Redemption of Light (The Light Trilogy) (47 page)

While she searched for the right place in the text, an eerie feeling of premonition climbed Cole’s spine. He shivered as his mind somersaulted backward in time. Twelve years ago, when he’d been locked in his cabin aboard the
Hoyer,
Rachel Eloel had come to visit him. She’d been in a panic, trembling. He remembered it as though it had happened yesterday….

She stood in his open door like a beautiful apparition, silhouetted blackly against the nighttime corridor outside.
“I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“I wasn’t exactly busy,” he responded, wondering what she wanted. “Come in.”

She stepped into his cabin hesitantly, her midnight eyes darting around the room. She fumbled unsteadily with a crystal sheet, crumpling it first in one hand then the other. Just watching her had made him fidget.

“I suspected you wanted in for a reason,” he said congenially. “Was I wrong?”

After a few minutes of discussing the planet Tikkun, she stepped forward boldly and feverishly asked him, “Captain, would you help me with a physics problem?”

“It’s not a calculation you’re planning on using to blow up me or the Magistrates, is it?”

“No.”

“Is it what you have in your hand?”

She gazed down at the crumpled sheet and cocked her head apologetically. “Yes. I hope you can still read it.”

Quickly, as though afraid she’d lose her nerve, she handed it to him. Cole uncrumpled it and smoothed away the wrinkles. He went over the five equations in detail, growing more and more fascinated. Finally, he looked at her admiringly.

“You don’t need any help from me. This looks perfect. My only questions are regarding your statistics for mass and charge. Are you sure they’re correct?”

She looked confused. “I think so. Why?”

A handsome woman, those eyes held him riveted. She looked at him as though he knew more than God Himself—and damned well better give her the answers she needed or she’d kill him just because. “Come here. Let me show you what I mean.”

She obliged, her long ebony hair draping over his arm as he pointed to the equations. “You see,” he said, “you’re correct here and here regarding the event horizons. Obviously charged black holes have two, one reflecting the mass and the other the charge. But here’s where I’m a little confused. If you keep adding to the charge, as this series of five equations show, the inner event horizon will grow while the outer shrinks. You see what I mean?”

“Not exactly.”

“Well, the maximum possible charge occurs when the inner and outer event horizons merge, correct?”

She nodded, but looked gravely uncertain. “Go ahead.”

Though her forehead lined in concentration, Cole had the feeling that Rachel hadn’t the slightest idea what he was talking about.

“What I’m trying to say is that if you execute this particular sequence, I’m afraid …”

Almost as though divinely inspired, Rachel’s equations spun out across the lounge like silver runes, dancing over the candlelit walls, weaving a flashing web around Cole. He studied them, his pulse thundering.
I’m afraid you’ll wind up with a naked singularity….

“Look at this, Cole,” Amirah’s soft voice intruded. “This section is on phase transition dynamics. It comes from a book entitled,
The Secret History of the Great Halls of Giclas.
It details the exact—did you hear me?
Exact
specifications for the containment vessel of Palaia Station. You understand what I’m suggesting? The holes inside Palaia have a negative charge. Zohar has a negative charge. The station will be reaching perihelion with Zohar in a matter of hours. I don’t know the ratio or the formula, but—”

“I do.” He sank back against the bench, his blood racing. “The only thing I can’t be sure of is the current levels of mass or charge.” He wiped his damp brow. “How soon is perihelion?”

“I’m not sure. Ten or twelve hours. It’ll be close. I don’t think we should try the main control room. The Engineering Spires on the outskirts of the city are less protected and almost invulnerable once we’re inside.”

“The Spires, huh?” he rubbed the back of his neck. Made to look like geological features, the Spires stood a good half mile from the edge of Naas. “I don’t think the run across those open grassy hills to get there is going to be easy, Amirah. But it’s an interesting idea. All we have to do is get into the control chamber, alter the frequency enough to make the containment vessel unstable, get off before it goes, then the
sparks
can go home to Zohar and …” He made a whirling gesture with his arms, “everything in the vicinity of Palaia gets sucked down the throat of the naked singularity. Oh, I like it. But how are we—”

“Who says we’re getting off before it goes?” she asked with unnerving calmness. Her beautiful face had gone bland, as nonchalant as if she’d just told him she wanted catsup instead of steak sauce on her meat.

He smoothed his hands over the frayed edges of the old book before him. They felt cool and ancient beyond years. He smiled at her, but it was a forced gesture. Inhaling a breath to bolster himself, he said, “You’re right. Somebody’s got to stay to manually work the controls, just in case the Magistrates have a bypass capability. Which they probably do. Do you know?”

“No. But I imagine they do.”

“I do, too.” He tapped a finger methodically against the top of the book and listened to the hollow thudding that resulted. Amirah watched him intently. “So …” he blurted uneasily. “Let’s discuss your reasons for this.” Carefully, he ventured. “Woloc said he told you about your grandmother.”

