Slave Race 31/?
by Nancy Smith and Linda Garrick
Chapter 45
Karl had thought he knew all the different varieties of ships that there were, ranging from the low-powered skippers meant for private citizens, up to the giant Jilectan battlecruisers and Terran heavy cruisers. The little skippership that they boarded looked like a standard skipper, and he knew beyond a doubt that no skippership could possibly out-race the kind of Patrol ship that might be waiting for them. On the other hand, these people were with the Terran Underground. He'd heard all kinds of stories about them, although a lot were probably exaggerated. Hopefully, though, not too much.
Alan Westover ushered him up the ramp, and as soon as all were safely on board, the ramp retreated and the airlock slid shut. The soft hum of idling engines rose to a rumble.
"Strap in!" Kurt ordered. He ran forward and vanished through the hatch into the control room.
Karl found a seat and pulled safety webbing over his shoulders. Only once he was safely strapped in did he notice that there were others besides his small party already seated in the cushioned seats of the ship's tiny passenger cabin.
"Take it easy," Alan said. "We'll be fine."
"Aren't they going to challenge us?" Karl asked.
"Probably," Alan said.
"Pickin' up a newscast," a voice said from the speaker, and Karl recognized the heavy accent of Shallock. "I'll pipe it through.
"... the burning of the Viceregal Mansion on Corala," a professional-sounding voice said, crisply. "New evidence has surfaced which indicates that the Terran Underground was not responsible for this incident as originally believed..."
An incredulous whistle sounded from the control room.
"Apparently the fire was an accident due to faulty wiring," the broadcaster continued. "Earlier reports that members of the Terran Underground were on the scene have proven false, and the rumor of the death of the Viceroy's infant son, Lord Talthzar, has also proven incorrect..."
"Sounds like the nanny made it safely," Kurt McDougal's voice said. "What do you bet the arsons stop, now?"
"No takers," Alan said. "Whoever he was, they'll never admit it. The scandal would be too much, considering how interrelated the noble houses are. I'd be interested in knowing what was behind it all, though."
"Hang onto your hats," the Shallockian voice said. Karl felt the momentary heaviness of acceleration. After several seconds, the artificial gravity field kicked in.
"Won't they try to stop us?" Karl asked.
"Probably," Alan replied. "We'll be fine. If they try to stop us, we'll shake them off."
"*Can* we? A battlecruiser?"
"This is a modified skipper," the girl sitting in the seat directly opposite his, said. "It's really souped up, and there are scouts standing by, just in case."
Nobody else seemed worried, so Karl told himself that they must know what they were doing and tried to relax. The shriek of air against the hull was lessening, and suddenly the Shallockian voice spoke again.
"Here comes the cruiser, kids."
Karl's heart began to pound. What would the Jils do, he wondered, if they caught him now?
The scream of atmosphere had ceased. A voice spoke out of the air.
"Skippership, you are on an illegal flight path. Identify yourself at once."
"Courier for Lord Revolthvor," McDougal's voice said. "We have clearance to take off here, and if you don't believe me, check with his Lordship."
"Who are you? Identify yourself at once!"
"I told you, stupid. Courier for Lord Revolthvor. Get out of the way, 'trol, or he's going to be mad at you."
"I demand identification! Lay to immediately!"
"Go suck on a sloof's egg."
"Clearin' the pull," the Shallockian said. "Hyperspace in forty seconds."
"Lay to, skippership!"
The whine of engines increased. Karl gulped and gripped the seat with both hands. If they were caught, he wouldn't allow himself to be taken alive! He'd die before he'd let Halthzor get his hands on him again!
"Twenty seconds." Kurt's voice over the intercom sounded amazingly cheerful.
Alan reached over to touch Karl's wrist lightly. "We're okay. Take it easy."
"All okay, folks," the Shallockian voice announced. "He's lookin' upset, but it's only 'cause he knows he ain't gonna make it. Ten seconds."
There was another pause and then a slight jolt.
"Hyperspace," Alan said, preceding the announcement from the control cabin by half a second. He unstrapped his safety webbing. "Karl, let me introduce my baby sister, Janice. Jan, this is Karl Warren. And you may recognize these two gentlemen, Karl."
Karl took a closer look at the two civilian clad men, one a human and one an Arcturian. "Aren't you --"
The human nodded. "We're the two guys you warned at the Drevelle base. Thanks, kid. You saved our bacon."
"After I blew your cover," Karl said.
The man shrugged. "You were a captive of the Jils. You didn't have a choice -- but you chose to try to save us, anyway. That takes guts."
"You did a courageous zing," the Arcturian said. "I know few who would have attempted it. We bozz owe you a great debt."
"In the end, it helped us to find Fannir, and through him, you," Alan said. "You'll probably want this back." He held up Fannir's ring, and let it float across the intervening space to land gently in Karl's hand.
Karl slipped it onto his middle finger. "Thanks," he said.
Fannir patted him lightly on the shoulder. "Did I not say zat ziss is how zee Terran Underground would view your behavior, Karl? No one knows zee Shils better zan zey."
