[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
why."
"You make things sound so mysterious."
"Nothing mysterious at all. Since Carlina insists that might make right,
I merely intend to point out to her why that can be a dangerous philosophy."
Gerswin shook his head abruptly. "You still have that estate of yours?"
"Why . . . yes . . ."
"Still like it as much as when you first purchased it?"
"Probably more," laughed the advocate. "You aren't . . . that is . . . I
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didn't exactly purchase it, you know."
This time, Gerswin shook his head evenly and slowly. "Hamline, has
Carlina managed to instill distrust all over this planet?"
"No . . . not exactly . . ."
"Excessive caution, I can see. Is she as well connected to the Ministry
of Domestic Security as she implies?"
"Unfortunately . . . yes."
Gerswin wondered if he ought to write off El Lido completely. since CE,
Limited, had been designed as a profit venture and since he did not need
anything beyond the proof that the plants did work in wade scale production.
But Hamline and a few others deserved a chance, if they would take it. He
wondered if they understood the
price, really.
"Remember the wonderful time you had with the windboards? And the place
where you met a stranger who decided El Lido needed
an independent advocate?"
"Yes."
"Have lunch there tomorrow. Bring some transfer orders for CE, Limited,
common and preferred stock."
"Whatù"
Gerswin broke the connection. While his end could not be traced, he
wasn't about to underestimate Carlina, or Domestic Security. Even so, they
would have had a hard time, since he had tapped into the system from a
reflector satellite he had deployed before leaving orbit. He doubted that the
local technology existed to tap his beam without some knowledge of the
Caroljoy's location.
He stood up and stretched. Then he sighed before heading toward the
sealed and shielded locker. Dirty work required dirty weapons.
The man who had been a commodore bit his lip, but did not hesitate.
Simple graft was bad enough, but to sell out to a central government with
enough control to publicly name the secret police the Ministry of Domestic
Security was beyond redemption.
Removing the two canisters from their long resting place in the hold
took a few minutes. Setting up the gear he needed and checking them through
the equipment in the hold took nearly an hour. Gerswin left both objects
clamped in place and climbed out of the cramped three-by-three-meter space
that was uninhabitable except when the scout was planetside.
He settled back in front of the console.
"Interrogative screen tap status."
"Negative. No energies detected."
"Interrogative satellite scan."
Page 167
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Negative. No energies detected."
"Code Jam Trap Two. Code Jam Trap Two."
His fingers touched the studs of the keyboard. Although the
communications trap program was displayed, the trap code kept the AI from
understanding the contents of the program.
"Interrogative open channel access. How many different commnet systems
can you access simultaneously?"
"Private systems or public nets?"
"Some of each. Try an eight private to two public ratio."
"Under operating parameters, ten per standard second for a maximum of
three minutes."
"Stet."
Gerswin set up the modifications he needed, then accessed the official
and unofficial maps of Lidora. As he expected, the headquarters of the
Ministry of Domestic Security was clearly marked.
He smiled to himself as he ran the two locator programs for the two
canisters that waited below to be fitted on the launchers of the armed flitter
that waited outside in the other side of the hangarbunker that temporarily
housed the Caroljoy.
That done, he pocketed the course discs and returned to the sweltering
space beneath what had once been the crew room to remove the two long
canisters and to reseal the lockers and the equipment.
After closing the hatch plate, he left the Caroljoy and stepped into the
cool air of the bunker, air that retained a trace of the mustiness of a space
seldom used. The lands adjoining Rodire's estate were left unmanaged, and
Rodire was responsible for insuring that the tax payments were made, that the
land was posted, and that would-be settlers and squatters were quietly evicted
on a periodic basis.
Wherever possible, Gerswin liked to set up such remote retreats. Usually
after five or ten years even the people who had constructed them had forgotten
where they were. After less than a year, most people had forgotten their
existence, particularly since Gerswin used them so little and tried to arrive
at night and as quietly as possible.
Two flitters waited on the far side. Gerswin directed his steps toward
the armed and shielded one, not that there was any obvious external difference
between the two. But with Carlina's allies, he would forsake some speed for
arms and shielding.
He rolled one canister under the port stub, nearly under the intake
cover, and returned for the second, which he edged under the starboard stub.
Then he retrieved the tools from the adjoining bay.
His skills were rusty, and all in all it took him nearly three hours to
convert the two missiles and to mount them to his satisfaction.
He completed the job, returned the tools, resealing them in their
Page 168
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
protected containers, and returned the empty canisters to the Caroljoy. After
that, he climbed into the ship to stretch out and, he hoped, to sleep until
morning.
Sleep there was, and dreams as well, dreams of dark ships dealing death,
and of corvettes with orange screens failing, and of iceboats disintegrating,
and of landspouts hurling flitters into purpled-clay plains.
He shook himself awake once, trying to escape from the tumbled images of
the past, but when he slipped back into slumber and restlessness, the images
reappeared.
Caroljoy, young in the darkness, aging into a white-haired and fragile
duchess as he watched, useless words caught in his throat. Kiedra, reaching
for him and throwing herself into Lerwin's arms, then aging into sadness with
her daughter's death. Young Corwin, their son, turning gray and disappearing
into a cloud of ashes. And the other devilkids, Lostwin, Glynnis, each walking
down a long dark tunnel away from him, marching proudly toward certain death
as he urged them on.
A man in black smiling as he watched a hellfire flash across an airless [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
why."
