Princess of Zenina Page 18

  Kapalina had been persuaded by her sister to take up the position the Resettlement Bureau, so she could direct suitable tools towards her use. Dalzina wanted to cause disruption and dissatisfaction in the Zeninan Empire by miss-sorting settlers and sending the most disruptive elements where they could do most harm. That this course of action would hinder Dalzina in holding the throne, if she succeeded in grabbing it, was not important to her currently. Dalzina was not thinking through all the consequences. She was simply doing everything they could to bring about Queen Kerina’s downfall and the destruction of Marina.

  As Kapalina’s Deputy had been sent off planet to follow up a piece of devilry Dalzina had dreamed up. Dalzina was sitting in Kapalina’s office skimming through the details of the people who would be interviewed by lesser officials in the department that day. Bromarsh’s two ex-comrades’ papers passed by without arousing her interest. Dalzina noted they had come in with Marina and she was picking up their tab, but she could not see what use they would be to her. She flicked through the other papers; they were all the right types, would-be farmers, engineers, miners, trained artisans, seeking life in Zenina’s colonies. They were exactly what the Zeninan Empire needed in its settled planets and so did not interest Dalzina at all.

  Then one face stood out amongst all the others and Dalzina picked out the details of the person behind that exquisite sultry face. Ondiella’s papers, Dalzina glanced at them expecting nothing, but the name of Marina again assailed her.

  “I’ll see this one personally, even if she sings eulogies of Marina’s loathsome conquests. That sullen likeness taken so soon after rescue by Marina didn’t show joy and gratitude. No, I don’t think it shows gratitude.”

  Chapter Thirty-one - Progress and Prediction

  Marina drove Chilka, Charles and Bromarsh to the slave market, where she let them disembark and drove off. She was unsettled by a vague feeling of unease. Plavina’s present had been carefully placed on the passenger seat beside her. She had not spoken with Vellina since early that morning, when Vellina had informed her that Adelza had regained consciousness. Vellina had mentioned that she intended to try out some idea about Tippy, but she had been vague and marina had been too tired to enquire further.

  Marina stopped at the Internal Security Offices, issued a few orders, read her most urgent reports and asked for whatever information could be quickly obtained on the machine in her car. Its serial numbers and description were recorded. She wanted to know where it had been made and by whom, and who had invented it. Not to mention how it worked and whether it’s actions could be reversed. It was new in design, but most of its components were recognisable and easy to duplicate. Detailed images were taken from all sides, heat readings and computer generated displays of all the parts that could be examined without taking it apart.

  The engineers were asked to produce a detailed report on the machine including their deduction of what the machine was intended for. She hoped the engineers’ findings would be close enough to her hunch to confirm it. They were told the existence of the machine was to remain secret. Reports from her enquiries were still coming in, but some data had arrived. Four cases of unusual amnesia had occurred in Markaba. Medical records would follow. Three similar cases had been written up by Kurgian doctors within their Empire, their medical reports were attached.

  “Very efficient that girl, I may consider promoting her,” thought Marina. Two further cases of memory loss had been reported by Zeninan Embassies, one a Kurgian male who turned up on Rimagon and a Markaban female who had been found on Alpha. Neither had been cured, both were still in the care of Embassy doctors. Marina asked the Embassies to arrange passage of both patients to Hemithea immediately.

  Marina reached the hospital. The niggling disquiet was still unexplained but without dismissing it, she put it to the back of her mind and got on with what she had to do. Vellina was with Adelza so she went there first. Adelza heard Marina’s mind as she came down the corridor and they greeted each other. Marina was keeping the concern from her topmost thoughts with practised ease.

  “I’ll be with you in a minute and I’m pleased how well you’re doing.”

  “Where is Belabeza?” asked Adelza concerned by her absence.

  “Not far away,” Marina answered, reassured that Adelza was fully conscious and her telepathic abilities were unimpaired.

