F. M. Busby - Long View 5 - The Long View

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Berkley Books by F. M. Busby

THE RISSA KERGUELEN SAGA

\cYOUNG RISSA

RISSA AND TREGARE

THE LONG VIEW

\cTHE THIRD BOOK IN THE 3-PART SAGA OF RISSA KERGUELEN

F.M. BUSBY

BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK

\cYoung Rissa, Rissa and Tregare, and The Long View were originally

published in two volumes as Rissa Kerguelen and The Long View.

They were also published in one volume as Rissa Kerguelen.

THE LONG VIEW

\cA Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author

\cPRINTING HISTORY

\cBerkley Medallion edition / June 1977 Berkley edition / July 1984

Shaw.

This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part,

by mimeograph or any other means, without permission.

For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

\cISBN: 0-425-07118-9

\cA BERKLEY BOOK\a174 TM 757,375

The name "BERKLEY" and the stylized "B" with design are trademarks belonging to Berkley Publishing

Corporation.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Again, for Michele

PRELUDE

SINCE early in the 21st century, the United Energy and Transport conglomerate has owned North

America; gradually it has increased its sway over more of Earth. When Rissa Kerguelen is five, she

and her older brother Ivan Marchant are railroaded into one of UET's Total Welfare Centers, which

are little more than slave barracks. Eleven years later, due to backlash of a Welfare supervisor's

illegal use of clients' credits to buy tickets in the state-controlled lottery, Rissa is

unexpectedly freed, buying her way out of Welfare with part of the lottery proceeds. She

undertakes survival training at the Establishment of Erika Hulzein in Argentina; then, disguised,

she leaves Earth. UET gained star travel by murdering the Shrakken, interstellar aliens who had

come to Earth, and copying their ship. So now UET has star colonies.

But not all human colonies are UET's; some ships have Escaped, and founded settlements on what

are called the Hidden Worlds. On the minor UET world Far Corner, Rissa takes passage on such a

ship-Inconnu, the only armed ship ever to Escape, captained by Bran Tregare, pirate and raider.

Rissa's

\cIX

\cearly acquaintance with this harsh man brings the two of them to mutual respect and a wary

liking.

On the planet Number One, a Hidden World loosely governed on an oligarchal basis, Rissa finds

one of the oligarchs to be Liesel Huizein, estranged sister of Erika, who with her husband Hawkman

Moray and their daughter Sparline control Huizein Lodge. Rissa is surprised to learn that Tregare

is Sparline's brother, but will have nothing to do with his family because they left him, when

forced to depart from Earth, in "the Slaughterhouse," UET's brutal Space Academy. Rissa helps to

heal that breach, and when she finds herself coerced by local custom into a duel with the

spaceport's Provost, Stagon dal Nardo, Tregare is at hand, disguised in mask and hood. With she

and dal Nardo fighting nude and weaponless by her own choice, Rissa suffers injuries from the man

who is twice her weight, but kills him-and then is told that for political reasons she should

marry the hooded man. Dazed, she agrees; later she accepts the marriage, and finds Tregare's goals

worthy of her wholehearted support.

For the "pirate's" aim is nothing less than to "pull UET out by the roots like a rotten tooth."

He is gathering ships- by purchase, by agreement, or by outright force-to build a fleet, then arm

it. His first target is Stronghold, a UET outpost set up to guard the sector from which the

Shrakken had come. And then to gather more ships and challenge UET on Earth itself.

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It isn't all that easy; captains of Escaped Ships are apt to have a high degree of competitive

pride. Jimar Peralta, a former friend of Tregare's, held seniority in the UET days; now, though it

was Tregare who helped Peralta take the ship he captains, the man wants a share of overall

command; his mutiny fails, but one ship and many lives are lost.

