Resurgence

CHAPTER NINE The parting of the ways

Louis Nenda was out of the meeting chamber almost as quickly as Hans Rebka. He, however, had no thought of pursuing Julian Graves. His interest was in returning to the Have-It-All as fast as possible.

He left Atvar H’sial to make her way back at her own speed, and as soon as he was in the corridor leading to the ship’s computer center, he was calling, “Hey, how are you doing?”

His question was intended for Kallik and J’merlia. The doorway, however, was blocked by the massive body of Archimedes. Rebka was presented with a view of the Zardalu’s midnight-blue hind end.

He kicked at one of the thick tentacles and tried to squeeze past. “Kallik? J’merlia? What the hell’s going on here? I didn’t tell you to let Archie push his way in.”

“With respect, Master Nenda, Archimedes did not enter unsanctioned.” J’merlia’s voice came from beyond the mass of leathery flesh. “Kallik and I invited his presence.”

“Why’d you do a thing like that?” Louis pushed, and the Zardalu wriggled a little to one side. “Archie doesn’t know a damn thing about Bose nodes.”

“That is true.” J’merlia, in the absence of his dominatrix Atvar H’sial, tended to speak too much rather than too little. “Archimedes knows nothing of such things, nor does he need to. Kallik and I completed that phase of the analysis more than an hour ago. As you instructed, we began with the data bank from the ship of the dead Polypheme. It contained many thousands of Bose point references within the Sag Arm, many of which doubtless follow the Polypheme custom of providing spurious data to confuse other would-be users. We sought to eliminate those from consideration by correlating them with star positions. We argued that although Bose transition points in empty space certainly exist—such points led us across the Gulf—the ones in a navigation catalog are likely to lie at reasonable sub-lightspeed travel distance from habitable worlds. This reduced the number of nodes to be considered, to nine hundred and twenty-seven. This, however, is still far too many to be of practical value—”

“Hold on. I didn’t ask for a lecture. I asked what this lump of fat and gristle is doing in here.”

“With respect, Master Nenda.” Kallik pushed around the other side of the Zardalu. “The presence of Archimedes was not relevant to the Bose node analysis. He was, however, essential to the task that evolved from it. My eyesight is excellent, and so is that of J’merlia. But neither can compare with that.” The Hymenopt pointed to Archimedes’s head. The eye-pupils of the Zardalu were each the size of Louis’s fist. “The spatial resolution that Archimedes can achieve is so good that we have trouble believing the results.”

“I still don’t get it. What did you have Archie looking at, that anybody cares about?”

The Zardalu must have understood the sense of the question, if not the full meaning. Archimedes produced an urgent series of clicks and held out toward Louis a big sheet of hardboard.

“Our apologies if we have exceeded your orders.” The little Hymenopt bowed her round black head. “If I may continue with what J’merlia was saying, we reduced the number of stars with associated Bose nodes to nine hundred and twenty-seven. However, you had suggested as you left that you were most interested in Bose nodes close to neutron stars. You did not say why, but I made an inference as to your intentions. A Chism Polypheme, as we learned from our earlier experiences with them, enjoys hard radiation. Hence, a natural question: Do any neutron stars close to Bose nodes possess planets? Unfortunately, this was not a question that either J’merlia and I could answer using our instruments and our observations. Archimedes, however, was able to do so. He has been transcribing his results.”

“Is that what you’ve been trying to show off? Gimme a look at that.” Louis grabbed the sheet of hardboard, slightly slippery to the touch from the Zardalu’s waxy skin. “Archie, next time I tell you you’re a useless sack of gas and blubber you can talk right back to me. I brought you along thinkin’ we’d need your strength. It never occurred to me you might have other uses.”

A veil of pheromones drifted from beyond the long body of the Zardalu. “Louis, what game is being played here? Why is this object blocking my way?”

“It’s all right, At. Give Archie’s rear end a poke and he’ll move. I think we’re going to see action—at last! We get the go-ahead from Graves tomorrow. Then, we make a jump and we’re out of here.”