Her turquoise eyes filled with dark emotion. She looked away, gazing out at the other candlelit tables, concentrating on the clear sweet notes of the violins. Tears sparkled on her lashes. “Yes. It makes sense. I just can’t figure out what Slothen’s goal is. What’s inside me, Cole?
I can feel it growing, like some hideous creature!”

He reached over and picked up her quaking hand and held it tightly between his. “We don’t know. But as long as you’re on our side, we can keep an eye on you and hopefully short-circuit the act before you can complete it.” He stroked her fingers comfortingly. “Amirah. I need to talk to Baruch about this. Is there some place you can arrange—”

“It’ll be dangerous. You know every cruiser is equipped with spies.” She pursed her lips in a hard line. “But I’ll try.”

CHAPTER 50

Jeremiel walked briskly down the corridor, Cole in front of him and Jason Woloc behind. They rounded a corner and Jeremiel caught the gray glint of Woloc’s drawn pistol. His skin crawled. Cole had gotten the message across in the brig that something might be happening soon, but Baruch had no idea how to paint the scenario—except that Tahn had unquestionably been talking to Jossel. That fact made his gut clench.
Jossel’s unpredictable. Even if she were to take up the Gamant gauntlet, can we trust her?

“Turn right,” Woloc instructed tersely. “Get into the transport tube.”

Cole bashed the entry patch with his fist and the door slid back. Jeremiel followed him inside. The narrow four by six foot room felt suffocatingly small when Woloc entered with his pistol and backed into the far corner.

When the door closed, Woloc hit the freight patch for level twenty, insuring the slowest descent, and blurted, “You’ve got three minutes, Tahn. Ninety seconds down, ninety up. Do it fast!”

Cole frantically stepped in front of Jeremiel, words tumbling one over another as fast as Tahn could say them. “I know the key to blowing the hell out of Palaia. I don’t have time to explain the calculations, but suffice it to say that Zohar and Palaia are reaching perihelion in a few hours. The primordial holes in Palaia have a negative charge. Zohar has a negative charge. When we get to Palaia, Jossel and I are going to break away and head for the alternate control center stationed in the Engineering Spires outside of Naas. Once inside, we’re going to alter the frequency of the containment vessel. If the mass and charge are right—”

“I get it, go on.”

“In the meantime, I want you to find Carey and get her out of there, Jeremiel. In the melee that Amirah and I create, you should be able to grab a ship from the landing field adjacent to Naas—”

“Affirmative.” Jeremiel’s gaze went over Cole minutely, taking in his searching eyes, his labored breathing. “I didn’t hear you delineate your escape plan.”

Cole’s smooth cheeks vibrated with his grinding teeth. “When I figure one out, I’ll let you know. We’ve only got a few seconds, let’s talk—”

“Tell me why Jossel would help us?”

“Woloc discovered a holo which shows Amirah killing her grandmother at Slothen’s command. The government must have been testing the trigger to see—”

“Did you discover who the intended target of her programming is?”

“Negative,” Cole shook his head vehemently.

“How’s her mental stability. Can we trust her?”

Cole hesitated and cast a sideways glance at Woloc, as though he knew every word of this conversation would get back to Jossel. “Yes. I think so. I don’t know how she’ll respond under pressure, but I think so.”

“What sort of diversion is she going to create to—”

“Unknown.” Cole threw up his hands. The collar and sides of his tan jumpsuit already ran with sweat. “We all need to see what Slothen’s got up his sleeve. She’ll move at the first opening.”

“Where are we going to get weapons? Will Jossel—”

“Yes. She and Woloc will both be carrying extra pistols. When the time comes—”

“So only you and I will have them.”

“Yes, that’s the best she can do. Now, I’ve got to show you the layout of the main neuro center on Palaia, the central control room and the setup of the Engineering Spires.” Cole spun and extended a hand to Woloc. The lieutenant quickly took a folded crystal sheet from his shirt pocket and thrust it into Tahn’s hands. Jeremiel scrutinized Woloc while Cole rushed to unfold the sheet. Why would the lieutenant help them? Because Jossel was helping? Didn’t make sense. And he damned well didn’t like things that didn’t make sense.

Cole spread the sheet over the white wall of the tube, pointing hurriedly. “Look at this, Jeremiel. Our shuttle should land at this field. This should be our route through the main buildings complex. This is the neuro center.” He traced the corridors with his finger. “Carey should be here somewhere.” He circled a particular locale. “Probably here. This is the security hospital. Amirah and I will try to break away and follow this route. We’ll have a half-mile run over open country, but I think we can make it. This is the arrangement of the control facilities at the Spires—”

Woloc pulled his pistol again as the tube slowed. “That’s it for now, Tahn. Give me that sheet!”

Cole jammed it back into Woloc’s hand and stared angrily at the level number flashing in blue over the door.

