LINKS
____________
The Christa Affair
Chapter Thirty-Two
They took a circuitous route from Ultazari to the Falturon system, making the last leg at standard hyperdrive velocity. If the Raiders could track a ship thru hyperspace, there was no reason to believe that Licti's planetary scanners couldn't do the same; they had no wish to attract attention by approaching at impossible speeds.
The trip took eleven days. On the third day out, the hyperband interference quieted for a time, but the standard Federation military channels were silent, and repeated calls to Federation HQ on Summit brought no response. On a whim, Jashi tried Federation Computer Central. To his surprise, the transponder answered his databurst interrogation immediately; the signal was strong and steady. The Federation hadn't collapsed completely -- Central Data Storage and at least \part\ of the data-transmission network were still functioning. He quickly requested all available information on Falturon-Six.
It was a lengthy transfer. There was a massive amount of data, and several times, retransmission of large parts of it was required because of sudden bursts of noise. At last the transaction was complete -- it was followed by a routine request for security code authentication before transmission of additional, classified information.
Toko looked at Jashi in surprise. "What interrogation code are you using?"
"Standard civilian," replied Jashi. I changed it back when we resigned our field commission on U-Seven... At least I \thought\ I did." He tried to remember. It seemed an eternity ago; so much had happened since then... He found he couldn't be sure.
"The log of your resignation was never transmitted, Honorable Captain," intoned the ship's computer. "There was no reason for the interrogation code to be reduced... Did you not request \all\ available information?"
"Damn!" exploded Jashi. "I thought we had that straightened out!" After the incident of the missing crystal, his instructions to the machine had been explicit -- make no changes to any system without Human approval.
"Profanity is both unnecessary and unbecoming, Honorable Captain. I can see no logical reason for your anger. Please define 'straightened out.'"
Stymied, Jashi ignored the admonition and the request for clarification. "Authenticate it!" he snapped.
Computer Central accepted the security authenticator, and the file header displayed on the screen. Jashi was astonished at the size of the file; the Federation's dossier on the place was voluminous. "Transfer!" he ordered.
"I am sorry, Honorable Captain. Transmission has ceased."
"Retry!"
"Unnecessary, Honorable Captain... The relay station is now inoperative."
"Do it, dammit!" His voice was icy with frustration.
"Yes, Honorable Captain," the computer answered. It sounded very much like a tired parent, trying valiantly to cope with a stubborn child. "Profanity is..." Jashi slapped the off control, forgetting that it no longer worked. "...unnecessary," finished the machine undaunted.
Jashi counted to ten, slowly, in four different languages. "Toko, you have the conn," he said evenly, starting for the door. "I'll be in my quarters. And find some way to turn that thing off. Please?"
*********
The newly-received data contained some surprises -- even for Rang, who knew more about the world than the rest of the crew. Falturon-Six was a water planet, almost entirely covered by deep ocean. Its single small continent straddled the equator -- rolling hills, covered solidly by dense rainforest. In the center of the land-mass stood a single rocky spire, barely five miles in diameter, rising majestically into the ever-present cloud cover; Licti's private castle-like residence occupied most of the small plateau at its eight thousand foot summit -- accessible only by air, and off-limits to all but his personal staff and invited guests.
Twenty miles to the north, the city of Extasy pushed back the jungle in a rough circle some thirty-five miles across. Constantly expanding, it was home to a million and a half permanent residents -- immigrants and descendants of immigrants -- lured to Licti's world by the promise of wealth, pleasure, and almost nonexistent government control. The native inhabitants of the world were not allowed within the city.
Extasy was a free and open market where only the shrewdest survived, and only those crafty enough to gain Licti's favor prospered. The Municipal Code of Conduct was the epitome of simplicity: Cause no harm to the person or property of any other. Violation of the code brought swift punishment in the form of retribution, or execution -- Sanctuary had no prisons.
Licti was a criminal, a swindler, a harborer of Raiders, a murderer, a dealer in sex and slavery and every vile thing imaginable to the mind of Human and alien alike -- but first and foremost he was a businessman. In spite of its known but un-provable connections to piracy and other criminal activities, Sanctuary was a legitimate thriving trade center, and a favorite stopover for the more adventurous starship crews operating among the rim worlds of galactic sector six. Trade and tourism were the lifeblood of the world. Though local citizens were known to occasionally disappear when it suited Licti's purposes, offworlders were not to be molested; in theory, it was as safe for a casual visitor as any world in the galaxy.