“You presented your plan to me yesterday as a certainty.” Atvar H’sial was again sitting behind Louis Nenda in the main chamber of the Pride of Orion. “Do you still adhere to that view?”

“Hell, I don’t know.” Louis stared around the room, about half of which seemed to be taken up by the great body of Archimedes. “Julian Graves is crazy, so you never can tell what he’s goin’ to decide. But I don’t like this setup at all.”

“Too many are present?”

“You got it. All are present, except Graves himself. Me, you, Archie, Kallik, J’merlia, Rebka, E.C. Tally. Why involve everybody? Why even hold a meeting? What we need from him is a simple yes or no.”

“And if Graves says no?”

“We reevaluate. We got a ship, we have a set of Bose nodes and stars and planets to go with ’em. We could take off and explore the Sag Arm.”

“What of our return to the Orion Arm?”

“Why would we go back? We’re no better off there than we are here—maybe safer here. Nobody’s chasing our tail in the Sag Arm.”

“Louis, for you that may be an option. For me it is not. Ultimately I must return to the Cecropia Federation and mate. If I do not, I die.”

“The end of your travels?”

“By no means. After mating is complete I will again be free to wander as I choose.”

“An’ we’ll be back to work. None of my business, but I was told that Cecropians mate for life.”

“It would perhaps be more accurate to say that Cecropians mate for death.” Atvar H’sial’s forelimbs made a reflexive motion, pulling something toward her and crushing it hard against her chest. “Louis, the process is a rapid one, quickly accomplished. I suggest that you do not require details.”

“Damn right I don’t.”

Although J’merlia was present, the silent interaction was wholly pheromonal and did not involve the Lo’tfian interpreter. J’merlia was following what was said, but the idea that he might interrupt a conversation with his dominatrix, or pass any of what he heard to a third party, was to a Lo’tfian literally unthinkable.

Half a dozen other conversations, by no means silent, had been going on around the chamber. They ended with the sudden arrival of Julian Graves.

The councilor glanced around. “I see that everyone is present. Good. I will not keep you long. Here is my decision. We have pursued the path to the Sag Arm as far as the end point of this dead stellar system. The path leads no farther. It would be logical to say, no more, and use the Bose network to return to the Orion Arm by the same route that brought us. The node sits there, it is available and waiting. You might argue for that course of action, since any other option seems to expose all of us to danger.

“Against that, we must set the fate of a whole species, the Marglotta. And, still more important, in the longer term we must consider a possible threat to everything in our own Orion Arm. My conclusion is that the larger danger outweighs any personal one.”

Louis Nenda muttered, “Get on with it!” But he spoke silently and pheromonally.

Graves went on, “That conclusion does not dictate a best course of action, which I come to now. Three alternatives were suggested. Rather than taking the risk of choosing the wrong one, we will pursue all three. The Pride of Orion will be divided. Professor Lang, you will take one of the sub-ships to Iceworld and explore that planet. To assist you in that effort and alert you to possible dangers, survival team specialists Ben Blesh and Lara Quistner will accompany you. Captain Hans Rebka will serve as your pilot. Does any one of you have questions?”

“Yes.” Hans Rebka spoke up. “You can’t have four different people in charge. Who makes the decisions?”

“Until your ship touches down on the planet, you do. After that, you will follow the instructions of survival team member Ben Blesh. Professor Lang will of course be in charge of scientific investigations.”

Louis normally had little sympathy for Hans Rebka, but he knew what he would do if somebody told him to take orders from some freshly weaned child. He saw Rebka turn red. However, the other man said nothing more.

“E.C. Tally,” Graves continued, “you proposed to take another of the sub-ships and travel toward the edge of the dark zone within which we are presently located. That effort is approved. You will seek the Marglot system, but you will of course explore anything on the way that you find interesting.”

“Councilor, may I speak?”

“What is it now?”

“I find everything interesting.”

“Dear me, I suppose you do. Very well. Let me be more specific. You are to explore only those matters which seem relevant to the goal of this expedition. I hope that such things will be found at no great distance. However, there is a possibility that your journey will extend indefinitely. You will therefore travel alone.”

