The Privateer (11 page)

Cale frowned. "Ber, are you sure about this? I mean, you just signed your life's work over to a stranger because of a broken leg."

Nabel smiled. "Yep, I'm sure. 'Sides, it ain't my 'life's work'. It's been more of a life than you think!"

Cale wished him well, and the old man returned to the yard.

By the time
Scorpion
grounded, the new hull plate was ready. Cale had Tess ground
Scorpion
at the entrance to the yard. Nabel simply commented on her similarity to the Stinger-class ships, and the differences. Then he began expertly cutting the ident hull plate out. Some six hours later, the hull plate was in place. Only a slight newness in the antirad coating over the new plate revealed the deception, and a few weeks in space would take care of that. Cale inspected the work carefully. After all,
Cheetah
was a space-to-ground vehicle, and aerodynamics was important. However, Nabel was an expert. The new welds were blended flawlessly.
Cheetah
would pass even the closest inspection.

Tess, the ship's AI, took the identity change in stride. Evidently, she accepted it as part of the 'secret agent' story with which she had been programmed.

It was not so easy with Ruth. Ever since he had introduced the subject, Ruth had been cold and distant. "I will not ask why you feel it necessary to perpetrate this hoax. I understand that lying and cheating are the offworlder's way." was her only comment.

Cale sighed in exasperation. "I told you when you came aboard that I was being chased," he replied in an irritated tone. "With luck, this will be the last of the deceptions necessary." Anger flared. "Damn it, I'm trying to save our lives!"

She was unruffled. "At the cost of your honor and your immortal soul."

"I don't believe in souls, and I lost my honor a long time ago." he shot back. "About the time I was made a slave and sent to the mines! All I have left is my life. I'm very fond of my life. It's the only one I've got!"

She stiffened in astonishment. "You do not believe in the soul? And what of God?"

"Which one? There are thousands throughout the galaxy. One of the nastiest tyrannies in history was a theocracy. You, of all people, should know. Ararat was a Glory world!"

"Of course I know of the Mission. They were seduced by false prophets, but they sought only to bring mankind to the Lord. Their intentions were good."

Cale laughed, a grating, derisive sound. "Good intentions have caused more misery throughout mankind's history than anything else." He became aware of a growing anger, and clamped down on it. "You see? We have to work out an arrangement, at least for the time we're together. Can we agree that your moral standards differ from those of most man-settled planets?"

"Yes!" she replied heatedly, "They're better!"

Cale suppressed an equally heated reply. A quarrel would not settle their differences; indeed, it would only drive each of them toward the extremes. "Very well," he said in a reasonable tone, "They're 'better'. But they are not the same, and unless you want to provoke quarrels wherever you go, I suggest you follow them if you wish, but not try to impose them on others or lecture others about them."

Ruth looked troubled, but did not reply.

"Also," he continued after a moment, "While your exaggerated courtesy and piety fit the culture of Ararat, you will find that they will only irritate and annoy most others."

"You prefer rudeness and impiety?" she shot back sarcastically.

"Of course not," he replied quietly. "I suggest only that you restrain yourself from using the extravagant courtesies of Ararat. No, don't interrupt," he added, to forestall her heated response. "You're not stupid. You know exactly what I mean. You've seen me interact with you and with Nabel. You know the level of courtesy I mean. And if you still don't, just keep quiet until you do know."

"Of course I understand," she replied in a surly tone. "But just because others lack courtesy is no reason for me to forego it."

He shook his head. "Of course it is. Look. I'm not from Ararat. But I was taught that the real essence of courtesy, the reason for its existence, was to make others feel at home and comfortable around you."

She nodded. "Of course."

"Good. Can't you accept that we are more casual than those on Ararat, but we can still make others feel comfortable? That your frequent references to beliefs they do not share might make them uncomfortable? And that the high-flown verbiage and flowery courtesies would only embarrass or even offend these more casual people? That they might think you are mocking or ridiculing them?"

Her eyes widened. "Would they really think that I would do such?"

He shrugged. "Very possibly. You find some of our mannerisms offensive, don't you?"

