"This is Chief Retledge," Dr. Beckmann commented by way of introduction. "He runs Security for us."

Apparently Chief Retledge's duties didn't require a deferential att.i.tude. As if Dr. Beckmann hadn't spoken, he went on, "I want to hear a better explanation than the one you gave us, Captain Succorso."

Nick didn't hesitate; he was beyond hesitation. Ignoring the guards, he faced Beckmann.

"Dr. Beckmann, let me introduce my crew. Mikka Vasaczk, command second." He indicated each of his companions with a nod as he said their names. "Sib Mackern, data first. Our cabin boy, Pup. And I think you know Vector Shaheed, at least by reputation. He used to be my engineer." With a shrug, he added, "Of course, we all have different duties now."

Dr. Beckmann paid no attention to the others; his troubled gaze concentrated on Vector. He didn't interrupt his chief of Security, however.

"Saying you aren't a spy is easy, Captain Succorso," Retledge continued coldly. "We're at risk here. We're always at risk. Between them, VI and the UMC would make you rich for betraying us. We cut into their profits too much. Sure, we let you in. That was easy, too. But you won't leave until I stop worrying about you.

"Make me stop worrying, Captain Succorso."

Nick thought that he could hear Soar's Soar's presence in Retledge's tone. The guards and researchers seemed more nervous than they needed to be. On that a.s.sumption, he asked innocently, "Have you heard what happened to Billingate?" presence in Retledge's tone. The guards and researchers seemed more nervous than they needed to be. On that a.s.sumption, he asked innocently, "Have you heard what happened to Billingate?"

A couple of the guards glanced at each other, but no one answered.

No question about it: Soar Soar was responsible for the chief of Security's distrust. He would certainly have demanded information from her. And Sorus Chatelaine wouldn't have scrupled to reveal some of the facts, if for no other reason than to account for her presence here. But Retledge didn't want to admit that; didn't want to give Nick any hint of where he stood. was responsible for the chief of Security's distrust. He would certainly have demanded information from her. And Sorus Chatelaine wouldn't have scrupled to reveal some of the facts, if for no other reason than to account for her presence here. But Retledge didn't want to admit that; didn't want to give Nick any hint of where he stood.

The situation was tricky. How much Nick should say depended on what Sorus had already told Retledge. He would have to guess what that was. But he wasn't afraid: he feared nothing now. He was Nick Succorso, and he could play this game better than Retledge, Sorus, and Hashi Lebwohl combined.

"It's complicated," he explained blandly to Beckmann's concentration and the group's silence. "I need to be careful-I don't want to give you the impression I'm promising something I can't deliver. Here's how it happened.

"I took Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy to Enablement Station. That worked out well in one way, not so well in another. I got what I went for -the same thing that brought me here." One to Enablement Station. That worked out well in one way, not so well in another. I got what I went for -the same thing that brought me here." One lie lie was as good as another. "But the Amnion didn't like it. They came after me. was as good as another. "But the Amnion didn't like it. They came after me.

"My gap drive failed while they were chasing me. Billingate was as far as I could get, and the Amnion were on my heels. Frankly, I thought I was finished." Nick smiled as if the idea amused him. "But by coincidence"-he spread his hands-"at least I a.s.sume it was coincidence-Trumpet arrived about the same time. The story I heard was that she'd been stolen by an illegal named Angus Thermo-pile"-Nick couldn't resist the old insult-"and the deputy chief of Com-Mine Security, Milos Taverner, who happened to be working with Thermo-pile. Apparently Taverner sprung Thermo-pile from UMCPHQ when he was on the verge of getting caught himself, and the two of them took arrived about the same time. The story I heard was that she'd been stolen by an illegal named Angus Thermo-pile"-Nick couldn't resist the old insult-"and the deputy chief of Com-Mine Security, Milos Taverner, who happened to be working with Thermo-pile. Apparently Taverner sprung Thermo-pile from UMCPHQ when he was on the verge of getting caught himself, and the two of them took Trumpet Trumpet for a ride. for a ride.