*********
They dropped out of hyperspace some three hundred thousand miles out, and the shutters of the forward port slid back to reveal a breathtaking view of unique beauty. Shrouded in clouds, Sanctuary shone brightly with a soft blue-green light. Five of her seven moons were visible, each illuminated in its own striking color, from the orange giant Trung, which never strayed from its position above the continent, to tiny Latov, hurrying about the world in near orbit, glowing a deep vivid purple that reflected back from the cloud cover in a ghostly halo. Here and there, occasional flashes of lightning beneath the watery canopy created small explosions of brilliant blood-red.
The \Klondike's\ beacon transmitted the standard code of an interstellar transport of Federation registry -- not the military ID assigned by their field commission in the Federation High Guard. It had proven impossible to convince the ship's computer that the civilian code was proper; the military ID carried the authority of the Federation, and was the logical one to use. Jashi had found it necessary to remind it that he was the Supreme Authority, whereupon the device reluctantly agreed to follow instructions, however illogical. Deception was a concept it simply couldn't understand.
Their scanners showed an astonishing number of ships in parking orbit around the planet. The normal communications channels were noisy but usable, and their beacon was quickly answered. The rather poor-quality image of a Human male in military uniform materialized on the screen; it sharpened and steadied as the filter circuits adjusted quickly, compensating for the interference. "Interstellar transport 7951, you are entering the Territorial Space of the Sovereign World of Falturon-Six. Are you requesting asylum?" His voice was cultured, his Federation Basic perfect, with only a slight accent.
"Negative," replied Jashi. "We come to your world as peaceful visitors, neither pursued nor sought by any established authority. I am Captain Jashaua Abram, Ship's Master."
"Welcome to Sanctuary, Captain Abram, I am Lieutenant Cortez." He smiled cordially; Jashi suspected the smile was directed at Karli. "Please allow me to extend the hospitality of our world to you, and to the exquisitely charming creature at your side. He actually bowed, without rising from his chair. "Do you require landing, or will parking orbit be satisfactory?"
(.... !! .... "Talk about the red carpet! ....") Karli was smiling disarmingly at the image on the screen. (.... "A most discerning man. ....") she added impishly.
(.... !! .... "Watch it! I'll leave you here and pick up one of the locals to party with....") Jashi suppressed a grin with considerable difficulty, resisting the impulse to look at her -- to see her reaction. He had instructed the others to remain outside the range of the video sensor to avoid revealing the size of their crew, he \certainly\ didn't want the young Lieutenant below to know he and Karli were telepathic. She didn't move a muscle, her smile never faltered, but it took all the willpower Jashi could muster to keep from flinching from the sudden pain in his ribs.
"Parking orbit will be satisfactory, but we will require transportation to the surface. Landing may become necessary at a later time, if our visit to your world is prosperous." (.... "Might as well bait the hook, Karli... And if you don't stop that, I'm gonna take that damn machine away from you!....") He felt the throbbing in his side and knew it would become a bruise by morning.
(.... "Sorry, Jash....") This was something new, just discovered on the trip out -- another side-effect of frequent sessions with the Teacher. She hadn't meant to really hurt him.
"That can be arranged, Captain, though there will be a slight delay in shuttle service due to the large number of ships visiting Sanctuary at this time... Will seventeen-hundred Federation-Standard be satisfactory?"
Eight hours -- plenty of time to prepare -- with arrival in the city just before sunset. "That will be quite acceptable, thank you." He switched the ship's computer into the comm circuit. "I am prepared to receive orbital instructions via standard databurst transfer. You may begin transmission."
"Transmitting... Data transfer complete. Your autopilot will notify traffic control when orbit is established and adjust your beacon to the appropriate code. Federation currency is accepted by Extasy Central Exchange." There was a pause... This time he stood, and bowed deeply; to Jashi's surprise he spoke in System English -- the common tongue of peoples of Terran extraction. "May you and your lovely companion find your every desire in overflowing abundance."
"Good day sir, and long life," Jashi replied, not switching from Basic. A true Terran would have instinctively responded in his native tongue; Jashi suspected he was being subtly interrogated.
The image faded from the screen and he switched off the comm without rising from the command chair. Karli jumped, squealing in surprise and pain; Jashi doubled up with laughter as she reached back to rub the thin material of the seat of her shorts. The situation was made all the more amusing by the startled expressions on the faces of the others present in the control room.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
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