Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

“Some of them. Do you not know the term ‘Free Kyber’ from your period of captivity?”

Legroeder shook his head in bewilderment. “No—but I was in one outpost the whole time. I never learned much about the pirate movement as a whole.” He did know that the early pirates had split off many decades ago from other spacefaring worlds, and gone to live in hidden fortresses lost in places reachable only through the Flux.

“Well, there is substantial evidence that several of the old Kyber worlds heavily support the present-day piracy movement.” El’ken raised his hands. “Not all of them. There are doubtless many honest Kyber, and Kyber worlds that are no more a part of piracy than you or I. But others are not innocent.”

Legroeder absorbed that silently. “And Impris? ”

“Ah,” said the Narseil. “At last we come back to Impris . I have long believed that the so-called Free Kyber—the pirates—have known exactly where Impris is. They knew where she was seven years ago, when they used her to entrap your ship, City of the Angels . And they no doubt have done the same with countless other victims.”

Legroeder clenched his fists. “That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to say!” He swung triumphantly to Harriet, then back to El’ken. “Can you help us prove it?”

“Not directly, no,” El’ken answered.

Legroeder’s heart sank.

“It is only a strong suspicion,” El’ken continued. “The trouble is, none of the victims ever make it back to testify. Or they haven’t, until now. You are unique, Rigger Legroeder.”

Legroeder shut his eyes, thinking of Jakus Bark, who could have told the truth but didn’t. Had others made it back—but under the pirates’ thumbs, like Jakus? Or framed, as he was?

Harriet was tapping furiously on her compad. She looked up. “It’s a very provocative assertion—if we can prove it. Academic El’ken, I’m afraid Legroeder is in a terribly difficult position. Not only has he violated his bail by coming here, but he’s fled from possible prosecution for two murders he didn’t commit—including, I fear, that of Robert McGinnis.”

El’ken’s eyes closed in sorrow. “I would very much like to see the killers of Robert McGinnis brought to justice.”

“Well, I can assure you that Legroeder is innocent. I was with him the entire time. Academic—it is clear that there is a conspiracy on Faber Eridani to conceal the involvement of Impris in the L.A .’s capture. And it would seem that to unmask the conspiracy, we must first prove the continued existence of Impris .”

El’ken touched his fingers to the front of his robe. “That is indeed the problem, isn’t it?”

“We were hoping you’d be able to help us,” Legroeder said.

El’ken’s neck-sail fluttered. “Unfortunately, I do not know where Impris is.”

“But I thought you said—”

“Let’s just say that the Narseil Rigging Institute has been hard at work trying to answer questions related to her disappearance.”

Legroeder waved his hands in frustration. “Such as?”

“Matters related to obscure conditions in the Flux, conditions that can interfere with a ship’s movement in and out of certain interdimensional layers. I am no rigger, and cannot explain it to you. May I assume, however, that this line of research is of interest to you? If it is, perhaps you would like to stay here as my guest for a day or two, while I acquire some information for you.”

“Thank you—yes. We would appreciate that very much.”

“Excellent.” El’ken gave a great, inhuman sigh. “In that case, my friends, I must ask you to excuse me. I am unused to so much company. If you could return first thing in the morning…”

“I think he knows more than he’s saying,” Morgan said, pouring herself some pale-violet Narseil wine and passing the bottle to Legroeder.

“Well, of course he does,” Legroeder said. “The question is, why? Is he just teasing us? Or does he want something?” Harriet barely looked up from her notes, which she had been studying almost continuously since they’d been escorted to the dining room. Legroeder held out the wine bottle, but she ignored it.

“What about this connection between the Kyber worlds and the pirates?” Legroeder said, pouring himself a refill. “I wonder if we could get evidence on what the pirates are doing with Impris by going to one of the Kyber worlds. Do you know anything about them?”

Harriet peered up from her compad and removed her glasses. “Not much. I’ve heard rumors on occasion that some of the old Kyber worlds are supplying some of the pirate outposts. But there’s enough innate suspicion between the Kyber worlds and us—the wired and the unwired, you know—that it’s hard to know what to believe.”

“But if there’s even a grain of truth to it—” Legroeder turned the wine glass slowly, studying the purplish liquid “—there are probably people on those worlds who have information.”

“Meaning what—you want to take off to one of the Kyber worlds?” Morgan asked. “And make yourself an interstellar fugitive, instead of merely an interplanetary fugitive?”

“Well—I’m not saying that, exactly. But still—if you want to go fishing, you have to go where the fish are, right?” He took another sip of the tart wine, aware that the alcohol was layering a soft fuzz around his thoughts. Despite his confident words, he felt considerable uncertainty.

“Yeah, right,” Morgan answered. “But this isn’t a fishing expedition. This is your freedom and your career.”

“Exactly. Which is why I’m considering it.” Never mind that he had no idea how he would get to a Kyber world, or how he would gather information if he did go. “It all depends on what El’ken can tell us, I suppose. I don’t want to go off half-cocked, but I’ll do whatever I have to.”

Morgan looked unconvinced.

“Here comes dinner,” said Harriet, closing her compad. “Fortunately, we don’t have to make any decisions this instant. Are you two going to hog all of that wine?”

After a dinner consisting of oversalted roast feasting bird and unidentifiable greens, plus a second bottle of wine, they left the tiny dining room. Morgan suggested that they walk around a bit to clear their heads. “Dear,” said Harriet, “I’m not sure we’re really invited to wander—”

“It’ll be fine . Legroeder?”

He groaned at the thought of moving. Nevertheless, they followed Morgan through the winding stone corridors. Eventually they came to a domed area that appeared to be a common lounge. It was empty—except for the stars.

“It’s glorious!” Morgan exclaimed, turning about under the dome. They were on the opposite side of the asteroid from El’ken’s cavern, and here the display of stars was a spangle of light across blackness. The dust lanes of the Milky Way arced across the dome like a welcoming carpet of luminosity. Far off to one side, a bright blue dot floated, the distant world of Faber Eridani. A handful of moving points of light were visible: spacecraft maneuvering nearby. At the edge of the dome, the outer surface of the asteroid curved away like the dark slope of a volcano.

Legroeder walked along the edge rail, absorbed by the spacecraft activity. One ship, just near enough for its shape to be distinguishable, was approaching the asteroid. Another, much closer, flew up suddenly from below the horizon, startling him. It lifted away with glowing maneuvering inductors.

“Impressive,” Morgan said, coming alongside him.

Legroeder suddenly stiffened. He pressed his hands to the crystal dome. “That’s our ship!”