Koban (33 page)

“They are fearful of being discovered by humans to be working
on human genetics, but are far more afraid of what the Krall will do to us. As a
race that is. They already know what they plan to do to us on Koban. So every
single one of them are onboard.”

Shaking his head slowly, Mirikami had to ask a question. “That’s
a fine and dandy commitment, but folks, what can you actually
do for us
?
You know what I mean. For the poor bastards stuck on Koban and facing a fight to
the death next week! Can you do anything to impact those outcomes within a time
frame that we will find practical?”

Aldry was grinning and nodding her head, but just as she was
about to speak, all five received a simultaneous warning from Jake.

“Telour is now monitoring the Captain and Doctor Fisher, using
both audio and video from the bridge. As previously instructed I have closed the
video Link to their table, but they can still hear the other participants and you
can hear and see them.”

Sure enough, the other three saw Tet and Maggi look away from
the still active camera pickup embedded the table monitor, as their own video feed
went blank. Mirikami promptly lifted his wine glass, took a sip, and asked Maggi
how she liked the wine. She smoothly took a sip of her own wine and made small talk
about its flavor, how it complemented the fish, which they had been ignoring until
it grew cold.

They set to eating their cold meal slowly, silent as they chewed.

“Well, are we done for now?” Aldry saw Mirikami shake his head
negatively in a small gesture.

Noreen was more at ease with Jake’s capabilities. “No. They can
hear us, but can’t see us, or risk talking to us. The Captain knows we see and hear
them. It’s why he set up our friend this way, so we can share information. Please
go on Aldry, they can offer comments or questions later.”

“Good,” she stated. “I may not deliver the instant gratification
that Dillon’s new ‘toys’ will deliver, however we can test useful ideas within a
couple of weeks. Assuming we actually get one or two of our most automated labs
set up and working.”

Feeling a bit rattled by Jake’s reminder that their privacy could
suddenly be interrupted she rushed to get her own report done quickly.

“The trick is to have the data bases with the specific human
genes identified as targets for modification, and knowing what those mods should
be. We have the information for this, because these details were extensively studied
in order to retrofit human clones with new traits or abilities specifically ordered
by customers, added well after mature clones had been decanted.”

She hesitated when she observed Mirikami suddenly stiffen, and
saw a shocked expression appear on Noreen’s face. Dillon and Maggi had already known
the basics of what had been coming, but they seemed distressed as well.

Aldry realized she had perhaps been a bit clumsy in mentioning
clones, and didn’t really know why she had used that as an example. Perhaps subconsciously
thinking no one would consider them actually as human, thus less concerned about
how they acquired the knowledge. It was a stupid thought, since people they knew
would become their test subjects if they tried this.

Aldry didn’t know of Mirikami’s New Honshu’s heritage. A past,
which might make him sensitive to discussions about clones and modifying their genes.
Maggi had not shared that bit of deeply personal research she’d done on the Captain.

Mirikami covered his surprise by taking a sip of wine, and calmly
resumed eating. Noreen still looked concerned.

Aldry was aware she had probably committed a faux pas, but why
Maggi and Dillon acted shocked as well was a puzzle. They certainly knew the data
they had was obtained from work with clones. Deciding that with Telour watching
and listening to the Captain, this wasn’t the time to apologize or inquire. All
she could do was continue, aware that her pause revealed she knew she’d stepped
in something.

“It is because of these records that we know what can safely
be done, what works, and how quickly the benefits can be realized. We can cause
muscles to increase strength or speed, by promoting fast or slow twitch muscle cell
growth, and even increase both types. We accelerate metabolism, so that physical
results occur within a few days, combined with exercise and proper dietary supplements.

“This isn’t going to come close to matching a Krall warrior in
speed or strength, but narrows the gap a little. If we had gorilla genes in us,
we could come closer, but that would require being born with the right genetics
built-in, and then enhance those. That is probably what the Krall have done over
thousands of generations to themselves.”

