Charles Sheffield - The Spheres of Heaven

“That’s what my gut feeling tells me. We’re matching tracks so far. Go on.”

“So we have to find some other ship. But all the vessels that our different groups came in are either lost or worse off than this one.”

“Do you believe that?”

“I wouldn’t believe a computer. But I’ve known Bony Rombelle for a long time, and he’s the best gadget man I ever met. If he tells us the other ships are lost, or pieces of junk that can’t be fixed up, I believe him.”

“Then I’ll do the same — though when I was young I wouldn’t have let a man who dressed as sloppy as that out of the ship’s galley. What else?”

“The Link point. General, we didn’t build it, and it’s nothing like the ones we know. Throw in the different physical laws, and not even Bony can be expected to figure the transition protocol out from scratch.”

“Understood. So?”

“So if we’re going home, we have to locate and learn to talk to whoever built the Link.”

“Exactly my conclusion.” Korin glanced at Chan from under lowered brows. “And what we know about them already — unless there’s two different technological alien groups on Limbo, which is pretty unlikely — isn’t promising. In the only contact so far, they put two of our orbiters out of action for no reason except that we were making observations. So they have weapons. We don’t. And they’re either very nasty or very paranoid.”

“Or both. But it’s not completely true that we have no weapons. Deb Bisson always has a hundred personal killing tricks somewhere on her or in her.”

“All very well if she can get near enough. Not good if the enemy has real firepower and can blow you away at a thousand kilometers. But we’re getting close to what’s really on my mind. We have to find out more about the land-based aliens, and we can’t do it sitting here. This is where you earn your pay, Dalton. I want you to organize a shore party ASAP, and give us a land base ourselves.” Korin stared at Chan’s smile. “Suits your taste, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does. I don’t like to sit around in a metal can at the bottom of the sea. I didn’t come here for that. I’m used to doing things.”

“Good. So am I. So now let’s get down to the reason I wanted to come in here before we started to talk. You know the biggest obstacle in our way? No, it’s not the hostile aliens — though they’ll be bad enough. It’s the friendly aliens who worry me. The Tinkers and the Pipe-Rilla and that damned oversized vegetable Angel, they’re the ones who may make our job impossible. They say, no violence. But they don’t tell us how to manage without violence. What do you do when somebody tries to shoot your ass off? In my book, you shoot right back, and if they have an ass at all you blow it away. And we’re not allowed to. So here’s what we have to do.” In spite of his insistence that they could not be overheard, Korin leaned forward and dropped his voice to a whisper. “The aliens are worried about me already, because I’m a General. I’m going to talk and act so they’ll worry about me a whole lot more. You and your team do the exact opposite. All sweetness and light and talk of peaceful tactics. That way, the Stellar Group aliens are going to keep a close eye on me, here in the ship, and you’ll be free to go and do whatever you have to ashore. Do you agree? Remember, once we’re outside this room we won’t be able to talk without being recorded.”

“I agree with most of it. But I have a couple of worries. First, what happens if the aliens insist on coming ashore?”

“Are they likely to?”

“They are if they think we’re going to meet other aliens. The Angel is supposed to be an unbelievable talent when it comes to languages. We have one of those talents ourselves, Tully O’Toole, unless his brain has been fried by Paradox. If it has, there’s still Tarbush Hanson. He can talk to animals, and our aliens may be close to that. But the Angel may say it wants to go with us, anyway. I don’t see how we can stop it.”

“I have an idea on that. I think the Angel is the only possible one to work with Elke on a high-priority project I have for her. If some other alien wants to go ashore, don’t try to stop it. Your people go, and when they’re ashore they split into two groups. What other problems?”

“It’s not so much a problem as a delay. I’m sure we can get ashore safely, because the Bun and Liddy Morse already did it. But we’ll need maps, at least local ones, of the coastline and land areas. You said we should leave as soon as possible, but I’d like to wait until the computer produces the maps that Elke Siry asked for.”

“Of course you’ll need maps. An army should never travel blind.”

“Not much of an army. Six of us — seven, if Liddy Morse comes along.”

“No. Not seven, and not six. I’m sorry, Dalton, I don’t mind Morse going, if you want her; but Rombelle stays here.”

“I need him ashore.”

“You’re not going ashore, either — at least, you’re not going with the first party.”

Chan stood up. “Don’t give me that bullshit. I have to lead the shore party. Don’t forget that I’m in charge now.”

“No. You would have been in charge if we had reached the Geyser Swirl, but we never did. Look, Dalton, I’m not making a power play. I’m minimizing risks. No one in his right mind sends half the total strength of an expedition on a first scouting party, and I’m agreeing on close to that. Four people go. Maybe an alien, too — we can’t control them. Pick who you like of your team, provided that it’s not you and not Rombelle. You both stay here. I’m taking your word for it that Rombelle is something special when it comes to equipment fix-up.”

“He is. That’s why the shore party needs him.”

“It’s also the reason he can’t go. Suppose there’s mechanical trouble with this ship? It looks and sounds worse every hour. How would you like the shore party to be stranded, with no Hero’s Return to come back to or to rely on for supplies?” Korin waited for Chan’s slow nod. “Then that’s the way it has to be. You’ll think we’re sending an army anyway, when you hear me talking to our crazy alien companions. I’m going to sound like rage and destruction for them. They’ll shit bricks — I mean, if any of them shits anything at all.”

After Dag Korin and Chan Dalton had left for the general’s private quarters, the remaining party broke into two groups.

Most of the members of the old team, plus Liddy, drifted off toward the rear of the ship in the direction that Dag Korin and Chan Dalton had taken. The Stellar Group aliens followed the slow-moving Angel toward the ship’s sunroom and garden. Remaining in the fire control room were only Tully O’Toole and Elke Siry.

“D’you mind if I stay? Or am I in your way?” Tully was hanging around, watching Elke and looking shaky and dejected.

“You’re not in my way unless you interfere with my work.” Elke was studying images taken by the two orbiters, selecting a few for display with increased detail. “You people really love Chan Dalton, don’t you?”

“I can’t speak for the rest, but he saved me from worse than death.” When Elke gave him a skeptical glance from the corner of one eye, he went on. “I’m talking about Paradox addiction. Do you know what that is?”

She lost interest in the displays and turned to face him.

“Not exactly. But I know something that can match it.” She pulled her high-necked white blouse all the way down to her right collarbone, to reveal ugly scar tissue in the shape of a fiery star.

“Slither!” In his astonishment Tully reached out to touch the blemish on her white skin, but she stiffened and jerked away. He sat back and shook his tousled head. “I can’t believe this. You and Slither. It’s so disgusting, and you’re so — so—”