''Who says they're terrorists? They sound like freedom fighters to me.''
''From where I was sitting, it didn't look like anyone needed to fight for anything until a few hours ago.''
''But you Longknifes are always sitting pretty.''
Beside Kris, Jack and Sandy were shaking their heads. Well, she had to try this route. ''So you're not going to help me.''
''Don't see any way I could, even if I should want to,'' came back at her.
''Well, just in case you might know someone who does know someone connected in any way to that crew, you might pass along to them that they have one of my officers in there. Obviously, he has no vote in Hikila's future. I will take it personally if any harm comes to him. Very, very personally.''
''And I should be quaking in my shoes, Longknife.''
''They should be,'' Kris said and cut the connection.
''Do you think they'll hurt Tom?'' Penny asked on net.
''I don't know.'' Kris sighed, wondering if she'd just helped… or sealed Tom's death warrant. ''We've got to get those people out. Tonight.''
Santiago scowled and reached for an overhead microphone. ''All hands, this is the Captain speaking. As you probably know by now, there's a situation on the planet below … and we've got our Longknife back aboard. She's about to make a call for volunteers for a heroic and near-suicidal rescue mission for tonight. I disagree. A better-planned and less bloody one can be put together for tomorrow night. As your Captain, I strongly discourage you from responding to a request I can not prevent Princess Kristine from making.'' So saying, the Captain handed the mike to Kris.
Kris juggled the mike for a second, wondering how even a Longknife followed an intro like that.
She keyed the mike. ''There are five hundred hostages below. The terrorists have already murdered a number of them. At six and midnight, they'll kill three and four more. I say they get those seven and no more. I need nine volunteers for a drop mission to go with me tonight. If I can't get nine, then we do it your skipper's way, plan it all the way, practice it through, do it up right. And let twenty-six more innocents die. Your call. Eight and I don't go. Nine and we give it a serious look-see.''
''Well, if you're really desperate,'' came from the open hatch of the CIC where Abby leaned against it, ''I guess I could be talked into trying a drop mission. How do you open a parachute?''
''I'm sure you already know,'' Jack said dryly.
''Count me in,'' came from Penny. ''You can get some intel weenie down here to hold these people's hands. I'm going in after Tom.''
''Penny, have you ever made a drop?''
''Once. In training. It can't be too hard if your maid can do it.''
''She's only coming along in case I break a nail,'' Kris said.
''Or your neck,'' Abby added.
Santiago looked like she was about to ground them all when Sergeant Li appeared at the CIC hatch. Her ''Sergeant?'' was less than half question, much more an accusation that stopped just this side of mutiny charges.
''Begging the Captain's pardon, but if she doesn't have any immediate need for several members of the Marine detachment this evening, we respectfully request permission to accompany Princess Longknife on her little trip dirtside. Ma'am.''
The Captain shook her head. ''Longknifes,'' she spat. ''Well, how many of my Marines are you going to drag along in your wake? You're not really taking your maid, are you?''
Kris eyed the putative body servant. ''Likely I will. With Jack, that makes four of my crazies. If I could, I'd appreciate borrowing six of your hard cases and heartbreakers.''
The Sergeant grinned broadly. The Captain's scowl got deeper. ''I ought to clap you all in irons, slap you in my brig, and call for a psych workup on the lot of you, but I'll delay any effort to apply adult leadership to you juvenile delinquents until I hear your rescue plan.''
''Nice of you,'' Kris said and signaled Jack, Sergeant Li and, for good measure, Abby, to settle down around the battle board and study the Convention Center layout.
''Captain,'' Kris said slowly, ''if you wouldn't mind dropping a longboat down to Brisbane full of standoff sensors and techs to use them, with firm orders to stand off and not get involved.''
''Very firm orders,'' Santiago said.
''And if you could have the longboat fly by the convention center at seven thousand meters aboveground and five klicks offset.''
''That radar would pick up troops making a drop.''
''In full combat gear, I agree,'' Kris said.
''And I'll ride the longboat up,'' Penny said.
''No,'' Kris said. ''I need you at the command center, pulling what strings you've got. There'll be another longboat along next orbit. And the next one. I promise.''
Santiago rubbed her chin and said nothing.
And one of Penny's strings yielded a surprising fish. ''Kris, remember that gunman you lugged out of the center?''
''Yes.''
''His girlfriend showed up at the hospital, with another girl. Both are talking to our women cops there. They're singing like two very worried canaries.''
''What do they know?''
''A lot. These jokers may have all kinds of fancy toys, but professional they ain't. And they like to brag a lot in their pillow talk. These girls are terrified because you got out. They figure you're going to come back down here and stomp heads, slit throats, be really pissed.''
''Somebody's been reading too many comics,'' Santiago growled.
''Anyway, they're willing to do anything to get on your nice side so you'll go easy on their boys. And they want you to know they weren't after you. It was your grampa they really wanted.''
''My grampa!''
''You heard right. With Queen Ha'iku'lani dying, they figured King Ray would come charging out here, order everyone to show up, and then dictate a new world order for Hikila for his old war buddy's grandkid. They figured on killing him and taking down an old war hero and freeing the universe from the real dictator.''
''Good Lord, what have they been smoking?'' Kris breathed.
''The girls swear that's true. And I think they believe it.''
''Even if they do believe it, is that really what's going on down there?'' Santiago said.
''And if that was what they thought two weeks ago, why'd they do what they did today?'' Kris shook her head slowly. ''No matter how confused their motivation is, they still have a lot of guns. They're killing people and, if I have any say, they stop doing it tonight. Penny, is there anyone down there who can step up to the plate as a SWAT team?''
''A couple of police departments back in the mountains have high-risk rescue teams. Some of their members also double as their rifle marksman squad. Get me some armored suits and M-6s down here, two, three specialists to train them, and some time, and I think they could be ready.''
''For tonight?''
''Maybe. Tomorrow night more likely.''
Santiago's scowl had an upward quirk as she raised an eyebrow. ''I'll have my spare suits and rifles added to the next long boat going down.''
Kris eyed the battle board. ''Now, where do we peel this Convention Center? Anyone downside see any way directly in to the hostages?''
''No,'' Penny said. ''We've set up a camera on the hotel roof to cover the center. The four shooters they have up on the roof look to be in full body armor, with ceramics. That has to be as good as anything our Marines have got. Maybe better.''
Sergeant Li said something obscene under his breath.
''Assuming you got control of the roof,'' Penny said, ''blowing holes in the ceiling and either shooting the terrorists or rappelling down into the hall doesn't look fast enough to stop them from blowing their explosives. We need more time to look things over with heat sensors, but that's my first call for now.''