"No more than twice a watch."
They were an odd contrast, she a dark-skinned, lissome Sephardic Jew with a faint Israeli accent, he a sandy-haired WASP of medium build and a barely discernible New England accent. Ex-Mossad and ex-CIA, they'd married after the Biofab War, then shipped out aboard Implacable into Quadrant Blue Nine, battling corsairs, mindslavers, AIs, and helping take Devastator from her AI crew. Now they were on board for the final confrontation.
"You really think we'll get out of this alive?" said Zahava, turning to him.
"Talk like that you won't," said a new voice, echoing in through the dome. The two
Terrans turned, hands dropping to their holsters.
"Bill!" they both said, then hurried to greet Sutherland. The CIA director returned Zahava's kiss, then shook John's hand.
"¦What are you doing aboard this monstrosity?" asked John.
Sutherland shrugged. "S'Rel wanted me up here to gauge their sincerity, or something. A symbol of goodwill, I suppose. This war is long past any Terran government's influence." He glanced up at the board with its image of the planet. "Mostly, though, I came to say good-bye to two homesick friends and to wish you Godspeed."
"How's McShane?" asked John.
"The old codger's well," said Sutherland. "I got a postcard from him last month. Bought a big sailing ketch, hired a crew and took the kids and grandkids off to the South Pacific." Bob McShane, a retired professor, had been with John, Zahava and Sutherland since Implacable first reached Terra, playing a decisive role in both the Biofab War and the battle for Terra Two.
"So tell me, how did you acquire this homey ship?" asked Sutherland, leaning against one of the consoles.
"Ask Zahava," said John. "She took it. I just wandered around lost, playing tag with those flying blades the AIs use for security."
Sutherland looked at Zahava.
"We stormed it," said the Israeli. "One assault team infiltrated, took out the shield power, my group came in and stormed the Tower, pulling out the AI gun crews, then D'Trelna brought Implacable in and it was all over."
Sutherland snapped his fingers. "Just like that?" he said with a grin.
"Not really," said a new voice.
This time the long-barreled blasters came out of their holsters as Guan-Sharick appeared, standing on the other side of the nearest consoles. The blonde ignored the blasters, looking instead at Sutherland. "They came under fierce blaster fire and nerve gas attack. Zahava's assault force sustained over seventy percent casualties, John and L'Wrona's over ninety-percent. R'Gal was badly wounded. And still they were lucky."
"Long time," said Sutherland softly. "I'd hoped you were dead."
"I'm on the side of the angels now," said the blonde, walking around the console, "or haven't you heard?"
"And I'm a Trotskyite," said the CIA director.
"What I did on Terra," said the transmute, green eyes looking into Sutherland's a meter away, "was necessary. What I did to galactic humanity by instigating the Biofab War was necessary-a vital conditioning exercise." She shook her head, throwing the long golden strands back over the shoulder of her white jumpsuit.
"You wiped out much of galactic humanity," said John. "A lot of people want a piece of you."
The blonde looked at him, a beautiful young face with old, old eyes. "Nothing can be done to me that hasn't already been done, Harrison. Believe me." Her gaze shifted to a blank screen, seeing something the other three couldn't. "To be honest, I don't expect to survive this mad expedition. Death would be a welcome release."
Guan-Sharick looked back at the three Terrans. "S'Yatan, the captain of the Victory Day, is an AI," she said briskly. "He's making off with the portal device and will reach jump point before we can overtake him. I can, however, transport two of you and myself to his inhospitable bridge and do battle with the slime. Like that," added the transmute, snapping her fingers.
Sutherland was suddenly alone in the observatory. He stood perfectly still for a moment, then shook his head, lips pursed, and left the room.
On the screen, the image of Terra was just another dim point of light.