Long View - Rissa And Tregare Part 31

Ilse Krueger smiled. "Well-someday, maybe, Tregare. Unless your dueling woman would kill me for it."

Rissa shook her head. "Our binding is not exclusive. If you wish to go fulfill yourselves together at this moment-" But how will Bran react when I tell him-as I must-of Ivan?

Tregare turned her to face him. "You mean that, don't you? But-" He grinned at Ilse.

"-right now I think we're due back on Thread."

Bidding Ilse Krueger good-bye, Rissa felt the other was now indeed friendly. Going downship, she said as much to Tregare.

"Sure," he said. "I told you-with Ilse, it's just that the shakedown takes a little time.

220.

THEY entered Lefthand Thread's galley and found Ivan and Felcie there before them. Ivan said, "We're invited to stay for dinner. I didn't know your plans, Tregare, so-"

"Derek thought," said Felcie, "if you'd like, if you're not busy, we could get all the captains together-Vanois, Gowdy, Ressider, Krueger-you aren't busy, are you? I hope-a real party, Derek thought-maybe-"

Tregare waved a hand. "Sure we can stay, and thanks. But not late-I want to reach Base One sober enough to read Deverel's message log and make sense of it." He turned. "I'd better call Hain now and tell him we'll be a while here." He left; Rissa sat and accepted coffee.

"How do you like the ship, Ivan? Did Felcie show you how we install the weapons systems?"

"Yes. She had me running simulations on a projector turret, too, and-"

"He's good! First he overcontrolled, the way I still do sometimes-then he got the feel of it and his scores went up like a kite. Give him a week, Tari, and he'll be real compet.i.tion for you."

Ivan said, "I don't know about that-but it's the kind of thing I learn fairly easily, now my coordination's come back."

Tregare rejoined them. To Rissa he said, "The packet should ground late tomorrow. Shall we meet Hawkman at the Lodge tomorrow night?"

"If we are not needed here-surely. And what of Inconnul"

"Another day-maybe two, if Zelde M'tana decides not to land at night. But Limmer's marked her a landing circle."

He turned to Felcie. "Is that spare cabin still free?" Brows raised, she nodded. "We don't have a change of clothes along, but we could freshen up a little before dinner."

HE and Rissa left. In the vacant cabin they showered, lay together for a time, then rested. After some thought, Rissa told him what she had done for Ivan-and why.

Tregare frowned.Have I made a mistake here?But he said, "He's not sure it was real?"

"He prefers, I believe, not to know."

"Funny . . ." He shook his head. "Two years with Erika's psych techs couldn't do it. And yet-"

221.

Relieved, she said, "Two factors, Bran. First-on a very deep level, he saw me as the one person he could trust. Second -you had cleared away the residue of UET's mental implants, geared to a Hidden World situation. Then when I convinced him that those who hurt him are dead-and still I saw he was not totally free, so I-Bran? What do you feel?"

Smiling, he ran his fingertips up her cheek, into her hair. "You said it right, what you told him-always you do what is necessary. That's good enough for me."

"I am glad, Bran." She rose and began dressing. "But- Ivan must not know that you know."

He stood also. "Sure-I see that. Don't worry-far as I'm concerned, he never had a problem. All right?"

"Very much so." She kissed him. "Now-shall we try to be on time for dining?"

THEY were nearly the last to join the group. Limmer and Felcie, Ivan, Vanois with hair and beard trimmed to neatness, Hilaire Gowdy-these were there ahead of them. As they sat, Kile Ressider entered; he greeted those he knew and was introduced to Ivan. To Tregare he said, "I've been thinking. I shouldn't have expected command, when you have someone who's worked an armed ship. At first I had reservations. Now I don't."

Tregare grinned and accepted Ressider's handshake. Before he could answer, Ilse Krueger joined them; he shrugged and motioned Ressider to a seat.

Ilse greeted the others; Rissa introduced Ivan. "... and he was the one you told me of, who inquired about me!" Nodding, Krueger shook hands and said, "This one's brother, are you? Yuu a duelist, too?"

"No, not especially. I'm trained to kill in the easiest way, not to follow ritual unless I have to. But that's only training, in case it's needed. I mean, don't be-"

"Frightened?" Her blonde curls, worn loose now, swung as she shook her head.

