Part 42 (2/2)

”There are two of us,” she said, focusing on the dark eyes. ”I hope you don't mind.”

He smiled. ”I expected it. Please come in.” She walked in. U-Ellen closed, but did not, as far as she could see, lock the door.

They had entered not a house but a courtyard. In the center of the s.p.a.ce was a fountain: water arced up and outward from an abstract metal mouth. A colonnaded walk bordered the court. A lawn gleamed under the morning sun. In the middle of the lawn, near the fountain, accessible by red-flagged paths, were three chairs, a cabinet, and incongruously, a com-unit.

U-Ellen removed his outer robe, to display pale green pants and tunic of a somewhat more modest cut. He waved them toward the chairs. ”Just like home,”

he said. Bending over the cabinet, he produced, like a conjurer, a gla.s.s of fruit punch for Rhani and for Dana a gla.s.s of what looked like red wine. He lit a cigarette. ”Now we can be comfortable,” he said, seating himself. Rhani sat, too. Dana prowled the courtyard.

Rhani focused on her host, noting that he had very white teeth, very thick dark eyebrows, and no hair, not even stubble, on his chin. She had heard that the men of Enchanter often removed their beards. ”You are Loras U-Ellen,”

she said.

He smiled. ”I am. Who else?”

”It would be nice to have proof.”

His smile broadened. ”Do you have a miniscanner? Would you like to see my I-disc?”

She said, ”Who is Family Yago's drug dealer in Abanat?”

He looked at her, and then chuckled. ”Sherrix Esbah. She _was_ Family Yago's drug dealer in Abanat, Domna. She's on Ley, now, vacationing.”

”How did you get her to do that?” Rhani asked, stretching her legs and sipping the punch. It was delicious.

”Bribed her.”

”Did you ever meet her?” Rhani said, curious. He nodded. ”What does she look like?”

He shrugged. ”A dumpy woman. Bad teeth.”

Rhani wrinkled her nose. She had forgotten that Enchantean penchant; they all believed the human form was plastic, to be molded according to fas.h.i.+on -- it came from living with the labs, she thought. ”Don't you care who my companion is?” she asked.

”Starcaptain Dana Ikoro,” said U-Ellen. ”Currently a slave. Picked up for smuggling -- or attempting to smuggle -- dorazine into the sector. One of your brother's, ah, acquisitions, I believe.” His smooth voice was just barely contemptuous. Rhani felt her temper begin to rise. She thought: My friend, my enemy if that is what you make yourself, you would not say that _that_ way if my brother were sitting in this chair.

Recognizing the anger, she damped it down. Dana came to stand beside her.

”We're alone,” he said.

”Thank you,” she said, and gestured to the third seat.

They all knew that there could be six different kinds of recording equipment hidden around the courtyard, all of which could go undetected except to the most sophisticated instruments. But if U-Ellen wanted to record this meeting, he could. She watched the smoke curl lazily from U-Ellen's perfect mouth. ”Tell me, citizen,” she said, ”according to my informants, you live in Palaua on Enchanter, are forty-seven years old, and play the Enchantean flute.

You are also an executive of a major Enchantean corporation. What are you doing cavorting around with drug dealers on Chabad?”

He sucked the smoke up through his nostrils and beamed. ”That is what I love about you Chabadese,” he said, ”so forthright. Do you know, on my world it is unutterably rude to come to the point unless you have first spent at least an hour involved in some terribly trivial gab!”

Indeed, Rhani thought. But you are on my world now, you superior, supercilious son-of-a-kerit. ”Are you in exile?” she said.

He waved the cigarette. ”Oh, no. I'm here on business.”

Rhani said dryly. ”So am I.”

”Oh, dear,” he said, ”now I've offended you. I beg your pardon.” He exhaled. Rhani's teeth ached, and she realized she was clenching them. ”But you must have suspected, Domna, that one motive behind this rather elaborate charade was to attract and hold your attention.”

”Charade?” she said.

He brandished his hand at the walls. ”Well, as you point out, this is hardly where one would expect to find an officer of a major planetary corporation.” ”One never knows,” Rhani said. ”People are so strange.” She watched him begin to frown as he realized that he'd been insulted. ”And I've never been to Enchanter.”

”Nor I to Chabad,” said U-Ellen. ”I find it -- charming, though a bit bleak.”

”It can be, yes,” Rhani said. She wondered how long it would take him to come to the point. ”Of course, this is not a typical city district.”

”I a.s.sumed not. But I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to see Abanat properly. Indeed, officially I am not here.” U-Ellen smiled, and breathed smoke.

”How did you do that?” Rhani asked. I have a reputation to uphold, she thought, as a forthright Chabadese. Besides, he might actually be willing to tell me.

”Oh, I had help, Domna,” U-Ellen said. ”From The Pharmacy.”

Rhani felt as if she had just been punched in the chest. She said, ”I am astonished to learn that a respectable Enchantean businessman has any contact with The Pharmacy.”

He nodded, pleased. ”We are partners.” He spread his hands. ”You see, I trust you.”

Rhani did not see at all. She wondered if U-Ellen were telling the truth.

”Who is 'we'?” she asked.

”My company.” His eyes gleamed from his smooth face. His physical perfection -- even his hands were unmarred, delicate as gla.s.s -- made her uncomfortable.

”I am flattered,” she said gravely. ”What you have just admitted would be of great interest to the Federation Police. How can you be sure I won't go to them?”

”Go to the Hype cops?” U-Ellen chuckled. ”Domna, I'm not a fool. You would never go to them. Besides, they know it. Or rather, Michel A-Rae knows it.

He's known it for years.”

”Really?” Rhani said. ”Then how is it that you are not in jail?”

U-Ellen choked, and coughed. His complexion darkened. Rhani glanced at Dana. His fingers were tapping on the arm of his chair. U-Ellen recovered sufficiently to say, ”Domna, you have no idea how humorous that is.”

”Enlighten me,” Rhani said.

”Michel A-Rae is my cousin,” U-Ellen said. ”Michel U-Anasi that was. And even my fanatic cousin Michel is not about to hunt down and incarcerate the members of his own family.”

Cousin? she thought. She looked for the resemblance -- but you could not trust physical correspondence when dealing with Enchanteans. They were all changelings. Michel U-Anasi, she thought. I'll remember that. ”Do you ever see him?” she said.

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