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The message came in from Ganymede Station, and Amos accepted it at once since it was from Prax.
The botanist said he needed help. “I found out my fellow scientists have agreed to the UNN’s upcoming experiments. They will destroy all the progress I’ve made since I’ve been here.”
“You can handle that on your own. What does that have to do with me?” Amos never understood Prax’s work, although he’d been caring for the plants the botanist left behind. Prax would rather protect a plant than find a way to feed all the known planets. Not that the two things were unrelated.
“I might be better in a fight than any of them expect,” Prax said with a smile, “but there’s only one of me. I need your…”
“You need my muscle.” Amos was already calculating how long it would take to get to the station.
“Exactly.” Prax shook his head. “Not against the scientists, but against the UNN forces. You saw what they’ve done elsewhere.”
“What makes you think this’ll come to a physical fight?” Amos asked.
“They’re already beating their drums, so to speak.” Prax paused. “Amos, you’re my best friend in the whole wide world.”
That made Amos smile. He’d never been anyone’s best friend, but he and Prax had formed a bond when they worked together before, whether on the plants for the Roci, the fight with assorted factions or the rescue of Mei. “How’s Mei?”
Now, Prax grinned. “Growing like a weed. Absorbing her studies like a plant uptakes water and nutrients from the soil.”
“I’m kinda in the middle of something right now,” Amos said, “but I should be able to get away by tomorrow.”
Prax groaned.
“But since it’s you,” Amos looked around, “maybe in a coupla hours.”
His friend sighed. “I knew I could count on you.”
***
Amos took a skiff to Ganymede Station. He arrived in the middle of the day there and took the rail to Prax’s laboratory. He’d arrived just in time. Another scientist and two UNN soldiers were collecting the plant samples and vials of serums.
Prax was fighting them off but at three against one, he could use help. Prax grabbed a plant out of the hands of one soldier and turned to the scientist. “Dr. Carlton, do you know how long it took to get that to grow even under laboratory conditions?”
Amos strode into the room and took tray after tray from the other soldier.
“Who are you?” the scientist asked Amos.
Prax quickly answered for him. “I don’t think you met my associate, Dr. Burton. He assisted me on Eros and helped me rescue my daughter on Io.”
Amos took the cue from his friend. “I’ve been running tests for Dr. Meng on a ship and came to present my results.”
Prax smiled. “It’s been very interesting to see what will grow at different gravities.”
“Yeah, well now you have to find what FOOD will grow, not these,” the first soldier knocked over a plant, “worthless green stuff.”
“But there are nutrients in this, as you call it, green stuff. We are learning so much about what we can grow out here and we will learn more, only if we can be allowed to work independently.”
“Dr. Meng, you’re wasting our time.” Carlton glanced at his watch. “You have until five standard time to clear out this laboratory. Otherwise, we’ll be back to finish what we started.” He motioned for the two soldiers to follow him out.
“What’re you gonna do?” Amos asked his friend.
“I’ll move these experiments to my place.”
“Do you have enough room?”
“I’ll make room.”
“I got a better idea.” Amos smiled. “I’ll set up an independent lab for you on the second level.”
“That’s where the bars and brothels are.”
“Exactly. They’ll never think to look there.”
A smiled spread on Prax’s face. “We’ll have to move fast.”
“Let me secure a space and then I’ll help you move.”
***
A former arcade was available on the second level. All the machines, the virtual reality equipment and the screens had been removed. All that was left was a hull of a space, almost as large as Prax’s current lab.
Amos and Prax made several trips, carrying the delicate plants from one floor to another. But at fifty minutes gone, they were only half done.
“I’ve run out of ideas,” Amos said as they returned to the original lab for the eighth time.
“My place is closer than the arcade and on the same level,” Prax replied. “Let’s find a cart, load it up and take the rest there for now.”
Amos shook his head. “They’ll find that for sure.”
Prax shrugged. “We don’t have time to take the plants anywhere else.” It really was closer. They were unloading the cart in Prax’s very small kitchen when Mei arrived from school.
“Sweetheart, you remember Amos,” Prax said.
The girl said a shy, “Hi.”
She still wore her hair in pigtails, but Amos was sure she’d grown six inches since he last saw her. Out of the clutches of Jules-Pierre Mao and Dr. Strickland and under care of her father, she thrived.
“What are you doing?” Mei asked. “Are those going to live here?”
“Temporarily,” her father replied. “You know how you like to help me with my experiments.”
She nodded and pointed to a plant with variegated leaves and tiny pink buds. “I like that one.”
“Then you can adopt it, care for it.”
Mei smiled.
“We have to return to the laboratory,” Prax said.
“Will you come back with Daddy?” Mei asked Amos.
Not wanting to promise something he couldn’t deliver, Amos said, “I’m not sure.” He took the empty cart back to where they’d found it and then, out of breath, he joined Prax in the laboratory just before Carlton and the soldiers returned.
Carlton looked around. “Where are your plants?”
“You told me to get rid of them. That’s what we’ve done.”
Carlton turned to one of the soldiers. “Go search his rooms.”
“You can’t go there without me,” Prax said. “You’ll frighten my daughter.”
“You’re not leaving this room.” Amos moved to the doorway while all eyes were on Prax. He spread his arms, barely touching the door frame.
“You can’t keep us here forever,” Carlton said. “Someone is bound to come along, and get you out of the way.”
Amos smirked. “Prax, take my gun and train it on the three of them.”
But before Prax could do that, the soldiers had their own guns out. Automatically, Prax raised his hands.
Amos still didn’t move. “You shoot us, and you’ll have every scientist on this station coming after you. You want Prax to help you, then you’ll have to let him do it.” Maybe he should mix in a threat with the offer. “I’ve dealt with guys faster and stronger than you back in Baltimore. Don’t make me hurt you.”
Looking him over, the soldiers holstered their guns. One said, “Dr. Carlton, maybe we should just go and let Dr. Meng get on with the task he’s been given.”
Carlton grimaced. “I’ll be back to make sure you’re doing what you were told.” He pointed to one of the counters lining the room. “There’s a folder there with instructions. This is vital work and must be done quickly.”
“I understand,” Prax said.
Once they were gone, Amos said, “Can you do it?”
Prax laughed. “Fine time to ask, after you said I would. I expect I can come up with what they want, but I won’t have much time for my other plants. Still, once I’ve started, I can bring at least a few of them back to intersperse with what I’m growing for them.”
“Guess I can go, then.”
“Aren’t you coming to dinner? Mei will be very disappointed if you don’t.”
Amos grinned. “All right. For Mei.”