Regan's Reach 4: Avarice (15 page)

Regan looked across at her colorful
companion. "The sound please Bob, I want to hear what's happening."
She chewed her lip anxiously as the room was suddenly filled with the sounds of
weapons fire.
What on earth are they doing? That's got to be weakening the
door. Are they so afraid of what might come through?

She tensed as with a final nod to Bob, Ham
turned and charged the wall, clearly aiming for a particular spot, and he slammed
into it with full force. This time the android seemed to part the metal,
forcing on through as flesh peeled away with the impact on the sharp edges. She
watched as Ham's form then juddered with the force of projectiles peppering the
body but he stumbled on into the space outside absorbing the shots. Suddenly an
enormous explosion erupted with the force enough to knock Bob off his feet as
air rushed through the opening. Briefly the view from his eyes lurched upward
to the stone ceiling and then he recovered, forcing his way through the gap out
into the smoke and gloom. Screams from the wounded filled the air before the
recording ended, he had clearly jumped leaving his android behind.

"I'm so sorry Regan, he didn't have to
do that, I didn't ask him to."

She was still staring at the blank wall,
digesting all that she had seen and then she turned to him with disappointment.

"Bob, when you say that, you show that
you don't know or understand Ham at all. Don't ever say he didn't have to do it;
he wouldn't let it end like that for any friend, even you. You - should -
always
back up." And she yelled it so loudly that he backed up defensively. Then
suddenly she was calm again, all business. "Now, Ham would have a backup
here, where is it?"

He looked extremely sheepish. "I don't
know Regan, that's the thing, I've searched and scanned, I can't find
anything." He looked at her imploringly, as if he expected her to have
some suggestion; she did.

"Bob, I need some time, you understand
that I'm sure. Could you leave me for a moment, I'll call for you when I'm
ready."

He looked embarrassed, "Of course
Regan, anything, I'll leave you then." And he was gone.

Regan walked to the centre of the room and
stopped there. She relaxed her mind and assumed a prayerful position, hands
steepled in front, her eyes closed.

[Are you here my love?]

[Of course I'm in here - what a pillock!]

She smiled warmly. [Him - or me?]

[Was there ever any doubt? Seriously - what
a dickhead, how could he have put me in that compromised position?]

[Never mind darling, just copy yourself in
there and let's see if we can fill in the gaps, okay?] She nodded toward the
cupboard and immediately felt a rush as Ham unpacked himself, copying quickly
to the android. It took only a moment and she felt completely normal again.
Ha!
She laughed inwardly,
normal, what's that now?

The eyes of Ham's android snapped open and
he stepped forward powerfully into the room. He didn't hesitate, sweeping her
into his arms and then flipping her to face the broad conference table. It was
an act almost brutal and his intent was clear.

She ripped at her robe and stripped it from
her shoulders to let it drop to the floor. "Bob said he has files - uh!"
She grunted at his thrust. "You transferred them to him - uh!"

"Later!" He was moving inside her
now, slowly at first and then with increasing intensity. His hands gripped her
hips firmly as she lay over the table with her hands clawing at the surface
until, unable to hold back, she climaxed with a shudder and he too came in one last
ecstatic thrust.  Ham stepped back leaving her sprawled on the table top, still
gasping and kneading the surface with her fingernails.

He began to tidy himself immediately. "God,
it's good to be alive! Now, let's call Bob, and find out what's in those
files."

Regan laughed out loud.

* * *

The Fair Passage, moored off Hillary Station

Charlotte tugged at the neck of the suit,
sliding one finger under the fabric to caress inside the Chinese collar. She squeezed
at the fold, taking it lightly between thumb and forefinger and noted only a very
slight thickness that might hint at the presence of something other than cloth.
She marveled at what she'd been told.
There is a processor there, Hilary is
there . . . and a hood that should protect me in vacuum, gas, smoke or maybe
even water . . . would it? Of course it would.

She slid the fingers back to the central
clasp at the front, and the clear crystal nub there that looked decorative but she
knew doubled as a lens, Hilary's eye. This would do for now while Hilary's
presence remained secret. Later, all the visuals available on ship would be
accessible but not yet and that she had a secret partner was an advantage she
wouldn't reveal to anyone.

She ran her tongue over the tooth, drilled
and implanted with a receiver days earlier by Ham. Practice had seen her
develop the ability to communicate with Hilary so surreptitiously that only a
most observant watcher would pick it up. She could whisper now with only a tiny
gap between the lips, as if she were talking to herself. Only a few sounds were
difficult to pronounce without being noticed; anything with an F sound for
instance, or a B or a V, and yet none of these had proved problematic to Hilary
who quickly became adjusted and caught the meaning without any hesitation. They
now communicated almost constantly,
like having an invisible friend,
she
chuckled.

The contact lenses also worked
outstandingly, with the ability to call for and display clear visuals proving
simple, extremely handy and not too distracting. In fact, somehow Hilary seemed
to be able to draw feedback from her reactions, perhaps the tone of her voice, and
had noted where she was most comfortable with the overlays. They now seemed to
appear in those parts of her vision perfect for her to continue walking or
working without interruption.

She stepped back from the mirror to regard
her overall form and smiled with delight as she took in the image. While it was
too early to see results from the exercise regime she had started, nevertheless
the suit arranged things nicely in all the right places.
You look gorgeous!

Hesitating a moment she focused on the
mouth in particular and parting her lips fractionally she whispered, "Are
we ready Hilary?" The result pleased her, unnoticeable.

"Locked and loaded girl, you look
fantastic."

