Nightmare - A Novel Part 27

"I don't think they know," Kendi said. "I just hope she's okay."

"Okay?" Willa almost squeaked. "Kendi, she almost knocked you off the balcony. It makes me shake to think that she was our student mentor and she killed all those women."

"We don't know she did that," Kendi shot back. "And even if she did-"

"-it's because she's crazy," Kite finished.

"What is this?" Jeren put in."Some kind of Aborigine turn-the-other-cheek?"

"We don't have all the facts yet," Kendi replied lamely. "I think we should keep an open mind. Besides, who knows what Mother Ara's finding out at Dreamers, Inc.?"

Jeren's only reply was a sarcastic snort.

The day proved difficult. Thoughts of Ben mingled with thoughts of Dorna-Violet?-and he ached to talk to Ara about the whole thing. Maybe after cla.s.ses were over he could drop into the Dream, see if she was there. There was a way to reach out of the Dream to contact Silent in the solid world, something Ara called knocking knocking, but Kendi hadn't learned how to do that yet. Maybe he could figure out how it worked?

With a start he realized that someone had repeated his name. Sister Bren stood over his desk, her young face waiting expectantly.

"What?" he asked.

"Kendi, I do get tired of repeating questions to you," she said. "Please pay attention."

"Sorry," he muttered.

"I asked you what other gift the Ched-Balaar gave humanity. The Dream was one. What was the other."

For once, Kendi remembered the answer. "Gravity," he said. "They gave us gravity generators."

"Absolutely correct," Bren said. "Before the Ched-Balaar, all human ships either operated in freefall or they had to simulate gravity how?"

"By spinning," Kite said without raising his hand.

Bren nodded. "An inconvenient way to travel, to say the least. Now, I've uploaded a new program onto the student network. Take out your pads and open the file named-"

But Kendi's mind was already wandering again.

At last cla.s.ses ended for the day. He was about to go with the others back to the dormitory when he noticed Willa splitting off in another direction.

"Where are you headed?" he asked.

Willa held up her dermospray. "I'm empty, remember? I have to go the dispensary."

"I'll go with you," Kendi said on impulse.

They walked in silence for a while, feet tromping the swaying walkways. Almost idly Kendi noticed that Willa wasn't quite so thin anymore. Her features weren't nearly as sharp, and her hair, formerly dull as dishwater, had taken on a distinct sheen. Her posture was straighter, and although she showed nothing of the overconfident c.o.c.kiness of Jeren, she carried herself with more ease.

"You like it here, don't you?" Kendi said.

"I love it," she declared without hesitation. Her voice was much firmer than it had been a year ago. "Everything about this place is beautiful and fine."

She paused in her walking to peer over the walkway. The lush green growth below trapped the clean scent of last night's rain and were slowly releasing it even in the late afternoon. Humans and Ched-Balaar, all wearing the medallions of Irfan, strolled up and down balconies and walkways, words mixing pleasantly with clatters and hoots. A gondola sailed past, filled with a human couple and their children. Above them and below, giant buildings and tiny houses nestled discretely among the solid talltree branches as if they had grown there. It felt more like a vacation paradise than a monastery of thousands set into a city of over half a million.

"It's beautiful," Willa continued. "I know there are dreadful things going on in the Dream and in the solid world-we saw that last night-but I still feel the serenity of the place. It's like Irfan is watching over us. I feel calm here."

"You had it hard as a slave," Kendi said.

Willa's face clouded, then cleared. "I did. I had three masters, and every one of them left a mark on me. They changed my name and they tried to change my own self. So I buried it-my own self, I mean. I buried it so deep I couldn't find it again. This place has helped me dig it back out."

"Was Willa your birth name?" Kendi said. "I never asked."

Willa shook her head. "My name was Janet. Willa was the name my last master gave me. By the time Ara bought and freed me, I had had that name longer than any other, so I decided to keep it. You changed yours again, I know."

"The Real People take names that describe them and change them whenever they need to," Kendi said. "But I think I'll be a kendi for a long time."

