Читать книгу South of the Ecliptic - Donald Ph.D. Ladew - Страница 8

Chapter 4

After his peculiar crew had left, Piehl filled his glass and drank slowly. There was a lot to consider and talk of the Legion had given him a case of the miseries. He tried to be practical about that part of his life but it was hard. Too much passion, the blood of friends, lives gone into the dark.

No point in moaning about it, he thought. Time to get on with it.

The next few days went by quickly. A thousand things to do, information to be acquired. He had no intention of going to the Dark Worlds without intelligence. Seasoned soldiers, like all close-knit groups usually have a network of friends, and he would tap his for all it was worth.

He was sure the King's security would be broached, it always was to some degree. Much safer to take that assumption. He went about fully armed. He spent a lot of time thinking about the crew. There were three requisites to success in this sort of venture; brains, muscle and experience; one could add serendipity.

On the third day Piehl left the Goddard and went portside, keeping a wary eye out for unwanted company. He didn't spot anyone, but had the feeling they were there, whoever 'they' were. When he arrived at the refit dock he was surprised by the activity, and pleased to find a knife next to his ear when he crossed the access hatch.

"Sorry, sir," the Sergeant Major rumbled, "can't be too careful."

"Hell no, Sergeant, keep it up. No one not known to you or Shorty is to be in this area at any time."

Piehl had to shout to be heard over the din of heavy machinery. He looked up the length of the ship. She certainly wasn't the pretty thing she'd been when first off the graving docks. Where there had been a long graceful flare to the hull, bubble shapes and tubular constructions had appeared. She was beginning to shape up for the task ahead.

Shorty crawled out of a tangle of cables and support structures and strolled over. It was a case of a man's name being accurate. He was five feet tall and three feet wide with a thick head of pure white hair.

"Aubrey. Been awhile, good to see you, man."

"You too, Shorty."

"Thanks for the work. Whoever's footing the bill for this must have all the credits on Regent's."

"As a matter of fact he does, Shorty," Piehl said.

"I've got everything Flex asked for and added a few things of my own. You'll find the figures in the day book. I've locked it away in the Captain's safe. C'mon over here, I want to show you some of the short range stuff. By the way the IMP is on board and integrated.

"Knows the ship better than I do. Do you know that damn thing knows me? First day after it was installed I went through the forward hatch to inspect the Harding's Lightning Cannon and the IMP says, 'How do, Shorty', in that weird accent of his. Then he says, 'I'm glad to see your scapular has healed and the heart murmur was corrected since your last visit to Multi-Med.' Hell, even my wife doesn't know about the heart thing. It's uncanny, but by God he's useful. He's prevented installation errors and saved us a lot of time with his knowledge of the ship and its systems.

"What I've done, Aubrey, is try to set this beauty up as a fast light-cruiser with as much punch as a 'heavy'. I've had a third drive installed. You'll be short on cargo space but I had a feeling packing cargo isn't the main concern this time out.

"I've also installed the new Snellsman-All-Frequency-Cloaking-Device back there with a lot of extra shielding to protect the lot. We're on schedule and spending credits like a Vice-Lord.

"The IMP, by the way, asked for a secondary memory block for down-load in emergency and I'll be damned if it wasn't approved."

"The IMP is smart, Shorty, very smart. Any trouble with the passengers?" Piehl asked.

"Noooo, I hear some screeching and creative language from time to time. However, the other one seems to have everything under control. I've never seen either one, not once. But I'd like to meet her. She's got the voice of an angel. "

"You may be right, Shorty. I'm pleased with the work, it's going better than I expected. I like to finish what I start and you've given me the legs and guts to do it," Piehl said.

"Yeah, Gen...Aubrey, can't have you flying on one wing, that's not how we do it in the Legion."

"No, that’s not how we do it in the Legion. Thanks, Shorty."

Piehl had avoided going aboard ship. He knew he'd have to listen to the princess's complaints.

I'd rather tangle with the Sergeant Major than listen to her foolishness. Truly princesses should be seen and not heard, he muttered.

He went up-ship to the portside hatch. The inside was like the outside, a wild jumble of men and machinery; the orange flash of laser-welding, and everywhere the crashing and bashing of the sensible-insensible order that goes with a major refit. He'd heard this song many times. It was a kind of music he loved.

No hanging back now, they'd spent the King's credit. He moved up the central passage to the control deck. It was a good layout, roomy and clean as a sales brochure. Nothing like a Star - 1 Class Legion Cruiser, but it was the best that money, a lot of money, could buy.

