Time Past (24 page)

The brightness flared. Murdoch looked away and flung his arm across his face.

The deck shifted under our feet, seemed to drop away. It’s working. The jump drive takes over in a measureless second of stomach-dropping nothingness...

“We’re home.” Murdoch was shouting. He hugged me tight and shook me away from the console. For a moment his touch felt as if it were on someone else, or my whole body was numb. Then the warmth of his arms around my shoulders and of his chest against mine thawed the numbness. I squeezed him weakly in return. Lost a few minutes or hours there.

In the viewscreen we could see Jocasta.

The station’s three interlocking habitat rings spun around the center cylinder and its associated docks, processing platforms, and recycling units. Six solid spokes connected the rings to the center. Viewed side-on, the line of the rings was broken by the center poking out top and bottom. From above or below, not that there’s either in space, it looked like a white wheel whirling around a hub, in turn rotating around the unnamed planet the Tor laid waste decades ago.

We could see the Bubble, the raised bump of the command center on the upper ring. Light glinted off the banks of mirrors around the sunside of the rings.

“When did we come through the jump?” I tried to activate a communications signal, but none of the likely commands worked.

“A couple of minutes ago,” said Murdoch. “You said something about drives but I didn’t think you looked awake.”

“I don’t remember the time passing.” I rubbed my head but it wouldn’t clear. The flatspace thrusters must have kicked in without having to be recalibrated. This ship really was a special model.

He pointed at the screen. “Aren’t we a bit far off to see all that detail?”

Never mind the screen, there was the shadow of something behind me. I kept turning around to check, but there was nothing in the cabin with us.

“What’s the matter?” said Murdoch.

“Something’s there.”

“Where?”

“Behind me.” I half shut my eyes and put my hand flat on the console again, holding my breath against the pain. Now I could see the shadow.

A long cylinder, covered with garish colors. A ConFleet cruiser, Bendarl markings, enough destructive power to pulverize a planet.

“Shit,” said Murdoch. “Where did that come from?”

I opened my eyes properly and realized the cruiser was now visible on the screen, too.

A different series of lines lit the display, bouncing in waves.

“I think that ship is hailing us, but I can’t get the comm system to work.” I tried a random tapping, to no effect.

“Don’t worry, we know what they’re saying,” said Murdoch sourly. “Identify yourself and prepare to be boarded.”

“That’s what worries me. I’m going to dock us at Jo-casta.”

“They’re following, but they’re too far out to catch us.”

“Still can’t contact the station.” I ran my fingers down what I thought were the ridges allowing directional control, but for all we knew, the ship could have been reading my mind.

Murdoch leaned on the console beside me, his eyes moving from viewscreen to console. “Don’t worry, they’ll welcome an Invidi ship. Put us in one of the upper docks, easy to get in.”

The ship aligned itself in response to my directions. The patched white skin of Jocasta’s center section grew more detailed in the viewscreen as we approached. The airlock grew larger, a round mouth pouting outward from the skin, surrounded by clusters of clamps like crab legs and conduits ready to uncoil. A couple of flat oval maintenance droids known as “bugs” skittered several meters away before holding position.

We nudged the airlock cuff and felt the faint
snick-thud
of the clamps. “We should put it into an inside dock later.” I couldn’t help yawning as I spoke. Murdoch gestured helplessly at the cabin, then ran his hand over his head. “When you get your breath back, you can explain what the hell just happened. We made it through the point, obviously.”

I shook my head, then stopped, as it made everything else shake. “For a minute it seemed like we wouldn’t make it. I could have sworn we’d gone past the coordinates...”

He flexed his shoulders. “We’re home now.” He squeezed my arm again. “Well done.”

I yawned. My thoughts were losing focus as well as my eyes.

Below us a round hole slowly widened to a bit less than a meter. Murdoch approached cautiously, then his shoulders relaxed. “Looks safe.”

We slid through the hole feetfirst and found ourselves in the airlock. The bare conduits, unevenly textured panels, and white light were familiar; the familiarity of a recurring dream. We were definitely home. The air had that distinct recycled whiff, like breathing into one’s own shirt. Gravity set at slightly less than Earth normal.

