The Caverns of Mare Cetus (22 page)

   Richelle gasped.

   "She's been out most of the time since it happened," said Trent. "I have her bundled as well as I can, but she's lost a lot of blood. Normally I have a strong stomach for these kind of things, but I'm having a rough time."

   "But how did it happen?" Arielle began nervously playing with a thin-banded platinum and emerald ring on her left index finger.

   "It was an accident," said Trent. "Her gun discharged while she had it pointing toward her leg. All I can figure is she must have pulled the trigger in all the commotion." He paused. "From what I've read, the Iravano can't go off on impact, like if she had bumped it into a wall or something."

   "And Garrett?" asked Renata. "Where is he?"

   "Don't know," he said. "I was in touch with him about an hour ago. He was still hunting down the Kalo."

   Arielle took out her Vimap and began looking at the maps.

   "Well," said Renata, "when you talk to him again, tell him to get his butt back to you. We found Kalo Two. And boy do we have a story…" She began filling Trent in on what had happened, Richelle and Arielle jumping in when the story got to the roles they played in the destruction of the robotic.

   As Trent listened, he didn't say much, his responses mainly a mix of groans and astonished sighs.

   When they had finished with the story, Renata looked over at Ramon and Hunter who were still arguing, now violently. Ramon had just given Hunter a shove to the chest, Hunter responding with his own.

   "Come on, guys!" she exclaimed. "Can you get it together and stop your arguing already?"

   "Don't tell me what the hell to do!" shouted Ramon. "If Hunter knew how to read a map, we wouldn't be in this mess."

   "Don't tell me about my ability to read a map!" shouted Hunter.

   "Come on!" cried Renata. "Stop it already!"

   "Get your nose out of my ass," said Ramon as he glanced at her.

   "God, I'm sorry," said Arielle. She put her arm around Renata's shoulders. "I am so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with him, but I swear to God I'm never going to forgive him for what he's said to you."

   "Rene," said Devon, "if you want me to do something, just tell me."

   Renata looked at her. "Devon, I don't think…you really have to stop this bodyguard stuff."

   "W-w-what's wrong with those guys?" asked Richelle, her voice breaking. "How are we going t-t-to get anywhere when they're at each other's throats?"

   Arielle squeezed Renata's arm with her hands. "Rene, we've got to do something. I'm shaking like a leaf."

   Renata ran her hands back through her hair in frustration. She spoke into her com. "Trent, you can hear what's going on. Advice?"

   "Only one answer," replied Trent promptly. "I've heard them the entire time we've been talking. They've had squabbles before, but this is out of control. If you don't get to us soon, Isis is going to die." He paused. "I hate to put this on you, but we need to take action now. Use STEPS Regulation 27-4. Hunter won't be happy, but I don't care about that right now. I'll back you completely. Use Edison to enforce it."

   "Trent," said Renata, "that's not advice, that's suicide. Twentyseven four has never been used before. The company will flip over this."

   "Yes, I know," said Trent, then there was a break in his transmission. "Renata, you have to use 27-4 now! I can't do it. Only you can enact it."

   She abruptly stood up and shouted. "Hunter! Ramon! Stop the fighting already!" Their stares held on each other, it appeared as if they hadn't heard her. She repeated her cries several times more.

   "Keep your nose out of this!" shouted Ramon.

   "I'll handle this, Rene!" exclaimed Hunter.

   Devon got to her feet and started forward as if she was going to walk right up to them, but Renata grabbed her arm and held her back.

   "What do you think you're doing?" asked Renata. "This isn't your place."

   "Then what is my place?"

   "Look. I know you mean well, but I don't want you to get hurt. This is my problem."

   "No, Rene. This is our problem."

   Hunter put up his fists.

   Ramon put up his fists too. "Come on. Take a shot."

   "Renata!" pleaded Trent. "Do something! Our lives depend on it."

   "I agree," said Arielle. "Take command."

   "You have n-n-no choice," said Richelle. "We need you to t-t-take over to get us out of this mess."

   "You know Trent's right," whispered Devon in Renata's ear.

   Renata let out with a languished sigh. She turned toward Edison. "Edison. You heard him—27-4. Please do something."

   His expression immediately went blank, his dark brown eyes seeming to show his reluctance to act.