“Naturally. When may I depart?”

“I will defer that decision. I may need your help.” Graves turned to face Louis Nenda and Atvar H’sial. “This brings us to our third course of action. You wish to seek a Chism Polypheme. Very well. You will be free to do so, in your own ship. However.” Misty blue eyes stared into Louis’s. “Based on previous experience, it would be less than honest of me to say that I trust you to follow the agenda of the expedition rather than one that represents your own private interests. Therefore, I insist that a survival team member go with you, and use your equipment to report back to me regularly as to your movements and actions. You are, I know, already acquainted with Sinara Bellstock.”

“Now just a minute.” Louis knew exactly why Hans Rebka’s face had turned red. He stood up. “The Have-It-All belongs to me, not you and not the Ethical Council. I won’t have some snotty-nosed infant tellin’ me when and how I use my own communications system.”

“Louis, desist.” Atvar H’sial placed a hairy paw on his shoulder. “Once we are on the way, we can deal with the problem of Sinara Bellstock in our own fashion. She need not trouble us for long.”

“Mr. Nenda, I am in command of this expedition. Are you saying that you refuse to follow my direction?”

“No, no, nothin’ like that.” Louis sat down again. “You know how it is, we get used to runnin’ our own ship in our own way. I overreacted. I’ll be happy to have Sinara Bellstock come with us, an’ send you messages from the Have-It-All any time she feels like it.”

“That is much better.” Graves actually smiled at Louis, before he turned again to face the whole group. “Which brings me to my own role, and the role of our other survival team members, Torran Veck and Teri Dahl. One thing that we must keep in mind is that, no matter how far in space we are separated, we remain a team unified in our objectives. We need both a nexus of communications, and a reserve capacity available to act in an emergency in support of any team component. I, Torran Veck, and Teri Dahl will serve in that capacity.”

“And Heaven help any poor bugger who has to rely on that lot to get them out of trouble.”

Louis’s remark went only to Atvar H’sial, and he had time for no more. Julian Graves, apparently well pleased with himself, was saying, “Now, I urge you to go ahead and make all necessary preparations for your assignment.” At the same time, Darya Lang and Sinara Bellstock were both on their feet and heading in his direction.

Darya pushed in front of the younger woman. “Louis, I want to wish you good luck and success. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again before long.” As she turned away, she added, “Last time you asked me, I refused to have dinner with you. Next time we meet, please ask me again.”

She gave him an enigmatic smile and slipped away. Before Louis had time to react, Sinara Bellstock was standing in front of him and throwing a mock salute. “Captain Nenda, survival team specialist Sinara Bellstock reporting for duty and at your service. I will be aboard the Have-It-All in less than half an hour. Whatever you want me to do, just let me know.”

She turned and headed across the chamber, leaving Louis with his mouth open and Atvar H’sial behind him, saying, “Louis Nenda, it is beyond logic why I continue a relationship with you as a business partner. The mating rituals of humans never cease to shock and amaze me. In ten thousand years of supposed civilization, they have made no progress whatsoever. Have you no shame? In the course of a lifetime, not only do you permit multiple mates, but you seek to enjoy more than one mate at the same time. Come, J’merlia.”

The Cecropian’s pheromones seethed with disapproval, as she in turn headed away and out of the chamber.

As the room emptied, Louis was left with Kallik and Archimedes and his own thoughts.

It makes no sense, no sense at all. The only woman I’ve had sex with since I met Atvar H’sial has been Glenna Omar, and At totally approves of her and thinks she’s wonderful. But women I’ve never even considered having sex with, like Darya Lang and Sinara Bellstock, make At crazy. She’s right, it is beyond logic why we keep going as business partners.

Below those thoughts, running at a far deeper level than the conscious, was an admission that Louis was not willing to make: Atvar H’sial had the power to read in detail the pheromonal products from Darya Lang, Sinara Bellstock, and Louis himself. And the other reluctant admission: pheromones don’t lie.