Piehl sat at the captain's station looking over the layout, turning on a system here and there to see how the refit was proceeding.

"IMP, you on-line?" he asked

"Yes, Captain. Present and currently 94.683% integrated and distributed."

"Survey of crew data?" Piehl asked.

"You have chosen well. However I find the screeches and archaic language employed by the princess disturbing to my contemplative nature."

"Right, I'm going down and face the lioness in her den."

"Good luck, Captain."

Piehl went aft and turned off at the ship's passenger quarters. He knocked briefly at their door and after a moment heard a soft voice from the comm-unit.

"Identify yourself, please."

They'd agreed on a code word, which Piehl spoke into the door-comm. The Lady Lociranou opened the door. Piehl stood for what seemed a long time and looked at her. She was quiet under his gaze with a hint of a smile on her lips.

Tall for Earth-human stock, she had long auburn hair glistening with coppery highlights. Her eyes were large and gray, very direct. A good figure by any standard, although she was wearing long full robes designed more for comfort than beauty. She emanated strength.

Piehl had an urge to make her laugh. Finally she broke the spell.

"Please come in, Sir Aubrey."

"Just Captain or Aubrey will do, my lady. Your face is familiar to me. I've been trying to remember if we've met, but I can't make the connection."

She laughed prettily. "Ahh, Captain, you need no such traditional gambit to get acquainted with me. I'd be your friend if you were the biggest smuggler on the frontier."

"A fine sentiment but I don't understand, you aren't likely to be mixed up with smugglers. Besides, I'm certainly not one of the worst smugglers. Is there something I should know?"

"I hadn't intended it, Captain, but I don't know what the future will bring, so if some event separates us, I would want you to know." She looked at her clasped hands.

"Does the name Kenn Albione, Senior Lieutenant Kenn Albione, mean anything to you?"

Piehl felt a cold hand on his heart. Kenn! Brave Kenn of M.L.S. Lightsongs. His friend, now basic elements among the dust clouds around Vincent's Planet. When he had been driven in-system by four Imperial cruisers, Piehl tried to go to his aid, but it was too late. They finally obliterated him. Dark and terrible days. Piehl stood for a long time thinking about his young friend and the better days in years past. Dimly he realized someone was speaking to him.

"Sir Aubrey, Sir Aubrey!"

"I'm sorry, my Lady, I was remembering."

"Yes, as do I. Kenn was my twin brother."

So...It is true. They looked remarkably alike. Piehl felt the wrenching bitterness of it all. It had been nearly eight years and it still burned. He felt bound even tighter to a past he couldn't change.

"My lady, I am in your debt by way of your very existence. It is a debt I'm not sure I can pay, but I will try."

"It is not necessary. For Kenn you were everything he admired. His letters were full of General Piehl. He thought you were the bravest, most honorable man he'd ever met. Perhaps you blame yourself for his death, but remember there are worse ways to die than with the men you love and admire, in a fight you believe in. He chose to be where he was and I am thankful he had men with him who cared."

"Men who cared," Piehl murmured, more to himself than to her. He looked at the beautiful young woman across from him. "Yes, he had people who cared, people who will always care. I thank you for your words. Perhaps someday I will be able to accept them. In the meantime if there is anything I can do for you, I am at your service."

"I wanted to tell you I've been in contact with my uncle, the King, and he sent the information you asked for. I sent the data to your processor and destroyed the core," she said.

"The King is a clever man. In the Legion it was hoped we'd be able to negotiate with him, but it never came to pass." Piehl said regretfully.

"I know, he didn't have the power then that he does now."

"My Lady, how go things with the princess?" Piehl wanted to turn the conversation to less personal subjects.

She laughed. "She's young and full of it. She doesn't really understand all that has happened since coming to the ship. But she has good blood, Sir Aubrey. Once she's over the shock of being uprooted from her family and realizes the seriousness of the situation I'm sure she'll do fine."

"I hope you're right. This will be a long trip, possibly quite dangerous. My lady, please excuse me but I must get back to the men and get this refit finished. If there's anything you require, ask me directly and if I can I will provide it."

She smiled with great charm. "Your company from time to time would be more than enough, Sir Aubrey."

Piehl felt the temperature go up about ten degrees in the small cabin. He could see this talk leading to all sorts of complications.

"With your permission, my lady, I shall withdraw."

"Of course, Sir Aubrey." Her voice nearly held him there.