Part 6 (2/2)

”Rozan,” she said. ”You're Trigger Argee. I know about you. What's the trouble?”

Trigger looked at her, wondering. ”No trouble,” she said. ”Personnel just routed me through to you.”

”They've been instructed to do so,” said Rozan. ”Go ahead.”

”I'm on detached duty at the moment.”

”I know.”

”I'd like to apply for a transfer back to my previous job. The Manon System.”

”That's your privilege,” said Rozan. She half turned, swung a telewriter forward and snapped it into her ComWeb. She glanced out at Trigger's desk. ”Your writer's connected, I see. We'll want thumbprint and signature.”

She slid a form into her telewriter, s.h.i.+fted it twice as Trigger deposited thumbprint and signature and drew it out. ”The application will be processed promptly, Argee. Good day.”

Not a gabby type, that Rozan.

If not gabby, the Precol blonde was a woman of her word. Trigger had just started lunch when the office mail-tube receiver tinkled brightly at her. She reached in, took out a flat plastic carrier, snapped it open. The paper that unfolded itself in her hand was her retransfer application.

At the bottom of the form was stamped ”Application Denied,” followed by the signature of the Secretary of the Department of Precolonization, Home Office, Evalee.

Trigger's gaze s.h.i.+fted incredulously from the signature to the two words, and back. They'd taken the trouble to get that signature transmitted from Evalee just to make it clear that there were no heads left to be gone over in the matter. Precol was not transferring her back to Manon. That was final. Then she realized that there was a second sheet attached to the application form.

On it in handwriting were a few more words: ”In accordance with the instructions of Commissioner Tate.” And a signature, ”Rozan.” And three final words: ”Destroy this note.”

Trigger crumpled up the application in one hand. Her other hand darted to the ComWeb.

Then she checked herself. To fire an as-of-now resignation back at Precol had been the immediate impulse. But something, some vague warning chill, was saying it might be a very poor impulse to follow.

She sat back to think it over.

It was very probable that Undersecretary Rozan disliked Holati Tate intensely. A lot of the Home Office big shots disliked Holati Tate. He'd stamped on their toes more than once--very justifiably; but he'd stamped. The Home Office wouldn't go an inch out of its way to do something just because Commissioner Tate happened to want it done.

So somebody else was backing up Commissioner Tate's instructions.

Trigger shook her head helplessly.

The only somebody else who _could_ give instructions to the Precolonization Department was the Council of the Federation!

And how could the Federation possibly care what Trigger Argee was doing?

She made a small, incredulous noise in her throat.

Then she sat there a while, feeling frightened.

The fright didn't really wear off, but it settled down slowly inside her. Up on the surface she began to think again.

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