Deserter (37 page)

“Makes shaving easier, too,” Jack agreed.

“Okay, let’s see where we are,” Kris said, letting a grin cross her face. “We think blowing up the space dock would greatly improve this planet’s chances for peace and prosperity. We also agree we shouldn’t kill a lot of nice people doing it.”

“How do you blow up a space station the size of this one and not kill a whole lot of people who don’t deserve it?” Tom asked.

“I’m open to suggestions,” Kris said to a bunch of blank stares. Kris left her chair to pace the floor. “We need to either vacate the station before we blow it up . . . or keep people from coming up for a while until it’s empty. How do we do that?”

“Send a public announcement?” Penny said with a tiny shrug.

“Right,” Abby drawled. “Your presence is specifically not requested at all parties soon to be given on High Turantic while a pack of off-planet terrorists attempt to blow up your station without hurting anyone. Thank you, but I don’t think the RSVPs will be quite what you want, Princess.”

“Agreed,” Kris said, still pacing. “Anyone know something that stops people from going somewhere they wanted to go?”

“Traffic jam.” “Broken-down car.” “Something better to do.” “Bad case of the flu,” came back at her.

Kris cringed at the last one. “Let’s steer clear of anything that smacks of bugs.” That got quick agreement.

Kris kept pacing. “I once wanted to go to a Highland Game thing they had every year at this place outside Wardhaven. Father said it had no political value. He always got the votes from that demographic. Mother stopped me because the only sanitation facilities they had were portable toilets. I was young, and she didn’t want to have to wait for me at any such place. Kind of strange, Harvey probably would have been the one to do it, but, anyway. Bathrooms are very important. Any idea how we might put the bathroom facilities out of order for the Top of Turantic?”

“What can you do to a bathroom?” Penny asked.

“Spoken like a true mud lover,” Tom said with the kind of grin that one bestows on someone you’d forgive all. “Us space born know sanitation is always a problem. In low gravity you have to be sure everything flows right. And sewage treatment is always dumped near the central hub where gravity is nominal.”

“Ever have your sewer explode?” Abby asked. “Some of our pipes were ancient where I grew up. One really hot summer day we had this big explosion. Bigger than the ones when the gangs were arguing over the turf, you know. Anyway, it turned out one of the sewers had blown. Methane built up . . . boom.”

“Nelly, show us the Top of Turantic’s sanitation system.”

“Those files are no longer on net,” Nelly said to groans. “However, when Kris was first invited to a ball, I downloaded a complete set of maintenance schematics. And I kept them in storage,” said a computer proud enough to bust her buttons.

“You get another ‘Atta girl’ for that,” Kris said as a schematic of what Nelly knew about their station filled the screen. The lower portion with the Hilton and shipping docks was well filled in. Above that was a vast empty space. Then came another fully documented area: the Top of Turantic with its wide range of restaurants, sports venues, entertainment opportunities, and the children’s theme park.

“Tom was right,” Nelly said as she highlighted a portion of the Top of Turantic behind the mirrored right wall near the center of spin. “The waste treatment and most other support services are in lower gravity.”

“Can’t use it for paying customers,” Tom grumbled, “so the poor working stiffs get it. Cleaning filters when the stuff just floats around you or back onto the filter is a bitch.”

The team gathered around the screen. “Any other treatment plant up there?” Kris asked.

“Only the one,” Nelly said.

“Can they send sewage down to the yard?” Jack asked.

“There’s a solid wall between the yard and both High Turantic and Top of Turantic,” Penny said. “The only break in that wall is the slide stations and ferry down to the ground.”

“And those tubes?” Kris asked.

“Are behind solid steel walls. No exits in the yard area.”

“Get the feeling they don’t trust us good folks?” Abby drawled, nudging Jack.

“Well, if you were regularly doing unto others,” Jack nudged Abby right back, “you’d make sure folks didn’t do unto you.”

“And Mr. Sandfire surely has done unto a lot,” Penny said.

“Explains why I have this really strong need to do a bit unto him,” Kris said. “Nelly, how are the new nano spies coming along?” Jack and Abby raised matching eyebrows. “I told Nelly to start work right after the President finished.”

“So all your reluctance was just an act!” Tom growled.

“Hey, can’t a Princess poll her advisers?”

“Give me that pole. I’ll club you,” Penny said, only half rising from her chair before falling back with a groan.

