Chaos And Order_ The Gap Into Madness Part 4

That was the other half-mutated human, Marc Vestabule. He stood at the communications station. Like Milos Taverner in front of Sorus, he'd planted himself there by clamping his hands to the sides of the board; he seemed immune to the receding g of the concussion, immovable. Before the blast had reduced reception to gibberish, he'd been talking to Calm Horizons Calm Horizons, presumably giving the Amnion warship the same information Milos Taverner had given her-and asking the same questions.

"Then do it," she snapped back at him. "Just don't bother me."

Apparently calm, Marc Vestabule released one hand to take a receiver from the communications board and jack it into his ear. Then he accepted a pickup from the communications first. At once-but without any discernible urgency-he began to make alien noises into the pickup.

That was the thing Sorus Chatelaine distrusted or loathed or feared most about the Amnion. None of them ever showed any urgency; any ordinary mortal dread or desperation. The pilot and guard which had accompanied Vestabule and Taverner aboard the shuttle still stood by the bridge doors, bracing themselves there as quietly as if nothing had happened. As for Taverner himself- In almost every way, he looked as human as she was. Perhaps more so: his pudgy face and besmirched scalp, his nic-stained fingers and pallid skin, conveyed an impression of flaws, frailties. Only anger could have given his face dignity. On his features any other emotion would have looked like self-pity.

Nevertheless she knew that he was an Amnioni-as single-minded and unshakable as Marc Vestabule; as the shuttle's pilot and guard; as every member of the crew which served Calm Horizons. Calm Horizons. The signs were unmistakable. The signs were unmistakable.

His eyes betrayed the working of the mutagens which had taken away his ident.i.ty. They were an acrid yellow color, lidless, with deformed irises like slits; they made his physical softness, and his unnatural calm seem somehow demonic, like a glimpse of d.a.m.nation. Genetic transformation had altered everything about him except his appearance: rearranged his DNA strings, restructured the fundamental, definitive encryption of his nucleotides, until only a detached and sometimes imprecise memory-pool remained of the former deputy chief of Com-Mine Station Security.

Sorus was familiar with the process. She'd known Marc Vestabule for years.

Irritated at the way Taverner watched her as if nothing she did could surprise him, she snapped past him, "Scan, I want a report!" report!"

"I told you, Captain, I'm blind," the scan first answered defensively. "There's too much f.u.c.king distortion all across the spectrum, the instruments can't-"

"Then fix fix it," Sorus retorted. "Filter it somehow. Tell the computer what happened so it can compensate. I want to know what's it," Sorus retorted. "Filter it somehow. Tell the computer what happened so it can compensate. I want to know what's out out there." there."

"Captain." Vestabule turned his bifurcated gaze at her, one eye human, the other Amnion. "Calm Horizons "Calm Horizons reports no other surviving vessels. The planetoid Thanatos Minor no longer exists. You are in no danger. Distortion should recede to the tolerances of your equipment in four minutes. reports no other surviving vessels. The planetoid Thanatos Minor no longer exists. You are in no danger. Distortion should recede to the tolerances of your equipment in four minutes. Calm Horizons Calm Horizons has identified your position. Coordinates will be transmitted to your helm." has identified your position. Coordinates will be transmitted to your helm."

Sorus nodded sharply. The helm and communications officers. .h.i.t keys to route information between their stations.

"More data follows when you are ready to receive it," Vestabule added.

"Not yet," she told him. "I've got other priorities.

"Data, give me damage a.s.sessment on that holed cargo bay. And a repair estimate for the deflector vane."

With her thumb, she punched open a ship-wide intercom channel. "All hands secure for g. I'm going to reengage internal spin. Get to sickbay if you need it. The rest of us have work to do. Damage control says we're still true, but I don't trust it. We were hit too hard. Report anything anything that makes you think we've got displacement." that makes you think we've got displacement."

Glaring back at Taverner's soft calm, Sorus thumbed off the intercom and began to run commands on her board.

Before she could activate internal spin, Marc Vestabule said, "Haste is required, Captain Chatelaine." He sounded as inexorable as an iron bar.

