''Explains why I have this really strong need to do a bit unto him,'' Kris said. ''Nelly, how are the new nano spies coming along?'' Jack and Abby raised matching eyebrows. ''I told Nelly to start work right after the President finished.''
''So all your reluctance was just an act!'' Tom growled.
''Hey, can't a Princess poll her advisers?''
''Give me that pole. I'll club you,'' Penny said, only half rising from her chair before falling back with a groan.
Jack just chuckled. ''Will they be ready before Klaggath gets back?''
''Yes,'' Nelly assured them.
''It's not going to be easy surviving the guards that Sandfire will have out,'' Jack pointed out.
''Don't I know that, after today dirtside,'' Kris moaned with a grin. ''Nelly's using the best Auntie Tru passed along to us. Any suggestions on what we have the recon nits look for?''
''Power,'' Tom said. ''Cut power, and everyone gets a day off.''
''What's the power source for that yard?'' Abby asked, which got raised eyebrows all around. ''Hey, where I grew up, we were all the time losing electricity. You don't have to be some evil genius to know no juice, no joy.''
''Someday I want to visit where you grew up,'' Kris said.
''Be sure to take two squads of Marines. One maybe two might survive my hood,'' Abby said. ''So what juices that yard?''
''It is not drawing from the ground,'' Nelly said.
''Internal then. Fusion reactor like a ship's?'' Kris said.
''Oh my God,'' Penny moaned. ''We kill the power to the containment field, the whole thing could blow.''
''They must have enough backup to scram the reactor before they lose containment,'' Jack said.
''Everything north of this station was a rush job,'' Penny said. ''Don't count on anything being according to standards.''
''Nelly, have the nanos take a look at the station's power supply and backup system. Also the power distribution network. If we can't blow the main supply, maybe we can isolate it.''
''Yes, ma'am. Any other priorities?''
''Chemicals,'' Tom said. ''Chemicals that might go boom or make the air unpleasant would be a good way to stop work.''
''I will add chemical sniffers to more nanos,'' Nelly said.
''Well, if you're going after the other station's sewage, what about this one?'' Abby asked.
''Not important,'' Jack said, shaking his head. ''Moms and kids will flee a portable toilet, but if the boss man tells workers to use one, they use one.''
''Good point,'' Nelly said. ''I will lower that on my priority list.'' Further discussion added little. Nelly had the nanos ready when the Inspector reported back that Kris had twice the usual guards, starting at the lobby.
Again Klaggath seemed on the verge of inviting Kris into a conspiracy against his government, but she stepped on his lines before finally offering him her hand. ''Inspector, when a lot of angry people get together, they need protection. Protection from themselves and protection from those who fear them. Sometimes, the best service a cop can do is to take that lonely stand between the mob and the just target of their anger.''
''And let a Longknife be a damn Longknife, huh?''
''I have no idea what you mean, Inspector,'' she said as he left. NELLY, DID ALL THE NANOS GET ON HIM?
EVERY ONE OF THEM.
Kris turned from the door. ''Now I suggest we all get some rest. Tomorrow looks like another busy day.'' Like a mother hen, Kris sent her chicks off to bed and followed quickly herself. Unfortunately, she still had work to do. NELLY, HAVE YOU DONE ANY MORE WORK ON THE CHIP?
NO, TODAY HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.
ARE YOU PLANNING ON WORKING ON IT TONIGHT?
WHEN YOU HAVE NO FURTHER NEED FOR ME.
NELLY, I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL NEED YOU. I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE YOU DOWN RIGHT NOW.
THE BUFFERS WILL PROTECT ME. Ah, the surety of the young.
I KNOW THAT IS WHAT TRU THOUGHT, BUT SHE MIGHT BE WRONG.
The odds against that are nearly infinitesimal, Kris.
I KNOW, NELLY, BUT IF YOU WENT DOWN NOW, THE CATASTROPHE WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL. I CAN'T SAVE TURANTIC WITHOUT YOU.
