To Hold Infinity Read online

  “But you don't mind my asking about it?”

  Maggie drained the glass in a few gulps.

  Before Rafael could offer, she reached for the bottle and poured again, sloshing a little onto the tabletop. Her hand wobbled a little as she brought the full glass to her lips.

  “Ask anything you like.” Rafael was surprised she had not spilled anything down her clothes.

  “Shall I start?”

  “Ah—” Rafael cleared his throat. “Go ahead.”

  Maggie touched her lapel, removed a small silver brooch in the shape of an owl, and placed it on the table. The eyes glowed blue as they focussed on Rafael, an indication—and legal requirement on Fulgor—that the device was recording.

  “What were your first impressions of Tetsuo Sunadomari?”

  “Quite an engaging young man.” Rafael smoothly hid his amusement as Maggie took the opportunity to quaff more wine. “He brought valuable technological know-how with him, and was well placed to start up in business here on Fulgor.”

  “So you don't think Fulgidi tech is superior to Terran?”

  “Not at all.” Rafael fielded the question easily. “I see them as quite complementary. The Skein environment itself, when it's opened to offworlders, will mean many more business opportunities. A win-win scenario, as they say.”

  He paused, and Maggie had to gulp down her wine quickly to ask the next question.

  “Ah, hmm, what would his day-to-day life have been like?”

  There was a slight slur to her words. Rafael assumed that later editing would take care of that.

  “Well, probably fewer hours working than on Earth, and a nicer quality of life. He had a villa in some rather pleasant countryside, wonderful scenery, well within the terraformed areas and perfectly safe to wander around in.”

  “So his business life would have been easier?”

  “Well, now. I would guess he spent less time working, but the time he did spend would have been quite challenging.” Rafael blinked disarmingly. “There's every opportunity to do well, for those who put in the effort.”

  “So it's untrue that offworlders are exploited? We hear reports of Terran designs being used in novel ways, which somehow manage to avoid paying royalties.”

  “I'd like to think that's never happened.” Rafael shook his head. “But that might be wishful thinking. Tetsuo, though, was doing very nicely for himself.”

  Maggie quelled a slight hiccup by drinking a little more.

  “Did he ever deal with LuxPrime?” she asked.

  Suddenly, Rafael's senses swung to full alert.

  “Not to my knowledge.”

  [[[HeaderBegin: Module = Node10013.JK976: Type = TrinaryHyperCode: Axes = 12

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  Interfacing with his house system, Rafael zeroed in on her face.

  Pupil dilation: normal.

  At IR wavelengths, he examined the degree of bloodflow to the skin, the tautness of her musculature.

  Bloodflow: normal.

  He examined her for every sign of normal reaction to a depressant such as ethanol.

  Nothing.

  Clever, clever. For an Earther.

  “Tetsuo primarily dealt with the panoply of corporate entities which maintains the hardware basis for Skein,” he added, deliberately obfuscating with meaningless jargon. “Mu-space tech is used, of course, for the comms-interface gateways to other worlds.”

  “And you dealt with him yourself?”

  “In a sense. I was involved as a fourth level broker in some of his projects.”

  “What does that mean, precisely?”

  It sounded a little like preshishely, as though Maggie were having difficulty forming sibilants. It was quite an admirable performance.

  “The levels of Fulgidi commerce are rather, ah, richly layered, and while there are some long-lived corporations, others exist for only a few fleeting minutes, or less.” Rafael strung out his meaningless reply, while he considered his next action. “It's always wise to have a guide to such a new environment, an honest broker if you will, and some of us offer our services in that fashion.”

  “Did you ever have any dealings with an Adam Farsteen?”

  The same name that Major Reilly had mentioned.

  Rafael did not like this. There was too much going on which he did not understand.

  “I don't recall the name.” While he spoke, he formed a NetAngel in Skein and sent it on its way.

  “Or Sylvester Stargonier?”

  “I know Mr. Stargonier. He and Elizabeth Malone and Tetsuo were engaged in a joint venture.”

  “And this would have nothing to do with LuxPrime?”

  “Oh, no. Nothing at all.”

  The ghost-Rafael returned to him then, and dumped its information. There were three Adam Farsteens on Fulgor: one was a LuxPrime courier.

  Rafael uncrossed his legs. He took a sip of his own wine.

  “Perhaps we could take a break?” He leaned forward earnestly. “I'm a little fatigued.”

  “Just a couple—”

  The blue lights around the owl's eyes died.

  “It's been very enlightening.” Rafael stood up. “This should make quite a human interest story for the folks back home.”

  “That's right.” Maggie stood up as well, dropping all pretence of intoxication.

  “But what about your own story?” Rafael's voice was very soft.

  “How are you coping with a new culture?”

  “Very enlightening, as you said.”

  “And your son? Jason, I believe?”

  Maggie stared at him, suddenly taut.

  “That's right.”

  “This must be quite an adventure for him.”

  He took a step forward, smiling slightly as Maggie flinched.

