One's Aspect to the Sun by Sherry D. Ramsey Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sherry D. Ramsey
Tags: Science-Fiction
25.7
Encryption: securetext/novis/noaud
Receipt recording: internal/enabled
From: “Chairman Alin Sedmamin”
To: “Luta Paixon”
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2284 10:29:32 -0500
Captain Paixon,
As I have not yet had a reply to my previous message, I have become concerned that you may be planning to depart Earth without contacting me. I would advise against this course of action. The synthetic virus organically embedded into this message should be treated at PrimeCorp Main as soon as possible. I will make myself available at your convenience.
Chairman Alin Sedmamin
Virus! I swore quietly. I hadn't downloaded any new virus definitions since I'd docked on Earth, and it seemed clear that Alin Sedmamin knew that. They must have a tap on my datalinks, which was unquestionably illegal, but hell, they were PrimeCorp, and who was going to do anything about it?
It followed that they'd be watching to see what I did next, so I didn't make a hasty connection and start looking for definitions. No sense in letting the bastardos know they'd rattled me. Instead, I went looking for Baden, and found him still on the bridge with Rei and Yuskeya.
“Baden, do you still have that virus scanner you ran for us on Jertenda?”
He looked up, sea-green eyes concerned. “Sure. What's wrong, Captain, catch a bug?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Is it up to date?”
“Pretty much. It might not pinpoint some of the latest synthetics, but it could still return a general analysis. I could look for an update first.”
“No, I don't want anyone accessing the datalinks now. Let's just go with what you have. I'm making a guess about something but I need some data to know if I'm right or not.”
“Meet you in the galley in five minutes,” he said, striding down toward his quarters.
Rei raised her eyebrows at me but I said, “Tell you later. Meantime, put an extra encryption filter on all incoming data and see if Viss has some 'special' gadget to look for a tap on the datalinks. I don't want anything outgoing until Viss checks it out. If anyone shows up with cargo, check the manifest down to the nanoprint and run an ID implant scan on whoever's loading it.”
“Sure thing, Captain.”
“Yuskeya, run a rootsource verification on that new wormhole data, would you?”
She started to protest but I shook my head. “I know, you got it from a friend, but it wouldn't be the first time someone used an innocent middleman for other purposes. Just verify it, okej ?”
“No problem, Captain. You're right. Better safe . . .”
“If there is such a thing,” I muttered as I left the bridge.
In the corridor near my cabin, a swift wave of nausea coursed through me. Hot sweat prickled on my forehead and I leaned against the door, closed my eyes and bent over, swallowing hard and hoping I wouldn't vomit. I couldn't remember what that would be like, but I knew it wasn't pleasant. There's a corollary to never getting older: I'm never sick, either. The most I ever feel is a general discomfort, usually gone within half an hour or so. Maybe a one-time churn of the stomach, or twinge of a headache. So while I stood panting and feeling wretched and cursing Alin Sedmamin, I was fairly certain that it wouldn't last.
I was right. In less than two minutes the nausea passed and I continued down to the galley. Baden was pulling an inky, pungent triple caff out of the machine when I entered.
“Want one?” he asked.
“Sure.” It smelled damn good, and I wanted to be thinking clearly for the next little while. Nothing perks up the brain like a triple caff.
He brought the steaming mugs over to the table, where he'd set down his datapad.
“You planning to tell me what this is about?” he asked as he set up the scan.
“PrimeCorp.”
“Really? Do they ever give up?”
“I guess not.” The crew knew I'd had run-ins with PrimeCorp in the past, although they didn't know the details. As I said, we
Encryption: securetext/novis/noaud
Receipt recording: internal/enabled
From: “Chairman Alin Sedmamin”
To: “Luta Paixon”
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2284 10:29:32 -0500
Captain Paixon,
As I have not yet had a reply to my previous message, I have become concerned that you may be planning to depart Earth without contacting me. I would advise against this course of action. The synthetic virus organically embedded into this message should be treated at PrimeCorp Main as soon as possible. I will make myself available at your convenience.
Chairman Alin Sedmamin
Virus! I swore quietly. I hadn't downloaded any new virus definitions since I'd docked on Earth, and it seemed clear that Alin Sedmamin knew that. They must have a tap on my datalinks, which was unquestionably illegal, but hell, they were PrimeCorp, and who was going to do anything about it?
It followed that they'd be watching to see what I did next, so I didn't make a hasty connection and start looking for definitions. No sense in letting the bastardos know they'd rattled me. Instead, I went looking for Baden, and found him still on the bridge with Rei and Yuskeya.
“Baden, do you still have that virus scanner you ran for us on Jertenda?”
He looked up, sea-green eyes concerned. “Sure. What's wrong, Captain, catch a bug?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Is it up to date?”
“Pretty much. It might not pinpoint some of the latest synthetics, but it could still return a general analysis. I could look for an update first.”
“No, I don't want anyone accessing the datalinks now. Let's just go with what you have. I'm making a guess about something but I need some data to know if I'm right or not.”
“Meet you in the galley in five minutes,” he said, striding down toward his quarters.
Rei raised her eyebrows at me but I said, “Tell you later. Meantime, put an extra encryption filter on all incoming data and see if Viss has some 'special' gadget to look for a tap on the datalinks. I don't want anything outgoing until Viss checks it out. If anyone shows up with cargo, check the manifest down to the nanoprint and run an ID implant scan on whoever's loading it.”
“Sure thing, Captain.”
“Yuskeya, run a rootsource verification on that new wormhole data, would you?”
She started to protest but I shook my head. “I know, you got it from a friend, but it wouldn't be the first time someone used an innocent middleman for other purposes. Just verify it, okej ?”
“No problem, Captain. You're right. Better safe . . .”
“If there is such a thing,” I muttered as I left the bridge.
In the corridor near my cabin, a swift wave of nausea coursed through me. Hot sweat prickled on my forehead and I leaned against the door, closed my eyes and bent over, swallowing hard and hoping I wouldn't vomit. I couldn't remember what that would be like, but I knew it wasn't pleasant. There's a corollary to never getting older: I'm never sick, either. The most I ever feel is a general discomfort, usually gone within half an hour or so. Maybe a one-time churn of the stomach, or twinge of a headache. So while I stood panting and feeling wretched and cursing Alin Sedmamin, I was fairly certain that it wouldn't last.
I was right. In less than two minutes the nausea passed and I continued down to the galley. Baden was pulling an inky, pungent triple caff out of the machine when I entered.
“Want one?” he asked.
“Sure.” It smelled damn good, and I wanted to be thinking clearly for the next little while. Nothing perks up the brain like a triple caff.
He brought the steaming mugs over to the table, where he'd set down his datapad.
“You planning to tell me what this is about?” he asked as he set up the scan.
“PrimeCorp.”
“Really? Do they ever give up?”
“I guess not.” The crew knew I'd had run-ins with PrimeCorp in the past, although they didn't know the details. As I said, we
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