To The Stars

Jan cracked the exit door and a wave of hot, moist air washed over him. The engines and the cars were completely air conditioned, and he had forgotten how much further south they were. He could feel the sweat already dampening his skin as he climbed down the rungs. Very soon now they would have to use the coldsuits when they went outside the trains. He walked the hundred meters toward the ragged cliff that marked the end of the road. Bright lights illuminated the work area, and the roar and grind of the tanks echoed from the rocky wall, punctuated by the continuous explosions of the fusion guns. The flaming mouths of the tank-mounted units had already carved a niche into the sheer rock wall to span the gap of missing Road. Now they were working to deepen and widen it to permit the trains to pass. Jan didn’t interfere, they were doing fine without him. And he had business with the Family Elders.

They met in the lead car of the Taekeng family, the largest available compartment. This family, the most conservative and inbred, still kept many of its customs from distant Earth. There were silk hangings on the walls, scenes of water and birds and other strange animals, as well as sentences in an alphabet none of them could read. They were also the most group-social family, so they did not have their living cars broken up into the many small compartments the others preferred. The normal occupants of the room had been dispossessed for the moment, but they did not seem to mind. They were gathered in the Road outside the car, calling excitedly to each other about the work ahead, the stars overhead, the strange smells from the jungle below. Children ran about and were called back with great excitement when they ventured too near the precipice. A baby wailed in the darkness, then smacked contentedly as it was put to the breast. Jan picked his way through the people and entered the car.

Though he had called the meeting they had started without him. That was obvious. Hem Ritterspach stood before the Family Heads, but he stopped talking as Jan entered. He gave one look of intense hatred before he turned his back, holding the cast on his arm before him like a shield. Jan took one look at the circle of stony faces and knew perfectly well what Hem was trying to do. But it wouldn’t work. He went slowly to an empty chair and dropped into it.

“As soon as Ritterspach leaves, this meeting can begin,” he said.

“No,” Chun Taekeng broke in. “He has some grave charges that must be heard. He has said—”

“I don’t care what he said. If you wish to hold a meeting of Family Heads to listen to him, you may do it any time you choose. Tonight if you wish. After our business is finished. I have called this meeting as Trainmaster and we have urgent matters to discuss.”

“You can’t throw me out!” Hem shouted. “As Proctor Captain I have a right to attend.”

Jan sprang to his feet and put his face close to the other’s ruddy one. “You have the right to leave, nothing else, that is an order.”

“You cannot order me, you attacked me, there are charges… drew a gun on me, Hem, and I defended you myself. There are witnesses. I will prefer charges when we reach Southtown. If you insist on bothering me now I shall arrest you now, for endangering the safety of the train, and I shall imprison you. Now go.”

Hem’s eyes swept the room, looking for some evidence of aid. Chun opened his mouth — then shut it. The Hradil sat as unmoving and expressionless as a snake. There was only silence. Hem choked out a sound and stumbled to the door, fumbling at the handle with his left hand, then vanished into the night.

“Justice will be done in Southtown,” The Hradil said.

“It will be done,” Jan answered, his voice as expressionless as hers. “After the trip. Now, are there any troubles I should know about?”

“There are complaints,” Ivan Semenov said.

“I don’t want to hear them. Morale, complaints, food, personal problems, all of these will be handled by the Family Heads. I mean mechanical problems; air, power, anything like that?”

He looked from face to face, but there was no response. It had to continue this way. He had to keep them off balance, unable to adjust completely to this new mode of life.

“Good. I knew I could rely upon you all to make things smoother for the technical crew. There are other ways in which you can help. As you know, we shall be driving for twice the normal amount each day. This is only the first day, so fatigue is not showing yet. But it will. The drivers will be working double time, so will soon be twice as tired as normal. We may have accidents which we cannot afford. Unless we train more drivers as we go.

“Why do you bother us with this?” Chun Taekeng asked abrasively. “This is a technical matter about which you boast great proficiency. With no farming to be done, there are plenty of men to choose from, so choose who you will.”