"That's for sure," Janice Westover said. "I was their prisoner, too, for the same reason as you, and I never even tried to resist."
"And for a much longer time," Alan put in. "Janice was a prisoner for nearly eight years."
"Nearly eight years!" Memory stirred. "The Westover girl!"
"Alan and Mark rescued me," Janice said. "Speaking of Mark -- " She turned her head as Kurt McDougal and a tall, muscular blond man entered from the control room. "This is him, now. Karl Warren, Mark Linley."
Linley's eyebrows went up. "Not the missin' Warren kid?"
"The same," Alan said. "He reads Arcturians, Mark."
Linley whistled approvingly. "Glad to meet you, Karl."
"Wow," Karl said. "The Strike Commander?"
"The very same," Alan said, sounding amused. "And this is our Arcturian friend who owned the ring, Mark. Fannir, Mark Linley."
"Were you part of the stage crew, or something?" Janice asked.
"I am a convict," Fannir replied. "I was taken from zee penal colony on Borantia and brought to Karl as a practice subject. When he had finished, zey intended to kill me. Karl knew ziss, and saved my life by asking Halzzor if I could remain wizz him for companionship."
"A lever," Linley said. "If Karl disobeyed, Fannir would suffer. The Jils know how tough Terrans can be. Fannir was an insurance policy."
"That's right." Karl felt sick at the memory. "Halthzor took him away after I betrayed them, and told me they were going to torture and kill him. I guess he was planning to return him, since you found him alive, but I didn't know that. I thought he was suffering and dying, because of what I'd done." He stopped. "That was a terrible day."
Janice nodded. "I know," she said quietly. "It's over now, though. And Mark picked up some news while we were waiting for you."
"Oh?" Alan said.
"Yes. Karl's family got away. They're headed for Earth."
"My family!" Karl said. A tremendous sense of relief filled him.
"That's right," Janice said. "All of them."
Sudden apprehension reared its head. "Even Cecil?"
"No, not Cecil," Janice said. "Your mom's first husband came for her and your brother and sister, and got them away before the Jils could get hold of them."
"Oh," Karl said. Then: "Mom's *first* husband? Mom's never been married before!"
"Actually, she was," Alan said. "We met his psychic partner; a young man by the name of Cory Livingston. It's a long story, and we won't know all of it until we find your mom and dad, but apparently your mom was secretly married to Edwin White -- your real father. He and Cory were taken prisoner by a Jil pirate named Comishvor, under circumstances where they thought your mom was dead. When he found out she was alive, he apparently went straight to her, just in time to save her and your brother and sister from the Patrol. It's a pretty long story. You'll have to get the rest of it from Cory, after we get home."
Karl blinked at him. "So my mother wasn't having an affair, like Halthzor said."
"Sure wasn't." Mark Linley said. "Although after meetin' Cecil, I couldn't blame her if she had. What a trenchcrawler!"
"You met Cecil?" Karl stopped himself from gaping at the former patrolman just in time. Wasn't there anything these people didn't know?
"Yeah. A real pleasure." Mark regarded him with a certain sympathy. "I think you'd have done better without a dad."
"That's for sure. Where is he now?--Cecil, I mean."
"The head of the Underground station in Franik took care of him. Don't worry, kid. He won't be botherin' you no more."
"Is he dead?"
"Naw. They're gonna dump him on a frontier planet somewhere, I think--someplace where he'll have to rough it. Oughta be good for him. Teach him self-restraint."
Karl couldn't quite hide a grin at the image that presented, but he said nothing.
Janice stood up. "We'll be home in twelve hours."
"Where's home?" Karl asked.
"It's planet in the Ladreen system," Alan informed him.
"Ladreen." The name meant nothing to Karl, but Fannir spoke up, sounding puzzled.
"Ladreen is a star in zee constellation of zee Devil's Pitchfork. It does not
possess habitable planets."
"Obviously the reports aren't correct," McDougal said. "Lavirra's the fourth planet--nice little world. Good climate, pretty scenery, and an Underground base."
"Lots of psychics like us," Janice put in eagerly. "You'll like it, Karl."
"I'm sure I will." Karl looked around at the faces of his rescuers--these people, outlaws all, who had befriended him and saved him from a living hell. He swallowed hard.
"Coffee, anybody?" Linley asked. He opened a panel in the bulkhead and removed a coffee container from its heating unit.
"Thanks, Mark," said Alan. "I could use some."
Janice went to help him. Karl also started to get up, then subsided as Kurt pushed him back down. "Sit still, Karl," he ordered. "Give that leg a rest. You've earned it. You're not a servant any more."
"Definitely not," Alan agreed. "You're a pretty powerful psychic, did you know that? I'm going to be interested in seeing what you can do. I already know you're an illusionist, of course. That was a very convincing monster I saw jumping at me when I stepped into your cell."
"Illusionist?" Kurt's face broke into a pleased smile. "You're an illusionist?"
"I guess so," said Karl. "Is that what you call it? I can make people see things that aren't there."
