Defiant (an Ell Donsaii story #9) (7 page)

“Do we have any way to tell if they
are
building single-ports?”

“No sir. Our rocket is still there monitoring their system. If they undertook the building of another megastructure, which would suggest that they had reached another solar system and begun raiding it for resources, we would recognize that. But if our solar system was the first one they reached…”

“What if they find the rocket?” Blythe asked.

“That rocket’s a very small needle in the very large haystack of their solar system. However, if they did find it, we should be able to crash it into something at a high velocity and destroy it.” She shrugged, “My intent is to port some observational devices to their system through the existing rocket. Those devices will be packed with thermite and appropriate igniters so that they could be melted down even if they were picked up. Then I can fly that existing rocket into their sun to eliminate it as a concern.”

Blythe said doubtfully, “And what adverse event do you imagine might have resulted if Sigwald had been run by Dr. Ementhal’s committee?”

“I see a lot of failure points. An ill-advised answer that allowed the sigmas to recognize the possibility that single-ended ports exist. Dithering at the time that the sigmas were removing the two-ended port from Sigwald, possibly allowing them to make off with that port and use it somehow to send ports through it to our system. Other negotiations that tipped them off to technology we don’t want them to have. This of course does not even consider the tremendous danger that someone on the committee could accidentally, or even intentionally, release single-port technology here on earth.”

Fladwami said, “Uh, you told me that the single-ports wouldn’t be dangerous because they are only capable of opening at distances of less than 5 mm or greater than one AU.”

Ell grimaced, “I did say that. I’m sorry but that was not true. At the time I thought it might be safe to release some single-ports of the controlled types you just mentioned. I’ve since concluded that the risks that someone might reverse engineer the single-ports outweighs their benefits.” She sighed, “At present I’m intending that I be the
only
one to make or use them. I expect that someday, someone else will figure out how to make single-ended ports. Hopefully that person will show similar restraint.”

Fladwami couldn’t believe his ears. “You’re
not
going to release this technology at all?!”

Donsaii simply shook her head.

Flood narrowed his eyes. “I’m not a techno geek but I’m not sure that any of us have the
right
to suppress technology.”

“That’s as may be sir. I do have the
ability
.”

Flood rocked back, “You mean just because you own the technology?”

“Because I’m the
only
one who knows how to do it,” she said quietly.

“But what about the people who’ve built them for you?”

“I’ve had help building parts of them, for instance the power supply, but
no
one else actually understands
how
they work or could reproduce the necessary circuits.”

The four men glanced at one another, Amundsen grinning at the others. He said, “I told you to expect astonishing things from this young lady.”

Flood finally said, “So, you’re saying that even if Congress passed the Blaustein bill requiring you to divulge the technology, you simply would not comply?”

Looking miserably unhappy but very determined, Donsaii said, “That is correct sir.”

For a moment Flood looked like he might explode. Fladwami knew from experience that he had a hard time keeping his temper when he thought his underlings were insubordinate. Fladwami worried that Flood might feel that her proposed refusal to comply with Congress represented a form of defiance. However, Flood took a long breath, blew it out and then said, “OK, well, we’ll have to see how things go.” He looked around at his advisors, “Personally I think I should formally oppose this bill before Congress. How do you feel?”

Blythe said, “I’m ambivalent, but will support whatever you decide.”

Fladwami twisted his lips a moment, then said, “I have a strong dislike for Dr. Ementhal. I hope that has not clouded my judgment, but I wouldn’t want him in charge of a situation like the one at Sigma Draconis either.”

Flood turned to Amundsen, who grinned, “I would, and have, already trusted this young woman with my country, my life and the lives of my children. Therefore I agree with her, we should oppose the Blaustein bill. The important question of what to do next won’t come until Dr. Donsaii is no longer around, which hopefully won’t be for a long, long time…”

***

Ell’s AI said, “You’ve got a call from Vivian.”

“Connect me to her… Hey Vivian, what’s up?”

Vivian sighed, “Warren Newton got back to me. They found a port… well, actually the remains of a port, at that coffee shop that blew up in Manhattan.”