  “I would very much like to know you better. Perhaps we could—”

  <<<MsgRcv LUCCOM213886; cause = SkeinLink requested.>>>

  “—extend this meeting to dinner: Or, if you like—” He queried the incoming ident. It was [[Luculenta Lavinia Maximilian, ident 6654χ8• {sept5ΘΞ}]]

  <<<MsgRcv LUCCOM213887; cause = SkeinLink established.>>>

  “—I could show you around the city—” he continued in reality, while, in Skein, he smiled a greeting to the young Luculenta before him.

  She was Lavinia—known as Vin—Lori Maximilian's teenage soul-daughter.

  “Hello, Luculentus de la Vega. Lori asked me to send you an invitation.”

  <>

  <>

  <>

  “Why, that's very kind of you,” said Rafael in Skein. In reality, he saw Maggie looking wildly around for the door.

  In Skein: “That's most gracious of Luculenta Maximilian. I would be honoured to accept.”

  In reality: “Maggie, why don't we go right now?”

  “That's great.” Vin's voice was cheerful. “Is Maggie Brown still with you, by the way?”

  Rafael froze.

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  He loaded his vampire code, ready to tear through Skein into Vin's young mind. Remote infiltrati
on was a risk he had never taken before. But if she knew this much—

  <<<MsgRcv VEGASCN229756; cause = preload modules are ready.>>>

  In Skein, he smiled with all his charm.

  “Yes. Maggie's with me. How did you know?”

  “She mentioned it to Xanthia Delaggropos, and to Lori.”

  Damn. Damn it to hell.

  Rafael quivered inside. With the infiltration code loaded, it was all he could do to contain it.

  To Vin, he said, “I believe our interview is concluded. I was just about to send her back to her hotel.”

  “OK, I'll tell Lori. She's around here in person, someplace.”

  But not in Skein, where she would be vulnerable to Rafael.

  “Please thank her for the invitation. I look forward to seeing you there.”

  In Skein, he bowed, then closed the SkeinLink.

  <<<MsgRcv LUCCOM213900; cause = SkeinLink revoked.>>>

  “Well.” In reality, he smiled to Maggie. “Looks like you've made some friends already. I just told Lavinia Maximilian you're heading back to your hotel. Is that OK?”

  Maggie looked at him for a long moment.

  “That's very kind of you.”

  “I'll see you out.”

  Maggie drained her glass of wine, and stood up. She stumbled slightly, then looked him straight in the eyes.

  “Oops. That wine's strong stuff.”

  “Some of us,” said Rafael, “are less affected than others.”

  “A misspent youth.”

  They walked in silence to the main doors. Rafael's automated flyer was waiting for her on the gravelled pad.

  Maggie shook hands, and her grip was strong.

  “Thank you for an informative interview.”

  “Not at all.” Rafael delivered his most courteous bow. “It was quite educational.”

  Later, he constructed another NetAngel, to scout for more information about this Adam Farsteen.

  Almost immediately, the wraith returned in Skein, empty-handed. As a LuxPrime courier, Farsteen's personal info was held in embedded objects wrapped around in level-alpha security.

  Rafael's vampire modules included protocol infiltrators stolen, at second- or third-hand, from LuxPrime labs; but he had nothing which could penetrate that level of protection. Not without revealing himself.

  Cursing, he waved away the NetAngel.

  The ghost-Rafael dissolved in Skein, like a mist torn apart by the wind.

  “Hurry,” said Yoshiko.

  Xanthia landed the flyer on a gleaming parking-pad.

  They alighted, and rushed towards the white arches of the Bright Lights hotel.

  Inside, Yoshiko looked around in vain for a reception desk or human staff.

  “Don't worry.” Xanthia laid a hand on Yoshiko's shoulder. “I've polled the hotel system. She hasn't checked out.”

  “Perhaps we—There she is.”

  Maggie, grim-faced, strode into the lounge, towing a bewildered-looking Jason.

  “That bastard, Rafael.” An angry light glowed in her eyes. “He made some not-so-subtle references to Jason. I went straight to the crèche, and took him out.”

  Yoshiko and Xanthia exchanged glances.

  Neither of them, Yoshiko realized, wanted to alarm Jason. Maggie might be overreacting. But they needed to be sure Jason was safe.

  Xanthia crouched down, to the boy's height.

  “Hello, Jason. My name's Xanthia.”

  “Hello,” said Jason shyly.

  “Would you like to come and visit my house? There are big gardens to play in, and lots of toys.”

  “Mm.” He shifted his feet.

  “There's a river, and a lake. And boats.”

  “Real boats?”

  “Oh, yes. You can sail them as much as you like. Would you like to see them?”

  “OK.”

  Xanthia looked up at Maggie.

  “I've fully trained staff and energy shields. It's as secure as you can possibly get.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I'm sorry.” Yoshiko felt miserable. “I didn't realize the trouble I was causing.”

  “Not of your making,” said Maggie. “Absolutely not your fault. Look, will you two look after Jason for a moment?”

  “Delighted,” said Xanthia.

  Maggie looked around urgently.

  “Is everything all right?” asked Yoshiko.