Jocasta’s center normally possessed close to zero gravity, but the Invidi had installed a field that could be activated to produce the conditions of gravity comfortable to each particular species. I hated the gravity field, mainly because after all these years I still hadn’t a clue how it worked.

In front of me Murdoch tapped the airlock controls to open. The doors hissed apart.

Dimmer light, faces. The smell magnified. A human voice speaking Earth Standard.

“Human? But it’s an Invidi ship...”

Other voices in the background, excited.

“It’s them!”

“Quick, tell...”

“Did you get a reading for...”

Murdoch tugged at my elbow and I stumbled with him out of the airlock.

A Melot face. For a second I stared in shock at the difference—the eyes and mouth were in the same position as a human’s and the face shape was basically oval, but it was covered with fine golden scales. The ears were invisible under a caplike covering, and out of the side of the head protruded flexible antennae stiff with shock.

It was the suit that affected me most. An exquisitely tailored piece of sartorial engineering in translucent gray. The Melot wore it with restrained aplomb that was further removed from the out-town than Jocasta is from Earth.

“Veatch!” The strength of my pleasure at seeing him again made my voice crack.

“Commander Halley?” Jocasta’s station manager remained still, his hands clasped behind his back, but his antennae twitched. Beside us, Murdoch’s hand was being pumped by Helen Sasaki, the second in command of Security. Several other Security personnel waited to do the same.

I managed to smile. “You’re looking well.”

Veatch opened his mouth twice before words emerged. “My condition is satisfactory.” He unclasped his hands, then dipped his antennae toward a human who stood a little apart. “This is Mr. Rupert Stone, of Earth’s Ministry of External Affairs.”

Stone stepped closer. Not as tall as Veatch, wearing his close-fitting mauve suit like a uniform. Short, pale hair. Cold, pale eyes.

“So you’re Halley,” he said in a smooth baritone. His eyes ran over me. “You’re smaller than I expected.” He sniffed fastidiously, as if to say dirtier, too.

I opened my mouth to retort, shut it again. Our twenty-first-century grime was more obvious under station lights and the smell in the lobby may not have been entirely due to recycling. Even so, I didn’t expect to be insulted on my own station.

“Mr. Stone has been acting head of station for twenty-four station days now,” continued Veatch. “Since you were officially pronounced missing.”

So, External Affairs, the ministry responsible for Earth’s role in the Confederacy, had taken the opportunity to put someone in charge here whom they could control. An obvious move. No reason for me to feel a surge of resentment toward Stone. External Affairs had always been pro-Invidi, and were lobbying actively against our neutrality petition.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Stone waved at the air-lock and the Invidi ship. “Are you the only passengers? Where have you been all this time? ConFleet and Earth-Fleet have both wasted time and resources looking for you.”

I smoothed my shirt ineffectually and pulled my shoulders straighter. Wish my thoughts were straighter. “I was out of comm range.”

“If you’re alone, you’re in trouble.” Stone half turned to Veatch as if in confirmation. “The Confederacy could charge you with possessing Invidi jump-drive technology, I believe? And there are penalties for those who assist you.”

Veatch inclined his antennae. “That is correct.”

Sasaki and Murdoch turned to watch us.

“Veatch, how long is it since Mr. Murdoch left?” I said.

“Thirty-six days,” Sasaki answered for him. “And every one too long.” She elbowed past Veatch, grasped my hand in both of hers, and wrung it painfully. She was a tall young woman with a powerful grip. “Welcome back, Commander.” Her round, solemn face blossomed in a smile.

“I’m waiting for an explanation,” said Stone.

I half expected him to tap his toe.

Thirty-six days. Murdoch had been with me for twenty-four, and he had spent some time looking for An Serat. So the same amount of time passed here as on Earth. Which confirmed that the jump point between 2023 and 2122 was stable, just like those on the Central network. That is, it kept the same correspondence. So why did it not have the same correspondence when
Calypso
went through it?

A wall comm unit buzzed.
Mr. Stone. Message from the cruiser.
The voice was familiar. Ensign Lee, from the command section in the Bubble.

“Put it through,” said Stone.

Cruiser. With a jolt I remembered the bright ovoid against the stars.

