It took Klaus a moment to realize that his computer had also been the object of the vandalism. The screen was on, even though Klaus had turned off his DMR before he left.

His personal cyberscape, which he had spent months designing, was not on the DMR cas.e.m.e.nt. Instead, the default factory desktop was shown. With a feeling of dread, Klaus approached his console, and opened his data manager.

He prompted it to show a list of his files, and saw right away that all the data in his personal folders had been erased. His games, his letters, his notes, his journal, everything.

For a half a minute, he stared at the screen, as if willing this all to have not happened. The earlier rage he felt in Yin's apartment was nothing compared to the anger that welled in him now. At first, he did not even noticed the slight hand that tapped his shoulder.

"Are you all right? What happened?" Alex Manez asked him.

Klaus turned around slowly, and looked at the little kid with eyes that could have been dead.

"Fine. Just fine." He stared at Alex for ten full seconds, not seeing the boy for all the thoughts and plans that went through his mind.

It had to have been Marty Middlefield. Trying to get even, or pulling one of his great jokes at my expense. That's all right. I'll play a little joke on him.

And Yin, threatening ME! Telling me that my a.s.s is gra.s.s unless I sit up and play nice like a good little doggie. Well, I show him that this dog has more to it than a sharp bark.

I'll fix this little upstart brat, too. He's the root of my problem; but I'll deal with him last.

The plans began forming in his mind, like crystals in a jar of sugar water. How to deal with Yin, Marty, and the little kid behind him.

An evil smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he donned his thoughtlink patch and opened his meshmail account. All his saved messages, both the ones he had received and the ones he had written, were erased, but Klaus didn't care at that moment.

He wrote a quick memo, and posted it on the Luna Station's Public Bulletin Page, marking it: *

!!! URGENT !!! OFFICIAL !!!.

Not bothering to turn off his computer, Klaus stood up from his desk, and fell to one knee beside his bed, where he reached underneath and behind a p.o.r.nographic magazine he had tossed there. When he pulled his hand back out, the flechette pistol he had stolen was in his firm grasp.

Alex backed away, eyes widening. "What are you going to do with that?"

"I'm just going to set a few ground rules."

With that, he strode out of the room, a determined set to his jaw, his eyes probing the compartment complex. The anger fired deep within him translated easily to his facial features, and some of the other hackers who encountered him on his way stepped back, eyes wide and fearful.

Some followed, but Klaus didn't care. He was past any point of caring about the rest of them. They were all losers, anyway.

As stragglers gathered courage in numbers, and slowly gathered in Klaus's wake, the noise level of the group grew to a jumbled murmur as they speculated what was on Klaus's mind. A few knew about the room being trashed and giggled nervously.

"Marty's gonna get it. Just watch," one said. It only confirmed Klaus's suspicion, and hardened his mind.

Someone asked who the new kid was, but the group was more excited about the fight they saw coming; no one had yet noticed the flechette in Klaus's palm.

When the entourage reached Marty's room, Klaus, ignoring them, kicked in the door, already ajar, and nearly knocked it off its hinges.

"Marty," Klaus growled. "I really enjoyed your last last practical joke." practical joke."

Marty, who had been sitting on his bed reading a cybercomic on his digipad, was at first startled, and seemed on the verge of trying to make a break for it, even though his only exit was blocked.

At Klaus' words, Marty's fear was quickly masked by his c.o.c.kiness. He grinned like a hyena. "I thought you might."

Klaus struggled to remain calm for a few moments more.

"I don't think you understood exactly what I said," he told the younger boy. "I said: I really enjoyed your last last practical joke. Because, you know, it really will be your practical joke. Because, you know, it really will be your last." last."

"Oh, don't threaten me, you-"

"The time for threats are over. The time for promises is here."

Before Marty could wrap his small mind around Klaus' meaning, Klaus raised his arm straight out, as if to point an accusing finger at the younger boy.

It was then that Marty, and some of the others, saw the flechette.

Marty's shouts of "No!" were matched by some of the other boy's, but no one thought to try to stop Klaus before he shot a half a dozen needle-like projectiles into Marty's writhing, screaming body.