"I don't know if any of it's true." Nick retailed this kind of bulls.h.i.t with perfect equanimity. "At the time I didn't care. All I cared about was a ship. One with a gap drive. I knew Thermo-pile-we did business occasionally. So I let him think we could team up. While he and Taverner were out in Billingate, I got some of my people aboard his ship. Then I sent Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy to create a diversion while we borrowed to create a diversion while we borrowed Trumpet." Trumpet."

At his side, Mikka ducked her head as if she were swallowing curses. Vector gazed back at Beckmann like a man whose questions had all been answered; but Mikka had trouble keeping her composure. Nick knew her well; he knew the signs-the dangerous angle of her hips; the way her shoulders hunched against the fabric of her shipsuit. She wanted to call him a liar.

He wasn't afraid of her, any more than he feared Sorus. For Morn's sake-and her brother's-she would keep her mouth shut.

"Unfortunately," he continued with no hint of regret, "Thermo-pile and Taverner were left behind." He showed his teeth. Deaner Beckmann may have been an illegal for the research rather than the money, but he was still illegal. He wouldn't be able to pretend that he was shocked by what Nick claimed to have done. "They probably would have been all right, but someone sabotaged Billingate's fusion generator. For all I know, they did it themselves. I didn't ask-I just took their ship. Barely in time, as it turned out. We only got out seconds ahead of the Shockwave. Shockwave.

"Once we were clear, we headed here."

Retledge's expression didn't shift. For a moment after Nick finished, none of Beckmann's people reacted. Then the chief of security rasped, "Interesting."

"I've always said-" Dr. Beckmann began.

Retledge cut him off. "It's a pretty story, Captain Succorso, but it doesn't give us much reason to trust you."

"I know that," Nick retorted. "But it gives you a reason to take the risk. As I've already said."

He turned to the director of the Lab. "Dr. Beckmann, all I want from you is a little time for Vector in one of your genetics labs. That and some supplies, which I'll be able to pay for-if the risks I've I've taken pay off. Did you hear me say," he asked as if the point were unclear, "that I stole something from Enablement? Or that it's valuable? Otherwise the Amnion wouldn't have tried so hard to get it back. taken pay off. Did you hear me say," he asked as if the point were unclear, "that I stole something from Enablement? Or that it's valuable? Otherwise the Amnion wouldn't have tried so hard to get it back.

"If you'll let Vector a.n.a.lyze it-whatever it is," he concluded, "I'll give you a share of the results."

Dr. Beckmann hadn't objected to Retledge's interruption. On the other hand, he didn't let himself be deflected.

"I've always said," he repeated, "that money is a petty reason to do anything. It begs for pettiness in response." Somewhere in the background of his voice ran an undertone of pa.s.sion as acute as savagery. "If human beings never dreamed higher than money, they wouldn't be worth saving."

Apparently "saving human beings" was what he thought he and his Lab were doing. Maybe he was no longer sane.

Nick started to respond, "But money buys-"

"Excuse me," one of the women said unexpectedly. "Dr. Shaheed?"

Vector turned his head toward her, gave her the benefit of his mild smile. "Yes?"

"Dr. Shaheed"-she spoke like a woman with a dry throat; a woman who hated calling attention to herself-"I used to know the man who ran your computers. At Intertech."

Nick looked at her closely for the first time. She was a small creature with unfortunate hair and a flat, inherently expressionless face-the kind of face, he thought in a flash of confident inspiration, that medtechs sometimes produced when they were trying to repair extensive damage on the cheap.

"Orn Vorbuld," Vector answered as if he weren't surprised by her remark. "He and I joined Captain Succorso together. After UMCPDA shut down my research." Unlike Mikka, he seemed more than willing to go along with Nick. "But we lost him weeks ago."

Nick didn't doubt for an instant that the woman had known Vorbuld.

"He committed what you might call suicide," Mikka put in darkly, confirming Vector's reply. Her tone told Nick, however, that she was making a subtle effort to cause trouble.

But the woman didn't react to Mikka's hint: she was looking for something else. Without quite meeting Vector's gaze, she asked, "Dr. Shaheed, how would you expect me to feel about that?"

It was one thing to know Vorbuld's name: it was another to know what he was like. This was Dr. Beckmann's oblique way of verifying Vector's ident.i.ty.

Now everything depended on the former engineer.

Fearing nothing, Nick smiled at Beckmann's people and let Vector take his time.

