In the end, Seg chose the drug that induced pleasure and an overwhelming desire to please. Kraig, awash with glorious sensations and having the time of his life, surrendered every secret he knew, up to and including the combination of his locker.
He even approved Joat's cobbled-together mercenary uniform.
"Oh yeah!" he enthused. "It's black an' it's tight. No one's going to look further than that."
Joat raised a brow. "Thanks," she drawled.
"No, problem, black and tight, way to go. Mmmmmmmm."
Joat looked uncertainly at Seg.
"He'll quiet down as the drug wears off," Seg assured her.
"Jeeeez, I hope so," Alvec growled. "I don't like the way he's lookin' at me."
"At everybody," Joat agreed. Then she shrugged. "Seg, would you join me in the galley please?"
Puzzled, and wondering if he was going to receive another lecture the Sondee followed her into the galley/lounge.
There was a display film covering the tabletop, and beside it was a box about a meter long and half as wide and deep.
Joat inserted a datahedron into a slot at the edge of the display film and a schematic blossomed upon the screen. Seg automatically leaned towards it and began to read. After a moment he glanced up at Joat, read a bit more, flipped through several more schematics and then straightened. He looked at her in perplexity, a most unhappy look on a Sondee face.
"This is top secret," he said.
"This is synchronicity," Joat said with a grin. "Simeon and I were working on this idea for a signal jammer and I'd almost finished the prototype when Clenst announced their own version. Talk about disappointed." She pursed her lips and shrugged. "All for the best though. If we'd sold it then we wouldn't have it here to use. What I need is help in finishing up the dispersal unit."
Seg checked her data.
"You manufactured ten thousand transmitter/receivers by yourself?" he asked in wonder.
"It's not that hard to make 'em," Joat said. "And as you've noticed it's a long way between systems. So time isn't a problem."
"It's amazingly like ours," Seg murmured. "Except… I think the sine-wave control function may be a little better. For some purposes."
"Well, the concept is identical. Lots of miniature receiver/transmitters catching signals and sending them back out with various time lags. Result; hopelessly garbled messages. Think it'll work?"
"Actually… in some ways it's more efficient than our design. Clenst might be willing to negotiate for those improvements."
"Music to my ears," Joat said, smiling. "Let's get to work, shall we?"
"I see you're using a rocket propulsion system."
"Keep it simple," she agreed, "that's my motto."
"Have you got rocket fuel?"
"You purists," Joat scoffed. "All we need is a volatile liquid." She put a couple of bottles of cleaning fluid on the table. "We'd never have gotten farther than the moon if we'd waited for guys like you. If it'll make you feel better I've got a form you can fill out before we begin."
Seg laughed nervously.
"There's no control-board indicated on your design," he objected.
"That's because there are cheap, readily available ones already on the market. Why reinvent the wheel?" Joat slapped a tiny control-board on the table beside the cleaning fluid. "That's a spare from the food processing unit. So, it'll think it's dicing carrots when it fires up the rocket. I won't tell it if you don't."
All of Seg's eyes were shining as he smiled delightedly at her.
"This is real hands-on, seat-of-your-pants stuff, isn't it?" he said enthusiastically.
"Hands on the seat of your pants?" Joat asked, bemused. Jeeez, these Sondee have weird sayings. "Whatever you say, Seg."
Joseph was fully suited when she met him at the lock, her helmet balanced atop the box in her arms. With a glance at the box he placed the helmet over her head and locked it down. She smiled her thanks nervously.
"Our suits look awful," he complained. "They look like they have been painted."
"Nothin' we could do about it," Joat said with a shrug. "Kraig said they had to be black." She snorted in disgust "Only the Kolnari would insist on black space suits. But then, I can't see them rescuing someone who managed to drift off. So why would they want to make them visible enough to pick up easily?"
Joseph grinned at her, his blue eyes alight with a fierce joy. "I am going to eat Belazir's beating heart," he said happily.
Absolute cold flashed over Joat's body and she stared at Joseph as if she'd never seen him before.
"Joe," she said quietly, like a patient mother addressing a particularly wanton five year old. "This is a rescue mission. We can't stop for lunch. Especially if we want to get away. So, we're not going on a Kolnari hunt, is that understood?"
His mouth twisted and his eyes flickered away as he nodded.
Joat kicked him in the shin.
"Don't you patronize me," she snapped. "Either it's understood that I am in command and that our mission, our sole mission, is the rescue of Bros Sperin, or you're not going. End of story."
"I need to finish this," he told her, his voice so rough it was almost a growl.
"But this isn't the time." Her eyes held his. After a moment she smiled. "If we can carry this off, Joe, Belazir will eat his heart out for us."
Twelve hours later they received a tight-beam message from the Wyal.
"Greetings, my brother," Amos's voice was husky from prolonged thirst, "and Joat, my friend."
"My Lord!" The joy in Joseph's voice seemed to brighten the inside of the cramped fighter.
"Good to hear from you, Amos," Joat said with a relieved grin.
"It is good to be able to speak, I assure you. I wanted to tell you that my prayers go with you."
"Every little bit helps," Joat assured him.
"Thank you, Benisur. Your blessing strengthens my purpose," Joseph said.
"So if you could clarify his purpose for him I'd appreciate it," Joat suggested. "He hasn't spoken to me since I told him he couldn't eat Belazir's heart this trip."
There was silence for a moment.
"Surely, my brother, you would not needlessly risk your life. There is Rachel to consider, and the children. And I would find it hard to bear if you were to die like a fool."
Wow! Joat thought, I didn't think Amos knew how to be that blunt. She had grown so used to his parables and subtle persuasions. Joat wasn't even the target of his remarks and she felt like she'd been hit with a rock.
Joseph gasped. Then: "I stand rebuked, Benisur. You are correct, of course. It is shameful to indulge myself at the cost of the greater good."
"I am pleased to hear it, my brother. This is an attitude that will serve you well in the coming years."
A contemplative silence followed. And if that doesn't beg "C'mon, ask me what I mean," I'm a Shapelitic Nun, Joat thought.
"What do you mean?" Joseph asked.
"My young cousin means to marry her Kolnari captive," Amos said. His voice seemed to smile.
"My Lord!" Joseph bellowed. "You cannot allow that!"
"Hey!" Joat snapped, her ears ringing.
"I am sorry, Joat. Benisur, you cannot be serious. The Lady's family will disown her. She shall be shunned. The shame will kill her mother."