“And why would you do that?”
The man’s expression faded to seriousness. “For two reasons, Commodore. First, I was Fleet for six years. I don’t like the way you and yours are being treated. Second, well, let’s just say I’m one of the reasons you punched out Lu-Jenks. I figure I owe you one for that.”
Kas was getting impatient. “If you’re going to tell me something, get on with it. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
A smile lit the man’s face. “Oh yes, you do, Commodore. You have all the time in the universe. You see, you’re not going anywhere for years, if ever.”
“What are you talking about? Why do you think that?”
The man shrugged, his smile fading. “An eavesdropped conversation between Ta-Lank and one of his aides. He intends to keep you out here for years. He hopes to keep you here until he retires — which won’t be for twenty years or so.”
Kas’ puzzlement deepened. “Why would he do that? What could he possibly gain?”
“You don’t understand your position,” the man continued, shaking his head. “You keep thinking of yourselves as Fleet crews completing a mission. You’re not. You’re pawns in a power struggle. You’re hostages.”
He shrugged. “You’re a club he can hold over the Emperor. The Emperor knows very well that Ta-Lank controls this committee and that phony medical board. If he had the committee order the destruction of your ships it would touch off an explosion that could destroy the Empire and the Emperor knows it. He cannot afford to take a chance like that. So, the committee will go on investigating, and the medical board will go on analyzing, for as long as possible. And Ta-Lank will use you to force the Emperor to go along with whatever he wants, for as long as he can. Any time the furor dies down and the Emperor tries to release you, Ta-Lank will fire up the newsie hysteria machine again.”
Kas was thinking, hard. “I see. And what do you expect me to do about it?”
The smile flared again. “I don’t know what to expect from you, Commodore. But I suspect that something will happen. You are not the type to just quietly sit aboard a marooned ship for years. Whatever you do,” he continued in a more serious tone, “I wish you good luck with it.” His image faded as he cut the laser com beam.
Kas stared at the blank screen for several minutes. Could the newsie be right? Could all this be a move in some power chess game?
He glanced at the clock. 0500. Pankin might be up, but this could wait until after breakfast.
The Grand Admiral frowned when he finished relating the newsie’s information. “He could be right, Commodore,” Pankin said slowly. “It’s the best explanation I’ve heard yet for this… this circus. I wondered what was important enough to drag Ta-Lank out here, away from Prime. It also explains why the Emperor sent me. Ta-Lank probably decided it was vital that he come out here during the early stages, to make certain everything went smoothly.
“That medical board, for example,” He continued. “I’m sure he didn’t foresee the furor doctor Ro-Lecton is causing, but it explains why he’s out here. He’s making sure no problems interfere with his plans.”
Kas frowned. “So, what should I do, sir?”
Pankin straightened. “Nothing, for the moment, Commodore. I have to think about this. I’ve also got to contact the Emperor by subspace.” He hesitated. “What do you think, Kas? Who is this newsie? Do you believe him?”
Kas shrugged. “He has to know that we could find out his identity fairly easily. He said he was one of the reasons I punched out Lu-Jenks. I think that means he was one of the men wounded in that asteroid assault. It seems obvious that he took medical retirement, got body sculpting, and became a newsie. There can’t be many veterans that match that description.
“But he wouldn’t give me his name. That means he trusted me not to try to find out who he was. Yes, sir. I believe him. I think he is who he says he is, and that he’s really trying to help us.”
Pankin smiled slightly. “I agree, Commodore. All right, I will get busy on this right away. You just continue your normal routine. You’re testifying again, right?”
Kas sighed. “Yes, sir. In about an hour. They’re starting on the Lu-Jenks business.”
The Fleet Admiral nodded. “I know. I’m scheduled to testify day after tomorrow. And if you think they are raking you over the coals, wait ‘til they start trying to get me to explain why you weren’t court-martialed and shot!”
The humdrum round of interrogations continued. Unsurprisingly, the committee refused to consider any of the evidence of Lu-Jenks’ complicity with the pirates in the assault on the asteroid base. Instead, they harped endlessly on every movement of his attack on the man, and continuously prodded him to explain why he wasn’t punished.
Kas managed to hold onto his temper, barely. But now, in light of the newsie’s revelations, he began to see what was occurring. The carefully edited coverage of the hearings, the character assassination he had been enduring for months, now made sense. Ta-Lank was manipulating public opinion, working to convince the Empire’s billions that he was guilty of something, that he deserved to be kept hanging out here on the edge of known space for as long as possible. The senator was cultivating an “it serves him right” attitude among the populace, to get them to accept an action that would otherwise be seen as an injustice.
Days dragged into more weeks. Neither Pankin nor the Emperor’s advisors had been able to come up with a way to counter Ta-Lank’s efforts. It seemed that the senator’s plans would succeed.
Kas fumed and brooded. His people did not deserve this. Moreover, it offended his sense of justice and loyalty that a schnurk like Ta-Lank might end up being able to dictate to the Emperor because of him and his crews. Moreover, his attitudes were communicating themselves to his people. Morale was low, and a simmering resentment was beginning to fester.
Lady Jane was the bright spot in his world of misery. She knew about the newsie’s call, of course — she had been in his cabin when he’d received it. However, she seemed unfazed by the threat of long-term imprisonment aboard Vir Rekesh. “You won’t let that happen,” she responded airily when he brought it up. “You’ll do something — something brilliant and unorthodox. Oh, you might have to leave the Fleet, and maybe the Empire. But you won’t let that happen to your people.”
Kas grinned despite his low mood. “Your confidence in me is touching, Jane. I hope I can live up to it.”
She came over and took him into her arms. “Of course you will. Now, come promote my morale!” She led him toward the bed.
Nevertheless, it was something Ro-Lecton said that finally gave Kas the glimmering of an idea. “At least we’re keeping that bastard out here with us,” the little doctor mentioned. “It’s a delaying action. He can’t start any real mischief until he gets back to Prime!”
Vir Rekesh and Starhopper had been clamped together since they had arrived, permitting free movement between the two ships without provoking a response from their guards. Kas called Toj Kray and Edro Jans over from Starhopper. As he explained his idea, slow grins began to appear on the big Bulworther and the little tech.
Several days passed before everything was in readiness. In the quiet of the ship’s “night,” Kas crept from his cabin, through what seemed to be miles of empty corridors in the unoccupied section of the ship. Finally, he arrived at his destination, one of the ship’s waste processing chambers. Toj and Edro awaited him, with an odd-looking spacesuit.
“Now, remember, sir,” Toj told him. “The suit’s specially shielded, but whatever you do, don’t use the propulsors. They would be detected instantly. The only maneuvering you can do is using this.” “This” turned out to be a large gas cylinder, almost too heavy for even the big engineer to handle in the ship’s gravity. Two smaller cylinders were clamped to its side.
“Once you’re clear of the ship’s gravity field you should be all right,” the big man added as Kas began donning the suit. “But remember, there’s a big difference between weight and mass. Just because it’s weightless doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to handle! Now, I’ve fitted a nozzle that will give you a bit of steering ability, but most of your maneuvering will involve pointing one of the smaller cylinders opposite the direction you want to go, and venting some gas. Don’t expect to be able to maneuver as though you were using the suit propulsors, though.”