Planet of trechery, p.18
Planet Of Trechery, page 18
"Possible," said Admiral Benevenuto, "but unlikely. A military operation of this scale isn't like a light switch that can be turned on and off at will. Orders must be given, fighting forces mobilized, supplies transported to the proper places. Ships must rendezvous properly, personnel must be brought to the proper fighting pitch-it's an emotional problem as well as a logistical one. From what we've heard, the operation was already canceled once, at the time of the Princess's wedding. To do so again would be most costly in terms of money, manpower and morale. If it were my battle, I'd rather sacrifice the element of surprise than lose all my preparations. C does, after all, have a respectably sized fleet on his side, one which is ready for battle while our own forces are scattered all over the Empire. There is no way we can call in our entire fleet in time to counter a concentrated attack on Earth just a few days from now."
"But he may change his plans somewhat in view of the fact that we now know what he's going to do," Edna said.
"He can't be sure we know," the Head spoke up. "Unless he's tapped into our most secure private lines, he can't know how much information we got from Lady A before the interrogation was interrupted. Even if she survives the drug, she won't remember what she said or didn't say. I have a feeling he's going to be watching our movements most carefully in the next few days to find out exactly how much we know and how much we don't. How we react will, to some extent, affect his plans-though I agree with Cesare, I don't think he'd call off the attack completely just because we're expecting it."
The Emperor drummed his fingers nervously on the arm of his chair. "Then we must consider carefully what we do. What alternatives are open to us'?"
"I would be remiss in my duty to protect the lives of the Imperial family," said the Head, "if I didn't suggest postponing the Coronation until this affair is over."
"Never!" Edna's voice echoed decisively in the small room. "I don't mean to sound grabby, Father, but I don't think we should let a pack of hooligans decide when Imperial business may be carried out. It's bad enough that they ruined my wedding; if we let them succeed now, then every official function becomes susceptible to their blackmail. I say we continue with the Coronation even if civil war is raging and the Empire is coming down around our ears."
William Stanley beamed proudly and looked at the other two men. "You just heard your Empress's pleasure-and mine too, I might add. Any plans we make must take into account the fact that the Coronation will proceed as planned." "Khorosho," the Head nodded. "I only proposed that because it was my duty to consider it. I wasn't in favor of it either. If we canceled, it would let C know definitely that we're aware of his plans; continuing as scheduled can only increase his doubt and confusion-which is all to our good. Tell me, Admiral, can our regular defensive fleet stationed in the solar system cope with an armada like theirs?"
"One thousand small ships and a few of the larger class?" Benevenuto was thoughtful. "No, not entirely, I'm sorry to say. We could handle their big ships well enough, but some of the smaller ones are bound to slip through our nets and cause damage. I would have to call in reinforcements from some of our nearer bases to handle the threat fully."
"I thought as much," the Head nodded. "And that's exactly what C will be watching for. It would prove to him that we know his plans."
"I'd prefer to do that than leave Earth inadequately protected," Benevenuto harrumphed.'
"Forgive me; intelligence work sometimes gets so Machiavellian that I fail to fully explain my thoughts. I'm talking about a feint. C will be watching our nearby bases closely, knowing that only ships from there could be moved here in time to reinforce Earth's defenses. He might not be paying that much attention to some of our more distant bases."
"But what good are they," Edna asked, "if they can't reach Earth in time to defend us?"
"Lady A said that all the enemy ships would be rendezvousing at a given spot. If we were to launch an attack against them there, before they've had a chance to get fully organized, we could wreck their plans before they start and scatter their fleet to the eight corners of the Galaxy."
"That plan has some merit," Benevenuto agreed. "But isn't C likely to at least change the rendezvous spot if he thinks his plans have been compromised?"
"It is a possibility, yes," the Head admitted. "Though that spot was probably chosen for its centralized location; he would have to do a lot of emergency communication to make sure all his divisions were informed of any change. Still, space is big and he could find plenty of other secret places to meet.
"But even if he does change the meeting spot and our ships find nothing there, we can give them secondary orders to proceed immediately to Earth. They should arrive about the same time as C's ships, presenting him with a stronger force than he counted on facing. We wouldn't have much time to coordinate battle tactics between the home fleet and the reinforcements, but we'd have the numbers and the surprise on our side, for a change."
Benevenuto was wavering. "I'm not sure," he said. "I much prefer straight military might to the convoluted maneuvers of the intelligence branch. It may be stodgy, but it would ensure an adequate defense of Earth."
"If we pulled in ships from nearby bases, thus alerting C to the fact we know his plans," the Head argued, "he might decide to go after secondary targets-such as the systems we take our reinforcements from. None of them will be able to withstand C's fleet in their weakened condition. We could end up sacrificing a much larger chunk of our territory than we'd like. I say we lure C into the solar system by pretending not to know his plans, then clobber him. It's a little riskier, but it gives us the chance to break up his fleet in one decisive battle."
