Empress of Eternity (18 page)

5 Tenmonth 1351, Unity of Caelaarn

Maertyn stepped into the assistant minister’s office early on the fifth of Tenmonth. Before leaving for the Ministry of Science he had packed his shoulder bag, but left it at the town house. Supposedly, Josef would be in the office early that afternoon. While Maertyn had advised everyone at the Ministry that he planned to leave on the afternoon of the sixth, he had no intention whatsoever of remaining in Caelaarn that long, nor of telling anyone that. Although he had not observed any more suspicious vehicles, to him all that meant was that he was being observed at a greater distance and that, as a result of Ashauer’s quiet involvement, no one wanted his death to occur in Caelaarn itself.

The outer office was quiet, since he was early and since Marcent had not yet arrived. So he sat down at the desk and accessed the screen. The first memorandum was from Hlaansk.

That was it. Maertyn studied the last sentence again and nodded.

After several minutes of reflection, he read through the few remaining memoranda and messages, then straightened as the comm chimed.

“Deputy Assistant Minister Olason Tedor,” announced Marcent.

“Have him come in.” Maertyn wondered what Olason wanted, since the man who’d married Tauzn’s niece had studiously avoided Maertyn the entire time he’d been acting assistant minister.

“Greetings,” offered Maertyn, standing to welcome the fair-haired Olason, who directed the Office of Waste and Recycling Research. “What can I do for you?”

“Not a thing, Lord Maertyn. I heard you will be leaving tomorrow, and I wanted to wish you well.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.” Maertyn smiled politely. “How are you and Berenyce doing these days?”

“Excellently, excellently. She was sorry she didn’t have a chance to see your wife, but we both hope she is well and continuing her recovery.”

“She is doing well. The quiet at the station suits her.” Maertyn laughed softly. “In some ways, it suits us both.”

“She is most fortunate to have such a devoted husband, and one who would go to such lengths for her.”

“I’m fortunate to have her, just as you are most fortunate to have Berenyce…if perhaps for differing reasons.” Maertyn paused just briefly, before adding, “I did send you a memorandum, but I’ll tell you again that your bud get submission was outstanding. Very clear, and very clean.”

“Thank you, sir. I just came by to wish you well.”

“I do appreciate it, and I wish you the best. Oh…and you might offer my regards to Berenyce’s uncle, whenever you see him. He’s conveyed a great deal of solicitude, and that’s been very helpful.”

For an instant, Olason’s face showed a hint of puzzlement, but that vanished with a polished smile. “I will…although we do not see him that often.”

After Olason left, Maertyn wondered why Tauzn had bothered, unless it had been to disarm Maertyn by the use of a veiled threat that was meaningless unless he returned safely to the station.

He checked the time. Only ten past nine, and Josef wasn’t due in until after one in the afternoon. Then he stood and walked to the window, where he looked out into a cold, clear, and sunny morning.

He’d expected the day would have brief meetings such as the one with Olason. Doubtless there would be more. But he hated waiting.

Not quite an hour later, Marcent announced, “Assistant Minister Alaser Fancoyn.”

First the nephew in marriage of the Minister of Protective Services and now the Assistant Minister for Protective Services Research—Maertyn didn’t know whether to be flattered, amused, or truly alarmed. He stood and waited.

Alaser was a tall and broad-shouldered bear of a man, with a broad face and a generous smile at apparent odds with his reputed ability as a bureaucratic infighter, except that Maertyn had learned long ago that the most deadly politicians were the most personable. Alaser offered that smile as he stepped into the office. “Maertyn.”

“Alaser…I hadn’t expected to see you.” Maertyn remained standing, but moved from behind the desk, stopping a yard or so short of the assistant minister.

“How could I not come when you are leaving? You are leaving tomorrow, are you not? That was what I heard.”

“You heard correctly. It’s a long trip, even by tube-train.” Maertyn paused but slightly, before asking, “How are matters in your subministry?”

“As well as can be expected. Weapons research is dastardly expensive, more so than other research, and no research worth pursuing comes cheaply.”

“All too true.” Maertyn chuckled. “Nothing worth pursuing comes cheaply, whether it’s research or power, or even peace and quiet.”

