Eternity's Mind (22 page)

He had always enjoyed spending time in the control center, watching the operations, the productivity charts, the ekti tanks filling transport arrays. It had been exciting for him to build these extraction operations, a challenge to conquer, a bright future in a huge universe. Now, though, as the next array was filled with ekti, he knew they would reach a crisis point soon. Where would he go when the next shipment was ready? He couldn't just sit on all that fuel.

Without Ulio Station, and without Kett Shipping, it would be hard to distribute the stardrive fuel—not to mention that Iswander Industries was probably blacklisted throughout the Spiral Arm. Newstation was the most obvious outlet for the fuel, and he hoped that some Roamer clan would have flexible enough morals to do business with him.

But the clans had shunned him before. They had never forgiven him after the Sheol disaster—1,543 black marks against his honor, and no Roamer would let him forget it. Ever. No matter what he did to make up for it.

Iswander felt increasingly discouraged as he spent his days in the control center. His workers were aware of the looming problem, and he was sure many of them regretted their decision to join him for what had seemed like a get-rich-quick scheme. Others, like Pannebaker, had faith in him … but how long would that last? Sooner or later, Elisa wouldn't be the only one who stole a ship and slipped away. He might have to dissolve these extraction operations, release the workers from their confidentiality contracts, and let them fend for themselves. He couldn't hold them any longer if he had nothing to offer.

Not wanting to seem disheartened in front of them, Iswander excused himself and went back to his private quarters. Londa was always there, cheerful and supportive, loving him no matter what; that was her job as his wife, and she had always done her job well.

He realized that he didn't appreciate her enough and had often dismissed Londa because she wasn't a visionary, a ruthless businesswoman, or a determined deputy like Elisa. No, she followed an old model when playing her role—which was exactly what he had asked of her, exactly why he had married her.

As he entered their quarters, she greeted him brightly. “Lee, you're home early! I'm glad for your company.”

“Thank you.” He felt immensely weary. He could smell the dinner she had cooked, which was much better than the prepackaged meals he often ate at his console in the control center. Their quarters were perfect, colorfully decorated and modeled after some imagined utopia. He had built Iswander Industries as his empire, but Londa's empire was their home—much less ambitious and with far smaller boundaries, but she ran it perfectly.

“I know you've had a hard day,” she said. “If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know. Talk to me. I'm here if you need me.”

She brought him a cup of pepperflower tea. He hadn't even been thinking about it, but realized it was what he wanted and needed. “You always take good care of me, but I haven't done right by you.”

She gave a dismissive wave. “Of course you have. What more could I want?”

He took a long sip, closed his eyes, and sat down in a comfortable chair. “What more could you want? You're living all alone in an isolated complex, far from civilization. You don't have any friends here. You can't do the things you want to. Our son is gone.” He shook his head, feeling determined. “That's not fair to you.”

“You're my husband. That's what I agreed to do. I can't run your business, but I can be a good wife.”

“And I can be a good husband,” Iswander said, making up his mind. “That's why I'm going to send you away. You shouldn't stay here. Go to Newstation—I'll pay for the best quarters there. You can make a home, have friends, do whatever you like—and you'll be close to Arden.” Londa tried to argue against the suggestion, but he watched her expression brighten. “It will just be temporary,” he continued, “until things settle here. I owe it to you for everything you've done for me.”

“But I shouldn't,” Londa said. “I belong here with you.”

“I know you think that, but this isn't what you signed up for. Go back to Newstation and lay the groundwork for my return. Spread the good word for me among your friends. If you convince them, they'll tell their friends. Maybe we can salvage this.”

She looked startled. “You really think I can help?”

He didn't want to point out that with his reputation at rock-bottom, anything would help. He looked through their windowport, musing. Bloaters drifted there, lumbering, innocuous, and peaceful. The nodules sparkled as a chain of internal flashes bounced through them in succession, one glimmer after another. The energy surges had been happening more often, making operations increasingly hazardous. Maybe it would be best to shut down the ekti-extraction operations, before anyone else was hurt … before the Roamers had another reason to heap blame on him.

