Ringworld's Children r-4 Page 6

  "Get me a view," Tunesmith ordered.

  Ten light-minutes is further than the distance between Earth and Sol. The virtual window popped up, and zoomed, and wiggled a loose-packed comet out of the starscape, and zoomed…

  A lens of steel and glass was the Kzinti command ship Diplomat emerging from its cometary nest.

  That larger sphere just popping into view was Long Shot, close and closing.

  Tunesmith barely glanced at the view. "Theyll be a few minutes matching. We have time. Hindmost, show us what we recorded in this last hyperdrive jump."

  The hypercameras record was blank. Louis snickered.

  Tunesmith reproved him. "Louis, theres nothing to see. Were outside the envelope of dark matter that collects around our star. Where there almost isnt any dark matter, there almost isnt space either! This is why we can travel faster than light does in vacuum, because distance in this domain is drastically contracted.

  "Now I need only learn why there is more than one characteristic velocity. Ill get that by studying Long Shot. Hindmost, take us in range of Diplomat."

  "Two fighting ships guard the near side of the comet."

  "I see them. Use hyperdrive. Well beat our own light."

  The Blind Spot flashed for only an instant.

  Their target was still too far away to see, but the virtual window nailed it: a loose dark fluffy comet, icy puffball satellites drifting around it, and four ships, two linked. Tunesmiths knotty hands danced. Needle surged: the cabin gravity motors were whining again. The larger ships, Diplomat and Long Shot locked together at the airlocks, were coming up fast. Slowing. Slowing.

  "Im taking the controls," Tunesmith said.

  Diplomat fired lasers: crew quarters went black.

  The virtual window was looking at something other than light. A flock of dim points was coming at them. Needle didnt have rocket motors; Tunesmith was using only the sluggish thrusters. Now the virtual window disappeared, and the hull was slapped sideways, then backward.

  Louis just had time to realize that they were mated. Then Needles cabin gravity surged uneasily while the generators whined. Three ships, locked together, tried to turn round their common center of mass.

  Diplomat ripped loose, tumbling, dwindling.

  Hot Needle of Inquiry was using full thrust to push Long Shot. Needles overbuilt thrusters against Long Shots sizeable mass would give, what, around ten gravities? And Long Shot hadnt had cabin gravity when Louis flew it. In all that packed space there hadnt been room for extra machinery, or so he had assumed. Ten gravities would flatten any Kzinti aboard, knock them out or kill them.

  Diplomat, the Kzinti command ship, fired a cloud of missiles, then disappeared in a black-cored fireball.

  The missiles twinkled. Tunesmith was exercising his marksmanship. The warrior ships didnt fire — for fear of harming Long Shot? Tunesmith exploded the ship that tried to take up escort. The other fell behind.

  A ship carrying antimatter is very vulnerable, Louis thought. Was that reassuring, or just scary?

  Needles, thrust died. Tunesmith was out of his seat shouting, "Lander bay!" He reached a stepping disk and was gone.

  Acolyte followed before Louis could quite get moving. The wall had become a window again, and Long Shot was a planet jammed against Needles, hull, with the cabin right up against Needles, new airlock, the view blocked by bronze "glue". Louis was out of his web, weapon in hand, running for the stepping disk. He saw Tunesmith race through the hangar, dive into the airlock, look, open the second door, leap, with Acolyte right behind. Then Louis flicked into the hangar.

  He was ten feet behind Acolyte, moving at a dead run, leaning forward because he was about to enter free fall, a laser weapon in one hand. Pirate! he thought, elated, expecting no real resistance.

  But light sputtered where Tunesmith disappeared. Acolyte stopped suddenly, then leapt out of sight.

  In free fall now, Louis dug his feet into the wall and jumped behind his extended weapon.

  Generated gravity slammed him to the floor.

  That was confusing, if hed had time to think about it. Long Shot hadnt had gravity generators.

  Long Shots life support system was only the pilots cramped cabin and a cramped sleep-and-rec room above it, now occupied by Tunesmith and three Kzinti. Two Kzinti were sprawled in pools of orange blood, chopped and seared and dead. A third was fluffed out like a yellow-and-black cloud with teeth. Louis held his aim on that one until he was sure it was Acolyte.

