The heat was just as intense as ever. Seasons didn't vary much on Fedrithus. The air was just as dead. The waves of endless sand stretching to the horizon were the same. The smell of old dust was the same in the barracks. Paltronis stood at her window, breathing the smell of the planet.
It was midafternoon. The medic, Sikura Tamitho, had finally convinced the base commander not to drill the troops in the heat. Too many of them ended up in the infirmary. Instead, Commander Fenniwik declared a mandatory rest period for all of them. Days of drilling in the early morning and late evening had produced nothing like Fenniwik imagined. The base personnel could stand in a straight line now, but marching was beyond them.
Sweat crawled down her neck. Paltronis loosened the collar of her uniform, unfastening it halfway down the front. She had to get off this world and soon.
There was a knock at her door. She turned away from the window.
"Come," she called.
As if summoned by her thoughts, Sikura walked into her room. He looked as cool as ever. He glanced around.
"Cozy," he commented. "Makes me really glad I rate a room next to the infirmary. At least the air conditioning works in there."
"At least it's private here," Paltronis answered. As far as she knew, she was the only person at this end of the floor.
"Privacy can be overrated," Sikura said. He pointed at the vent overhead.
She nodded. She already knew about the bug planted there. She'd found it her first night. It was better to leave it in place. Those listening thought she didn't know about it.
"Speaking of the infirmary," Sikura said, changing the subject, "you're past due for a physical. Commander Fenniwik wants everyone on base checked every two months. You never reported for your first exam."
"I was busy."
"And now you aren't. I've got the next hour free." He was trying to tell her something. He nodded at the vent again.
"Commander's orders, I'd better go." She shoved her window shut and fastened her uniform.
"This way, sergeant," Sikura said.
"I do know my way to the infirmary."
"Just making sure that this time you actually arrive." He smiled politely. It was strained. There were stress lines around his eyes.
He led the way down the hall, towards the stairs. She walked next to him, wondering what message he wanted to give her that he didn't feel safe telling her in her room. Who cared what she said? This was a dead end. She was only trying out of habit.
"A message came for you this morning," he said very quietly once they reached the stairs. "I intercepted it before anyone else could read it."
She frowned. "What message?"
"That's what I hope you can tell me. It was for Lowell, but sent to you. I didn't think you'd want anyone else to make that connection."
"Like I made it clear before, I don't work for him anymore."
"And I'm the Emperor's mother," Sikura answered.
"Is this why you are dragging me to the infirmary?"
"Partly. You are about to be put on report for not submitting to a physical exam. Fenniwik insists on it."
They exited the stairs and crossed the brief stretch of plascrete between the barracks and the main building. The air inside was much cooler. Sikura breathed a sigh of relief.
"I hate the heat," he said.
Paltronis just shrugged. Even if it bothered her, she wouldn't admit it.
"Have you seen the latest vid?" Sikura asked her conversationally as they passed a group of people. "This way, sergeant," he added as he opened the door to the infirmary.
"And why would you care if I have?" she asked him.
"It's my duty to see that you are fit, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Recreation is necessary to a balanced personality," Sikura said primly.
His assistant, an older woman, watched him suspiciously. She was counting out supplies, lining them up on the countertop as she worked.
"I hurt people for recreation," Paltronis said.
"Which is why you need to come in for an evaluation. Right in there," Sikura said, pointing at one of the tiny exam rooms.
Paltronis went into the room. She heard him dismiss his assistant, claiming she was needed in the kitchen to perform cleanliness tests on the equipment.
Sikura waited until the door slid shut behind the assistant before he joined Paltronis. "She's convinced I'm having an affair with you, or at least trying," he confided as he keyed the privacy screen for the exam room.
Paltronis rolled her eyes. She had no patience for politics. She played when she had to, but so far she saw little reason to play here.
Sikura took a clipboard from the wall. "As far as any records will show, this is just a routine exam." He put the clipboard down next to her and flipped switches on the equipment on the wall behind her. "And now the recordings will show enough interference no one will know what really happened here. I've been complaining about that equipment for months."
"And you probably removed the shielding yourself," Paltronis said.
He grinned.
She picked up the clipboard, noticing the top page was not medical. It was a transcript of a message. She read it through quickly. She looked up at Sikura.
"You read it," she said. "How many others saw it?"
"One. I was in the com room when it came through. It was piggybacked on the regular message beacon. Do you want to explain that?"
"No," she said honestly. "Who saw it?"
"Linnea. She's all right. I trust her."
"You trust too easily," she said as she skimmed through the message again. "But you're right about Linnea. Do you think she'll come with us?"
"We're leaving?"
"Yes," she said and found this time she meant it.
"Just what did the note mean?"
"Do you still work for Lowell?"
He didn't answer. He just waited.
"Did you ever hear of Dace?" she asked.
His eyes widened. "The legendary Dace, captain of the Phoenix Rising? The agent that could only possibly exist in a vid? Of course I've heard the stories about her."
"Most of them aren't true."
"That's obvious. What does she have to do with you?"
"The truth is even wilder. She's in trouble again. I'm going to get her out."
"Wait one minute. How do you know the truth about her? She exists, yes, even I saw the news about her engagement to Vance Shiropi, Second Speaker to the Council of Worlds. But she can't possibly be one of Lowell's agents."
"She isn't, not anymore, and never willingly," Paltronis said. "You said you would trust me, Sikura. Trust me on this. She's much more than the stories say. This note was sent to me because they think I'm still with Lowell. They know he's being watched."
"Who knows? What they are you talking about?"
"The crew of the Phoenix Rising. Dace is missing from Tireo. They want to know if Lowell is involved this time."
"Should I check you for delusional behavior?"
"Trust me, Sikura, or I'll leave you here to rot. I'm going, tonight."
He studied her, searching her face intently. "Just tell me one thing," he finally said. "How do you know Dace?"
"I met her on Burundia, when she had most of Targon after her. I was on Xqtl when she shot the Faceless Five of Blackthorne. I was the one who suggested she enlist as an Admiral."
"You know her personally? Pull the other leg, it's got bells on."
"Believe me or not, Sikura, but I'm going tonight."
"How? You don't have access to a ship."
"I'll do whatever I have to."
"I've got contacts in the port. I can get us out but it's going to take a few days."
"Tonight, Sikura. I've been here too long already."
He sighed. "Two days. I'll pull in every favor I've ever been owed."
"How many berths can you get?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Linnea should come, she's seen the message. She may be able to guess the truth."
"I'll ask her, but I don't know if she'll come. She's still convinced she has a future in the Patrol."
"I'm going to talk to the brute squad. We could use some muscle."
"They'll be trouble," Sikura warned.
"Not for me," Paltronis said. Her smile had lots of teeth and promised pain.
"Then I'll see what I can do. What destination? Tireo?"
She shook her head. "They'll be gone long before we get there. I'll have to do some checking in the library. They'll leave a message on Landruss for sure."
"You're serious about this?"
"Completely."
He took the message from her and pushed it into the biohazard waste disposal slot in the wall. The smell of burnt paper drifted out of the slot. "No evidence."
"You'll probably hit the Patrol most wanted list for this."
He shrugged. "Desertion of duty isn't that high on their list."
"Stealing most of the armory will be, though."
He laughed. "This is going to be lots of fun," he said as he turned the faulty equipment back off. "You check out just fine, sergeant."