Company Wars 01 – Downbelow Station

real. Nothing inside. I belong to Union because my brain was programmed that

way. I have no loyalties.”

“But one, maybe.”

“Damon,” he said.

She considered the matter. Drained the glass until her eyes stung. “So why did

you get him involved with this Gabriel?”

“I thought I saw a way to get us off Pell. To get a shuttle for Downbelow. I

have a proposition for you.”

“I think I know.”

“You’re in a position to get a man on a downbound shuttle… easily. Get him out

of here if nothing else.”

“What, not back in control of Pell?”

“You said it yourself. Lukas’s mouth moves when you supply the words. That’s all

you want. All you ever wanted. Get him out of here. Safe. What does it cost

you?”

He knew what was ahead, at least where it regarded Konstantin’s chances. She

looked up at him and down at the glass again. “For your gratitude? You imply a

certain soft-headedness on my part, don’t you? Quite a trade. Does any

deep-teach work with you?”

“Eventually, I imagine. What did you have in mind?”

She pushed the button. “Take him back.”

“Mallory—” Josh said.

“I’ll think on your deal,” she said. “I’ll think about it.”

“Can I talk to him?”

She thought about that. Nodded finally. “That’s cheap. You going to tell him how

things were?”

“No,” he said in a thin voice. “I don’t want him to know any of it. In small

things, Mallory, I trust you.”

“And hate my guts.”

He stood up, shook his head, looking down at her. The door light flashed.

“Out,” she said. And to the trooper who appeared in the doorway: “Put him with

his friend. Give them any reasonable comfort they ask for.”

Josh left with the guard. The door closed and locked. She sat still, moved

finally to prop her feet on the bed.

The thought had occurred to her that a Konstantin could be useful at a later

stage of the war; if Union took the bait; if Union seized Pell and restored it.

Then it might be useful to produce a Konstantin, in their hands—if he were like

Lukas; but he was not. There was no use for him. Mazian would never go for it.

The shuttle was one way out of the dilemma. And the thing would not be known—if

the Fleet moved out soon. A long time before Union could ferret young Konstantin

out of the bush. Long enough for the rest of the plan to work, Pell to die,

depriving Union of a base, or live, causing Union organizational trouble. Josh’s

idea might work. Might. She reached and poured yet another drink, sat with her

hand white-knuckled round the glass.

Union operative. She was frankly embarrassed. Outraged. Wryly amused. She had

some capacity for humility.

And that was what the Beyond came to be—a renegade Fleet and a world that bred

creatures like Josh.

Who could do what Josh did. What Gabriel/Jessad had tried to do.

What they prepared to do.

She sat with arms folded, staring at the desktop. At last she sipped at the

drink, reached and keyed the in-built comp. Troop assignments?

Locations and lists came back. They were all on the ship except the dozen

guarding the access to the ship itself. She keyed the duty officer.

Ben, take a walk outside and bring in those twelve we’ve got on the dock. Don’t

use the com. Report to me on comp when you’ve done that.

New code. Crew assignments?

They flashed back to her. The alterday crew was on duty. Graff was still with

Di.

She keyed into com and started with Graff. “Get to the bridge,” she said. “Put a

medic with Di. Di, stay quiet.”

She started keying pager calls through comp for others; had gotten to armscomper

Tiho when the duty officer keyed back mission accomplished. The armscomper keyed

message received. She took a final sip and stood up, remarkably clearheaded. At

least the deck did not pitch.

She shrugged on her jacket and walked out and down the corridor to the bridge,

stood there and looked about her as bewildered mainday and alterday crew turned

and stared back at her.

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