Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

Blast of static, then North’s voice: “ Stop! What are you—?”

North’s words were cut off as a burst of white light ballooned out like a small sun on the near side of the planetary horizon. It was followed by a second, more distant sunburst.

Legroeder, stunned, had to struggle to keep the neutraser to his head. Cold, hard metal against his temple.

“Mother of—”

“Johnson, was that what I think it was?”

“Yeah, Captain. It was North’s launch. They blew him. The Centrist Strength ship blew him.” The nav officer looked up, dazed. “He’s smoke, Captain. And so is the Centrist.”

Friedman whispered, “This Centrist Strength blew him to keep him from going to the Kyber?”

The com crackled. “ Terrible, terrible,” said the Kyber captain, on a public channel. “ This violence was totally unnecessary. We came here in the hope of preventing such tragedies.”

“No,” Legroeder said, with sudden understanding. “The Centrist Strength ship was Kyber—they were all KM/C agents.”

“KM/C wanted North dead, so he wouldn’t talk,” said Deutsch. “They were just baiting him to get him up here. Right, Legroeder? And then they let Spacing Authority take care of his killers, so they wouldn’t talk. They sacrificed their own agents to conceal the extent of their complicity. They’re determined to look clean.” Deutsch turned slowly to Legroeder. “My friend, I think you can lower that gun now. I don’t think they’ll take you by force.”

No one on the bridge spoke, as Legroeder stood nearly motionless, slowly shifting his eyes to Fre’geel. “Commander,” he said softly. “Do I have your word on what you just told the Kyber captain?”

Fre’geel was breathing raspily. But a hint of what could almost have been a human smile fluttered at his mouth. “You have my word,” he said huskily. “And my… apology.” He inclined his head forward.

Legroeder sighed and lowered the weapon.

“Thank you,” the captain said.

Legroeder nodded, gazing down at the gun, turning it slowly in his hand. Lifeless metal. But one squeeze of the trigger… He handed it back to Deutsch. It disappeared into Deutsch’s metal side.

“I trust you’ll turn that weapon in later,” Captain Friedman murmured, staring at the image in the screen, where the explosion and the debris had faded from visibility. The Kyber detachment had broken off its run and was now returning to the main Kyber fleet. Legroeder suddenly felt utterly drained. He wondered whose move it was now.

Tiegs spoke. “ Vigilant is warning Farhawk not to interfere with orbital operations, and Farhawk is warning everyone not to interfere with Impris .”

Captain Friedman pursed his lips. “Hell of a thing—bastards like that being our protection. But better them, I guess, than no one.”

To which Legroeder whispered a silent amen.

They were approaching their parking orbit when the message arrived from El’ken, addressed to Secretary General Albright via an open broadcast on the net. The statement made no mention of the clandestine near-hijacking of Impris by the Kyber ships. But it hailed the return of Impris as vindication of the Narseil’s century-old claim dating back to the War of a Thousand Suns. El’ken urgently requested safe passage for the ship and full participation by the Narseil Rigging Institute in the investigation of her disappearance. “ We also applaud critical contributions made by Rigger Legroeder in the rescue of Impris—and call for guarantees of his safety and freedom, as well…”

Fre’geel’s bright, vertical eyes gazed at Legroeder as El’ken spoke. Will you let it go at that? he seemed to be asking. Legroeder gave a slight nod.

The answer from the secretary general came a few minutes later. “ We respect and appreciate the Narseil interest in this matter. Rest assured that your recommendations will receive the highest level of attention. In the meantime, we guarantee free passage for Impris, and welcome her home after a long absence. We are dispatching a tow, with escort, and clearing Impris for immediate docking at Outer Terminus Three. As for the Kyber fleet in our skies, we thank you for such helpful role as you may have played in her safe return. Now, it is time for you to leave.”

Tiegs fussed at the com-console for a few minutes. “Lots of coded message traffic again. The Kyber are talking up a storm among themselves. I think they’re talking to someone outside the Faber Eri system.”

Though it seemed forever, it was only a few minutes before the Kyber ship responded, “ Our conditions have been met. Since we have no further business at this time, we will be on our way. But you can count on us to stay in touch about the progress of the Impris investigation.”

“They’re pulling away,” Johnson murmured.

Everyone stared at the main screen. The rings and outriggers on the KM/C ships were starting to glow, as they powered up their Circadie space inductors. Legroeder’s heart was pounding as he watched the Kyber ships break from formation around Impris . They began to accelerate outward from the planet, their space inductors blazing sapphire. He felt it coming before he saw it: the ships vanishing into the Flux—once again, recklessly close to the planet, shaking Impris with the gravitational turbulence. The KM/C riggers were good at that, he had to admit. But he wished to hell they’d cut it out.

Now they were gone, all of the Kyber ships.

He blinked and looked again.

All of them except one.

The remaining Kyber warship glided into formation alongside Impris . “What the hell?” Captain Friedman muttered. “Is that Phoenix? ”

Legroeder’s heart did a couple of flips. Phoenix had not been part of the original escort. But confirmation came a few moments later. “ Impris, this is Ivan ship Phoenix. Please stand by while we contact local authorities.”

Legroeder laughed joyfully at the sound of the voice.

“Faber Eridani Defense Command, this is Yankee-Zulu/Ivan ship Phoenix, Tracy-Ace/Alfa speaking for Kyber Outpost Ivan. We are here to provide continuing escort for Impris, and to seek diplomatic contact on behalf of Yankee-Zulu/Ivan. We are not, repeat not, connected with the Kilo-Mike/Carlotta fleet, just departed. Our mission is entirely peaceful, and—”

A burst of static interrupted the transmission.

“Pirate ship Phoenix, this is Captain Sanspach, of Vigilant.” He sounded exasperated. “ You are instructed to turn your ship around and depart this system at once. We have no need of further Kyber interference.”

Legroeder hurried to speak to Cantha. “Can you get Harriet back on the line for me?”

While Cantha was working, Friedman snapped his fingers at Tiegs. “Transmit on that frequency.” When Tiegs nodded, the captain raised his voice, “ Vigilant , this is Captain Friedman of Impris . Be advised that we owe this Ivan ship our lives. She and her crew brought us back from a living death in the Flux. In addition, they saved us from destruction at the hands of a hostile fleet.”

“Impris, Vigilant. Are you saying you want this ship to come in with you?”

“That’s affirmative.”

Pause. “ Impris, please stand by…”

While they were standing by, Legroeder got a nod from Cantha. He stepped to the com. “Harriet? Are you there?”

“Here, Legroeder. What’s this new ship?”

“Friends, Harriet. We’ve got to make Spacing Authority understand that. It’s the ship that took us to rescue Impris . And Harriet… we’ve got a raider organization here that wants to make peace.”