Somebody tried to jump Klaus, knocking Alex fully into the room, but Klaus, powered by his rage, threw the a.s.sailant off, and turned on the group.

"Anyone else tired? Want to sleep for a while? I hear they can revive you from toxic shock if they get to you in time, but you'll be holding conversations with vegetables for the rest of your life."

Everyone backed away.

Reaching out to grab Alex Manez by the collar, he pulled the ten-year old roughly to his feet.

"Two down, one to go. And you're coming with me!"

He dragged Alex behind him as he made his way through the unresisting crowd.

Thoughts dwelling on the brutal act he had just committed, Klaus did not think about why Alex Manez, who should have been weeping with fright or struggling to get away, simply followed along without a word of complaint or resistance.

Instead, Alex had a contemplative smile on his face.

Luna Station : Chinese Sector : Luna :

Justine paced. Occasionally, she snarled as she contemplated the Chinese Sector's stalling. Loud expletives shot out of her whenever she mentioned the Chinese Republic, and their adamant refusal of cooperation, even though they, too, had lost all contact with the Chinese Sector on Luna Station.

"Calm down, Justine," Clive said to her, an attempt at placating the wild beast in his office.

"I can't, Dammit! There has to be something we can do! Something!"

"I'm sorry." The diplomat shrugged eloquently. "I'm afraid that our hands are quite tied at the moment. All that can be done, has."

"We have all our soldiers watching their soldiers, their soldiers watching ours, and neither side actually looking in the right direction. What makes you think that's going to do any good?"

"Do you have another suggestion?"

"Yeah! Let's go in there, get Alex out, and worry about diplomatic relations later."

Clive pressed his lips together disapprovingly. "That might end up worse for everyone," he interposed. All he received in reply was a scowl and a colorful retort.

"I'm not just going to sit on my hands, here."

He offered Justine a smile of reason. "Our countries on Earth are working on it as quickly as possible. China has long been under the gun at the United Earth Corporate for their centuries-old track record in poor humanitarian relations. Of course, they're reluctant to treat with us. Sakami Chin was something of an olive branch; now, he's gone missing. If, say, Dale Powers had been on a.s.signment in China, and suddenly disappeared, wouldn't your defenses be up as well?"

Justine's scowl turned into a grimace. "Yeah, you're right again, but that doesn't mean I don't like it."

"That's diplomacy. Give it time, Justine. We'll get their cooperation. I'm certain China is just jockeying for a better seat for the interstellar age. Alex is a valuable a.s.set right now, not just because he's a kid, or a representative of 'our' side, but in the potential for s.p.a.ce exploration. Everybody believes that boy is the key to interstellar travel. Right now, there isn't anything else to pin our hopes on. That's why the poor child is being fought over like a bone."

"I know. It stinks."

Clive Wexhall wisely made no rebuff to Justine's opinion. He wasn't in the business of opinions, anyway. Smoothing things over, calling for cool heads and objective thinking was his forte.

"Here, I'm calling down for a few sandwiches and drinks. Do you still drink iced tea with no ice, or would you like something with a bit more bite?"

Blinking, Justine was forced to think, however momentarily, about something other than the Chinese Sector and Alex. Clive smiled up at her, pleased to have distracted her turbulent thoughts.

"Uh, no, I'll stick to the iced tea, thank you."

"Certainly." Clive flipped his commlink on, pressed the autodial to the cafeteria and put in the order. Before he could turn off the commlink, an urgent flag began blinking on his meshmail account.

Opening the mail, he read the first few lines, and exhaled.

"What is it?"

"You've got to read this for yourself." He made room at his desk for her to read the correspondence over his shoulder.

To: All Luna Station Account Members From: A Hostage!

Help! I am being held against my will in the Chinese Sector of Luna Station, along with about two dozen others from different Country Corporations. We are being forced to commit larceny, forgery, theft, and various other international crimes through the EarthMesh by Chow Yin, an expatriate who has taken over the Chinese Sector and falsified political attachment to the People's Republic of China.