“Can we improve nerve reaction times, hearing, or sight?” Noreen
asked. “They also have us beat in those departments, and tougher skin, faster blood
clotting, wound healing, and infection fighting.”

Aldry looked at her with one eyebrow raised, wondering how a
Spacer came up with those sorts of questions.

Interpreting her expression correctly, Noreen grinned. “Dillon
has been talking to me, telling me some questions he asked of Kapdol, about what
the Great Path has done for the Krall.”

Smiling at that, Aldry had some answers ready. “Significantly
improved hearing and sight probably need the sort of born-with genetics I mentioned,
but tougher skin is a possibility, as is increased blood clotting ability if wounded.
Increased reaction times might be possible by neural genetic mods, and perhaps aided
by drugs.

“We don’t have all the answers yet dear, there are over two hundred
years of records to parse, from when this research was legal and also advanced enough
to be of use to us now.”

She leaned back from the cameral on her screen. “And I need to
get back to those searches, since I’m rather out of specific information to share
right now. Noreen, Dillon, do either of you have anything else to add?”

“I don’t.” Noreen spoke up. “I’d like to rejoin the three teams
rehearsing the main engine removals. If we can’t do that fast enough, Parkoda might
solve the problem for us with a missile.”

“Then I think we’ve completed agenda we set ourselves for this
meeting,” Dillon concluded. “At least as well as we can with Tet and Maggi under
Telour’s microscope. I think we should leave them to their meal, while we get back
to our individual projects. Agreed?”

Noreen and Aldry agreed, and Mirikami and Maggi managed small
nods as they ate in silence.

As soon as they closed their Link, Dillon said, “Actually, the
pharmacy has already made some ‘pep’ pills to boost our energy, and is still producing
more of those to enhance our oxygen use for a test.” He showed her a small vial
of pills.

“The ship oxygen levels are up to twenty nine percent, and gravity
has passed one point three g’s, and I’m sure feeling the effects. But I have these
samples of the new pills with me.” He had a
scientific
proposal to make.

“Before we are forced to test their potential combat benefits,
how about a safer trial run right now?” He sported a mischievous grin as he said
this.

 “I believe you mean we should turn our pretend ‘interlude’ in
to a real one, don’t you?” Noreen accused.

“Uh…, only in the name of science.” He finished lamely, looking
crestfallen.

Glancing down and sighing, she remarked, “I suppose I really
should test that massive bulge I see down there for its high g endurance.” Her return
impish grin was rewarded when he quickly presented her with a gift. Two small pills
and a glass of water.

Forty-five enthusiastic minutes later, the two new drugs had
proven their value, at least for some purposes.

It was well into the seventh day of the Jump, and the repeated
run-throughs of the engine removals had been paused to give the three teams some
rest. The Oxy and Pep pills, as they now called them, had proven their worth by
keeping the teams moving despite the tiring effects of the higher gravity. Nevertheless,
they needed some recuperation, combined with higher food intake.

The two first prototype crossbows had been tested, and were being
reworked for greater range and modifications to make them a lot quieter. Telour,
in a demonstration for him, had said they would instantly give away the position
of the user to any nearby warrior. Telour was able to hear the flight of the
bolt through the air.

He was more impressed with the explanation of what a grenade
would do, and had held a couple of the empty casings in his large hands. He admitted
that a warrior could be seriously injured by them, but probably would survive to
kill the human that threw the device.

Mirikami had described only part of what they were planning to
Telour, but what they chose to reveal was enough to maintain his support for saving
the ship as a base of their operations. There had been no farther mention of declining
Krall rations, nor mention of Isadora’s corpse, but they were now three days past
the original predicted travel time.

Most of the Krall now regularly exercised on all of the stairwells,
and several warrior pairs had been conducting mock-unarmed combat in the cargo hold,
leaping from walls and floor in impressive and powerful jumps, particularly considering
the one point five g’s now on the ship.

