She turned as Caldavir entered the reception area. He was carrying a plate, and he offered it to her with a smile. "Dave's omelette, with compliments."
The smell was enticing, and Harriet ate the food quickly, still keeping her eye on the street. When she was finished, she handed the empty plate back. "Thanks," she said.
"Hey, you're saving our lives. Least we can do."
"I'm sorry about all this. Dragging you in, I mean. I had no idea they'd launch a full-on attack."
"Let them try. We're holding our own so far."
"Doesn't it worry you? They want to kill us."
"Then we'll just have to stop them," said Caldavir.
He left with the plate, and Harriet shook her head slowly. Then, with the gun still pointing at the street, she reached for her commset. "Bernie?"
"Good afternoon, Trainee Harriet."
"Bernie, we're in trouble."
"I know that, Trainee Harriet. Based on my analysis of your situation, you and your team are facing a very uncertain future."
"Oh, great. Thanks for that."
"I am merely stating the facts."
"How about merely getting some backup? A gunship, half a dozen riot troops … anything."
"You know my hands are tied. Headquarters barely know of our existence, and they would sooner close the office than waste valuable resources on this planet."
"Bernie, people are going to die!"
"Yes, that seems inevitable."
Harriet paused. "You really need to work on your bedside manner."
"I am confused. Which bed am I beside?"
"It's just an expression. Listen, anything you can do, do it. We're desperate."
"I will consider the problem at length. Bernie out."
Harriet swore under her breath and shoved the commset into her uniform.
"No good, huh?" said Birch, who'd just walked in.
"We're on our own." Harriet gestured at the doors. "Can you organise some of those boxes of files from the stairwell? We can pile them against the doors to stop any flying glass. In case they break in, I mean."
"Sure, I'll get onto it right away."
"Thanks for the omelette," called Harriet, and Birch waved in reply.
Chapter 17
Bernie's expression was serious as she considered the situation in Chirless. There was nobody she could call for help, since the Dismolle Peace Force was completely autonomous. Worse, headquarters were under the impression the Dismolle office was staffed by a brand new robot whose only function was to handle any phone calls from the public. The little answering robot had been despatched to Dismolle years ago, along with an order recalling Bernie. When she became aware of the plan, Bernie had switched the orders and sent the brand new answerbot off for recycling. She'd been waiting for headquarters to uncover the deception ever since.
So far, so good, but she daren't do anything to draw attention to the Dismolle Peace Force, because the moment they discovered she was still around they'd send a team to retrieve her … and then she'd be scrapped.
Bernie frowned. She needed to get to Chirless to protect her trainees, and the only possible way was to use a shipping company. So, she placed a call.
"Welcome to Trans Shippers. How can I help you today?"
"I have a consignment for Chirless," said Bernie.
"I can help you with that. What's the cubed weight, please?"
"Two point eight tons."
"Dimensions?"
Bernie reeled off her height and width.
"Let me calculate that for you."
Bernie's lips thinned as she endured to the hold music, and eventually she set up a filter to mute the discordant noises. Three minutes and forty seconds later, the employee came back on the line. "Thanks for waiting. Your quote comes to twenty-six thousand, four hundred and—"
Bernie disconnected. She'd been expecting a thousand or two, maximum, and even that would have been a stretch. Twenty-six thousand was impossible.
Well, if she couldn't fly there, she only had one other option. Bernie strode to the rear of the Peace Force office and opened a door. Beyond was darkness, but her extended vision picked up the inside of the undercover garage … and the sleek cruiser parked within. "Steve?"
"Yes Bernie?"
"What is your maximum range?"
"I have no maximum. My power source is a sealed unit which will run for decades."
"Some devices have all the luck," muttered Bernie, whose own batteries barely ran for ten minutes at a time. Still, no time for envy. She had a vital mission. "How long to reach Chirless?"
"At what speed?"
"Maximum safe."
"Three days."
Bernie pulled a face. In three days time she could be burying her trainees, and she needed to arrive in the nick of time to save them. "How long at maximum unsafe speed?"
"Eighteen hours."
"Then let us proceed."
Steve opened the rear door, and the entire side of the car swung open to let the huge robot climb aboard. As soon as Bernie was seated the car closed up again, and the big roller door leading to the street rattled as it rose out of the way.
They reversed out with a roar, spun through ninety degrees, then set off at speed. Other vehicles, buildings and pedestrians blurred past as they rocketed towards the main road, and when they got there Steve really opened up the taps.
"Your progress is acceptable," said Bernie, as they raced towards the outskirts. She reached for the charge cable and plugged in, keen to ensure her batteries were topped off. Then she activated her internal commset. "Trainee Harriet, what is the situation in Chirless?"
"We're keeping them at bay, but it's tough."
Bernie paused. There was a curious echo on the line, and when she analysed it she discovered something troubling. "Trainee Harriet, do you have anyone connected to this call?"
"No, just me."
"Then someone is listening in."
"We're being bugged?"
"Indubitably."
There was a crackle on the line, and a male voice broke in. "Give it up, people. Your pathetic little Peace Force isn't going to last, reinforcements or not."
"Who is this?" demanded Bernie. "You have no authority to—"
"I have all the authority I need," said the voice.
"Mike Dantriss!" snapped Harriet. "I should have known you were a damned
