TNE 02 To Dream of Chaos Page 10

  "Ah, home," Snapshot said, looking through her turret gun sight at the precisely ordered tracts of apartment housing and Industrial parks that dominated the clty, "That?" Gyro asked. "I always pictured something more medieval."

  "Just because It's a feudal technocracy doesn't mean it's primitive," Snapshot returned.

  "Yeah, I know. Sorry."

  just then Hornet slowed for her final approach to the Lord Technarch's field, an area apart from the built-up center of the city but adjacent to both the starport and seaport docks. Like any port area, this was heavily trafficked, but Orlflamme's TL9 did not yet allow mastery of HEPIaft technology. Most of Oriflamme's aircraft were therefore either aerodynamic aircraft or helicopters of some sort—albeit very advanced and efficient airplanes and helicopters.

  "You know. Gyro, on second thought, maybe It Is primitive," Snapshot admitted, as Hornet circled around a low-flying squadron of burly Thunderchlcken attack helicopters and settled to a landing behind the walls of her assigned berth. Unlike the regular commercial berths—protected Dy retractable tarps— this one featured a roof of composite laminate armor a quarter of a meter thick, already rolled back to admit Hornef. Being many times thicker—if less sophisticated—than the armor of Hornet, Coeur suspected it would protect the ship not only from the elements but any heavy artillery shells that happened to fall in the area.

  "All right. Gyro," Coeur said, once the ship was powered down and secure, "here's the plan. Drop Kick and I will take the air-raft over to Government House, while you and the crew wait for a shipyard crew to show up and evaluate our damage,"

  "Do you think that's prudent, sir? All we probably need is a permanent hull patch, and we could do that ourselves."

  "A-hem."

  "Sorry, sir," Gyro said, recognizing the meaning of Coeur's cough. "I suppose that would make it look like we don't trust them to do some simple welding work."

  "Right, And that's not, the impression we want to give."

  "Understood. We'll follow the shipyard's recommendations."

  "Very good. But do keep an eye on them all the same."

  "Is shore leave authorized, then?"

  Coeur looked across at Deep Six, who had dug up the appropriate library data on the subject.

  "I recommend that we remain on board," Deep Six said, "unless the ship requires extensive repairs. Although we are allowed general access to the entire planet, local citizens are generally restricted to their own region, and you may be detained If you are caught outside the starport without, your 10 card."

  "Well, at least the police are usually nice about It," Snapshot interjected.

  "That's okay," Gyro said, "We'll just stay with the ship."

  "On Orlflammen Character" (excerpt from "A Visitor's Guide to Oriflomme," published by the Coalition Infonet, NE 1)

  Particularly in recent years, citizens of Aubaine and her Federalist allies have become increasinglyconcerned by Orillamme's seemingly willlul sell-interest, citing such examples of the use of Oriliammen Marines (unsupported by Coalition partners) to command and exploit stellar resources on the Sock Face of the RC for the benefit of Oriflomme alone TheOrillammen, however, takeo different view. In their judgment, it is merely lair for them to be granted such independent license to make up for the world's technological lag behind Aubaine, and the general concentration of Coalition assets toward the Front Face

  Sociologists, too, disagree on the issue of whether Oriflamme's society can be termed "expansionistic." Throughout the world's history, its harsh environment hos encouraged the formation of a traditional command economy (what is termed feudol technocracy) to ensure that key industries and services are maintained. While private property and limited free enterprise do exist on Oriflomme, practically all economic activity is closely controlled by regional technorchs, responsible for preservation of the traditional status quo in production and distribution of goods, Individual citizens do earn and save money, and even exercise a certain control over their choice of occupation, but movement from one technarch's domain to another is tightly controller! to preserve a reliable labor poo!. The domains, in turn, observe traditional customs regarding imports and exports, with free market competition severely Irowned upon.

  In sum, Oriilammeis a very traditional world, and it is less likely that its objective is overt expansion so much of it is preservation of its traditjonol way of Hie. In the view of many Oriflommen, the high-minded Aubani, with hieir impractical visionary schemes and too-great trust in the good intentions of the mysterious Hivers, are poor candidates for leadership of the RC. Therefore, they feel, of long as the fiC looks to Aubaine for leadership>, Oriflamme will be justified in taking any steps necessary to preserve the integrity of her own society.

