Part 32 (2/2)
The Lady Fani looked at Nedda. And Nedda wore the brave look of a girl so determinedly sweet that n.o.body could possibly bear it.
”I'm ... very sorry,” said Nedda bravely, ”that I've been the cause of poor Bron turning pirate and getting into such dreadful trouble. I cry over it every night before I go to sleep. He treated me as if I were his sister, and the other men were so gentle and respectful that I ... I think it will break my heart when they are punished. When I think of them being executed with all that dreadful, hopeless formality--”
”On Darth,” said the Lady Fani practically, ”we're not very formal about such things. Just cutting somebody's throat is usually enough. But he treated you like a sister, did he? Thal?”
Thal swallowed. He'd been beaming a moment before, with his arms full of silver plate, jewelry, laces, and other bits of booty from the town of Ensfield. But now he said desperately:
”Yes, Lady Fani. But not the way I'd've treated my sister. My sisters, Lady Fani, bit me when they were little, slapped me when they were bigger, and scorned me when I grew up. I'm fond of 'em! But if one of my sisters'd ever lectured me because I wasn't refined, or shook a finger at me because I wasn't gentlemanly-- Lady Fani, I'd've strangled her!”
There was a certain gleam in the Lady Fani's eye as she said warmly to Hoddan:
”Of course I'll take care of the poor thing! I'll let her sleep with my maids and I'm sure one of them can spare clothes for her to wear, and I'll take care of her until a s.p.a.ce liner comes along and she can be s.h.i.+pped back to her family. And you can come to see her whenever you please, to make sure she's all right!”
Hoddan's eyes tended to grow wild. His grandfather cleared his throat loudly. Hoddan said doggedly:
”You, Fani, asked each of my men if they'd fight for you. They said yes.
You sent them to cut my throat. They didn't. But they're not disgraced!
I want that clear! They're good men! They're not disgraced for failing to a.s.sa.s.sinate me!”
”Of course they aren't,” conceded the Lady Fani sweetly. ”Whoever heard of such a thing?”
Hoddan wiped his forehead. Don Loris opened his mouth fretfully.
Hoddan's grandfather forestalled him.
”You've heard about that big pirate fleet that's been floating around these parts? Eh? It's my grandson's. I run a squadron of it for him.
Wonderful boy, my grandson! Bloodthirsty crews on those s.h.i.+ps, but they love that boy!”
”Very--” Don Loris caught his breath. ”Very interesting.”
”He likes your men,” confided Hoddan's grandfather. ”Used them twice.
Says they make nice, well-behaved pirates. He's going to give them stun-pistols and cannon like the one that smashed your gate. Only men on Darth with guns like that! Seize the s.p.a.ceport and put in power broadcast, and make sure n.o.body else gets stun-weapons. Run the country.
Your men'll love it. Love that boy, too! Follow him anywhere. Loot.”
Don Loris quivered. It was horribly plausible. He'd had the scheme of the only stun-weapon-armed force on Darth, himself. He knew his men tended to revere Hoddan because of the plunder his followers seemed always to acquire. Don Loris was in a very, very uncomfortable situation. Bored men from the battered s.p.a.cecraft stood about his great hall. They were unimpressed. He knew that they, at least, were casually sure that they could bring his castle down about his ears in minutes if they chose.
”But ... if my men--” Don Loris quavered. ”What about me?”
”Minor problem,” said Hoddan's grandfather blandly. ”The usual thing would be _pfft!_ Cut your throat.” He rose. ”Decide that later, no doubt. Yes, Bron?”
”I've brought back my men,” growled Hoddan, ”and Nedda's taken care of.
We're through here.”
He headed abruptly for the great hall's farthest door. His grandfather followed him briskly, and the negligent, matter-of-fact armed men who were mostly Hoddan's first and second cousins came after them. Outside the castle, Hoddan said angrily:
”Why did you tell such a preposterous story, grandfather?”
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