Six ships are Tregare's minimum, to move on Stronghold. He gets that many, but another threat

looms: a Shrakken vessel comes to Number One. Tregare captures it, and the alien ship Sharanj is

given no choice but to serve as decoy at the approach to Stronghold. Because Tregare's fleet is

going in "camouflaged," pretending to be the group of UET ships scheduled to arrive shortly

thereafter. That schedule, obtained by Tregare's old friend "Kickem" Bernardez, is the crux of the

plan.

\rXI

\rAnd Tregare needs all the odds he can get. The night before the ships lift from Number One,

Rissa is hard put to quiet his last-minute misgivings. But she knows the plan is as good as can be

done; there is no choice but to go through with it.

MORNING at Base Two-liftoff. To avoid sideblast at the ships around him, Tregare took Inconnu up

gently. Vanois in Carcharodon, Limmer in Lefthand Thread, Gowdy commanding No Return-each followed

his lead. Next came the Shrakken Sharanj, and behind it-together and now with no need for caution-

M'tana and Krueger brought Valkyrie and GrafSpee up at full blast.

Watching the back screen as Tregare looked ahead, Rissa said, "The group forms, with the

Shrakken at center as you designated." She turned to him. "Tregare-you have put together a very

potent implement."

"Let's just hope it stays together and does what we need to do."

How long is a year-in space, while planets' clocks turn faster? Their best estimates of objective

time, Rissa knew, were little better than guesswork. Only when the ships reached Stronghold could

they anchor again to groundside chronology.

She worked, studied-became Inconnu's Third Hat in fact as well as name, taking no advantage of

her relationship with Tregare. One woman thought otherwise and resented Rissa enough to challenge

her; Rissa held her anger and achieved victory without serious damage to her opponent.

Each ship's day she found a few minutes to talk with her brother and friends by viewscreen-

choosing times when the intership circuits were not busy.

Turnover came and passed, and now time seemed to crawl-would this voyage never end?

And then Stronghold came in view.

"You there, groundside-cover me!" Hilaire Gowdy's voice carried urgency. "I have to land fast-

alien attacker trying to cut me off. Only the one ship-the rest are ours, got drawn outside at

first, but now they're closing-the alien must be crazy, to hang on like that. Don't shoot-we hope

to force it down here. I-" As she zigzagged away from the Shrakken's harmless fire, Gowdy

continued to call Stronghold. From the fortress came premature reaction, missiles that then

destructed as their launchers heard her words. She said, "I'm coming down fast. Don't do anything.

The other ships-coming up behind the alien-they'll take care of it."

A voice from Stronghold said, "But who are you!"

And Hiiaire Gowdy; "You know who we are-we're maybe ahead of sked. Check your list, but later-

our lives can't wait for your goddamned red tape!"

Stronghold said, "Put your computer on line to validate our checklist. Then we can-"

"It's not working-those bastards burned part of it out. Wait 'til we sit down, will you? And-oh,

shit!" Gowdy dodged her ship, shuddering, out of the spectacular but harmless Shrakken beam that

had found No Return, and dropped toward the planet. No Stronghold ship had launched.

On Inconnu, Rissa punched for Stronghold frequencies. "This is Fleet H-12 from Earth. As usual,

there have been some changes since your advance notice. Now-emergency! We will contain the alien,

force it down. Do not act against it-we want that ship alive! The Presiding Committee has so

ordered."

From Stronghold, "There have been other incidents?"

\r3

\r"The Presiding Committee has so ordered. End of transmission."

She cut the circuit and turned to Tregare. He said, "You have them, I think-now let's play it

out."

Fishtailing, No Return made a crippled-duck landing. Now Inconnu and the rest acted out their

charade. They surrounded Sharanj, herded it with their projector beams, and forced it down, then

landed encircling it.

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Tregare punched the all-ships' channel. "Now we move fast!"

ALMOST, the plan worked. The attackers met less resistance than expected. Of the sixteen UET

ships, none took off-and in the fighting only three were damaged.

Ivan Marchant led the assault on the communications center. When he came out, he had not

bothered to wipe the biood from his knife. Rissa met him, and he said, "The ones I hate are those

that quit without fighting-I have to let them live."