Ruth frowned. "I certainly do!"

He smiled a genuine smile this time. "Of course. Essentially," he continued, "you have two choices. You can force yourself to adapt to the ways of most of the galaxy, or you can try to insist that it adapt itself to your Ararat ways. Since you won't be returning to Ararat soon, if at all, I'd suggest you do the adapting."

Ruth did not reply, but her expression was thoughtful.

Since she was a luxurious yacht,
Cheetah
was much roomier than the tiny
L’rak
. After her discussion with Cale, Ruth retreated to her large stateroom and seldom came out even for meals. She spent most of her time avoiding Cale, thinking a lot, and talking to Tess, the ship’s AI. Unfamiliar with ships, Ruth never noticed anything unusual in Tess’s responses or even her seeming concern. Ruth didn’t wonder at Tess’s ability to offer unsolicited opinions, or indeed, her ability to even
have
opinions. Moreover, Tess’s apparent woman-to-woman sympathy to Ruth’s confidences only incited her to share more of them.

Ruth was seriously worried. She had had her space adventure, and she had started to believe, trust, and even like Cale. But his actions and responses on Torlon had shaken her badly, and his responses during their last conversation had actually frightened her.

Obviously, Ruth’s family and teachers had been right about offworlders. They had no honor. Apparently, falsifying a ship’s documents and even flat-out
lying
to planetary authorities and even business associates were well within Cale’s moral code.

Worse, he was an
atheist
– a creature Ruth had been taught to fear and abhor. How could one have a moral compass without a belief in the Lord and His holy word?

Worst of all, though, was his ability to twist words, to make the worst of sins seem acceptable and even laudable. Somehow, he could make things seem reasonable and right, even when she
knew
they violated God’s Holy Scripture.

No, she and Tess decided, Ruth had to get away. Tess claimed to know of planets with codes and beliefs similar to those on Ararat.

If she could convince Cale to drop her off . . . Ruth was cured of her wanderlust. She was lonely and frightened. She wanted to go
home
! Unfortunately, she knew that to be impossible. Perhaps if she prayed
hard
and repented her sinful actions, God would soften Cale’s heart and get him to take her to a
civilized
world!

Ruth was not the only one doing a lot of thinking. With Ruth hunkering down in her stateroom, Cale had been trying to deal with the problem she presented.

Damn it! He hadn’t asked the silly girl to stow away on
L’rak
. Nevertheless, he was stuck with her, now. He had no doubt what Smiley’s answer would be — he would simply push Ruth out the airlock and be done with her.

But he wasn’t Smiley, and he was no longer Emo Arror, the Terror. He never even considered that action. No, he had to find a way to deal with the girl that John Smith could live with. Not Cale Rankin the pragmatist, and certainly not Emo Arror; but John Smith, the honest, upright, respectable attorney. The man he hoped to someday become once more, even if under a different name.

Okay. Maybe he could find a world that was similar enough to Ararat to permit the girl to live a happy life. He still had two of the gold bars. Surely, they would be enough to get her comfortably settled, and maybe even enough to serve as a good dowry. With any luck, in a few years she would be a plump farm wife with a child on each hip. He smiled.

“Tess,” he called out, “Search the
stellar index
for this sector. Keywords are universal religious belief, Christianity, and open to strangers.” He paused. He still wasn’t sure he understood Tess’s capabilities. He sighed. “I’m looking for planets similar to Ararat, where Ruth would be able to live without offending the planet’s mores, or hers either, for that matter.”

“Yes, sir,” the AI replied in her pleasant, if somewhat mechanical contralto. “There are six planets in the sector that feature universal Christian beliefs, but most are insular and suspicious of strangers. The planet that most closely meets your criteria is Faith.”

“Faith! Of course!” Cale answered. “Just the right choice. I haven’t been there, but I’ve met two people from there, and they
do
resemble people from Ararat, though without the flowery language. Thank you, Tess,” he continued. “Would you ask Ruth to join me, please?”

