"Oh no! Is … is Harriet okay?"
"I have no time to explain, Trainee," said Bernie gently. "I must track a ship immediately."
"Bernie!"
"Alice, I have no data on Harriet's status, but there is a good chance she is still alive. For now, at least."
Alice stared at the robot. "Wh-what the hell happened?"
"I can answer your questions, or I can try to find Harriet. At this moment I do not have enough power for both." Bernie approached the nearest desk and held one hand over the keyboard. The screen changed to a map of the star system, with a dozen tiny points of light. "Those are vessels in transit," said Bernie, as she manipulated the map. The view zoomed in until a lone dot could be seen, crawling across the black expanse of space like an ant. "And that is the ship carrying our colleague."
"Carrying her? Where?"
"From the course, I would estimate they're taking her to Vasquez."
"By 'they', you mean Tyron Smith, right?"
"That is the only logical conclusion."
"So how do we get her back?"
"With a spaceship, clearly. And one which is not only faster than Smith's, but available to us at no cost."
They both thought on that one, and came up empty.
"Surely the authorities can do something?" protested Alice.
"We are the authorities," said Bernie gravely. "The Navy won't intervene, and in any case they have no ships in the system. The orbiter was less than useless."
"Okay, so we'll rescue Harriet ourselves." Alice felt in her pocket. "How much money to we need?"
"For a pursuit vessel and a crew of armed mercenaries? Not less than twenty thousand credits. And, in addition, roughly a week to organise everything."
"Oh." Alice frowned. "I don't get it, Bernie. Why Harriet? What could they want with her?"
"There are two possibilities. One, she's intended as a trade."
"For me, you mean."
"Yes, but that makes little sense. Why take her hostage, then leave Dismolle and head for Vasquez?"
"Maybe they saw you coming." Alice eyed the screen. "What's the other reason?"
"It's so obvious it's barely worth mentioning."
"Mention it anyway."
"I'm sure you've already grasped the implications. There is no need to—"
"Tell me, or I'll grasp you!" growled Alice.
"The incident at the spaceport was their third attempt to lure you from the office. They most likely had a watcher outside the office, who reported you leaving in uniform soon after their call. They thought you were on the way to the spaceport to investigate their bomb, and did not realise you were actually going to the primary school."
"So Harriet turned up at the spaceport, but they were expecting me?"
"Correct. And they captured Harriet instead of you."
"Smith will go nuts when he finds out."
"Indeed."
"Bernie, this is really bad."
The robot's eyebrows rose. "Steve is in ruins, my senior trainee has been kidnapped, the head of the Dismolle Residents' Association wishes to meet a my senior officer in person, and now you realise things are not going that well?"
"Harriet's good at her job. What if she gets free, captures the ship and flies it back again?"
"Harriet Walsh is a trainee, not a deity with infinite power."
They watched the dot on the screen, which was getting further away by the second, and Alice had never felt so helpless in her life. "Bernie, why is Smith after me?"
"There is a sealed box which belonged to your uncle, and it can only be opened with your DNA. Smith believes it contains information on his missing cargo."
"Hey, I remember that box! They took it off me after he died, said I'd get it back when I was old enough." Alice frowned. "Who told you about it? Was it that woman Teresa?"
"No, it was Trainee Harriet." Bernie sighed heavily. "We can only hope Smith returns her safe and sound once he discovers his mistake."
"Fat chance." Alice gestured at the terminal. "Why don't you call him and set up an exchange? Me for her."
"I cannot do such a thing."
"Why not? I could take a gun, and—"
"That is one good reason why not. The other is that the Peace Force does not negotiate with criminals. Said regulation is enshrined in history, from the time of …"
Bernie kept talking, but Alice wasn't listening. They needed a ship to chase Smith down, and she knew where to get one. Of course, Bernie would never go along with it, but the robot was easily fooled.
They both jumped as the commset rang. Alice was nearest, and scooped up the handset. "Dismolle Peace Force."
"My name is Agatha Foster," said the woman on the line. She had a cold, hard voice which brooked no nonsense. "I wish to make an appointment with your commanding officer, and I will not be fobbed off with excuses."
"Um, not right now," said Alice quickly. "We're in the middle of a case."
"Is this something the public should be aware of?"
"No, the serial killings were last week. This is far less dangerous … as long as we're left in peace to deal with it." Alice replaced the handset, cutting Foster off.
Bernie stared at her, slack-jawed. "Trainee Alice, you can't treat the public like that!"
"She's gone, hasn't she?"
"You're just creating a bigger problem down the line!"
"Yes, but I'm just a lowly recruit. Bigger problems? You and Harriet get to deal with those."
Bernie started lecturing her on the correct method of dealing with the public, but Alice was thinking about a rescue plan and the words had all the impact of a gentle summer breeze. "Sorry, Bernie, my stomach's playing up. I'm just going to see if Dave has anything to settle it."
"Oh dear. Are you unwell?" asked Bernie in concern.
"It'll pass. Just let me take something for it."
"Of course, of course. Do not let your concern for Harriet affect your health. While you seek a remedy, I will continue thinking on the matter of her rescue."
Alice ran to Birch's shop, jogged between the aisles full of goods, then continued through the front doors and hailed the first cab she saw. "To the spaceport," she said breathlessly. "And be quick, this is official Peace Force business!"