“Could it have been unrelated?”

“You mean, like just a port that was there for some other reason? Seems pretty unlikely. They found it relatively undamaged because it was behind a cabinet where the bomber dropped it. It had been glued into the end of a piece of PVC pipe… we’re not sure why.”

“Maybe to keep the opening from getting blocked when they dropped it back there?”

Ell could hear the shrug in Vivian’s voice, “Yeah, could be. The pipe had some holes drilled in its sides. But Ell, here’s the real problem. It was an electrical port… you know, one of the ones designed only for wires. Those ports are all coated with that compound that dissolves in organic compounds to break the circuit and shut the port down. The bastards
shouldn’t
have been able to send very much propane through that kind of port without disrupting the circuit!”

“Wait, propane is a gas, how can it dissolve anything?”

“Well, when you’ve got straight propane pouring through the port, the concentration is so high that it penetrates this compound and softens it enough for the wires to move.”

After a long pause, Ell said slowly, “What if they slid a long tube through the port and put the propane through the tube? Then there wouldn’t be all that much propane near the port or in contact with the…”

“Shit!” Vivian swore resignedly. “Yeah, that’s probably what they did. The PVC pipe was to keep them from being blocked from passing the tube. Dammit! We didn’t find such a tube, but they probably pulled it back out right before they sent in the spark to blow the building.”

Ell sighed, “We need a different method to make sure they aren’t putting flammables through the port.”

“Yeah,” Vivian said, “I’m fresh out of ideas though.”

“Let me think about it.”

***

Ell’s Ford Focus dropped her off in front of the Sparlock’s house and she went up to knock at the door. Ruth opened the door and her eyes flashed wide to see Ell standing there. “Oh!” she clapped her hand to her chest, “Ms. Donsaii… I mean Dr. Donsaii!”

Ell gave her a crooked smile, “Please call me Ell, and thank you so much for the invitation! I brought a dessert… where should I put it?”

“Oh! Thank you. Right over here.” Ruth gave Ell a hug and took the pie from her, noting with a mild sense of superiority that the pie looked store bought. She carried it over to the dining room table where the food was being set up, speaking back over her shoulder, “We’re
so
glad you could come. Everyone told me you’d be far too busy.”

“Well, knowing your neighbors is important. Do you have these get togethers frequently?”

“No, this is our first one, but I think we
should
have them every so often so we can all get to know one another.” Setting down the pie, she guided Ell out the back door, “Jack!”

One of a group of four men outside on the patio turned and looked at Ruth.

“Ell, this is my husband Jack.” Ruth turned back to Jack, “You remember that Dr. Donsaii lives on the farm out back?”

Two of the men standing with Jack looked as startled as he did. A moment later, realizing that he should, Barrett from Ell’s security detail raised his eyebrows in surprise too.

Ell stepped over to them and shook their hands, “Call me Ell.”

Even though she’d hired one of the neighborhood teenagers to keep an eye on the little kids, playing the hostess kept Ruth busy. Even so, she managed to keep an eye on her famous guest. Donsaii might have brought a store bought pie, but she didn’t act the least bit uppity. She talked to people easily. Ruth found it irritating the way the men’s eyes followed Donsaii around, but the girl was just wearing jeans, flip flops and a loose t-shirt. It wasn’t as if she’d purposefully dressed sexily to draw the men’s eyes.

Ruth approached the little group of people the young woman was with; somehow expecting that Donsaii would be holding forth on some topic.

Instead Mary Fenster was telling everyone about how her new dog had chewed her expensive furniture! Donsaii listened with no indication of boredom. When Mary finished her story Ruth felt sure that the conversation would turn to their famous guest. Instead Jake Stelbecht started his own story about a difficult to house train beagle.

When Donsaii finally said something, it was in response to a direct question from Bill Newkirk, “So, Ms. Donsaii, how do you feel now that you’re the fastest human on the planet?”

Donsaii actually winced at the question. “No different than I did a few weeks ago Bill.” Then instead of expounding on her answer she asked a question about the story Stephanie Jones had been telling just before Bill asked his question. This successfully turned the conversation away from Donsaii herself.