Please, help! * *

Underneath, there were links to various doc.u.ments that, when opened, showed the extent of Chow Yin's criminal activities. One doc.u.ment also showed that Chow Yin had forged the ident.i.ty of the Chinese Consulate, the actual personage not existing anywhere except in computer records.

"Holy d.a.m.n!" Clive swore in exhilaration, a wide grin spreading over his face. "We've got it!"

"What? That doesn't do us any good, except as evidence for a trial later on...or does it?"

Clive, barely able to suppress himself, said, "Do us any good! Of course it does! It proves that there is no official Chinese Government representative present on Luna Station."

"So?"

"Part of the Luna Station Charter specifically states that, in order to maintain claim to the individual sectors of the station-since it is a combinative station, accessible to all-that there must be, at all times, a valid representative of each respective government. If there is no Chinese Consulate, and has not been for the past few years, that means that the Chinese no longer have a legitimate claim on that sector until they actually place someone on the property.

"In the meanwhile, we have a legal ground for going in; backed up by reasonable suspicion of international felonies."

A brief instant pa.s.sed as Justine absorbed all this. Then, she blinked once. "What are you waiting for? Call in the army!"

The Captain of the Orca 1 Orca 1 did not linger while Clive Wexhall made the call to the military adjutant on the station. She turned on her heel, and ran out of the room, full bore, heading for the Chinese Sector. did not linger while Clive Wexhall made the call to the military adjutant on the station. She turned on her heel, and ran out of the room, full bore, heading for the Chinese Sector.

She was determined to be on hand when Alex was rescued, and protect him from further predicament.

By the time the army arrived in the Chinese Consulate, and invaded the Sector (backed up by warrants as well as weapons) they discovered from some of the "hostages" that two of the boys in Chow Yin's adolescent harem of outlaws were missing. One of them, Justine knew by their description, was Alex.

One boy said, "I think they were heading for the airlocks."

Leaving the army to clean up the mess of the Chinese Sector, Justine ran in the indicated direction at a run.

She was d.a.m.ned if she was going to let Alex get away now, when he was so close.

Lunar Surface : Luna :

The surface of the moon had a calming effect on Alex. He couldn't quite pinpoint what brought on his reaction, but the gentle rumbling of the electric motor in the ATV, combined with the rocking motions as the vehicle headed overland called to mind a certain serenity that Alex found ultimately appealing. had a calming effect on Alex. He couldn't quite pinpoint what brought on his reaction, but the gentle rumbling of the electric motor in the ATV, combined with the rocking motions as the vehicle headed overland called to mind a certain serenity that Alex found ultimately appealing.

Beside him, driving the vehicle, was a lunatic; only seventeen years old, but a maniac nevertheless. Alex should have been trying to escape this young psychopath's influence, railed against his captivity, fought against the inevitable conclusion of this misadventure, that Klaus wanted him dead. Instead, Alex found himself willingly accompanying the older boy.

There was something beyond his mind's grasp, urging him forward, urging him on.

The moon seemed almost like home, to Alex. It was barren, desolate, and uninhabitable by anyone unless safely wrapped in the coc.o.o.n of technology. And yet, Alex was at peace with it. The vastness of s.p.a.ce, horrible to most, was a black blanket of comfort to him. And the moon was the signatory of that unimaginable expanse.

The Earth represented suppression, claustrophobia, everything inherently opposite that of outer s.p.a.ce. Alex never wished to return there. Even though they had spent most of their life on Canada Station Three, Alex's parents still called it home sweet home. Alex's only memories were visiting Earth irregularly on yearly vacations, holidays and such. It was as much an alien planet to him as was Jupiter.

...And it would be nothing more than a prison if Alex ever returned there.

Suddenly, Alex realized why the moon inspired such tranquility in him, beyond the murderous intents of his companion.

The voices in his head no longer made demands of him, no longer stalked his thoughts. Instead, the melody of their words was that of a comforting lullaby.

Soon, they promised, they promised, you will be made aware of all that is. We have no need of haunting you into action; you are already firmly set on your course of destiny. you will be made aware of all that is. We have no need of haunting you into action; you are already firmly set on your course of destiny.

Be calm. Soon, you will return to where you belong.