I CANNOT SEE HOW ANYTHING BAD COULD HAPPEN IF I JUST LOOK AT WHAT COMES INTO MY FIRST BUFFER. Nelly had the teenage whine down perfect.
NELLY, ON SANTA MARIA, THE PROFESSOR ALMOST KILLED MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER. ARE YOU SURE THAT CHIP ISN'T FROM THE PROFESSOR? Which was a thought Kris had hoped to ignore. Was her computer being subverted by the worst horror humanity had ever faced?
For a computer, Nelly needed quite a long time to form an answer. THE PROSPECTS FOR FAILURE TRULY ARE INFINITESIMAL. YET, I AGREE WITH YOU, KRIS, SUCH A FAILURE WOULD HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES. I AM HALTING ALL POWER TO THE CHIP. I WILL WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE AUNT TRU AT HAND TO DO FURTHER TESTING
THANK YOU, NELLY. NOW I NEED TO GET SOME REST.
GOOD NIGHT, KRIS.
By falling asleep quickly, Kris hoped to get six hours of sleep before all hell broke loose. She was off by two.
Hammering at the door woke Kris. Four o'clock, Nelly told her. ''Damn, I thought it would take longer,'' Kris muttered as she found her robe and made her way into the sitting room.
Jack was at the door in gray sweatpants. Nice pecs and abs on that man. His automatic was out but pointed at the ceiling. Abby stood at the door of her room, robe cinched about her wiry frame, not a hair out of place. Is she enjoying the view? One of the maid's hands rested casually in the pocket of her robe. Ten to one there's a small cannon there. Kris smiled to herself.
Jack glanced at Kris, both eyebrows raised. ''Open it,'' she said as a loud male voice repeated that demand, rapping loudly on the door. Jack timed the opening just as another rap was due.
A tall young man in a gray uniform, silver piping declaring him of more consequence than the poor schmucks Kris had watched earlier—no yesterday—almost lost his balance when his hand found nothing to knock against. He half stumbled into the room as others in less showy uniforms started to follow him.
Jack stepped in front of him, automatic still threatening nothing but the ceiling. He blocked not only the one with silver piping but also his underlings.
''You're interfering—'' the man with the piping started.
''State your business,'' Jack said, voice cold as a tombstone. ''And start with your name and badge number.'' That got only huffing and puffing from the man. Behind him, several older men with Sergeant chevrons began exchanging embarrassed glances.
''I am Princess Kristine of Wardhaven. This is my suite and, under ancient diplomatic custom, territory held sacred to my person and Wardhaven.'' Kris was none too sure of that, but she'd read such fancy language once in a novel. She doubted anyone knew what this royalty thing was worth. ''What do you mean, storming in here at this hour?''
That set Gray and Silver back a bit. Jack took advantage of his confusion to take a step forward. ''I am Jack Montoya, Wardhaven Secret Service and Chief of Princess Kristine's security detail.''
''That's what I'm here about,'' the gray beanstalk of a man finally blurted out. ''I'm Samuel Roper, Assistant Deputy Vice President for Security and Special Details, SureFire Security.'' He paused for a breath, leaving Kris a moment to wonder whose nephew Sam Roper was and why Sandfire suffered deadweight like this guy. Didn't fit with the man who sprang this trap on her. ''I'm also Colonel-in-Chief of Heidelburg's Fifteenth Militia Battalion, nationalized tonight to provide security and safety for aliens caught on planet by the recent acts of sabotage.''
''I already have a security detail,'' Kris snapped, doing the math. Heidelburg had twelve battalions of militia at six this evening. Now it had three more, at least one of which was from SureFire. Hum.
''Yes, we know about Inspector Klaggath,'' Roper said, making the words a sly accusation while looking down his oversized nose at Kris… not an easy accomplishment, since he was three inches shorter. ''He and his men have been avoiding mandatory overtime for too long, lounging around here rather than using their not inextensive skills in finding the perpetrators of these hostile actions against our sovereign planet.'' Behind him, the Sergeants began an intense study of the ceiling. ''We are here to relieve them and take up the responsibility of securing your cooperation in all things relating to the safety and security of Turantic.''