Part 60 (1/2)

No. When he left us on Wednesday after the baby's cure he gave no indication when he'd return here. Shall I do a scan of Goriah for you?

Please.

... All clear unless he's put up a mental umbrella.

Are you sure?

Aiken I can't fa.r.s.earch for him as I would an ordinary person. Once he pops through the superficies into normal s.p.a.ce he's free to disguise his aura or even wipe it out so that not even a Grand Master can track him.

But I know he isn't able to carry anything large along with him. Only small objects that would fit inside the armour. Certainly not an X-ray laser. You're safe from him wearing your sigmas. And I really don't think he'd try to kill you ... yet.

Not like his darling son Hagen you mean? Well that one's cooled down nicely! All the same he won't get any rides in those aircraft-granting Basil and the boys manage to bring them back. Both Hagen and Cloud are staying with me on tight leash until further notice. Let 'em work on the Guderian device with old Celo breathing down their necks watching for a false move.

How is the project coming?

Well enough I guess. They've taken apart half the gadgets in my contraband store cannibalizing components and materials.

Have you thought further about whether you'd return to the Milieu?

All I can think about is confronting Marc. Get the d.a.m.n thing over and done with.

He'll pick his own time and place. Unless you do as I suggested.

Meet him at your place? ... Not on your life! He'd have both of us right where he wanted us.

He had the chance to dominate me already when he took over the executive during Brendan's redaction.

And he let me go. I don't think you understand Marc! YouthinkYOUdo?!

Better than you. I've worked with him and I've also done a deep memoreview of some Rebellion history materials that I studied a long time ago. Marc is a man with his own strange code of honour. If he agreed to confer with you on neutral ground with me as monitor he'd do you no harm.

Ha! I'd wallop him without blinking a fewking eye-truce or not!

No you won't. Not if you give your word to me. I know you.

d.a.m.ned if you do Woman! This matter of Marc toting things around with him on the d-jump really tears it. When he gets the program squared away what's to stop him from plopping Kyllikki herself right down in the castle courtyard.

Listen to me Aiken. Try to understand. Once Marc becomes capable of that sort of psychotransport he has no motive left for opposing the reopening of the timegate.

I want to get the two of you together to be sure you realize this.

? ... You mean the Milieu fuzz would be no threat to Marc if he could hop all over the planet-with his geriatric villains and their gear tucked under his metaphorical arm?

Exactly.

[Elation] Woman you could be right. [Dejection.] Oh-oh.

We're forgetting a complicating factor. Those b.l.o.o.d.y Rebel kids. And I use the sanguine modifier with deliberate precision.

Any resolution would have to involve them. Marc doesn't want to let them go.