Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

Legroeder blew a kiss at the console. “Love you, Harriet!”

Captain Friedman, standing behind him, murmured, “Rigger Legroeder, you certainly have brought us back to interesting times.”

Legroeder nodded. “Haven’t I just?”

Some time later, Nav Officer Johnson reported a course change by the Spacing Authority destroyers.

“What are they doing?” Friedman asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“Captain,” Tiegs said, “there’s a report of a high-speed ship making orbit from Elmira spaceport. A small one.”

“So?”

“Apparently Commissioner North is aboard. Wait—here it is.” A news loop displayed an image of a small vessel streaking into the sky above the spaceport. It was not assisted by a tow, which meant that it was most likely military or police. A voiceover was now giving it a tentative identification as a Spacing Authority police cruiser commandeered by North.

Good God, Legroeder thought.

“Can we see it?” Friedman demanded, as the main screen switched back to the outside view. Impris was presently at two thousand kilometers, and moving inward. The globe of the planet was much larger now, its horizon a gentle curve across the viewscreen.

“Not yet, sir,” said Johnson. “But it should be coming over the horizon soon. The two destroyers are moving to intercept, I think. Maybe to protect it?”

“Captain, Cantha’s picked up some of the military com-chatter off the net,” Tiegs said. “Someone’s decoded the secure freqs and they’re rebroadcasting it!” Tiegs was chortling as he switched on the audio.

A voice that Legroeder recognized as North’s came through, slightly distorted. “ Vigilant, I am en route to an emergency parlay with the intruders. I require you to deploy your ships to ensure my safe passage. This is a top security mission…”

The signal broke up; then another voice replied: “ Commissioner North, we have no authorization for your flight. Technically, you are no longer in command. If we can obtain confirmation—”

There was a hiss, as if the commissioner were stepping on their transmission. Then his voice again. “ …no time, there is no time. These Kyber are treacherous. If you permit Impris to dock, there may be very serious consequences. Time is of the essence…”

Freem’n Deutsch floated alongside Legroeder. “Is he making this up as he goes? Why’s he trying to keep us from docking?”

Legroeder shook his head helplessly. Was North just scared now, scared and running to Carlotta, and trying to distract everyone in the meantime? Legroeder felt a growing sense of unreality. Too many incomprehensible actions…

“Captain, a call coming in from the Kyber,” said Tiegs. Friedman frowned, as the Kyber captain’s face appeared in a small frame at the corner of the screen.

“Impris, this is Arden of Farhawk. We’ve received an interesting proposal from Commissioner North. He says he can make new arrangements for your ship. If we escort you directly to the Narseil Rigging Institute, we can avoid a great deal of entanglement here. We are contacting the Narseil directly to confirm this arrangement. In the meantime, prepare for a course change…”

Legroeder drew a breath, his blood suddenly cold. If KM/C had a chance to hijack Impris , he didn’t doubt they would take it. Who would there be to stop them, if they left the Faber Eri system? “Captain, no—” he whispered “—don’t do it.”

Friedman was already scowling over the com board. “Get me that Narseil diplomat ship,” he snapped to Tiegs. Cantha stirred uneasily at the com-console, while at the back of the bridge, Fre’geel was looking increasingly alert. “Narseil courier,” Friedman barked. “Have you received any messages from Commissioner North or the Kyber ship? Please respond.”

Fre’geel was moving forward, toward Captain Friedman.

There was a long delay. Then a reply from the Narseil ship: “ This is Narseil Diplomat Vessel Essling. We have received messages from both parties. Although the Narseil government has no wish to be a party to hostilities in any form, we do guarantee shelter and asylum, if you choose to bring your vessel to our Rigging Institute.”

Captain Friedman cleared his throat. “Are you saying that you intend to cooperate with North and the Kyber ship?”

“We will cooperate with whatever action provides your ship the greatest protection and security.”

Cleverly put, Legroeder thought. Especially since the Faber Eri authorities had hardly been welcoming. He felt his throat tighten. Were the Narseil about to have a change of heart here, to get Impris sooner? Legroeder glanced at Fre’geel, whose neck-sail was quivering. The Narseil commander seemed ready for the possibility; he was avoiding Legroeder’s gaze. Legroeder frowned and edged toward Freem’n Deutsch. Freem’n met his eyes with a steady, glowing gaze.

“What’s that?” asked Friedman, pointing. “Is that North’s ship, coming over the horizon?” On the screen, a point of light was moving just above the delicate boundary line between the planet’s atmosphere and the black of space.

“That’s him,” said Johnson. “He’s not the only one, though. There’s another ship following him up. I wonder who that is.”

Tiegs interjected, “A second ship took off from Elmira, shortly after North. Unauthorized and identified as belonging to something called Centrist Strength. What the hell does that mean? Are they pursuing him?”

In the left-hand frame of the screen was a magnified view of the two Spacing Authority warships that earlier had been threatening Impris . Their space inductors blazed as they accelerated on an intercept course. Were they moving to help the commissioner’s ship or hinder it? This, Legroeder thought, could very quickly get out of control.

Cantha switched an audio channel, and appeared to be picking up an eavesdropped, rebroadcast military frequency.

“—is Commissioner North the only one aboard the launch?”

“—negative—pilot, and traveling with one aide—Berkhauer—”

“Do we have any confirmation from HQ?”

“Negative. He may be acting on his own.”

There was a sound of muttered imprecations. Then: “ All right. We’d better give him some protection. But let’s see if we can slow up his rendezvous a little, until we get word from command.”

“Aye, aye.”

“Whoops,” said Johnson, and Legroeder looked up as four ships of the Kyber fleet abruptly shot out ahead of the formation, streaking inward as though to join the impending fray. Was everybody trying to get to North first? Was Farhawk really hoping to make a deal with him?

“Here’s a different thread,” said Cantha.

A scratchy hiss, then: “ I must meet with them alone, Vigilant. Repeat, there may be jeopardy to Impris if I cannot conclude this parlay successfully. Please keep your ships at a distance to avoid inflaming the situation…”

Hiss.

“Commissioner North—this is Captain Sanspach of Vigilant. We have no verification of your authority for this mission. Please stabilize your orbit until we receive confirmation.”

The commissioner’s voice was edged with desperation. “ You don’t understand. There may be an attack from other Kyber forces if I don’t meet with this fleet. Break off your approach and let me proceed.”

Sanspach sounded skeptical. “ Commissioner, can you identify the ship following you? We have information that it is registered to Centrist Strength.”

“Do not—repeat, do NOT—allow that ship to approach! I am uncertain of its purpose!”