Regan's Reach 4: Avarice (5 page)

And the thought came suddenly, and so
completely it permeated her being . . .

It's going to be all right
.

* * * * *

Chapter Two

Thirteen months later: The Orbital, Hillary Station, Year Eleven

They jogged
together at a steady pace but with the sense that all five were preparing to
break for home. The runners, Regan, Leah, Marin, Ham and Jared drew stares and
greetings as they passed others also exercising in the rim tube.

Both she and Leah knew winning was hopeless
but nevertheless they tried again, breaking away from the others one kilometer
from home, picking up the pace and trying to fill the track space so they
couldn't be passed. First Jared, then Ham flashed through and then Marin,
sprinting vainly after the first two. In only a few strides they were gone, the
gap opening quickly despite both women's best efforts to keep up.

[Dang they're quick.] Leah began to slow
her stride and Regan matched her as they jogged on now at their own pace,
already knowing the result. Ham would pace Jared all the way, working him
harder and harder, turning him into a superb young athlete. Marin with his long
stride would do his manly best to keep up but really, there was no chance and
he knew it. And as always, she and Leah would pace themselves to the end, minds
shifting to the shower, and the pleasure.

[That boy could run in the Olympics one day
if he wanted to I reckon.] Regan subbed.

[Do you think that would interest him?]
Leah asked, laughing at the thought.

Regan joined in the laughter. [No way, too
much regimented training for Jared's liking. No, his interests lie elsewhere.]

[When is the big day for him?]

[For his neural web you mean? Soon - he's
thirteen, Ham feels he's ready now and with the trip to Rigel coming up I want
him to be fully recovered, in fact it's decided; we won't leave until he is.]

At just the mention of the star Rigel,
Regan drifted off in her thoughts and Leah could tell immediately her mind was
elsewhere. Long used to these somewhat rude abandonments she smiled and shook
her head, still in wonder that Regan could surf cyber space in an instant and
be reasonably present with her at the same time.  

Meanwhile Regan had switched to autopilot,
one part of her mind jogging, the other accessing the data stream and searching
out vid feeds of the Rigel fleet. She could see them there floating together majestically
just off the earthward end of Hillary Station; three huge ships, the Behemoth,
the Ascendant and the passenger liner Fair Passage leased from Reubus. She
followed the many shuttles as they zipped back and forth between the fleet and
Hillary Station, ferrying colonists and crew backward and forward, as they took
the opportunity to explore the Orbital and all its delights. There were
eighteen hundred in total for this trip and they would be quickly followed by many
more, all willing and able applicants eager to grab this opportunity for a new
start, in an advanced society, with all the excitement that comes with it. They
were mostly young, and with more women than men this would be quite a trip she
knew. Fortunately, thanks to Aaron, it wouldn't be a long journey.

Three steps would be required; three jumps
through the portals plus short warp jumps between each station. Three weeks in
total, and even with the high numbers aboard that would be very manageable.

Ham's number one enforcer and her sometimes
bodyguard Brian Timu would be an interesting addition. Brian's crew of one hundred
ex SAS and Marines would make a compact but powerful fighting force, small in
numbers but immensely able, especially for the task she had in mind. Like the
Gliese system, the Orion Nebula hadn't seen fighting for generations however
Regan's most recent jumps there had shown her the peace would soon be broken,
unless . . . they took the initiative and asserted themselves first. It still
troubled her that she, Regan Stein, would make the first strike and at that
thought she faltered in her stride before recovering and matching pace with
Leah.

Mentally she then shifted her thoughts again
and began to review her diary commitments for the next few days. As always
Hilary had everything in order.

First she would need to jump through to the
Gliese star system for a meeting with Ham's fellow Mind, Tihan of Tihan
Orbital. Then, depending on the outcome of those discussions, she would meet
with Aaron back at Hillary Station.
Hmm, I wonder if Reubus will join Tihan
for the meeting
. She ground her teeth at the thought. The Orbital Minds of
Gliese generally got on well but Reubus was clearly asserting himself.

Her thoughts shifted to the matters of
home.
And Jared; tomorrow is the day. We must make the decision if he is to
be ready for the trip to Rigel, I must talk with Ham.

[And Regan?] The mind intrusion came gently
– the gracious lady.

[Yes Hilary?]

[We also have the command crew meeting
tomorrow afternoon. With only two weeks to go before departure we need to
coordinate. You should allow time to prepare.]

[Thank you Hil, I will, but do please
remind me if I forget.]

[Will do.]

She pounded on, a glance to the side reassuring
her that Leah was still happy and her thoughts quickly returned to the
operation.

[Ham, we need to talk about Jared, and
getting it done.]

[I've been ready to go for a while; you
know that, it's you who's been procrastinating.]

[Well, regardless of that, we need to do it
now if he's going to be ready, but I'd still like a sit down talk with you
first, you know I'm not comfortable with things.]

[If we are going to talk about the
operation, Jared should be there.]

[I'm not so sure Ham; I think you and I
should decide this.]

[Are you mad Regan? The boy is thirteen
going on thirty and we're messing with his head. There is no question he should
be in on the decision making. Look - I know why you're reluctant, but you don't
need to worry, it's the outcome that's important.]

[Yeah right - but you two always gang up on
me. Ham, if there are decisions on what you're going to do I don't think it should
come down to a vote.]

[Regan you're right, it shouldn't be a vote
it should be a decision, Jared's decision. It's his mind and his body, he
should decide.]

She ran on, thinking deeply about Ham's
words and hardly noticing that she had picked up the pace in her tension.
Effortlessly Leah matched her, wondering what was going on in that computer
brain.