"Great." Linley set the tray of mugs on the sideboard, grinning from ear to ear. "Illusionism is a rare talent. There ain't many who can do it."
"Really?" Karl felt pleased. "The Jils can't?"
"The Jils don't even know about it as far as we know," Kurt told him. "Did they learn about your ability?"
"I don't know," said Karl. "I don't think so. To tell the truth, I didn't even realize that it was a talent until a couple of days ago. I've always done it, and, although I knew other people didn't do it to me, it never occurred to me that they couldn't."
Alan laughed. "How typical! I used my talents all my life, and never realized what I was doing."
Janice laughed. "I'm surprised at you, Alan! Letting an untrained psychic catch you off guard like that!"
"He caught me off guard because he *was* untrained," Alan said, looking a little chagrined. "I didn't expect anything." He turned to Karl. "But how did you dare do it? Didn't you realize they would see you on their videocamera?"
"I disabled the camera."
"You did?"
"Well, funny, but it had already gone out--probably something to do with all the fooling around I did with it earlier. So, I just put an extra bug in it to be sure it stayed out until I was finished."
"You're a telekinetic, then?"
"I don't know," Karl said. "I don't think so. I can't move things with my mind, but I did figure out how to put their camera out of commission."
"How?" Alan and Janice chorused together.
They were both looking at him, their faces, so similar in feature, alert with interest. Karl felt suddenly proud and self-conscious. "I'm not sure. I'd done it several times during the day, so they didn't suspect anything when it suddenly happened again. I just sort of reach for it in a certain way and it shorts out."
Mark Linley whistled softly. "Does it work that way every time?"
Karl nodded.
"Whee-hoo! He's an illusionist, he reads Arcturians and zaps out videocameras. What other talents have you got, Karl?"
Karl considered. "Well, I'm a linguist."
"A what?"
"A linguist," Karl said. "That's what Halthzor called it, anyway. I didn't realize it was a talent, either, until Halthzor pointed it out. I only have to hear a few words of a language to pick up the whole thing."
"The whole language?" Kurt also whistled softly. "Three unusual talents!"
"Two of them we never heard of before," Janice said. "And besides that, he's an empath and a telepath, and I guess a clairvoyant, too. Are you a precog, Karl?"
"A precog?"
"Do you sense things before they happen?"
Karl considered. "I was a little worried when my father was taking me for the interview, but gosh, anybody would have been. I went, anyway."
"You could be a weak precog," Alan said. "We can test you on that once we're back at the base." He smiled at Karl. "Nice talents, all of them. The Underground'll be glad to get you--especially with that linguist ability. We're trying to learn the Jil language, but it's very difficult. Perhaps if you heard one of our tapes, you could pick it up."
"He speaks Shilectan," Fannir announced, sounding smug.
"What's that? You do?"
Karl nodded. "I heard them speaking it. You're right, it's a hard language."
"It took him a whole five minutes to learn it." Fannir was clearly enjoying himself. "He learned Arcturian in much less."
"You do this all the time?" Alan was looking extremely pleased. "Let me hear you say something in Jilectan."
"Okay." Karl thought for a moment. "Thank you very much for rescuing me."
Alan listened attentively. "You're welcome," he said in the same language. "Say something else."
Karl thought again. "His Highness wears lousy perfume."
Linley snorted. "I understood that! Except I wouldn't use nothin' so complimentary."
"You have several very useful talents," Alan commented. "Let's see...I count six in all--seven if you prove to be a pre-cog. Can you do anything else?"
Karl thought it over. "I don't think so."
"Well, we'll find out," Alan said. "In any case, I'd say that this backs up Janice's theory, wouldn't you, Mark?."
"Yeah," Linley said. "I'd say she's right."
**********
Chapter 46
Cory rested in the rear seat of the aircar. Someone was coming through the underbrush toward him--several someones, although he only sensed one mind; a very familiar one. Then the bushes parted and the two young men who had accompanied him in search of Ed strode into view, and with them...
He pushed the door open. "Miriam!"
She flung herself into his arms. "Cory! Oh, Cory!"
He held her tightly. "Are you okay?"
"Yes! Oh Cory, it's been just awful!"
"Into the car, kids." One of the men was urging Miriam into the rear seat with him. "You can talk all you want once we're safe." The door closed and an instant later the craft was lifting off. Cory held his wife's hand, tightly.
"What happened? How did you get away from them?"
"I didn't...not until these guys showed up. Then Comishvor's men just let me go and ran for it." She swallowed. "Comishvor's been dragging me through the forest for days. He was using me as a lever to make Ed come back--once Jack located him." Again she paused, the spoke softly. "Me and our little girl, Cory."
He stared into her beautiful face. Beneath them the forests of the hunting preserve slid past. The lights of Franik twinkled in the distance, and to the east, the first light of dawn was staining the mountains.
"We had a child?"
She nodded. "A little girl. I named her Kimmie."
"Where is she?"
"With Ed and...the rest of them. Jack--the psychic Comishvor was using to trace Ed--was holding her. He made a break for it and ran into Ed's ship. He still had her with him. I sure hope she's all right."
