Regan's Reach 4: Avarice (30 page)

[Do you think he's telling the truth Ham?]
Regan asked.

[It's hard to tell, he's so shaken up by
the experience, and he's still in shock . . . I can't rely on his vital signs
for any indication of truthfulness. I guess it's possible.]

[Let's take him back, there's no point in
hanging around here; we can question him more once he's calmed down.]

[Back where Regan?]

[Back to the Fair Passage, that's the ship
that will be held up anyway with quarantine, if we take him there and keep him
under cabin arrest it means the Behemoth and Ascendant can commence
disembarking as soon as we arrive at Rexis. Ham, what's the situation with
Brian's crew, they could be headed into problems? Regis . . .] She looked down
with growing disappointment at the still crying man, [Regis could be on a war
footing.]

[They are all aboard the STEIN Traveler and
underway as we speak, it's too late for me to update but we can always jump
there soon after Brian and his team arrive. In any case Regan, we did discuss
this before they left; they will be expecting that Regis might feel under
attack, especially after the earlier incident.]

[How will they get into the palace if they
are on the alert?]

[If I know myself, which I think I do well,
all pretence of stealth will be gone. I'd bring the STEIN in over the palace
and displace the troops straight in there, four by four until they have the full
complement. Regan, regardless of the welcome, we will get the job done. If we
have to destroy the palace to do it we will, we will eliminate the virus threat.]

She didn't seem convinced but there was
nothing more to be said and she returned her attention to their guest. "Perin."
She called and waited. "Perin! Pull yourself together man; your ship has
gone down and there are questions to be answered."

"I don't know anything, I told you, I
was warned and I got out like a coward, it would be better if I had died there
with them, I can't return home now."

Ham snorted loudly. "Well in that case
you'd better get used to living with the likes of me then."

"Enough Ham, just get us back to the
Fair Passage. We'll deal with this there. Perin, you're going to have to move,
you're sitting in my chair." She stood waiting until he grudgingly rose
and to her disgust wiped his snotty hand on the arm as he did so.

Incredulous she watched as he meekly
shifted to the furthest chair. "Men!" she muttered loudly as she
walked to the galley for a cloth.

Ham said nothing, preparing for the warp
jump that would take them back to the Fair Passage. He wanted to be close
enough to impress Lucas, but not so close that he earned Hilary's wrath - easy.

* * *

Palace of the Founders, Rexis

The senate amphitheatre looked sadly empty
with two thirds of the seats vacant. Still, there were one hundred and thirty
seven aged senators present and all wanted to have a say. The widespread panic
over the implications of the explosion and the deaths of the Regis delegation
had reached a crescendo in the chambers with many demanding answers and action;
of both there was precious little in evidence.

"ENOUGH!" The voice reverberated
around the amphitheatre with a volume that commanded attention from all.
Silence settled as people scanned for the owner of the voice that so silenced
the masses and then, once identified, muttering sprang up quickly at the
impertinence of it . . . it was Bob.

With a frustration that radiated from his
android Bob strode to the centre rostrum and calmly, somewhat coolly panned the
scattered members with eyes that brooked no argument. He began softly.

"Enough brethren; we have pressed on
in denial for far too long. The events of today have been coming for a long
time, and we have asked, nay, fair begged for it. We are all at fault here.
Your reliance on my kind, your enjoyment of us, even your growing need for our
support has left you flabby and unprepared for change. Equally our help has not
served you well, we have enabled your decline, not intentionally, but we are
equally to blame nonetheless. Our enabling has led to the situation we now
face, the possible invasion by your distant brethren and the possible
annihilation of my kind. Your vision of freedom for all could soon be replaced
by rigid fundamentalism of a kind that will see within one generation the
advances many of your fathers worked so hard for completely lost." Bob
paused, letting the pressure build. He stepped away from the rostrum and down
one level to draw nearer to the people. Holding a small gavel in his hand he
spoke to it as if it were alive, a technique he had observed Regan use with
effect.

"Brethren - events have overtaken us -
our plans to repopulate with peaceful colonists from Earth, to continue family
lines via artificial insemination, to begin to trade with other branches of the
galaxy and continue the development your fathers valued so highly; all these
plans are at risk now." He looked up briefly to scan the silent crowd
before resuming his downward look. "Our future depends now on Regan Stein,
not just as a partner, but as a deliverer. She and her team offer our only hope
to subdue the Regis people, or at least contain them, and to deliver the Minds
from destruction. We were working with her, but now brethren; if we are to
survive we must recognize that without her deliverance of us we are nothing. We
do not work
with
her now Brethren, we must recognize we work
for
her. It is time . . ." he paused before looking up quickly, ". . . time
for change
. She is our only hope."

No one challenged Bob's words and
inexplicably the chamber simply began to clear with all leaving for homes and
offices, to be with loved ones in case of war . . . and to wait.

* * *

The STEIN Traveler, in Regis orbit

In Regis orbit the STEIN traveler had an
unfinished look, missing as it was the Transport off on mission with Marin and
Leah, and with the Interceptor picking up the sole survivor of the Regis
delegation. The clean slice off the bottom of the STEIN and the gap on the top
where the Interceptor would normally rest meant the sphere looked unfinished,
weakened even. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every surface of the
STEIN Traveler with or without the various transport options in place was
impregnated with billions of the effectors that were the key to displacement
and its defense. Ham had no worries about attacks from Regis and everyone
within the vessel would be safe. It was their safety once outside the STEIN
that worried him greatly as he settled them in their orbit and considered the
next moves of their occupation.

