Peter Hamilton - Neutronium Alchemist - Conflict

Lady Macbeth slipped slowly into place above the docking cradle, her equatorial verniers sparkling briefly as Joshua compensated for drift. Optical-band sensors gave a poor return here; Tunjas ruby glow was insipid even in clear space, and down where Ayacucho lurked among the disk particles it was an abiding roseate gloom. Laser radar guided the starship in until the cradle latches clamped home.

The bays rim lights sprang up to full intensity, highlighting the hull, their reflected beams twisting about at irregular angles as the thermo-dump panels folded back into the fuselage. Then the cradle started to descend.

In the bridge not a word was spoken. It was the mood which had haunted them all the way from Narok, an infection passed down from captain to crew.

Sarha looked over the bridge at Joshua for some sign of . . . humanity, she supposed. He had flown them here, making excellent time as always. And apart from the kind of instructions necessary to keep the ship humming smoothly, he hadnt put ten words together. Hed even taken his meals alone in his cabin.

Beaulieu and Dahybi had told the rest of the crew of the Norfolk possession, and how concerned Joshua had been for Louise. So at least Sarha knew the reason for his blues, even though she found it slightly hard to believe. This was the Joshua with whom shed had an affair for over six months last year. He was so easy about the relationship that when they did finally stop sleeping together shed stayed on as part of the crew without any awkwardness on either side.

Which was why she found it difficult that Joshua could be so affected by what had happened to Louise, by all accounts a fairly simple country girl. He never became that entangled. Commitment wasnt a concept which nested in his skull. Part of the fascination was his easygoing nature. There was never any deceit with Joshua, you knew just where you stood.

Perhaps Louise wasnt so simple after all. Perhaps Im just jealous.

Going to tell us now, Captain? she asked.

Huh? Joshua turned his head in her general direction.

Why were here? Were not chasing Meyer anymore. So who is this Dr Mzu?

Best you dont ask.

A circuit of the bridge showed her how irritated everyone was getting with his attitude. Absolutely, Joshua; I mean, you cant be sure if were trustworthy, can you? Not after all this time.

Joshua stared at her. Fortunately, belaboured intuition finally managed to struggle through his moping thoughts to reveal the crews bottled-up exasperation. Bugger, he winced. Sarha was right, after all theyd been through together these people deserved a better style of captaincy than this. Jesus, Im picking up Iones paranoia. Thank God I didnt have to make any real command decisions. Sorry, I just got hit by Norfolk. I wasnt expecting it.

Nobody expected any of this, Joshua, Sarha said sympathetically.

Yeah, right. Okay, Dr Mzu is a physicist, who once worked for the Garissan navy

They didnt say much while he told them what the flight was about. Which was probably a good thing, he guessed. It was one hell of a deal hed accepted on their behalf. How would I feel if theyd dragged me along without knowing why?

When he finished he could see a mild smile on Ashlys face, but then the old pilot always did claim to chase after excitement. The others took it all reasonably stoically; though Sarha was looking at him with a kind of bemused pique.

Joshua hitched his face up into one of his old come-on grins. Told you, you were better off not knowing.

She hissed at him, then relented. Bloody hell, wasnt there anybody else the Lord of Ruin could use?

Who would you trust?

Sarha tried to come up with an answer, and failed hopelessly.

If anyone wants to bail out, let me know, Joshua said. This wasnt exactly covered in my job description when you signed on.

Neither was Lalonde, Melvyn said dryly.

Beaulieu? Joshua asked.

I have always served my captain to the best of my ability, the shiny cosmonik said. I see no reason to stop now.

Thanks. All of you. Okay, lets get Lady Mac powered down. Then well have a quick scout around for the doctor.

The Dorados Customs and Immigration Service took seventy-five minutes to process the Lady Mac s crew. Given the quarantine, Joshua had been expecting some hassle, but these officers seemed intent on analysing every molecule in the starship. Their documentation was reviewed four separate times. Joshua wound up paying a five-thousand-fuseodollar administration fee to the chief inspector before they were confirmed to be non-possessed, had the appropriate Tranquillity government authorization to be flying, and declared suitable citizens to enter Ayacucho.

The lawyers were waiting for him at the end of the docking bay airlock tube. Three of them, two men and a woman, their unfussy blue suits cloned from some conservative chain-store design program.

Captain Calvert? the woman asked. She gave him a narrow frown, as if uncertain he could be the person she wanted.

Joshua rotated slightly so his silver star on his epaulette was prominent. You got me.

You are the captain of the Lady Macbeth ? Again the uncertainty.

Yep.

I am Mrs Nateghi from Tayari, Usoro and Wang, we represent the Zaman Service and Equipment Company which operates here in the spaceport.

Sorry, guys, I dont need a maintenance contract. We just got refitted.

She held out a flek with a gold scale of justice symbol embossed on one side. Marcus Calvert, this is a summons for fees owing to our client since August 2586. You are required to appear before the Ayacucho civil claims court at a date to be set in order to resolve this debt.

The flek was pressed into Joshuas palm. Whaa he managed to grunt.

Sarha started giggling, which drew a cool glare from Mrs Nateghi. We have also filed a court impounding order on the Lady Macbeth , she said frostily. Please do not try and leave as you did last time.

Joshua kissed the flek flamboyantly and beamed at the woman. Im Joshua Calvert. I think you should be talking to my father. Hes Marcus Calvert.

If the statement threw her, there was no visible sign. Are you the Lady Macbeth s current owner?

Sure.

Then you remain liable for the debt. I will have the summons revised to reflect this. The impounding order remains unaffected.

Joshua kept his smile in place. He datavised the flight computer for a review of all 2586 log entries. There werent any. Jesus, Dad, thanks a bunch, he muttered under his breath. No wayabsolutely notwould he show the three vultures how fazed he was. Look, this is obviously an oversight, a computer glitch, something on those lines. I have no intention of contesting the debt. And I shall be very happy to pay off any money owing on Lady Mac s account. Im sure nobody wants this regrettable misunderstanding to come to court. He jabbed a toe at Sarha whose giggles had turned to outright laughter.

Mrs Nateghi gave a brisk nod. It is within my brief to accept payment in full.

Fine. Joshua took his Jovian Bank credit disk out of his ship-suits top pocket.

The cost in 2586 to the Zaman Company for services rendered comes to seventy-two thousand fuseodollars. I have an invoice.

Im sure you do. Joshua held out the credit disk, anxious to be finished.

The lawyer consulted her processor block, a show of formality. The interest accrued on your debt over twenty-five years comes to two hundred and eighty-nine thousand fuseodollars, as approved by the court.

Sarhas laughter ended in a choke. Joshua had to use a neural nanonics nerve impulse override to stop himself from snarling at the lawyer. He was sure she was doing the same to stop her equally blank face from sneering. Bitch! Of course, he said faintly.