"Ed'll take care of her. My God, I didn't know, Miriam. I swear, I didn't know you were pregnant!"
"I know you didn't. I didn't know myself until after you were gone. But even if I had known, I'd have wanted you to get away. If you hadn't, Lady Gootishville would have made Kimmie an orphan before she was born. Oh Cory!"
Again she buried her face against him. He smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Are you okay? Did he take it out on you after I left?"
"He was awful, but he didn't dare hurt me much. He wanted the child born okay. He thought you would probably produce psychic kids, and figured he could use her later. Jocki delivered her." She drew back from him again. "I think Comishvor's dead."
"What?"
"And Gootishville, too."
"Who killed them? Not Ed!"
"No. I'm not sure what happened, exactly. Comishvor had Jack out there with Kimmie in his arms, so Ed wouldn't try anything desperate. Ed was about to go along with him. I knew he would. Comishvor said Ed's wife could come, and the daughter, too, but refused to let the boy. I heard the kid yell something at Comishvor, and the next thing I knew Jack was lunging for the ship. Comishvor jumped after him, and someone shot him--Comishvor, I mean. Then I heard the Lady scream and saw her fall. There was a bunch of shooting, and the guy holding me ran for it. A couple of other guys did, too. Then I heard the repulsers and the ship came tearing out of the cave. Comishvor must be dead, Cory. He was in the cave, and so was Gootishville."
Cory considered her statement. "Well, I can't exactly cry. You're sure the kid made it into the ship, though?"
"I saw him go in, and the last I saw of him, he was still holding Kimmie."
Cory heaved a long sigh. "Then what happened?"
"Well, the pirates tried to go back into the cave, but just then a bunch of Viceregal Patrolmen showed up, and we had to scram. There was another Jil and some 'trols in the cave when we got there. Bradley--you remember him, don't you? He flamed them all at Comishvor's order. The Jil wasn't killed, but he was burned. He crawled out of the cave, and was gone when we came out. He must have crawled away into the underbrush somewhere and called for help. Bradley and Mike held on to me until these guys showed up." She nodded to the two men in the front. "Then I started to fight, and they let me go."
Cory spoke to his two escorts. "Thanks, you guys."
"You're welcome, Cory." The man on the left gave him a thumbs-up.
"But will Ed know where to go? How will he contact us again?" Miriam looked anxiously back at Cory.
"I was in contact with him. I told him where to take the ship."
"Oh. And what about us?"
"We'll be on our way to something they call a sanctuary world pretty soon, I'm told. Right, guys?"
"Right, Cory--you and your pretty lady there, both. And maybe your little girl will be there when you arrive."
**********
The trip to the base on Lavirra took 48 hours. Cory was accompanied by a nurse and doctor, as well as Miriam. Still recovering from his injury, he slept a good part of the trip, and upon arrival was escorted via grav chair to the base infirmary. Once there, a white-coated doctor arrived, conferred with Dr. Ortega who had been caring for him, then came over to the bed to look down at his patient. "Hello, Lieutenant Livingston.
"Hello."
"Dr. Ortega tells me you're doing fine, and should be up and around in a couple of days."
"That's good. You're Dr. Philips?"
"Right. Matt Philips. Glad to have you. I hear you've been through a bad time. Held by a Jil pirate or something, weren't you?"
"Yes."
The doctor grunted. "Bad business. There are Jil pirates who aren't bad to work for--or so I hear--but I take it Comishvor wasn't one of them. How long were you with him?"
"Sixteen years."
Another grunt. "But your partner was with you. I guess that's better than being alone."
"Yes. Has Ed shown up yet? Have you had any word of him?"
"Not yet."
"Man! I hope he's okay."
"Me, too." He spoke to the nurse beside him. "Progressive ambulation, and monitoring. I think he's over the hump. The fracture's healing fine, and the bleeding's resolved."
The nurse nodded, glancing sideways at Cory and dimpled. He smiled back, then looked quickly away, thinking guiltily of Miriam.
But the young nurse was departing. Dr. Philips grinned faintly. "Don't mind Patty. She can't help looking." He nodded to Dr. Ortega, who gave Cory a jaunty wave and departed. Cory sat up. "I want to know as soon as you hear any word of Ed."
"I understand, Lieutenant. Are you up to a visitor?"
"What visitor?"
"Does the name Karl Warren mean anything to you?"
"Ed's son? It sure does! He's here?"
"Yep."
"Sure! Send him in."
The door opened and the boy entered. Cory sat up higher, smiling at him. "Hi!"
"Hello." Karl advanced to stand by the bed, and Cory got a better look at him than he had achieved during his brief glimpse from the aircar. Karl appeared about thirteen, and was as small and slender as Ed. He resembled his father to a startling degree in color and feature, but there was a certain reservation about him which spoke of more restrained childhood than Ed's had been.
"I'm Cory Livingston. Your father is my best friend."
The boy nodded. "Glad to meet you."
"I'm glad to meet you." Cory paused, surveying the boy and sensing the resentment. "Is something wrong?"
