Power Play - Anne McCaffrey [64]
Dear Dr. Shongili,
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I was sent the following message by the criminals who abducted Colonel Maddock-Shongili, your niece, and young Etheridge-Metaxos, along with Madame Algemeine. I suppose they chose to send their demands to me, as CEO of my own company, since previously I had been unaccountably released to deliver the initial message. I had the great opportunity and rare pleasure of meeting your lovely wife and speaking with her briefly while she was still here on Gal Three: she was, is, a very special lady and a competent, caring officer. The children accompanying her were a delight to us all. I fervently hope that, between the efforts of the security team here on Gal Three and your good self you will all be reunited soon.
On behalf of all of us here on Gal Three,
Machiavelli Sendal-Archer-Klausewitch
Dear Dr. Shongili,
We were most concerned to learn from your wife that there might be some difficulty with her pregnancy if she isn’t back on Petaybee soon. She is very ill and could certainly use more of that Petaybean cough syrup that cured her the first time. Also, young Metaxos has sustained minor injuries due to his own youth and inexperience. Unfortunately, we are currently between medical officers, since our last one was discharged—regrettably, out the hatch and into space—for mutiny.
Surely you must realize that your family’s lives depend upon your immediate response and compliance to our demands. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Most sincerely,
Dinah O’Neill, representing Captain Onidi Louchard
aboard the Pirate Jenny
All Sean could do was sit there, stricken, when he finished reading.
“What is it, Sean?” Una Monaghan asked.
’Cita, who was also there along with several other children and their parents and Wild Star Furey, put her arm around him and asked, “What is it, Uncle? Is it about my sister? What does it say?”
He held it up to her and she took it. But, of course, ’Cita couldn’t read, so she turned to Wild Star, who took the note out of her hand and read it aloud. When she was done, the room was filled with a stunned silence.
“Oh dear, I ought to have read it first to myself,” she said, “before I broadcast such news.”
Sean shook his head. “It’s everybody’s business.”
“Well, yes, but in front of the children—especially those who’ve just arrived from the other villages to go to school. Too much of the bad side of civilization all at once, I fear.” She continued to look guilty and cast a nervous smile at her pupils and their parents.
Since she had taken up her post as Kilcoole teacher, Sean had learned a few facts about Wild Star Furey. She had had sufficient experience with the bad side of civilization. Her ancestors had been an Amerind tribe stubbornly clinging to a valuable piece of Terran real estate. Her husband’s family were descended from Irish Traveling People who had finally been removed from the planet for refusing to settle on any given piece of real estate.
“It concerns Petaybee, Wild Star,” Sean said. “And it’s got nothing to do with civilization. Pirates aren’t famous for being civilized.”
“Pardon me, Doctor, sir,” said a man who had arrived in Kilcoole a scant half hour before. Sean knew Muktuk Murphy slightly. He was from Tanana Bay. “Could the lady read that last bit again, please?”
“Which part was that, Muktuk?” Sean asked.
“That lady’s name, sir, mentioned just before that awful pirate’s name—”
“Dinah O’Neill?” Wild Star asked.
Muktuk cast a significant glance at the small, round-faced woman beside him, who had a wealth of curly black hair and typical Eskirish slanted blue eyes. Those eyes were dancing with excitement as she tugged her husband’s sleeve.
“That would be it, Dama, thank you. Do you suppose me and the wife could send a message along with yours, sir, when you reply to the pirates?”
Sean shrugged. “What did you want to say?”
“Well, it’s a bit hard to organize it right now, sir. It’ll take me and the missus some thinking.”
“Perhaps I should help you write it down then,