Vector frowned ruefully. With just the right combination of understanding and detachment, he answered, "At a guess, I would say that you're glad-or perhaps simply relieved-to hear that he's dead. He hurt women whenever he had the chance. But"-Vector lifted his shoulders delicately-"you may also regret that you didn't have a hand in killing him."

The woman nodded slowly. Her eyes had slipped out of focus, as if they were turned on memories which she would never voluntarily describe to anyone. Nevertheless a sense of tension eased out of the room. Vector had just pa.s.sed his id check.

Mikka clenched her fists; but she didn't mention Vorbuld's "suicide" again.

"Dr. Shaheed," Beckmann said as if he hadn't been staring at Vector for minutes, "welcome. It's good to meet a colleague of your reputation. I hope you understand that we need to take precautions. None of us has ever had the honor of meeting you. From our perspective it would be painfully easy for someone to steal your id tag and pretend to be you. We wouldn't know the difference unless we subjected you to a full gene scan."

No illegal Nick knew had ever willingly submitted to a gene scan-not if the results could be compared with the data stored in his id tag. As a rule only spies made that kind of mistake. And of course they pa.s.sed: their id tags were forged. But the fact that they submitted told against them in places like the Lab.

"Dr. Beckmann"-Vector showed his palms in a gesture of deference-"the honor is mine. Certainly I understand. I don't object to your methods. I admire your resourcefulness."

Nick nodded bland approval.

"Unfortunately," Dr. Beckmann went on without pausing, "this research that Captain Succorso has in mind troubles me. Naturally I'm interested in any artifact or compound which comes to us from forbidden s.p.a.ce. As a scientist it's my duty to be interested, regardless of any conceivable relevance to my personal research. And of course the possibility of relevance always exists. You know of our work here, Dr. Shaheed?"

"Only in the vaguest terms," Vector conceded. "I've read your seminal papers on"-he mentioned a couple of topics which meant nothing to Nick-"but that was a long time ago. Since then I've only heard rumors."

"And?" Deaner Beckmann pursued.

Vector considered his options momentarily. He may have wanted to ask Nick for guidance, but he resisted the impulse. Instead he said, "Frankly, I can't speculate. I know what I'm hoping to learn here, but I really have no idea what you need."

"What I need most, Dr. Shaheed," Beckmann returned incisively, leaving no room for Retledge to interrupt him, "is time.

"We live in a difficult era. The Amnion that Captain Succorso so blithely visits have given the UMCP the excuse which police-minded men have sought throughout history-the excuse to impose a tyranny of choice and knowledge on the citizenry they purport to protect. The fact that the threat which the Amnion represent is real only confirms the moral imperialism of Warden Dios and his henchmen. And the result, the true cost, of such tyranny is here."

One or two of the people in labsuits shifted their feet, lowered their eyes uncomfortably. No doubt they'd heard Deaner Beckmann deliver this speech on any number of occasions. But he didn't notice their reaction; he didn't pause. A fanatic's pa.s.sion had risen in his voice. He might not have been able to stop if he'd wanted to.

Nevertheless the director of the Lab hadn't survived so long under such precarious conditions by being stupid. He must have a reason for what he was saying.

Despite his eagerness to move against Sorus, Nick forced himself to remain quiet and appear patient.

"Have you noticed our lighting, Dr. Shaheed?" Dr. Beckmann demanded.

Vector kept any disconcertion he may have felt to himself. "Not particularly, I'm afraid."

"It is unstable" unstable" Beckmann p.r.o.nounced. "It Beckmann p.r.o.nounced. "It flickers flickers, Dr. Shaheed, for the simple reason that our source of power is inadequate to sustain all the demands we must place upon it; "We need to generate energies comparable to the forces which compose singularities, but we can't. We cannot. We scavenge this asteroid swarm constantly for raw materials, we barter for new technologies and equipment by every means available to us, we commit crimes ourselves and reward the commission of crimes in our name, and still we can barely supply power for small real-time simulations of our true experiments, our essential work.

"Why is this?" he asked rhetorically. "Because the UMCP force us to operate as illegals. Instead of sanctioning our work, instead of investing civilization's resources in the quest which offers humankind its only true hope-the quest for salvation through knowledge-the police compel us to exist on the fringes of the very society we seek to serve.

