Chaos Space - Marianne de Pierres [94]
‘I’m an embryologist, Josef. Lasper had some ... disturbing ideas. I figured if I got far enough away he’d find someone else to do those things, and would leave me alone. It’s hard when you owe a debt to someone whose beliefs oppose your own. Worse when it’s family.’
‘What did he want you to do for him?’
‘I-I can’t tell you that but you need to understand. Akouedo was only a poor, struggling economy here when Lasper purchased Edo. He’s brought wealth and employment and hope to all the planets in the system. When someone does that, word spreads. People actually move here to live now. Imagine that. Moving to a system full of rubbish for a better lifestyle.’
Rasterovich shrugged. ‘Makes for an interesting tourist brochure and I guess it beats starving somewhere else.’
‘Everyone in this system owes Lasper something and he knows how to collect on debts. He hooks them in, one generation to the next. And that was before the Stain Wars. He’s a hero now as well.’
Rasterovich looked unimpressed. ‘You’re still telling me stuff that I already know. Were you with him in the war?’
Bethany shook her head. ‘But the Mios hate the Extropists more than OLOSS. The ship I was on was research-based but during the war we were diverted out near Saiph to give some expertise to Consilience.’
‘What kind of expertise?’
‘Ionil, m-my .. . man, he’s a molecular pathologist. They wanted someone out there who could examine the captured Extros.’
‘He did the autopsies?’
‘Yes. We were ordered there by the Mio Assembly. Ionil thought it was a great honour but I think Lasper was behind it. He wanted to draw me back in.’
‘So what does he want from this?’
Beth rubbed her hands over her eyes. It should have been a simple gesture of tiredness but seemed to be more an ordering of her mind. ‘I don’t know exactly. You saw into his virtual world. What did he show you? Maybe you can guess.’
Jo-Jo Rasterovich stared out of the taxi window. They were almost back at the huge lift well. ‘He’s got hold of something that he shouldn’t have. No one should have.’
‘That sounds like Lasper,’ whispered Bethany.
TRIN
At twilight Trin roamed the perimeter of the tiny island, waiting for Djes to return. He was not alone. Food had revived the spirits of some and they stayed all night down at the beach line, talking and cooling their skin in the tepid water.
Trin pondered a strategy while he waited. He had flown over the island belt twice in his life, and could still picture the jigsaw puzzle of islands, beginning with a sprinkling of dots that gradually turned into clumps and then decent tracts of land. The shape of them was what had intrigued him most: bizarre scribbles that at one time had fitted together as a solid land mass. There were caves in some, he was sure—he had seen the dark-holed cliffs. And there was thick vegetation; creepers strung in veils over what he imagined were clusters of trees—not the stunted spiny-leaved bushes under which they had passed the day.
They could live in caves. But how long would it take them to find these islands without navigation aids? They would need method and determination. And faith.
He would send Djes ahead of them during daylight to scout directions and any perils. The rest would wait until twilight. The flat-yachts were stable enough at night but sluggish in their rudder response and slow. They had to be certain of reaching the next island before each sunrise.
‘Pellegrini?’
It was Cass Mulravey. Trin did not answer or even look at her—he was not yet ready for her questions.
But Mulravey was not one to be put off. ‘The women have voted to stay with you, but we want to know what you are planning.’
‘The women? Does that include you, Signora?’
‘Frankly, I’m not con—’
A low cry and splashing—louder than the gentle breakers—from further along the beach interrupted her.
Djeserit!
Trin ran as quickly as he could to the huddle of shadows. To his annoyance, Cass Mulravey kept pace with him.
‘What is it?’ he demanded when he stopped.
‘Out there, Principe,’ said