Part 5 (1/2)
”Why are you sitting in the circles anyway? I'm senior for the metalworkers.”
Jeff had been expecting that. ”I'm just sitting in on the meetings, Sis. I haven't voted.” Open meetings had been a golden rule since the Landers. Anyone could attend a circle, although only representatives for recognized interest groups or locals actually voted. n.o.body questioned Jeff's right to sit in, both because he was a Sterling and because he always took the seat next to the starwoman Rodrigo. He liked the questions that raised. Was he in the star group, or the Sterlings? Only Vicky had the gumption to ask.
Vicky mulled that answer as she chewed another piece of croissant. ”Good idea. Hike the way you're making up to that starwoman. In her pants yet?”
Jeff had half a dozen answers to that question. First in line was ”None of your business.” Unfortunately, Vicky saw everything with a potential value in it as her business. Jeff swallowed and fed her the line she'd want. ”Mary's a tough woman. Doesn't let anyone get close to her easily.”
”Smart woman. Don't let that stop you, kid. I want to know what makes her tick. All of them. Keep working on it. You have anything else to work on?”
She knew the answer to that. As junior Sterling, Vicky made sure he had nothing to do and did nothing worth doing. ”Nothing on my schedule,” he answered.
”Good. Stay close to her. She'll come around. And let me know what you learn as soon as you do.” She pushed away from the table, half her breakfast untouched. ”And don't dawdle over breakfast. There's work to do. Get yourself over to the Residency and see what they're up to.”
Since Vicky had bugged the Residency, as well as most other places where important things were talked about, if she didn't know what was happening, somebody was keeping her in the dark. Jeff really liked these star people.
Jeff continued eating with slow purpose until Vicky stalked from the solarium. Only after she left did he lean back in his chair. d.a.m.n! Vicky had given him the order he would have begged for. She would never have given it to him if he asked. Vicky's distrust of everyone inevitably sent people where they didn't want to go to do things they were poorly suited to do. Thank G.o.d the woman could be manipulated.
Jeff hustled for his room. He was curious what Ray and Mary would do today. They'd fulfilled the circles' social requirements; now they were on their own. No doubt it would be fun watching. He dressed quickly and had an electrocycle brought around to the front.
It had been a very bad night, full of s.h.i.+vering and sweats. Ray gulped a pain pill before starting his morning stretches. Showered and shaved, he almost felt human.
Mary met him at the stairs and went down, one step at a time. Her conversation rambled over the morning's weather and last night's drive, totally ignoring that she was there to catch him if he stumbled. He liked her nonchalant way of playing safety as much as he enjoyed her morning chatter. It reminded him of Rita before her second cup of coffee.
Their hostess, Henrietta San Paulo, Chair of the Great Circle, was already seated at the head of the table. Her daughter, a wisp of a nine-year-old, was missing.
”Where's the White Rose?” Ray asked, using the nickname Henrietta's albino daughter enjoyed.
”She had headaches in the night. I hope her noise did not disturb you. The nurse could not keep her quiet.”
”Do all albinos have migraines?” Mary asked.
”Apparently.” The mother concentrated on her breakfast. ”Rose has visited every doctor and specialist we have, They just shake their heads.”
”We met a child with migraines on our first day down,” Ray said, not reaching for his oatmeal. ”A County Clair Circle member also had a child like Rose. We've landed a medical team. One thing they're looking at is how to help these children.”
”Could you send Rose these medicines?”
Without a thought, Ray nodded, then stopped himself. ”No, I can't promise that. Some meds require a patient be under observation while taking them.” He swept his hands out, then down his broken back. ”I've had personal experience with our docs. I can't promise a pill Rose can take three times a day and not worry about.”
San Paulo pursed her lips. ”If she and her nurse went with you, would that meet your requirements?”
”I don't doubt it. I've ordered a shuttle to pick us up around ten. There will be room for her.”
Henrietta nodded slowly. ”I will have to discuss this with Chu. Her party can't oppose your helping a poor child. This would be a nice way to get them used to the good that will come from our involvement again with humanity.”
Ray nodded while cringing inside. Would he ever become so much of a politician that helping his child took second place to policy? On second reflection, he realized that his own policy of limited technological transition had just taken a major hit. He was using his tech. But it's to help a little girl. Oh, Rita, if only you were here.
