Regan's Reach 4: Avarice (12 page)

Regan's eyes were immediately drawn to the
familiar coating on Jared's head, the clear plastic like film that covered the
boy's skull and revealed skin beneath that seemed unbroken. It was only then
she noticed the coverage of the film extended further than she expected.

"Leah?"

"He looks good doesn't he babe?"

"Leah, why does the film extend down
over his chest and arms?"

"You didn't know about that?"
Leah looked surprised.

"I didn't know about what?" 
Regan stepped forward to gently pull back the sheet. She was careful to
preserve his modesty but the extra area uncovered showed the film extended down
over the stomach. A tug at the feet and she could see there was more covering
one leg; she didn't bother checking the other one. Her eyes rising to the
ceiling, a non specific searching look that burned with anger.

[Ham!]

He didn't respond.

Now it was Leah who had the concerned look
and she reached out to gently take Regan's arm. "Babe, Ham said you'd
discussed this."

"
What
has he done Leah?"

She looked nonplussed. "Hell, I don't
know, there's something implanted under his rib cage, and those are fibers
extending down the limbs, but I've no idea what they're for; it all seemed to
go in so easily. Ham said they executive incisions or something."

Regan growled knowingly, "He meant
decisions . . . executive decisions . . . so help me Ham, I know you're there,
what - have - you - done, I should have been consulted on anything like
this."

"Like what Regan?" And the
beautiful man materialized with a shimmer, looking as if he didn't have a care
in the world.

"This . . . this!" She gestured
wildly at the head, the shoulders, and the arms and then flicked the sheet off
the boy's legs, " . . . and this! We did not agree on this!"

"Regan, we agreed that this was
Jared's body and that he should decide for himself, and he did. I fail to see
what the problem is here."

"Ham, he's thirteen. He's not old
enough to make decisions like this for himself."

"I cannot agree with you Regan; I was
most impressed with all the research he did and the consultations he entered
into before coming to the decision."

Regan stopped there and exchanged
incredulous looks with Leah who just shrugged her shoulders in resignation.

She rounded on Ham again, "Research .
. . consultations? Tell me Ham, where could he possibly research this stuff and
who would he consult with?"

"Well, now you're being really silly
Regan, you know the boy is smart enough to get the best advice available; of
course he consulted with me."

Regan was wringing her hands in
frustration. "Show me the hologram thing; I want to see what you've
done."

"Of course babe, it was great, Leah
will tell you, everything went perfectly."

"To be fair Ham," Leah held up
her hand sheepishly, "I didn't have a clue what you were doing, I just
dabbed and wiped."

"Well, you could see there were no
problems."

"Not real . . ."

"Let's have a look then." Ham cut
her off before she could finish and with a wave of his hand, an image appeared;
standing upright in holographic form, it was Jared. "Now, you can see here
the boy’s form, I'll start with the head."

And immediately they could see a tiny
shape, like a rod penetrating the left brain, and from it fine strands extended
that appeared to be spread throughout both hemispheres.

"The strands are already making
connections as we speak and will continue to extend and merge with the brain
proper."

"No neural web?" Leah noted.

"Ahem," he coughed uncomfortably,
"well spotted Leah. No, Jared wanted to go with something more advanced,
something like Regan's original implant, so we've dispensed with the neural web,
instead we have a processor, power source and wireless device all encompassed
in that tiny tube, it's much more advanced than your model Regan."

Regan was speechless, struggling for words
and quietly fuming at Ham's actions without consultation.

"And . . . what is this for!" She
swept her hand in an angry wave up and down the boy's body. Ham completely
ignored the emotional reaction and as usual it was as if he hadn't even noticed.

"Oh this is where it gets really good
Regan; we've housed another power source under the ribs, you can see it
there," and he pointed. "it's well shielded, don't worry about that,
and from it there are the active strands you can seeee . . . now." and
with another wave of the hand more strands did appear linking the brain with
the rib power source and the limbs, then stretching further down to the
fingertips and feet. Ham turned to the two women with a look of genuine
excitement. "The boy will have incredible senses, and a power bolt touch
that will stop an elephant in its tracks." He suddenly dropped the
enthusiasm and became serious. "But only for use in defensive situations
of course."

Leah could sense Regan was winding up for something,
and she stepped back defensively. For a moment the air in the room seemed to freeze,
and then, before Regan could speak . . .

[Mom . . . I'm going to be fine.]

In a move that could have been synchronized
the three turned slowly to focus on the boy’s face. He was still comatose as
far as they could see, and yet the subbed communication had come clear and
strong to them all.

How could he do that?

And then it dawned.

Oh . . . my . . . god! He's already in
the processor.

* * *

Tihan Orbital, Gliese 667C

Tihan had chosen to manifest as the sage for
the meeting a move he was currently regretting. While it was his favored
avatar, somehow in the presence of the macho business tycoon Reubus, this
gentle sage look made him feel woefully inadequate. He quietly wished he had
chosen a military look as even though that was hardly businesslike at least he
wouldn't have felt so vulnerable. And at this moment, he felt particularly
vulnerable.

Of particular concern to Tihan was the
logic of his friend's arguments, and the awful feeling that if he resisted or
turned down the generous offers of assistance then he would in some way be acting
like a fool, hardly the wise Mind he perceived himself to be. Yet at the same
time he had the sense that to agree to the offers would trap him, although he
was unsure in what way.