They would snarl and scream, grapple with and strike one another
with loud smacks and heavy meaty sounding thumps, tossing an opponent across the
hold when they were lifted from the floor with no purchase for a hand or foot. Except
for the tips, their talons were kept sheathed, but their limbs moved in flashing
thrusts, slashes, and blows that were hard to follow for the humans, who watched
only by video. It was like watching giant red cats fight, with the bouts lasting
perhaps two to three minutes.

They ended with no clear victor, and with seemingly mutual respect.
The pair would face each other at the start, about thirty feet apart, suddenly stand
more stiffly upright on their bowed legs before a scream and leap to start a straight
ahead attack. When a bout ended, they faced off again, usually bloodied, straightened
again, and made a chest high left-handed salute to each other, talons extended.
Then picked up the arms and equipment harnesses they had brought with them, and
departed.

These mock fights were intensely studied. Krall blood was a deeper
red than a human’s, and samples were collected from the floors for study after the
labs were set up on Koban. Despite long scratches and shallow punctures from even
retracted talons, the blood flow ended quickly, and later the same day the undressed
wounds on the warriors appeared to be healing. On the following day, the scars were
fading.

Watching the exercises it was obvious that humans, powered armored
or not, did not want to come to grips with one of these powerful whirlwinds of death.
However, the people with martial arts training all offered the same comments. They
said the Krall didn’t seem to use any sort of specialized training in hand-to-hand
fighting. No two warriors fought the same way, or appeared to employ any leverage
or blocking methods. They fought an adlib sort of personal combat, the technique
unique to each warrior’s individual style.

The Koban Committee, what the five conspirators had unofficially
started calling themselves, did a bit of rethinking concerning martial arts training.
No-way-in-hell would a human survive an unarmed engagement. A Krall could simply
tear your limbs off, or peel you out of your armor for a nasty tasting snack.

On the seventh evening of the Jump, Mirikami was talking with
Willfem, Jorl’sn, and the Chief. They were discussing steps they might take to shave
off some more time dropping the engines.

“Chief, if we cut more supports before landing, don’t we run
a risk of the engines breaking loose as we set down? It could be a harder landing
than we expect. If
any
engine tears loose, we probably won’t live to wonder
what went wrong.”

“Sir, I didn’t mean to cut any more of the struts
all
the way through. I meant of the remaining uncut struts, to cut them all one third
to halfway through now. That will take off ten to fifteen minutes per cut after
we’re down

“OK, Chief. I bow to your expertise. Get your cutters working
as soon as you can.”

“Aye, Sir.” Then he rushed off to talk to the three crews, all
kept posted near their workstations, awaiting arrival at Koban.

“Sir?” asked Jorl’sn. “Were you able to speak to Telour about
delaying passenger disembarkation while we drop the engines?”

“I did this morning, but once we White Out, Parkoda resumes direct
command of us, and Telour will have no leverage to delay an order to off load our
people. He can’t spring the bright idea to preserve the ship to Parkoda until the
clan meeting. He says that we can bring our people back to the ship later.”

“But there’s a risk to anyone on the ramp or near the ship when
we drop the engine parts. Those crashes could send pieces flying about like shrapnel.”

“Telour isn’t concerned about us once he has turned us over to
Parkoda. Other than Isadora’s death in transit, his delivered captive count is complete.
Losses on the ground count against Parkoda.”

“Bastard,” Willfem blurted.

“True,” Mirikami agreed. “But we might do something to reduce
the flying debris risk. Rather than using the narrow two abreast personnel escalator,
as we’d use at a Rim world port, we might send everyone down the wider cargo hold
ramp. Its added strength and width gives more protection from flying debris, and
its hatch is lower down for a short descent and quick exit away from the ship.

“People will have to guard against tripping on the anti-slip
corrugated surface, but we can send them down at least six across, holding hands
for support, rather than two abreast on that slow escalator. The two cargo haulers
will already be out of the hold and down before they even get there.”