Pain made her feel her years-and the pull of time made her angry. "Haste for what?" she retorted. "Where are we going? You just told me everybody else is dead. Gone, blown to sc.r.a.p." The thought left a cold place in the pit of her stomach. Even the Bill was gone. He'd been as untrustworthy as any man she'd ever known, but he'd met some of her needs and supplied others-sometimes without knowing it. She couldn't imagine how she would replace him. Without what he'd given her, how would she bear her indentured servitude to the Amnion? "If we're in no danger, what's the hurry?"

"Decisions have been made," Vestabule replied in a tone like rust. "Action must be taken. Calm Horizons Calm Horizons instructs acceleration along an interception course. The proximity of vessels will facilitate preparation." instructs acceleration along an interception course. The proximity of vessels will facilitate preparation."

Perhaps he felt the urgency of events after all: as he relayed Calm Horizons' Calm Horizons' orders, he sounded more inhuman than usual. orders, he sounded more inhuman than usual.

Sorus faced, him while apprehension throbbed in her temples and the aftereffects of g-stress ached in her nerves. Decisions? Action? Maybe as many as ten thousand people just died here. How much more action action do you need? do you need?

"If you want me to take this seriously," she said through her teeth, "you'd better explain it."

Vestabule appeared to consult the alien coding of his genes for a moment before he answered, "Scan data suggests that Trumpet Trumpet was not destroyed." was not destroyed."

Incuriously Taverner turned his head to look at his fellow Amnioni.

Hunched over her readouts, the scan first muttered, "I'm starting to get something. One ship-yes, that's Calm Horizons. Calm Horizons. Can't be sure of anything else yet." Can't be sure of anything else yet."

Sorus swallowed a curse. She believed Vestabule the instant he spoke: the Amnion didn't often make mistakes in matters of factual accuracy. But if Trumpet Trumpet was still alive somewhere, still out there with Morn and Davies Hyland, Angus Thermopyle and Nick Succorso, aboard- was still alive somewhere, still out there with Morn and Davies Hyland, Angus Thermopyle and Nick Succorso, aboard- Sick with premonitions, as if she knew what was coming, she drawled sourly, "But you told me we're the only ships here. 'No other, surviving vessels,' you said. So if Trumpet Trumpet isn't here and wasn't destroyed-" isn't here and wasn't destroyed-"

She let the implication hang.

"As the wave front struck," Vestabule said, "Calm Horizons "Calm Horizons detected the emissions of detected the emissions of Trumpet's Trumpet's gap drive." gap drive."

"So she's gone," Sorus cut in harshly. "You lost her. All this plotting and maneuvering, all this destruction, and you lost lost her." She made no effort to contain her anger. She knew from experience that the Amnion didn't understand such emotions-and didn't fear them. "Billingate and all those ships, destroyed for nothing, wasted. I thought you didn't like waste. her." She made no effort to contain her anger. She knew from experience that the Amnion didn't understand such emotions-and didn't fear them. "Billingate and all those ships, destroyed for nothing, wasted. I thought you didn't like waste.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it, didn't you tell Calm Horizons Calm Horizons who was aboard that ship? Didn't you tell them what Angus Thermopyle is-what he came here to do? Why did they let who was aboard that ship? Didn't you tell them what Angus Thermopyle is-what he came here to do? Why did they let Trumpet Trumpet get away? Why didn't they use that d.a.m.n cannon-cut their losses, solve this problem once and for all? Don't you understand how dangerous those people are?" get away? Why didn't they use that d.a.m.n cannon-cut their losses, solve this problem once and for all? Don't you understand how dangerous those people are?"

Because she knew what was coming, she struggled against it. "Angus Thermopyle is a cyborg. The cops sent him to destroy Billingate. That's bad enough-letting him get away is bad enough. But there's worse.

"Nick Succorso's priority-codes didn't work on Captain's Fancy. Captain's Fancy. Haven't you figured out yet what that means?" Haven't you figured out yet what that means?"

"What does it mean, Captain Chatelaine?" Taverner asked steadily.

Sorus kept her glare on Marc Vestabule. She'd known him longer, distrusted him less; she feared that if she looked at Taverner, she might not be able to control her desire to punch in his fat face.

"It means one of two things.

