Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [51]
Pekar shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Rlinda noted that the woman’s deep artificial tan was not dark enough to cover her flush of guilt. “Mr. Lotze, there are severe penalties for unauthorized access of our computer systems.”
BeBob lurched to his feet. “Damn it! You had a ship available all this time? A big ship?”
“It was vital for our own purposes.”
“And now it’s vital for ours.” Davlin’s tone brooked no argument. “I am commandeering it in the name of Chairman Wenceslas. It still won’t carry all the colonists, but it can handle the ones Captain Kett can’t take. That frees Captain Roberts to continue his delivery duties and help other colonies. I believe you’ve placed all the colonization initiative equipment he was scheduled to deliver into storage. You will load it aboard his ship as soon as possible.”
“I can’t authorize that,” the governor said.
“I didn’t ask you to. You can file a complaint with the Terran Hanseatic League, but I will take that ship.”
Fuming, Pekar stared at the three of them, moving her gaze like the targeting point of a missile system. Davlin intimidated her; Rlinda wasn’t sure if the governor knew of his connections or simply suspected them. She surrendered with a huff. “If that’s what I need to do to get rid of these people, it’ll be an advantage to us in the long run. But I expect you to return the ship, Mr. Lotze.”
“When we’re quite done with it.” Davlin stood, looking satisfied. “I’ll prepare the other vessel right now and see if I can get two-thirds of the passengers aboard. It’ll be my pleasure to depart with all due haste.”
Rlinda put her hand on BeBob’s shoulder. “I’ll stay here for an extra day to help Captain Roberts load up the Blind Faith—and to air out the Curiosity. Then we’ll be on our way.”
Chapter 22—ORLI COVITZ
After she had spent several days alone with Hud Steinman, the smell of smoke and death still clung to her nostrils. Orli wanted to go with him into the wilderness of Corribus and leave the mangled scar of the town far behind.
But Steinman did not intend to head back out until he himself had scavenged through the wreckage for any useful items. Since he was stronger, he could shift beams and sheets of metal that she had been unable to move for herself. “I have no earthly idea what’s going on out there in the Hansa—why the EDF or Klikiss robots would want to wipe out this colony—but there’s no telling when or if anybody’ll come looking for us. We could be the last ones left alive in the whole Spiral Arm!”
“If that’s your attempt to cheer me up, you’re a bit out of practice.”
He unslung his pack and began to stash away tools, a few packets of medicine, some salvageable clothes from an intact storage locker. Though she had already done her own search, Orli fashioned a satchel and gathered up a few more items. They spent two days, being extremely thorough.
Every time Orli closed her eyes to go to sleep, she saw flashes of the terrible attacks, the explosions in the colony town, the obliteration of the communications shack where her father had been working...
Finally, Steinman led her away from the blackened ruins, taking her far out onto the plains, which were covered with a carpet of stiff-bladed grass. Swarms of furry crickets rustled through the brush, forming woven tunnels and warrens.
In the first days after passing through the transportal to Corribus, Orli had caught one of