APHRODITE

  In all her 143 years, Christina had never seen anything quite as opulent as this. The great hall in the ancient space station Aphrodite was made as spiffy as can be, walls all agleam, the colorful World Government flag–a blue field with bright swatches of red, orange, and yellow–and bunting in evidence, some of the top brass of Space Fleet on hand, and of course the President of the World Government and a large delegation. No worry: although her mission was purely scientific, and normally a relatively small staff of scientists, security, and support personnel, with some families, lived and worked here, Aphrodite could actually support a population of over 10,000.  Of course, without land only minimal hydroponic agriculture was possible, and it was pretty expensive to feed even a small population. But the project was worth it.
  Christina was always amazed and, yes, thrilled, when she had some duty on Aphrodite or its identical twin, Ares. Aphrodite's mission was mind-boggling: make Venus livable! And Ares's mission was equally mind-boggling: make Mars livable!  Although she was brilliant in galactic navigation and galactic astronomy, and had learned an enormous amount about computer technology and space ship drives (what else do you do during these long and essentially boring flights between space stations and a colonial planet?), she had only vague ideas about the biochemistry of Earth and the chemical and physical geography of Venus and Mars. But she did understand that tremendous progress had been made in cooling down Venus by destroying, over more than three centuries, its thermal cover. Once it became possible to grow plants there, scientists calculated that within a century colonization could begin! Where would the water come from, though? And is the soil really able to hold and to nourish roots?
  The problem on Ares was the reverse: create a greenhouse effect, and somehow keep whatever atmosphere is created in place: the weaker gravity of Mars could cause problems. But in a way, Mars was the easier problem to solve, and already the first hardy volunteers were there, living on the planet. The mission of Ares was to monitor the progress of the greening of the planet, and to find ways to speed it up.  Rivers and lakes and seas were already realities there, and Mars wore a green belt around its belly! The Martian equatorial zone was now about as warm as the Earth polar zones, or about what the Earth felt in its temperate zones back in 2100 or so. The colonists' farms made them self-sufficient, and their cities were growing. It was expected that the average temperatures would continue rising there.
  "Don't you think this is stupendous, Boris?  I mean, all the pomp aside, maybe we're here to celebrate some breakthrough like they had on Mars a few decades back, before you were born," she said, poking Lieutenant Smirnoff in the ribs.
  "Okay, old girl, I take your point. Yes, there is something awesome in this. It makes you realize the majesty of God. Just think of it: we're not only flying (if that's the word) to distant stars and planets, but God has chosen us to make two lifeless planets livable, after more than four and a half billion years!  We travel incredible distances in the infinity of Creation, and we learn the secrets of the universe. We reverse natural processes in macroworlds, and in the microworlds of the human genes we create wonders like you longies (if you'll pardon my using that term).  Science and religion working together!" He was clearly excited by this thought, which coincided with his religious beliefs and his professional training.
  "You know, I've always wondered about you. You have this kind of fundamentalist belief in the word of the Bible, but somehow you reconcile a mostly literal interpretation with a zeal for the work we do. The Primmies would do well to listen to you: maybe their fanatical Militia could act like loyal citizens. Just before we left Earth, the Deacon had struck again, destroying all the research on a new Constellation; they have to start from scratch."
  Boris thought for a moment, then said, "Christina, the Militia has it all wrong, and some of the Primitivists do, too. I don't see any contradiction between the Scriptures and..."
  His sentence was interrupted by the sound of music. Everyone rose to their feet, including the entire crew (a thousand people, more or less) of Constellation, their space ship and the jewel of Space Fleet. The whole population of Aphrodite must have come out for this event, and a large delegation from Earth. The Governor of Aphrodite and her entourage entered amid general applause. Then came the President, accompanied by advisers and Captain Valence.  Governor Kyo welcomed the crowd to the Space Station (which she reminded them was once called Future One), and proudly introduced her staff and the leaders of the various scientific and military units.  The task of introducing the President fell to Captain Allegretto, who gave a little speech he could not possibly have written himself: he despised politics, didn't like politicians, and here he is singing the praises of President Selim. Boris's elbow found its mark, Christina's rib cage. They had a hard time keeping serious looks on their faces. Finally, the President spoke. "Now we'll find out what this is all about," she whispered, perhaps to herself.
