Part 32 (2/2)

But evidently a grip was not required. The bag slid down the arm to the end, and without any fuss whatsoever it vanished. There was a faint, brief breeze as air rushed into the hole where it had been, and that was that.

I worked my way out back to the rim-another five-minute trip-and climbed out into the engine section. Ixil was strapped into the control chair now, both ferrets on his shoulders, a look on his face that I'd never seen before. ”So,”

Isaid conversationally as I swung the hinged breaker panel closed again over the access hole. ”What do you think?”

With an obvious effort he focused on me. ”It's unbelievable,” he said quietly.

”Absolutely unbelievable.”

”Isn't it though,” I agreed. ”But it's real.”

Absently, Ixil reached up to rub Pax's head. ”We can't let the others know about this,” he said. ”The Patth would be willing to topple whole governments if they really knew what it was they were chasing.”

”Yes, I've already worked through the logic,” I a.s.sured him. ”Including the fact that we can't tell Tera, either.”

The ferrets did one of their unison twitches. ”Because we work for Brother John?”

”And because turning the Icarus over to him would more than buy our way clear of the whole organization,” I said. ”She doesn't trust us as it is-she'd spot- weld our b.u.t.ts to the hull if she knew the bargaining chip we held here.”

”Yes.” Ixil was silent a moment. ”Which unfortunately loops us back to the question of our immediate future.”

I grimaced. ”I don't think we have any choice,” I said. ”Unless we want to sit out here and watch Shawn die, we have to go get him some more borandis.”

”I wonder,” Ixil said thoughtfully. ”We have only his word that he even has the disease, you know. As I recall, Everett was unable to either confirm or deny it.

What if he's faking all this, with these seizures his way of pulling us out of hiding before we're ready?”

”In that case, we're back to the question of why he didn't betray us earlier and save everyone a lot of trouble,” I reminded him.

”I suppose.” He eyed me closely. ”You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you?”

”Holding out how?” I asked.

”Oh, I don't know,” he said with a shrug. ”Actually considering offering the Icarus to Brother John without consulting me first, for example.”

”Don't be silly,” I said, putting some huff into my voice. ”Though you have to admit that would be one way to keep it safe.”

” 'Safe' being an extremely relative term.”

”True,” I conceded. ”Still, Brother John could probably give even the Patth a pretty good run for their money.”

”And of course, turning such a plum over to him would give us a giant step up in the Antoniewicz organization,” he continued. ”Don't pretend that hadn't already occurred to you, either.”

”Occurred, pondered, and dismissed,” I a.s.sured him. ”I have plenty of faults, but ambition on that scale isn't one of them.” I c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at him.

”Unless you'd like to take a shot at it.”

”What, be the first nonhuman in Antoniewicz's direct line of command?” he asked dryly. ”Thanks, but I think I'll pa.s.s.”

I waved a hand. ”Up to you. By the way, do you happen to know if Nicabar's gotten Shawn back inside the s.h.i.+p yet?””Yes, they came in while you were inside the small sphere,” he said. ”Tera will let us know when the wraparound's been repressurized.” He c.o.c.ked his head to the side. ”She seemed rather annoyed you'd gotten yourself trapped on this side of the wraparound when you had work to do over there.”

”Actually, there's very little work left to do,” I said with a shrug. ”I already know where we're heading.”

”And that is?”

I cleared my throat. ”I thought we'd try the Grand Feast of Plorins on Palmary.”

The ferrets twitched again, quite impressively this time. ”You are joking,”

Ixil said. ”The Grand Feast of Plorins?”

”Can you think of a better place to hide than square in the middle of a wall-to-wall crowd of people?” I asked reasonably.

”With half the thieves, lifters, and cons for two hundred light-years working that same crowd?” he countered. ”And, as a consequence, half the badgemen for the same two hundred light-years there to keep an eye on them? And both groups busy looking for us?”

”Of course it's crazy,” I agreed. ”That's why no one will be expecting it.”

He shook his head. But at least the ferrets had settled down again. He must be getting used to the idea. ” 'Crazy' isn't nearly strong enough a word,” he said with a sigh. ”But under the circ.u.mstances I suppose it's as good a plan as any.”

”That's the spirit,” I said approvingly. ”Besides, they'll be watching every port within a thousand light-years of Utheno anyway. The bigger the clog of s.p.a.ce traffic we sneak in under, the better the chances they'll miss us completely.”

He gave me one of his repertoire of sour looks. ”And the more confusion and panic we can stir up if they don't?”

I shrugged. ”Something like that.”

The intercom clicked. ”McKell?” Tera's voice came. ”Wraparound's ready again.

You feel like getting your b.u.t.t in here and finding us a place to land?”

”Yes, dear,” I murmured.

”What was that?”

”I said I'll be right there,” I said. ”And tell Revs to get back here and give Ixil a hand with the startup procedure.”

PALMARY WAS ONE of those semi-independent colony worlds that, while relatively newly settled, still somehow managed to seem like it had been there forever.

Part of that was the fact that, unlike most colonies, there was no dominant species controlling most of the local real estate. The Trinkians had found the world about twenty years ago and started its development, but within a few years they'd been joined by Wanch settlers, Porpyfian miners, and k'Tra foresters.

Someone on some news service had touted the place, commenting favorably on its egalitarian flavor, and within a few years more the planet was starting to seem almost crowded.

The Grand Feast of Plorins was something the k'Tra had brought with them, and the rest of the egalitarians on the planet had grabbed on to the idea with both hands. Depending on who you talked to, the Grand Feast was either a deeplymeaningful manifestation of esoteric historic and cultural significance, or else the greatest excuse to party the Spiral had ever known. I a.s.sumed the truth was probably somewhere in the middle, where truth has a tendency to lurk anyway, but I was certainly willing to concede the point that millions of beings who had not the slightest interest in k'Tra history or culture nevertheless descended enthusiastically on the planet every year for a three-week bash.

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