“You may recall that I did inquire about whether your research was likely to discover what lies behind the material strength of the canal.”

“I do indeed.” Maertyn managed to keep his voice warm and interested.

“I personally wish you well in that effort. I feel that your success will benefit the Unity in many ways.” Alaser offered a wry smile. “Success in anything sharpens both sides of the blade, and sometimes an impenetrable defense can be the best offense. But then, as an Indurate, you would know that.”

“Defense is often underrated.” Maertyn had studied the Indurate texts, and even attempted to put some of the teachings into his life and professional career, but he’d never actually been apprenticed to an Indurate Master. So who was spreading the rumor that he was? Ashauer? To spare him from interrogation techniques? Why? Just to thwart Tauzn?

“Do you really think you can discover something useful before your research appointment is over?”

“I’ve already discovered some unusual aspects to the canal.” Maertyn shrugged. “It remains to be seen if they will prove useful, but that’s what I hope to find out.”

“Might I ask…”

Maertyn laughed gently. “You can, but you know that no true scientist wants to reveal something before he’s certain that it’s replicable. Right now, those aspects are very preliminary.”

“I understand caution, Maertyn, but sometimes caution is equivalent to rashness.”

“That’s true as well, and I appreciate your pointing it out. As soon as I have a more solid basis for what is now speculative and preliminary, you will be among the first to know.”

“I would indeed appreciate that.” Alaser offered his wide and generous smile. “I won’t keep you. I know you must have matters to finish up so that you can return to your lovely wife.”

“I do miss her…and thank you.” Maertyn walked toward the office door with Alaser, stopping short and letting the other leave.

Then he walked back to the window. Matters were far worse in Caelaarn than he’d thought, and they didn’t look to be improving.

The next several hours were devoted to dealing with last-moment inquiries—and his own speculations—as well as a quick and solitary meal in the junior ministers’ salon.

At quarter to one, Josef Cennen walked through the door into the office that was officially his. “I see you’ve made yourself quite at home, Maertyn.”

Maertyn rose from the small conference table. “Actually, I’ve changed nothing and touched nothing except for the desk and table screens. Given the requirements of Minister Hlaansk, that was unavoidable.”

“So considerate of you, but then, you’ve always been considerate.”

“As have you.”

“I do hope we don’t have to go through some tedious business of you pretending to brief me, and me pretending to listen to you.”

“I don’t think that would be in either my interest or yours, Josef,” replied Maertyn. “I will offer to answer any questions you might have.”

“I do appreciate that, but then, as I just said, you always have been most overtly considerate, Maertyn.” Josef paused, then asked, “Given the timing of the extension of my inspection tour of universities, I presume that you had no idea that you would be positioned as acting assistant minister.”

“You presume correctly. I had thought to deliver my research report and to depart as quickly and quietly as possible.”

“You did not think that Hlaansk’s request for your return was unusual?”

“He has been known to insist on accountability and to make an issue of it by example. I had no reason to believe otherwise.”

“I suppose not.” Josef’s tone was bland. “I also presume that you avoided reallocating any potential surplus funds to Protective Services Research.”

“Of course. That was clearly Minister Hlaansk’s agenda, and I presumed that he wished to spare you the…difficulty…of the differences between you.”

“You put that so diplomatically, Maertyn, but you always have been that. I trust you understand that, in this time of fiscal exigency, there is little possibility of extending your research project.”

“I never assumed there was any possibility of an extension, regardless of any small success I may yet achieve. That was one reason why I requested additional equipment.”

“And doubtless why a copy of that request went to Hlaansk?”

“I did wish to make sure he was informed.”

“So very thoughtful of you, Maertyn.”

“With so much at stake, I felt he should know.”

Josef didn’t even nod.

“Is there anything else?” asked Maertyn.

“I think not.”

“Then I should leave you to catch up on matters. I doubt you’ll find any surprises at all.”

“I expect not.” After the briefest of pauses, Josef added, “You’ll be leaving before long, I assume.” His smile was warm and solicitous, and Maertyn distrusted it totally.

“Tomorrow afternoon.”

“Give my best to your lovely lady.”