"Either," she articulated harshly, holding up one finger like an accusation, "those codes were never good in the first place. Morn Hyland and Nick Succorso planned the whole thing together, carried it out together. Their visit to Enablement was a trick, a ruse-probably one of Hashi Lebwohl's covert operations. They got something from you, learned something, set you up for something, I don't know what it was. All I know is, it worked. It paralyzed you long enough to let them get away. she articulated harshly, holding up one finger like an accusation, "those codes were never good in the first place. Morn Hyland and Nick Succorso planned the whole thing together, carried it out together. Their visit to Enablement was a trick, a ruse-probably one of Hashi Lebwohl's covert operations. They got something from you, learned something, set you up for something, I don't know what it was. All I know is, it worked. It paralyzed you long enough to let them get away.

"Or"-she raised a second finger beside the first-"Hyland told Succorso she'd given you his priority-codes before before he turned her over to you. So he had time to rewrite them. But that still means Hyland and Succorso must be working together. Why else would she let him in on a secret like that, when he was about to sacrifice her? And why else is she still human, if she didn't get some kind of immunity drug from him?" he turned her over to you. So he had time to rewrite them. But that still means Hyland and Succorso must be working together. Why else would she let him in on a secret like that, when he was about to sacrifice her? And why else is she still human, if she didn't get some kind of immunity drug from him?"

Now Sorus began to see what lay behind Nick Succorso's rumor that she herself had access to such a drug. If Billingate hadn't been destroyed, neither the Bill nor anyone else would have left her alone-or let her live. The consequences of Nick's lie would have driven her out into s.p.a.ce, where he could attack her.

"So the whole thing was still a ruse," she concluded. "I don't know what they were trying to get from you, but they as sure as h.e.l.l got away away with it. with it.

"What possessed Calm Horizons Calm Horizons to let them do that? Why didn't she blast to let them do that? Why didn't she blast Trumpet Trumpet while she had the chance?" while she had the chance?"

Milos Taverner confronted her now as if he and she were alone on the bridge. The force of his attention seemed to pull her eyes to his. "You ask an important question, Captain Chatelaine." His vocal cords, less mutated than Vestabule's, nonetheless made his voice sound alien: more spectral than human. "It suggests another, which is for you to answer.

"When the ruse was revealed-when Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy began to act contrary to Amnion instructions-why did you not 'blast' the vessel? It was within your power to spare began to act contrary to Amnion instructions-why did you not 'blast' the vessel? It was within your power to spare Tranquil Hegemony Tranquil Hegemony, yet you did not do so. You question our inaction. Will we not also question yours?"

Sorus felt the threat: it was palpable and ominous, like static building in the air. Abruptly she let go of her anger. She couldn't afford it here. Instead she hid her fear behind a mask of sardonic confidence-the mask she'd always worn when she was with the Bill.

Covering herself while she marshaled her resources, she dropped her gaze to her board and completed the sequence of commands that reengaged internal spin. At once the almost subliminal whine of servos and motors filled the bridge as the floor eased into motion under her. As smooth as oil, Soar Soar began to generate centrifugal inertia. A familiar sense of her own weight settled in her muscles. Both Vestabule and Taverner were able to relax their clamped postures. began to generate centrifugal inertia. A familiar sense of her own weight settled in her muscles. Both Vestabule and Taverner were able to relax their clamped postures.

"All green," data reported. "Sensors aren't picking up any rubs or vibrations. Looks like we're spinning true."

"Confirmation?" Sorus asked scan.

"No," the scan first said. "Not yet. I'm sure we're the only ships here. That whole f.u.c.king rock is gone, and everything else with it. But I can't see far enough yet to get an exact fix on anything. We might have instrument tremor, or we might not."

Sorus kept her relief to herself. With a trenchant snort which was as close as she could come to outright mockery, she answered Taverner, "I didn't have a choice. You know that. I couldn't attack Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy because I was busy rescuing you. because I was busy rescuing you.

"I hit her once, hard enough to be sure she wasn't going to live much longer. After that I had my hands full trying to take hold of your shuttle without reducing you to so much g-flattened meat. I had to grab you carefully. carefully. If I hadn't done that-or if I'd left you to concentrate on If I hadn't done that-or if I'd left you to concentrate on Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy-you would probably be dead right now."