  Since Homer's open-top air-raft was stowed forward of the loft, Gaffer's troopers quartered there were responsible for preparing it for launch. Like everything that the well-drilled troopers were responsible for, it was done weil—the alternative being not to do it at all.

  "How about that?" Coeur said, settling into the pilot's seat beside Drop Kick as the shell over the air-raft berth withdrew above them, "the tank's topped up, the turbine's revving and the traffic net is already locked In."

  "Yeah, just a week training with us and already they're better troopers,"

  "Yeah, right."

  Drop Kick took a deep breath of air then, wanting to sense its difference from Aubaine's.

  "Smell something?"

  "No, just wanted to feel how thin the air Is."

  "It shouldn't be that noticeable," Coeur said, engaging the air-raft'scontra-grav and lifting them away from its berth. "We eased the ship down to 0.6 atmospheres during the flight,"

  "Sorry. Force of habit."

  "Actually, it does have a unique smell, though, doesn't it? Sort offish mixed with smog. It must be great when the temperature maxes out."

  "Oh, I don't know," Drop Kick said. "I think a guy could get used to It."

  Coeur smiled.

  "Yeah, I'll bet."

  Moments later they were clear of Hornet, guided by Dobroye Traffic Control on an automatic course above the rooftops of the adjacent berths, allowing Coeur to relax and look around at the city. Although she had never been to Oriflamme, Coeur recognized their destination easily enough, towering over lesser structures in the center of the city 10 kilometers away—Government House, the palace of the Lord Technarch often featured In news coverage of the planet.

  "Beautiful, isn't H?" Drop Kick said.

  "I was going to say repulsive," Coeur replied. "But I guess it is a practical des;grt."

  "Well, it would sure make me sleep eaisier."

  True.'

  What Coeur's esthetic sense objected to was the profusion of spikes and spires that seemed to litter every inch of the palace— spiny protrusions that gave the building an aspect not unlike that of a frightened porcupine, but effective enough in deterring the sort of drop assault Gaffer's troopers specialized In.

  As the air-raft passed over the edge of the Lord Technarch's field, troops in ceramic body armor waved to the air-raft from the top of a perimeter wall, signaling all-clear, "A lot of security here," Drop Kick obseived.

  "It's the rebels, probably."

  "You don't think they'd hit the starport, do you?"

  Coeur looked around cautiously before answering—a needless gesture of habit, since they were 100 meters above the ground.

  "Look, sergeant, you don't want tospread this around, but the rebels aren't as quiet as you might think. Two months ago, this whole port was shut down by a bomb threat."

  "It was?"

  "A publicity stunt, I'm sure. But it coufd make our reception from the government frosty. If you know what I mean."

  "No, I don't know what you mean. You don't think they think we have anything to do with the rebels, do you?"

  "Who knows. Just try lot to say anything that makes them any more likely to think so."

  Drop Kick nodded, then looked out the side of the air-r
aft. Scooting along at 80 kph, they were still five minutes from the palace, and Drop Kick's prolonged silence led Coeur to ask about something else that had been bothering her recently, "Drop Kick, I've been worrying about Snapshot."

  "Why's that?" the sergeant asked, turning his head back.

  "It's Badger. As far as I could tell, she was just about the best friend he had on the ship, and I'm worried that she's not more upset about his death."

  "Oh, she's upset, all right," Drop Kick saicf.

  "How can you tell?"

  "It's a way she gets. Most of us—when we're upset, we show It, Snapper—well, she packs it away somewhere in the backofher mind and unloads It later when It's not so painful. Like, take her last boyfriend, for instance..,."

  "Yes?"

  "Well, maybe I shouldn't tell you; it Is kind of personal."

  Coeur shrugged.

  "Oh, all right," he said, "it's not that personal. I always knew there was some other guy she'd been with here on Oriflamme, but she said almost nothing about him. Then, one day we get to talking about our future and she just unloads on this guy—about how he was a jerk and he cheated on her and so forth. Evidently, he's really gotten under her skin."'

