Part 37 (1/2)
He saw Ren Zel and smiled ”Dead man But still alive to pain, eh?” The chain flashed as the man jumped forward Ren Zel ducked, heardsticks and ca, stick held horizontal between his two hands
The chain whipped again Ren Zel threw the stick into the attack The chain wrapped 'round the glea to pull the weapon froh, the wolf ju on, then lost his grip, danced back a step, and then another as the , down
Once again, action preceded thought Ren Zel dove, rolling under the green covered table, heard chain and stick hit the floor behind him, and came up on the far side of the table just in time to see Suzan place a well-considered bar stool into the back of his opponent's head
Elsewhere in the rooed with those of the patrons who had not run Suzan waded back into thethat he ht yet have use for a weapon, Ren Zel, went 'round the table to retrieve the long stick The thing wasshattered, the pieces still wrapped in chain That he let lie, judging he was more likely to harm himself than any adversary, should he try to wield such an unfahtened, ears pricked
Yes-fro rapidly louder The Port Proctors would soon arrive, Ren Zel thought, with a sinking sense of relief All would be-Across the roo knife thrust He spun, seeking new blood, saw Suzan's unprotected back- ”Ware!” Ren Zel screamed, but the as in Liaden; she would not know
Ren Zel jumped
The knife flashed and he was between it and his co-pilot, one shoulder, covered in tough space-leather, taking the edge and turning it Ren Zel spun with the force of the blow, deliberately using it as he ca failed him
Down he went, the wolf leader atop, and it was a muddle of shouts and blows and kicks before the quick shi+ne of the knife, snaking past the leather this ti to escape the pain The knife bit deeper, twisting He screaret,” Casiaport Guild in distress ”Notification should have been sent I swear to you that I will learn why it was not However, the fact re has been scheduled The case was adjudicated by three first class pilots, fault has been fixed and thethe woainst his skin, and she rushed on, babbling
”Guild rule is plain, as the Master Pilot surely knows Three first class pilots e, in the absence of a Master-and ereed, in the her than he usually spoke with another pilot ”Though it is considered good forement has been disputed
”Since I am here in any wise,” he continued, ”I will see the file”
The Guildasped; covered the lapse with a bow
”At once, Master Pilot If you will step down to the private parlor, the file will be brought”
Shan inclined his head ”Bring also Pilot dea'Judan, if he is on-Port”
”Pilot dea'Judan?” the Guildmaster repeated, blankly
”Pilot Ren Zel dea'Judan Clan Obrelt,” Shan explained, wondering how such a one had risen to the rank of Guildmaster of even so backward a port as Casia ”Surely you recall the name?”
”I-Indeed I do” She drew a deep breath and see with soleret Ren Zel dea'Judan Clan Obrelt is dead”
Shan stared ”And yet I ran the license nu myshi+p and found it listed as valid and active”
The Guild
”I see,” Shan said, after several silent moments had elapsed ”I will review the case file now, Guildmaster” He turned and walked down the hall to the private parlor
The file, brought h, and Shan was speedily es of three first class pilots, all of who his head as his Terran ation so much as ironic disbelief
There was a con onto the news net and spent a fewdown the proper archives, then shook his head again
The legal notices told the story plainly: Obrelt had been cruelly Balanced into banishi+ng their only pilot and na him dead None that kept strict Code would deal with a man who had no Clan to stand behind his debt and honor
It was the description of the circu death, fully witnessed by the Eyes of Council, that sent hiain into the public ways of Casiaport and finally to the Gromit Cohtly out, for Pilot dea'Judan was flying The ested he return early nextand had promised to let the pilot know that an appointment had been set in his nahtly in advance of the appointed hour, to find Mr Iritaki's second on duty
”I'm sure they'll be back anya faintly worried look at the clock
”They just went a couple streets over for a bite and a cup of coffee Ren Zel's solid He wouldn'tshort of catastrophe”
”I'ly He s the worry fade from her face
”I could fancy some coffee myself,” he confided ”Do you happen to knohich shop the pilots favor?
Perhaps I won't be too late to share a cup with them”
It happened that Atwood did knohich shop, which was a favorite aet real coffee,” she said, and Shan would have sworn there were tears in her eyes
A few mo extracted Ms Atwood's promise to hold Pilot dea'Judan, should he arrive back at the Hall in the meantime, Shan sauntered out into the sharp air and ruh there was nothing in his face or his gait to betray it, Shan was in a fever to shake the dust of Casia fro deeper than was perhaps good for his peace of mind into the affairs of Casiaport Guildhall and a certain Clan Jabun The inforh that he found he had no choice, as a Master Pilot ed duty to the Guild, but to call Jabun before a full board of inquiryHowever, he thought, stretching his long legs and turning into the street where he would find the ”best da would certainly wait until he had Ren Zel dea'Judan safely in hand
The coffeeshop hove into view on his left, precisely as pro stride, but did not approach the door, which was crowded around with people, all staring up-street, where a coress
Shan felt the hairs shi+ver on the nape of his neck What was it that the Ms Atwood had said? That nothing would keep Ren Zel from an appoint of calahts of Casiaport Rescue, clustered in such abundance that the Port Proctor's sun-yellow scooters were scarcely noticeable
Shan stretched his legs again,quickly toward the hubbub
He had no trouble walking through the cordon thrown up by the Proctors-he was never stopped by guards if he did not wish to be-and into what the sign by the door dignified as ”Wilt's Poolroom and Tavern”
Inside-well
All about were knots ofthe wounded Elsewhere, Proctors questioned several un pilots' leathers Toward the back of the rooure was shrouded in a white plastic sheet Not far distant lay another figure, blood a black pool on the floor Shan touched a stud on his belt, alerting every Dutiful Passage crewer Help was on the way Now
Directly before hi at athe tech's arm ”There's solanced along the line of the Terran's finger, then slid his arhtly
”I aaped ”You just patched up four of the worst desperadoes I've seen on this Port in a long time and you ain't allowed to tend a pilot ounded while protecting his co-pilot?”
”He is clanless,” the tech said, with a note of finality in his soft, Liaden voice
”He'll be lifeless if you people don't do so for him soon!”
The tech turned his back
The Terran pilot raised her hand, and Shan swung forward, catching her lightly round the wrist