    We have asked you to come here today, on 6 June 2645, millions of kilometers from Earth, to what can only be described as one of the marvels of human ingenuity, to announce an event that might change the life all of us will have in the future. I'm speaking about ordinary people, people with an ordinary 125-year life expectancy. What our Extended Life Brigade will experience is science fiction to us. But I have news that I'm sure will thrill all of you. You know our mission here: I have no need to repeat it to this gathering. But here's the best kept secret of the century: we're almost 100 years ahead of schedule! Just 325 years ago today operations began on Aphrodite with a faith in the future that was unparalleled in the history of humankind: we projected a 500-year mission to convert Venus into a twin sister of Earth. It was anticipated that, if everything went well, by 2695 to 2720 plant life would be solidly established and growing–maybe even evolving–on the surface of Venus, and that by 2820 the first colonists would settle on the planet. Governor Kyo and I can report today that in each of five separate areas of 1,000,000 hectares plant life is established abundantly, and water is flowing plentifully.  I don't dare claim that we have created Eden, but the gardens of Venus are now realities.
  While it is still far too hot for long-term human occupation, we are confident that human life will be established on the surface by well before 2720, and at the present rate of progress, even before this century ends.
    At that moment, as the huge throng rose to its feet in applause, a red bolt just missed the President and the Governor and struck down Captain Valence.  A voice was heard over the speakers: "Thus God smites those who defile him!"
  The Militia!
  "Boris, I mean Lieutenant Smirnoff, get our squad together and arrange for the others to move quickly.  We'll meet at the back door of the hall in 10 minutes."
  "Yes, Commander!"
  Pandemonium seemed to spread in the hall. The Governor and the President were whisked away to safety. As acting Captain, Christina sprang into action, checking on the condition of Valence, having the Station Security clear the hall and get the people to their posts and their living quarters, and in general taking charge of the situation, while Boris was getting the Constellation crew to begin sweeping the immediate area of the hall for the Militia. "How's the Captain?" she asked the presidential physician.
  "Dead. He didn't have a chance. The shot was intended for the Governor or the President, though: the Militia's been aiming at the President for years, and they hold this station in abomination. I'm afraid they'll try to destroy it."
  "We'll do our best to prevent that from happening. I'm going to join my crew who will try to root out the perpetrators. You and the officials should have a communicator to keep in touch with me; I'm on channel 5." She raced towards the back of the hall.
  Boris was already there, with the squad: three quadrants and three triads of the most experienced people on the Constellation. No need to go into detail with them about what to do: they'd been through this more than once together.
  "Cardeño, take your quadrant to the left, oh, and take Lewis's triad. Mahari's quadrant and Chou's triad, check down these corridors to the right. Lieutenant Smirnoff will lead you. Keep in touch every half hour.  The rest of you, come with me."
    

  Cardeño was an experienced leader. He knew how to keep his soldiers quiet while they worked on operations like this. He thrived on Christina's organization of the security operations on board. Small, self-reliant groups of three or four people, working as teams. A combination of clear chain of command with strong leaders and room for personal initiative on the part of every soldier. Everyone liked her style. She often came, unlike the other senior officers, to pop open a bottle of ale with them.She seemed to care about them. And was she ever smart! She seemed to be able to figure out what the enemy was doing even before they did themselves. How did she do it?