  Marina turned from the corridor into Adelza’s room. Adelza was propped up but looked hideously ill, her skin dull and murky like a stormy ocean. Marina thought not for the first time that “Blues when injured have an awesome ability to look awful,” but kept the thought blocked. Adelza’s head was bandaged and her eyes were covered. Her hair had not been shaved as Zeninan operating techniques scalped the head skin back before opening the skull. The flap of skin together with the hair was stitched loosely back into place with dissolvable stitches.

  The regenerative powers of Zeninan bodies required less thorough stitching than for those who had not reached change. The operation they had undertaken had been to remove bone fragments and blood clots which would make regeneration difficult. Anaesthesia had not been needed until just before restarting her heart.

  “Welcome Marina, as you see Adelza is doing very well,” Vellina said to Marina as she handed her the test report on Adelza’s nerve damage.

  “The damage to her optic nerves remains, but might regenerate in time. If not we’ll consider other options. The small portion of memory seems to be regenerating now the bone fragments piercing it have been removed,” Marina decided, blocking those thoughts from Adelza.

  “I have told Adelza very little so far. I thought it better to wait for you to be present,” Vellina relayed to Marina on a tight band.

  “Belabeza tried to commit suicide when she thought you were dead. Don’t worry, Charles got to her in time. She is healing, but is in a different part of the hospital,” Marina told Adleza.

  Adelza’s mind reached out but failed to find her. She was panicking.

  “Her ward is telepathically shielded because of the nature of the mental disorders within. We don’t want the desire to commit suicide disseminated throughout Hemithea.” Vellina reassured her.

  Some other patients were powerful telepaths, empaths and there were even a few hypno-paths. They could do without any of their other problems being transmitted on a grand scale either.

  “Unfortunately Adelza we have not yet been able to restore your sight. We don’t know if your symbiotes will be able to regenerate your optic nerves which were seriously damaged. We would like to leave it a month before making a decision whether to operate and insert artificial nerves or gene graft. I am sorry that will be inconvenient for you to put up with for a while,” Marina explained.

  “How is Belabeza? It is all right Marina, I know you have done your best. I can cope with being blind if Bela is all right,” Adelza said more concerned about her lover than her sight.

  Marina left Vellina with Adelza and went to see Belabeza. She spoke briefly with the Doctor on duty, before entering Belabeza’s room. Belabeza was awake and vocal. She was in bed under physical restraint. No straps, but a confining force shield which gently held her to the bed, preventing major movement. She was screaming loudly to be let out. She subsided when she saw Marina.

  “Marina let me out. You’ve no right to restrain me; suicide isn’t against the law. I want to join Adelza at once.”

  “You’re absolutely right, Bela, suicide is perfectly legal, but is hardly necessary in your case. Adelza would like you to visit her, but I’m not prepared to let you until you’re over this hysteria.”

  “Adelza’s dead” cried Belabeza.

  “She was dead, but is revived. Vellina and I were up half the night operating. She may be blind for a time, but she is alive, conscious and missing you!”

  “I must go to her; I must see her at once.” Belabeza forgetting the restraints, tried to get out of bed, and fell back in pain.

  “If you promise not to move, I’ll switch
the restraint off while I examine you. You won’t be going anywhere until I pass you fit and then you’ll go in a hover-chair.”

  Belabeza agreed and let Marina remove her bandages and examine her wounds. She detached some electronic monitoring pads and let her sit up.

  “You were very nearly successful there, but it’s healing well. Charles got to you just in time. I hope you remember to thank him. He had to leave Major Bromarsh with Klivina and she raped him.”

  “Is he all right?” Bela asked inattentively as a nurse brought her a loose wrap to wear and after her hair had been tidied and her teeth cleaned, Marina gently lifted her into the hover-chair.

  “He’s fine, got stinking drunk with Chilka and Niall last night and Charles had to help me put them all to bed. I walked in on Bromarsh serving Chilka this morning, so he is not traumatised,” Marina said.

  Marina steered the hover-chair through the corridors, riding on the backboard. It puttered round the corridors, finally reaching the corridor to Adelza’s room.

  “Oh, by the way, Bela, Divak sends his love,” said Marina.

