chapter 17
WHERE YOU SEE FENCES
Within hours of the failure at the satellite facility, Pavel, Ethan, and Brian Wallace were on their way to the New Timbuktu Gold
Processing and Re-educational Center for the Retirement of Criminals. Happily for them, the point of these facilities was to keep
reprobates in and not to prevent their entry.
Using a combination of Pavel’s knowledge of the medical treatments available to prisoners, Brian Wallace’s understanding of how
bribery and procurements were best managed, and Ethan’s skills at persuading computers to perform illegal functions, the three
arranged their visit under the auspices of providing arthritis care for Harpreet. Which, according to Pavel, was not normally
accorded to prisoners. But the warden, for some reason, made a habit of ordering the injections with a regularity that allowed the
additional visit to go unremarked upon.
Gold was no longer processed in the West African location, but the name gave a sort of glamour to the institution. This was useful in
keeping at arms-length those elements of the Terran population who disapproved of re-educational imprisonment. In reality,
prisoners’ working hours were devoted to ensuring that among the trace minerals which were mined in New Timbuktu, no precious
metals or rare earths were accidentally overlooked. The labor was moderately demanding, causing someone in Harpreet’s
condition more than a few uncomfortable nights and achy mornings.
Thus she was delighted to be released from labor in order to be seen by a doctor. And she was even more delighted when the
assistants of the unknown doctor turned out to be Ethan (in a new body) and Brian Wallace (looking much the same.) Pavel, she
immediately accepted as a new friend, expressing remarkably little shock that the three of them had managed to infiltrate the prison.
The true shock was experienced by the would-be rescuers, and it came down to this: Harpreet did not, as it turned out, wish to be
rescued.
“What do you mean, exactly, by saying that you’d rather stay here?” demanded Pavel.
“Harpreet is in the habit of stating exactly what she intends to communicate,” said Ethan.
“So I am.” Harpreet smiled and turned her attention to Ethan. “Tell me, son, how do you find your new body?” Her bright eyes rested
upon his missing limbs.
“It is sufficient,” he replied, causing Harpreet to laugh softly.
“Ah. Well, sufficiency is something Marsians know how to appreciate.” She sighed. “I believe your sister will have made it home by
now.”
Ethan spoke softly. “So I believe.”
“Bringing with her hope wrapped in copper,” added Brian Wallace, with a smile.
“You have a touch of poetry about you, Mr. Wallace,” said Harpreet.
“And more than a touch of the practical, Ma’am,” replied Brian. “Ye really ought to come with us. Young Ethan here needs to consult
with ye.”
Harpreet’s dark eyes widened. “Indeed? Tell me, doctor, how much longer do we have for my appointment?”
“They’ll give us another five minutes, max,” replied Pavel.
“Then let us consult now, my friend,” Harpreet said to Ethan.
Very concisely, Ethan recounted his failed mission and the resulting destruction of the building.
“The codes are lost,” said Ethan. “Even I cannot recreate what was destroyed. I wished to know your opinion: ought I to attempt to
communicate this failure to the Secretary General? Such communication could draw unwanted attention to us or to Mars.”
“No. I would not communicate failure, if I were you,” said Harpreet. A warm smile suffused her face. “What would you say if I told you
knowledge of how to communicate with the Terran satellites can yet be recovered?”
“Indeed?” asked Ethan.
“How?” asked Pavel.
“You must speak with Kazuko Zaifa, formerly employed at the satellite facility you tell me has been destroyed. She is no friend of
Terran government at present. However, she is a very good friend of mine.”
“She’s here?” asked Pavel.
Harpreet nodded. “I suggest you discover a reason to treat Kazuko Zaifa’s rather distressing arrhythmia,” she said.
Ethan’s hands flew across his wafer holoscreen just as a loud rap sounded upon the door.
“Two minutes,” called a voice from outside.
Harpreet sighed and then beamed at the three men. “I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see the two of you once again and to
make your acquaintance, Pavel.” She rose as if to leave, removing a small coiled something from her pocket.
“But you will not join us?” asked Pavel.
“I have found a place where I am needed,” said Harpreet, shrugging softly. “The gifts placed into our receiving are not to be lightly
discarded.”
“Gifts?” said Pavel, gesturing about him. “I’m sorry ma’am, but I see fences and bad food and medical care that would have been a
joke three centuries ago.”
Harpreet smiled. “Where you see fences I have found opportunities. Now then, listen carefully. I am consulted by many. I have new
friends who once were courted by the Chancellor. It seems she likes to send her former acquaintance here.”
Pavel grunted in a small laugh.
“They tell me things of interest, these ousted politicians and household servants,” said Harpreet. “These items of interest I have
stored away.” Here she passed the small coil of plastic into Pavel’s hand. It might have been a twine to secure bags of refuse. Or it
might, as she intoned, have held secrets to topple empires.
“Time’s up,” called the guard outside.
“Come see me again some time,” she said smiling. “And consult Kazuko Zaifa immediately.”
“I set up an ‘appointment’ for her just now,” said Ethan.
Pavel raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You did?”
“He is a most astonishing young man,” said Harpreet to Pavel, indicating Ethan. “Until we meet again.” She crossed to the door and
joined her armed escort with a smile upon her face.
As she left, the three men heard her asking the guard how he was and if his back was giving him any trouble today.
“Unbelievable,” said Pavel.
“She’s one of a kind,” said Wallace.
“That is no mere figure of speech,” said Ethan.
Pavel stepped into the hall, calling for security. “I believe I am to treat one additional detainee today?”
The officer consulted a handheld wafer. “Prisoner Kazuko Zaifa,” he said. “I’ll have her brought to you right away, sir.”
“Good, good,” said Pavel.
Closing the door behind him, Pavel addressed the others. “Now all we have to do is figure out how to convince this Kazuko Zaifa to
tell us everything she knows.”
“I have an idea,” said Brian Wallace, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he removed a handheld wafer from his
pocket.
A sharp rap sounded once more upon the door and Pavel answered it.
The guard presented a pale woman to Pavel.
“Kazuko Zaifa?” asked Pavel, smiling benevolently.
“The same,” replied the guard. “Red Squadron Forces are sending officers to remove this prisoner from New Timbuktu. So
whatever you’re doing, better make it snappy.”
The door closed and Kazuko Zaifa’s face turned pale.
Pavel’s face blanched as well. “Oh, no,” he said. “If Red Squadron are coming here to pick up the scientist from the satellite facility
… Ethan, can you hack into the prison’s detainee roster and see if my aunt has authorized them to remove any additional persons?”
Ethan hunched over his holoscreen, frowned, and then looked up at Pavel. “Harpreet Mombasu is scheduled for removal as well.”
“Shizer!” said Pavel.