Regan's Reach (33 page)

As she followed Marin to the galley she ran
through her plans again.

"How long before we take another line
Ham?"

"That's your call. We'll complete the
course adjustment in only twenty minutes but we can continue on that line for a
bit before making a new wave. Are you sure you want to try this?"

"You know I do, what are you so worried
about?"

[My backup.] He subbed privately.

"Ham, we do this all the time. Whenever
we're moving forward in vacuum you're displacing bodies as well as the ship and
we seem to survive just fine, so why not try it? It must be possible to just
displace the body too, surely?" She would not be dissuaded.

"Why not try it; well because it's a
risk, an unnecessary risk and it's stupid."

"It could be very handy and I'm
prepared to do it. Shit - I can't see any reason why it won't work. It worked
for the unit you displaced, it works for missiles."

"I'm not letting you do it."

She stopped in her tracks. "You're
what?"

"I'm not letting you do it. I don't
have to activate displacement, you can't do it, and so that's it!"

Now this was something new and Regan didn't
argue. Instead she drifted through to the galley and found a cup already
waiting for her on the table. She took a long satisfying sip, then another,
then grabbing something to eat she joined Marin in the war room.

He looked up. "I'm going to do it."
he said bluntly.

"What?" She slammed her cup down,
"You'll do it over my dead body!"

He smiled. "Sorry babe, but Ham and I
have voted on this, we made an executive decision. It won't be over your dead
body exactly, but it will be over your body."

Already she could feel a numbness coming over
her and she started swearing while Marin watched unmoved. Comfortable that she was
immobilized he stood and walked casually to the door.

"It'll be fine Regan, as you said we
do it all the time. Why wouldn't it work with a live body?" And he was
gone.

She started to wobble.

"Regan, if you keep this up you'll be
watching from the floor, sit down." Ham offered no sympathy.

She was livid but she did stop struggling, instead
fuming silently, more angry and scared than she could express. On the wall she
watched helplessly as the Pod appeared on screen. She knew it
should
be
safe; Marin would have on a suit. That was her plan in case the displacement
bubble dropped her in space instead of in the ship, however no one had
mentioned the obvious possibility of getting things wrong and ending up half in
and half out of the vessel. There was nothing they could do about it and they
avoided the issue. Ham had done the theoretical and was sure he could place any
object exactly,
theoretically!

"I'm ready to go!" Marin's voice
came through the system.

"I'm going to show the Pod so that we
can see what's happening with the field and the arrival spot which is in the
elevator as agreed. We don't need to see him disappear; after all it's more
important that he gets here."

If Ham had a body she would have thumped
him. Instead her eyes remained glued to the screen as he counted down. On the
split screen they watched the effectors’ teardrop reach out from the ship to
the Pod, seeming more concentrated at the end than she remembered, and then it
seemed a bubble broke off before disappearing. Immediately an object appeared
on the other side of the screen, it was an empty seat!

"Oh fuck Ham, what have I done?"
Tears welled in her eyes.

"Hey it's ok, it's ok, that was just a
test, its worked fine."

She could hear Marin laughing in the
background, "You bastards!"

"So it arrived then?" His voice
came strong and confident. "Ok, if we're going to do this let's do it
quickly, before I drop out."

Again the effector field stretched out, a
long teardrop reaching until the bubble seemed to break away at the Pod and
disappear . . . then Marin appeared sitting in the elevator, a little off
centre but safe and secure. He gave her the thumbs up and then mumbled
something that sounded completely unintelligible to her. Her breath caught.

He laughed again. "Only joking, I feel
fine, good shooting Ham."

It was too much for Regan, stressed to the
maximum and unable to move she was hyperventilating.

[You're going to need to calm me down Ham;
I'm losing it big time.] A moment later she could feel a wonderful euphoria
flooding through her.

[I'm not happy about how you guys did this,
it was my idea; it should have been my risk.]