“Of course, sir”

Ruth appeared a few minutes later, looking sullen and suspicious. Tess had told her that Cale had found a Christian planet on which to leave her, but Ruth was having trouble believing that the Lord could answer her prayers so quickly.

“Ruth,” Cale began, “It is obvious that our outlooks are far too different for comfort. I do not know your original plans when you stowed away, but I’m afraid you will find most worlds far too liberal and worldly for your comfort. I cannot return to Ararat for several reasons, and I must be about my own business alone. I have, however, located a world with values similar to those of Ararat. I propose to take you there and drop you off. The planet is called “Faith,” and from what I know of it, I think you will be happy there. Tess will have information about Faith in her files, and will be able to tell you about it.”

Ruth slipped from her chair to the floor, where she knelt and prayed, thanking God in his infinite wisdom for his mercy. Then she rose and turned to Cale. “Sire Rankin, I pray you accept my gratitude and my abject apology,” she said with massive dignity. “Though you are an outworlder and an unbeliever, you have treated me with the utmost courtesy and respect. No man of Ararat could have done more.”

Cale suppressed a smile and nodded. “You are very welcome, Ruth,” he replied, “and I wish you all happiness in your future on Faith.”

She smiled at last, a soft and genuine smile. “Mistress Tess told me that you were an honorable man, and would find a way,” she said. “I should have listened more carefully.”

Cale frowned before catching himself and resuming a neutral expression
Tess? Tess
had told her he was honorable?
Tess
had told her he would find a way? What was going on here? How could a glorified astrogation comp tell anyone anything? AI’s were not equipped to advise people, or to reassure them. They were
comps
, damn it. He was becoming seriously concerned about the nature of the “mind” controlling
Cheetah
. He was seriously beginning to wonder about those old rumors of sentient AI’s. Could it be possible?

He began questioning Ruth about her interactions with Tess. What she told him scared him badly. The conversations she reported, and Tess’s contributions to those conversations, were well outside the capabilities of even the most advanced Old Empire AI. But what if it were true? What if Tess was truly sentient?

He thought back. When he had taken
Azure Sky
, how had Tess perceived the event? He tried to remember who
Azure Sky
’s previous owner was, but he hadn’t really known. Was the previous owner dead? Many of Atlantea’s wealthiest citizens had been tortured and killed by the Terror’s pirates. If the previous owner was dead, it would be critical to find out what Tess’s relationship with the man had been. Had Tess hated the man? Loved him? What if Ruth had been the only thing keeping Tess from killing him? But then, if she had wanted to kill him, why was he still alive? Tess had many opportunities before Ruth came, beginning with his first trip in
Azure Sky
. Once he was rid of Ruth, he and Tess would have to have a long talk! It might be advisable to prolong his stay on Faith long enough to have that talk. At least with atmosphere outside the ship, he would have a
slight
chance of surviving the experience if the talk turned bad!

In the meantime, he decided, he would be
very
nice to both Ruth and Tess!

The atmosphere aboard
Cheetah
thawed considerably after Cale announced his plans, and the trip passed fairly quickly. Ruth no longer huddled crying in her stateroom. She apparently accessed all of Tess’s records about Faith, and was certain she would be welcomed there.

And she was. When Cale reported his mission to deliver a possible immigrant, the announcement was greeted with a certain amount of reticence and suspicion. Ruth was escorted from
Cheetah
by four police officers and a “counselor.”

It was the next day before Tess reported three visitors, a conservatively well-dressed man carrying a briefcase and two rather obvious bodyguards.

When they were comfortably seated in the lounge, the man smiled. “I am Aron Ekron, Assistant Director of Justice for the government of Faith.

“Justice?” Cale suddenly turned cold. He couldn’t think of anything he had done that would interest the Justice Ministry. Could Ruth have talked about the irregularities in
Cheetah
’s papers? Or said something about Cale himself?

“Yes,” Ekron replied, his professional smile still firmly pasted on his pleasant features, “My colleagues over at Immigration wanted me to tell you that we have welcomed Sister Ruth to Faith, and begun the immigration process.”

“I’m delighted to hear it,” Cale replied. “She has a very strong faith”