   Renata watched him, waiting for his response.

   Finally, he spoke. "Only if that's a direct order."

   Renata knew Hunter was going to blow his top over her overriding his command. "Yes. That is an order. STEPS 27-4. When command decisions cannot be rendered because Number One is locked in an irresolvable conflict with another member or members of the party such that the quality of command should be impaired and lives of the party endangered, Number Two has the discretion to take power of command under sections 33, 37…"

   "That's all I need," said Edison. "I know the rest." He winked at Arielle, then stood up. Like a lumbering giant, he walked over to Hunter and Ramon who were now throwing punches at each other. He pushed his way between them, then grabbed both roughly by their jackets, separating them with his powerful arms.

   Hunter grabbed Edison's arm, trying vainly to release himself from the hold on his jacket. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

   Edison stared at Hunter with intense malice. "You are being relieved of command."

   Hunter's voice rose. "What are you talking about?"

   "You heard me," said Edison.

   "By whose authority?" asked Hunter, his voice rising even higher.

   "Renata's," said Edison.

   "That's right," said Renata. "You more than anyone should understand you've given me no choice but to enact my authority."

   Hunter glared at her with a wrath she wished she had never seen. "Your authority? This is some kind of joke, right?"

   "It's no joke," said Edison. "STEPS 27-4. You know what it says."

   "Damn right you know what it says," said Devon.

   "Bullshit!" exclaimed Hunter as Ramon broke into laughter. "Listen, Iob. You're way out of bounds."

   "You should have listened to me," laughed Ramon. "The slut and her love-struck sister are pulling the rug right out from beneath your command, just like I…"

   In one quick motion, Edison flung Ramon against the cavern wall, Ramon's hardhat slamming against the rocks with a loud
clack
. He slumped to the ground, groaning. Edison pushed Hunter back, then stormed over to Ramon. He shook his fist in front of his face. "You ever call her that again I swear I'll break every bone in your body. And after that I'll have you spun around on so many charges you won't know which end of your body to shit out of. You got that?"

   "Yes, señor," choked Ramon, "I've got it."

   "And as for you," said Edison, wheeling toward Hunter and pointing his finger at him. "You will be relieved pending a vote of the party." He turned toward the women. "STEPS Reg. 27-4. All in approval of Renata Stone as new command of this expedition, raise your hand."

   A Vimap held in one hand to record the vote, Arielle raised her other.

   Devon's hand, as Renata expected, was raised high—though she wasn't sure if it counted. Renata looked at Richelle whose hand was also held high.

   Edison, his hand raised as well, turned back toward Hunter. "Well, Hunter, unless that clown over there wants to side with you, you are relieved by a unanimous vote of the present party."

   "It's not unanimous," said Ramon. He sat up. "I vote against her. I don't care how much I disagree with Hunter. I don't want that witch making command decisions that control my life. Especially when she's being swayed by some crazy kid." He looked Renata straight in the eyes. "The next time you hold a strip show, don't invite…" His mouth dropped, then he slapped himself in the face a couple times. "Mierda. Tú idiota. Habla Inglés. Ay, Dios mío. Me jodi. Tremenda cagada."

   "Strip show—what?" Arielle glanced at Renata, then at Ramon. "What's that supposed to mean…" Her voice trailed off.

   Renata looked at the ground. She wanted to smash Ramon's head into the wall.
How could he have said that—now?

   Devon abruptly turned to Arielle. "My God, Arielle. That's a beautiful ring." She stepped up to her and leaned over her. "Can I see it?"

   Arielle looked up in confusion. "Which ring?" She was wearing four of them.

   Devon touched a ring that was set with a flawless blood-red ruby surrounded by a dozen brilliant, tiny marquise-cut diamonds. Together the ruby and diamonds had the appearance of a sunflower. "That one. That's fabulous. I've never seen a ring as beautiful as that. Can I try it on?"

   "No!" said Arielle, pulling her hand away from Devon. She leaned to the right, trying to look past Devon's legs. "Rene. What did he mean by…"

   Devon crouched in front of Arielle. "What about one of your other rings then? They're all gorgeous…"

   "Get out of my way," said Arielle, pushing on Devon's shoulder with her hand.

   "Girls," said Edison. "Can we get back to the vote, please?"