“I will.” Maertyn inclined his head just slightly, then turned and left the office he had inhabited so comparatively briefly. No one said a word to him as he made his way out of the subministry and then down to the main entrance and outside.

The sky was clear, but the sun shone down without much warmth, and the pale haze that was the Selene Ring barely sparkled in the winter light as Maertyn made his way to the car park and the runabout.

For all his vigilance on the drive back to his town home, he could detect no close followers. Once home, he picked up the waiting shoulder bag and then turned to Rhesten, who had come into the rear foyer, possibly from his own quarters.

“Rhesten, I’d appreciate it if you’d come with me in the runabout. I have a task that will take two of us. You won’t be gone that long.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once they were in the runabout, Maertyn eased the vehicle out of the garage and onto the avenue, heading for the tube-train station.

“You’re departing, sir?”

“I am.”

“Might I ask about your return?”

“I have a year and four months left on my assignment at the canal. I can’t say whether I’ll be back again before then. That’s largely up to the Ministry. If I am called back, I’ll let you know as soon as I’m informed.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he approached the tube-train station, Maertyn guided the runabout into the narrow private vehicle drive up to the drop-off portico. There he halted the runabout and slipped out, carrying his shoulder bag. “Thank you, Rhesten. As I said, I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I will keep you informed.”

“Very good, sir. We’ll keep everything the way you like it.”

“Thank you.” Maertyn smiled, then turned and hurried from the covered portico past the local tube transit corridor and then through the main archway across the pale golden surface of the main concourse to the public booking screens—hardly ever used, except by guards and others without full comm-links.
Or by lords who do not wish their intentions known until the comparatively last moment.

The booking screen in the upper level of the tube-train station showed only lounge seats on the local to Semelin, leaving in less than an hour, but a compartment on the following express that went to Brathym and then, after an hour’s delay, on to Daelmar.

Maertyn accepted those arrangements, although the waiting in Semelin and Brathym concerned him, and made his way to the ramp leading down to the platform from where the train to Semelin would depart.

32 Quad 2471 R.E.

Eltyn spent another two hours working on the power modifications to Faelyna’s projector…until his eyes burned. Since no more missiles had arrived, he decided to take a break and replace the main exterior scanning antenna with the remaining spare.

Heading out. Antenna replacement.

Attackers in the locale?

Negative. Local antennae = limited range.

Be careful
³
!

As possible. [grateful appreciation]

Eltyn left the antenna inside while he carried the collapsible ladder out and set it up just outside the door on the south side of the station. He positioned it so that he could climb right up to the flat top of the second level and replace the damaged antenna. Then he ducked back inside to get the antenna.

Rhyana stood there, projectile rifle in hand. “You need some cover?”

“There’s no one out there right now. The only thing that could happen is another missile, and the rifle wouldn’t help much in that case. I’m going to replace the scanning antenna before they let loose again.”

“You sure you don’t want help?”

“Not right now.” Eltyn stepped outside, grasped the replacement antenna, and clambered up the ladder, the waist tool bag banging against the ladder. Once he was onto the flat surface of the top of the station, he moved quickly to the antenna assembly…or what was left of it. He laid down the new assembly, pulled out the pliers from the tool bag, and twisted away the first release clip. The second one caught, and it took him several attempts to wrench it free. Then he had to reset the base and replace another clip, before he could begin to slide the new antenna into place. The first of the new clips went into position easily, but the second, predictably, stuck, and he had to slowly wiggle it into place.

Then he wiped his steaming forehead with the back of his sleeve, trying to get the dampness out of the corners of his eyes because the combination of sweat and fine grit still in the hot air burned and blurred his vision.

FLASH! Urgent! Incoming missiles!
flared the local system warning.

Retract and shield!
Eltyn snapped as he grabbed the broken assembly and scrambled for the ladder.
Report status.

All shields in place.

Eltyn tossed the broken assembly off the top of the station, then started down the ladder, half-sliding and half-climbing. He made it down and halfway inside the station doorway when the first missile exploded, just southwest of the station, by the sound, which was cut off by the stone closing behind him.

Status? [concern]
pulsed immediately from Faelyna.