[Regan, you're going home and you've got to
get there; it was a minimal risk so leave it there. Marin wanted to do it, he
knew you'd be stubborn about it and I agreed. We're a team remember and the
vote went against you, for the good of the team.]

She now felt too good to carry a grudge.

"So how far out was the Pod?"

"That was about two hundred and fifty
meters. I'd feel confident out to about three fifty."

Regan was excited "You know what this
means, don't you? We don't have to dock with another ship to transfer people or
objects, within reason I guess."

"Well we know we can shift something
the size of a Pod, we've already done it. How much bigger would we want to get?"

"That's way bigger than anything I
imagined, do you think we can do it the other way?"

"I don't see why not, we'll need to
build an effector unit somewhere in the ship, to create the field bubble. I'll
work on the plans and maybe we can convert one of the empty rooms on level
three or four."

Regan gave a long happy sigh. "Ham, I
feel great, relieved now that it's over. I don't know how you immobilized me
but I'm sweet now, you can let me go."

"Sorry - no can do, Marin doped you
not me, it was in your coffee. It'll wear off in an hour or two."

She laughed. "Then you'd better keep
me happy, this could get pretty stressful, like being trapped."

Marin was still suited up as he entered the
room. "Thank the stars - you're smiling, and didn't it go great!" He
flopped down into a chair.

Despite his bravado she could tell he was
relieved. "Marin, you didn't need to do that but thank you anyway, and we've
already got great plans for the next step." She smiled at him.

"Now, I understand you're the one
responsible for my stupefaction, and as I'm out for an hour or so, you can
carry me down to my room to recover." She winked.

"Girl, you are so obvious!" He
picked her off the chair and flipped her unceremoniously over his shoulder. It
wasn't romantic but she still laughed all the way to the cabin.

Marin dropped her on the bunk and checked
her face for confirmation. She was still smiling so he stripped away his vacuum
suit and climbed over her, kneeling astride her shoulders, dangling in front of
her face in mock torture. She laughed again then took him in her mouth. He didn't
tease for long, peeling off her suit and positioning her body. . .

Much later when he returned from the
bathroom she was still flopped ungainly on the bed, smiling and content. He
smiled back then sat at her feet. Playfully taking her feet he propped them
against each other then parted her legs so that they gaped wide, exposing her.
His eyes fixed on hers and he reached forward teasing, building into a gentle
but steady pulsing rhythm "You are in my power, Regan Stein."

"Ahem!" Ham interrupted. "Marin
. . . you do know she's faking it?"

On deck two a musical humming filled the
control room.
Not that anyone cares;
Ham thought,
but we did just
complete a miracle of modern science and engineering!
Starscape gone from
the screen, they were riding the wave.
Not that anyone cares'
. . . He
started to sing to himself. . . "You're simply the best . . ."

The Ritz-Carlton, Union Square, San Francisco,
January

Mary sprawled back on the couch in a
deliberate seductive pose; lacy underwear stretched tight, papers and laptop
beside her and a glass of wine in hand. It was an unusual look that Kevin found
intoxicating as usual. She regarded him on the screen, back home in comfortable
kiwi land.

"I've had enough Kev, this is too
much. I'm sorry, I don't like to be a moaner but it's been two months and they
still won't tell me anything. I spoke to Ryman today and he used the word 'escalating'
in a sentence, as in, ‘We don't want this thing escalating.’ It was disturbing,
I wasn't worried before but I'm getting that way. And I've put on two kilos,"
she hefted her breasts to demonstrate. "What the hell is going on?"

"You could see more bell boys!"

He knew joking was less than helpful but she
was quickly smiling anyway.

"Mary," He continued quickly, "Steve
and his team are the best. It's no consolation but this isn't about you, Steve
reckons there are things going on behind the scenes to do with USDynamics and
so do we. As I said before, I'm just grateful that he's got you in a hotel and
they haven't doffed you in some detention centre."

"You do know they're sending me to
Washington, how do you know they won't stretch me out on the rack there?"

Kevin's eyes glazed over . . .

"Kevin? You're picturing that aren't
you! Dammit!"