  “Gotta pee,” said Maggie, while Jason rolled his eyes upward in disgust. “Damned implant prevents me from getting drunk, but doesn't stop the side effects.”

  She hurried away.

  Yoshiko felt a tug at her sleeve.

  “Yo!” said a squeaky voice. “How's it goin’?”

  Jason was holding out both hands, grinning, while the toy monkey turned somersaults on his palms.

  “He doesn't need to go pee-pee,” Jason said solemnly.

  “That's good, dear,” said Yoshiko, while Xanthia smothered her laughter.

  Jason cradled the toy in his hand, then returned it to the inside pocket of his bright red jumpsuit. It had bright yellow cuffs with blue fastenings, and it was partly open down the front to reveal a near-fluorescent lime-green undershirt. They weren't about to lose him.

  When Maggie returned, Xanthia asked, “Is there anything you absolutely need to get from your room?”

  “Nothing urgent, but—”

  “I can get your things sent on later.”

  Maggie took a breath. “Nothing, then.”

  Xanthia nodded, and Yoshiko found Jason's hand in hers as they swept together out of the lobby and hurried over to Xanthia's long, elegant silver flyer.

  Outside, a group of protestors was gathering. This close to the conference centre, they obviously felt that there were delegates here who might be influenced.

  KEEP OFFWORLDERS OFFWORLD!

  Yoshiko tightened her grip on Jason as they pushed through the crowd's edge, and circled round to Xanthia's flyer.

  “Welcome to Fulgor,” said Maggie grimly, as they climbed aboard.

  The ground, and the gathering protestors, dropped away beneath them.

  The flyer banked right, and straightened up. Acceleration pressed them back into their seats as they left the conference centre far behind.

  Tetsuo placed the two empty containers on the tiled floor and adjusted his resp-mask.

  Down below, in the cavern's pool, small rock-bound organisms waved frantic tendrils as Dhana splashed her way out of the water.

  “I'll come with you,” she called up.

  Tetsuo nodded.

  She climbed up easily, though she was carrying her long metal pole. This time, she had been using it to re-site the life-forms in the pool.

  They walked into a long, low room, where open-topped tanks held semiaquatic specimens. The dark secretions, foundation of the humans’ food supply, were drained off through narrow pipes.

  As they filled the containers, Tetsuo asked, “Can you tell me about the Agrazzi?”

  “What about them? They're exploitationist. They want to rape the ecology so much, they might as well go live with the terraformers in the cities.”

  “Oh.” Tetsuo sealed the first container. “I'm glad I asked.”

  “Then you have the Evanalari, who disturb Fulgor so little, they're lucky to survive at all.”

  “OK.” The second seal didn't fit properly, but he forced it on.

  “But most septs are moderate. Like us.”

  “Of course.” He hefted the containers. “After you.”

  He followed her outside.

  She stopped for a moment, on the research centre's balcony, shielding her eyes from the sun.

  “Look down there.” When she spoke, the membrane across her mouth glistened in the bright light.

  Tetsuo squinted. Down in the gully, where the glowing peach-gold rockface gave way to shadows, a group of thick, flat shapes was moving across the ground.

  “They've no limbs,” he said. “How do they move?”

  “You've
heard of caterpillar tracks, on ancient vehicles? A continuous rotating surface?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Laminar flow is a basic microstructure here. Just as much of Terran movement, from muscle cell contraction to sperm motion, evolved from flagellae.”

  Tetsuo, not sure if she was making some point, kept silent.

  “Each organism,” Dhana went on, “moves by flowing layers in its body. But those things down there aren't individuals. Watch this.”

  She vaulted over the balcony's wall and dropped lightly to the rocks below.

  “Careful,” muttered Tetsuo.

  Dhana crouched down in front of one of the creatures, then rapped its back sharply with her pole.

  It exploded.

  Hundreds of fragments flew apart. Dhana picked one of them up, and climbed back up to Tetsuo.

  “For God's sake,” he said. “You didn't have to do that.”

  “I haven't done anything. Look.”

  She held out her hand. A small round shape was moving, flowing across her palm.

  Dhana tossed the small organism back into the gully. It landed with a plop among its fellows, all of whom were heading in the same direction.

  “What now?”

  “Patience, Tetsuo. Just watch.”

  As they travelled, the small shapes came together. First, they formed a kind of travelling mat, as they all joined up.

  Then, as more stragglers joined the main group, they climbed on top of the others, forming a second, contra-rotating, layer.

  A third, and a fourth layer were formed, before the group organism was whole again. Then, following the rest of the herd, it turned around and came to rest in the deepest shade.

  “Wow.” Tetsuo knew he was smiling idiotically. “That's terrific.”

  “Isn't it?”

  “Thank you very much. That was quite something.”

  Dhana shyly looked away.

  “You're welcome.”

  Tetsuo cleared his throat.

  “I'd better get these containers back to the cabin.”

  “Suppose so,” said Dhana. “I'll get back to work.”

  “See you later.”

  He must be getting fitter. This time, as he carried the containers down the broken path to the cabin, they hardly weighed a thing.