Part 53 (1/2)

'No, I guess not...”

”That stuff inside the handle. Is it possible to take that out and throw the rest of the knife away?”

'No. I can't explain how it works, but the set's powered by a layer of special crystals sealed into the blade.”

'Okay. Stow it at the bottom of your mailbag until you can find a better place to hide it.”

'Thanks,' said Steve. 'Any chance of getting my bladed staff back?”

He already knew what the answer would be, but what the h.e.l.l? It was worth a try.

The question triggered a snort of laughter. 'Are you crazy? That knife is enough to get you killed in under ten seconds flat What d'you want to do - hang a sign round your neck?”

'You're right. Okay, forget the staff. Just give me back the bundle of pink leaves. I can't start work at the Heron Pool until I've washed this gunk off.”

'Don't have 'em on me, sport.”

Steve cursed silently. 'So when am I going to get them?”

'When the time's right.”

'I'm not going to be able to get into an airplane decked out as a Mute.”

'I know that.”

'Okay. How soon can I get a transfer?”

'I'm working on it.”

This guy's stringing me along, thought Steve. 'Are you trying to tell me there's a problem?”

'Nothing serious. It's just that, because of the ”interests” I represent, I can't be seen to intervene directly on your behalf. To do so would compromise your position as a ”free agent” - and might even endanger the whole operation. I have to work, ahh...

obliquely, through my contacts on the Consul-General's staff and key officials in the main post-house. It's they who have to okay the move.”

Terrific... 'Let's hope they don't lose the paperwork.

When will we meet again.”?”

'When it's necessary.”

'Yeah, but time's-' 'Don't worry. I know where to find you. Just stay cool, hang loose and keep trucking.”

Steve heard the curved long-sword whisper its way back into the scabbard, followed by the soft clack of the layered plates of armour as the feet walked away.

Keep trucking... What a nitwit.

Steve watched out of the corner of his eye as the samurai remounted, turned his horse towards him and urged it into a canter. The top half of the j.a.p's face was shadowed by the wide-brimmed helmet; the lower half was obscured by a narrow white scarf held in place by the plaited red silk chinstrap. Steve kept his nose close to the ground until the hoofbeats faded, then got up and rubbed the cramp out of his knees.