Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

The Kyber captain’s face was now on many of the news channels, as the direct transmission was fed through the nets to the entire planet. “ Good people of Faber Eridani—the safety of Impris is of paramount importance to us. Your rigger scientists will no doubt want to examine her. But we also ask that she be made available to—” and was it Legroeder’s imagination or did the Kyber choke a little “ —the Narseil Rigging Institute. The Narseil played a great role in her rescue, and they have a role to play yet in unlocking her secrets.”

That’s it, Legroeder thought. KM/C knows their operations are on the skids here, so they’re cutting their losses. They can’t seem like enemies, or they’ll be cut out of the findings from the mission. How long do they think they can play the innocent?

“We also request—insist upon!—safe passage for Rigger Legroeder, whose role will be no less important…”

Legroeder was aware of all eyes on the bridge turning to him. He pressed his lips together grimly.

On the com-console, messages streaming from the worldnet had become a blur, impossible to follow with the eye. Tiegs increased the number of frames on the viewscreen, until it was filled with an array of tiny faces of excited newscasters, all talking about the confrontation in space. Cantha glanced over from his attempt to filter the message stream and remarked, with wry Narseil humor, “I believe the planet knows about you now, my friend. Are you ready to fulfill your destiny?”

Legroeder grimaced.

Cantha hissed a Narseil chuckle. “I’m making some progress here. Your computer was good in its time, Captain. But the newsnets are ahead of us. Here’s one analysis of worldnet opinion…” On the main screen, a large frame showed a graphic representation of worldnet message streams, branching and growing with the live public debate. “The largest stream there represents people who want Impris brought in safely. It overlaps with people claiming Commissioner North is a Kyber collaborator. And that’s about the same size as the stream supporting him…”

Captain Friedman squinted at the display. “What’s that big band smearing across the whole frame?”

Cantha hummed. “There you have the people who are—what is the term?—scared witless about an invasion fleet in their—”

“Reply coming from North,” Tiegs interrupted.

“…these ridiculous claims! If you came to provoke a confrontation, we’ll give you one. We hold you completely responsible for any harm that may come to Impris, or any other—”

His signal again disappeared under the hiss of the stronger Kyber transmission.

“Commissioner—we mean no harm to Impris or anyone else. In fact, we have an offer to make. We invite you to come personally to our flagship for a conference, a parlay. We have worked together before; there is no reason for threats and posturing. Let us put mistakes of the past behind us.”

A break in the static. “ The mistakes are yours, Kyber—”

“We feel, in light of your past service to our cause, that we owe you a place here with us…”

From the North channel there was only silence.

Freem’n Deutsch floated close to Legroeder. “Was North really working for KM/C the way they’re claiming?”

Legroeder closed his eyes, thinking about the conspiracy against him. Had that been orchestrated from the very top, by North—at the behest of KM/C? How many others were involved, and how long would it take to flush them out?

The Kyber captain concluded, “ …if you accept our offer, notify us when your ship has reached orbit. We will escort Impris inward, and meet you for safe transit in low orbit. For the sake of peace, we urge you to accept. Farhawk out.”

Captain Friedman glanced at Tiegs. “Any official reaction?”

Tiegs shook his head. “Nothing from the world government yet. But listen to this news commentary…”

One of the frames containing a talking head was magnified, and a newscaster’s voice came up. “…Analysts have been comparing the Kyber statements with evidence released last week by attorney Harriet Mahoney. And they’re finding some startling points of agreement.”

Legroeder stood open mouthed. Harriet Mahoney?

On the main display, the Spacing Authority destroyers were edging away from Impris as several of the Kyber ships completed their protective gauntlet around the starliner.

“Impris, this is KM/C Kyber Farhawk. Are you able to make normal-space headway?”

Friedman answered, “ Farhawk, Impris . Affirmative—though we were about to request a tow for final approach.”

“Well, follow us on in. We’ll see if anyone wants to screw with us. All right?”

Friedman’s eyes closed to slits as he contemplated this turn of events. He was clearly thinking, Do I want to fall in with a KM/C fleet? Do I have a choice? Friedman said to Tiegs, “Get me the Spacing Authority ships.” When Tiegs nodded, he said, “ Vigilant , this is Impris . Do you intend to interfere with our movement?”

There was a long pause before the destroyer replied, “ Impris, you are cleared to establish a one-thousand kilometer orbit.”

Captain Friedman’s eyebrows went up, as the two Spacing Authority destroyers began to accelerate away from them, toward the large, blue-and-white orb of Faber Eridani.

As they moved inward with the Kyber ships, Legroeder had for a time the surreal feeling that all spacing activities around the planet had simply frozen in a state of panic. Planetary defenses were at a state of high alert, monitoring the approaching fleet. Ships moved in their orbits, of course, but most ordinary departures and arrivals had been put on hold as traffic control waited to see if hostilities would erupt. From Spacing Commissioner North, there had been no further word.

Cantha continued to monitor net transmissions. According to the news channels, messages on the public net were coming in at a rate of half a million a minute, and were deeply divided between fear of the Kyber fleet and ambivalence over North. “Everyone’s wondering what the World Protectorate and the secretary general will have to say,” Cantha observed. So far, there had been no further official statement.

Captain Friedman, pacing nervously between the com station and the nav and helm who were flying formation with the Kyber ships, seemed to be working himself up to a dangerous level of tension. Finally he stopped and cried out, “Would someone, for God’s sake—” and he hesitated a moment, as everyone stared at him in alarm.

“Sir?” said crewman Fenzy.

“— please go and get us all some coffee?”

“Yes, sir .”

“And sandwiches. Call the galley for some sandwiches.”

The tray of food arrived just as Cantha called out, “Legroeder! We’ve reached your friend Harriet—at the Narseil Embassy!”

“Harriet!” Legroeder cried, practically throwing himself onto the com-console. “Can you hear me?”

“Legroeder—is that you? You’re really there, with Impris? My God, I can’t believe it!”

“It’s really me. Have you been following what’s happening?”

“Yes, of course! Good Lord, Legroeder, what sort of a ploy are these Kyber up to?”

“I wish I knew. What’s this about your releasing evidence on North? Is it true, what the Kyber captain said about him?”

“Quite true. We have not been Mr. North’s favorite people lately. Robert McGinnis left a breathtaking record of Kyber meddling, and of North’s complicity. I’m not sure I understand why this Kyber captain is proclaiming it, as if he ought to get credit.”