Company Wars 01 – Downbelow Station

courtesy to the council, rid herself of the threat of rifles and the remainder

of force. She stood where she was, unresponsive to Konstantin smiles.

“This can be short,” she said. “Your quarantine zone is set up and functioning.

I’d advise you to guard it heavily. I’ll warn you now that other freighters

jumped without our clearance and made no part of our convoy. If you’re wise,

you’ll follow the recommendations I made and board any incoming merchanter with

security before letting it in near you. You’ve had a look at Russell’s disaster

here. I’ll be pulling out in short order; it’s your problem now.”

There was a panicked muttering in the room. One of the Company men stood up.

“You’ve behaved very high-handedly, Captain Mallory. Is that the custom out

here?”

The custom is, sir, that those who know a situation handle it and those who

don’t watch and learn, or get out of the way.“

The Company man’s thin face flushed visibly. “It seems we’re constrained to bear

with that kind of attitude… temporarily. We need transport up to whatever exists

as a border. Norway is available.”

She drew a sharp breath and drew herself up. “No, sir, you’re not constrained,

because Norway isn’t available to civ passengers, and I’m not taking any on. As

for the border, the border is wherever the fleet sits at the moment, and nobody

but the ships involved knows where that is. There aren’t borders. Hire a

freighter.”

There was dead silence in the hall.

“I dislike, captain, to use the word court-martial.”

She laughed, a mere breath. “If you Company people want to tour the war, I’m

tempted to take you in. Maybe you’d benefit by it. Maybe you could widen Mother

Earth’s sight; maybe we could get a few more ships.”

“You’re not in a position to make requisitions and we don’t take them. We’re not

here to see only what it’s determined we should see. We’ll be looking at

everything, captain, whether or not it suits you.”

She set her hands on her hips and surveyed the lot of them. “Your name, sir.”

“Segust Ayres, of the Security Council, second secretary.”

“Second secretary. Well, we’ll see what space we come up with. No baggage beyond

a duffle. You understand that. No frills. You go where Norway goes. I don’t take

my orders from anyone but Mazian.”

“Captain,” another put forth, “your cooperation is earnestly requested.”

“You have what I’ll give and not a step further.”

There was silence, a slow murmuring from the tiers. The man Ayres’s face

reddened further, his precise dignity that instinctively galled her now further

and further ruffled. “You’re an extension of the Company, captain, and you hold

your commission from it. Have you forgotten that?”

“Third captain of the Fleet, Mr. Second Secretary, which is military and you’re

not. But if you intend to come, be ready within the hour.”

“No, captain,” Ayres declared firmly. “We’ll take your suggestion about

freighter transport. It got us here from Sol. They’ll go where they’re hired to

go.”

“Within reason, I don’t doubt.” Good. That problem was shed. She could reckon

Mazian’s consternation at that in the midst of them. She looked beyond Ayres, at

Angelo Konstantin. “I’ve done my service here. I’m leaving. Any message will be

relayed.”

“Captain.” Angelo Konstantin left the head of the table and walked forward,

offered his hand, an unusual courtesy and the stranger considering what she had

done to them, leaving the refugees. She took the firm handclasp, met the man’s

anxious eyes. They knew each other, remotely; had met in years past. Six

generations a Beyonder, Angelo Konstantin; like the young man who had come down

to help on the dock, a seventh. The Konstantins had built Pell; were scientists

and miners, builders and holders. With this man and the others she felt a manner

of bond, for all their other differences. This kind of man the Fleet had for its

charge, the best of them.

“Good luck,” she wished them, and turned and left, taking Di and the troopers

with her.

She returned the way she had come, through the beginning establishment of Q

zone, and back into the familiar environs of Norway, among friends, where law

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