Ruth was just noticing that her next door neighbor Raquel, the one who had given her the idea to have the party hadn’t arrived yet, when Ell came up. “Yes Ell?”

“Thank you so much for having me over. I’ve just had a call from work and there’s a problem I’ve got to go in for.”

“But we’re just about to eat! Can’t you just stay a few more minutes to eat some of your neighbors’ food?”

Ell winked, “Maybe I could just take a stack of cookies with me?”

Ruth bundled some cookies up in a napkin and saw her to the door where Ell gave her a hug before leaving. When she returned to her guests she felt no surprise to hear them describing Donsaii in glowing terms. “Such a nice young woman.”

“Not at all stuck up like I expected.”

“Couldn’t even get her to talk about herself.”

“Wouldn’t even know she had a gold medal if I hadn’t seen it in the news.”

“A lot of fun to talk to.” This last surprised Ruth because she’d hardly heard Donsaii say anything. She hid a grin when she realized the truth of the statement.
Talk to
, indeed. The young woman had been a great listener, and after all, almost everyone secretly preferred to speak themselves rather than listen to anyone else.

“Hey Ruth, sorry we’re late.”

Ruth turned to find Raquel behind her with a fruit salad. She arched an eyebrow, “I’ll say you’re sorry.
Donsaii
was here!”

“Oh! Did I miss her?”

“Completely!” Ruth raised an eyebrow, “Next time you won’t be fashionably late to one of
my
parties?”

“Oh, I’m sorry I missed her,” She shrugged, “but I work for D5R, so I do see her out there sometimes.” Raquel indicated a handsome man with tousled blond hair standing beside her. “This is my husband, Shan.”

Wow!
Ruth thought,
that’s a good looking man!
“Hello Shan.” She gave him a little hug. Turning to Raquel she said, “You didn’t tell me you work with Donsaii!”

“Oh! I don’t really work
with
her. I work at the same place and run into her occasionally. I get sent here and there by the company so I don’t even spend all that much time out there at the local facility. And, Donsaii herself isn’t there all the time. Besides, we don’t work on the same things, so we don’t actually see each other very much.”

Ruth thought Raquel seemed a little defensive.
I’ll bet if I asked Ell, she wouldn’t even know who Raquel is.
“Well she seemed very nice.” She lowered her voice, “The men certainly enjoyed looking at her if you know what I mean.”

Raquel said, “She is kinda cute.”

Now that’s an understatement,
Ruth thought to herself,
I’ll bet Raquel’s a little jealous, but then, who wouldn’t be?
“Well the food’s served; let’s get you guys some plates.”

Chapter Three

“Ah, September in Carolina,” Steve sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Ell had sponsored a barbecue for her security team at the farm. Perfect weather had graced them. A caterer had delivered pulled pork and chopped beef brisket with big buns to load it onto. Potato salad, green salad, beans and some peach cobbler to finish it off with. A cooler full of a variety of beer provided a mellow atmosphere. The team’s members were taking turns trying out the hoverbike, staying low over the field out in the middle of the farm so that the trees would hide them from view of the road.

Barrett got up and headed out for his turn on the bike, leaving Ell and Steve alone on the porch for a bit. Quietly Ell said, “Steve?”

Steve lifted his head and turned her way, “Yeah?”

“I’d like to have an unrecorded conversation. Can you pop the chip out of your headset?”

He said nothing, just pulled off his headband, popped out the chip and raised an eyebrow.

“You know about the Blaustein bill before Congress?”

His eyes narrowed, “Uh huh?”

“Even if it passes, I don’t think I could release that technology.”

“Couldn’t… or wouldn’t?”

“Wouldn’t, I guess.”

“Because?”

“It’s a horrific weapon. Remember when we rescued Vivian, you used it that night?”

“I
thought
that might be how we did that. I was using a one ended port to shoot two ended ports into that trailer and you put gas through them?”

“Uh huh.”

“And if anyone could get their hands on them?”