Part 27 (1/2)

”Hey, I I like Blissto,” Darnell protested, ”and I don't get into that cycle.” like Blissto,” Darnell protested, ”and I don't get into that cycle.”

”Good,” Alpha told him. ”You're not an addictive personality. Some people aren't that lucky. You've seen Blissed-Out cases? Big enough doses, over a long enough period of time, until their nervous systems look like shredded wheat? My My version won't do that. We'll be able to take Blissed-Out cases out of the hospital and send them out to do useful work as long as they stay on their meds. And I'm the one who did all the preliminary design work on this drug. Actually, it was a side-effect of my work on-well, there's no need to discuss all the boring details of my research,” she concluded with a sidelong glance at Polyon. ”What matters is that I've got the formulas and all the lab notes on hedra.” version won't do that. We'll be able to take Blissed-Out cases out of the hospital and send them out to do useful work as long as they stay on their meds. And I'm the one who did all the preliminary design work on this drug. Actually, it was a side-effect of my work on-well, there's no need to discuss all the boring details of my research,” she concluded with a sidelong glance at Polyon. ”What matters is that I've got the formulas and all the lab notes on hedra.”

”But won't Central Meds hold the patent, if you did the work there?”

”When-and if-it's patented,” Alpha agreed.

”And you can't sell it until it's pa.s.sed the trials and been patented-so it's no good to you!”

Alpha's eyes met Polyon's over Darnell's head. ”Quite true,” she agreed gravely, ”but I think I may find a way to profit from the situation anyway.”

”What about you, Fa.s.sa?” Polyon asked. The girl had been very quiet since her jab about the slave names of the Nyota system. ”You going to take this boondocks construction company Daddy handed you lying down lying down?” His tone invested the question with a wealth of obscene possibilities.

”Double profit on every job,” Fa.s.sa announced calmly. ”I've got a degree in accounting. I can fix the books in ways an auditor will never catch.”

Darnell whistled appreciatively. ”But if you are are caught-” caught-”

Fa.s.sa coiled herself on the other side of Polyon's chair in a series of languorous, sinuous movements that drew all eyes to her. ”I think,” she said dreamily, ”that I can distract any auditors who may may think about checking the books. Or any building inspectors who need to sign off on materials quality.” Her slow, dreamy smile promised a world of secret delights. ”There's a lot of money in construction...if you go about it the right way.” think about checking the books. Or any building inspectors who need to sign off on materials quality.” Her slow, dreamy smile promised a world of secret delights. ”There's a lot of money in construction...if you go about it the right way.”

The four of them made a tight grouping now: Polyon in the control chair, Darnell standing behind him, Fa.s.sa and Alpha seated on either side of him. Four pairs of eyes gazed expectantly at Blaize.

”Well,” he said, swallowed, and started over again. ”Ah-PTA doesn't offer quite as much scope for creativity as the rest of your outfits, does it now?”

”You're with us or against us,” said Polyon. ”Which is it to be, little cousin?”

”Ah-neutrality?”

”Not good enough.” Polyon glanced around at the other three. ”He's heard our plans. If he doesn't join us, he could have some idea of informing...”

Alpha leaned forward, smiling sweetly. Her teeth looked long and very white against her dark skin. ”Oh, you wouldn't do that, would you, Blaize dear?”

”I wouldn't even think about it,” Darnell put in, tapping one pudgy fist against his open palm.

Fa.s.sa licked her lips and smiled like a child antic.i.p.ating a treat. ”This could be interesting, interesting,” she murmured to no one in particular.

Blaize glanced around the circle of faces, then looked towards Nancia's t.i.tanium column. She kept her silence. Nothing had actually happened yet; if these brats attempted violence, she could stop it in seconds with a flood of sleepgas. And Blaize knew that as well as she did. Nancia saw no reason to give up her anonymity just to rea.s.sure him. He'd been brave enough when he was picking on Polyon alone; why, for heaven's sake, couldn't he stand up to the rest of them?

”But then, Blaize never did have the guts to do something as decisive as telling, telling,” Polyon dismissed his cousin with a brief nod. ”We'll let him think it over...all the way to Angalia. It'll be a long couple of weeks, little cousin, with n.o.body to talk to. And a much longer five years on Angalia. Hope you enjoy life among the veggie-heads. I shouldn't think anybody else in the Nyota system will have much to do with you.” He swiveled to face the s.p.a.cED OUT display, and the other three turned with him.

”Oh-don't leap to a.s.sumptions so fast. I'm with you, definitely with,” Blaize babbled. ”There are are possibilities-I just haven't had time to think them over yet. The corycium mine, for instance-it hasn't been properly developed-maybe I could get a part interest in that. And PTA makes regular food drops to Angalia, who's to say how much of the food gets distributed to the natives and how much gets transs.h.i.+pped to some place that can pay for it...” He spread his hands and shrugged jerkily. ”I'll think of something. You'll see. I'll do as well as any of you!” possibilities-I just haven't had time to think them over yet. The corycium mine, for instance-it hasn't been properly developed-maybe I could get a part interest in that. And PTA makes regular food drops to Angalia, who's to say how much of the food gets distributed to the natives and how much gets transs.h.i.+pped to some place that can pay for it...” He spread his hands and shrugged jerkily. ”I'll think of something. You'll see. I'll do as well as any of you!”