"No."
"Are you worried about your father?"
"I don't even know my father. How could I worry about him? I'm worried about my mom and my sister and my brother."
Cory felt foolish. "Of course. I'm sorry." He surveyed the boy unhappily. "You're angry."
"No."
"Don't lie. Did you know that Cecil wasn't really your father?"
"I suspected." Karl looked away. "I don't look anything like him."
"You couldn't. You look just like your dad."
"Did he love her?"
The question was so abrupt it took Cory by surprise, and suddenly he understood.
"Yes, Karl, Ed loved your mom. He still loves her."
"They told me he kidnapped her."
"Ed didn't kidnap her. I did. We were kids, Karl, and had been stealing to live since we were hardly old enough to walk. A couple of guys and I were robbing a jewelry store. The proprietor triggered an alarm and the cops showed up. One of the guys I was with grabbed your mom and took her along for insurance. We weren't going to hurt her. As a matter of fact, I thought she was quite a looker. I suppose you'll understand that when you're older--or maybe you do, already. You must be older than you look. We took her to our hideout, and Ed saw her. He was stuck immediately. Before a day had gone by, he was proposing marriage. I've never seen him like that before. He ran off, got himself a job and rented a house. Then he called me to bring her. I went, and was a witness at their marriage. Two lovebirds, that's what they were. I left them alone in their new house to get better acquainted and went back to our hideout. Ed was planning to meet me there later and collect his stuff. But just as he pulled up, he and Lori were attacked by a rival gang. I heard him yell telepathically, and went running out, along with the other guys in our gang. But there were too many of them. Your mom and dad were hurt bad. I was knocked down, and when I looked up a big guy was picking me up and shoving me in an aircar. I passed out, and when I came to I was on Comishvor's ship with Ed. His men told us Loreen was dead, and, being psychics, we knew they were telling the truth. Ed grieved so, I thought he'd die. It took him months before he started acting normal again."
Karl's eyes were fixed on Cory. "So, my father wasn't really... bad."
"He was a kid trying to survive. No, he wasn't... isn't bad. Ed's one of the nicest people you'll ever hope to meet."
A light tap sounded on the door, and it opened a moment later to admit Alan Westover, accompanied by his sister. Both psychics appeared worried. Alan glanced from Karl to Cory. "I see you two have gotten acquainted."
Karl stood up quickly. "Is something wrong, sir?"
Cory had felt it, too. He looked from one to the other, feeling his heart sink. "What is it?"
Alan Westover cleared his throat. "Uh... the lifeboat with Edwin and Loreen on board hasn't arrived on Terra yet. It's about six hours overdue."
Silence. Cory sighed. "I knew something was wrong."
"So did I," Karl said.
Alan looked from Karl to Cory. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Karl said. "I just felt something was wrong."
Cory nodded. "I was in contact with Ed at the moment of conversion. It felt, well, funny."
"What do you mean, funny?"
"I can't explain it. It felt... like everything blurred out, then spun. I felt dizzy. Weird."
"Have you ever been in contact with Ed when he went into hyperspace before, though?"
"Once, years ago, but it didn't feel like that."
"Do you think they're dead?" Janice asked, quietly.
Cory shook his head. "No."
"They're alive," Karl said.
Alan glanced quickly at him. "How do you know?"
"I... just do." The boy looked confused. "I feel it."
"Then they are." Alan's tense expression relaxed. "It's possible they may have been delayed--computer problems, or maybe damage. I'm told the Patrol cruiser chasing them got in a hit seconds before conversion actually took place. That may account for it."
"Let's hope so," Janice said.
**********
Chapter 47
Stephen wiggled his body beneath the control panel and removed the casing to gaze into the inner workings of the lifeboat's computer. He blinked at the maze of wires and components and voiced an unkind comment under his breath.
Ellie's face peered under at him. "What are you doing, Steph?"
"I'm trying to fix it, dammit! What do you think?"
"Ummm! I'm going to tell mama!"
"Shut up and find me a light or something, will you? I can't see anything!"
"Here." It was a new voice, and for a moment Stephen couldn't identify it.
Then he remembered the young psychic kid with a stab of annoyance. He couldn't really blame the boy, he thought grudgingly. Comishvor was five times his size, but still, if it hadn't been for the little coward, they'd have been away by now, free and clear. It had been the trouble with Comishvor that had screwed things up and delayed them so the Patrol had found time to get there and take pot shots at them.
The kid was wiggling under beside him, light in hand. He didn't glance at Stephen, but his face, revealed in the illumination of the handlight he held, was unhappy. Stephen saw him blink hard and swallow. "Just tell me where to shine it, and if there's anything I can do--"
"Just hold the light," Stephen muttered. He reached up toward the twisted wires and wiggled one experimentally. He could see places where circuits had been burned out by the Patrol's blaster shot. "Ellie, push that repair case under here."
The case squeaked under and Jack reached over to open it for him. Stephen, one finger on the connection, fumbled for a tool.
Jack placed something in his hand. Stephen started to retort, then realized the boy had found what he sought. "Oh, thanks." He removed the burned out module, slid in a fresh one and sealed it.
