. 'Why?'
'Because the Lost Star's past has caught up with it. The Mins were certainly murdered, and Tallith, for some reason, appears to be a target as well. She knows this, but doesn't want to bring that danger to the ship. I, on the other hand, think there's no safer place in the Neb than aboard us. Failing to talk sense into her, I've decided to act.'
'And you think this is all going to lift?'
'If I had any better choice, I'd have taken it, but the danger to Min is real and immediate, and getting her away from Lontria now seems the best option,' I replied with a shrug. 'We'll just have to see how it plays out. Speaking of which, we'll need to switch watches since Vyn is on ship's business. Ask Molaye if she'll take the first watch under power. I'll take the second since I doubt Min will be in any condition to stand it. Vyn should be able to take Molaye's third, and I'll take the fifth, if necessary. Would you see to that, Illy?'
She stared at me, but realizing the die had been cast, nodded, 'Right, Captain.'
I returned to my office and had just finished sending Doctor Han's credits, with thanks, when the lighter arrived with our quarter box. I suited up and oversaw its loading into no.4 hold via the extended airlock. Myes and I maneuvered it in the hold with a system of rarely used winches and secured it on top of the other quarter box. As we were finishing up, I received a brief call from Illy telling me my shore crew was on their way back and I returned to my office just in time to see Vyn and Ten, arm in arm with an unconscious Min in the middle, drifting up from the landing stage. Tenry gave me a cheery wave, as they swung into the companionway.
'As soon as the gig and gangway are secured, we'll proceed under power,' I said to Molaye as I looked into the bridge, 'Get us set on our course Lucky.'
Ten turned up shortly afterward and draped himself on the arm of his weapons station's chair on the twilight bridge – the view-panels looking forward, anticipating our departure with Azminn being directly astern as we prepared to sink it slowly into a mere star.
'Captain, here to report.'
'How'd it go?'
'Ah, the age of innocence, Skipper. The Mystwine worked like a charm. Still, I gave her a dose just to make sure she'd get all the rest she needed,' he said with a wink. 'Vyn's tucking her into her hammock for acceleration. Wouldn't want her slipping out,' he added with a wide grin. Yes, clearly he'd not been pouring his Mystwine into the potted plants...
'Excellent. Get some rest, Ten. You've been on ship's duty so you're excused from your first watch.'
'Aye, aye, Skipper,' he said with a mock Patrol salute adding, 'You were a good Skipper, I'll miss ya.' and he slouched off, heading for his quarters and hammock.
His last remark wasn't missed by anyone on the bridge, but caused no alarm, only half-hidden smiles. It was clear they were up to speed on my gambit, Ten probably spilled it when he called up to the ship to report that they were on their way up. Ten's last comment may have been meant as a joke, but I wasn't certain. I'd a feeling there was a general misconception about my
status with Min, which, in truth, even I may have shared. Time will tell.
Illy and Vynnia arrived on the bridge. Vynnia said, 'Sorry I'm late for my watch, Captain.'
'Nothing to apologize for, First. You've been on ship's business. Molaye has agreed to cover this watch, I'll take the second so you'll be fresh for the third. You pilots can sort the watches out later, if you wish.'
'Yes, of course,' she replied adding, 'Thank you.' And gave Molaye a quick smile to reassure her all was fine. The first watch is often the first mate's, it's not an iron-clad rule and can be switched as necessary.
'Well people, shall we get this packet on its way?' I asked, looking around to the assembled watch and assorted hanger-ons.
'Aye, this weary old man is anxious to be on his way home, never more to wander,' announced Rafe gravely. He was still acting sorry for himself at being beaten to a cargo by a companion.
They nodded and took their places, Molaye at the navigation controls, Riv had the engineering console while Rafe occupied the communications chair. In addition, Illy, Dyn and Myes who'd been standing the previous watch had hung around, plus Vynnia and me. Vynnia looked to be uncertain if she should remain, having no formal excuse to stay. She glanced at me.
'Stay and see this voyage well launched, Vyn.'
Molaye rung the first warning, a half minute long ringing bell, designed, I think, not only to warn that free fall was about to end, but to instill a sense of excitement and anticipation. I took my place between the engineer's and the pilot's chairs while the casual observers found places to brace themselves for the return of inertia's pseudo gravity. The twenty second silence that followed hung with suspense. Molaye rang the last warning bell, three short rings, and turned to me, 'Captain?'
'Do you have a course, Molaye?'
'Yes, Captain.'
'Riv, are your engines at ready?'
'Aye, Skipper.'
'Are we clear, Rafe?'
'Clear to Zilantre, Willy.'
'She's yours, pilot. Bring her up easy to mark 5 thrust.'
'Aye, aye, Captain, easy up to mark 5 thrust,' she said and slowly pulled the tentatively balanced cluster of rocket control levers back towards her, filling the ship with the low but pervasive roar of the engines as they unleashed the torrents that drove the Lost Star through the dust and glowing gas of the Nine Stars.
My legs easily absorbed the gentle shock of the acceleration, for unlike the Ghost, the Lost Star did not jump but took her long, leisurely time getting up to speed.
'Rockets away, Lucky!' I said, under my breath.
Lucky Molaye grinned as the rockets roared beneath our feet. 'To the stars, lads!' she replied softly.
Volume Two – The Enemies of the Lost Star