  Tunesmiths voice spoke in Louiss helmet. "Time presses. Louis, take your place as pilot. Acolyte, return to Needle. Hindmost, go with him. You have your instructions."

  Louis wriggled past Acolyte and took the pilots chair.

  Acolyte pushed the dead Patriarchy warriors into the recreation space. He sprang toward the airlock. The puppeteer had gone ahead of him.

  Tunesmiths communicator voice followed them. "Hindmost, what does it mean if we found cabin gravity aboard Long Shot?"

  Silence.

  "Hindmost!"

  The puppeteer was reluctant, but he spoke. "It suggests that the Patriarchy has solved some of our secrets. Some of what we packed Long Shot with was data-collecting instruments. Some was mere misdirection. The Patriarchs science team must have learned how much superfluous space is there. Theyve used it to install a cabin gravity generator and who knows what else. What would human or Kzinti warriors do with so fast a ship if they knew there was extra space for thrusters, fighter ships, and weapons? Tunesmith, if you cant imagine that, ask Louis."

  "Louis?"

  "Just be glad this ship is ours again," Louis said. He studied Long Shots control system. A crude second control panel had been set beside the first. All the indicators had been reworked in Kzinti dots-and-commas.

  Gravity rolled uneasily. They were in motion, and Long Shots cabin gravity generator wasnt happy with the unbalanced configuration.

  Tunesmith was behind Louiss shoulder, his jaw against Louiss neck. "Can you fly it?"

  "Yah," Louis said. "I may have to close my eyes—"

  "Do you read the Heroes Tongue?"

  "No."

  "I do. Make room. Join your companions aboard Needle."

  "I can fly Long Shot. I remember the controls."

  "Theyve been changed. Go!"

  "Can you fly this ship?"

  "I must try. Go."

  When Louis entered Needles hangar, Acolyte was already gone.

  Louis took a moment to contain his fury. Typical of a protector, to bet his own life and everybody elses on his own not-yet-formed abilities, on nebulous theories, on risks Louis wouldnt have taken even in his teens and twenties. But that wasnt enough. Hed bet Louis Wus life because he might need him… and now he didnt. What the futz, just another gamble that hadnt paid off.

  Inhale through the nose, hold it, flatten that abdomen, exhale… it felt remarkably good to be back in his teens and twenties. Lovely if he could live through it.

  Needle lurched and separated from Long Shot.

  Louis found the hidden stepping disk and flicked to crew quarters. Acolyte was there. The Hindmost was on the flight deck, his back to them. He said, "We must make our way separately. Louis, Acolyte, strap down."

  Acolyte said, "I was to be copilot."

  "Plans change," the Hindmost said without turning around.

  Louis didnt even wonder how the Hindmost had gained control of the bronze "glue" that linked the hulls. Tunesmith didnt hesitate either. From Long Shot he said, "As you will, Hindmost. Your enemies in this part of space include every ARM and Patriarchy ship and very likely all strangers. Ive sheathed Needles hull in scrith, giving two layers of defense, but antimatter is still a danger. Make your way to the Map of Mars as best you can."

  The Hindmost didnt answer. Hot Needle of Inquiry turned toward interstellar space.

  CHAPTER 7

  End Run

  Acolyte asked, "Louis, are we pointed the wrong way?"

  Four fusion rocket motors glowed blue
on Long Shot, grown tiny now. The great ship didnt have much acceleration, and that was all fusion flame, conspicuous against a sky full of enemies.

  Would the ARM, would the Patriarchy, try to destroy Long Shot? Not while there was a ghost of a hope of capturing it. The Quantum II hyperdrive was just too valuable, Louis thought. Unless another faction looked ready to make a capture. Then what?

  How could the protector expect to hide the great ship? A mile in diameter… but that was tiny against the scale of deep space.

  But none of Tunesmiths problems had any relevance to what the Hindmost was doing: turning toward interstellar space, toward his home.

  Louis hadnt answered at once. Acolyte said, "My father often assumes that I know things I dont. He learned them too early. They must seem obvious. Spherical geometry, centrifugal force, seasons, the way light falls across a Ball World—"

  "Hes trying to escape," Louis said.

  "Escape?"