[Okay, Ham, we'll discuss it tonight. You set
things up with Jared please, I'm going to be busy throughout the day.]

[Regan, relax, we're doing the right thing;
I have great plans and I'm sure he'll be excited.]

[That's what worries me.]

They were coming to the gym exit now and
Leah broke into a final withering sprint. Regan let her go, watching the trim
figure open up the gap while already anticipating the relaxing warm down and
shower. Marin would be there waiting, she knew, and at just the thought she began
her own sprint to the finish line.

Ham, not needing to shower, had already
displaced to the earthward flight decks for a meeting with Brian, his operant
extraordinaire. Marin had wandered through to the private showers to wait for
the girls while Jared, having hardly worked up a sweat strolled through to the
gym.

Not being a school day, Jared found more
children there than normal and he scowled, knowing the unwanted attention that
would come his way from the younger ones. He could also see there were fewer
adults working out than normal and guessed most of the regulars had avoided the
gym rather than share with the kids. Certainly he knew the grav free room would
be an adult free area today and he determined to avoid it himself, not
interested in playing. Moving to the bench press a scuffle by the changing
rooms caught his attention. Curious he peered through the other gym goers to
make out what he could.

There were two older boys, a tall Coran he
knew only by sight and his usual partner in crime, the odious human, Gabriel Bishop
or 'Gabe' as he liked to be called. Bishop was a bully, usually of much younger
boys; however if he could gather support his attentions occasionally extended
to those from Jared's year. It didn't bother Jared particularly as they avoided
him and with good reason as the son of the founder was not one to touch. Jared
however longed for Gabe to try. They seemed to be dragging a boy to the grav
room and he stretched up to try and make out who it was . . . and froze; it was
Ruben, Aaron's son.

None of this had escaped the attention of Hilary
who always monitored proceedings as with everything on station, never letting
things get too out of hand but always trying to leave space for the normal
rough and tumble of life and relationships. She tracked Jared now as he calmly
began a stealthy slide through the exercising crowd like a cat on the hunt. His
look made her wonder whether preemptive intervention might be required, however
in her moments of dithering he was suddenly there and she decided to watch
instead. It wouldn't be too late to stop them if she needed to.

"What are you doing?" Jared asked
nicely and the two older boys hesitated in their steps, turning to see who was
speaking.

Ruben recognized the voice and desperately
appealed for help. "Jared, they're going to kick me around." He
wrestled against the arm holding him but it was hopeless in the Coran’s strong grip.

Bishop cuffed the boy and barked at Jared
to back off. "Piss off Stein, we're just having some fun." He then stepped
forward placing himself between them. While the bully boy was heavier and
seventeen, neither fact impressed Jared too much. The Coran however was an
unknown quantity, taller and surprisingly heavy in his build for a Gliese
system native. Jared guessed he was probably a year older than Bishop and
judging by the vacant look he constantly wore, not the brightest candle burning
in the Coran ranks. He dismissed the Coran for the moment and turned his
attention to Bishop.

"Gabriel, I think you should let him
go, he clearly doesn't want to play."

Bishop sneered. "You're missing the
point Stein; I said
we're
having some fun." He laughed at his
little joke with a conspiratorial glance to his tall friend.

Jared appeared unfazed. "And you have
missed
my
point Gabe, I think you should let him go, he clearly doesn't
want to play."

Bishop looked back at his friend and then
returned his gaze to Jared, sneering. "What are you going to do about it
little man, there's one of you and two of u . . ."

He collapsed to his knees, with his breath
gone and the ability to draw a fresh one removed from him. The short sharp
punch to the solar plexus had driven the air from the boy's lungs and he rolled
forward, with pained grunts and futile intake attempts. Jared turned to the
Coran with calm deliberate purpose.

"And then . . ." he paused for
effect, "there was one." Jared let the words hang.

The tall boy dropped Ruben's arm and
squared off. "You think you can beat me, Stein?"

Jared smiled disarmingly, "Oh - I
don't need to beat you; your problem is that I'm not afraid of you hurting me.
But while you're trying to do that, I'm going to deliver a power of hurt to you.
The question you need to ask is - is the effort worth it?"

The youth glowered at him and then down at
his friend, still bunched up on the ground. He hesitated a few seconds and then
shoved Ruben in the back pushing him forward into Jared. He glared for a moment
then snarled, "You'll keep Stein." It was unconvincing and he knew it
but he didn't wait, skulking away to the grav room.

Ruben looked down at Bishop and emboldened
by Jareds presence kicked the boy hard, clearly wishing to make a point.

Jared crouched. "You will feel better
in a while Gabe. In future, don't bully my friends, okay. Remember I can come
at you from any angle at any time and you will never know when; I won't
hesitate to do it, believe me."

Hilary had followed the action with
delight. She chuckled to herself and stored the file for Ham as she always did
when such encounters occurred. He would be pleased of course; in his view Jared
was coming along juuust nicely.

* * *

Regan rolled from the bed, taking care not
to disturb Leah who was sleeping soundly. Perching for a moment on the edge she
listened for a time to the quiet breathing,
more a purr
she thought and
gave thanks for a partner who slept quiet as a mouse. Slipping away she entered
the bathroom and padded the door closed behind her, pausing as it clicked shut and
then leant back to consider her warm state of mind. Leah, Marin, Ham
. . .

She made a brief toilet stop and then stepped
under the nozzle while touching the pad for water starting the familiar,
glorious torrent. Rotating slowly under the flow her mind shifted to consider
the scheduled meeting with Tihan in Gliese, the likely agenda and what her
instincts told her.
Will I need support?