“What’s that cruiser doing there?” Murdoch demanded of Veatch.

“It seems to be patrolling the system boundaries,” he said.

“They can’t interfere in station business at the moment, because of the neutrality,” added Sasaki. “So they like to prowl around and try to catch ships either going in toward the jump point or coming out, and inspect them. There are rumors the New Council has sneaked a ship into this system. People are anxious because of the New Council’s connection with the Q’Chn.”

“This is the kind of situation,” Stone began, “that reveals how foolish neutrality is. How can station administration possibly protect...”

A Bendarl snarl interrupted him from the comm unit. Everyone jumped. Bendarl always turn the volume right up.

Attention! Station Jocasta! We demand you return the Invidi ship and its pilots to us. They are in violation of... three Confederacy statutes and four Sector navigation regulations.

I shared a glance with Murdoch. They knew who was piloting the ship. Our ex-observer, An Barik, was probably behind ConFleet’s orders, as he had been at the end of the Seouras blockade. Barik had presumably been trying to deal with An Serat for years. He must have known about our leaving Earth in Serat’s ship and therefore of Serat’s experiments with Tor technology. Barik had waited for
Calypso
to appear near Jocasta. He could probably “see” Murdoch and me coming back from the past as well.

My stomach clenched—what the hell could we do? I didn’t want to give up the ship before I could figure out how it worked. I tried to think of a strategy but my head hurt and the implant itched and facts didn’t seem to connect properly.

Stone drew breath sharply. “Commander, we must comply. I’m sure you’ll sort it out.”

He reached for the comm unit controls. Sasaki stepped forward.

“Sir, we don’t have to...”

Attention! Station Jocasta! Respond!
The Bendarl voice rose in near-hysterical impatience.

Murdoch glanced at me, eyebrows raised, then stepped forward too. “Hang on a minute, Mr. Stone.”

“Why?” Stone looked at him suspiciously.

“We can’t hand Halley over to them right at the moment because she’s in my custody. And I’m not going to hand myself over until I’ve completed my duties. Have to go through due process,” said Murdoch, deadpan.

“In your custody?” I said.

“What do you mean?” said Stone at the same time.

Stone and I eyed each other, neither certain enough to be openly hostile.

Murdoch nodded at Veatch. “Mr. Veatch knows what I mean. Until neutrality is approved or disapproved at the Confederacy Council, Jocasta operates under Earth law, like we always did.”

“I see,” Stone said slowly. “But what do you intend telling the cruiser?”

Station Jocasta! This is your last chance to respond to our hail!

“Wait a minute, I don’t see,” I said. “What does being under Earth law have to do with it?”

Stone tapped the comm link. “Ahem. Earthstation Jo-casta to Confederacy of Allied Worlds cruiser
Vengeful.
Your previous message was not clear. Please repeat.”

“Means once we’ve arrested you for something they can’t arrest you for the same thing,” said Murdoch, stepping back to give Stone room and taking my arm. “Did I tell you your rights?” He smiled as he said it and I relaxed a little. He had mentioned this on Earth. He was going to arrest me so ConFleet couldn’t. Or something.

Our instruments show you received our message!
sputtered the Bendarl.

“Really?” said Stone. “Possibly they need to be recalibrated.”

We demand you return the Invidi ship and its pilots to us! They are in violation of... three Confederacy statutes and four Sector navigation regulations.

Stone glared at Murdoch.

“Which Invidi ship?” I prompted in a whisper.

“Which Invidi ship do you mean?” Stone’s version was a study in well-meaning incomprehension. He put his hand over the pickup and whispered, “Really, Commander, I protest. We risk annoying them.”

“Bendarl are always annoyed,” I said.

Don’t try to stall!
the Bendarl officer growled low.
We want the Invidi ship that just docked at that station and we want the pilots.

“Ask for the captain,” I mouthed.

“I feel there has been an unfortunate misunderstanding,” said Stone soothingly, with a glare at me. “I wonder if I might speak to your captain?”

The captain does not speak to such as you.

Stone tapped the link shut. “Why do we have to talk to the captain?”

“The exec will only put us on hold while she checks with the captain anyway,” I said. “Might as well save the trouble.”