Jack peered upward, squinting. "I think we're doin' this the hard way."
"What?"
"Wait a minute." He slid out from beneath the casing. "Come out here."
"Why?"
"Please, just for a minute."
"Come on, Steph!" It was Ellie, sounding impatient. "Quit being such a jerk!"
Stephen wiggled from beneath the casing, glaring at the boy. "Now look, you, I took computer classes in school, and..." He stopped as Jack pressed a control he hadn't noticed on the side of the comp. "Hey, what are you..."
His protest died as the casing slid smoothly upward to reveal the inner workings of the comp, now within easy reach. Ellie giggled.
He turned on her furiously. "Shut up, brat! This is Jil design! We haven't studied these!" He turned back to the boy. "Where did you learn about Jil computers? Comishvor teach you?"
Jack shook his head. "I don't know anything about computers... uh... Stephen. You mind if I call you Stephen?"
"It's my name." Stephen still couldn't bring himself to be friendly with the kid. He bent over the comp again.
The other boy emulated him. "Wow!" he whispered. "Look at all the stuff!"
"Yeah. Wish I understood it a little better."
Jack glanced at him. "Well, there's a short over here that needs fixing." He reached over to pick up a splicer.
"Wait. Better let me."
"I can do it." The boy spoke simply, sounding a little surprised. "This doesn't look too hard."
"It doesn't?"
The boy employed the tool, hesitated fractionally, then did so again. The screen above them flickered to life.
"Holy smoke! What did you do?" Stephen stared at him in amazement.
"I just fixed a short or two." Jack regarded the screen thoughtfully. "I don't think we can repair it completely."
"I thought you said you didn't know anything about computers."
He looked surprised. "What's t'know? It looks pretty simple."
It must have something to do with his psychic powers, Stephen thought. He watched, awed, as Jack pressed another control, then reached for the splicer again. The display brightened, and suddenly they were looking at the computer simulation of passing stars, bright flecks of light against the darkness of hyperspace.
Jack pressed another button. "Let's see if we can find out where we're heading."
Sluggishly, figures appeared across the bottom of the screen. Edwin White stepped through the door.
"Jack's fixed it, Mr. White," Ellie told him calmly.
"No, I haven't." Jack spoke without turning around. "I don't think I can--not completely, anyway."
"Well, he got it unfrozen, anyway," Stephen told him grudgingly. "The kid seems to know what to do, somehow."
"Let's have a look." Edwin stepped up beside the two boys and studied the readout.
"We're on a really weird course," Jack told him worriedly.
"So I see. How bad is it?" Ed spoke to Jack. "Can you bring us out of hyperspace?"
"Uh..." The boy studied the board, then the inner workings. "No, I don't think I...now wait just a minute..." His voice trailed off as he studied the damaged circuits. "You know..." Again he paused. Stephen started to speak, but White motioned him to silence. Ellie peered around him, trying to see the board.
Jack pressed a button, watching the screen. The reading was incomprehensible to Stephen, but apparently not so to the little boy. He reached for a small device from the tool kit and then across to employ it deftly on the damaged computer. There was another flicker on the display and Ed White made a satisfied sound.
"Good boy! You're a natural at this, kid. Comishvor teach you?"
Jack shook his head absently. "I don't know anything about computers, sir, but it all seems pretty simple."
"Simple!" Stephen stared at him. Jack met his gaze in surprise.
"Sure. I mean, it..." He frowned at the older boy. "You mean, you don't know how to do this? But you said you studied computers in school. I've never been to school."
"Then how are you reading what it says?" Stephen inquired, sarcastically.
"Oh, I taught myself to read. That wasn't hard. There were a few books at the orphanage."
Stephen heard Mr. White muffle a laugh. Jack's expression was one of complete innocence.
"Now look!" the older boy demanded, "just what are you trying to prove? Are you trying to make me look like an idiot or something? I'm not, you know. I'm a straight 'A' student!"
Jack's look was blank. "What? Oh, gosh, no." He looked worried suddenly. "You're mad at me, aren't you? I'm sorry. Just showing off, I guess..."
Stephen felt silly and ashamed. "Oh, heck, it's okay. I ought to be used to it. My sis and brother are both psychics. Hey, don't feel bad...Jack. I'm sorry."
Jack's face came up. Stephen grimaced and slapped him on the shoulder. "Ease up. I just don't get a kick out of being shown up by a younger kid. We're lucky you're along, since none of us knows diddly about Jil computers."
Jack smiled tentatively. "You mean it?"
"Sure." Stephen knew a small glow of friendship. The kid wasn't so bad, he told himself. He was just young. "How old are you, anyway, Jack?"
"I think about twelve."
"You're kidding!"
The boy went red. "I know I look about eight."
"Well...yeah, you do."
Jack regarded him enviously. "How old are you?"
"Thirteen."
"Gosh, you look older. I wish I was your size."
"I'm seven!" Ellie piped up. "And I'm already in third grade. They moved me up 'cause I'm so smart."
