[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Blessed was in a foul mood. He wanted to argue. Turtle refused. He left that
tape in the machine. I want to see it again.
But there was no tape there when he checked.
The woman must have gone back while he and Provik were chasing the survivors.
Maybe they were right when they said Provik made no mistakes.
82
There was a caution waiting at the lower watchpoint with Goshe. Lupo called
One. He listened briefly. In the privacy of a lifter, he told Two, A couple
of Valerena s Others, from her office, turned up asking for protection. One s
been putting them off hoping we d get back and handle it ourselves.
Sarcastic, are we?
He could have handled it.
Then got bitched at because things were happening and you weren t being kept
informed.
Probably. I reserve the right to be unreasonable, inconsistent, and
arbitrary in an unreasonable, inconsistent, and arbitrary universe. What did
you think of Blessed s new bodyguard?
Deadly. And smart, maybe. He never stopped studying us.
We ll keep him in mind. Now let s worry about our Valerena trouble. I can t
help recalling that she left three of them on that Guardship. What mischief
are they up to out there?
A minute later, still smelling of fight, they stepped into the office where
the Valerenas waited. Lupo questioned them only long enough to get a glimmer
Page 178
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
of what had happened. He signalled One. Call Blessed. We need him here. Use
your imagination if you have to. Then get T. W. up here. I m going to check on
Valerena.
He hammered on the door. Valerena! It s Provik.
Muffled, It s unlocked.
He eased the door open, spied the shredded corpse, the demolished furniture.
He went in slowly.
He found himself facing a cutter.
It is you.
I think so.
You took long enough.
I was in the High City keeping Blessed from getting killed by your Others.
Blessed too?
All of us. They tried me this morning.
A clean sweep.
Except for T.W. Come down to my office. They don t know they didn t get you,
either.
Of course they do. Two got away when I did that. She indicated the corpse.
Those two are all right. They came straight down to let me know you were in
trouble. If they d been on the other side there would have been another try.
Unless I m not Valerena Prime.
I ll know about that after I get you to my office.
T.W. got through so quick her call had to have been expected. T.W. Trice!
the Simon Other boomed. How the hell are you? I haven t seen your ugly puss
since...
Can it. I m not in the mood. Lupo got himself killed this morning. She had
been Provik s lover once and was well known as his designated heir.
Killed? Lupo Provik?
Lupo. I know. It sounds unlikely. Since Valerena took over, I ve had orders
to get with you if anything happens to him. Can you come down?
Why don t you come up? More private here.
I can t. Somebody tried to burn Blessed and got the bad side of his
bodyguards. I m riding monitor on the cleanup.
Page 179
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Pause. I ll be right down.
Use the freight lift. I m back in the big office. She secured. That good
enough, Lupo?
Perfect. He ll be foaming at the mouth, worrying.
Two came in. Blessed is on his way. He brought the Ku instead of Shike.
He knows we wouldn t let him in armed.
Blessed arrived moments before the guest of honor. There was no time to brief
him. The Simon Other came out of the freight lift booming, T.W! Where the
hell are you, woman?
In here.
The bell came sailing in. What s this shit about somebody trying to...
Hell.
T.W. said, I ll leave now, Lupo.
You don t have to.
I want to.
Go ahead. Provik faced the bell. You and Simon wondered how it would come
out if we went head to head. Now you know. You were clumsy, hasty, sloppy,
overconfident, and your communications and reserves were inadequate. You
defeated yourself. I didn t see it coming.
I had one throw of the dice. I took it. And you know damned well victory
don t always go to him with the most resources. I don t have any regrets. Do
what you have to do.
Lupo allowed time for Valerena or Blessed to comment. Neither spoke. He
wished he could read the Ku. The alien seemed amused.
You ve overlooked your value to the House. Or maybe you didn t. Maybe you
were counting on it.
The Simon Other did not respond.
You re the Chair, Valerena. What do we do with him?
What do you think we should do?
You re the Chair. It s your job to decide. Mine is to carry out your
decisions. I never let Simon duck responsibility for the unpleasant things we
did, and I won t let you, either.
You re a bastard.
I know. He watched Blessed obliquely. The boy remained a cypher. But this
does have to be resolved.
Can we deal with the Outsiders without him?
Probably. It may take longer.
Page 180
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I don t need the aggravation of always having to watch for a next time.
Lupo smiled thinly. How often had she tried to get to her father? Blessed.
You have an opinion?
No.
Just here. Just watching. Just learning what it meant to be a Tregesser. Go
home, then. My people will come clean up. Don t relax. There could be a few
severed limbs of this thing flopping around still.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]