The Ship Who Sang (28 page)

‘If apologies are in order, kindly accept them. I did not realize that contract terms changed after Pay-off was achieved. However, you can scarcely blame me for wanting to understand all the factors involved in what was only to be a discussion, pending confirmation of those rewards.

‘Inherent in Commander Breslaw's explanation is the possibility that I could blow myself into a nova . . .'

‘I protest,' Breslaw jumped to his feet. ‘You can see that the theory is valid! It has been tested . . .'

‘And scared you into taking the precaution of checking against perversion of data. I like my skin, gentlemen. I prefer it in one piece.'

‘Your shell is solid titanium,' Breslaw said heatedly, ‘impervious to . . .'

‘The full power of an exploding sun in my guts?' Helva snapped. ‘I've already suffered from the heat of a nova, Breslaw. And this solid titanium shell of mine has proved to be no sanctuary against injury . . . and the perversions of man.'

Breslaw sank to the couch, utterly deflated. Of the others, only Parollan suffered neither embarassment nor chagrin. He had jerked his head toward her column, at her rebuttal. His lips were set in too bitter a line even for the cynical supervisor. For a moment, his eyes were unguarded, reflecting a physical pain and an expression Helva had seen once before – in the eyes of a dying man.

It was he who broke the silence, speaking in a heavy, tired voice.

‘There's been no attempt to mask the danger involved, Helva. And we've tried to make an unwieldy forest of restrictions work for you. It would be more advantageous for you to extend the original contract than to enter a completely new one. You can check your files on that if you doubt me. We can amend some of the old clauses. We cannot change any of the new. Now have the courtesy to hear us out and then a simple yes or no is all that's required.'

He sounded indifferent to that decision now, and she couldn't understand why.

Dobrinon cleared his throat and walked slowly toward her column as if gathering his disrupted thoughts.

‘The projected mission to Beta Corvi had multiple purposes, Helva, every one needing abilities, talents, and background that pointed inexorably to you. I'll explain those that relate to my sphere of activity.

‘I believe we could condition future observers to withstand the psychological disorientation of Corviki transfers, if we had some idea of the change taking place in the human psyche that has been retained in the Corviki entity. Yes, this is asking for a double portion of your soul's flesh, Helva, but I have an altruistic reason for asking
you
to return there. Parollan and I are both positive that if you could return and reassure yourself as to the integration . . . or
disintegration, of the personalities of Solar Prane, Kurla Ster, Chadress and Ansra Colmer in their Corviki environment, you might be able to resolve the sense of guilt and failure that resulted from the outcome of the first mission.

‘You are the best qualified, if not the only person capable of recognizing the immigrants.' Dobrinon gave a faint smile at his description. It was apt, Helva thought, trying not to admit how the notion of a return scared – and tempted – her. ‘Now, Davo Fillanaser has volunteered to return. But, frankly, his psyche profile indicates a deep trauma. I suspect that he would . . . ah, immigrate, too.'

‘Very unsettling, I assure you,' Helva said. She didn't like the mental picture of Davo Fillanaser's body stretched out, uninhabited, on a couch. But, if Prane and Kurla and Chadress were content as Corviki . . . Helva forced her mind away. ‘Well, it's obvious we are going to need Corviki help if we are to play with their toys without damaging the entire galaxy. I assume my psyche profile was run through and you feel you can trust me to return?'

‘Yes.' Dobrinon's answer was prompt and firm.

‘Even after the Borealis sense-deprivation?'

‘I'd hazard the guess that the Corviki experience helped you during that episode.'

‘Shrewd of you, Dobrinon. We are all, are we not, the sum of our experiences. Which brings me to a sordid subject. I assume, Admiral Breslaw, that the CV factor will be installed in my
drive chambers before I undertake a return to Beta Corvi?'

‘Yes, that would be a necessity. How else could they assess our application of their data?'

‘And the cost of such an installation?'

Breslaw glanced nervously at Railly. The Chief inclined his head. ‘We can't determine the exact cost: the experimental vessel was rebuilt several times. Shielding is reinforced: structural members doubled, a new alloy on the hull. Well, I'd estimate in the neighborhood of 500,000 galactic credits.'

