James P. Hogan Saturn 02 The Anguished Dawn

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* * *
. . . as soon as Shayle figures something out, Keene told Sariena. The idea
is to get access to a channel up to the Varuna. Then, hopefully, we ll find a
way from there.
Sariena went quiet, thinking over what he had said. Valcroix and those others
with him aren t going to get here in the Eskimo, she replied finally. Which
means they ll have to transfer to something faster.
Another reason for taking over the Aztec, Keene said.
Sariena looked uncertain. So what does it do? Coast while the Eskimo catches
up? Or would it be quicker if they went back to meet it?
I m not sure. You re the orbital specialist.
And you re the propulsion engineer.
They were both tired. Keene showed his hands. Either way, the sooner for
them, the better. So we need to do something fast. The more I think about it,
the more it seems it has to be too late already.
Sariena smiled thinly. That doesn t sound like you, Lan. But you ll try
anyway, right?
Damn right.
After another pause, Sariena added, Although, if it s true, it means that
Aztec won t be getting here so soon. So Zeigler can t be counting on it for
reinforcements anytime soon. Why did he make his move when he did? It means he
has to hold out that much longer. Why wouldn t he have waited? She raised her
eyebrows. Keene could only shake his head. Could he be expecting to
strengthen himself in some other way? Sariena asked.
What other way is there?
Maybe there are more Pragmatists here than have shown themselves yet.
That was a thought. Maybe . . . which could make loose talk very dangerous,
he mused.
That was my point.
The door from the lab area burst open to admit Charlie Hu with bustle and
haste, which was unusual. Voices were babbling somewhere behind him. There s
been some shooting! he said.
Behind the stores.
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Anybody hurt? Sariena asked as they followed him back out.
I don t know yet.
It was only a matter of time, Keene muttered.
They came out of the building behind a gaggle of figures who had stopped in
the face of several guards brandishing guns. Back inside, one was yelling.
Everybody back inside.
What s happened? Charlie Hu asked one of the construction people.
Some guys got shot trying to rush the guards.
Oh no. Anyone killed?
We re not sure.
I saw Ida being led away, a Kronian girl said. She looked as if she was all
right, though.
Not Ida, Sariena groaned. They had been friends on the Surya.
Keene was shaking his head. Never mind how it works in movies. You don t go
for guys who have guns and nervous fingers. It s not the way.
One of the guards looked up from talking into a compad. Is Maria Sanchez, the
medic, here?
She s needed.
I think she s back in the dorms somewhere, somebody answered. The guard
relayed the information.
Everybody, back inside, the one who had spoken before ordered again.
* * *
Kurt Zeigler returned from the lower level of the OpCom dome to the office on
the floor above where he had installed himself. Kelm, who had left an
occupying force aboard the Surya and come back down to Serengeti during the
night, accompanied him. The Kronian woman and one of the two Kronian men were
unharmed. The other Kronian was shot in the legs and would recover, as would
the former Terran who had been wounded in the stomach. The second ex-Terran,
shot twice in the chest, was in serious condition. I want a portable cabin
set up behind OpCom as a secure medical facility and detention building,
another for guard quarters, and the perimeter extended around them, Zeigler
said. Also, we need elevated watchtowers. Give me a plan by eighteen hundred
tonight for a minimum number and recommended sites. Fast and basic. We can
start work on them under arc lamps tonight. Also, put out a general order,
effective immediately, that until further notice gatherings of more than five
persons are prohibited unless express approval is obtained. And a curfew,
effective twenty-two hundred to six hundred.
I ll see to it, Kelm said.
Zeigler sat down at his desk to scan the low-priority reports listed on his
screen. So it seems that Kronians can have some fighting spirit too, he
observed. Could it mean that some of them might turn around yet, and see
things our way, do you think? We could use some volunteers.
I can t say, Kelm replied, trying to be tactful. It s all so unprecedented.
Anything could happen.
News from the Trojan was that the maneuver to boost Eskimo onward toward its
rendezvous point had been executed successfully, and everything was on
schedule. A message from Eskimo, however, had strongly questioned Zeigler s
decision to act now, far sooner than had been planned.
But the plan hadn t taken any account of the opportunity to strengthen
Zeigler s force from an unexpected source with natural killers. The recruits
might be rough raw material, but they were the kind that, with discipline and
training, fanatical followers are shaped from. To do something about it,
however, he would first have to be in control. So he had gambled that by
risking the short term, during which potential opposition would be confused
and in disarray, his grip would be firmer in the long run, when they d had a
chance to organize.
How are Rakki and the other two doing? he asked Kelm.
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Just sitting, waiting it out. At least they re smart enough to know when they
don t have much choice, Kelm said.
The three natives who had been at the base yesterday when the Gallian incident
occurred were still being detained, the main reason being simply that there
had been more urgent things to take care of than taking them home. But it also
saved Zeigler the trouble of having to go out to Joburg himself to put his
deal to them. Keene s timing in bringing them here couldn t have been better.
Then maybe it s about time we had a talk with them, Zeigler said.
Shall I have them brought here? Kelm asked.
Zeigler thought for a second. No. We ll go over there, he replied. And use
that translator of ours who s been studying the tapes. We need to get her up
to speed. Obviously the South African can t be involved in this.
CHAPTER THIRTY
The room that Rakki, White Head, and Gap Teeth were being held in was formed
from the same kinds of materials as the crawling shell that had come to
Joburg, the bird that had brought them to this base they called Serengeti,
and the few other parts of it that they had seen since. The structure was not
woven from anything, but consisted of unbroken sheets of a size and extent
that amazed him. And how it was all fastened together such that the greatest
force he could bring to bear failed to produce even the slightest bend or
movement was a mystery. Doors opened silently of their own accord; light
appeared at the touch of a finger; shining handles gave forth endless streams [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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