Stephen glanced briefly at his sister. "Shut up."
She made a face at him. "*You* shut up! You're just jealous 'cause you never..."
"I said shut up!" Stephen turned back to the comp, but out of the corner of his eye saw Ed White grinning. The man seemed to be enjoying the proceedings immensely, he thought, a little annoyed. "Okay, Jack, now what?"
"Well..." Jack's hands hovered uncertainly over the controls for a moment. "From what I can see here, I don't think I can make it bring us out...and even if I could, I'm not sure I could re-set. That 'trol messed us up really bad. But maybe I can..." Again his voice trailed off and he studied the board. "Hold on! You know what I can do?"
"What?"
"It might be a good idea, and it might be sort of risky, too. I think I can make it bring us out of hyperspace when we pass within sublight distance of a habitable planet."
White leaned forward. "You could?"
"Sure." The boy glanced at Stephen, suddenly worried again. "Couldn't I?"
Stephen could feel the blankness of his own expression. Did the kid really know what he was doing? He certainly seemed to. "Sure you could, Jack."
The boy regarded him dubiously.
"Do it, Jack," White said, encouragingly. "Don't mind us. Psychic powers are mysterious to those who don't have them."
"But you're a psychic."
"My talents lie in other areas. You couldn't make an illusion, and I'm lost with a computer. Go ahead. Do what you can to get us out of this mess."
The boy gulped and managed a tentative smile. "Thanks, sir. You make me feel better." He turned back to the board and studied the damaged interior for a few moments. "I think we've done all we can here," he said finally. "Let's close it up."
The cover slid back into place. Jack turned to the screen, fingers playing over the board. "Okay. That should do it."
"Do what?" Loreen stood in the doorway, the baby in her arms.
"Where's His Lordship?" Edwin asked, quickly.
"Still on the deck. He's snoring. What did he do, Ed?"
"Jack's fixed us so when we pass near a system with a habitable planet, the comp will automatically bring us out. Right, Jack?"
The little boy nodded. "I think so."
Stephen saw his mother frown. "What if we end up orbiting Shallock or something?"
"We'll have to take the risk," Edwin said. "It's that, or keep on going until we run out of supplies."
"We're on a pretty unusual course," Stephen told her. "Probably we'll end up on some remote frontier world."
"How long will it take?"
Edwin looked uneasy. "I...don't know that, either. Jack, what do you think?"
The little boy shrugged. "Dunno. The comp's too messed up."
"You mean, we might never pass close enough?" The words were out before Stephen realized he'd spoken, and could have bitten his tongue in anger at himself a moment later.
There was so much space out there--so terribly much, and so very little of it was occupied by planetary bodies--and of those planetary bodies that did occupy it, so few of them were capable of supporting human life. Why, if they were on a really cockeyed course, they might wander forever--or worse still, fly directly into a sun, or get sucked in by a black hole...
Ellie's eyes were large and scared. Loreen looked soberly at him, absently smoothing Kimmie's dark, wavy head.
Jack pressed another control and examined the readout that appeared sluggishly on the screen. He, alone, did not appear very concerned with the circumstances--probably because he didn't realize their import, Stephen thought, sourly.
"Oh, I dunno. We might be a ways offa the well traveled tracks, but in a way that's good. And I don't think we're that far off."
Stephen started to comment, the closed his mouth. The adults would know how poor their chances were, and it was probably better that Ellie and Jack remain blissfully unaware of them.
Sixty hours passed before Comishvor stirred and began to take an interest in his surroundings. Stephen was with Jack and Ellie in the passenger section, and Loreen was with them, holding Kimmie and feeding her prepared powdered milk that they had found in a storage cupboard. Their supplies, it appeared, weren't all that bad. Comishvor's personal lifeboat had been thoroughly stocked, not only with food and water, but with cooking and medical supplies, blankets, radiant heaters, which they would need if they landed on a frontier world, as well as incidentals such as ropes and inflatable emergency shelters. Stephen was reading a magazine cartridge on a reader that he had found in a drawer when Comishvor stirred, moaning softly. Jack, who had been dozing, lifted his head, then jumped to his feet, and Stephen knew surprise at the fright on the little boy's face. Jack had seemed so calm and easy when dealing with the computers and with their present, uncertain future, that the fear in his expression now was surprising.
"What's the matter?" Stephen asked.
"Nothing. I...just don't want him to see me."
"Are you still scared of him? You don't have to be, you know. He isn't armed, and I'll shoot him if he tries anything."
Jack's eyes wavered. "I ain't afraid of him."
Comishvor groaned again, trying to lever himself up on his elbows. He failed and fell back to the deck with another moan.
Loreen handed the baby to Ellie. "Hold her. I'm going to go get Ed."
Ellie took the baby and the makeshift bottle. Her face twisted. "He's hurting, Steph. We should try to help him."
"Let him hurt. Give him a taste of his own medicine."
Jack twisted his hands before him, his eyes focussed on the deck. Loreen came back into the cabin, accompanied by Ed White.