  The seven men and women went through their well-drilled routines, room after room, corridor after corridor, with occasional repeat visits, "just in case," as the Commander liked to say. Nothing. Just empty spaces. Now they were working their way cautiously to a rendez-vous spot. Suddenly, they heard a sound in an adjacent room. Something knocked over, something small. Cardeño looked at Lewis; he jerked his head up and to the left, indicating the door. Lewis and her triad paused, then burst in. Empty! But they heard something. Just a pile of rags on the floor. "Carlita, look!The rags are moving!" What was it? Maybe a robotic weapon. Can't be too careful. It moved again.  Lewis went towards it, getting to what she assumed was the back of the robot or whatever it was. Six guns were trained on it. With a sudden motion, Lewis lifted up the cloth. A kitten! It was terrified, the poor thing! "It's just a kit..." Lewis could not finish her sentence: a red bolt came out of a ventilation shaft, hitting her in the leg. The kitten was a lure, like bait on a hook to catch a fish! And we took the bait. What fools we are!
  "Pépé and Xin-wan, take Carlita to the medics; she'll need help. When you get there, report to Commander Vasa. We're going after the sneaks."
    

  Meanwhile, Boris went in the other direction with Mahari, Chou and their groups. They fanned out cautiously: this is the direction the bolts came from.  working in twos, they examined every cranny, every room, every closet. A canny operator, Boris made sure that even large vents were checked. They doubled back to make random checks at already-cleared rooms and areas.  Nothing.
  "Well, crew, we'd better get back to the Commander.  Let's go! I'm sure she can use our help."
    

  Christina knew this Station like the back of her hand.  It was configured exactly like Ares. Between the two Stations, she must have combed every nook ten times over. And she had a great sense of direction, as well as a photographic memory of places she'd been to.
  "The perpetrators have been contained in this level," she told her squad. "This makes our task easier in one sense, but more dangerous in another: we don't have to worry about 20 stories of areas to look at, but we will be confronting cornered rats. It's hard to know what they'll do, and we don't even know how many of them there are. We'll have to be alert at all times. I sense danger ahead."
  They performed their routine checks, then came upon a group of about 15 Militia men and women trying to find a way out of an exterior corridor. Outside, Venus and its now pale blue sky, with wisps of white and grey clouds. No time for that. "Drop your weapons, and surrender!" Christina ordered. They turned around, startled. One laser gun, another, a third fell to the floor. Then one Militia man opened up his vest. His torso was encircled with explosives. What was his game?
  "One more step, longie, one more word, and we'll all be out there, maybe falling to Venus, maybe exploding into pieces as we go into space."
  "Move away from that wall, or..."
  "Or what? Or you'll shoot me and make sure your patsies get blown up with us?"
  "Or I'll do what I can to prevent you from doing what you want to do. You others, come here, one by one, with your hands up in the air. Maria, Misha, get your soldiers to frisk them and secure them."
  The Militia personnel who had thrown down the weapons stepped forward. A red bolt felled one.  "Shot by one your own men!" cried Misha. You can't even trust each other!" Those were the last words he spoke: a red bolt found its mark.
  Christina fired a blast not at the killer, but at the legs of the body bomber. He cried in pain, then said, "Julie, you know what to do!"
  Julie worked fast. Just before Maria's bolt hit her, she fired at the bomber, igniting the bombs. The blast was terrifying. Christina managed to find a secured post, and held her breath. The vacuum of space almost instantaneously sucked out the Militia members, then all of her crew! She quickly pulled down her oxygen mask and called Boris. "Boris! I'm in sector 45. Hole in the outer wall. Everyone gone but me. Need help fast."
  "We'll be there right away, Commander!"
  Boris and his squad ran to the area. "There's a kind of anteroom between us and the Commander. Quick!  Mahari!  Fasten this rope to something secure in there.  Then everyone get back here. I'll go in the room, use it as a kind of air lock."
  "Still there, Christina?"
  "Yeah, but I don't have much strength left. And I see Maria's wedged under a table. She needs help."
  "One at a time."