"Nothing much scares me. I'm the smallest person ever to survive UET's s.p.a.ce Academy gauntlet-and I've got the scars to prove it." She smiled. "That's not any kind of challenge- just fact."

Ivan smiled also, and moved the chair beside him for her convenience. "Sit here, won't you?" When she did, he said, 222.

"I wish I knew how to fly a ship." Then food was brought, and the woman's answer was lost to Rissa in the noise of general conversation.

Saying little, Rissa looked from one to another, observing. Vanois used his native jargon only a few times, then spoke in more normal patterns. Hilaire Gowdy ate sparingly; already- in less than twenty days, Rissa guessed-the loss of weight was noticeable. Ressider talked with Limmer and Felcie, too far away for Rissa to hear what was said.

She turned to Tregare. 'Your group becomes, I think, a viable ent.i.ty."

"Yeah-since Peralta, it's shaken down pretty good. When Inconnu gets here-"

"Then you will firm your schedules, to leave this world."

He gripped her hand. "And that's when it all goes on the line-our next thirty or so chrono-years. And maybe the next thousand, for the whole peace-losing human race!"

THE party after dinner was much as Rissa expected. Liquor and drugsticks abounded, though she and Tregare used both in moderation. The size of the group varied-people suddenly absent for a time and then back again-but Limmer's quarters proved too small; headquarters reverted to the galley. When Tregare said to her, "Time to go, I think," she looked around to see who was present. "Ivan? He is not here."

"He'll be all right. Hain can come pick him up tomorrow." They said good-byes to those who listened, and went down-ship. Outside, by the aircar, he said, "Who flies it? I can-but would you rather?"

"You-I am sleepy now and would be rested later." She dozed on the way and woke at Base One. Tregare went to the scoutship, she to the cabin. She slept for a little while but woke when he joined her.

NEXTmorning they rose early. While Rissa made breakfast, Tregare visited the scout.

He returned just as Rissa was preparing to call him, and they ate.

"The packet lands sooner than I thought," he said. "I left 223.

word for Hawkman to bring the new aircar; he'll be at the Lodge this afternoon."

"And did you speak with Base Two?"

"Yes. I'm going there for a while-come along if you like." He paused. "Limmer's turning out to be my key man; what do you think of taking him and Felcie along to the Lodge? I'd like him to feel a real part of the Hulzein Establishment."

She nodded. "Of course. And I owe Felcie a ride through the pa.s.s; I've hinted of it to her. But you say nothing of Ivan."

"He's all right. But we'll be taking Krueger to the Lodge, too. Sometime during the party last night, Ivan moved in with her."

"He-?" Rissa laughed, stood and leaned over to kiss her husband. "I would not have thought-but his instinct was right. He took his strengths to the strongest woman."

'' You consider her stronger than Gowdy?''

Rissa shook her head. "Hilaire is older. He may never-it was older women who hurt him so terribly. You remember, I told you-"

"Yes-and you told me to forget it, too, so I am. But-Ilse at the Lodge-you think it'll be all right?"

"If she oversteps herself, Liesel will correct the matter."

"I expect so. All right-you want to come to Base Two?"

Upon consideration, she did not. Tregare and Deverel took the aircars; Rissa went to the scout, talked with Kenekke, and spoke on the screen with Liesel and with Ernol.

Later, carrying a snack in her shoulder pouch, she hiked uptrail. She ate beside a stream; from the ledge where she sat, it dropped so far that the breeze whipped it into spray. Her seat gave her a view of the plateau and the hills that fell away below it.

Returning, she was only a few minutes distant when the air-car landed. Deverel had brought Limmer and Felcie; Tregare, she learned, would bring the rest in an hour or so. She showed the two around the plateau and cabin, briefly; then they boarded the car and she set off for the Lodge.

FELCIE'S response to the pa.s.s did not disappoint Rissa; when they were through it, she turned to see Limmer's scarred smile.

224.

He said, "She wasn't really shaken, you know." Rissa nodded and he chuckled. "I see why everyone needs to go through that as a pa.s.senger first, though. Splash yourself if you didn't.''

In a long, smooth swoop, she approached the Lodge. Seeing a new aircar on the ground, she landed beside it and was not surprised when the Lodge door opened and Hawkman came out. She leaped down, ran to him, and hugged him. "Oh-it's so good to see you again!" Then she turned to introduce him to the others.