Rissa touched his cheek. "Consider, Ivan-many are not predators, but victims."

He nodded, but did not look totally convinced.

So far, so good-but Stepan Kobolak, it seemed, was a stubborn man. Twelve hours after the

landing, he still held control of Stronghold's power systems. "I'll see you all in hell first," he

said.

On the viewscreen Rissa and Tregare watched his taut, pale face. "That may well be," she said.

"But might we not meet first, and speak together?"

"I don't trust you."

"And I do not blame you-all your life you have lived with mistrust. But may one of us come to

you, under safeguards of your own choosing?"

Finally the man agreed. Tregare cut the circuit and said, "You're not going there without

protection, Rissa-don't ever think that!"

"Would you prefer that he explodes his power plant, and with it this entire port? The way he

talks, that is the alternative."

"Someone else could go. He won't see me, of course, but-"

"Bran-I could say many things. But all I say is that since-as you have pointed out-you are not

eligible, I do not choose to wager all our lives on anyone other than myself." She reached to him;

he held her. "Can you agree to that?"

When he released her, he said, "Sometimes you don't give me much choice."

GUARDS made certain she entered Kobolak's lair unarmed. Two more flanked the haggard man's desk.

Watching his face, Rissa saw his jaw clench. She halted her approach and said, "I have no wish to

harm you, Kobolak-nor to be harmed. But the truth is that no matter what you may do, Stronghold is

no longer UET's. It is Bran Tregare's, or no one's."

Eyes wide, mouth now loose, the man looked at her. Finally he said, "Here-under my desk-my

finger can blow us all up. What can you do against that?"

"Nothing, of course. I hope you will see no reason to do such a thing. May I speak?"

"Talk all you want-for as long as I leave us alive."

"But-why would you die? How does UET hold your very life captive?"

The man shuddered. She said, "Kobolak-UET does not own you. I-"

He reached under the desk. "Get out of here, or-"

His fear almost became hers also, but she shook free of it. "I have not finished! You must tell

me why you take this insane position. Do you fear Tregare? He does not torture, and kills only in

battle. He-"

"UET tortures."

"But you are no longer within UET's reach."

"My family-on the next ships from Earth, the ones we thought you were. When the Committee police

on those ships learn what's happened?"

"But they will not-how can they?-until they too are taken. You do not understand Tregare's plan.

He-" Then, afraid she might have revealed too much, she said only, "None have escaped to warn UET-

and none will."

His hands clasped together, clenching and twisting. "You- he-can save my wife, my children?"

"Who can guarantee safety, if there is fighting? But //there is, no Committee police will live

long enough to torture any."

\r5

\rHe hesitated. Then, "I suppose that has to be good enough." He turned to his guards. "Put your

guns on the desk." Rissa stepped forward and took the weapons.

"Tell the men outside," said Kobolak, "that we have surrendered to Tregare the pirate-on promise

that our lives are safe." As the man moved to obey, Kobolak said to Rissa, "You did promise that,

didn't you?"

"It was implied; I now make it explicit. But Tregare is not a pirate-he is the new commander of

Stronghold."

The outside guards entered and put their weapons down. One said, "That's a relief-I didn't fancy

going up as a cloud of ions." He looked to Rissa. "Our safety's guaranteed?"

"Yes. You'll be confined, until Tregare has time to determine who can be allowed freedom.

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Questioning under drugs is a slow process."

For the first time, Kobolak laughed. The sound was shaky, but in his face Rissa saw relief. He

said, "You won't need drugs. The last ship here before you-it brought truth field equipment.

Nobody's had time to set it up yet, but if the technician who came along with it is still alive-"

"We have our own technician," said Rissa. Then, "If you will call Tregare for me? I should

report." She did so. Soon two from Inconnu arrived-one took station at Kobolak's desk; the other

escorted the prisoners to temporary detention.