Jack just chuckled. “Will they be ready before Klaggath gets back?”

“Yes,” Nelly assured them.

“It’s not going to be easy surviving the guards that Sandfire will have out,” Jack pointed out.

“Don’t I know that, after today dirtside,” Kris moaned with a grin. “Nelly’s using the best Auntie Tru passed along to us. Any suggestions on what we have the recon nits look for?”

“Power,” Tom said. “Cut power, and everyone gets a day off.”

“What’s the power source for that yard?” Abby asked, which got raised eyebrows all around. “Hey, where I grew up, we were all the time losing electricity. You don’t have to be some evil genius to know no juice, no joy.”

“Someday I want to visit where you grew up,” Kris said.

“Be sure to take two squads of Marines. One maybe two might survive my hood,” Abby said. “So what juices that yard?”

“It is not drawing from the ground,” Nelly said.

“Internal then. Fusion reactor like a ship’s?” Kris said.

“Oh my God,” Penny moaned. “We kill the power to the containment field, the whole thing could blow.”

“They must have enough backup to scram the reactor before they lose containment,” Jack said.

“Everything north of this station was a rush job,” Penny said. “Don’t count on anything being according to standards.”

“Nelly, have the nanos take a look at the station’s power supply
and
backup system. Also the power distribution network. If we can’t blow the main supply, maybe we can isolate it.”

“Yes, ma’am. Any other priorities?”

“Chemicals,” Tom said. “Chemicals that might go boom or make the air unpleasant would be a good way to stop work.”

“I will add chemical sniffers to more nanos,” Nelly said.

“Well, if you’re going after the other station’s sewage, what about this one?” Abby asked.

“Not important,” Jack said, shaking his head. “Moms and kids will flee a portable toilet, but if the boss man tells workers to use one, they use one.”

“Good point,” Nelly said. “I will lower that on my priority list.” Further discussion added little. Nelly had the nanos ready when the Inspector reported back that Kris had twice the usual guards, starting at the lobby.

Again Klaggath seemed on the verge of inviting Kris into a conspiracy against his government, but she stepped on his lines before finally offering him her hand. “Inspector, when a lot of angry people get together, they need protection. Protection from themselves and protection from those who fear them. Sometimes, the best service a cop can do is to take that lonely stand between the mob and the just target of their anger.”

“And let a Longknife be a damn Longknife, huh?”

“I have no idea what you mean, Inspector,” she said as he left. NELLY, DID ALL THE NANOS GET ON HIM?

EVERY ONE OF THEM.

Kris turned from the door. “Now I suggest we all get some rest. Tomorrow looks like another busy day.” Like a mother hen, Kris sent her chicks off to bed and followed quickly herself. Unfortunately, she still had work to do. NELLY, HAVE YOU DONE ANY MORE WORK ON THE CHIP?

NO, TODAY HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.

ARE YOU PLANNING ON WORKING ON IT TONIGHT?

WHEN YOU HAVE NO FURTHER NEED FOR ME.

NELLY, I DON’T KNOW WHEN I’LL NEED YOU. I CAN’T AFFORD TO HAVE YOU DOWN RIGHT NOW.

THE BUFFERS WILL PROTECT ME. Ah, the surety of the young.

I KNOW THAT IS WHAT TRU THOUGHT, BUT SHE MIGHT BE WRONG.

THE ODDS AGAINST THAT ARE NEARLY INFINITESIMAL, KRIS.

I KNOW, NELLY, BUT IF YOU WENT DOWN NOW, THE CATASTROPHE WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL. I CAN’T SAVE TURANTIC WITHOUT YOU.

I CANNOT SEE HOW ANYTHING BAD COULD HAPPEN IF I JUST LOOK AT WHAT COMES INTO MY FIRST BUFFER. Nelly had the teenage whine down perfect.

NELLY, ON SANTA MARIA, THE PROFESSOR ALMOST KILLED MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER. ARE YOU SURE THAT CHIP ISN’T FROM THE PROFESSOR? Which was a thought Kris had hoped to ignore. Was her computer being subverted by the worst horror humanity had ever faced?

For a computer, Nelly needed quite a long time to form an answer. THE PROSPECTS FOR FAILURE TRULY ARE INFINITESIMAL. YET, I AGREE WITH YOU, KRIS, SUCH A FAILURE WOULD HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES. I AM HALTING ALL POWER TO THE CHIP. I WILL WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE AUNT TRU AT HAND TO DO FURTHER TESTING.