Fine…barely.
He was touched by the warmth behind her inquiry. If only…

Riffies must have minidrone overhead somewhere.

Or control of the local geosat
, he pulsed back.

“You all right, sir?” Rhyana’s question was almost a demand. “Cutting it a little close, if you ask me.”

“I’m fine. In a few minutes, I’d like to see if we can reclaim the ladder.”

“You think they’ll drop more bombs?”

“Missiles,” corrected Eltyn, “they’re using some sort of drone to target us. But there’s a delay between observation and when the missile hits.” He accessed the station system, trying to get an idea of whether more missiles were inbound.

The local antennae showed nothing. He decided to wait before deploying the newly replaced main scanning antenna.

“Sir?” pressed Rhyana.

“What is it?”

“Do you believe in spirits, sir?”

“Spirits? Discorporate entities? Why?”

“I’ve seen one. Here in the station. Around the time the first missile came down outside. It was a woman. She wasn’t dressed like anyone I ever saw. She had amber hair and amber eyes, and she wore a long dress of golden cloth trimmed in silver-gray.”

“Was she shadowy, the way they say spirits are?”

“No, sir. She looked right real. She looked sad, too. Then she was gone, like a video image that lost its signal or power.”

Rhyana’s seeing images
, Eltyn pulsed Faelyna.
Or she did, when the first missiles came in. She’s not the type to have hysterical visions.

Might have been a projection harmonic, but we weren’t projecting then.

Thought you should know.

Have to think about that.

“What is it, sir?”

“I was checking with Faelyna, to see if she did something different then. If you see something odd again, let one of us know.”

“I can do that, sir.”

“Thank you.”
Unshield main antenna. Scan.

Once the antenna was deployed, Eltyn tracked the findings in all directions. As he’d suspected, there was a blip almost directly overhead, at one point four kays—mostly likely the minidrone observing the station.

Confirming minidrone overhead.
He could sense Faelyna’s presence on the system even before he finished.

Noted. Too bad it’s out of range of anything we have.

Agreed
²
.

Eltyn turned to Rhyana. “Let’s recover that ladder—quickly.”

“Yes, sir.”

Eltyn pressed the door and watched as the stone flowed back into itself, then crossed the four yards to the ladder, where he pressed the retraction stud. Nervously, he checked the system again, but there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary—except the minidrone overhead.

The ladder retracted into itself slowly, or so it seemed to Eltyn, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other until it had compacted itself and he could finally pick up the handles of the heavy oblong.

Incoming missile!
announced the system.

“Inside!” he snapped to Rhyana.
Shield antennae and report!

All shielded.

In moments, the two of them were back inside the station. Eltyn moved back behind the wall, not standing in the opening as the door closed.

Less than two minutes later, the warhead arrived, close enough that even the shielded antennae recorded the impact.

We went out to recover the ladder. In minutes, we had an incoming.

The riffies want to keep us penned up.

Or pinned down
, replied Eltyn.

“Sir?” asked Rhyana.

“We’ll have to stay inside for now.”

“Like to set the riffie outside and let him get the greetings the others sent.” She shook her head. “Might as well check on him.” She headed down to the lower level.

Since there was clearly no point in attempting any more ventures outside, Eltyn made his way to Faelyna’s work space. She didn’t look up as he entered the other large main-floor chamber.

“Any progress on the shadow operatives for color changes on the commands?” he inquired.

“I have some options in the structure and presentation of the commands. I need you to finish the power modifications to the projector.”

[embarrassment] With all the missiles…forgot I hadn’t finished them.
He sat down at the adjoining table.
Shouldn’t take long.

We have some time. More than enough. [warm cynicism]

Because the riffies are trying to keep us inside?

What else?

“Have you figured out if the entire universe is fermionically entangled?” Eltyn resumed work on reassembling the modules for the projector.

“The entire universe is entangled, but that wasn’t the question. You asked whether all universes were entangled.”

“Are they?”

Immediate reaction = yes. Reason says no. Trust reaction, even without proof.

By that logic, with which Eltyn did not disagree, he suspected that Rhyana had indeed seen someone very real—real in some fashion—and that the ghost or image or whatever it happened to be was indeed linked to what he and Faelyna were doing.