Part 30 (1/2)
”That is a possibility which this office has been investigating.
We thought you might help.”
”If I should hear from either of them, I will contact you immediately.” Dalkey felt that was safe to say.
”Please be sure to.
There was something ominous about that phrasing but the call was disconnected.
Hrringa didn't often leave the Hrruban Center.
Hayumans should be accustomed to Hrrubans by now, but he was always conscious of stares, discreet, indirect observations. Nor could he tell if this was mere curiosity, bad manners, or outright hostility.
The last seemed unlikely, judging by what he had observed of Them.
Their lack of expression bothered him most, for he could not tell, as he could of any Hrruban countenance, what they felt: their eyes black dots in the center of oblong white orbs. Without another of his kind to keep him company, he often felt himself a hostage on Earth.
Should something go very wrong with the Treaty he might be eliminated by a tribe of these expressionless white-eyed folk, even if physically he wa larger than most, and certainly stronger. That he might be faced with death on this posting had been subtly suggested to him in his original briefing. He had been chosen from the young applicants of man distinguished stripes because of his calm nature, excellent bearing, and diplomatic training.
”The Zreaty is at a crucial stage, as I am certairi you are awarrre,' Hrringa said to Rogitel when he was finally admitted to the s.p.a.cedep subchiefs office. With Terran officials, he spoke Terran. ”1 have juzt been approached by an official of yin Poldep. He asks is it possible zat I wa.s.s given the wrrong date and hourr for the arrival of the Rrevs9.
I was zold to expect zein. Zey have not come. i waited all that night for zeir appearrance, and sel the alarrrms so that I would be awakened zereaftei by the activation of the grid.”
”Alarms?” Rogitel asked. His face remained still.
but he felt agitated. He had been waiting for report from the men he had hired to wait for the Reeves outside Alreldep block, and was concerned at the delay. This was a snag he had not antic.i.p.ated.
that the Reeves had failed to appear inside the Hrruban Center.
The Hrruban's tail lashed once in dismay. ”Yes.
motion alarrms. I do not usually set zein because no otherrs of my species are perrmitted on Arrth.
and the only Hayuman outpost with a grid is Rrala, so I do not see much traffic. There is no need to arrise in the off-s.h.i.+fts to rrceive a nonsentient s.h.i.+pment, the most frequent use of the grid.”
”True.” Rogitel wasted few words, especially ones that might be misconstrued.
”The alarrms are very sensizive. Nothing set zein off, not yesterday, and not zoday. I tessted zein mysself just beforre I came to be certain that they were in worrking orrder and zey are. Zo I must ask you, onorred sir, has something happened to delay the Rrevs?
Surely if they were summoned by the court, zey would have come?
Zey are known to be honornable men. Am I in error?”
”You are not,' the commander said. ”The Amalgamated Worlds court was waiting for them.” Rogitel stood up and nodded curtly to the Hrruban.
”Thank you for coming to see me, honored sir. I will look into the matter, and bring it to the aflention of my superior.” Hrringa bowed and left.
Within the hour, Admiral Landreau appeared in the Hrruban Center and demanded instantaneous transport to Doona. He was upset. He had been expecting to hear in b.l.o.o.d.y detail how Rogitel's hired toughs disposed of the Reeves and found out that the d.a.m.ned nuisances had not even reached Earth! Rogitel was in trouble, for not verifying that the prisoners had not been taken into custody by his hirelings and disposed of as arranged. There was only the one fast way back to Earth-by the Hrruban Center's grid. Had someone tipped off tl Reeves as to the reception awaiting them?
Landreau had thoroughly enjoyed listening the furor among the Doonan colonists, caused i the midnight summons of the Reeves to appe before the Amalgamated Worlds panel. What h<' happened?=”” rogitel=”” had=”” seen=”” them=”” safely=”” toti=”” treaty=”” island=”” grid.=”” they=”” had=”” been=”” transferred=”” that=”” abominable=”” mechanism,=”” but=”” the=”” men=”” waitii=”” outside=”” the=”” hrruban=”” center=”” swore=”” blind=”” th=”” neither=”” reeve=”” had=”” left=”” the=”” block.=”” none=”” of=”” ti=”” corner=”” monitors=”” at=”” each=”” angle=”” of=”” the=”” buildir=”” recorded=”” anyone=”” pa.s.sing,=”” in=”” either=”” direction.=”” cou=”” the=”” rumormongers=”” on=”” doona=”” be=”” correct?=”” cowards=”” had=”” done=”” a=”” flit?=”” unless,=”” and=”” landre=”” considered=”” this=”” possibility,=”” they=”” had=”” been=”” in=”” cahoo=”” with=”” the=”” grid=”” operator=”” on=”” doona=”” and=”” got=”” ther=”” selves=”” transported=”” to=”” some=”” village=”” where=”” they=”” we=”” no=”” doubt=”” lying=”” low=”” until=”” after=”” the=”” treaty=”” was=”” ratifie=”” landreau=”” swore=”” under=”” his=”” breath.=”” d.a.m.ned=”” ca=”” couldn't=”” be=”” trusted=”” to=”” do=”” even=”” the=”” simplest=”” thin=”” like=”” key=”” in=”” a=”” proper=”” grid=”” destination.=”” the=”” wretcht=”” felines=”” had=”” been=”” a=”” thorn=”” in=”” his=”” side=”” all=””>
those Reeves were hidden somewhere on Doon he'd find them if it was the last thing that he cv did in his life.
