Chapter 31: Merve

Back at the office, Lia said, "Pru, I've got some returns from the scans we're running in Turpan."

"Great! Anything useful?"

"Not too much, I think. We haven't located any of the hostage's CIDs, but that may just mean they're underground." She anticipated Pru's next remark with a shrug, "Or, we're not looking in the right place. We're revising the scan areas."

Pru grinned, welcoming the changed relationship. She felt willing cooperation and acceptance from the other woman. "What about Kurshan?" she asked.

"Nothing there either. But, we do have something on this Batuk— the CID you're talking with."

"Let me see."

Lia keyed a file to the screen. They considered the limited information available, including the photo of a 30-something man with distinctive Han features.

"Do you have access to his PID?" Pru asked.

"We're working on that. We're still trying to convince the civil authorities that holding 30 hostages is illegal. I should have something soon."

"Let me know when you do." Pru pulled on the end of her nose, thinking. "What's the location of the com that answers Batuk's CID?"

Lia's face flushed slightly. "We're having a little trouble with that. Someone's spoofing the com's ID. I've got a crew working on it, but right now it's telling me he's located in Taipei."

"Any chance that's true?"

"None at all. Anyway, Xing's already checked that location. It's a noodle shop." The two women grinned at each other.

Pru said, "We have to get in contact with him again, that's my next step. Maeve will be working with me; she speaks Turkish."

"Not Uighur?"

"Actually, she speaks some, but we're hoping it will work. We're still playing it by ear. I need to contact whoever this is, and I need to be able to keep him busy long enough for us to get more information.

"What do you have on Baltar?"

Lia called up a CID on Elik Baltar. Surprisingly, there was no image of his face.

"No picture? How come?" Pru asked.

"It sometimes happens out there. Xinjiang is a long way from here and sometimes things slip between the cracks."

"Can you get me anything about who his parents are?"

"Why is that?" Lia asked.

"I have a hunch. This Batuk looks Han. Whoever I'm talking to has a grudge against Han, says he can tell a Han by looking at him. That's not rational anymore but even if he's irrational, why is someone who hates Han using a Han's CID? Try and find out who Baltar's parents and grandparents are, would you?"

"Sergeant Major Xing? Would you get someone busy on that?"

"Certainly, Captain."

Pru changed the subject. "Will we be able to move out to Turpan tonight?"

Lia nodded. "We've got that underway. I've sent some of the force ahead so that we don't all arrive at once. I couldn't find the right kind of light transport, so I sent them in twos and threes on the LD Metro to Kurshan. We'll move the rest of the troops in after dark in our own lifters. I've organized transport for the heavy equipment and support stuff, and we can lift that in tonight and move it to a location outside of town before morning."

"How are you getting your advance party from Kurshan to Turpan?"

Lia grinned. "Xing signed them up for a sightseeing bus tour of Turpan. They'll be there a couple of hours ahead of us."

"Very good, Lia. Thank you." She hesitated. "Just one thing," Pru went on. "Turpan is the bellybutton of China..." Lia looked up with a puzzled expression. "I mean, it's the lowest point — below sea level. And, it's on the edge of the Takla Makan desert. Are you going to be able to hide anything out there? I'd think you could see a 'mobile 80 klicks away."

Lia smiled. "You have a point, Pru, but Sergeant Major Xing's got some tricks up his sleeves. You'll see."

In her temporary office, Pru and Maeve sat for a moment discussing tactics.

"My first problem is to get his guy to talk to me," Pru said. All he does is repeat himself. I'm almost sure there's something fishy about him, but maybe I'm just making that up. Let me talk with him for a while, see how well you think you can communicate. If you have any ideas, write them down for me. Is that all right with you?"

Maeve nodded. "Sounds good. I really need to keep quiet until I'm sure we'll be able to communicate. Pity there aren't more Uighur speakers here at OSG."

"Sort of tells you something about the isolation of that part of China. It's been that way for hundreds of years. The Han never wanted anything to do with it until population pressure got intense. Now that population is more stable, they're putting less pressure on the western borders. There's not much out there but two of the world's biggest and nastiest deserts, but of course, the natives love it."

"So, what's this guy's complaint?"

"I think it's partly ethnic bigotry and partly religious bigotry coming off an economic base. Nasty combination, if you ask me."

"And, what does he want?"

"I'm going to try and find that out in this session."

Pru turned to the com, set it to Voice Only and called the Batuk CID.

"What do you want?" responded the familiar voice. "Are you ready to agree to my demands?"

"Good afternoon," Pru replied. "This is Kanar. What is your name?"

"My name is not important."

"Well, are you Elik Baltar? Or, are you someone else? The demands you mention are signed with Elik Baltar's CID, so I need to talk to him. What's the point of talking with someone who can't negotiate?"

"There will be no negotiation."

"All right then, are you authorized to accept our terms or to release the hostages?"

"Yes."

"Then, I will assume you are Elik Baltar. Since you have stopped saying "we", I assume you are the only person involved. Elik, have you determined whether your hostages are Han or Muslim?"

"That is none of your concern."

"But what is the point of holding hostages who are the people you are trying to help?"

The two went around that point for several minutes, with Pru getting nowhere. Periodically, she glanced at Maeve, who nodded and passed notes that she could understand the conversation. Eventually, she changed her approach.

"Elik, are these hostages getting adequate food and drink? Do any of them require medical assistance? We are unable to access their medical implants, so we can't tell."

"You will not be able to reach them until you agree to my demands, or until they are dead."

"Are you feeding them?"

"They are being fed."

"Do you have adequate supplies for the entire period?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Are there any medical problems?"

"No."

Pru changed tacks again. "You say you want all Han removed from the Uighur area. What do you mean by the Uighur area? Would you define that, please?"

"The Uighur area is all that area of the traditional nomadic settlements."