Part 34 (1/2)

Ra sat himself at the chosen station and began to generate, as far as Balbao could tell, pseudo-code.

'Balbao, Ra tapped the desktop. 'Come over here. I need you to breed a Henon map.

Balbao felt something hard thrust up under his armpit into the soft part of his skin in line with his heart.

'Now, Farr said in his ear.

Balbao pulled away stiffly and threaded through the other workstations to join Ra. His own face, he was sure, matched the angry fearful stares from the techs herded against the exterior wall behind them.

'What do you want? he growled as he sat down.

'An orbital diagram, said Ra.

'What for? What did you build on Belle-Monde?

'A bifurcation device, Ra answered absently.

'Thats not possible.

Ra took a brief moment to give Balbao a deprecating stare before turning back to his workstation. 'What did you think we were learning on Belle-Monde, Balbao? How to culture fungi?

With a tremor in his hands, Balbao reached for the interaction pads. Ras sarcasm had jolted him. Hed taken the tyros far too lightly, concerned as hed been with collecting empirical data about the Ent.i.ty. But a bifurcation device-a device that can predict futures-surely not! 'So youre trying to re-create the same thing? Here?

'Thats not possible without the Ent.i.tys a.s.sistance. And as you may have noticed, Sole seems to have deserted us, Ra replied softly.

'Then what in Cruxs name are you doing?

'Im searching for a repeller, something to destabilise the dynamic system of the universe.

Balbaos frill stiffened to the point of pain. 'What?

'A repeller will disrupt whatever changes Tekton has set in place with the DSD.

Tekton? Balbao sucked in a deep noisy breath. 'If this bifurcation device really exists, then a repeller-in theory-risks causing a dysfunction that could have any number of catastrophic results. You would do that simply to thwart your cousin?

Ra gave a small and wholly unpleasant smile. 'No more catastrophic than what we currently face. It may even disrupt the final outcome of the invasion.

'May? But you dont know that.

Ra turned his multi-faceted eyes on Balbao. His thin skin concertinaed into a frown. 'If you say that any louder, I will kill you myself. He slid a thin knife from inside his robe and rested it on his knee.

Balbao felt a surge of uncontrolled fury. He glanced over at Lasper Farr. The commander watched their whispered conversation, as he watched everything, with suspicion. Ra had convinced the Commander that he could somehow deter the Extros invasion. That was why Farr had bought them here.

Balbao looked for Petalu Mau, whod taken up a position near the lab hostages. He wanted to deliver Sammys message to him, but something other than the knife on Ras knee held him back. Not yet, he thought, not quite yet.

Instead he clenched his teeth, slapped the I-pads on his neck and entered the virtual patterner.

THALES.

'The commanders here, whispered Fariss.

She brushed past Thales and crouched close to Janne and Magdalen. Getting this far had been harder than theyd antic.i.p.ated; the station was frenzied. Theyd travelled in small groups so as not to attract the attention of the red robes, who were scattered among the crowds. Linnea knew the way to the information node and had given precise instructions to the Feohte.

Now theyd rea.s.sembled a corridor away from the IN and Fariss had just scouted the last stretch. The news she had to give was the last that Thales expected to hear. He joined their huddle, anxious to know exactly what shed seen.

'Therere a bunch of soldiers at the door. Some mercs have got station sec baled up against the wall. Ive seen the mercs before. For some Crux-d.a.m.ned reason, Commander Lasper Farrs in the IN.

Magdalen and Janne stared at her.

'Commander Farr, said Magdalen. 'Of the- 'Stain Wars. Yeah. Fariss turned to Thales. 'Ideas?

Thales shook his head. He couldnt imagine what had bought Lasper Farr here at this time. What could be so important that he would risk his s.h.i.+p by coming to Scolar station?

'We could go through the front door, said Janne.

Fariss shook her head. 'Theyll have more Robes at s.h.i.+ft Command than anywhere else. Its this way or none. Weve got surprise on our side. Dont imagine the Commanders expectin to see us either.

'Will the mercs know you? asked Thales.

She thought about it for a moment. 'Yeah, but that might not be a bad thing. A little reputation, you know...

Thaless stomach clenched even tighter. 'Fariss, please- She ignored him and spoke directly to Janne. 'Ill get close enough to deal with two or three. When I make that move you need to get down the corridor quick. Take the mercs first. Station sec wont know what the f.u.c.k is going on. My guess is theyll run.

Janne nodded.

Both women were bright in a way that brought a bitter taste to Thaless mouth, but he set his jaw and swallowed. His idea had brought them here.

Farisss large hand descended on his shoulder. 'You stay behind Janne and the Feohte with Magdalen and Linnea. Got it? Sammy might be inside there-dont let any of the Feohte shoot her.

'Fariss? He wanted to thank her for this-it was his world not hers-but the words dried up in his mouth.

She didnt wait for him to free his tongue. Slipping her weapon into her belt, she sauntered straight out into the IN corridor.

Janne and the Feohte crouched closer to the bend. Thales couldnt see past them, or hear anything until the first shout. Then suddenly the Feohte were gone, a dozen women swarming up the pa.s.sage.

Magdalen put a restraining hand on him. 'Well just give them more to worry about. When the hatch is clear, we go.

Thales waited in an agony of dread while Linnea crept forward and peered after the Feohte. A moment later she flattened herself back against the wall. Instinctively Thales did the same but Magdalen was slower to react.

The station sec guards bolted past them, one of them colliding with the slight woman, knocking her against the rough conduit. The guard picked himself up and kept running but Magdalen lay still.

Linnea went to her and felt over her head. 'Shes out.

'Can you get her back to Ling-Mas s.h.i.+p by yourself? asked Thales.

Linnea nodded. 'Should do. She weighs less than a bag of beans. Now, remember that the common wall is the one behind the node. You cut through the wrong one and youll be floating-permanently.

Thales gave a grim nod. 'May Villon protect you, Linnea.