"Well, that is an image to savor."
He continued on quickly, "How do you feel about appearing before a senate
select committee, which just about makes you a celebrity doesn't it?"

"That kind of celebrity I don't need!"
She thought for a moment, "All I can do is stick to the truth, I know
nothing."

A moment of silence settled, both of them
thinking quietly to themselves. It was Mary who spoke first.

"Kev . . . Regan?" Just the name
said it all.

"There's still nothing." He
offered nothing more and she knew better than to ask. She was almost two months
overdue and everything had been said already. It was becoming a raw wound.

Mary changed the subject. "I'll be
fine here Kev, don't add me to your worries, I'm keeping busy enough. Thanks
for listening and just make sure they don't send me to China, you know I'm not
a rice girl and I'd be no good breaking rocks!"

"I'll do my best . . . .love you."
And he disconnected.

. . .
Love you?
She smiled and
turned to look at the desk, with papers scattered about, tablet, wine bottle,
and glass there was hardly room to rest her latté.

Mary returned to the figures she'd been
working on before receiving the call.

Hmm, share price doubled in the last two
months . . . that makes their market capitalization around six billion. We're
doing way better than them; we've got to be worth double that when we list . .
. even if we only sell thirty percent . . . ?

She laughed and sipped from her glass.

Chapter
Five: The Return

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Dropping out of warp well outside the the Solar
System, Ham began to work through the myriad of adjustments and processes
required to slow The Stein as the ship hurtled on toward sun and earth.

As if it were necessary, Regan reminded
them again; the plan was simple, keep out of trouble. She wanted a slow
stealthy approach with time to review whatever data they could obtain as they
drifted in so Ham squirted a message ahead to their drone.

'Action full updates and transmit.' It
would be forty eight hours before he could process any new information.

By the time they made orbit it would be
late January and Regan's guilt was making her incredibly nervous.

"I told them I'd be back in six months,"
She looked at Marin anxiously, "God knows what Mom's been thinking, she's
going to be spitting. And I left the guys facing a disaster."

Sitting together in control they both sat
staring at the screen, Sol dominating the local starscape.

"They're adults Regan, not children
and you aren't the mother of the nation, they'll have handled things."
Marin couldn't understand her taking responsibility for everything, his own
approach being much more laid back,
what will be, will be
.

"You're probably right, but I did say
six months and they have no idea that I couldn't contact them. It's only
natural they'd worry and assume the worst, that's what I feel guilty about."

"Well, you'll be there soon enough and
they'll be even gladder to see you." he wasn't fazed.

"Aren't you nervous?" She asked,
genuinely interested.

"Nervous about what specifically?"
he seemed surprised at the question.

"Marin, to us you're a giant alien,
proof of life on other planets, this is going to be the biggest news on Earth
since the great wars and there's a depressing thought. Surely you're a little
nervous?" She looked astounded.

"First, I'm not a giant; I'm like an
NBA basketball player. Second, how could I not be excited? I've been studying
this world for as long as I can remember, studying your people and now I've got
the chance to finally walk among them."

"Well, they might shoot you - have you
thought about that?" She looked doubtful.

"Really?" He looked concerned.

There was a pause, "No, of course not."
She still looked doubtful, "I don't think you're in any danger but neither
do I know how they'll react. Honestly, this is going to be pretty scary for a
lot of people, I mean, you've lived with the knowledge there are other humanoid
species for generations, for us this is confirmation of fantasy or nightmare
becoming real; it's going to be overwhelming."

"You weren't overwhelmed."

"Oh yes she was," Ham
interrupted. "Her stress levels were through the roof for days and it took
a business disaster to get her back on track. That USDynamics business really
got you focused Regan."

"It's doing it again believe me, how
long before we hear anything Ham?"

"Still two days babe, nothing has changed
in the last ten minutes!"

"When it comes in could you do a quick
update? Do a full forensics on it, look for everything related to the USD deal
and compare it to your existing files. I want you to note anything
,
and
I mean
anything
that's changed since we left. Put the new stuff you find
and anything else you think is relevant together in a brief."

