Between the Stars by John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani Page A
Authors: John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani
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self-control kept her from flushing. "So for all your talk of an open society you're as spy-ridden as any Earth government."
"Not at all," Ulric said. "We may believe in complete individual freedom, but we're not stupid. Besides, this had nothing to do with the Confederacy, or with the Avalon government. I set it up myself using Clan manpower and that of allied families."
"With Derek as bait?"
"For this operation, yes. I knew it wouldn't be long before Earthie agents came after the Rhea Object, and Derek, as the discoverer, would be the focal point of some attention. It looks as if I netted two on the first try."
"I wasn't expecting to play such a passive role," Derek said.
"You'll learn," said Ulric. "This business isn't over yet."
"Well, what do we do now?" Valentina demanded. "You have no legal right to take me prisoner, but I don't suppose that bothers you."
"Not at all. Do you ever feel constrained by legalities?" He turned to Derek. "Set course for the lab." He turned back to Valentina. "As a matter of fact, we're going just where you wanted to go, but at a great savings in time. We're going to see Sieglinde."
"It's going to be a little cramped in Cyrano ," Derek reminded him.
"That's all right," Ulric said. "We're all friends here."
SIX
Aeaea was unique among the Island Worlds in being totally artificial. Over the years it had been constructed of whatever materials were convenient. The original structure, now invisible beneath layers of metal and ultraglass, had been built in Lunar orbit using mooncrete as the primary building material. The founders had moved it into trans-Martian orbit to have freedom from government interference and privacy from their competition. Most of Aeaea's output was pure, abstract technology.
The immense tech station tried to steer a neutral course between Earth and Confederacy, but that was difficult when most Earth dwellers perceived all offworlders as enemies. Even the Earth-dominated Lunaires and Martians were regarded as little more than semi-rebellious "colonials" to be exploited. Still, the Aeaeans regarded all parties as customers and the rest usually had to go along, because their services were necessary and because no one really knew the extent of Aeaea's power. So far, its security remained unpenetrated.
Aldo Vecchio knew that he was a crack in Aeaean security, but he had not thought about the fact in a long time. He was a senior nuclear physicist in Aeaea, with twenty years on the staff. He had been born on Mars, and had been hired into the Aeaean nuclear physics department shortly after receiving his degree at the University of Tarkovskygrad.
Aside from his work, there was only one thing Vecchio cared about—his sister, Nilze. His adored younger sister suffered from a rare congenital disease, and the disease could only be treated, at great expense, on Earth. It might have been possible to treat her in Aeaea, but she had rejected the strange, sterile environment of the tech station, certain that she would wither and die there.
Treatment was available on Earth, in their ancestral Italy, but at great price. His salary was generous by Earth standards, but he had known that he could not support her treatment for more than a year or two. On one of his semiannual visits to his sister, a man had approached him with a solution to his problem. In return for clandestine, unspecified services at a future date, Nilze would be cared for in a beautiful nursing home near the equally beautiful city of Florence. The Italian government had preserved Florence and its surrounding Tuscan countryside as an irreplaceable cultural treasure.
He had sought assurance that none of these activities would jeopardize a human life, especially his own. He was assured that he would be involved in nothing so drastic, merely industrial espionage of the quasi-legitimate sort that went on all the time. His conscience somewhat mollified, Aldo complied. Ten years later, the IOU was called in.
Aldo
"Not at all," Ulric said. "We may believe in complete individual freedom, but we're not stupid. Besides, this had nothing to do with the Confederacy, or with the Avalon government. I set it up myself using Clan manpower and that of allied families."
"With Derek as bait?"
"For this operation, yes. I knew it wouldn't be long before Earthie agents came after the Rhea Object, and Derek, as the discoverer, would be the focal point of some attention. It looks as if I netted two on the first try."
"I wasn't expecting to play such a passive role," Derek said.
"You'll learn," said Ulric. "This business isn't over yet."
"Well, what do we do now?" Valentina demanded. "You have no legal right to take me prisoner, but I don't suppose that bothers you."
"Not at all. Do you ever feel constrained by legalities?" He turned to Derek. "Set course for the lab." He turned back to Valentina. "As a matter of fact, we're going just where you wanted to go, but at a great savings in time. We're going to see Sieglinde."
"It's going to be a little cramped in Cyrano ," Derek reminded him.
"That's all right," Ulric said. "We're all friends here."
SIX
Aeaea was unique among the Island Worlds in being totally artificial. Over the years it had been constructed of whatever materials were convenient. The original structure, now invisible beneath layers of metal and ultraglass, had been built in Lunar orbit using mooncrete as the primary building material. The founders had moved it into trans-Martian orbit to have freedom from government interference and privacy from their competition. Most of Aeaea's output was pure, abstract technology.
The immense tech station tried to steer a neutral course between Earth and Confederacy, but that was difficult when most Earth dwellers perceived all offworlders as enemies. Even the Earth-dominated Lunaires and Martians were regarded as little more than semi-rebellious "colonials" to be exploited. Still, the Aeaeans regarded all parties as customers and the rest usually had to go along, because their services were necessary and because no one really knew the extent of Aeaea's power. So far, its security remained unpenetrated.
Aldo Vecchio knew that he was a crack in Aeaean security, but he had not thought about the fact in a long time. He was a senior nuclear physicist in Aeaea, with twenty years on the staff. He had been born on Mars, and had been hired into the Aeaean nuclear physics department shortly after receiving his degree at the University of Tarkovskygrad.
Aside from his work, there was only one thing Vecchio cared about—his sister, Nilze. His adored younger sister suffered from a rare congenital disease, and the disease could only be treated, at great expense, on Earth. It might have been possible to treat her in Aeaea, but she had rejected the strange, sterile environment of the tech station, certain that she would wither and die there.
Treatment was available on Earth, in their ancestral Italy, but at great price. His salary was generous by Earth standards, but he had known that he could not support her treatment for more than a year or two. On one of his semiannual visits to his sister, a man had approached him with a solution to his problem. In return for clandestine, unspecified services at a future date, Nilze would be cared for in a beautiful nursing home near the equally beautiful city of Florence. The Italian government had preserved Florence and its surrounding Tuscan countryside as an irreplaceable cultural treasure.
He had sought assurance that none of these activities would jeopardize a human life, especially his own. He was assured that he would be involved in nothing so drastic, merely industrial espionage of the quasi-legitimate sort that went on all the time. His conscience somewhat mollified, Aldo complied. Ten years later, the IOU was called in.
Aldo
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