"I'd have to run it through our computers to calculate the odds for and against the various alternatives," the admiral said. William Stanley stood up. "You do that, Cesare, but do it quickly. Personally, I think Zander has handed us a well thought out plan, and I'd like to see it implemented. In any case, I want you in my office with a completed scheme by nine A.M. tomorrow. I want to make sure there's an Empire left to hand over to my daughter on Friday."
Chapter 15
A Change of Plans
Pias Bavol did not panic when his scheme to work his way into Admiral Shen's organization failed so miserably. He was a man who believed in utilizing all his resources to their best advantage-and one of the best resources he had was his own mind.
Yvette and Fortier were two other resources in his favor, but he could not use them just now. Neither had been with him in Shen's office, and neither knew the trouble he now faced. As far as they were both aware, everything was proceeding according to schedule. He would have to extricate himself from this mess on his own.
There were three pirates escorting him, each with blaster drawn and aimed directly at his back. He could not simply run away, and even his high-gee reflexes were not quick enough to disarm three men before they had a chance to fire at him. There had to be some way, though, of narrowing the numbers a bit. All it took was the right set of circumstances.
He began whistling and walking at a pace much too jaunty for someone under sentence of imminent death. "Come back here," said the leading pirate behind him. "Where do you think you're running to?"
"I'm not running," Pias answered, slowing his pace just a trifle. "Shen said he wanted you to take me up to the surface. I was going to the elevator tube."
"If you don't wait for us, we'll shoot you right here in the hall. I'd think you'd want to take your time. What are you so happy about?"
"Did I say I was happy?" Pias asked. "Just because I refuse to get depressed by the thought of my own death doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it. I've lived a pretty fascinating life, but it had to come to an end sometime, I suppose. Hey, have you guys ever heard of the women of Tartarus?"
All of them had, of course; the courtesans and the fleshpots of that world were legendary throughout space. Pias began weaving the men a fabricated history of his own adventures there, including a detailed account of his night spent with three of the fabled ladies at once. The pirates were practically drooling as Pias graphically described the exotic events of that fabulous evening. By the time the party arrived at the elevator tube the guards were so engrossed in Pias's story that they were less than careful about the way they were guarding him.
As Pias had remembered, the elevator tubes were small ones, holding only two people at a time; since the pirates' ships were in underground silos that could be entered from the base, they had little cause to go to the surface in large numbers. One way or another, the group would have to split up momentarily, and Pias would find himself alone with only one pirate guarding him.
So entertaining had his story been that the men did not consider him a serious threat. They decided that two of them would go up first, training their guns on the entrance so that Pias didn't dare make a break the instant he emerged from the tube. As the first two disappeared up the tube, the third man stayed far enough away that Pias couldn't jump him before he could fire his blaster. Pias waited patiently, seemingly unconcerned about the situation he was in.
When the light came on indicating the tube was ready for them, the pirate motioned Pias to get in and then stepped in behind him. They were now, of necessity, in the confined quarters that Pias wanted. He waited for just the proper moment, and then acted.
There was a jolt as the plate they were on began its rise up the tube. It was a mild movement, but it was enough to joggle the pirate's gun hand. That was all the help Pias needed. He brought his own hand up quickly to deflect the other man's weapon. The blaster went off, but its bolt was spent harmlessly against the wall of the tube, and he never got a chance for a second shot. Pias's elbow shot up, catching the man with a vicious blow to the windpipe that rendered him instantly unconscious. The blaster dropped from his hand and Pias, with his high-gee reflexes, picked it out of the air and gripped it securely. He turned facing the door, prepared to blast the other two pirates the instant he reached the surface.
It was quite fortunate for him that his reflexes were so fast, for the two people he faced were not the pirates who had gone up the tube before him, but his own wife and Commander Fortier. Had he fired point blank, he might well have killed the only two allies he had on the entire planet-but, when he saw who they were, he was able to hold his fire in time.
Yvette saw her husband armed and ready for a fight, and smiled. "We came to rescue you," she said, indicating the two guards who lay unconscious on the ground before her, "but I guess you beat us to it."
"We have a saying on Newforest which translates roughly, 'The hangman loves a person who's expecting a reprieve.' I wasn't going to my execution quite that docilely."
Yvette clucked mockingly. "And how many times have you told me to be patient and have faith in you?"
"Faith is all very well," Pias said, holding up the weapon in his right hand, "but give me a blaster any time."
Fortier saw his chance here to break into the conversation. "It's a lucky thing for you I planted a bug in Shen's office, or we wouldn't have known you were in trouble and been able to head it off."
Pias dropped his gaze for a moment. "I really miscalculated this time, I guess."
"That doesn't matter now, anyway," Fortier said. "There's been a change in plans. I just received a subcom call from Headquarters back at Luna Base. They know when the attack is going to take place, and they've issued us a new set of orders."
Fortier explained that somehow the high command had learned that the enemy fleet would be making its rendezvous at a particular spot in just a couple of days. Fortier and at least one of the SOTE agents were to go on ahead and wait there, while the Navy kept its own ships just a short distance away, out of detection range. The instant the pirate fleet showed up, the scout ship would call the Navy, who would then sweep in and destroy the enemy before it had a chance to attack Earth.