"My research, Dr. Shaheed," Beckmann insisted, "my research "my research has the potential to secure humankind's future against any conceivable threat the Amnion can or may present. Yet I am effectively outcast, and I can only obtain what I need for my experiments by stealing it." has the potential to secure humankind's future against any conceivable threat the Amnion can or may present. Yet I am effectively outcast, and I can only obtain what I need for my experiments by stealing it."

Nick struggled against a desire to sneer. You f.u.c.king researchers are all alike. Of course you feel sorry for yourself. Self-pity is all you're really good at. Nagged by a mounting need for action, he had more and more difficulty concealing his impatience.

Sorus had cut cut him. She'd f.u.c.ked him and betrayed his hopes and him. She'd f.u.c.ked him and betrayed his hopes and cut cut his cheeks and abandoned him. And now she was his cheeks and abandoned him. And now she was here. here.

Still Dr. Beckmann wasn't done.

"Yet even the UMCP would not present an insurmountable obstacle," he went on, "if we were not confronted with another problem. We face an unalterable deadline. This asteroid swarm approaches an immolation which nothing can alter. Measured by the standards of organic matter, we are powerful enough. On the scale of star systems, however, we are paltry beyond imagining. In a few short years, Ma.s.sif-5 will furnace us from existence, and everything we do here will have been wasted, meaningless."

He paused for a moment, then added harshly, "Unless we succeed. Unless we find and develop the knowledge we seek in time.

"Have I made myself clear, Dr. Shaheed?"

Vector considered the question. "I think so, Dr. Beckmann."

"Nevertheless let me be explicit," Beckmann insisted, "so that there will be no misunderstanding. You wish to use our equipment. In other words, you wish to use our power. Which of our functions, which of our experiments, should I pause or postpone so that you will have power?"

His point was obvious. My resources are stretched thin. I won't share them with you unless you have something I need.

Nick didn't wait for Vector to answer. Letting his tension show as irritation, he put in, "Under the circ.u.mstances I don't see how you can take the risk of not not helping us." helping us."

Slowly Beckmann turned away from Vector as if he had difficulty taking anyone else seriously.

"Your chronometer is running, Dr. Beckmann," Nick said trenchantly. "You can count the number of seconds you have left. If we might produce something that helps you, even accidentally, you can't afford to miss the chance." Then he shrugged. "If what Vector learns is worthless to you, of course, we'll have to repay you in some other way."

For several heartbeats Beckmann faced Nick. With his distracted, fanatic's expression, he looked like a man who wondered whether he should trouble himself to step on an insect. When he spoke, however, he addressed Vector without dropping Nick's gaze.

"What do you need, Dr. Shaheed?"

To himself Nick crowed abruptly, Got Got you! But he wasn't talking to Beckmann. you! But he wasn't talking to Beckmann.

Vector immediately named several items, but Nick ignored the tally of equipment and supplies. As soon the geneticist finished, Nick said, "That's not all." Now Now, Sorus. Are you ready for this? "Sib has a list of what we need from your engineering section." The fact that this was the first Sib had heard of it didn't worry Nick. "He can take care of that while Vector works. And I want Pup to req some of your food stores." He felt Mikka flinch beside him, but he ignored her. "Naturally," he told Beckmann, "you won't give us anything until we pay for it. But I want to have everything ready so we can leave as soon as possible when Vector's done."

"Nick-" Mikka fixed her good eye balefully on him.

At the same moment Pup said, "Mikka?" in a frightened voice, and Sib began, "Nick, I-"

This time, however, Chief Retledge didn't let anyone get in his way. Overriding Nick's people, he asked sharply, "What's your hurry, Captain Succorso?"

Deliberately Nick turned away from Retledge. Facing Mikka, he said through his teeth while his mouth smiled, "You knew it would be like this. Just trust Security. They'll take care of your brother. You can guard the lab while Vector works."

Before she could retort, he swung around to Sib. More harshly than he'd spoken to Mikka, he told Sib, "You know how much depends on this. Don't f.u.c.k up."

Tightening the screws on Sib's alarm. Ensuring that Security would keep close watch on him, as well as on Mikka.

Making Pup look harmless by comparison.