Smiling into his eyes, she thought, Argue with that and be d.a.m.ned.

"Precisely, Captain Chatelaine." Taverner retained enough of his human resources to smile back. "You comprehend the essential concept. Confronted with two conflicting requirements, you found that one outweighed the other, despite the fact that both tended toward consequences which were uncertain. Perhaps we"-he made a stilted gesture that included Vestabule, the shuttle pilot, and the guard-"would have died. Perhaps not. Perhaps Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy would fail to inflict serious damage on would fail to inflict serious damage on Tranquil Hegemony. Tranquil Hegemony. Again, perhaps not. It is at the intersection of perhaps and perhaps not that decisiveness exercises itself. You chose rightly to rescue us. Was it not conceivable that Again, perhaps not. It is at the intersection of perhaps and perhaps not that decisiveness exercises itself. You chose rightly to rescue us. Was it not conceivable that Tranquil Hegemony Tranquil Hegemony might successfully defend herself? might successfully defend herself?

"Calm Horizons chose not to fire on chose not to fire on Trumpet Trumpet because it was conceivable that because it was conceivable that Trumpet Trumpet might be captured. Perhaps the destruction of Thanatos Minor would fail altogether. Perhaps it would be delayed. Perhaps might be captured. Perhaps the destruction of Thanatos Minor would fail altogether. Perhaps it would be delayed. Perhaps Trumpet Trumpet would come within range of a laser which would cripple her drives without killing the humans aboard. Confronted with conflicting requirements-to capture would come within range of a laser which would cripple her drives without killing the humans aboard. Confronted with conflicting requirements-to capture Trumpet Trumpet and to prevent her escape- and to prevent her escape-Calm Horizons found that one outweighed the other. To capture found that one outweighed the other. To capture Trumpet Trumpet would prevent her escape, but to prevent her escape might preclude her capture." would prevent her escape, but to prevent her escape might preclude her capture."

"The Amnion understand," Marc Vestabule inserted in a crusted tone, "that what you name 'a ruse' has been practiced against us. Indeed, events suggest that humans have dealt falsely with us in several ways, or in one way with several implications. Milos Taverner has spoken of his perception that the actions of this 'cyborg' were directed against us as well as against Billingate in ways which we do not yet comprehend."

His stance conveyed no impatience, no tension; but his human eye blinked frantically, as if the last of his human emotions had no other outlet.

"Yet the fact that a ruse was at work has been known to us from the first. On a previous occasion prior to his union with the Amnion, Milos Taverner informed us of Captain Nick Succorso's false dealings on behalf of the United Mining Companies Police. He informed us of Morn Hyland's ident.i.ty as a United Mining Companies Police ensign. For that reason we sought to retain her body. The tissues of a UMCP ensign would have yielded much.

"We have always presumed that their dealings were designed for our harm. We have allowed their ruse to proceed so that we may learn its meaning, and so that we may turn it to our own purposes.

"But this is not an intersection of perhaps and perhaps not, Captain Chatelaine. This is an incidence of must. must. Action is essential. You are required to initiate the course and acceleration which Action is essential. You are required to initiate the course and acceleration which Calm Horizons Calm Horizons has instructed." has instructed."

Beyond question Sorus knew what was coming. But she'd just lost the only place she might have called home, the only people she might have called friends; her ship was damaged; and her enemies were gathering-enemies who turned out to have allies in unexpected places. She had no intention of letting mutated monstrosities like Marc Vestabule and Milos Taverner make her do their work for them. Under these circ.u.mstances she would have refused a direct order from the Mind/Union which was the highest source of "decisiveness" she knew of in Amnion s.p.a.ce.

"You still haven't answered my original question," she countered stubbornly. "Why are we in a hurry? Trumpet Trumpet is gone. We can't stop her now. What do we need haste for?" is gone. We can't stop her now. What do we need haste for?"