Londa said, “I'll tell them you're a good man, Lee. I'll make them believe me.”

“You can try.” He smiled at her as he finished his tea and stood up to kiss her on the cheek. “I'll have Pannebaker deliver you to Newstation as soon as you pack your things. I'm staying here, though. I can't leave … not yet.”

Londa was obviously torn, but she would do as he asked. As he thought about it, he realized that he didn't look forward to having her away. This complex was already lonely enough with Elisa gone, but he had endured worse, and he would get through this. Lee Iswander just had to find another way—as he always did.

 

CHAPTER

35

ELISA ENTURI

Because her stolen ship came from Iswander Industries, Elisa removed the external markings and doctored the registered ID code. When she slipped into Newstation, she didn't identify herself. Just a traveler keeping a low profile. She had business to do here. Personal business.

Roamer security had always been lax. The people were busy, independent, and disorganized. The old-guard clans did handshake deals based on family connections, promises, and personalities. Not a real business plan, she thought. She'd never had any respect for them.

Though Lee Iswander was a Roamer himself, he had struggled for years to make the clans follow the norms of commerce. But rather than adhering to the rules that made Iswander Industries so successful and wealthy, Roamers mockingly compared him to the hated Chairman Basil Wenceslas from the Hansa. They had humiliated him when he tried to become clan Speaker, and Elisa was insulted and indignant on his behalf. Couldn't they see what a great man he was?

She forced herself to stop thinking about him, though. Iswander had cut her loose, thrown her out the airlock, and she was on her own now. So many people had disappointed her: her own family back on Earth, with their lackadaisical sense of entitlement, riding on the coattails of Elisa's hard work … and Garrison Reeves, the Roamer man she had married. He had rebelled against his own backward clan, and the two of them together should have shaken up the Confederation—but Garrison's priorities had turned out to be all wrong. Another disappointment. She had thought Lee Iswander was different from that, more admirable.

She had been chased away from her life and accomplishments, had lost everything. Almost. She would claim her son and make sure he was raised properly. Seth had talent and intelligence, Elisa knew it. She would take him away from the distractions and misdirections of Roamer brainwashing. The boy was the last thing that she could call her own.

Bypassing the main station, Elisa went straight for the hollowed-out comet that served as the Roamer school, where Seth was. The comet glowed unnaturally against the darkness of space, contaminated with the faint presence of wentals.

Elisa didn't like Seth living there. What if the supposedly benevolent water elementals harmed him? Another reason to take him away.

She set course for the school's delivery hangar, transmitting that her ship carried requested supplies for Academ. After landing, she armed herself with a charged stunner pistol, making sure she could set the intensity to Kill, should that become necessary. Elisa was not going to tolerate anyone who tried to stop her from taking her son.

Iswander had made Elisa choose her priorities, and she had decided to ignore family dramas and distractions to concentrate entirely on her career, which Iswander promised would be important. She had wrestled with her choice, but the answer had always been obvious. She wanted to be with Lee Iswander. She could either affect thousands of lives, alter the politics and the economy of the Confederation, even change the course of history, or she could be a devoted parent. Elisa had accepted the sacrifice.

Now, Iswander had made even that sacrifice moot, and the other choice was all Elisa had left.…

She worked her way down the sloping ice tunnels, knowing where the classrooms were. She had taken Seth away once before. Maybe she could find him quickly and whisk him away before anyone could react. She was the boy's mother, after all. It was her right to take him.

But she was sure they would try to stop her.

She glanced into several chambers, found Roamer clerical workers and teachers, but no sign of Seth. When she came upon a Teacher compy heading with purposeful steps toward a classroom, she stopped it. “Tell me where to find Seth Reeves.”

The compy paused in midstride to access class schedules. “Level four. He is currently in a hydraulic engineering class taught by the Teacher compy KA. Shall I escort you there?”

Elisa didn't want to waste any time. “Yes. I'm in a hurry.”