Another smile, a last look and Charlotte
walked from the dressing room out into the spacious lounge. Much larger than
Regan's rooms on the Behemoth or her cabin on the STEIN Traveler, this
Commander's suite was built for entertaining. The furnishings were sumptuous
and the rooms included a small galley and a separate office. Swinging into a
comfortable armchair she arranged herself and then glanced at the ceiling, a
pointless habit when addressing the ship Mind but one that was hard to throw
off.

"I'm ready Lucas."

"You most certainly are." The
voice emanated throughout the room. It was male, warm as usual but nevertheless
held a hint of something that was starting to annoy her.

"Lucas, it does not escape me that there
is something bothering you; get it out will you please? If we
are
to
work together we need to be able to communicate openly and I prefer we do that with
no editing of our thoughts; have I caused some offence?"

"It seems not - the crew loves
you."

It was true, in only the first week on ship
she had already met everyone personally and now addressed them by their first
or preferred name. Of course it helped that as she walked the ship Hilary
provided a continuous heads up display with the names of the crew members she
passed along with tidbits of gossip and information. It meant she could greet
them with a smile and with confidence. She considered Lucas's reply and how to
respond.

"Hmm, you say the crew loves me . . .
but . . . I gather you have reservations?"

There was a pause in the conversation -
then he spoke carefully. "You have no training for this role - this is a Starship,
what do you know that qualifies you to command a vessel like this? It is an
insult."

Charlotte smiled disarmingly, knowing he
would be following her every action. "Lucas my friend - and I hope you
will at some point consider me a friend - my skills are with people, in this
case the crew and the passengers. Let's cut to the chase here. You could choose
to take this appointment as a compliment, after all in the past you have had Commanders
with considerable Starship experience but come on - they have never been more
than a titular authority; this is your ship and there is no one, except perhaps
another Mind, better able to operate this vessel. I certainly do not intend to
try. I trust you Lucas - to fly, if that is the correct term, this ship well
and keep us all safe. I will deal with the people aspect of this job and I
trust when I need you, you will assist me in that and help me not to miss any
important meetings or appointments." She laughed. "I make no claims
to be able to fly anything."

"It is not the correct term."

"I beg your pardon?"

"We do
not
fly, even in
atmosphere, not in the sense your planes ride the air. We displace, we cruise,
and surf, but we do
not
fly."

  "Uh huh . . . well darling, the
principle still applies - whether I fly or flop in this relationship I expect
you to catch me. That will be our dance on this trip, if it's going to work at
all. So Lucas, will you dance with me?"

There was a pause and she had the sense
Lucas was thinking. His reply was perfect

"Do you do the Dahlian Dip?"

She laughed and Hilary's guffaw also boomed
in her earpiece. "I'm not sure I've come across the Dahlian Dip but I
would be open to learning. I take it that was a yes?" Charlotte moved on without
waiting for a reply. "Now, I realize we have the inter vessel football
match coming up on the flight deck but I have an hour or so free and I have a
personal interest in the unfortunate demise of Commander Juno. I'd like to
review whatever visuals you have before and after the discovery of his body,
all cameras and all angles. Perhaps you could allocate some portion of yourself
to work with me and I'll flick through as fast as I can for this first
look."

"You do know I have nothing covering
the actual time of the event, whatever it was that happened. That fact is
unacceptable and disturbing to me." He sounded troubled.

"What is it that bothers you most
about it?" She asked.

"It bothers me that I have no record
of it. It can only mean I have been compromised in some way, and that someone
has tampered with the essence of me without my knowledge. That they could even
do it amazes me and it must be another Mind, a cunning mind with abilities way beyond
mine - I feel violated!"

She nodded sympathetically. "Well,
let's see what you do have, I understand the missing visuals are from the
refuse area so let's look at the corridors going to and from. Perhaps start
thirty minutes before the event and then we'll take it up for thirty minutes
after, double speed unless I call for something different or for another camera
angle."

"It shall be done."

Charlotte smiled;
I'll win you over yet,
Lucas.

An hour later she stretched achingly. Sixty
minutes of real time footage, sped up yes, but with the odd replay,
interruptions for different camera angles, and with moments simply to stop and
think the time had flown by - for nothing. She could see this was a busy ship
with not a single view revealing individuals alone. Every shot had people walking,
usually quickly, to destinations unknown and all were going about their
business with purpose. She had tried to relax, to let her unconscious pick up
on something and perhaps let her instincts to alert her, yet apart from a vague
niggling feeling of concern residing just on the edge of her consciousness the
exercise had come up dry.
Never mind, I can come back to it, and if there is
something there it will come to me.

"Did you get anything Hil'?" She
whispered through parted lips.

"Nothing," the voice came crystal
clear to her tiny earpiece, "and it's so frustrating not being able to
access these feeds directly, but this is good for now. I hate to say it Charlie,
but everyone is still a suspect at this stage, including Lucas; we can't show
my hand."

"It's all good Hilary, we'll get
there, and this game has only just begun."

In fifteen minutes the football game would
be underway, time enough to get down to the flight decks to secure a good
viewing position. Charlotte twisted and stretched again, plucking at the suit
to get comfortable and then, as she scanned the gorgeous room, she gave a long sigh
of pleasure;
what an assignment!

The Fair Passage crew had accepted her
authority without question and already her handling of several disputes had earned
respect, all of them settled to general satisfaction. The crew she had found
was made up mainly of Corans with a smattering of Dahlians and a few technicians
from Reubus. Most had been working for STEIN for some years, all were
experienced and they needed little attention from her with Lucas monitoring
everything on the vessel.