Polyon nodded again. His fist closed over the joyball and Thingberry's jeweled web spiraled down to enclose Asteroidland, trapping the others' play icons in a tissue of glittering strands. ”Done, then. Five of us together. Here, we'd better each have a record.” He drew a handful of minihedra from the pocket of his Academy grays and dropped them into the datareader. One by one, Alpha, Fa.s.sa, Darnell and Blaize identified themselves by hand and retina print and spoke aloud the terms and conditions of the wager they'd agreed to. Polyon retrieved the minihedra after the recording was over and handed one faceted black polyhedron to each of them, keeping the last for himself. ”Better store them someplace safe,” he suggested.

Fa.s.sa clipped her minihedron inside a silver wire cage that hung from her charm bracelet among tinkling bells and glittering bits of carved prismawood. She alone seemed in no particular hurry to escape Polyon's influence; while the others jostled to reach the exit door, Fa.s.sa fiddled with her charm bracelet and tried out the s.h.i.+ning black minihedron in various places, as if her only concern was to see where it would show to best advantage.

As Alpha, Darnell and Blaize left the central cabin, Nancia wondered whether Polyon's quick actions and mesmerizing personality had made them forget that he alone, of the five, had not recorded his intentions on the minihedra. Or were they simply afraid to challenge him?

Not that it mattered. She had the entire scene recorded. From several angles.

”You'll see,” Blaize repeated over his shoulder as he left. ”I'll do better than any of you.”

”Small time, little man,” Alpha sneered on her way down the corridor, ”small-time plans for a small person. You'll be the loser, but who cares? Somebody Somebody has to lose.” has to lose.”

”She's wrong, you know,” Polyon commented to Fa.s.sa. ”Four of you have to lose. There'll be only one winner in this game.” And he too left, twiddling his black minihedron between two fingers and humming quietly to himself. of you have to lose. There'll be only one winner in this game.” And he too left, twiddling his black minihedron between two fingers and humming quietly to himself.

Fa.s.sa

The gleaming black surfaces of the minihedron flashed in the central cabin lights as Fa.s.sa turned her arm this way and that, admiring the effect of the stark blackness against the jumble of silver and prismawood trinkets. The hedron was as black as Fa.s.sa's own sleek hair and tip-tilted eyes, an admirable contrast to the whiteness of her creamed and pampered skin. In its hard glossy perfection she saw a miniature of herself...beautiful, impenetrable...

A sh.e.l.l full of dangerous secrets.

Fa.s.sa stared at the mirror-smooth surfaces of the minihedron and saw her face reflected and distorted in half a dozen directions at once, a shattered self looking out, trapped in the black mirrors that distorted her lovely features to a mask of pain and a silent scream.

No! That's not me-that can't be me. She dropped her arm; the jingling silver bells on the bracelet tinkled a single discordant peal. Pus.h.i.+ng off from the strange t.i.tanium column that wasted so much cabin s.p.a.ce, Fa.s.sa floated into a corner between display screens and a storage locker. ”Blank screens,” she ordered the s.h.i.+p. She dropped her arm; the jingling silver bells on the bracelet tinkled a single discordant peal. Pus.h.i.+ng off from the strange t.i.tanium column that wasted so much cabin s.p.a.ce, Fa.s.sa floated into a corner between display screens and a storage locker. ”Blank screens,” she ordered the s.h.i.+p.

The dazzling display of s.p.a.cED OUT graphics faded away, to be replaced by a black emptiness like the surfaces of the minihedron. Fa.s.sa stared into the flat screen, lips parted, until the reflection of her own beauty rea.s.sured her. Yes, she was still as lovely as she'd always believed. The distorted reflections from the minihedron had been an illusion like the dreams that troubled her sleep, dreams in which her lovely face and perfect body peeled away to reveal the shrunken, miserable creature underneath.

Rea.s.sured, she stroked the charm bracelet with two fingers until she touched the sharp faceted surface of the minihedron. I keep my secrets, and you keep yours, little sister. I keep my secrets, and you keep yours, little sister. As long as she had the s.h.i.+eld of her perfect beauty between herself and the world, Fa.s.sa felt safe. n.o.body could see beyond that to the worthless thing inside. Very few tried; they were all too mesmerized by the outer facade. Men were rutting fools, and they deserved no better than to have their own folly turned back on them. If she could use their desire for her to enrich herself, so much the better. G.o.ds knew her beauty had cost her too much in the past! As long as she had the s.h.i.+eld of her perfect beauty between herself and the world, Fa.s.sa felt safe. n.o.body could see beyond that to the worthless thing inside. Very few tried; they were all too mesmerized by the outer facade. Men were rutting fools, and they deserved no better than to have their own folly turned back on them. If she could use their desire for her to enrich herself, so much the better. G.o.ds knew her beauty had cost her too much in the past!