   Arielle and Devon became quiet.

   "It's three against, one for," said Edison.

   Devon cleared her throat, looking at him with resentment.

   "Uh, maybe that's four against, one for. It doesn't really matter. It's still more than what's needed."

   "But her health is suspect," argued Hunter. He took a step forward and waved his hand. "How are you justified in giving command to her? She has three broken ribs, and she's been drugged up like a sponge in a bucket of oil. And Ramon's right. There's something going on with this girl." He pointed his finger at Devon. "You're way out of line. When management hears about this, you can kiss your job goodbye."

   "Amen," said Ramon. "Amen to that."

   "Tell them what you want," replied Devon. "I have no fear of your reprisals."

   "Someone told me this was going to happen," said Hunter, directing his comments back to Renata. "I told them they were full of it. But I guess I was wrong. I thought I knew you. Apparently I don't."

   "If you knew me," said Renata, "you'd understand exactly why I'm doing this. You're too charged up to make an intelligent decision right now. You need some time to cool off. Talk to Trent. He's backing me on this."

   "All right, Trent," said Hunter into his com. "Tell me your side."

   "I've always backed you before," said Trent, "but you're not acting like the Hunter I've known, the Hunter I've admired. Can't you see that?"

   Hunter looked at Renata. Devon was leaning on her shoulder. "Yeah, I see things now I didn't see before."

   "Maybe I do too," mumbled Arielle as she sent daggers toward Ramon with her eyes.

   "Crap," mumbled Renata. She glanced at Arielle, terrified now Arielle was going to figure out what had happened between her and Ramon. She stepped away from Devon, catching her off guard, causing her to stumble.

   "The severity of our situation requires level-headed thinking, and Renata's as level as they come," said Trent. "You've listened to me before, you need to listen now. I mean, I don't want you to take this as a personal affront…"

   "But I do," grumbled Hunter. He lowered his head. "That's a low blow from someone who calls me their friend."

   Trent's voice grew enraged. "Isis is dying, man! Get it through your head! If you don't get here soon with some blood-gen medication, she's not going to make it…"

   Hunter raised his head. "Okay. I'm not going to argue this anymore. That's not going to do Isis any good. You've got command, Jennifer."

   
Jennifer?
Renata's stomach turned.
He was equating her to Jennifer
Astoni, the engineer rumored to have stabbed Hunter in the back with
management, causing Hunter to be scratched from Sid Banyon's
mission—Astoni replacing him because of leverage she had obtained from
a vice president with whom she was having an affair
. Renata sensed a hurt beneath the loathing in Hunter's eyes. His stare too intimidating, she turned toward Arielle, trying to brush aside her own dismal revelations. "You've been looking at the routes, haven't you? Where do we go from here?"

   "Back out this passage," answered Arielle slowly, gloomily, as if stunned. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact with Renata. "There's a wide looping route and a path overlooking a deep chasm. Trent's close to that. It's about a 1.5 kilometer trek." She handed the Vimap to Renata. "Here. Look for yourself."

   "Then let's get on it," said Renata as she took the Vimap. She went to pick up her pack, but Devon already had it.

   "Thank you," whispered Renata. "I appreciate what you just did for me."

"What's a Sister for?" asked Devon.

   "What about the Kalos, Commander aka Astoni?" asked Ramon as he stepped in front of Renata. "Do we keep them running, or do we shut them down?"

   "We'll keep Three and Four going," she said, shrugging off his insult. "You're right. We can't risk traveling down here without them."

   Ramon stepped back and gave Hunter a smug, almost demonic smile.

   "What about the potential danger of another malfunction?" asked Hunter. "If one goes fazz and catches us by the chasm, we're as good as cooked."

   "I've thought about that," she answered. "I'm going to have them pair off with a logic program—a little-known diagnostic death game present on all Kalos. Designed by Dr. Kalo himself, it's controlled by a revolving password that's entered into their programming. The game's algorithms are so process intensive that in order for the Kalo to play, it will be able to do only two other functions—move and map. If the Kalo does anything out of the ordinary, that will slow its ability to decrypt the password transmitted from the other machine, and it won't be able to respond with the appropriate password key in time. If the second machine doesn't receive the reply on time, it automatically sends out a hazing code that should halt the other's central drive processors."