He continued muttering to himself while Hrrin hastened to set the controls for transmission Treaty Island. The engulfing smoke rose arour him and blotted out the Hrruban's expressionle cat face.
Landreau grunted in relief as he recognized tI Treaty Island facility and strode off the platform.
Yes, that was what had happened. The bed.a.m.ned grid operator had redirected the Reeves somewhere on Doona. Why hadn't Rogitel checked the settings? Or had the Treaty Controller do so? Slack discipline, that! You had to do everything yourself to see it done properly.
Landreau wheeled, confronting the grid operator directly.
”What is your name?” he demanded of the astonished Hrruban. All grid operators understood Standard. Had to.
”Hrrenya,' the Hrruban replied, surprised.
”Who is your superior?” treaty Controller,' the catman answered, backing away from Landreau and blinking his eyes.
”He is seniorr diplomaz on Rrala ”You were on duty three nights back? When the Treaty Controller and Commander Rogitel brought the Reeves here? D'you know the Reeves? The Hrruban nodded quickly.
”Where did you send them?”
”To Arrth as I was inzructed, honorred sir.” ”You didn't!” Landreau shouted. ”You didn't!
They never arrived on Earth. Where did you send them? Someplace right here on Doona. Isn't that right?” Landreau's rising voice had attracted attention.
Out of a nearby corridor, three of the Treaty Councillors hurried toward the grid, the Controller among them. The grid operator tried to keep his dignity, tried to remain calm, but the Hayuman's face was growing very red and, without fur to cover it, it was a terrifying sight. Grid operators were ii trained in diplomatic matters, so Hrrenya intensely relieved to see a.s.sistance near at hand ”Admiral Landreau,' the Treaty Controller sn ped out in Hrruban. ”Why are you berating 0 operator? You should report any insubordinati or impudence to me. ”Where are Ken and Todd Reeve?” Landre turned on the Controller as perhaps the genuinc guilty party in this absurd miscarriage. He stu bornly kept to his own language, too enraged exercise any courtesy until he had the answers i had come to find.
”What?” the Controller demanded, as stubborr replying in Hrruban.
”Are they not on Terra? Yi demanded their presence there three days ago.
myself witnessed their departure.
”What do you mean, they're not here? Yo drone there,' and Landreau swung an arm toward the grid operator, whose tail was between his legs in fear, ”sent them somewhere here on Dooi instead of back to Earth so they could answer f their crimes. They are my prisoners. I demand th the Reeves be produced and sent immediately stand trial. ”You demand?” the Hrruban snarled, the poill of his teeth exposed.
Treaty Controller flew into rage. ”You have dishonored our people who live ( Rrala, by using these Humans, whom you ha' yourself misplaced, to commit foul crimes again the Treaty which you pretend to support.
If you cannot find them on your planet, then that is r 42S fault of ours. Seek to set your own tribe in order without falsely accusing those of another.” Landreau's momentum came to a dead halt. The Treaty Controller's anger was too genuine to have been faked. Landreau was a fair judge of knowing truth from lie and the Treaty Controller obviously told the truth-or what he thought was the truth.
If the Reeves had transported, why hadn't Rogitel's men detained them? Or did that fur-faced Hrringa a.s.sist them and send them out of the Hrruban Center a secret way? He'd never been too happy with the secrecy s.h.i.+elding the Hrruban Center from outside interference.
”Naturally you would defend your employee,' Landreau began, trying another tack. ”How do you know that he was not got at? Bribed? Those men should have been sent toEarth to answer for their offenses. They did not arrive. They are still on Doona!” Treaty Controller drew himself up indignantly, looking down with great condenscension on the stocky smaller Human. ”We have more important matters to debate than the whereabouts of two troublesome Hayumans. If the young Reeve does not appear at his trial, lie is by default guilty and so is his partner in crime. We are constrained to continue for the next two days to work out details which may, indeed, be irrelevant. But we are by honor bound to continue.
He swept magnificently away, though the other Councillors did not immediately follow. The small woman who had met the Admiral 6n his last visit, Madam Dupuis, gazed at him steadily, as if she trying to read his mind. Did she know something his secret plans?
”You have no jurisdiction to search Dooi Admiral,' she said in a cold expressionless voi( ”Go back to Earth. Where you belong.” S signalled to the grid operator, repeating her or( in her fluent Hrruban and waited, arms folded, see that her order was obeyed.