On the larger level six storage deck
Brian's troops milled around all going through their own routines of preparing
body armor, weapons, emergency supplies and miscellaneous equipment, much of it
intensely personal. One thing they wore in common was the headset which incorporated
glasses provided by Regan. Using it Ham could provide instant heads up displays
and communication between soldiers. With the ability to relay signals via
individual soldiers it was unlikely they would be caught out as he and Bob had been
on their last visit.

One aspect of the mission had changed.
Signals from the surface indicated the planet was in a state of emergency and
team safety concerns had escalated considerably. Instead of traveling down by
Pod and Interceptor Ham decided they would now take the direct route. He would
simply position the STEIN over the palace and sit there displacing anything the
Regis forces might fire at her, either back toward the attackers or allowing
the projectiles to fly on and do damage elsewhere. Then four by four he would
displace the soldiers directly into the palace, varying the placement to ensure
perfect spread for a takeover.

Only Brian, of this group, had experienced
displacement before and he had them practicing now as it would be essential
that they emerged, not laughing but ready for action. Brian knew how heady the
realization of displacement could be, it was a true 'beam me up Scotty'
experience for someone who had never done it before and one they would never
forget. But the men might never get a second chance if they were met with
resistance from some trigger happy guard. Over and over he had groups jogging
to the elevator, up to level four and then Ham would displace them back to the
level six deck. Everyone had now experienced seven such jumps and the thrill
was already starting to wear off.

Brian watched quietly as the last groups
displaced in and then left them to it; it was time for discussion with Ham in the
control room. Slipping away from the group he took the elevator to level two
and wandered through to the galley for coffee. Suitably prepared he joined Ham
in front of the big screen, noting his friend had chosen an android that looked
more powerful than anything he remembered.

"You're not thinking of going down there
with us are you?"

"Don't worry; I won't get in your way.
It occurred to me that the best way to make sure the way is clear without loss
of life would be for me to flash displace first, then if it's all clear the
next four can displace after me. If we do that really fast and group by group
it won't cause any real delay."

Brian listened quietly then asked the
obvious. "What happens if they take you out, I mean, we need you for the
mission."

"It will be a copy of me; I'll still
be here with the STEIN in central control."

"Shit Ham, it will still be a 'you'
getting blasted, bugger me, does it hurt?"

Ham smiled. "Let's look at it another
way, what if one of you gets taken out unnecessarily, Regan would never forgive
me, now, does that hurt?"

Brian shrugged. "Okay, I guess that
will work, and what happens if you find the room is occupied?"

"Then we will quickly try another
spot. I can make that call virtually instantly and communicate it to your guys
via the headsets at the same time."

Finally he got a nod from Brian, "Okay,
I'm with you, so when do we move?"

"As planned, we'll wait for the end of
the day. They clear the palace of visitors quickly as they shut down and
darkness comes early at this time of year, we should have a free run with tired
crews waiting to knock off."

"So, end of the day," he raised
his wrist watch, "how long have we got?"

"Five and a half hours from now, on
the dot. I'll displace the ship down there so fast they won't see it coming. A
quick EM pulse will disable the palace electronics, although remember emergency
lighting will still come on. Alarms etcetera should be disabled and we will sit
hovering above the palace while you displace in. From there we follow the plan
and take the palace, securing the technical facility as an absolute priority."

"How will we know we have this virus
thing secured?"

"Leave that to me." Ham didn't
elaborate.

"O - K." Though Brian still looked
doubtful he didn't question, and anything to do with a virus of any kind he was
happy to avoid; a bullet he could take happily provided it was in the right
spot, a virus - no.

* * *

Ham guided the Interceptor in through the
field screen and straight on to the deck for the moment. Regan watched Perin as
they approached, his eyes never leaving the screen and she noted his awe at the
huge liner and the images of the Behemoth and the Ascendant they could see
beyond. That look was nothing compared to his present amazement as they were
swallowed by the Fair Passage and entered the flight decks. It was only then
that the scale could truly be appreciated. The Interceptor was a tiny fly
entering a gaping maw.

They disembarked quickly and Regan firmly
guided Perin toward the elevators, she and Ham flanking him guardedly but not
so attentive as to alarm those interested watchers amongst the passengers
jogging the perimeter. As they entered the elevator Regan subbed Charlotte
knowing her words would be transferred via the earpiece.

 [Charlie, its Regan, I'm sure you know
we're back and that we have a passenger. I'm wondering where we should put him
until we're ready for questioning; he looks pretty washed out.]

"Welcome back Regan," Charlotte’s
familiar voice simply registered in Regan's mind, "I suggest the cabin
Leith was in, it's near to mine and it's available. He'll be handy then too
when you want to talk."

[Will do babe, and after that we'll meet in
control.]

Charlotte smiled happily,
babe? - I am
one of the team it seems.

It took only a few minutes to reach the
empty cabin and Regan was impressed with its size.
Hmm,
she thought,
Leith
certainly did have pull with the Commander.

Perin had said nothing since leaving the
Interceptor, seemingly overwhelmed or perhaps simply tired, and indeed as she
explained that he would be confined there he seemed to deflate, events of the
past day finally overcoming him. She could tell he would soon sleep and decided
to say no more for now. She nodded farewell and stepped out behind Ham as the
door slid closed with a swish.