He had the grace to look appalled, Helva noticed, although the staggering cost left her relatively unmoved. After all, she'd paid off more than that already.

‘That would be if I contracted immediately?'

‘Yes.'

‘And about twice that if the old contract lapsed?'

‘I expect so.' Breslaw closed his folders disconsolately as if he had now abandoned all hope of this project. This kind of pessimism irritated Helva immeasurably.

‘However, Helva, if you extend the old contract, we are in a position to flex any conditions that bind a person of your proved abilities,' Railly said smoothly.

‘Don't pressure me, Railly. I haven't considered all the angles from
my
point of view.'

That was not true. She had made up her mind. She'd make Railly flex those conditions that
bound a person of her proved ability until SPRIM and Double M could hear regulations cracking.

Parollan had certainly cooked up a real tight orbit for her. And she'd bet her next bonus that he knew exactly what effect Breslaw's description of that power source would have on her. He didn't miss a trick, that one. He'd've seen the justice of enslaving a nova to her bidding after what Ravel's sun had done to Jennan. And he certainly had pointed out that guilt-resolution gimmick to Dobrinon. Well, she'd show this egotistical, self-assured, domineering, machiavellian refugee from a heavy-world . . . Helva brought her polemic to an abrupt halt. And stared down at Parollan.

His face was drawn into dark lines of strain and exhaustion. There was no trace in the slumped shoulders of the arrogant manipulator who called her bluff by being ready to walk out before he'd even started. There was no malicious gleam in the back of the unguarded eyes apathetically turned on her column. He must know he'd won! And, sure of her interest, was he regretting his machinations? He certainly looked as if he regretted something from somewhere in his ill-starred past.

Fine time to feel sorry for Niall Parollan! She must keep firmly in mind that they wanted her very badly indeed, for some pretty substantial reasons, and they were going to have to pay for her.

‘I assume that the probability curve is high in my favor?' she broke the silence to ask.

Railly nodded.

‘As I mentioned,' Dobrinon said quickly, ‘you are the most likely person to identify the immigrants if there is any trace of their previous personality in the Corviki entities.'

‘You don't think there will be?'

Dobrinon shrugged. ‘How can one gauge the depth of transfer with totally alien structure and psychology? As a human, I prefer to think some vestige of the humanoid remains. I recommend, however, that your initial contact be extremely brief. That is,' he amended discreetly, ‘if you decide to undertake this mission. Under no circumstances would you be asked to jeopardize yourself in the search for others.'

‘The primary goal of the mission is to obtain the Corviki evaluation of the CV data,' Breslaw spoke up. He glanced anxiously at Dobrinon, who shrugged his acquiescence to the priority.

Oh, she had them now.

‘I should very much like to have that drive if it's feasible,' Helva said. Why on earth should Parollan flinch? Were they hiding something after all?

‘My personal faith in you has been vindicated,' Railly declared, his usual jovial self.

‘But you're going to have to agree to a few stipulations of mine or there is no point in proceeding further.'

‘You've never been unreasonable, Helva, and
I do have authority to stretch a few regulations in your favor.'

‘You'd better listen to my conditions before you make any promises, Railly,' Helva said drily. ‘I'm not about to mortgage my soul for 25 years or so, paying off 500,000 credits, on the supposition that the CV drive will be vetted by the Corviki and that I'll resolve a few dangling traumas in the process.

‘This extension of my old contract will be void if the CV drive is not feasible. You can junk the modifications to my hull, I'll pay for the cost of the alloy coating, and you'll just have to write the rest off as experimental loss. That's what it'll be.'

There was a hurried conference between Railly and Breslaw, with Railly reluctantly giving in to the engineer's persuasions.

‘All right.'

‘Second, I can use my own judgement on the advisability of contacting the human immigrants on Corvi, with no penalty for not completing all phases of the planned mission.'

‘I think Dobrinon made that contingency clear.'

‘Third, the matter of a brawn partner . . .'

