Sergei Lukyanenko - The Genome

“We cannot do that, Janet.”

A brief glance from Kim was his reward for the “we.”

“Why not?”

“Kim has severed all ties with her past. She doesn’t want her family to know where she is. And if the databank receives an inquiry, they’ll certainly notice it—then there will be no avoiding them.”

“Why?” the doctor was genuinely surprised. “I’m pretty well acquainted with the laws of the Empire, Captain. After the metamorphosis, a spesh becomes an absolutely autonomous person. She has the right to work, to keep in touch with those she chooses, to enter into or cancel any kinship alliance, to live or commit suicide…”

Alex sighed, threw a questioning glance at Kim. He could not offer any objections at all—Janet was absolutely right.

“I’m from Edem,” said the girl.

“A little patriarchal, but a nice planet.” Janet gave an encouraging nod. “Kim, what are you afraid of? You are a fighter-spesh, so you are quite capable of protecting yourself from any unwanted attention. And the law is totally on your side. We can go to the spaceport’s clinic together…”

“No!”

Kim jumped up, backing away from them. Janet and Alex exchanged glances.

“We’re wasting our time,” said Alex. “Janet, perhaps it might be better for you and Kim to talk alone.”

“No,” cried Kim. “I won’t talk to her alone!”

“Why not?” Janet’s voice was still warm and soothing. “Kim, I like you, let’s not quarrel, okay?”

Kim relaxed a little.

“It’s not you…”

“It’s him, then?” Janet nodded toward Alex. “He’s harmed you?”

Kim must have thought that was funny.

“It’s hard to harm me.”

“It is indeed. Let’s discuss the problem and find some way to solve it, all right?” Janet stretched her hand toward the girl.

Kim hesitated a moment. Then she limply slapped the doctor’s palm and sat back down between them. Janet was silent, looking at the girl.

“I’ll be killed if they find me,” said Kim shrilly.

“It’s hard to kill a fighter-spesh,” rejoined Janet, not really challenging the remark itself.

“It’s hard, but possible. They’ll send another spesh. Or two.”

“Why? In that case, my dear, they would incur serious problems with the law. Especially since you are now under double protection—of the Empire itself, and of the space fleet union.”

Kim gave a crooked grin.

“You know, you’re older than I am, but I swear I know more about problems with the law!”

“Maybe you’re from an influential, conservative family, and your clan is upset with your escape?”

Alex thought Janet’s version of events was quite likely. But Kim shook her head.

“No. But I do know what I’m talking about. The moment I surface… I’m a goner. I’ll be dead, and you guys will all be in a bind.”

Alex expected a reproachful, or even an indignant, reaction from Janet. To bring aboard a girl-fighter who was more of a danger than she was a defense… But apparently, Janet really did like Kim.

“Well, you tell me. If that’s the case, what can I do?” The doctor spread out her arms. “A spesh-certification is easy to issue. You are a fighter-spesh, I am sure of that. But I have a duty, dear, to establish your identity first. And you don’t have an ID.”

Kim was silent.

“We have one other option, Janet,” said Alex hesitantly, with a slight quiver in his voice. He had entered a tricky realm of loopholes, something he had never liked to do.

“And what might that be, Captain?”

“You could issue Kim a fighter-spesh certificate. Then…” Janet frowned, shaking her head, but Alex continued, unabashed. “… then Kim and I go to the nearest registration center. And file a temporary marriage contract—based on the spesh-certificates. They’re identification enough to do that.”

“I understand that they’re enough. But I refuse to issue a fake certificate.”

“Janet, wait! After the marriage, Kim gets a new ID, with the name Kim Romanov… Kim, will you take my last name?”

Kim was staring at him wide-eyed, still not quite comprehending.

“… and there are no inquiries to the databank. The information will be entered there, but so what? How many girls named Kim are in the galaxy?”

“But I can’t break the law!” Even Janet’s patience had its limits.

“And you won’t be breaking any laws. We’ll all come back to the ship right away, and you’ll enter all the information from her new ID. Suppose I asked you to issue a temporary certificate and promised to show you the ID a little later. You could go for this tiny infringement, couldn’t you?”

“Not a single computer in the world would let this through. How can I write that the spesh-certificate was issued based on a document that hadn’t been received yet? Are you telling me you can travel back into the past, Captain?”

“Yes, I can.”

Janet was silent.

“Ship time is determined by the captain. I could run the clock by Greenwich Time. Or by Great Beijing. The time at home port. The time of the planets we visit. You see? What time is indicated on your documents?”

“Ship time…”

“You see? If anyone checked, everything would look as though…” Alex took a deep breath. “… the ship’s captain had entered into a marriage union with a member of his crew, after which the bride had a genetic test that confirmed her status as a fighter-spesh…”

“Wait a second!” Janet waved her hand. “Are you serious, Captain? Are these just theoretical guesses or…”

“All captains use this trick. The union knows all about it, but they let it slide.”

“They use this trick? To sneak aboard girls with no documents?” asked Janet quizzically.

“No. To give the crew additional bonuses, or get an extra contract on the side, to hide unauthorized shore leave… for many other small infringements. No one can track all of this down, Janet. Planets live according to their own time. And so do spaceships.”

Janet looked at him darkly.

“I have long reconciled myself to the fact that the Empire is a crazy and anarchic world, Captain. But I didn’t expect this kind of craziness.”

“Will you help us, Janet?”

“But I would know that the law had been broken,” she said wistfully.

“Yes. You would. But I do believe Kim. She has no other way to become legal and re-enter society. If you refuse, you would, in fact, be killing the girl. And you are a doctor.”

Janet sighed. Looked at Kim, who sat motionless, tensely awaiting her answer.

“Take off your clothes. You can leave your underwear on.”

“Thank you, Janet,” said Alex.

“You’re a madman, sir. And you’re dragging me into your madness. Keep in mind that I am breaking the law not for you personally, and not even by your order!”

Alex nodded.

Kim had already taken off her suit and was standing there, waiting.

“Over here.” Janet waved her hand. “You’ll have to step into the white circle for a minute or two. It’s a computer scan, nothing to be afraid of.”

“Is this really necessary? The genetic analysis and…” began Alex. Janet glared at him.

“Listen, Captain! You’ve already dragged me into this shady business! So spare me your advice! I must do a tomography scan.”

She turned and walked over to the main sick bay control panel. Kim cast a brief, stealthy glance at the doctor’s back and then dipped her hand under her little camisole. Another second, and the heavy, warm crystal lay in Alex’s hand.

Kim, the picture of innocence, stood in the circle of the tomographer, while Janet did her magic at the control panel. Alex lowered his gaze to look at the iridescent cone in the palm of his hand.