L Modesitt - Empress of Eternity

"But…we needn?t talk of such irregularities. I?m certain that your presentation to the senior staff this afternoon will prove most enlightening. You need not go into all the details, but perhaps an indication of the potential-suitably and cautiously presented, of course-would indicate to them the reason for your continued efforts there." Hlaansk smiled broadly.

"I think I can manage that, sir."

"I knew you would." Another smile followed. "And how is your lovely wife?"

"The climate there has been most beneficial to her continued recovery, sir, as I?m certain you knew it would be, for which we are both grateful."

"I?m glad to hear it. Very glad." With a smile, Hlaansk stood. "Until this afternoon, Maertyn. We?re all looking forward to your briefing."

Maertyn stood. "I?ll do my very best to provide the information everyone needs." He inclined his head.

The minister returned the gesture.

27 Quad 2471 R.E.

Two days had passed since the priority pulse announcement of the government restructuring-or coup-by The Twenty. While general announcements continued, no comm pulses had been directed specifically at the station or at Eltyn or Faelyna, and certainly not one of the cyan frequencies of TechOversight. Neither had the satellite transmissions from MetCom nor any geosat resumed, and MetCom did not acknowledge any transmissions. From the station there was no way to determine whether MetCom had been shut down or destroyed.

While Faelyna worked on modifying the shadow-tracking equipment, Eltyn had checked the emergency solar-powered three-wheeler. It was operable, but the narrow tires restricted it in practice to the top of the canal, since they would quickly bog down in the sand to the south and east of the station. There was no way to widen the footprint of the tires. Even if he could have, the extra weight and the need to carry water-and the lack of a viable destination-would have turned flight through the sand near suicidal. The supply wheeler had not arrived on its scheduled oneday delivery, unsurprisingly, given the coup and a moderate sandstorm, but they did have over three months? worth of dried rations, barely edible as they were. The solar still and the independent power system insured that they?d have more than enough water and energy.

What else could they do but pursue the TechOversight project? Pursue that project, and see what defenses they might mount beyond the stunners and the two projectile rifles that were their sole protection against feral sandcats and anything else wild that might appear outside the station.

Slightly before midmorning on threeday, Faelyna adjusted her equipment, now focused on one of the unused and closed ducts on the station?s lowest level. They had already scanned and shadowed-tracked all of the main doors and windows in the station, discovering essentially two patterned "shadow" responses, one for doors and one for windows.

How long before scan? Eltyn knelt on the hard stone, hands on his thighs, bending his head forward to stretch tight neck muscles, then waiting.

Two minutes, replied Faelyna. Interrogative probability of airlifted team inspection?

Low. If priority, the team would already have been here. Most likely a canal wheeler oran SEV from Apialor.

No supply run on oneday or yesterday. Suggests problems for The Twenty in Apialor. She recalibrated a setting on the focal head.

More 2 problems for us. Armed team likely to conduct "compliance inspection"…if theyeven bother.

Sooner/later they'll bother. Stand by. One minute.

Standing by. Eltyn forced himself to wait. While Faelyna had always been precise in each examination, he still found it unsettling to know that his hand and fingers were within centimeters of both high power and an enigmatic and ancient control system that certainly had the power to remove both fingers and hand. Although there was no record of anything like that, there were stories about disappearances. Also, no one had probed the station walls with equipment nearly as sophisticated as that which Faelyna was using. Not that they knew, but from what records remained, the Unity of Caelaarn?s technology had been more biological in nature, and other earlier civilizations had left few indications of such capabilities, at least since the ancients who had built the MCC.

EEEE!!! The white emergency pulses signified the first announcement in more than a day. All outlying or isolated installations-beware of those approaching. In several locales,enemies of the Ruche have fled from populated areas to avoid treatment for antisocial andcontra-Ruche tendencies. Such self-proclaimed refugees are often armed and dangerous. Theyshould be reported to appropriate authorities as soon as possible.

TechOversight-enemy of the Ruche? asked Faelyna.

Eltyn knew that the seniors in MetCom-if they?d even survived-weren?t the kind to oppose the RF or The Twenty. Possible. TechOversight didn't wait to announce ContingencyThree. Chiental's under a mountain.

Third general announcement about "refugees," noted Faelyna. More than a few unhappywith the new government. Besides TechOversight.

Few? Anyone who doesn't agree with The Twenty is now an enemy of the Ruche.

Including us. [dry cynicism]

Eltyn nodded without pulsing.

Touch the conduit cover.

He reached out and pointed to where the stone had flowed around the heat-exchanging line, not quite touching the surface. The stone flowed back onto itself. A musty and slightly rancid odor drifted up, and he couldn?t help but wriggle his nose.

Close it.

Eltyn barely moved his finger, concentrating on thinking about the conduit cover closing. The stone sealed itself around the composite piping, and he released his breath, if slowly.

Power to standby, announced Faelyna.

Results?

Need to analyze. Different pattern.

[hopeful]???? Eltyn straightened and stretched.

It's a beginning. [doubt/hope] Possible key to command structure.

Linguistic basis?

Structured basis required. Linguistics…???

Isn't all structure based on language?

All structure we know, Faelyna pulsed back. Since no one yet has figured out what liesbehind or beneath the station…????

How would we know? They might have figured it out and still left the station alone.Knowledge can't always be translated into acts.

For our sakes 3… best hope we find a way.

Eltyn?s response was a wry smile.

Vehicle approaching! pulsed the local alarm system.

Faelyna turned, an inquiring look on her face.

Eltyn virtied the scanner and pulled an image. Supply wheeler. He watched for a time, extending the image to Faelyna. A woman driver eased the vehicle up to the station?s south side.

That's Rhyana. She sometimes does the deliveries, Faelyna pulsed. Seems like a goodenough person.

Might as well see what she has to say.

The two of them left the equipment and walked up the ramp to the main level. Eltyn picked up one of the stunners before he pressed the stone to open the southern door. Then he led the way.

Rhyana had pulled the wheeler up close to the door, in the area that Eltyn and Faelyna kept clear of the sand. That was both to keep sand from flowing into the station and to make it easier for those who delivered goods, parts, and equipment. The delivery woman stood beside the wheeler, her hands empty. Her eyes flicked from Faelyna to Eltyn and the stunner. Her orange driver?s cap was slightly askew over her short and curly brown hair.

Eltyn couldn?t tell if the covered cargo bin of the solar-powered wheeler contained anything. Whatever it might be wasn?t that massive, because the vehicle wasn?t resting heavily on the narrow tires.

"What is it?" Faelyna asked.

"I had to leave Apialor. I saw what they were doing. They didn?t see me. No one looks at manualers. The Twenty sent a team with a scanner. They?re brain-scanning everyone. Those who aren?t loyal are force-conditioned."