Stone Blade (40 page)

“You rutting bastard...” started Adamson.

“Quiet, Don.” This from de Gau, “Stone, is it? Name your price.”

“My price, gentlemen, is quite simple. You have Status. You have power. You can, in a small way, influence the direction in which the Commonwealth travels. Before long your influence will grow, provided none of you makes a mistake. My price is this.” Micah again fixed each man with a hard gaze. “From this day forward you will, each of you, work with all your effort and diligence  to dismantle and destroy the Status system. You will cease abusing those you deem beneath you. You will begin a program of treating them with no less dignity and respect than you yourselves desire. And you will work to spread this throughout the Commonwealth.” 

Several of the men showed anger at this.

“You will do this for more reasons than mine,” continued Micah, “Someday, eventually, even without my disclosure all of your crimes will come to light. One or all of you will step in error and your enemies will have you by your short assets. No secret stays that way forever, gentlemen. It is inevitable. You will be discovered and your Status will be nulled.” Micah paused. “Your only hope of surviving with anything you hold dear is to make certain that the loss of Status means less than the paper on which it is written.”

Defeated but ignorant of it, Adamson played his trump.

“The League will not permit this, Stone. They have
laws
! I will yet see you face their justice!” 

“The League,” repeated Micah, “The League? You simple fool I
am
the League! Since I left this sorry, soggy excuse for a world I have seen and known things that would pop your tiny skulls to shards! I've made and lost fortunes that would shrivel your livers with envy! I have gone to worlds where your sun is not even a speck and I have changed the course of history there! I have gone through and survived more hells than all of your highcarders could conceive existing. Since I stepped off this world I have seen horizons and depths so vast your minuscule minds do not have the capacity to dream them! Look to the League! You'll find me staring back at you!” Micah let his voice go silky soft. “If you don't believe me, try it. Step into my world and see what happens!”

Seeing truth but not admitting defeat, Adamson dropped his gaze.

“I'll be leaving you now,” said Micah, “But I'll give you one last thought. You may look for me but you won't find me. You cannot touch me and you cannot harm me. Try and you will fail. I, however, need not even be here to totally ruin each of you. You will never know where I am or what I plan. I, however, can and will discover every single thing you do and every single thing you try.” Micah made a mocking bow. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. I believe you have work to do.”

***

Micah left the building feeling considerably better than he did the night before. Exactly what the men could accomplish Micah didn't know but he felt they would at least try. No doubt they'd make some progress, much more than nothing at all. After a quick change of face Micah found the nearest datamart and settled in for some serious work.

Quorum security was tight but Micah had ample tools to deal with it. He set in place the structure necessary to monitor Adamson and his cronies along with the tools necessary to do so from offplanet. By the time Micah got the information it would be just over a week stale but that left him ample room to work. With nothing pressing left to do Micah burned the 'port net and searched its work schedules. When he found the one he wanted he memorized it for the next few days, logged out and powered down.

Micah wandered through the 'port crowds evaluating them and noting persistent concerns. Though still early for his treatment of Francis Adamson and his cronies to show Micah still felt tension and concern. Overall, he decided, things hadn't changed much since he left.

***

Jennifer Harling walked the not-short distance to her billet cautiously. She kept her eyes sharp, alert to all around her. She considered a trip to the 'port, she felt the need sharply, yet Constable Adamson's latest depredations still weighed heavily on her mind. She opted to go straight and quickly home. Rosie Fernwell, a lady with a billet in Jen's complex, had been accosted, robbed and raped by Adamson and his friends. She went so far as to lodge a complaint at the local Constabulary but only received a heavy fine for it.

A roar in the distance caught Jenn's attention. Starships occasionally lofted close enough to be heard. After a moment's search she caught sight of it. Sparkling, flashing, moving across the sky, ever upward, the ship again sounded the distant thunder of its passage. Jenn wished a blessing upon it and those it carried. A short, sharp pang of loneliness washed through her and she turned her eyes back downward.

Jenn entered her billet, closed and locked the door, flipped on the light and headed toward the kitchen, mind intent on dinner.

“Hi Jenn.”