  The Hindmost was certainly able to listen, and Tunesmith might hear this too, but what did Louis have to hide? "The Hindmost has an intact spacecraft now," he said. "He sees the Ringworld as fragile. It makes him feel trapped. Now hes out. Hell run for the Fleet of Worlds… the Ball Worlds where the puppeteers live."

  "Then I am kidnapped! Hindmost!"

  The puppeteer didnt answer.

  "Im kidnapped too. Relax," Louis said. "We have time. This ship couldnt reach human space in less than two years. Even the Fleet of Worlds is months away. Weve got time to think."

  "Louis, what will you do when you finish teaching me patience?"

  Louis smiled. "Mount you as a statue in your fathers palace." It was their private joke.

  So, the Fleet of Worlds might be the Hindmosts target. Then again, Fleet of Worlds politics had ousted him from the supreme position… years ago, but puppeteers thought in much greater time spans. The Hindmost might not be welcome among his own kind.

  One could hope.

  As for Louis Wu, the United Nations wanted him for holding proprietary knowledge… for the crime of knowing too much. The UN held great power among the worlds of human space. Still, they didnt rule everywhere. Their rule only included the Earth and Moon — and all targets which might threaten that domain.

  The Hindmost had found Louis Wu on Canyon and snatched him away, some fifteen years ago. The local government or the ARM would have claimed his possessions there. His homes on Earth were forfeit. So. Where? There had to be a place of safety.

  He hadnt really seen this day coming.

  Louis said, "Ill have to be persuasive. Maybe I can get the Hindmost to drop us somewhere in human space. Then Ill find a way to get you home. Ill show you some of human space first. Could be fun."

  "Why human space? Take us to the Patriarchy! Let me guide you."

  Louis had been an interspecies hero, briefly, when they brought back Long Shot. He said, "Ive been in the Patriarchs palace and hunting park. Have you?"

  "Guide me then. Show me where my father grew up."

  "Im afraid to go there. I could show you recordings I made, if I could get to Earth or Canyon… but even thats too risky." Even in a daydream, the ARM would have claimed his possessions. "But I could read up on the Fringe War before we come back here. Tunesmith doesnt know enough. Maybe nobody does. Itll be like the War of the Roses, or the Vietnam War, or Avenge Mecca: it could last forever. Nobody knows how to turn off a war."

  "Stet, take me to human space. Will they grant me my place, my rights?"

  Louis laughed. "No. Stick to Interspeak, the way Chmeee and I taught it to you. Well claim youre from Sheathclaws or Fafnir, grown up in a Kzin-and-human community. Theyd expect you to be a little strange. Tanj, why havent we moved? Hindmost!"

  Long Shot was lost in starscape and sunglare, and Needle wasnt doing anything at all.

  Louis shouted, "Do something, Hindmost!"

  The puppeteer squawked. Then, tonelessly, "Louis. Acolyte. The carrion eater has disabled my hyperdrive motor."

  Louis had nothing to say.

  The puppeteer said, "I could have circled in hyperspace to hide my point of return into Ringworld system! Now every telescope in the system will be watching while I try to reach safety. Well be under fire for… two days as a most optimistic estimate. Tunesmith has much to answer for."

  "You would have run," Louis said.

  The puppeteer snorted an orchestral dischord. Needle swung about.

  Clouds of missiles and a score of ships began drifting in from the comets an hour after the Hindmost started his run. They watched it all coming while Needle accelerated toward the sun.

  The Hindmost remained on the flight deck. Acolyte and Louis were sealed in their own quarters. They talked of this, voices low, as if they couldnt be heard that way.

  Louis watched the Fringe War coming.

  The faster missiles werent a danger. Nothing with high thrust would carry antimatter. You couldnt risk antimatter jarring against its containment. Some ships, particularly those elongated ARM ships, might carry antimatter bullets and a linear motor to fire them, but those ships would be slow, too slow to catch Needle.

  Tracking Long Shot gave the invaders no problem at all. The mile-wide sphere was conspicuous and undefended.

  On the second day missiles began to arrive. Most of them gathered in a cloud around Long Shot.

  Tunesmith had added a laser turret to Needle. The Hindmost shot down the few scores of missiles that sought Needle out. The sun grew large. Louis wondered if more ships waited in the inner system.

  "Shouldnt we be making turnaround, Hindmost?"

  "Thats just what theyll be expecting," the puppeteer said.