"Yes Ma'am!"

"How will Marin communicate with
people while he's there?" The thought struck her for the first time.

"He'll be able to talk just like you,
it happens through his web, in connection with the ship, provided there's
wireless contact."

"But doesn't he need a device?"
Regan asked.

"A device?" Marin looked
confused.

"No." Ham interrupted firmly and
with finality.

"I thought you needed a device?"
Regan looked at Marin and could see he had no idea what she was talking about .
. .

"Ham?"

"No Regan," he sounded annoyed. "The
ship does everything. A translator device is only in the movies."

"Oooo K. Sooo . . . a device would
only be used for say, storing something, like data storage, not anything to do
with translation at all?"

"That's right." Ham was dismissive.

"Sooo, the only reason a separate
device would be carried would actually be for storage, like a back up or
something?"

"Yes, now can we move on?"

Marin's face said everything as he listened
to the exchange.
What are they on about?

"Uhhh huh!"

[Regan . . . we've been through this. I
messed up! But you do now have a fucking data bank, a partner and hi tech
control unit with you all the time. You've hardly started to work out all the
things you can do. Stop torturing me!]

[Ham, my man, this is getting too easy.]

Alone in her room Regan couldn't shake the anxiety
building slowly within her.

[Ham?] The room seemed dark, silent, empty.
The feeling of pressure, crushing.

[I'm here.]

[How far are we from home?]

Ham pondered the concept . . .
Home . .
. Dahlia . . . Earth . . . Here?

[We're still about 90AU from Earth.]

[How far is that?] She was lying on her
back, arms at her sides, sinking into the bed with her morbid thoughts.

[In distance, it's still a long, long, way.
In time, it's about ten days; we're slowing all the time. Regan, talk to me.]

Silence. . . . .

[I feel like this weight is coming down on
me Ham, pressure, dread, dire anxious feelings. I've felt so light and free for
weeks and weeks, what's happening?]

[You want me to psychoanalyze you? Hmm, ok
. . . you're crazy!]

[I'm crazy?]

[No, you're crazy to listen to me . . . look
Regan, I'll do my best.] He waited a moment, as if he was thinking.

[Perhaps it's like this. For much of the
time you've been away, it's been like travelling to another land where no one
knows you and in some ways it freed you up. You're your own worst critic. But your
judges are all internal, they're in your head, and the further you got from
home and the more different and otherworldly your situation became, the easier
it was to put them aside and just be yourself. Tell me, was it liberating?]

[So I'm really a slut?]

[What? What are you talking about? . . .
No! How many people have you had sex with on this trip?]

[Just the one I guess . . . but many times
. . . in many ways. God, it's true, I am a slut!]

[Well, ok, you've had one lover, but
technically he might not even count, he's an alien. Look, what you're feeling
is this. The nearer you get to home after your liberating holiday, the more you
feel the weight of all those old responsibilities and expectations pressing
back down on you. The truth is you're doing it to yourself, not that you're
conscious of it. You might even be starting to doubt what you're doing. You
might think that the feelings are telling you not to go back at all.]

[Oh . . . you are good!]

[Well, the point is Regan, you are doing
the right thing and much of what you're feeling isn't that helpful to you, just
a hangover from the past. Don't be ruled by it. Choose the good stuff from the
past and embrace it. Hang on to things you've learnt about yourself that you
like and embrace them too. Sometimes it's time to move on. Stop trying to satisfy
your conditional others, live your own life.]

['Conditional others', you've lost me Ham.]

[Conditional others, all the people whose opinions
you value. They may not be here with you in person but you carry them around in
your head. Some of them you should have let go years ago, be true to yourself.]

Silence . . .

[Regan?]

[Yes.]

[Honestly, I think this return is going to
be a blast. I think you're going to enjoy it too, putting things right, better
than sex.]

