Part 5 (2/2)
Suchevane choked over her tomato juice, which she drank because of the color. ”All thy experience emulating Troubot in Proton-frame, and thou dost ken naught?”
Nepe glanced at her with obviously faked innocence. ”Won't wash?” For Troubot, in that period, had carried the most intimate messages between Citizens, including those setting up s.e.xual liaisons between Citizen Purple and Tania's s.e.xy secretary Tsetse. Troubot could hardly have been innocent of the ways of s.e.x, since the robot also monitored the ongoing activities.
But the memory gave her a notion. ”Tsetse! She's anybody's mistress!”
”She be old}” Alien protested. ”Thirty, at least!”
”Twenty-nine plus a few months,” Suchevane said. ”Just younger than Tania-and me.”
Alien shut up, knowing when to quit.
”However,” Suchevane continued, ”I fear she would be ill for this purpose, for other reasons. She be a singleton-no Phaze opposite, no merging. She worked in Proton not long enough before the mergence. Best we choose one firmly rooted in both cultures.”
Trool nodded agreement. His alternate had been Citizen Troal, and Suchevane's had been the Bat Girl. They preferred the Phaze mode, but both knew Proton well and maintained their places in it.
”Also, Tsetse's bis.e.xual,” Nepe said. ”She can make it with any man, but she prefers women. So scratch that.”
”Let me check the Book,” Trool said, getting up.
”May I come too?” Nepe asked, gulping down her last mouthful of pie and getting up.
The Adept shrugged. ”An thou dost wish.”
”I'll take thy seconds!” Alien warned her.
Nepe hesitated just long enough, then resumed her motion ”It's fattening anyway.”
In Trool's private chamber, where he kept the phenomena] Book of Magic, the compendium of the most potent spells of Phaze, Flach took over. ”There be a problem, mayhap. Adept.”
”Aye, so methought when Neysa left thee here,” Trool said.
”We were on our mission, and about to inquire of Brown, when Grandam hustled me here instead,” Flach said. ”This be not her way.”
”She recognized a problem with Brown she knew not of before,” Trool said. ”She realized that thy mission were not best bruited there.”
”Thou knowest?” Flach asked, not really surprised. Trool was the most versatile of the Adepts, and he made it his business to keep informed. ”What be the problem?”
”It were not kind to say it,” Trool said. ”But methinks Neysa be correct: until it be abated, say naught to Brown.”
”But Brown be no traitor!”
”Aye. But why burden her with more when she has much already? Question thy grandam naught on this; she be sworn to privacy, and it bear not on thy mission.”
Flach did not like being excluded from anything, but realized that he could not debate the matter with Trool and Neysa. ”Then canst find a woman for 'Sander?”
”Aye. There be a vamp seems suitable. Winsome, committed, and between men.”
Flach was gratified. Trool of course related well to the vampire community, being married to one of their number. His presence had protected the local Flock from molestation by goblins and, yes, trolls. ”Who be she?”
”Jodabyle, age twenty in man years. In Proton she be named Jod'e, of android persuasion.”
”Android! And he be android!”
”Aye. So it seem a fair match.”
”Willst tell her his nature?”
”Nay. She must be innocent-but loyal.”
”But an she love him, and he betray her, what o' her?”
”What o' Phaze?” Trool asked in return.
Flach nodded, if this ploy failed, their entire planet might be doomed. The happiness of one person became incidental. ”I follow. But I like it not.”
”Thou dost now appreciate the ugliness o' the choice o' the lesser evil.”
”Aye.” Flach brooded a moment, then got practical. ”How may she be introduced to him?”
”We shall arrange a coincidental meeting. Till things sour with his present lady friend, that be the extent o' it.”
”What now for me? I know not when Grandam will return.”
”Remain here, an thou wishest,” Trool said, closing the Book. ”Alien likes thy company, and Nepe's too.”
”But needs must I update Grandpa Blue.”
”Nay, best that thou remain clear o' him till this be done, that thy travels yield little hint o' our effort. We know not how many spies o' the enemy be among us.”
”Dost know the enemy?”
”Aye. It be an alien galactic species called the Hectare. They may move within the month.”
”But if we know-”
”They possess enormous power. We can oppose them not.”
”But with magic-”
Trool shook his head. ”We would take such losses as to make it not worthwhile, including mayhap our planet itself. They could destroy it from afar, gi'ing us ne'er a chance. We needs must depend on the prophecy. All our leading figures will be prisoner, we think not maltreated, but helpless to oppose the invader.”
Flach realized that if Trool said it, it had to be true. ”Then this mission with the woman be most important.”
”Aye. And thy freedom be vital too. Surrender to them not.”
”I have more part in this?” Flach asked, surprised.
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