  "Hm."

  "That was the only time she talked about it, though. It's likeshe took the emotion out of its closet, aired It out a bit, then put it right back where it came from,"

  "So what you're saying, then, is that I shouldn't worry about her."

  Drop Kick nodded. "Basically, yes."

  "Fine."

  Moments later, close to their destination, the air-raft lowered itself to a few meters above the ground, and the looming shadow of Government House passed over Coeur and Drop Kick, chilling them despite the balmy weather of the region. Close-defense cannons, guided by radar, tracked them ominously as they came over the palace grounds, and a voice from the air-raft computer told Coeur to be alert that landing was imminent.

  less sophisticated than Aubaine's traffic net, Otiflamme's could only guide them into the area of their destination. Landing required Coeur to take active control as they powered into an open bay near the base of a peripheral tower. Conspicuously, most of the parked craft she maneuvered to avoid were not native, being rather high-tech speeders and g-camers In the silver paint of the Lord Technarch's house.

  "Don't worry, we'll park III" an Oriflamme Marine lieutenant with a clipboard yelled, rushing over from the shelter of an equipment bay as Coeur came to a stop.

  "Lieutenant D'Esprit," Coeur said, stepping out of the air-raft, "Coalition Exploratory Service."

  The lieutenant gave a cursory salute and then looked at his clipboard as Drop Kickstarted around the other side of the air-raft "Lt. Antonov. You are from RCS Hornet, correct?"

  "Affirmative."

  "Very good. Lord Mestrovic has Instructed me to convey you to his office. This way."

  Drop Kick barely got around the air-raft before Antonov wheeled about and began marching across the grated deck plating of the bay. Hastening after him, Coeur and Drop Kick found themselves brought up to an impressive security station, where more troops in body armor examined their Coalition ID cards and subjected them to retina scans In both eyes.

  "I've got to hand It to you," Drop Kick said to Antonov afterward, blinking his eyes as they made for an adjacent elevator bank, "you are thorough."

  Antonov did not comment. Doubtless, Coeur reasoned, the government was concerned about people having new eyes implanted to fool their sensors, and scanned both eyes accordingly.

  Impressively, the elevator was afastmaglev system, capable of moving into side corridors as well as up and down. The cab delivered them to a distant part of the palace within seconds— after alternately pressing them toward the back of the cab and down toward the floor with Its acceleration.

  I guess they haven't quite mastered ineniat compensation, Coeur thought "Come," Antonov said.

  The area he led them into was conspicuously businesslike, a waiting area with artistically molded black desks counterpolnting rosewood wall panels and brass fittings. Populated by a half-dozen young men and women In business dress, It gave the impression of nothing quite so much as a modern corporate office. What was conspicuously absent were windows. Consistent with the defensive architecture of Government House, Coeur suspected they were low in the center of one of the towers.

  "Office Director Gashugam," Antonov said to a woman with a severe haircut, "these are personnel from the starship Hornet."

  "Very good. His Lordship Is expecting them."

  Stiff as ever, Antonov wheeled again and departed-

  "This way," Gashugam said, standing from her desk and escorting Coeur and Drop Kick into the office of The Lord Technarch himself.

  "Ah, good, you're here. Shut the door behind you, would you, Ms. Gashugam?"

  She did, leaving Coeur and Drop Kick in deferential silence as they beheld Councilor Technarch Mestrovic at his desk—a leading member of the Council of Technarchs, thegovernmentofthe largest planet in the Coalition.

  The first thing Coeur noticed, when Mestrovie Stood, was that he was smaller than she expected—though she was told that he prefen-ed to be photographed from below to make himself look taller. A bit shorter than herself, he was nevertheless a striking man, with high cheekbones, gray hair and flashing gray eyes that lent themselves to dramatic glances when he had the benefit of a teleprompterdunnga speech. Like thedericals outside, he wore a conservatively tailored business suit with noobvious adornment or decoration.

  "Captain Coeur D' Esprit," Mestrovic said, after stepping out from behind his desk to shake her hand, "am I right?"

  "Yes, sir.And this is Sergeant Major Vin Eschef, my tactician."