Jenn jumped! A stranger leaned against her table! Panic washed through her. Entering her billet meant high-level access privileges. Highcarder! That meant... What he would do...

Then she looked at his eyes. Disbelief, then wonder, then joy flooded away her fear.

“Micah?”

She had a bare instant to realize the truth of it before his arms went around her.

Micah held Jenn a long, long time, savoring every warmth and scent and nuance of her. He ran his hand across her, stroked her hair, held her.

“Micah! It's really you!”

Fingers along his face, his shoulder. Her lips soft and sweet against his, warming and filling him. He held her closely and trembled against her as she did him.

“I don't believe it,” she finally whispered.

“It's really me, Jenn.” Micah touched her cheek, his voice husky with emotion, “I've missed you so much.”

“Me too!” She brushed his lips softly again. “So what brings you back?”

“Deke's graduating tomorrow,” he said, “And I really, really wanted to see you?”

“For truth?” Her smile turned impish. “So why was I second on the list?”

“Uh, because I've already seen them?”

“Silly. Of course you have.” After another long hug and another warm after-hug Jenn stepped back.

“You've changed, Micah.” Her still-soft voice now held a bare hit of uncertainty.

“Yeah.” Micah felt a tinge of sadness. “Yeah. I guess I have. It's been a long time, Jenn. In lots of ways.”

“I see.” Jenn took his hands in hers. “Micah, have you found someone?”

“No!” The question shocked Micah. “No, Jenn! My only someone is you. That... That hasn't changed.”

“I'm glad,” she smiled.

“Umm... Have you...”

“No, silly! Can't you tell?”

Micah blushed and she pulled him to the table. They sat, still holding hands.

“So tell me what changed you, punkin'. The ships came for you. Tell me where they took you.”

Micah talked for a time, a soft time, a long time. He kept her hands firmly in his. He edited the stories, of course, but still managed to tell her enough.

“So you're going back after tomorrow.”

“Yeah, Jenn. Mother and Father, they won't be going. I tried. I tried... They're sending Deke but they won't leave.”

She kissed his hand comfortingly. “I know, Micah. They're rooted here. They'll leave someday, just not now.”

Micah nodded. He steeled himself around the anxious knot forming in his stomach.

“I know that, Jenn.” Micah mustered up all the courage he had. “Jenn, I want you to come with me, too.”

***

“The worlds out there,” said Micah, “they're wonderful. I mean, there are some bad ones, too. It's not all paradise but it's so much better than here. There's so much out there. You won't believe how different it is but it's wonderful! We won't have to worry about highcarders or Status or Constables. It's so... Different!” Micah tried hard to organize his jumbled thoughts and put them into words. “Please say you will, Jenn. I wanted to take all of you. Please. Please, Jenn.”

Jenn sighed, softly and almost silently. She squeezed his hands. Then she let go. Then, slowly, she shook her head.

“No, Micah.” Then, after a moment, “I'm sorry. No.” A single tear trickled from each eye. Then she looked down.

Cold numbness froze Micah's soul. He felt as though the world had been ripped out from under him.

“Jenn... Why?”

“It... Micah, I don't have a lot here,” she said, searching for words, “But what I do have is mine. I know it wasn't much but I always treasured that night with you.” Jenn wiped her eyes. “I know my teasing embarrassed you but... It was so sweet the way you treated me. When you worked late. I know you didn't but I always pretended you were staying just for me. Just so I could flirt with you and make you blush and talk to you. Those memories. They're mine too. I don't want to lose them, Micah.”

Speaking cost her. Her tears now streamed.

“But... I don't understand. Jenn... I feel the same way. You don't know it but you kept me... You kept me sane! There were times. Horrible times. There were times I wanted to just lay down and die. Or lay down my... My soul and do horrible, awful things. Just the thought of you kept me sane. Kept me alive!”

“I love my little Micah,” said Jenn with obvious effort, “B-but... He changed. He changed into someone I don't really know. I want... I want my little treasure, my pumpkin, but I don't know if he's still there.”

Jenn put her head down and sobbed, silent but hard.