  Louis wondered what the puppeteer intended. Then, looking ahead, he knew.

  How dangerous could it be? Puppeteers are cowards, right? Louis Wu couldnt show fear before a Kzin. Better if he could persuade himself that he was having fun. Its a ride!

  But the Hindmost was more afraid of his pursuers than of what he was doing.

  Louis took a moment to consider his words. Then, "Hindmost, everything new about Needle, even the hyperdrive, has been built or rebuilt by Tunesmith and never tested afterward. Do you still trust it all? Even the stasis field?"

  "I must," the Hindmost said. "Out here Im prey. Any creature with a telescope might have seen our attack on Long Shot. Are we a mere diversion? Will Tunesmith throw our lives away for misdirection? Louis, he is your kind more than mine!"

  Being asked for his opinion of Tunesmith, Louis gave it. "Dont trust him. Take your best shot. Assume he reacts very fast."

  "Even if we can reach the Ringworld, Im still his prisoner," the Hindmost said. "But I will not accept that. I will not. I tire of being put at risk for purposes I dont understand."

  "Tell me about it."

  Hot Needle of Inquiry had picked up considerable velocity and was still accelerating as it passed the rim wall. As it did, ships lifted from the Ringworlds black underside. Then Needle was inside the Ringworlds arc in a glare of sunlight and a halo of thousands of tiny probes.

  Louis heard a howl to melt bones and a rhythmic thudding sound, but he didnt walk around the kitchen wall to see. It was just Acolyte attacking a wall, getting some exercise.

  The ship was jigging and jogging across the sky, but only the jittery starscape showed that. Needle had tremendous acceleration, but its cabin gravity was up to the challenge. Then again, so were the probes. Nothing was attacking Needle, but every species wanted to look.

  What would they see? A #3 General Products hull, puppeteer made, and a puppeteer in the command section. Needle should be safe. Most LEs wanted to avoid frightening a puppeteer.

  The black spot that hid the sun was growing larger.

  It was going to be a hell of a ride.

  A sudden glare blinked white-black. Acolyte asked, sarcastically, "Missiles dont carry antimatter?"

  "Maybe its a ship hit by an antimatter bullet. The light looked right. Im guessing, of course. Hindmost, keep dodging."


  The puppeteers voice sang, "As opposed to what? Distract yourself. What if they kill Tunesmith? Will you choose another protector? Or choose none?"

  "Hows he doing?"

  The Hindmost popped up a virtual window.

  Shoals of missiles and ships were converging in a shell around the mile-wide crystal sphere. Lasers and bombs sparkled among them. Against all sense, a ship had fired on Long Shot, and now others were firing too. The sphere turned, bright-dark-bright in laser light, its four archaic rocket motors flaring.

  Then Long Shot was gone.

  "Dodged into hyperspace," Louis said. "Crazy bastard. Hell lose them if he didnt get himself eaten."

  "What will you do if Tunesmith is dead?" the Hindmost persisted.

  "Theres too much tree-of-life around. I have to do something," Louis said. "Otherwise the protectors on the rim wall will take over everything. Thats no good. Theyre evolved too far out of the mainstream of hominid development, and they dont know enough. Hindmost, a Ghoul is still the best choice. They live a jackal lifestyle. Whatever lives is theirs eventually. They do best for their own kind by making life better and safer for everyone. Aside from that, their heliograph system is wonderful. We need it."

  The Hindmost said, "Tunesmith is arrogant and manipulative."

  The black blotch covering the sun expanded and swallowed them.

  — discontinuity -

  CHAPTER 8

  Try an Antimatter Bomb

  For two days Gray Nurse had been accelerating, then merely falling toward the sun and the Ringworld. The carrier would whip past the rim wall in a few hours. In that moment there would be an option. A linear motor ran the length of Gray Nurses hull. Fighter-lurker ships could be backfired into range of the Ringworld itself.

  The crews waited.

  Whatever had gone on in that Kzinti-held patch of comets and vacuum, it took place far above Gray Nurse, half-hidden in a fog of ice crystals. Fighter crews could speculate, of course. Explorer probes were on their way to do forensic work. Meanwhile the attackers were in view and running.

  "The little one is a GP hull," Tec-Two Claus Raschid said. "Might be anyone."