‘You have certainly proved that you can operate better without a brawn,' Railly interrupted her, all cooperation. Parollan made an inarticulate sound in his throat. ‘You had something to say, Supervisor?'

‘May I finish?' Helva demanded acidly. ‘Parollan, at least, is well aware of my continuous
demands for a permanent brawn. I do
not
like to operate alone, I detest it.'

‘It would be most inadvisable,' Dobrinon put in anxiously.

‘I will not undertake this mission at all without the brawn of my choice!' she said, raising her voice above the others.

‘I heartily concur, Railly. This Corviki psyche exchange has tremendous emotional kickback. Parollan and I feel strongly . . .' but when Dobrinon glanced toward the Supervisor for confirmation, he got no response at all and hurriedly continued, ‘. . . that it is imperative for Helva to be sustained by a strong, empathic brawn as a buffer to the trauma of the experience.'

‘The whole discussion can be terminated right now, Railly, if my conditions are not met. They are, as your experts agree, reasonable.'

Railly acquiesced, but his smile had disappeared.

‘Good. My final condition also hinges on the success of the drive. You have set me 500,000 credits to pay off. Acceptable. However, with the CV utilizing the full potential of the f.t.l. drive, I will be able to get from here to there in next to no time at all. I'd be working my tail off for you. I hardly think the old scale of salary and bonuses would apply to the new level of mobility.'

Railly began to protest, volubly, mentioning the possibility that Breslaw's estimate of 500,000
was conservative, but he was willing to accept that fee.

‘Pure extortion,' she interrupted him. ‘For that matter, am I expected to absorb the cost of any expensive adjustments that the Corviki might recommend? I've got to consider that, too, as well as service to a completely new power source. No, Railly, I'm sure that Double M and SPRIM might very well consider that the old rate of pay will need some adjustment upward to compensate for my increased efficiency.'

‘She'll be the fastest thing in the galaxy,' Breslaw said.

‘Whose side are you on, Breslaw?'

‘In this case, Helva's,' the engineer replied, unintimidated.

‘I'm only asking a reasonable one-third increase: surely not excessive for such a loyal employee of Central Worlds. I'm sure you'll contrive to get your money's worth out of me, if I know how you operate?'

‘How
I
operate?' Railly swung around to glare pointedly at Parollan.

‘Parollan operates his section under
your
orders, Chief,' Helva said, ‘and the dictates of expediency.'

She was sorry she said it the moment the words were out. Parollan's withdrawal was obvious to the others now. He – not the Chief – had initiated this project. He had neatly layered the odds against her refusing it. She couldn't imagine what was wrong with him now. He had
simply dropped out of the arguments, ignored the discussions, was totally immersed in that private struggle.

She was sorry for him. She hated him. She needed him. And she was about to get him. She couldn't beat him but she could join him.

‘Do you agree to my conditions, Railly, or don't you? Take 'em or leave 'em.'

Dobrinon and Breslaw added their entreaties and Helva didn't really need to hear Railly's growl of consent to know that he'd had no real alternative either.

She'd say this for Railly, he was a good loser. For a long moment after he called the revisions in to the Base computer and made them official, he stood with his head down, staring at the pilot's console. When he turned back, his face was impassive.

‘I was warned you might drive a stiff bargain, Helva.' He flicked a glance at Parollan. ‘I didn't think a BB ship would ever outguess me. But you're goddamned right,' he added, his eyes flashing, ‘when you say that I'll work your tail off while you're still a Central Worlds ship.'

‘Fair enough.'

‘Now, Breslaw's going to want you at the maintenance docks to lay in the CV drive. You'll retain all standard equipment until the Beta Corvi vet the new drive. And yes, that's included in the 500,000. Dobrinon has a stack of results on his analysis of the Beta Corvi trauma for you to print into your banks.'

‘It's as much Niall's work as mine,' Dobrinon said, again trying to draw the silent man into the discussion. ‘He had several astute correlations to make from the debriefing and psych tapes of the others on that mission that have helped my staff formulate such preliminary conclusions as we've been able to make.'