"Limmer," said Hawkman, shaking hands. "Bran Tregare speaks well of you."

Then; "Felcie! I hear you've left local bureaucracy for s.p.a.ce?", She nodded and he laughed. "Your mind always did run tpa fast for one colony." He picked up some of the luggage. "Well, let's go in, shall we?"

Inside, Sparline met them. Limmer and Felcie were shown to the room prepared for them; the others adjourned to the dining room and sat to talk, drinking coffee.

Rissa asked of Hawkman's offworld stay. He waved a hand. "Dull, for the most part. Tending to business. Some of it's yours, Rissa-scan the tapes when you have time. But mostly d.i.c.kering with Norden for Valkyrie, and he took h.e.l.l and forever to make up his mind. I can't blame him; s.p.a.ce was his life and he hated to leave it. But from my side . .."

"Yes." Rissa nodded. "Bran and I, of course, have met Norden. If he were younger, I think he would have stayed with Valkyrie and joined Tregare."

Hawkman smiled. "I got that impression, too. But now- tell me the things that happened, that Bran Tregare only hinted at. The man-Peralta-?"

She told it. Sometimes Hawkman frowned; sometimes he shook his head. Finally; "My son's not known for being overly trusting, and I can't fault him this time, either. Who would expect ship's weapons crammed into an aircar?" Head thrown back, he laughed, then sobered. "But between you, you got him. Too bad, in a way-I mean, that he had to try it. A man like that. . ."

"I agree," said Rissa, "and Bran, also. His death is-a loss. But of course we had no choice."

"Course not," said Hawkman. He turned his head, listening. "An aircar coming- that'll be Bran Tregare?"

"Yes," said Rissa. "I will leave now and await him in our rooms."

225.

UPSTAIRS, Tregare soon joined her. He was smiling, but when she asked he shook his head. "Wait-you'll see."

When they entered the dining room, the last to arrive, she saw what he had meant. At table with the two Hulzein couples were Ilse and Ivan; Ilse's left arm hung in a sling.

Before Rissa could speak, Ilse said, "It's my own stupid fault, not Ivan's- I didn't know and I didn't ask. Sometimes I play a little rough in bed, and-"

"My reflexes got ahead of my brains. I told you I was sorry."

"He broke my wrist before I knew it. I'm lucky he was able to stop before he broke my neck." With her usable hand, she touched his shoulder. "Anyway-it won't happen again!"

"No," said Ivan. Then; "I'd thought to go with you, Rissa. But now-and Ilse wants me to train for First Hat on Graf Spee.So-"

Rissa moved to kiss him. "Of course, Ivan-this is best for you. And we all go to the same place."

Grinning, Ivan shrugged. "Yes-wherever that is."

Tregare spoke. "It's time you all-and some who aren't here today-knew my plans.

All right-" He told of his scheme to take Stronghold, and then-perhaps-Earth itself.

Ivan banged a fist on the table. "It could work-Tregare, it could work!" He leaned forward. "From here, you can't find out what's what, Earthside. But with Stronghold taken-and I see no holes in that plan-you can sit and wait. Until the news from Earth points toward a good chance." He gestured. "But I'm not telling you anything, am I?

You'd already figured it, right?"

"Sure I did," said Tregare. "But I'm glad you see it, too, and agree."

Ivan shook his shoulders free of tension in the way Rissa remembered. "I agree, all right. When do we leave?"

"Depends. But soon, in any case-don't get involved with any continued series on the entertainment channels."

Liesel had been unusually silent; now she spoke. "Hawk-man. We've talked of going to Earth. Should we?"

"It's more can't than should," her husband said. "We don't have a ship yet-unless we go with Bran Tregare."

"No," said Liesel. "We-I-don't have time for that, not 226.

at my bio-age. We have to go'direct-or in freeze, at least. So I suppose we can't wait and buy a ship. But do we want to?"

"Let's wait and see," said Hawkman. "And on the chance, arrange signals with Bran."

"Signals?"

"If we go to Earth, we'll want to know whether it's friendly territory."

Conversation paused while food was served. Then Tregare said, "You'll know. Any Earth s.p.a.ceport i take over, I'll run the UET students' underground fight song on all ships' fre- quencies, in the clear; every hour on the hour!"

And in incompatible keys he and Limmer sang; "And that is the reason, you can plainly see, why there's only one latrine in all ofU!E!T!"