Nick wanted to laugh out loud. But he couldn't take the time to enjoy Sib's sweaty dismay-not now. Instead he returned his attention to the chief of Security.

"I think what we have is pretty valuable," he replied before Retledge could repeat his question. "If I'm right, then it's also true that there are ships after us. Ships that want what we have. The way I see it, the sooner I get out of here, the less chance they'll have to turn this place into a battlefield."

To the director of the Lab, he remarked, "I would like to get started, if you don't mind, Dr. Beckmann. One way or another, the chronometer's running for all of us."

Deaner Beckmann had made his decision: he didn't hesitate to act on it. "Dr. Shaheed can use thirty-one, Sven," he told one of the men in labsuits. "I'll ask you to escort him there and help him settle in. As long as you consider it reasonable, let him have whatever he needs."

Did the director mean, Keep an eye on him? Watch what he does? Nick didn't know-and didn't care. He had no intention of concealing the results of Vector's a.n.a.lysis. Telling the truth here was the most dangerous thing he could do to Beckmann. With luck Soar Soar might destroy the Lab for him after he was gone; Sorus might go that far to protect her Amnion masters from the threat of an antimutagen. might destroy the Lab for him after he was gone; Sorus might go that far to protect her Amnion masters from the threat of an antimutagen.

"Linne," Dr. Beckmann went on, speaking to the woman who'd confirmed Vector's ident.i.ty, "tell Dr. Hysterveck to put his TCE simulation on hold until further notice. That should release enough power for the equipment Dr. Shaheed wants.

"Chief Retledge," he concluded as he led the way out of the room, "I'll leave Mr. Mackern and Mr.-ah-Pup to you."

Nick began to think that this might be a good time to take up singing. His spirit needed music for its feral joy.

He wasn't going to be content with cutting Sorus' cheeks. He was going to leave the marks of his knife on her f.u.c.king heart.

SORUS.

From the bridge Soar's Soar's captain watched her target ease through the asteroid swarm and settle into the berth Lab Center a.s.signed. She listened to the Lab's operational communications until she heard that Nick Succorso and four other people had disembarked to explain their reasons for coming here to Deaner Beckmann. Then she thumbed her intercom and told the team she'd prepared to stand by. captain watched her target ease through the asteroid swarm and settle into the berth Lab Center a.s.signed. She listened to the Lab's operational communications until she heard that Nick Succorso and four other people had disembarked to explain their reasons for coming here to Deaner Beckmann. Then she thumbed her intercom and told the team she'd prepared to stand by.

She was morally certain that those four people with Succorso were all former members of Captain's Fancy's Captain's Fancy's crew. Earlier she'd noticed that the manifest which crew. Earlier she'd noticed that the manifest which Trumpet Trumpet had transmitted to Lab Center made no mention of Angus Thermopyle, Morn Hyland, or Davies Hyland. Succorso was keeping their presence secret. had transmitted to Lab Center made no mention of Angus Thermopyle, Morn Hyland, or Davies Hyland. Succorso was keeping their presence secret.

Unless he'd already gotten rid of them somehow? Sorus dismissed that idea. She didn't believe that Succorso was capable of killing a UMCP cyborg. And he must have known that the Hylands were too valuable to kill. So he'd left them aboard the gap scout to keep them secret; keep them safe.

She didn't care. Someone from Captain's Fancy Captain's Fancy would suit her better in any case. Taverner would no doubt have approved if she could have put her hands on Thermopyle or the Hylands. However, some lesser member of the crew would be a better candidate for what she had in mind. would suit her better in any case. Taverner would no doubt have approved if she could have put her hands on Thermopyle or the Hylands. However, some lesser member of the crew would be a better candidate for what she had in mind.

How long would Succorso talk to Beckmann? How much time would he need to convince the director of the Lab to give him what he wanted? That would depend on how much he was willing to reveal. If he told Beckmann he wanted to a.n.a.lyze a mutagen immunity drug, he would receive cooperation immediately. Beckmann might sacrifice half his installation for a share of information like that. But Succorso might not be willing to expose himself to that extent-in which case he would have to work harder to convince Beckmann to help him. And Sorus herself had told Retledge enough about what had happened to Thanatos Minor to make the Security chief nervous.