  While speaking, Boris closed the door tight, then tied the rope around his middle, keeping enough at the end for one person. He pulled down his oxygen supply. Then he opened the door to the outer corridor. He was hurtled forward, then snapped back, held in place by the rope. Through the pain he felt in his back and waist, he could see Christina a few paces away. He struggled to his feet, attached the rope around her waist, and pulled against the force on Nature herself, back into the anteroom. He closed the door. "Quick!  Pull her outside! I'm going back for Maria!"
  This time he was prepared for the force of the vacuum, and was able to get to Maria. Can't tell if she's alive. No time for her oxygen mask. Get her back to the room. Another struggle with Nature. He closed the door, pulled down Maria's oxygen mask, called out. Everything turned black.


 
  Corporal Chou was a small man, with a wiry build, a broad sense of humor, and a fierce loyalty to the Security team. "Damn  it all," he said, "somebody's going to pay for this! Those are our friends who have been killed and wounded. Lieutenant Smirnoff, with your permission, I'd like to go with my triad on a search mission. The killers can't have gotten too far: everything's locked down tight. We'll find a way to lure them out of hiding."
  "Permission granted. Make sure you check back every half hour on Security Channel 2. Cardeño, your crew can help me get the Commander and Private Mwambi to the Medical Unit. Mahari, we'll need your quadrant for protection. I think they're after Commander Vasa and all the ELBs."
  "Yes, sir," they answered in unison, and the grim party began to make its way toward the elevators. On the way, Boris called headquarters to let them know what had occurred.
  Although Chou was full of anger at this time, his mind operated in a perfectly rational manner. Some called him reckless, but none called him rash. He knew he would expose himself to danger, to death, but there was no other way to smoke out those cowardly bastards. His plan was simple. He would enter rooms, alcoves, and closets alone, with Brown and Gillian just outside and with weapons drawn, offering himself as a target. He would rely on his agility to get out of the way if he saw them ready to fire; Brown and Gillian would rush in and do the rest.
  In the sixth room, he thought he had heard a noise. Where was it? Must be behind that door. Closet?  Bathroom? Better check it out.He moved in a crouch, silent as a cat about to pounce on a mouse, then threw the door open. Nothing. Damn it to hell! Wait.  Shower stall. What's that there? Down on the floor; creep slowly; grab that curtain. Now!
  "Get up, you craven..." It was a dummy! I'm in trouble now. I know I heard a noise, so I know someone's in here. If they didn't know I was here before, they know now. Shouldn't've yelled. Brown, Gillian, a beer for each of you if you get me out of this. Still, I'd better check the linen closet. I'll open it up. Damn! Nothing! Uh, oh, I see in the mirror they've spotted me. Jig's up, Chou.
  "Get out of there, Corporal, so we can kill you quick."
  "You guys like to operate as sneaks, don't you? You knock off the Captain. How did you miss the President? Did you skip class the day they taught you to hold your hands still when you fire?"
  "Very funny. Maybe you'll get a job as a stand-up comic in Hell. If you come out now, we'll kill you painlessly. If you make us risk our lives, you'll die by degrees."
  "You also set up the cat trick, huh? Shot Sergeant Lewis, huh? You'll be sorry to learn that she's okay.  And by the way, my count so far shows that you've lost everyone but you. Fifteen to six. Not good odds."
  "So what? We missed the President, but we got that longie. Did you know he was a longie, your dear Captain Allegretto?"
  So these were the killers of Captain Allegretto and the people who shot Sergeant Lewis. "Have you ever tried fighting fairly? You know, out in the open, equal opportunity killing? Come on in, one at a time. I'll wait until you see me, then I'll shoot. Just make sure your gun is set at Kill. I don't stun easily."
  "Don't try to trick us, Stargazer. We've got a bomb ready to roll in the bathroom. It paralyzes you and puts you in tremendous pain. You feel yourself dying.  I saw it used once in a demo with a captured longie.  Great fun."
  One of them saw, out the corner of her eye, someone running in from the hallway behind them. She turned to shoot, but too late. "Here's to you, Militia murderers!"  It was Gillian. Two of them. Two bolts, both on target.