Project Boussh: Weighing the Implications
by Durandir

MENDELLIA: RESISTANCE HEADQUARTERS

Macavity was sulking. At first, after Becki's return, he'd clung to her
as purringly as usual; but then she had decided that it would be best
to keep in practice on the piccolo, in case they should find themselves
in the High Palace again anytime soon and needing to use her high C's
against the droids there. The first few notes had sent the cat, a blur
of ginger fur, to hide in Rekla's room. Becki had sought Macavity out,
trying not to laugh, trying to appease him, but the cat was too proud
to make peace too quickly. She let him be. Cats were like that
sometimes; trying to reason with them was like trying to change a three-
year-old's mind.

Now, as she sat at one of the computers to consult AFW and see how the
mission was progressing elsewhere on Terra, Macavity had come out of
hiding to sit atop the monitor and stare at her. "You'd better just
hope," she chided the cat affectionately as the machine was starting
up, "that your weight doesn't prove too much for your perch. I never
knew such an enormous cat as you are, Cavver. And you'd better not get
any ideas about chasing the mouse, either."

Macavity would not condescend to purr, but he did offer a conciliatory
blink. She smiled and turned her attention to the screen.

Kirret had this computer's browser set to start up on a Mendellian news
site. Becki glanced at the headlines briefly as she prepared to switch
to Deja for the AFW posts--then she stopped and looked again. "Uh-oh.
This doesn't look good." *Oil Spill Threatens Ecuador's Galapagos
Islands*, the headline read. She skimmed the story with a growing sense
of disquiet. Coincidence? Yet it seemed somehow...

Wondering over the reported disaster and why it gave her such a bad
feeling, she went on to check the e-mail account by which the Hermitage
group had kept in communication with the rest of Team Boussh. And
suddenly the bad feeling hit full force, when she discovered a note
from Prophet Kristy, sent only a few hours ago:

"Atner plans to implicate our Resistance allies in yesterday's oil
spill. The Dictator's search parties are coming your way--recommend you
clear the caverns immediately. Call the Skate or Red Home if you need
transportation."

Red Home? She'd not heard that name before...It would probably help to
do some AFW catching-up, as she'd intended at first. A hasty skimming
of selected Boussh status reports posted to the newsgroup answered,
well, selected questions, at least. So the team had a transport now--
and "Red Home" seemed a rather fitting name for it. And Kristy was here
in Mendellia, with the Pulsar Skate and a goodly team of Bousshers.
Other bits of news in the reports seemed a bit disjointed; she'd have
to give the newsgroup a more thorough catching-up when time permitted.

For now, however...

Leaving the newsgroup for later, she ran to find the others. Only
yesterday--was it only yesterday? Land sakes, it was really only this
morning!--Thayer had promised Tede and her refuge in the safety of the
caverns. Now the Dictator would force their hand, and even that refuge
would be taken away. At least they had advance warning of it, thanks to
Kristy--if only it would be advance enough.