"You're the logical choice to come with me," Fortier told Pias as he concluded his explanation. "You're dead if you're seen on this world any more."
"What about her?" Pias asked, pointing at Yvette. "Doesn't she come, too''"
"Someone has to stay with Shen in case he tries something unexpected," Yvette said, shaking her head. "The commander was the logical choice for that, except for one thing-he's the only one among us who can pilot a ship. Therefore he has to go. It's a shame to blow the cover identity he's worked so hard to build, but there's no other choice. The same goes for you. I at least still have a chance here--Shen may still think I'm useful to him. That's why I'm staying."
Both husband and wife knew how slender a thread of hope that was. Shen was unpredictable, and could order Yvette killed tomorrow for some reason real or imagined. Pias hated the thought of leaving his beloved spouse to such an uncertain fate, but he knew she was right-if someone had to stay behind, she was the only choice. And both had long ago resigned themselves to death if they should make any mistakes in their job. It was not a pleasant alternative, but it was a necessary one.
Fortier showed them the way to another elevator tube, one that was seldom used, and the trio descended once more into the depths of the pirate base. Already, now that they knew what to look for, they could see that activity within the base had stepped up, that teams of workers were laboring furiously to get all the ships into fighting shape. There was going to be a big move coming quite soon, just as Headquarters had said, and the rebel forces were readying for the push.
The increased activity made it a little more difficult to steal a ship, as there was scarcely a vessel that did not have someone checking it out. While Yvette and Pias remained in hiding, Fortier strolled boldly out among the workers, secure in his identity as Rocheville, Shen's top assistant. He returned to the SOTE agents half an hour later to say that he'd located a scout ship with only two mechanics working on it, and that it would be the best they could find on short notice. Time was crucial now; it could not be much longer before Shen learned that Pias had not been killed, and then an all-out hunt for the fugitive would begin.
The three undercover agents crept furtively through back corridors of the base to the ship Fortier had chosen. It was a matter of only a few seconds' fighting, and the ship was theirs. "These people have already done most of the work," Fortier commented as they tied the mechanics up and left them in a seldom-visited storage area. "It should only take me about ten minutes or so, and we'll be all set to leave."
Ten minutes did not give the Bavols much time to say all they wanted to say to one another. They had been separated for the first time since their wedding when Yvette left the Paradise, and had only been reunited a few days ago when the pirates captured that ship--and even that had been a less than satisfactory reunion, because they were playing roles that forced them to act as though they hated one another. Now they were to be separated once more--and there was a strong possibility that they might never see each other alive again.
Words were totally inadequate to express the feelings flowing between them as they stood in the ship waiting for Fortier to announce he was ready for takeoff. They looked in each other's eyes and caressed each other's face. Then, drawn as though by a powerful magnet, they embraced tightly and surrendered themselves to a passionate, lingering kiss that continued unabated until they heard Fortier clearing his throat discreetly behind them.
"All smooth," he said simply.
With great reluctance, Yvette pulled herself away from her husband's embrace. "Take care of yourself, mon cher." she said quietly. "I'll see you back on Earth." Then abruptly she turned and walked out of the ship, before her eyes betrayed her and she showed the tears she felt were coming.
She moved quickly away from the area without looking back. A few minutes later she felt, rather than heard, the vibrations from the ship's departure. Alarms began ringing through the base almost instantly at the unauthorized takeoff. The confusion as people ran through the halls helped cover her own retreat back to the quarters that had been provided for her. It was almost certain that the pirates would mount some sort of chase after the fleeing ship-but, caught unaware as they were, they should be no match for Fortier's skills as a pilot.
The naval commander would be off their screens before they could get very far-and once off, he was unlikely to be found again.
Yvette returned to her room and waited. She was expecting Shen to call her soon and let her know that she'd been right about "Brian Sangers," that he was dangerous and not to be trusted. What she wasn't expecting was the tirascaline gas that came seeping slowly through the ventilator over her doorway. She tried to rise from her bed at the first whiff of the sickeningly sweet sleep drug, but fell back limply in a matter of seconds, totally unconscious.
She awoke with a ringing in her head and the room swimming around her. At first she was disoriented, but came slowly to the realization that she was lying on her back atop a table. It took her another few minutes before her head cleared enough to note that her arms and legs were chained to the four corners of the tabletop.
As she started stirring, testing the strength of her bonds, a man entered the room. He was small, and uniformed as a pirate, but she'd never seen him before. "Who are you?" she asked groggily. "What happened to me?"
"I'm keeping you here until the rest come back. We've had our fill of spies from SOTE."
A cold chill went down Yvette's spine, but she refused to let it show. "What do you mean? Let me out of here. I demand to speak to Shen!"
"That'll be a little hard, gospozha. He's parsecs away by now, along with the rest of the fleet."
Out of the corner of her eye, Yvette saw a shape moving in the doorway toward her captor. She kept talking, trying to distract him. "You're overstepping your orders. When Shen comes back, he'll have your ears as bookends for daring to talk to me this way."