*

Wellington Airport, New Zealand

Kevin scanned the crowd drifting through
from baggage claim in the International wing. He could see the usual mix of
tired travelers, scratchy children, raggedy bags and the odd celebrity wannabe.
He let his eyes rest on the many reunions going on, happy relatives, couples
and even a mini Haka for a school sports team.

Then a mature couple appeared, fit, healthy
and alert, definitely standing out from the crowd and he recognized Bill Thomas
immediately. Making his way through the school group it struck him how much
Bill had aged in the nine months since they last met.
Shit this has taken a
lot out of him,
he thought.

Extending his hand he stepped forward to
the woman first, "Mrs. Thomas, Kevin Stein, thank you so much for coming
out here too." He turned to the aged chairman, "Bill, it's good to
see you again - thank you for agreeing to talk with us."

"Thanks for picking us up Kevin, good
to see you too. We're a little tired but we did sleep on the plane to Sydney.
Should have flown Air NZ via Auckland I guess but, you know, United club
member." He shrugged his shoulders.

"No problem, I planned on dropping you
at your hotel to freshen up anyway, these early morning flights in can be a
killer I know. How about I drop you there and give you a call about three this
afternoon? That way you can have a sleep if you like or just walk around town,
the hotel's in the centre."

"That would be perfect Kevin,"
Bill replied, "Liz I know would like to get cleaned up, what are your
plans for later?"

"Sir, I thought we'd meet at Marcus's
offices in town here, and then perhaps if you're both up to it we'll take you
to dinner. We can then drop you back to the hotel and play it by ear tomorrow.
We're not committed to any particular time so sleep in if you can. The plan is
to head up to the Wairarapa tomorrow via Riverside. We'll give you the full
tour."

"That sounds good. Could you help us
with our bags?"

Kevin grabbed two bags and led them through
the doors to the Koru car park. As they walked over to the car Mrs. Thomas
spoke for the first time.

"How are Hayden and Jenny, we do so
miss them."

Kevin could see Bill grimace. "They're
both thriving Ma'am, and looking forward to catching up with you."

Sitting in his office with Bill Thomas and
Marcus, Kevin felt chills as he watched Regan's presentation again. It was
almost eight months since he had last watched it and seeing her felt like
watching a ghost. It still shocked him how seedy politics could become. Bill
sat silently throughout and as the last frame finished Kevin paused the
picture.

"So Bill, what are your first
impressions?"

"That they are absolute bastards! I
can't believe my own government would screw us like that, they've sold us out."
He looked grey.

"Well sir," Marcus addressed him,
"You can understand our scepticism then over the claims regarding cyber
terrorism. For one thing, we know for a fact it didn't happen the way they say,
and if they found nothing to support our claims then there is some serious
cyber espionage going on here. Whoever is behind this has set us up to be sued
along with you by the Chinese."

"But," and Kevin took over, "We
believe that this whole thing is just a side game, a diversion. The real goal
is to . . ."

". . . pick up USDynamics for a song,
I get it, and they're almost there." Bill sounded disgusted.

"True," Kevin continued. "Effectively
they already control the company; they have eighty five percent or near enough.
But we believe they want the lot so that they have no accountability at all.
They'll have your aerospace technology and everything else too, then they can
take it where they want and lock it up for themselves."

"Without having to do the development,
it's just wrong!" Bill said.

"So you can see why we don't want you
to sell, sir." Marcus said. "We can't get back the eighty five
percent . . . yet! But we can hold up the rape of the company while we work out
how to solve this problem, for us and for you."

"Well you can be sure we won't sell
now. Oh, we were going to, we thought it was all over. Even the Vice President
called me encouraging me to sell, he reckoned it would be good for
international relations - the idiot! The Chinese even offered us three times
current market price and then I got your call Marcus. Turns out you hold the
ace in the hole anyway. Our shares and the others out there only make four and
a half percent. There's another three percent block held by the US Government
but they're not selling either. Now it doesn't matter, if we stick together on
this they can't get over ninety percent and that prevents the squeeze."