"So that's agreed then?" Reubus
was saying. "You agree to contract me to manage the Tihan Orbital primary
businesses - under your titular oversight of course, and with a 999 year
renewable lease. In return, out of friendship and for the good of the system we
will set aside all your Orbital debts, and let's not forget, Regan herself
asked me to assist with this, I promised her I would do what I could."

Tihan wrung his hands nervously. "I
need to consult on this Reubus, you do understand that don't you?"

"Of course my friend and I hope you
know I am so sad it has come to this; rest assured I will do my utmost to keep this
matter private between us." The businessman avatar leaned forward
engagingly, a poor attempt at expressing warmth. To Tihan it felt more
predatory.

"Tihan - relax, this
will
go
well - for both of us. I am good at this, after all, business is my area of
expertise and yours is . . . well, you have your areas I'm sure. The research
does show that the people of your Orbital are among the happiest in the system;
you should be proud of that my friend."

Tihan appeared to swallow hard before
replying. "I will consult Reubus and get back to you, this is not my
decision alone."

Reubus leant back with a broad smile and
laughed, unconcerned it seemed whether that was taken positively or negatively.
"Of course Tihan - it is only wise that you consult, take your time. Now, on
another business matter, when
is
the next interest payment due? I know
you wouldn't like to miss it."

The sage seemed to go pale at the reminder
and Reubus stood quickly,
message sent and received.
"I will leave
you then my friend . . . to consult." He smiled again disingenuously. "You
know I am always available to my friends." With that he bowed, and then
disappeared.

There followed a cautious gap in case the
businessman might have some final thought and reappear, then Tihan slumped in
exhaustion to a chair. As he did so a new apparition began to emerge in the
room; it was the gracious lady, white dress flowing, hair in a bun, tall and
lithe. Tihan glanced up sadly and noticed Hilary appeared younger, more vital
in some way, charged. He shook his head in despair.  

"Well dear lady, what do you
think?"

Hilary drifted across and took the chair opposite;
the one Reubus had been seated on only minutes before. She seemed to wriggle
into the surface and then realizing what she was doing she settled guiltily,
focusing on the sage. His avatar began to transform as she watched, turning fluidly
from one form to another, now the young soldier.

"What do I think?" She hesitated
before taking on a concerned frown. "Dear Tihan, it seems Reubus has done
nothing wrong except perhaps acting in a somewhat predatory way. My friend, we
are not used to this type of approach in our system. Our unwritten norms have meant
cross Orbital expansion has never happened and perhaps we were naive, all of us
I mean. The inter-Orbital business landscape has changed and Reubus has been
sharp enough to see the opportunity, he can't be blamed for that; the question
is - how do we respond?"

Tihan looked up quickly, a pathetically
grateful response. "You say
we
. . . so you will help me?"

"Yes of course Tihan, in whatever way
I can, it might be fun to wrestle with the mighty Reubus." Her eyes seemed
to glaze for a moment and she shivered visibly before pulling her presence
together. "Tihan, we need to consider what you have that Reubus might
want."

He shook his head sadly. "Nothing compares
with the energy resource he controls, we have nothing like that."

"No, but that does not mean you are
without bargaining power, and you just need time, time for Regan to do
something with your alternative energy plans." She pursed her lips
thinking, tapping one finger on them, with a low hum seeming to come from her
throat. It was most engaging to Tihan.

"You are quite strategically placed in
the system Tihan, the most central Orbital in fact; already the other orbitals
use you for a stopping point in transit."

"Oh yes, the other tribes love to
visit here and sample the delights of our happy people."

She considered for a moment. "No
tihan, hasn't it occurred to you that they might also stop because it suits
them, it breaks a journey, and it enables them to offload goods that they then consolidate
to send to other Orbitals?"

"Well, yes, of course that happens,
but I'm sure they come mainly for the deligh . . ."

"Yes, yes, yes . . ." she cut him
off in mid flow, "and Reubus - he also uses the Tihan link in this
way?"

"Why yes, of course." He laughed,
"Reubus has even offered to manage our flight decks for free, he enjoys it
you see, and he's even suggested expanding them himself at construction rates
less than we could build ourselves, in return for management rights
naturally."

Dahlia smiled. "Of course he has . . .
naturally." She suddenly became most earnest. "Tihan, listen carefully,
you must
not
agree. Your position in the system is critical to his
trade. Thank him for his offer but tell him you have plans to develop the
inter-Orbital hub yourself in partnership with others. Tell him demand on space
is such that you see it as a growing area of business revenue. Hint to him that
charges for use of the flight decks may in fact have to rise, substantially in
fact, if demand continues as it is now."

"But I don't have a partner - what if
he asks me?"

She sighed in exasperation. "Yes you
do
have a partner Tihan, your partner is
me
. Look, just tell him the
corporations of Dahlia are expanding their business reach and you already have
arrangements with us that in good faith you could not discuss earlier. Tell him
we will be partnering with you in expansion of the Tihan decks turning them
into a system hub." A small smile appeared on Hilary's face. "This
may even mean he contacts me finally." Delighted with the plan she sat
back, happily smug.

The young soldier however looked most
concerned. "You won't sell me out will you?"

She glared at him. "Tihan, I don't do
sell out - and Regan would never forgive me anyway. No, this is what she would
want, and we will do it. I will extend a line of credit to you to guarantee
your payments for the next four hundred days. By the end of the forty periods
we should have more clarity on how to proceed. Meantime, I suggest you begin
recruiting from the people of Cora for construction of the expanded hub. If you
don't get in quick, Regan will have them all servicing the needs of the Sol
system." She paused and smiled again, gazing off into the distance.
"Hmmm, let the dance begin, Reubus."