“But he is! I mean, I'm still me, Jenn! There are some things... I mean you don't... I don't... Jennifer, please!”

She shook her head. “I... I can't take that chance. Please don't ask me to.”

Micah tried to think past the desolation inside him.

“I can get you a ticket. Anywhere. Well, almost. Somewhere that isn't here! There's so much opportunity out there!”

“And what would I do? Be a kept woman for you or someone else to take care of?”

“No! That isn't what I said, Jenn. Burnit! I want you away from here! It doesn't have to be... Flames. Anywhere but here? I made it! You can, too!”

“You left with so much more than me, Micah. I don't think years of Caustik stipes would count for much, out there.”

“Jenn, it's not like that! There's a lot you can do! A lot you can learn! There are ways.”

Again she shook her head.

Micah thought hard and long.

“Okay. What... What about here? What about a job at the League Plaza?”

“Doing...”

“Doing exactly what you do now! Cargo transfer, loading, unloading. Listen! It's exactly the same job! Same job, better equipment!”

“So you'll just wave your fingers and make that happen? Are you that powerful now?”

“Jenn...” Micah sighed. “No, but I can pull a string or two.” Then, more softly. “Maybe. I think. I hope. Jenn... Jennifer, I just want you to be safe! That's all. I love you and I want you safe. Please. Will... Will you at least think about it?”

“Micah, I think you should leave now. Please.”

Icicles stabbed Micah from the desolation.

“Jenn... Will you think about it?”

After a moment, “Yes.”

Micah rose, let himself out and locked the door. A dismal despair settled over him.

Chapter 19. Treason And Manners

Micah's mother and father arranged to have graduation day off. Their supervisors charged them five vacation days and grudgingly approved it. Micah met his family early and treated them to breakfast. Then they began a day of power shopping! Lawrence and Dora both knew something troubled Micah but they kept their silence.

“Polar to orbit,” said Derek, running an admiring finger across the portable terminal. Though not fancy by League standards it far outstripped anything available to Caustik lowcarders.

“You like it?” asked Micah with some cheer returning.

“It's fantastic!” Derek powered it up and ran it through some paces. “Imagine this baby hooked up to a dex! It would scorch rock!”

“I think you're right,” said Micah. He motioned to the clerk and handed over his card. “Happy graduation, little brother.”

Derek's eyes widened and almost popped as Micah began adding software modules.

“Micah...” said Lawrence.

“He'll need it,” said Micah, “Trust me. I know. These mods are fairly standard and the better he knows them the easier class will be.”

Derek grinned wide enough to dispel the last of Micah's mood. “Thanks, Micah! I'll know 'em! Inside out and frontwards back!”

Nor did Micah limit his purchases to Derek. He bought his parents a selection of items that were not expensive but also not readily available. He also, over objections, bought his mother a dress and his father a new suit. Not, thought Micah, that he'd wear it past graduation. Still, from the look in Lawrence's eye he might just find an occasion or two to dress up. Micah's final purchase was a datacaster.

“This way you can send us pictures,” said Micah, “Don't worry. Deke will have plenty of access. I can guarantee that!”

Before they left the Plaza Micah took his parents to the First League Financial branch there. Over vehement objection he opened them an account there and deposited a hefty balance.

“If you won't come with me,” said Micah, “at least I can help you here. Father, it really isn't that much and I can afford it.”

Lawrence seemed on the verge of another round of objections when Dora put her hand on his arm.

“Of course, son,” she said, “We'll just use it for emergencies. Nothing past that.”

Lawrence thought to object to that too but grinned instead. “Boy, I guess you did get my stubborn blood. Emergencies only, though.”

“And just write me if you need more.”

His parents nodded, mentally vowing not to do that very thing!

Micah scanned the crowd in the auditorium looking for Jenn. She hadn't said whether or not she'd attend but Micah hoped she would.

Micah grinned inwardly at the stir he caused. The full formal League Marine uniform he still had but seldom wore cut a path through the crowds there. Commonwealth service uniforms were rare and others much more so. To have such in the lowcarder section was unheard-of. That plus Micah's confidence and the ease with which he carried himself helped matters. No one bothered them as they took their seats.