Part 26 (2/2)

Steve hesitated.

'You find that a difficult question to answer?”

'No, sire, I was just wondering what words to use. You speak Basic amazingly well, but the system you operate here is so different to ours we may not share the same kind of vocabulary.”

'Try me,' said Tos.h.i.+ro.

'The supreme ruler of your country is known as the Shogun. Is that correct?”

The Herald's throat tightened. He had not foreseen that the outlander might have the effrontery to ask him a question. He mastered his anger without changing his expression. 'Go on . . .”

'The supreme ruler of my country - the Amtrak Federation - is known as the President-General. I have the honour to be one of a small number of soldiers selected personally by him to carry out highly sensitive undercover a.s.signments. The unit, over which he exercises direct control, is known as AMEXICO. The AMtrak EXecutive Intelligence COmmando. Its operatives are known as mexicans. We are the eyes and ears of the President-General, and it is he who sent me here.”

'In pursuit of two long-dogs, I believe -' Steve hit him with the big one. 'You are mistaken, sire. The couple I seek are not long-dogs.

They're Mutes.” As he inclined his head, he saw the eyes of his masked questioner flicker with alarm.

Tos.h.i.+ro exchanged glances with the ronin. If what this outlander said about himself was true, then the position he held in his own country was more or less equivalent to Tos.h.i.+ro's own as a Herald to the Inner Court. If that was the case, it was little wonder that he had fought so well and spoken with such a.s.surance. But what he had just said about Clearwater and her companion could totally demolish the scenario he had constructed for the Shogun. And that could be very embarra.s.sing. A firm response was necessary.

He slapped his thigh and laughed mockingly. 'You spin a good story, cloud warrior, but I advise you to tread carefully. You come here uninvited, threaten to make war on us with fire from the sky if we do not hand over the two criminals you seek, and now you ask us to believe that, despite your appearance, you are really a long-dog, and those who look like long-dogs are gra.s.s-monkeys!” Steve bowed. It was obvious this guy hadn't heard about super-straights. 'Yes, sire, I know it sounds far-fetched, but that's the way it is. They are a special kind of Mute that you may not have come across before.”

Tos.h.i.+ro's mouth tightened and went down at the corners. Was this possible? Hhhaes off. But I need some water and some leaves that are in my bag.”

Tos.h.i.+ro looked across at the ronin. n.o.buro got up and left the room.

As the screen door slid shut behind him, Tos.h.i.+ro said, 'What else do you know, cloud warrior?”

Steve raised his eyes, hesitated for a moment, then decided to play his hunch. 'I know that you and the samurai-captain serve the Shogun and that there are those who seek his downfall. Lord Yama-s.h.i.+ta is one, his friend Min-Orota is another.”

Tos.h.i.+ro's eyes gave nothing away. 'Go on...”

'If I'm right, maybe you and I can do business.”

'What kind of business?”

'I was sent here to take out the Mute who is building flying machines for Lord Min-Orota.”

' ”Take out”. you mean kill?”

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