Vestabule's human eyelid fluttered like a signal flag, but his gaze held hers firmly. "Amnion scan has not yet been restored to full function," he said. "Therefore data is imprecise. However, it will be made precise in a short time. At present the characteristic residue of 'going into tach' "-that human phrase sounded awkward on his tongue-"is discernible, despite the bombardment which clouds your instruments. As distortion fades, Calm Horizons Calm Horizons will be able to determine will be able to determine Trumpet's Trumpet's gap vector. Her velocity and acceleration may be calculated from previous data. What is known of the gap drive parameters of such vessels will enable us to extrapolate both direction and distance. gap vector. Her velocity and acceleration may be calculated from previous data. What is known of the gap drive parameters of such vessels will enable us to extrapolate both direction and distance.

"The results will be approximate," he finished, "but pursuit will be possible."

There it was. Pursuit. She'd known it was coming, but she still hated hearing it said aloud. Pursue a UMCP ship on UMCP business into human s.p.a.ce, where no doubt there were half a dozen warships waiting to keep trouble off her tail.

"What, us and Calm Horizons!" Calm Horizons!" she protested acidly, not because she expected Vestabule or Taverner to heed her, but simply because she needed to acknowledge the weight of mortality hanging from her bones. "Have you considered the possibility that the pure and righteous UMCP just might consider that an act of war? Have you considered the possibility that maybe you have more to gain from this kind of peace than they do, and if you break it you might have to pay more?" she protested acidly, not because she expected Vestabule or Taverner to heed her, but simply because she needed to acknowledge the weight of mortality hanging from her bones. "Have you considered the possibility that the pure and righteous UMCP just might consider that an act of war? Have you considered the possibility that maybe you have more to gain from this kind of peace than they do, and if you break it you might have to pay more?"

Taverner shook his head slowly, as if the movement were one which he'd memorized but didn't understand. However, it was Vestabule who answered.

"Once again you speak of an intersection of perhaps and perhaps not. We have not yet reached that intersection. Calm Horizons Calm Horizons will remain in Amnion s.p.a.ce. You will pursue will remain in Amnion s.p.a.ce. You will pursue Trumpet. Trumpet. You will capture her and her people, if that goal is attainable. Otherwise you will destroy them. You will capture her and her people, if that goal is attainable. Otherwise you will destroy them.

"But Calm Horizons Calm Horizons will come to your support, if it is required. At that intersection, we will accept the hazard of war rather than permit will come to your support, if it is required. At that intersection, we will accept the hazard of war rather than permit Trumpet Trumpet to gain safety." to gain safety."

Nausea twisted through her stomach as he spoke. An act of war-and Soar Soar right in the middle of it. She was too old for this; she was born too old for it. right in the middle of it. She was too old for this; she was born too old for it.

"d.a.m.n it," she objected, knowing that objection was hopeless, "you're days away from getting a message to the Mind Union. How can you take a risk like this on your own? How do you know the Mind/Union will approve?"

The decision he'd announced had a human sound, a sound of desperation. Was it possible, she wondered, that the origins of creatures like Vestabule and Taverner could affect Amnion decision-making processes; inject an element of terror which their kind couldn't recognize?

Whether that was true or not, Vestabule had no trouble answering her. "We are Amnion," he replied flatly. "And we must act. That is required. The perils of inaction now outweigh those of action.

"To 'approve,' "he added, "is not a concept which has meaning in relation to the Mind/Union."

Facing Sorus directly, he continued, "You also must act. I will not speak of this again. You are required to approach Calm Horizons Calm Horizons at the course and velocity you have been given." at the course and velocity you have been given."

No flicker or variation of his tone betrayed the threat. Nevertheless she saw it in his eyes. This was a test of wills, of loyalty: his inexorable Amnion exigencies against her human familiarity with fear.

A test-but no contest. Since the day when she'd fallen under the power of his kind, she'd belonged to them body and soul. At the core of herself she'd been overtaken by a darkness which didn't bear close examination.

"Do it," she told the helm first bitterly. "Course and thrust according to Calm Horizons' Calm Horizons' instructions. Initiate immediately." instructions. Initiate immediately."

A moment later she heard the muted hull-roar of thrust, felt the complex g of acceleration conflicting with internal spin and the shock wave's vector. Her stomach rebelled briefly, then settled back down.

Swiveling her station so that she could look away from the Amnion, she went on, "Targ, this would be a good time to run every test you can think of on your systems."

"Aye, Captain," targ responded in a clenched voice. He went to work without raising his head.