  Belabeza’s green skin turned almost turquoise with a flush of blood. Marina noticed her colouring up, but refrained from comment.

  “I’ll find out what my brother is up to, without him knowing.”

  The reunion between Adelza and Belabeza was joyous. Marina and Vellina left them alone together. They went to Vellina’s office. They ordered fruit drinks and Vellina ate nut biscuits whilst she told Marina what she had done.

  “I slept for a couple of hours after we operated on Adelza. I woke from a dream. I couldn’t recall the dream, but something General Stenlina once told me was running through my mind. She said, “We drum the drill into them so often, they could recite their serial numbers in their sleep.” I agreed with her, stating in my experience, soldiers in mind shock could often remember their serial numbers when they couldn’t remember their names. I knew with Tippy’s serial number or full name we’d be able to find a lot more out about him.” Vellina paused to eat another biscuit before continuing.

  “So I asked a theatre suppliers’ in Hemithea for a Colonel’s uniform in the Markaban Army. I located a slave of Markaban origin to fit the uniform and sent him in to interrogate Tippy,” Vellina smugly informed her as she switched on a recording of the interview.

  Tippy was shown pictured in his room; a Markaban army officer entered and walked up to the bed.

  “Attention,” yelled the officer.

  Tippy flung himself from the bed and clicked his heels to attention stark naked. He saluted the Colonel. “Sah!”

  “Name, rank and serial number,” shouted the fake colonel.

  “Corporal Joavime Tipstrang, 977649308, Sah!”

  Now Vellina’s instructions had not gone any further, but the Markaban slave excelled himself by improvising further.

  “How old are you, Corporal?”

  “Twenty-three, Sah!” That clearly was not true, but might have been his age when he had had his mind wiped.

  “Are your parents still alive, Corporal Tipstrang?”

  “Mother’s alive, Sah! Father died with the 89th in the Bordian troubles, Sah! Sergeant-Major Tipstrang, he was, Sah.”

  “Are you married, Corporal?”

  “No, Sah!”

  “Got a girl?”

  “Yes, Sah!”

  “What’s her name, Corporal?”

  “Karella, engaged to her, Sah!”

  “What town do you come from, Corporal?”

  At this point, Tippy turned a blank gaze towards him and reverted to idiocy. He was tunelessly singing a little ditty as Vellina turned the tape off.

  “Well,” asked Vellina, “Did you see it?”

  “Yes, he’s close to colour change, but I checked Zeninan records, he’s never been to Zenina before.”

  “I had the blood tests done; I didn’t think it necessary to do them when you first admitted him, as he’d just arrived in Zenina.”

  “I inoculated him for the space leprosy of course, but he’d be immune already, for colour change to be starting so soon. Did you order a check on his name and number from the Markaban army computers?”

  “Just before you arrived, your Department’s not come back to me yet,” Vellina answered and sipped her drink.

  “They didn’t mention the request to me, but I’ve been keeping them busy. I’ll ask for confirmation that they’ve done it and to leave me a copy. There’s something in the front of my car I’d like to show you. Will you send someone for it please?”

  The box was brought in and Vellina examined the machine.

  “Plavina gave this to me, she got it off her Kurgian freight captain, he bought it from a Kurgian thief who said it was too hot to handle.”

  “It is probably the type of machine that caused the damage to Tippy and the two Rubies,” Vellina agreed.

  The Ruby orderly came in to bring them some warmed spiced milk that Vellina drank in preference to more sophisticated beverages. They were discussing the possibility of using the machine to reverse the process, when they noticed the Ruby had not left the room. She was standing rigid staring at the device.

  “Have you seen this before,” Marina asked her.

  “I dunno, ma’am, it makes me feel all tingly.”

  “Come here and tell me about the machine!” she ordered in a firm voice unlike the way she usually spoke.

  “Tell me about the machine, remember when you saw the machine first?” the dominating voice continued.

  “Yes, I remember,” replied the Ruby in a flat tone.

  “Who showed you the machine?” Marina ordered in that slow controlling voice.