The compy led the way to a nearby lift, which dropped them down two levels. The pale wental glow inside the ice added an eerie lambent illumination. Elisa wanted to get her boy out of there quickly.

They emerged and headed straight for a large chamber hollowed out of the wall. Without pausing, the compy stepped into the classroom. “This woman requests Seth Reeves.”

Elisa would rather not have announced herself so prominently. Her determination wavered when she saw Jess Tamblyn and Cesca Peroni teaching the class together. They turned to look at her in surprise.

She moved past the compy and spotted Seth immediately in the second row. As a mother, she knew she had a close connection with her child. “I'm taking my son. He belongs with me—not here.” She reached out her hand.

Seth shocked her by recoiling. “No!”

Then she was astonished to see Garrison and his new girlfriend Orli at the back of the classroom. They must have come to visit Seth. Garrison ran forward to stand in front of the boy, blocking her. “No. You've lost your right to make those decisions.”

Orli Covitz also rushed to get in the way. With a flushed face and fists clenched at her sides, she glared at Elisa. “You tried to kill me. And not
just
me—you're a murderer many times over.”

Elisa felt ready to explode. Had they planned this, all conspiring to keep her away from her own son? “What are you doing here?” She reached for her stunner, wondering if she had enough charge to drop all of them.

While the students began talking excitedly, Jess and Cesca also closed protectively around the boy. Jess said, “The Roamer convocation has put out a warrant for your arrest, Elisa. You destroyed a clan complex and murdered all the people in it.”

She did not back down, though. “I don't accept those charges, and the Roamer convocation has no jurisdiction over me. I was absolutely justified in my actions.” She raised the stunner pistol.

Garrison didn't waver either. “You were always good at justifying your actions, Elisa. But you won't take Seth.” He and Orli stood closer together to block the boy—as if they thought she would shoot her own son!

“I'm not giving you a choice.” Keeping the weapon aimed at Garrison, Elisa pointedly switched the stunner's setting to Kill. No use settling for half-measures.

Seth grabbed his father's hand and—even more infuriating—held on to Orli's as well.

Then one of Seth's classmates stepped into the middle of the conflict, someone she hadn't noticed before. “You don't want to do this. He's my friend, and that's not what he wants.” Elisa recognized the young man—Arden Iswander. He looked so much like his father that she was momentarily disoriented. This made no sense at all. Arden knew everything that Elisa had accomplished for Iswander Industries, knew how much his own family owed her. Yet he stepped forward to join Seth! “Did my father send you?”

Elisa was appalled by every aspect of the scenario. Lee Iswander's son taking Garrison's side! She felt whiplash from so many unexpected reactions. She raised the stun pistol and pointed it at the cluster of wide-eyed Roamer children. “No, your father didn't send me. And I am tired of being betrayed.”

Garrison and Orli didn't move. “Think it through, Elisa. Where would you go?” Garrison said. “Roamers are Confederation citizens. No matter where you go, those murder charges will be hanging over your head.”

A Teacher compy stepped forward from the front of the room. “I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. You are disrupting our class.”

Elisa blasted the compy with a kill-intensity stun bolt, which sent him reeling before he clattered to the floor. Garrison grabbed Seth, shielding him in case she shot again. The other children in the classroom yelled and scrambled away in random directions.

Before Elisa could fire again, Cesca cried out and launched herself forward. “Stop!” At her shout, the glow in the walls of the comet intensified.

Jess slapped his hand against the ice wall and said in an odd voice, “The wentals—!”

With a surge of light, energy rippled beneath Elisa's feet, and the comet walls crackled. She felt sparks, shocks—directed at her. The pulse nearly knocked her off her feet. Static swirled around the weapon in her hand.

No one else was affected, but another ripple of the pale blue light curled up from the cometary ice and throbbed through her body … she wasn't harmed, but could feel a clear warning. Elisa backed away, swinging the stunner from side to side, target to target, but she saw that the charge had been drained. “He's my son!”