Страница 68 из 70
“There’s another matter,” Greenaugh said.
“And that is?”
“We’ve been made fools of. Someone’s going to pay for that.”
“I shouldn’t be too hasty,” Ackoff said.
“Allow me, Sir Alexei,” Dr. Boyd said. “Captain, while your desire is understandable, have you thought through the consequences? What end would be served?”
“You can’t let colonials make fools of the Navy and get away with it,” Greenaugh said.
“It is hardly a situation likely to arise again,” Boyd said. “As to being made a fool, I’d rather be thought a generous fool than a mean and petty one.”
Greenaugh stood and bowed coldly to Ackoff. “I see there’s no point in my being here,” he said. “With your permission, I’ll leave.” He turned and stalked out of the room.
“That could be a problem,” Goldstein said. “He wants someone’s blood.”
“I’ll speak to him later,” Ackoff said. “After all, we are the ones who must live with the consequences of what he does.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned to Jefferson. “Lieutenant, I don’t think it would be wise to repeat anything you’ve heard in this room today.”
“No, sir.”
“Also, you will probably want to put your affairs in order. I doubt that your ship will be in this system much longer. Given the changed state of affairs here, we will need a somewhat different sort of naval assistance.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“Yes, sir,” Jefferson said. “If you’ll excuse me—” As Jeff left the office, Boyd was saying, “It does seem possible to comply with the captain’s wishes and at the same time solve another pressing problem—” Jeff let himself out of the office. By the time he reached the stairway, he was whistling to himself.
Regular Navy not needed, he thought. Colonists not needed. Well, that’s one decision made for me, not that I really needed help making it. They won’t be accepting transfers from the Navy to the civil service. Particularly not mine!
Now how am I going to tell Elaine?
Tell her any damned way you like, he told himself. You’re going to space again!
He took the steps three at a time.
An octopus of wires stretched upward to a bewildering array of dials and buttons. At one end the octopus terminated in electrodes attached to Mary’s abdomen; its other end vanished into a bulkhead of Tombaugh’s sick bay. She’d already learned to call it a bulkhead rather than a wall.
The Navy physician removed the last of the electrodes from her belly. “You can put your clothes on now,” he said. He seemed quite impersonal, although he’d been friendly enough in the wardroom two hours before. He held a shadowy photograph to the light. She’d heard him call it an X-ray, and he’d told her it showed a picture of her insides. She would have liked to study it, but she didn’t quite know how to ask.
“How am I doing?” Mary asked.
“You’ll be all right,” Lieutenant Commander Terry said. He looked at the X-ray again. “That treatment should do it. If it doesn’t, we’ll need to do some slicing.” He saw her look of dismay. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Routine, actually. You’re a standard chromotype. Regeneration stimulators work fine on you. Problem is, sometimes it’s easier to remove something and get it to grow back than to fix the original parts. Either way, you’ll be fine.”
“But what was wrong?”
“Vibration. Enough to tear some intestinal mesenteries. They’ll grow back, but I’m worried about adhesions.”
“That sounds serious.”
“Not really. You’ll have to take it easy for a bit, that’s all. Nothing strenuous.”
“I—” She was embarrassed, but it had to be said. “I was hoping to be married. Quite soon.”
“Hmm. Honeymoon wouldn’t be very interesting for a while,” he said. “But we’ll get all that fixed, too. You’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?” The honeymoon could wait. It wasn’t as if they were impatient virgins. But — “Are you really sure?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Commander Terry’s smile was reassuring. “I may not have had a lot of experience treating women’s problems, but yours is quite simple. Nothing wrong with the reproductive system. Just intestinal tissue. I’ll have you right in a few weeks.”
“I didn’t think you could treat colonials,” Mary said.
“We can’t, as a usual rule, but of course the rules don’t apply to prisoners.”
“Prisoner? But-”
“Didn’t you know? Sorry,” he said. “I thought they’d told you. Captain Greenaugh sent up an arrest order three hours ago. You’ve been charged with interfering with the orderly development of Makassar.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
HORSE COLLARS
The Imperial Marine officer was polite, but very insistent. “Colonel MacKi
“Calmly, calmly,” Dougal said. “We have offered no resistance. I merely asked what Colonel MacKi
“I’d rather not put it that way,” the officer said. “But I could.”
“But what am I charged with?” MacKi
The officer shrugged.
“What should I do?” MacKi
Dougal looked grave. “I would prefer that you go with him. Until this matter is settled, we should be prepared to go to any lengths to show how well we cooperate with the Imperial authorities.”
MacKi
“We will protest to the High Commissioner at once,” Dougal said.
“While you’re doing that, get them to set Freelady Graham free,” MacKi
“We will do our best,” Dougal said. “I’ll talk to the King immediately.”
Nathan sat in an ornate chair in the study at Government House. A cheerful fire burned on the hearth, but he hardly noticed it.
Where is Mary? Have they brought her here, or is she still up in that ship? Damn them, damn them to hell. They’ll have to let her go. They can’t hold her, she’s the most famous person on Samual, better known than King David.
That thought was disturbing. Dougal would see that, too. What would Dougal do about it? He can’t have one of David’s subjects more popular than the king, not if he plans to control the development of this planet.
Wonder if he’ll get that control? He’s certain the Empire is going to approve his application for Class II status. He seems to know a lot about Ackoff. Or says he does, and I’ve no evidence one way or another.
Suppose he’s right, they approve David’s application and bring Samual into their Empire. What happens then? What have they done with Mary?
The door opened and a large man, formally dressed, came in. “Colonel MacKi
And it is interesting, MacKi
Mary was in the High Commissioner’s office. He went to her without waiting to be introduced to the Commissioner, but then he stood self-consciously. He wanted to hold her, but old habits die hard. “Are you all right ? You look pale.”
“I’m fine-”
“The Navy’s surgeon says she will recover,” Boyd said. “There was internal bleeding, and perhaps an intestinal adhesion may need minor surgery.”
“Was it bad?” Nathan asked.
She gri
Makassar.” Her reserve broke, and she stepped toward him. He opened his arms and held her.
Boyd cleared his throat. “Your Excellency, may I present Colonel Nathan MacKi