THANK YOU, NELLY. NOW I NEED TO GET SOME REST. GOOD NIGHT, KRIS.

By falling asleep quickly, Kris hoped to get six hours of sleep before all hell broke loose. She was off by two.

Hammering at the door woke Kris. FOUR O’CLOCK, Nelly told her. “Damn, I thought it would take longer,” Kris muttered as she found her robe and made her way into the sitting room.

Jack was at the door in gray sweatpants.
Nice pecs and abs on that man.
His automatic was out but pointed at the ceiling. Abby stood at the door of her room, robe cinched about her wiry frame, not a hair out of place.
Is she enjoying the view?
One of the maid’s hands rested casually in the pocket of her robe.
Ten to one there’s a small cannon there.
Kris smiled to herself.

Jack glanced at Kris, both eyebrows raised. “Open it,” she said as a loud male voice repeated that demand, rapping loudly on the door. Jack timed the opening just as another rap was due.

A tall young man in a gray uniform, silver piping declaring him of more consequence than the poor schmucks Kris had watched earlier—no yesterday—almost lost his balance when his hand found nothing to knock against. He half stumbled into the room as others in less showy uniforms started to follow him.

Jack stepped in front of him, automatic still threatening nothing but the ceiling. He blocked not only the one with silver piping but also his underlings.

“You’re interfering—” the man with the piping started.

“State your business,” Jack said, voice cold as a tombstone. “And start with your name and badge number.” That got only huffing and puffing from the man. Behind him, several older men with Sergeant chevrons began exchanging embarrassed glances.

“I am Princess Kristine of Wardhaven. This is my suite and, under ancient diplomatic custom, territory held sacred to my person and Wardhaven.” Kris was none too sure of that, but she’d read such fancy language once in a novel. She doubted anyone knew what this royalty thing was worth. “What do you mean, storming in here at this hour?”

That set Gray and Silver back a bit. Jack took advantage of his confusion to take a step forward. “I am Jack Montoya, Wardhaven Secret Service and Chief of Princess Kristine’s security detail.”

“That’s what I’m here about,” the gray beanstalk of a man finally blurted out. “I’m Samuel Roper, Assistant Deputy Vice President for Security and Special Details, SureFire Security.” He paused for a breath, leaving Kris a moment to wonder whose nephew Sam Roper was and why Sandfire suffered deadweight like this guy. Didn’t fit with the man who sprang this trap on her. “I’m also Colonel-in-Chief of Heidelburg’s Fifteenth Militia Battalion, nationalized tonight to provide security and safety for aliens caught on planet by the recent acts of sabotage.”

“I already have a security detail,” Kris snapped, doing the math. Heidelburg had twelve battalions of militia at six this evening. Now it had three more, at least one of which was from SureFire. Hum.

“Yes, we know about Inspector Klaggath,” Roper said, making the words a sly accusation while looking down his oversized nose at Kris . . . not an easy accomplishment, since he was three inches shorter. “He and his men have been avoiding mandatory overtime for too long, lounging around here rather than using their not inextensive skills in finding the perpetrators of these hostile actions against our sovereign planet.” Behind him, the Sergeants began an intense study of the ceiling. “We are here to relieve them and take up the responsibility of securing your cooperation in all things relating to the safety and security of Turantic.”

And if Kris let him, rattle on until she willingly confessed to any and all crimes just to shut him up. While Sam was still indulging himself in the sound of his voice, Kris nudged Jack. Keeping his hand on the open edge of the door, he began to edge forward. Kris did likewise, turning their movement into a swinging door. As they invaded his space, Sam backed up until he and his gray-clad crew were once more in the hall. Behind this mob were six of Klaggath’s men. Hurrying from the elevator was the Inspector himself, disheveled but fully awake.

“We are sorry to lose your services,” Kris told him and his associates.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, I only got a call on this a bit ago. I didn’t know.”

“Lots of things are happening,” Kris said, then switched on her royal face. “Please send us the names of all who have been so diligent in protecting our person, so we may send letters of commendation and praise to your superiors.” Kris had also read about such letters in that fantasy book along with Kings and Princesses, unicorns and dragons. Princesses belonged with unicorns and dragons and flowery language like no one with a day job as weapons targeteer had time for.