They continued on their way to the student dispensary. It was nothing more than a middle-sized room with seven service windows along the back wall. A sign said Please form a single line, and a series of ropes indicated the direction the line was to take. Because cla.s.ses had ended for the day, there were several people already waiting, and all seven windows were staffed. After several minutes, Kendi and Willa reached the front and were beckoned toward a window. A male clerk sat behind it.

"Name?" he asked.

Willa gave it and handed over her dermospray. The clerk tapped several keys on his computer and the holographic screen flickered.

"You've been practicing quite a lot," he said. "No wonder you need a refill. Hold on a sec."

He popped the dermospray into a slot and tapped the computer again. A slight hissing sound whispered across the counter and a light on the dermospray winked green. The clerk pulled it free and handed it back to Willa.

"A dozen doses," he said. "Thumb here and you're all set."

Willa pressed her thumb to the plate. Kendi stared at it and something clicked inside his head. His heart jumped.

"All life!" he gasped. "All life-that's what it is!"

Willa looked at him. "What's what it is?"

"Do you have the records of all the doses that everyone uses?" Kendi asked the clerk, voice urgent.

"Well, yeah," the clerk replied, startled. "The microtransmitter alerts the dispensary whenever a student uses a dose so your teacher can keep track of how much independent-"

"Can you show me the records for another student?" Kendi asked.

The clerk looked shocked. "Certainly not. That's confidential information."

"It's a matter of life and death," Kendi said, almost jumping up and down. "Please, you have to show me."

The clerk tapped his computer and the screen vanished. "Not without authorization I don't. Listen, son, there are people behind you."

"But-"

"Next!" the clerk said pointedly.

Kendi bit his lip in frustration. Several students in the waiting area were eyeing him curiously, but he barely noticed. Abruptly he grabbed Willa's hand.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Where are we going?"

He said, "To find Father Ched-Hisak."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

Sometimes your worst enemy turns out to be someone you know.

-Daniel Vik, husband to Irfan Qasad

The tiny Guardian ship popped out of slips.p.a.ce a respectable fifty thousand kilometers from the s.p.a.ce station headquarters of Dreamers, Inc. Alarms beeped and Tan's fingers darted dextrously over the boards, informing the station who they were and that they did indeed have permission to hold their current position. Ara, meanwhile, radioed the docking authority to double-check their authorization. Everything was in order, as were the reservations for their accommodations. Ara relaxed, only then realizing that she had been worried that some bureaucratic snafu would strand them without a place to dock or sleep.

"Docking in two hours," Tan reported from the pilot's chair.

Ara nodded and punched up an external visual on her monitor. It was a relief to see stars and blackness out there instead of the nauseating whirl of slips.p.a.ce. The Guardian slipship was cramped and tiny-the bridge was barely big enough for two people-and there was little to do on board. Fortunately the little ship was also fast. That and good slips.p.a.ce conditions had gotten them to the station in just under eighteen hours.

Ara trained one of the cameras on the station and beefed up the magnification, more for something to do than anything else. The station orbited an ocean-covered planet with a few flyspeck islands and wide swaths of white clouds, and the thing was a real hodgepodge. Giant squares and enormous spheres were stuck together or connected by cylinders like tinkertoys a.s.sembled by a madman. The entire station probably ma.s.sed as much as a small moon. Ships of varying sizes drifted, darted, or lumbered through open s.p.a.ces. Ara shook her head. She hadn't visited Dreamers, Inc., in over three years, but the station had rearranged itself in even that short time so that she barely recognized it. Dreamers had more money than even a multi-system corporation could burn, and Ara suspected the corp conducted the almost continual redecoration simply because it could.

Tan maneuvered the ship closer, and a voice came over the communication system. "You are authorized to use Dock 14-212-C. Please follow the course outlined. For safety reasons, deviation is not allowed and will result in immediate confiscation of your entire ship. Do you understand? By answering affirmatively, you agree to waive all right to liability, damages, or indemnity to your ship, cargo, crew, and pa.s.sengers."