Mama, mama, make him stop, wailed a child's voice from the recesses of her mind. Fa.s.sa laughed sourly at the memory of that folly. How old had she been then? Eight, nine? Young enough to think her mother could stand up to a man like Faul del Parma y Polo, could make him give up anything he really wanted-like his daughter. Mama had closed her eyes and turned her head away. She didn't want to know what Faul was doing to their lovely little girl. wailed a child's voice from the recesses of her mind. Fa.s.sa laughed sourly at the memory of that folly. How old had she been then? Eight, nine? Young enough to think her mother could stand up to a man like Faul del Parma y Polo, could make him give up anything he really wanted-like his daughter. Mama had closed her eyes and turned her head away. She didn't want to know what Faul was doing to their lovely little girl.

Ugly little girl. Dirty little girl, whispered another of the voices.

All the same, it had been Mama who stopped it, in a way. Too late, but still-her spectacular and public suicide had ended Faul's private games with his daughter. Jumping from the forty-second story balcony, Mama had shattered herself on the terraces of the Regis Galactic Hotel in the middle of Faul del Parma's annual company extravaganza, the one all all the gossipbyters attended. And the news and gossip and rumor and innuendo that surrounded the suicide of del Parma's wife had been splashed all over the newsbeams for weeks thereafter. Why should she kill herself? Faul del Parma could give a woman everything. There was no history of mental instability. And everyone knew Faul del Parma never so much as looked at another woman, he only cared for his wife-well, one didn't hear so much about the wife, did one? A homebody type. But he went everywhere with that lovely little daughter at his side, only thirteen but a heartbreaker in the making.... the gossipbyters attended. And the news and gossip and rumor and innuendo that surrounded the suicide of del Parma's wife had been splashed all over the newsbeams for weeks thereafter. Why should she kill herself? Faul del Parma could give a woman everything. There was no history of mental instability. And everyone knew Faul del Parma never so much as looked at another woman, he only cared for his wife-well, one didn't hear so much about the wife, did one? A homebody type. But he went everywhere with that lovely little daughter at his side, only thirteen but a heartbreaker in the making....

It occurred to a dozen gossipbyters at once that the daughter should be interviewed. And that that had stopped it. Faul del Parma had whisked his daughter into a very exclusive, very private boarding school where no gossipbyters could find her and ask inconvenient questions. had stopped it. Faul del Parma had whisked his daughter into a very exclusive, very private boarding school where no gossipbyters could find her and ask inconvenient questions.

Fa.s.sa twisted the minihedron on its clasp. Thank you, Mama. Thank you, Mama. Even now, six years later, the story of the del Parma wife's suicide still made an occasional gossipbyte. Even now, Faul del Parma didn't want to risk having Fa.s.sa anywhere near him. So now that she was graduated from the expensive, exclusive school, he'd found a position for her with the least of his companies, Polo Construction, based on a planet in Vega subs.p.a.ce. And Fa.s.sa had practiced her bargaining skills for the first time. Even now, six years later, the story of the del Parma wife's suicide still made an occasional gossipbyte. Even now, Faul del Parma didn't want to risk having Fa.s.sa anywhere near him. So now that she was graduated from the expensive, exclusive school, he'd found a position for her with the least of his companies, Polo Construction, based on a planet in Vega subs.p.a.ce. And Fa.s.sa had practiced her bargaining skills for the first time.

I'll take it. But not as your subordinate. Make over Polo Construction to me, and I'll go out to Bahati and manage the company and never trouble you again. Call it a graduation present.”

Call it a bribe for going into exile, Fa.s.sa thought, twisting the minihedron back and forth until the sharp angles of the facets bit into her thumb and forefinger. Because when Faul had balked at giving her complete owners.h.i.+p of the company, Fa.s.sa had leaned elegantly on his desk and speculated aloud about her chances of getting a position with one of the major newsbeamers. ”They're all very very interested in me,” she teased her father. interested in me,” she teased her father.

”Interested in picking up sleazy gossip about our family,” Faul snapped. ”They've no interest in you for your own abilities.”

Fa.s.sa smoothed her gleaming black hair back from her face. ”Some of my abilities are very interesting,” she told him. She let her voice drop down into the husky lower register that seemed to produce such an effect on her male teachers. ”And the del Parma y Polo family is always news. I bet some of the major newsbeam companies would just love to serialize a book by me. I could tell them all the secrets I learned from my father....” of my abilities are very interesting,” she told him. She let her voice drop down into the husky lower register that seemed to produce such an effect on her male teachers. ”And the del Parma y Polo family is always news. I bet some of the major newsbeam companies would just love to serialize a book by me. I could tell them all the secrets I learned from my father....”