"You make things sound so mysterious."
"Nothing mysterious at all. Since Carlina insists that might make right,
I merely intend to point out to her why that can be a dangerous philosophy."
Gerswin shook his head abruptly. "You still have that estate of yours?"
"Why . . . yes . . ."
"Still like it as much as when you first purchased it?"
"Probably more," laughed the advocate. "You aren't . . . that is . . . I
Page 166
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
didn't exactly purchase it, you know."
This time, Gerswin shook his head evenly and slowly. "Hamline, has
Carlina managed to instill distrust all over this planet?"
"No . . . not exactly . . ."
"Excessive caution, I can see. Is she as well connected to the Ministry
of Domestic Security as she implies?"
"Unfortunately . . . yes."
Gerswin wondered if he ought to write off El Lido completely. since CE,
Limited, had been designed as a profit venture and since he did not need
anything beyond the proof that the plants did work in wade scale production.
But Hamline and a few others deserved a chance, if they would take it. He
wondered if they understood the
price, really.
"Remember the wonderful time you had with the windboards? And the place
where you met a stranger who decided El Lido needed
an independent advocate?"
"Yes."
"Have lunch there tomorrow. Bring some transfer orders for CE, Limited,
common and preferred stock."
"Whatù"
Gerswin broke the connection. While his end could not be traced, he
wasn't about to underestimate Carlina, or Domestic Security. Even so, they
would have had a hard time, since he had tapped into the system from a
reflector satellite he had deployed before leaving orbit. He doubted that the
local technology existed to tap his beam without some knowledge of the
Caroljoy's location.
He stood up and stretched. Then he sighed before heading toward the
sealed and shielded locker. Dirty work required dirty weapons.
The man who had been a commodore bit his lip, but did not hesitate.
Simple graft was bad enough, but to sell out to a central government with
enough control to publicly name the secret police the Ministry of Domestic
Security was beyond redemption.
Removing the two canisters from their long resting place in the hold
took a few minutes. Setting up the gear he needed and checking them through
the equipment in the hold took nearly an hour. Gerswin left both objects
clamped in place and climbed out of the cramped three-by-three-meter space
that was uninhabitable except when the scout was planetside.
He settled back in front of the console.
"Interrogative screen tap status."
"Negative. No energies detected."
"Interrogative satellite scan."
Page 167
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Negative. No energies detected."
"Code Jam Trap Two. Code Jam Trap Two."
His fingers touched the studs of the keyboard. Although the
communications trap program was displayed, the trap code kept the AI from
understanding the contents of the program.
"Interrogative open channel access. How many different commnet systems
can you access simultaneously?"
"Private systems or public nets?"
"Some of each. Try an eight private to two public ratio."
"Under operating parameters, ten per standard second for a maximum of
three minutes."
"Stet."
Gerswin set up the modifications he needed, then accessed the official
and unofficial maps of Lidora. As he expected, the headquarters of the
Ministry of Domestic Security was clearly marked.
He smiled to himself as he ran the two locator programs for the two
canisters that waited below to be fitted on the launchers of the armed flitter
that waited outside in the other side of the hangarbunker that temporarily
housed the Caroljoy.
That done, he pocketed the course discs and returned to the sweltering
space beneath what had once been the crew room to remove the two long
canisters and to reseal the lockers and the equipment.
After closing the hatch plate, he left the Caroljoy and stepped into the
cool air of the bunker, air that retained a trace of the mustiness of a space
seldom used. The lands adjoining Rodire's estate were left unmanaged, and
Rodire was responsible for insuring that the tax payments were made, that the
land was posted, and that would-be settlers and squatters were quietly evicted
on a periodic basis.
Wherever possible, Gerswin liked to set up such remote retreats. Usually
after five or ten years even the people who had constructed them had forgotten
where they were. After less than a year, most people had forgotten their
existence, particularly since Gerswin used them so little and tried to arrive
at night and as quietly as possible.
Two flitters waited on the far side. Gerswin directed his steps toward
the armed and shielded one, not that there was any obvious external difference
between the two. But with Carlina's allies, he would forsake some speed for
arms and shielding.
He rolled one canister under the port stub, nearly under the intake
cover, and returned for the second, which he edged under the starboard stub.
Then he retrieved the tools from the adjoining bay.
His skills were rusty, and all in all it took him nearly three hours to
convert the two missiles and to mount them to his satisfaction.
He completed the job, returned the tools, resealing them in their
Page 168
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
protected containers, and returned the empty canisters to the Caroljoy. After
that, he climbed into the ship to stretch out and, he hoped, to sleep until
morning.
Sleep there was, and dreams as well, dreams of dark ships dealing death,
and of corvettes with orange screens failing, and of iceboats disintegrating,
and of landspouts hurling flitters into purpled-clay plains.
He shook himself awake once, trying to escape from the tumbled images of
the past, but when he slipped back into slumber and restlessness, the images
reappeared.
Caroljoy, young in the darkness, aging into a white-haired and fragile
duchess as he watched, useless words caught in his throat. Kiedra, reaching
for him and throwing herself into Lerwin's arms, then aging into sadness with
her daughter's death. Young Corwin, their son, turning gray and disappearing
into a cloud of ashes. And the other devilkids, Lostwin, Glynnis, each walking
down a long dark tunnel away from him, marching proudly toward certain death
as he urged them on.
A man in black smiling as he watched a hellfire flash across an airless [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]