  “Dalzina showed it to me and fiddled with those knobs, there wasn’t any music. I remember there was no music.”

  “What happened after that?”

  “I don’t know, I came here,” the Ruby said expressionlessly.

  “Who else was in the room when you first saw the machine?”

  “There was Dalzina and Kapalina and a Kurgian man.”

  “What did the Kurgian look like?”

  “Middle-aged, fat and greasy, like most Kurgians.”

  “Why did Dalzina want to see you?”

  “She said she’d pay me”

  “Why would she pay you?”

  “So I wouldn’t tell.”

  “What wouldn’t you tell?”

  “I wasn’t to tell that I saw her put that blaster into Xenxia’s hands.”

  “Wake now,” said Marina and snapped her fingers. She turned the orderly towards the door and threw an overall over the machine.

  “That’ll be all, thank you,” Vellina said to the orderly.

  “Yes, Doctor,” she replied, leaving the room closing the door behind her.

  “She’s a good subject, but I never got any of that out of her.”

  “Yes, very good,” said Marina abstractedly.

  “It always amazes me how easily you put them under, I’ve hypnotised her before. It always takes me longer than that.”

  “We’ve different techniques, you rely on the sound of the words and concentrate on their faces; I just impose my will. My method requires a lot more force, but they don’t see it coming. Your method is gentler, requiring co-operation.”

  “What will you do about Dalzina and Kapalina?”

  “Nothing,” Marina said after some thought.

  “But after what you’ve heard, she tried to kill you.”

  “And has tried many times before to do so and failed. That is how Zenina works.”

  “But she’ll try again, you must stop her. Go to your mother with the evidence.”

  “She’ll fail again. There is no real evidence; nothing that would stand up against Dalzina. The word of a brain damaged Ruby under hypnosis against a Gold, hardly sufficient evidence.”

  “You’re being over confident by saying she’ll fail!”

  “Do you believe I’ll be queen?”

  “I’ve seen visions of it! So h
ave countless others seen you crowned and reigning. You can’t deny your destiny!”

  “I don’t deny it. I seek to avoid or postpone it. If it’s to be, even my opposition won’t prevent it happening. Do you have so little faith in your prediction, that you believe Dalzina will alter it?”

  “No. I know you’ll be queen, but have a care. You take too many chances with your life.”

  Chapter Thirty-two – Colour Change

  “I’ve been thinking about Tippy. If we figure out how to reverse this brain erasing machine, we can’t do it until he’s finished colour change.”

  “No, the trauma would be too great.”

  “Have you run an intelligence assessment through on him?”

  “He’ll be high level Blue or low Silver overlap, possibly mercury. I’d plump for Silver.”

  “What are his exact current levels?”

  “Eighteen micrograms per million.”

  “So high? It wouldn’t be hard to push him into change now.”

  “It might be hard to get him to concentrate in his present state of mind.”

  “That sounds like a dare! I think I’ll manage; you’ll have to observe. There are only two ways he could acquire such high levels in his bloodstream if he’s never visited Zenina.”

  “He could have been treated for some injury or disease by Zeninans or he was in regular physical contact with a Zeninan. As he states he was engaged, I assume he’s heterosexual. The most likely explanation is he was a regular customer of a Zeninan Green whore.”

  “The low emanations from a Green would take a long time to reach these levels.”

  “It could be from a combination of injury and whoring.”

  “His mind will grow during change; there may be some improvement in his condition.”

  “Well, if we’re both agreed. I’d better get on with it,” said Marina.

  Vellina switched on the screen to Tippy’s room. Marina entered the room, closing the door behind her. She slipped out of her scrubs and undressed. The man in the bed stared past her as if he did not notice. Marina walked casually over to the bed, pulled back the cover and climbed in beside the man. Her skin was shimmering, around her a strong light was pulsing, rhythmically breathing in and out. Tippy was bathed in the light. He seemed to suddenly wake up. He leaned towards her and caressed her hair, pulling her to him. They embraced each other as Marina ran her fingers down his back.