Just before the door slipped back, Jeremiel lifted his chin and asked Woloc. “Why you, Lieutenant? What’s your stake in this?”

The door pulled back to reveal a bright hallway filled with six security guards. The soldiers turned to eye the tube curiously and when they saw Woloc, hastily came to attention.

“At ease,” Woloc ordered. He frowned at a young red-haired corporal. “Tuler, where’s Lieutenant Rad? He was supposed to be meeting me here.”

The corporal’s eyes widened. “I-I don’t know, sir. He told me he was going up to the probe room in the infirmary to meet you and interrogate Tahn and Baruch.”

Woloc’s mouth pursed disapprovingly and the crew tensed, then the lieutenant amiably waved it away. “Must have been a misunderstanding. I’ll check the infirmary. Proceed with your duties.”

“Aye, sir.”

Woloc stepped back into the tube and sank against the wall, obviously not practiced at lying to his crew. He shifted his pistol to his left hand and wiped his clammy right palm on his pants.

Jeremiel folded his arms and pressed, “You’re the one element I don’t understand, Lieutenant. You’ve no motivation for treason. Do you?”

Woloc lifted his eyes to meet Jeremiel’s stern gaze. “I think so. I saw the holos of Tikkun, Kayan, and Jumes. And I saw the holo of what the government did to Amirah. In fact, I almost died over it, but that’s another story we don’t have time for.” He glanced poignantly at Cole. “Amirah may be a special case. I’m not sure. I don’t think any officer required to undergo an annual psych exam at Palaia can be certain of his or her safety. I could never undergo one again.” He wet his lips. “And more importantly, Baruch,
I’m going on this mission because my captain needs me.
”

Jeremiel gave Woloc a ruthless appraisal. Despite the fact that he instinctively liked the young officer, he couldn’t afford to rely on someone whose motivations remained unclear. He wasn’t even sure Woloc had fully thought out the consequences of his impending actions.

Stoically, Jeremiel demanded, “Is that because you love her, Lieutenant, or because you know your presence is strategically necessary to the success of the mission?”

Woloc glowered and straightened up, positioning himself like he wanted to level a lethal kick. He wasted a full two seconds glaring resentfully, then responded, “Either one would be enough, wouldn’t it, Commander?”

From the locked confines of his memories, Carey’s laughter wafted out, wry, affectionate. Jeremiel’s hands quaked. He shoved them into the slanting pockets of his tan jumpsuit. “Depends. Do you love her enough to give up your ship, your crew, your very way of life? Dying for somebody’s easy. Living on after the mission
without them
isn’t. If Jossel dies and you survive this—which I’ll grant is extremely doubtful—nothing of your old life will be left. It’ll all be gone, Lieutenant. Are you ready for that?
What are you going to do without her or your world?”

Woloc looked stunned and bewildered, as though he hadn’t considered that dire possibility. The door slipped open and the astringent scents of the hospital drifted in to them, antiseptics, cleansers, pungent whiffs of anesthesia.

Jeremiel said, “Think about it, Lieutenant,” and stepped out into the corridor. He knew the way to the probe labs on Magisterial vessels by heart, but his steps still faltered when he got close. Cole and Woloc exited behind him and he could hear them exchange a few vaguely hostile sentences.

Cole trotted to catch up with Jeremiel and walk at his side, while Woloc stayed behind them covering them with his gun. Cole gave Baruch a cockeyed look and muttered, “I’ve always been dumbfounded by your magnetic ability to sway people to our side. Do you have to practice to be that suave?”

Jeremiel tossed him an incredulous look. “Would you rather he started asking himself those questions when he’s supposed to be guarding your back?”

Cole grimaced. “Not especially.”

Jeremiel clamped his jaw and looked over at Cole. Tahn had a hard, preoccupied expression on his face, as though already living the next few desperate hours in his mind. Jeremiel asked softly, “You’re not planning on leaving the Spires, are you?”

Cole glanced up and smiled faintly. “No.”

Rachel sat at the connecting edge of two universal voids, tears blurring her eyes. Time was running out. She had to get to Palaia, to meet Aktariel, but fear choked her.

The darkness behind her had stopped its constant swirling as though stunned and waiting like an animal for its prey to move. She rocked back and forth to ease the pain that cramped her stomach.

On her left, the darkness of predawn blanketed Gulgolet. A dark-haired man hung on a huge cross, his legs broken, his face streaked with blood; at his feet, Nathan slammed a fist into the soft sand and choked down sobs.

To her right glared the brilliant light of the lustreglobes aboard the
Sargonid.
Sybil lay in bed reading. Brown curls fluffed around her daughter’s face, accentuating her dark eyes and the unnatural paleness of her skin.

Rachel put her hands over her face to block the wrenching sights. “Get up.
Get up, damn you! You’ve done all you can. Go … go now and do what Aktariel needs you to
—
what you promised you would.”

Wearily, she got to her feet.