done less than expertly, the process created permanent damage and learning problems. Force-conditioning wasn’t much better than an ancient lobotomy or a Caelaarnan partial brain transplant. The body was the same, but mental functions were greatly diminished, and initiative was almost non ex is tent. “Why?”
“They claimed there were secret agents of The Fifty everywhere, especially anyone associated with TechOversight.” Rhyana glanced back eastward.
The level surface of the canal wall was empty of figures or vehicles.
“I did bring some supplies…had to be those left in the wheeler. Would have liked to have brought my rifle. Couldn’t risk going back into the depot,” added the driver. “Would have liked to have used it.”
Too bad she couldn’t , Eltyn private-pulsed.
Agree 3 .
“You think I could stay here?”
“You’re welcome to.” Faelyna smiled. “It’s severe. No entertainment, except a few cubes we brought.”
“Brought my own favorite cubes, the ones I carry with me for when I have to wait,” admitted Rhyana. “Couldn’t see staying. First thing they did was grab Kealyn and force-condition him to tell everything about anything. Heard that, and I sneaked off and took the wheeler.”
“Kealyn’s just a driver,” said Eltyn. “Why would they do that?”
“Said drivers know what everyone does.”
“How soon do you think they’ll be headed here?” asked Faelyna.
The delivery woman shook her head. “I don’t know. They came in from the north side of the canal on an old SEV. I took the only wheeler they weren’t using. They had the others carry stuff from where they tied up the SEV, down on the floating dock. Their team was armed. There weren’t that many, maybe twenty.” She paused, then added, “I thought you might have some way to hide or defend yourselves.”
“We’re working on it,” replied Faelyna. “The station is impervious to explosives and energy weapons, but the entries can’t be blocked.” Not at the moment , she private-pulsed to Eltyn. “You should know that, but you’re welcome to stay. We do have food. It’s mostly dry-condensed, but not bad.”
Rhyana shuddered, looking southward at the sandy dunes and scattered cacti and sagebrush and mesquite. “No place else to go.” She forced a smile. “I can help…do things…”
“We’d appreciate that,” replied Faelyna. “Do you need help unloading?”
“I wouldn’t want to be a bother…”
“That’s not a problem,” said Eltyn. “The sooner we get everything inside the better. We might even be able to squeeze your wheeler inside.”
“That’d be good.”
Very good , pulsed Faelyna to Eltyn.
He nodded.
18
13 Siebmonat 3123, Vaniran Hegemony
Duhyle stood at the ocean wall of the canal, looking out over the patches of late-morning mist that drifted across the low waves of the Jainoran Ocean. There was no sign of anyone who had been on the cargo-sailer. A day after the destruction of the vessel, the sea-canoes and kite-sailers had vanished. The narrow beaches below the western cliffs were empty of all human presence, without any prints in the intermittent patches of sand between the pebbled shingle. Seabirds swooped and landed, and skittered along the edge of the waves. An occasional crab scrabbled sidewise to avoid or to engage the water.
“You won’t see anything, Kavn.” Helkyria stepped up to the ocean wall beside him. “Not yet. Not until just before they decide to attack—if they decide to attack.” She half-turned.
Duhyle heard boots on the stone. He glanced back to see Captain Valakyr and Subcaptain Symra approaching. Both wore professionally grim expressions on faces that might otherwise have been attractive.
“Ser?” offered Valakyr as she stopped a yard from Helkyria. “What have you heard?”
“Outside of the reports of political chaos, the violent demonstrations in Asgard and all across Midgard, the more muted counter-demonstrations in Vaena, the political
“They claimed there were secret agents of The Fifty everywhere, especially anyone associated with TechOversight.” Rhyana glanced back eastward.
The level surface of the canal wall was empty of figures or vehicles.
“I did bring some supplies…had to be those left in the wheeler. Would have liked to have brought my rifle. Couldn’t risk going back into the depot,” added the driver. “Would have liked to have used it.”
Too bad she couldn’t , Eltyn private-pulsed.
Agree 3 .
“You think I could stay here?”
“You’re welcome to.” Faelyna smiled. “It’s severe. No entertainment, except a few cubes we brought.”
“Brought my own favorite cubes, the ones I carry with me for when I have to wait,” admitted Rhyana. “Couldn’t see staying. First thing they did was grab Kealyn and force-condition him to tell everything about anything. Heard that, and I sneaked off and took the wheeler.”
“Kealyn’s just a driver,” said Eltyn. “Why would they do that?”
“Said drivers know what everyone does.”
“How soon do you think they’ll be headed here?” asked Faelyna.
The delivery woman shook her head. “I don’t know. They came in from the north side of the canal on an old SEV. I took the only wheeler they weren’t using. They had the others carry stuff from where they tied up the SEV, down on the floating dock. Their team was armed. There weren’t that many, maybe twenty.” She paused, then added, “I thought you might have some way to hide or defend yourselves.”
“We’re working on it,” replied Faelyna. “The station is impervious to explosives and energy weapons, but the entries can’t be blocked.” Not at the moment , she private-pulsed to Eltyn. “You should know that, but you’re welcome to stay. We do have food. It’s mostly dry-condensed, but not bad.”
Rhyana shuddered, looking southward at the sandy dunes and scattered cacti and sagebrush and mesquite. “No place else to go.” She forced a smile. “I can help…do things…”
“We’d appreciate that,” replied Faelyna. “Do you need help unloading?”
“I wouldn’t want to be a bother…”
“That’s not a problem,” said Eltyn. “The sooner we get everything inside the better. We might even be able to squeeze your wheeler inside.”
“That’d be good.”
Very good , pulsed Faelyna to Eltyn.
He nodded.
18
13 Siebmonat 3123, Vaniran Hegemony
Duhyle stood at the ocean wall of the canal, looking out over the patches of late-morning mist that drifted across the low waves of the Jainoran Ocean. There was no sign of anyone who had been on the cargo-sailer. A day after the destruction of the vessel, the sea-canoes and kite-sailers had vanished. The narrow beaches below the western cliffs were empty of all human presence, without any prints in the intermittent patches of sand between the pebbled shingle. Seabirds swooped and landed, and skittered along the edge of the waves. An occasional crab scrabbled sidewise to avoid or to engage the water.
“You won’t see anything, Kavn.” Helkyria stepped up to the ocean wall beside him. “Not yet. Not until just before they decide to attack—if they decide to attack.” She half-turned.
Duhyle heard boots on the stone. He glanced back to see Captain Valakyr and Subcaptain Symra approaching. Both wore professionally grim expressions on faces that might otherwise have been attractive.
“Ser?” offered Valakyr as she stopped a yard from Helkyria. “What have you heard?”
“Outside of the reports of political chaos, the violent demonstrations in Asgard and all across Midgard, the more muted counter-demonstrations in Vaena, the political
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