"I understand," Tan said.

A live holographic image of the station appeared over Tan's board with a bright orange line indicating the course she was to take. It dipped and swooped like a drunken piece of spaghetti, and Ara could only a.s.sume it was intended to keep them from colliding with other ships.

"For a small fee," the voice continued, "you can slave your navigation computer to ours and we will guide your ship in for you."

"No thank you," Tan said. "We'll take it from here."

"As you wish. By proceeding further, you waive all right to-"

Tan shut the communicator off.

"Thank you," Ara said.

Tan grunted and turned her concentration to her flying. The station rushed up and down, swooped and turned. Other ships brushed the flight path but never quite came close enough to hit them. Eventually, the ship nosed against a dock and Ara heard the clamps thunk thunk into place. She and Tan retrieved their carryalls and, glad to be freed of the cramped ship, hurried through the airlock and into the main station. Ara asked the local computer for directions and discovered that they were quite a distance from the office of Ken Rashid, Chief of Security. The computer offered directions and a map-for a fee. Ara sighed and paid for both after agreeing that the map was for informational purposes only and she would not hold Dreamers, Inc., responsible for any damages incurred as a result of following its directions. into place. She and Tan retrieved their carryalls and, glad to be freed of the cramped ship, hurried through the airlock and into the main station. Ara asked the local computer for directions and discovered that they were quite a distance from the office of Ken Rashid, Chief of Security. The computer offered directions and a map-for a fee. Ara sighed and paid for both after agreeing that the map was for informational purposes only and she would not hold Dreamers, Inc., responsible for any damages incurred as a result of following its directions.

"I begin to see how this corporation makes its money," Tan said dryly.

After some searching, they found a transportation center and hired a cab driver to take them where they needed to go.

"First time on the Station?" asked their driver, a small, weasel-faced man complete with scraggly, whisker-like mustache.

"No," Tan said, giving him the map. "Here's where we need to go."

And that was the end of the conversation. The driver punched b.u.t.tons, muttered to his on-board computer, and the little electric car shot forward, pressing Ara into the seat.

The interior of the station was as hodgepodge as the exterior. Tunnels ranged from high, wide s.p.a.ces to low, cramped rabbit warrens. Decor rambled like a patchwork quilt. Through the cab windows Ara saw crowded streets, Greek architecture, a Chinese palace, lush jungle, and stark white hallway. Some areas were clearly residences of wealthy corp officers. Other areas were so dark and crowded, Ara quietly locked her door. Humans seemed to be the dominant species, but only barely. Everywhere Ara looked she saw a new alien race. They ran, hopped, slithered, glided, stomped, and squished their way up and down the corridors and streets. Some sectors, in fact, seemed completely devoid of anything humanoid. All of them were in some way connected to Dreamers, Inc., Ara knew, though not all of the people were Silent, just as it was back on Bellerophon.

It took over an hour to arrive at the main security offices. They were a series of blocky, unimaginative-looking buildings with thick columns out front. Tan paid and dismissed the driver, then headed up the high front steps with Ara close behind her. Groups of beings, both human and non-, were scattered up and down the stairs, their voices combining in a strange cacophony of sound. The station ceiling was at least a dozen stories up, so far off it looked to Ara like a smooth, cloudy sky. The air was odorless, dry, and a little chillier than Ara liked, and she was thankful she had brought a jacket.

The foyer was a big, echoing chamber with polished marble floors. The beings hurrying through it spoke in hushed voices. Ara consulted a directory and found that Chief Rashid's offices was on the fifth floor and that the elevators were off to his left.

"He has an entire suite," Tan murmured as they moved toward them.

"I noticed," Ara said. "You know, Dreamers, Inc., is three or four times bigger than the Children. The post of Chief of Security for them would probably be something like the post of Secretary of Planetary Defense anywhere else."

"I was thinking the same thing," Tan agreed. "The fact that we talked to him personally in the Dream says something. So does the fact that we're getting in to see him right away."