Was it an accident that Chu Lyn was announced as breakfast ended? Henrietta had the nurse bring Rose down to join her and Ray in a sitting room. Chu, a tall, dark-skinned woman with no visible evidence of her Asian namesake, and San Paulo chatted for half an hour before San Paulo invited Rose into her lap and told Lyn of Ray's offer.
Rose's bloodshot eyes grew wide; she said nothing, but the look she gave Ray was heartrending. Lyn talked in plat.i.tudes for several minutes, of her party's support for rational change and growth, but their long experience of mad, irrational action. Then she shrugged. ”Of course, no one could possibly object.” Rose and her nurse left to pack. Ray excused himself.
Fifteen minutes later, a small crowd collected on the steps of the Residency as everyone gathered for their good-byes. While Mary and the nurse loaded suitcases, Rose went through the tortures of a nine-year-old...excited to ride in something new like the mule, reluctant to leave Mom and the familiar.
”Would you like to talk to your mommy whenever you want?” Ray asked. The shy child nodded. Ray took off his wrist unit, made a few adjustments so it would only be a commlink, and offered it to San Paulo.
”When we get back to base, I'll get Rose one. That way, you can talk to each other whenever you want.”
San Paulo and Chu eyed the offered gift. ”It doesn't plug into the net? It has no fiber cables?” the mother said.
”It's wireless,” Ray explained.
”We know of radio technology,” Chu answered. ”We never redeveloped it. Our power cells are so big. If you could plug into a power line, you might as well plug into a data cable.”
More local data to pa.s.s to Kat for a.n.a.lysis. Ray took his leave, strolling to the far side of the mule as Mary bent to help Rose and her nurse into the near side.
A young man with wild eyes and a long, s.h.i.+ny knife stepped from the crowd and dashed for Ray.
Mary must have seen the glint of knife. She took two quick steps back. Ray raised a cane in defense, falling against the mule. Part of him a.n.a.lyzed the attack. p.i.s.s poor. Idiot's holding the knife overhand. That would not help Ray.
”Die, you-” the man shouted as Mary kicked out, caught him in the gut, then spun to chop at his knife arm. The knife flew past Ray's ear to land in the mule with a clatter.
The attacker rolled away, screaming.
Mary stood to her full height; her sidearm materialized in her hand as her eyes did a quick look around for more attackers. Ray did the same; he saw none. By the time Ray could spare a moment for his a.s.sailant, the guy had bolted back into the crowd; shocked bystanders made way for him. Mary started to take a shot, then raised her pistol high as the crowd closed behind her target. Ray caught a hint of the man's head as he vanished behind the Residence.
For a moment, everyone stood in shocked silence. Then San Paulo and Chu descended on Ray. ”Are you hurt?” ”Where did he come from?” ”We've never had anything like that.” ”No, nothing at all.”
All Ray saw was a crowd moving closer, giving another a.s.sailant a shorter run.
Mary grabbed his elbow. ”Out of the car,” she ordered Rose and the nurse. ”Into the front seat.”
Rose scrambled over the seat, eyes wide and locked on the knife. ”What's cook's knife doing here?”
”Not now, Rose,” Mary snapped. Rose frowned, accepting the answer as a familiar one. Mary shoved Ray into the backseat just as Jeff rode up on some kind of motorcycle.
”You!” Mary shouted. ”Can you drive this mule?”
”Always wanted to try,” Jeff grinned, taking in the scene and not sure what to make of it.
”You're driving,” Mary shot at Jeff, and pushed Ray across the backseat to make room for her. Ray moved, using more hip motion than he had since Mary nailed him. If he'd had the time, he would have marveled at it. At the moment, he just scooted.
”Drive, Jeff,” Mary ordered.
Under Mary's instruction, Jeff put the mule in gear and hit the accelerator; the mule took off with a leap. Mary kept her eyes roving right; Ray covered the left. No one trailed them. ”What was that all about?” Jeff asked.
”Somebody tried to knife me. That happen often?”
The nurse shook her head dumbly. ”Never,” Jeff said. Ray had a hard time believing that.
”Where we going?” Jeff asked.