"Scan, give me status."

"Almost clear," scan replied as if she were accustomed to hearing her captain and the Amnion argue over Soar's Soar's fate. "I still can't confirm instrument stability, but we can see well enough to verify what fate. "I still can't confirm instrument stability, but we can see well enough to verify what Calm Horizons Calm Horizons is telling us. Except I can't pick up any emission trace for a ship going into tach." is telling us. Except I can't pick up any emission trace for a ship going into tach."

Sorus dismissed that concern: Amnion scan was better than hers. If Calm Horizons Calm Horizons reported gap emission, she believed it. reported gap emission, she believed it.

She wasn't done with Vestabule and Taverner yet, however. She would obey as she always did; but she meant to know the truth when she did it.

Simply because he'd been human more recently and might remember more, she directed her glower at Milos.

"Listen to me," she breathed, clenching her teeth. "It's easy for you to say 'the perils of inaction now outweigh those of action,' but I'm the one who has to do something about it. I need to understand what's at stake here. I'm human, my ship is human, we'll be in human s.p.a.ce-that's why you're sending us instead of going after Trumpet Trumpet yourself. But in human s.p.a.ce the rules are different. There might be more than one-kind of action I can take. I won't be able to make the right choices unless I understand what's at stake." yourself. But in human s.p.a.ce the rules are different. There might be more than one-kind of action I can take. I won't be able to make the right choices unless I understand what's at stake."

In response, Taverner attempted a smile; but beneath his alien eyes the stretching of his mouth resembled a rictus. "You do not need to understand. I will accompany you. I will be invested with decisiveness for this pursuit."

Sorus swallowed an impulse to shout at him. Still softly, she countered, "That's not good enough. You aren't human. You don't even talk human-your grasp on how humans think and act is already starting to fray. You need need me to understand." me to understand."

For reasons which weren't clear to her, Taverner glanced al Vestabule. Nothing she could discern pa.s.sed between them-nothing more than the erratic blink of Vestabule's eye-but when Taverner faced her again, a decision had been reached.

"Very well. I will explain.

"The Amnion have much to gain by Trumpet's Trumpet's capture, and much to lose by her escape." capture, and much to lose by her escape."

"That much I guessed," she muttered darkly.

He was unperturbed. "The matter of gain," he said, "centers on Morn Hyland and Davies Hyland. Her importance is simple. She is a United Mining Companies Police ensign. With her capture all of her knowledge comes into our possession. This is significant, but not critical.

"In addition, she is a human female protected by zone implants. Her capture would enable us to acquire other knowledge. For example, if she were bred with an Amnion male, such as I am, what would result? Again this is significant, but not critical."

Bred? Sorus thought in cold horror. Oh, s.h.i.t. But she didn't interrupt.

"Her offspring," Taverner continued as if the subject were purely abstract, devoid of personal necessity, "represents opportunities which are indeed critical.

"The techniques which you call 'force-growing' and 'transfer of mind' are old and common among us. Our ability to bring human genetic material-your language supplies no adequate means to convey these concepts, the word 'mutate' is quite insufficient-into mind/union with the Amnion is also old and common. More recent research has enabled us"-he may have shrugged-"to mutate human genetic material with diminishing discrepancies of appearance. Still we have failed to produce Amnion which may pa.s.s as human.

"Doubtless this is because genetic manipulation cannot replicate patterns of thought, expression, or behavior, the learned content of being human. Hence the importance of transfer of mind and Davies Hyland."

Sorus listened hard; but at the same time she tried not to hear what he was saying. She'd left her links with humanity behind so long ago that she couldn't pretend to be concerned for her kind now-and yet the implications of Taverner's explanation chilled her from the surface of her skin to the center of her embittered heart.

"To enable one of us to pa.s.s as human," he was saying, "we must provide a human mind. Among ourselves, Amnioni to Amnioni, such transference presents no difficulties. Yet when we work from human source to human target, we are able to produce a successful target only at the cost of a ruined source. We speculate that human fear causes the source to be effectively erased during transference. And when we work from human to Amnioni, both source and target are ruined. The fear of the source is replicated upon a genetically incompatible target.

"We improve, but we do not progress.