Comishvor groaned, heaved, and flopped over to his back. White went over to him and knelt beside him. "M'lord Comishvor?"
To Stephen's boundless disgust, the words were spoken with respect and deference. This stupid, worthless Jil had held both Jack and Edwin prisoner. He had treated them like so much property. How could they act this way toward him now? Jack had his back to the bulkhead. His face was white and Stephen could see him shaking.
"Steph," said White, "bring me some water, please."
Stephen gave a disgusted snort and obeyed. Ed seemed not to notice. He held the container for the Jilectan while the injured alien drank, then lowered him to the deck again. Comishvor stared blearily up at the little man. "What happened?"
"Lie still, M'lord." Edwin pulled the emergency blanket tighter around the alien's shoulders. "You've been hurt."
"Who...shot me? I...didn't see."
"I did." Stephen took a step forward and let Comishvor see the blaster in his hand. "And I'll do it again if you give us any trouble, Jil."
Comishvor's eyes met his, and Stephen felt shock at the difficulty he experienced in maintaining the contact. Fear ran through him--the "awesome Jilectan aura" which he had heard so much about and always scoffed at before. He tightened his grip on the blaster and clenched his jaw.
Comishvor's lips twitched faintly in the ghost of a derisive smile. His gaze returned to Edwin. "My shoulder hurts, Edwin."
"It's a bad burn, sir."
"You have nothing to ease the pain?"
White reached into the emergency kit and withdrew a bottle of pills. Without speaking he poured four of them into his hand, gave them to the Jilectan, and once again held the glass of water for him.
Comishvor swallowed the tablets and lay back as though exhausted, his eyes closing. For a few moments there was silence in the passenger section. Then the Jilectan's breathing became deep and even.
Edwin White stood up. "He'll probably sleep awhile longer now."
Jack relaxed visibly. Ed went over to the supply cupboard and looked in. Stephen knew what he was doing. Well supplied as the lifeboat had been, there were five of them eating and drinking, and now there would be six. And besides, there was Kimmie. She used nothing but the powdered milk, but they must dilute that with water. If they ate lightly and didn't feed the Jil, there was enough food for three more days, more or less.
Loreen came over behind him, looking over his shoulder. "I can't imagine why all this powdered trith milk is in here," she remarked. "Lucky for Kimmie, though."
"This was Comishvor's lifeboat," Edwin told her. "Jils love milk."
"Oh," Loreen said, shortly. "Well, M'lord's going to have to learn to do without. That has to be saved for the baby."
"He might not let us," said Jack in a small voice. "It's his milk, after all. He ordered it put here."
"Tough," Stephen retorted.
Comishvor was awake again twelve hours later, asking for food and drink. White, to Stephen's disgust, brought him a packet from their dwindling food supply.
Comishvor took a bite and again drank from the cup White held for him. He pushed himself to a sitting position, blinking at his surroundings. Jack moved to one side unobtrusively, concealing himself behind Stephen.
"What has happened, Edwin?" the Jilectan asked. "We appear to still be in hyperspace. Where are we going?"
"We don't know, sir," White told him. "When we went into hyperspace the Patrol fired and messed up our computer. It threw us off course and froze the controls. Jack managed to unfreeze them, but we can't navigate. If we pass close to a habitable planet, the comp'll take us out."
Comishvor regarded him steadily. "I would say our chances of that happening are not good."
"No," White said, in a low voice. "Not very."
"You are certain nothing else can be done?"
"Pretty sure, M'lord. Of course, none of us are computer experts, but young Jack, here, seems to have sort of a natural talent for it."
"I see. Well, I undoubtedly know even less about computers than you Terrans, so I will accept your judgment in the matter. Help me to the bunk, Edwin. The deck is abysmally hard."
White bent to assist him. The Jilectan leaned heavily on the little man, causing him to stagger slightly. Stephen's mother pressed a button to move the fold down bunk into position. Comishvor collapsed on it with a groan. White stepped back, rubbing his arm where the Jilectan had gripped him. Comishvor sat still for a moment, breathing hard, then looked at Stephen.
"You are an excellent marksman for one so young, Terran," he remarked.
"Thanks," Stephen replied, noncommittally.
"Under different circumstances I would have welcomed you into my pirate band."
"You said you didn't want me."
"Under different circumstances, Terran. I didn't want you, because you had proved our determination to oppose me." A faint smile. "Who are you?" He glanced at Edwin. "Your son?"
"No, M'lord. Stephen's Lori's boy by... by her second husband."
"Ah... because you were presumed dead. A fine boy, however. Your father must have been a brave Terran, young man."
Stephen didn't reply, but he could feel his face growing red. Comishvor smiled derisively, closing his eyes. "Let us not be enemies, Terran. Only fools fight while the roof burns over their heads."
"Quite true," Loreen said, softly.
"Your woman has good sense for a female, Edwin," the Jilectan stated.
"I think so, sir."
"Excellent choice, may I say. Very attractive."
"Thanks, sir." Ed looked embarrassed.
Comishvor's smile broadened slightly. He didn't open his eyes.
**********
(tbc)
