Part 25 (1/2)

She opened the first of these and for a moment gazed doubtfully at four objects like green leaf buds, each the size of her thumb. She laid them down and opened the second package. This one contained a pair of very fancy high heels, green and pale gold.

Out of the third flowed something which was, at all events, extraordinarily beautiful material of some kind. Velvety green ...

s.h.i.+mmeringly alive. Its touch was a caress. Its perfume was like soft whispers. Lifting one end with great care between thumb and finger, Trigger let it unfold itself to the floor.

Tilting her head to the side, she studied the s.h.i.+mmering featherweight cat's cradle of jewel-green ribbons that hung there.

Wear it?

What _was_ it?

She reflected, found her dressing gown in one of the suitcases, slipped it on, sat down before the ComWeb with the mysterious ribbon arrangement, and dialed Gaya's number.

The Intelligence girl was in her cabin and obviously had been napping.

But she was wide awake now. ”s.h.i.+elded here!” she said quickly as soon as her image cleared. ”Go ahead!”

”It's nothing important,” Trigger said hastily. Gaya relaxed. ”It's just--” she held up the ribbons. ”Major Quillan sent me this.”

Gaya uttered a small squeal. ”Oh! Beautiful! A Beldon!”

”That's what it says.”

Gaya smiled. ”He must like you!”

”Oh?” said Trigger. She hesitated. Gaya's face grew questioning. She asked, ”Is something the matter?”

”Probably not,” said Trigger. She considered. ”If you laugh,” she warned, ”I'll hate you.” She indicated the ribbons again. ”What is that Beldon really?”

Gaya blinked. ”You haven't been around our decadent circles long enough,” she said soberly. Then she did laugh. ”Don't hate me, Trigger!

Anyway, it's very high fas.h.i.+on. It's also”--her glance went quickly over Trigger--”in excellent taste, in this case. It's a Beldon gown.”

A gown!

Some of the beautiful ribbons were wider than others. None of them looked as wide as they should have been. Not for a gown.

Dubiously, Trigger wriggled and fitted herself into the high fas.h.i.+on item. Even before she went over to the mirror in it, she knew it wouldn't do. Not possibly! Styles on many Hub worlds were rather bold of course, but she was sure this effect wasn't what the Beldon's designers had intended.

She stepped in front of the mirror. Her eyes widened. ”Brother!” she breathed.

That Beldon did go with a woman like stripes went with a tiger! After one look, you couldn't quite understand why nature hadn't arranged for it first. But just as obviously there wasn't nearly enough Beldon around at the moment.

Trigger checked the time and began to feel harried. Probably she'd wind up wearing the black gown anyway, but at least she wanted to get this matter worked out before she decided. She dialed for a drink, took two swallows and reflected that she might have put the thing on backwards.

Or upside down.

Five minutes later, she sat at the dresser, tapping her fingers on its gla.s.sy surface, gazing at the small pile of green ribbons before her and whistling softly. There was a thoroughly bared look on her face.

Suddenly she stood up and went back to the ComWeb.

”Ribbons?” said the lady who was the Beldon Shop's manager. ”That would be 741. A delightful little creation!”