"What does it all say?"

"No idea."

The elevator took them straight to the fifth floor. An immensely tall human woman dressed in a pastel blue suit met them as they disembarked.

"Mother Araceil Rymar and Inspector Lewa Tan," she said, and it wasn't a question. "I am Denisa Ral, Chief Rashid's executive secretary. He is waiting to see you." She ushered them through a series of offices and corridors, all well-lit, lushly carpeted, and decorated with holographic windows that pretended to offer scenes ranging from mountains to forests to jungles to sandy beaches. Ara wondered how Ral had known who they were and that they were on that particular elevator, then laughed at her own naivete. Rashid had probably been keeping an eye on them since their ship slid out of slips.p.a.ce.

Eventually Denisa Ral lead them to an immense set of double doors made of polished oak. They swung wide at her touch, revealing a huge office beyond. One entire wall was a window that looked out on empty s.p.a.ce. At the bottom corner lay a portion of the planet, a blue crescent against utter black. The room was furnished like a wealthy person's living room, with designer furniture, spotlessly shined woodwork tables, and even a fireplace. A hint of wood smoke on the air indicated that it was a real one. Ara was impressed-attaining the wood and disposing of the smoke would be expensive undertakings, not to mention the amount of oxygen a fire sucked up.

Set against the window was an enormous desk. Ken Rashid, his silvering black hair blending in with the scene behind him, came around it as Ara and Tan entered the office. Denisa Ral closed the doors behind them. Rashid bowed slightly to each of them.

"It's nice to meet you in person," he said. "Forgive me not shaking hands, but in my current position I can only allow certain people the ability to locate me when I am in the Dream. If you are hungry or thirsty, refreshments are over there." He gestured to a table littered with an a.s.sortment of snacks and beverages. A wet bar stood in the corner. "Perhaps we should begin?"

"Yes. And since we're being direct," Tan said, "I have to ask, Chief Rashid-why are you seeing us? Your schedule must be insanely busy. It would be easy enough to a.s.sign this to a subordinate."

Rashid's expression went rigid for a moment and Ara thought Tan had offended him. Something flashed in his eyes, and Ara remembered the same thing happening when they had spoken in the Dream. Then Rashid pa.s.sed a tired hand over his face and his expression softened.

"There were four victims here on Dream Station," he said. "Polly Garvin, Minn Araq, Riann Keller, and Liss Padel. Liss Padel was my wife."

"I'm sorry," Tan said softly.

He nodded. "It was a decade ago. I usually think I'm past it, then something happens to remind me of her and I learn I'm not. Usually what I feel is anger. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d that killed her is walking around free. I was removed from the case, of course-conflict of interest-but it didn't matter. No more victims showed up. We never learned who did it. Ten years later, I get a message from an old friend that two monks from Bellerophon are looking for a killer who chops off fingers. I think you now understand how the Chief of Security for Dreamers, Inc., found time to see you." Rashid gave a wan smile. "But I'm being rude. Please come and sit."

He ushered them to a group of cushioned highback chairs that huddled around the fireplace. The top of the chair was at least two heads higher than Ara's head once she sat down, and she rather felt like a child sitting in an adult seat. A round end table held a lamp and a box of chocolates. Ara thought about reaching for one, then flashed back to Iris Temm's house and the single chocolate missing from the box. Her appet.i.te left her and she drew out her computer pad instead. Tan and Rashid took seats as well.

"Did the murders take place on Dream Station?" Ara asked.

"All four," Rashid said, and then suddenly bounded to his feet. "G.o.d, I need something. Can you excuse me for just a moment?" Without waiting for a reply, he went over to the mantle and opened an intricately-carved wooden box. From it he withdrew a brown cylinder a little thinner than a finger. He waved it, and one end glowed. A curl of smoke trickled upward and Ara smelled it, harsh and acrid. Rashid put the other end to his mouth and inhaled. Ara couldn't keep from staring. She had heard about this habit but had never seen it in action. Rashid noticed her gaze.