Then she returned to Tregare. Heedless of others present, he hugged her until her ribs creaked,

lifted her off her feet in embrace, and kissed her until both were short of breath.

"You did it! And-a truth field, you say?" She nodded, and he said, "Good thing they didn't get

it working-there'd have been a purge here like you wouldn't want to see."

"Or-if the news spread-perhaps civil war."

"Either way," he said, "we're lucky. Now, then-where's Felcie?"

"With Limmer's task group-identifying and classifying personnel. If you like, Bran, I can

relieve her of that duty."

"Okay-sure, until I find someone else to do it. Hey-I'll bet you haven't heard! You know why

there was so much less fighting than we figured on?" She shook her head. "Well, the commandant was

asleep-the alarm woke him and he thought he had a mutiny on his hands. So-automatic response-he

gassed the troop barracks!"

"He killed his own men?"

"No-just knocked them out for a while. But to be on the safe side, he hit the buttons for

civilian quarters, too. Come to think of it, he saved a lot of lives-on both sides. But not on

purpose."

"And this commandant-did he surrender?"

"Not so you'd notice. We took him alive but he's pretty badly wounded. I hope he pulls through-

we need him."

At her look of inquiry, he grinned. "To appear onscreen- doped or hypnotized or whatever-when

the UET ships get here. Otherwise they'd be suspicious. Hell of a job making someone up to

impersonate him, let alone imitate his voice. There aren't many like Arger Korbeith-and thank

peace for that!"

"Oh?"

"On my first ship, I served under him."

RISSA took Felcie's place with Limmer's identification group. When she saw the roster, the size of

Stronghold's garrison surprised her; she wondered how Tregare had dared attack against such odds.

"Derek-we were outnumbered more than ten to one!"

"Closer to twenty," said Limmer. "But Tregare knows UET. You think their ships are run like

ours, with practically everyone armed? Not a chance! Ships and groundside alike, only officers and

Committee Police troops carry weapons. And Korbeith gassed out all his off-duty troops, at that!"

He chuckled, and Rissa marveled that she had ever thought that scarred face ugly.

When Felcie had the truth field ready, a woman relieved Rissa to join Tregare in interviewing

the captives. "About time we got started on this," he said. "Six hundred people, a little more,

can keep the lid on nearly ten thousand-get them fed and all, using prisoner help. But I'd hate to

have to do it much longer."

Rissa had helped prepare a list of questions for interrogation under drugs. The truth field

simplified the task; Tregare scratched out more than half the list. "With the field we won't need

to crosscheck so much."

\r7

\rEVEN in a wheelchair, Arger Korbeith loomed-a giant, with the exaggerated features of

acromegaly. Under grayish blond hair his face had a yellowish muddy tinge. His voice grated as he

said, "Tregare, eh? Been looking forward to getting my hands on your neck. Never thought it'd be

like this, we'd meet. Should've spaced you the first week out, on the old Mac Arthur, Sixteen-year-

old snotnose-even then I knew you were no damned good!"

Tregare grinned. "The sentiment was mutual, commandant-and still is. Now-do we get on with it?"

"You don't need that thing on me-or any Twenty Questions game, either. Quick and short-I hate

your guts, I'll kill you if I can, you'll get no help from me in your damned treachery. I-"

"That's enough. You're a lot of things, Korbeith, but you don't bother to lie." he nodded. "Take

him out-bring in the next. Put him in max security, and solitary for now-until we find another

scorpion just as bad, so they can sting each other."

Rissa logged the instructions. When Korbeith was gone, she said, "Even drugged, do you think to

use him!"

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"Plus a little hypnosis. Easiest thing in the world-give him a happy-pill and tell him

everything's just the way he wants it. His own wishes take over from gut level."

Seeing Rissa's frown, he imitated Korbeith's gravel tones. "Ahoy the incoming fleet! Good news!