  Mesuovic shook his hand, too, with a demeanor muc h more polite !han that of his lieutenant.

  "Sir," Coeur said, "you must be tremendously t>uSy. If this is an awkward time to see you...."

  "Oh, heavens no. I want to talk to you about your mission."

  "Our mission?" Drop Kick asked, suspiciously, "Well, what I assume is your mission. Please, sit down,"

  Coeur and Drop Kick accepted the offered seats—quite plush, as it happened—and turned to face the reseated Lord Technarch across his desk.

  "Given the use of Code 77, I assume you're here about the Wolfowill matter."

  "Yes, sir," Coeur said. "Commodore Lathrop expressed a desire that we stop here along the way and make clear our mission objectives."

  "Probably unnecessary, but proceed."

  "Essentially, sir, our orders are twofold- Our first priority Is to discover the fate of Z—uh, WolfowiU's Croty Jane and her crew, and recover them if possible. Our second is to ascertain the likelihood that they discovered a relic depot on Mexit, and deny it to enemies of the Coalition If necessary."

  "Do you think that's what you'll find?"

  "We nave reason to believe so, yes,"

  "I assume you mean the photograph of Wolfowitz and the black globe generator."

  We!!, that's that, Coeur Thoughl 1 guess he knows as muzh as we do.

  "Don't worry. Captain O' Esprit," Mestrovic said, "our researchers couldn't make the slightest sense out of a black globe generator. If you find one, you're welcome to It."

  "Actually, sir, our mission Isn't to recover any artifacts. If a friendly government does control the depot, we'll try to negotiate friendly relations and leave the particulars to the diplomats later. If not, well, we'll do what we have lo."

  Mestrovlc nodded, but said nothing.

  All right, Mestrovic, Coeur thought, what do you really want?

  "Basedon the success of your expedition to Sauler," Mestrovlc said finally, "I Imagine you'll do quite well. However, let me tell you something of my situation here on Oriflamme,

  "I do not have ultimate authority on this planet. All of the COundlortechnanchstogethercomposetheCouncllofTechnarchs, and together we share responsibility for ruling this planet. As a representative of that collective, therefore, I have been authorized to make
a special request of you. "Under the provisions of the Articles of Confederation, Oriflamme wishes to contribute additional personnel to your mission."

  Coeur first looked at Drop Kick, then back at Mestrovlc, "What kind of personnel?"

  "Oh, nothing major," Mestrovlc said, anticipating Coeur's concern. "Nothing like a squad of troopers. If that s what you're thinking."

  "We couldn't carry a squad anyway," Drop Kick observed. "No room."

  "How much room do you have?"

  "Two staterooms," Coeur said. "Single or double occupancy."

  "That will be perfect, then. The personnel are two junior technarchs."

  "All right, your lordship," Coeur said, diplomatically, "you do have the authority to add personnel to a survey and rescue mission. I'd prefer to know why I'm taking them first, though."

  "That's a little hard to explain."

  "Try me."

  "As you know, Wolfowitz was suspected of piracy and was disliked by a good many people. However, he was also undoubtedly an effective captain, and his starship performed a number of critical exploration missions for the Council of Technarchs before the Dawn League scouts subsumed that responsibility,"

  By "exploration," Coeur suspected he meant "targeted plunder," but kept her expression neutral.

  "Naturally, we feel a certain loyalty to such an Individual—and a deep sense of personal responsibility for determining what became of him*

  Yeah, I'H bet. Drop Kick thought, and you ptobably wouldn't mind knowing about any treasure he recovered elUier.

  Mental gears were meanwhile spinning in Coeur's head—that an ulterior motive was In play was more than likely, but what was it? Had Zero been sent to Mexit deliberately, perhaps to find something other than the black globe generator, or did the technarchs simply smell a resource pool they wanted to get their hands on first, before the Arses?

  Or was Oriflamme up to something else altogether?

  Politics, Coeur thought. I hate politics, "If thafsallit Is, sir," she said, "I'm sure we can accommodate them."

  "Well, that's outstanding. I'll have them notified immediately, so they can catch a jet down from Honfestung."

  "Honfestung," Coeur said, "that's another city, Isn't It?"