“It is very strong, the strongest I’ve encountered. But—”
“It is the most intense aura in Segment Etamin,” Melody told him without pride. “Perhaps in the galaxy. Which is why I was drafted. I came here to overwhelm a hostage. Do you know what a hostage is?”
“No. A kind of transferee, I suppose.”
“An involuntary host. One who is controlled by an alien aura against his will, not under the auspices of the Society of Hosts. A normal person who is possessed by an Andromedan.”
“I thought that was impossible!”
“So did we all. But Andromeda has had a breakthrough. The hostage is aboard this ship. It can only be overwhelmed by an aura as strong as my own, coordinated with special retransfer apparatus.”
“I don’t understand,” he said. “Why are you breeding magnets, then? Why go out of your way to show it to me, then threaten me? This has nothing to do with your stated mission.”
“Because I had to be sure of you without giving away my real motive. In case you turned out to be… corruptible.”
Skot worked this out. “If I had agreed to conceal the baby magnet, then—”
“I would have let you do it. And provided any other implied rewards. But not the hostage information.”
He waved one hand in negation. “If I had agreed, then you would not have been exposed. But if I insisted on the truth, after proving myself, you could tell me all of it. So either way, you would still be safe—if you actually can justify breaking the rules.”
“Brace yourself,” Melody said. “I’m sorry the test had to be so brutal, but I must admit I am not Solarian, so am not really interested in—” She flickered her eyes down toward her bosom. But she felt uncomfortable, because in this healthy young body she was interested in human love, as her experience with Dash had shown. Solarian romance was more a function of glands than of intellect. “I had to know you were galactic and loyal. Because—”
“Well, I still have to report—”
“Because I have been using the Tarot readings to detect other hostages. Nine of your fellow officers are Andromedans.”
He stared at her. “Impossible!”
“I know of only three who are loyaclass="underline" you, Llume of Spica, and Captain Boyd. I still have three to test, but—”
“All the men you have tested—hostage? I just can’t believe that!”
“You can verify it with Llume. I haven’t told the Captain yet. I want to test the rest, and then give him a complete report.”
“You’re telling me even my bunkmate Hath is—”
“Hath of Conquest was the first I verified. Work it out for yourself: What normal Solarian male speaks in terms of the serpent-patina of reproduction? That’s typical of Sphere * of Andromeda!”
Skot considered. “You know, you’re right. He’s changed, recently. I thought he was just out of sorts, but he does act a bit like an alien. Hardly noticeable, but I’ve known him for a long time.”
“Are you willing on the basis of this, to withhold your report on the little magnet? At least until you are sure? I’m trying to win over the magnet loyalty to my side, which is the Milky Way side, in case there is a showdown.”
Skot shook his head in confusion. “You place me in a very difficult position. I don’t know where my loyalty lies. If what you have told me is true—but I’m not at all sure it is true.”
“Then just keep your mouth shut until you are sure— one way or another. On the one side is the mere abridgment of a nonsensical ship’s regulation; on the other is serious peril to our entire galaxy. While you are in doubt, you have to weigh the consequences of each direction of error.”
He sighed. “Yes.”
Melody smiled again. She knew she had acquired an inflexible ally who would be subverted by neither threat nor temptation. “It is an immense comfort to know there is another loyalist among the officers,” she said frankly.
Beanball progressed rapidly. That was probably a survival trait among his kind. Melody didn’t know what type of predators existed on the magnets’ home world, but obviously early speed and power helped. The little ball learned to hover unsteadily, and could move about the edges of the cabin near the floor. It was instructive to watch him, sometimes he went too far into the center and lost control. Then he spun crazily and dropped nearly to the floor before regaining equilibrium. He appeared to operate more by repulsion than by attraction; otherwise he would have hovered near the ceiling. Of course attraction would have snapped him right into floor or wall, while repulsion kept him conveniently afloat at his natural limit.
Slammer hovered in place, seeming to give off fatherly emanations of pleasure.
Finally she got the last three officers interviewed. All were hostages. It was time to report to the Captain.
But first she had a council of war with Llume and Skot in her cabin, the only place where privacy was assured. Slammer might not care what electronic eavesdroppers were elsewhere, but he was well aware of the need for secrecy here, and could locate any telltale devices.
“Of twelve upper-level officers below the rank of captain, ten are hostages,” Melody summarized the situation. “Tiala and nine males, all officers. There is no doubt in my mind; is there in yours?”
Llume buzzed her ball on the deck. “None. My observations concur: all are hostage.”
Skot shook his head grimly. “I have doubt, but not enough. I have to go along with your estimate.”
“Obviously they have concentrated on this ship,” Melody continued, “because it commands the segment fleet. There simply can’t be this number of hostages on other ships! They have chosen to remain concealed until receiving the signal to proceed overtly. That suggests that the hostaging is not complete. They would have struck already if they were sure of their power.” She paused, not liking this. “Probably they infiltrated this ship first, but need to work on other ships of the fleet. When they are ready, they will kill Captain Boyd and the three of us, then use ship and fleet to intimidate Outworld itself and disrupt segment resistance. The key is right here, because the armed might of Etamin is here. So we must act— now, before they do. The Captain’s authority, backed by the magnets, should enable us to make a clean sweep of this ship. After that, we’ll see about the fleet. But we have to convince the Captain without giving it away to the hostages prematurely.”
“I could conduct you to the Captain for an interview,” Skot said. “That would be according to protocol.”
“But I’d like you both present, as witnesses,” Melody said. “You are officers, while I am only a civilian visitor. I need your endorsement.”
“If we all go, the hostages might become aware,” Llume said. “They surely know who they are, and that we are not of them.”
“Yes. In fact, we’d better not remain here in conference long,” Melody said. “Suspicion means death.”
“I hesitate to suggest this,” Skot said, turning slightly red. “But maybe a complaint— You are a beautiful woman, and someone might—that is—”
“Someone might make an advance?” Melody inquired, smiling.
“Understand, it would not be—well, you could complain to the Captain, with Llume as witness—”
“Brilliant!” Then Melody paused. “But Slammer would—”
Skot frowned. “I had forgotten that. Sorry.”
“Unless the female attacked the male,” Llume suggested.
“Yes, that would do,” Melody agreed. “Skot turned me down before. I really was very pleased that he did so— no offense, Skot—but I understand rejected human women can become very angry. I might use the magnet to corner him, then—”