That bastard Tregare tried a sortie here-and we blew him to hell. About time, too! So skip the red

tape and set down-we're celebrating, and glad to have your help at it."

Now laughing, she nodded, "You are right-that is how he would say it."

"Yes-and here comes our next. Your friend Kobolak." He motioned toward a chair. "Sit down,

Kobolak. This is informal."

With the man seated, Tregare began his questions. After a few, Kobolak said, "This isn't

necessary. Tregare, I'm with you all the way; there's no other choice. If UET comes and you lose,

I'm dead-too many know I surrendered-and my family with me."

Watching Tregare, he paused. "That's not enough? All right-I'm glad you won. It's the first time

I've ever been out

from under UET's rotten thumb. If my family gets here-and survives-maybe we'll have a chance for a

decent life. I-"

Tregare held up his hand. "Green badge, Rissa." She handed him one and he signed it. "Here,

Kobolak-take this into the room to your left and get your picture on it."

Kobolak's brows raised. Tregare said, "Green badge means you have your job back, your quarters

back, no restrictions on your movements, groundside. I'll want a talk with you-briefing me on the

power equipment-sometime tomorrow. Good enough?"

Kobolak shook his head, but his face belied the movement. "And to think how close I came to

pushing that damned button!"

BY the end of that day, a pattern became clear. Among ships' officers and higher-ranking

groundsiders, roughly half were hard-core UET loyalists. The rest were covert dissidents of

greater or lesser degree-to these, Tregare's coup came as a great relief, since it saved them from

truth field interrogation at UET's hands, and almost certain death.

Committee Police and their leaders were almost solidly UET's. Some few professed dissidence and

asked to join Tregare, but the truth field indicators proved their words false. The higher ranks

drew max security and the rest, for the most part, medium.

Ivan had taken charge of guarding the Police group. He said, "Tregare, why bother with these?

Why not just lock them all up?" Tregare shrugged but continued his questioning.

The next subject was a tall, spare woman nearing middle age; she gave her name as Flaer Letiken,

and said, "I don't believe this truth field hocus; I think you're guessing. So you're going to

think I'm lying-but here it is, anyway."

She brushed back short, improbably vivid red hair. "I went into the Police because when I was

just a kid-eight, maybe- I saw there were two ways to live. I could be a victim or a vulture. My

parents were victims; I saw what it did to them. So I went the vulture route."

She watched Tregare until he nodded. "All right so far? Maybe the gadget does work, after all.

Anyway-I've been in

\r9

\rthis rotten game more than twenty years. I've done things that would make you puke-and never got

used to having to do them. Sometimes I'd wonder if it was worth it. Then I'd think about being on

the other end-and go ahead with the next nasty bit of work they gave me."

She shrugged. "All right-vulture or victim. But maybe with you there's a chance to be neither,

and just live and work and not hurt anybody . .. anybody . . . anymore!" Her hands covered her

eyes; great, choking sobs muffled her next words. Then she wiped away tears. Her mouth twisted as

she said, "Hell-what can you lose? If UET comes and wins, and you've recorded this, I'm dead-you

know that. So where do I stand?"

After a moment, Tregare said, "With an orange badge." He signed one, explained about the

picture, and said, "You're free of detention; you'll be assigned temporary work and quarters. Just

stay out of green-coded territory; you're not cleared for that yet."

For the first time, she laughed. "I don't need to be. I've already seen it all-and it's not that

interesting." She started away, then turned and said, "Thanks, Tregare-and I'm glad I was wrong

about your gadget." Then she left.

Ivan touched Rissa's shoulder. "About the ones who didn't fight-I've changed my mind."

DETENTION was less problem than Rissa had expected. Stronghold, she decided, was built for

policing. In many cases the people-especially families, though there were few children -could

retain their own quarters or, at worst, move to similar ones. And as the interviews proceeded,

more space was changed from detention status to the lesser restrictions of colored badges.

Shipboard and groundside, the lower ranks were nearly five to one in favor of the new regime.

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