decided to pretend he hadn't noticed her, which was plausible enough given that they'd never actually met. He only knew what she looked like from holographs brought by the same courier which had brought the idiot woman. Ambassador Guthrie was
'For God's sake,' he muttered, 'the Manticorans are already making a fuss over every stupid jot and tittle of everything we do. Let them get word that the wife of
Pallier shrugged. 'I think you're worrying too much. First, because the Manticoran staff here are dimbulbs; second, because even dimbulbs can figure out that there's nothing more involved here than an old whore proving she can't learn any new tricks.'
'I see Lieutenant Manson is up to his tricks again,' murmured Rozsak. The captain had just casually detached himself and Habib from the crowd gathered around Jessica Stein.
'Yeah, I noticed,' said Habib sourly. The commander was making no particular effort to speak softly. Habib had great confidence in the scrambling equipment she and Rozsak were carrying, since it was the very best available in the Solarian League. It was probably even as good as anything Manticore could produce.
'You want me to finally lower the boom? It'd be my pleasure, believe me.'
Rozsak shook his head. 'No, no. There's bound to be a treacherous little grifter somewhere in our midst. As long as we know who it is, we can control the damage-even take advantage of it. What I'm wondering is why the Erewhonese are so interested in Virginia Usher?'
'We already went over that, Luiz. At this point, I think they'd grab any straw Haven tossed their way. Although describing Usher's wife as a 'straw' is probably an insult to honest straw.'
Again, Rozsak shook his head. 'I think we're jumping to conclusions. Now that I've actually seen him in the flesh
Habib frowned. 'What 'him'?'
Somehow, without either looking in their direction or making any sign toward them, Rozsak made clear he was talking about Virginia Usher and her companion. 'The boyfriend, Edie. The
Habib didn't have Rozsak's skills at this miserably non-military 'special ops' work, but she was neither stupid nor slow. So, she didn't so much as glance at the couple now climbing onto the dais. Her frown simply deepened as she tried to remember what little she'd seen of the young FIA officer's face.
'Can't remember,' she confessed. 'I'll give him a look-see later, once the festivities get rolling. Is there anything you want me to do in the meantime?'
Rozsak hesitated for a moment. Then: 'Yes. Tell Lieutenant Palane to sidle over to me. Make sure she understands to keep it all casual.'
'You wanted to speak to me, Sir?'
Rozsak was impressed by the lieutenant's subtlety. Most young officers, told to 'appear casual,' would have erred on the side of exaggeration. Thandi Palane, on the other hand, managed to make it all seem genuinely casual-as if she'd just bumped into her commander by happenstance and was making idle chitchat at a social gathering.
He'd always known Ndebele was a hellhole, even by OFS standards. The young woman's ease with subterfuge, he suspected, was one of the side effects.
'I want to ask you to do something, Thandi, but before I start let me make clear that this is entirely voluntary. If you find it distasteful, just say so. I won't hold it against you in any way. That's a promise.'
The tall young officer gazed down at him for a moment. Then, not quite able to suppress a sigh, looked away.
'The answer's 'yes,' Captain, whatever it is. I can guess. I just wish-' She gave her head a little shake. 'Never mind.'
When she turned her head back to face him, her expression was composed. 'What is it, Sir? Or 'who' is it, I suppose I should say.'
He gaze her a wry little smile. 'If I've never mentioned before that I think you're smart as a whip, Lieutenant Palane, let me correct the oversight here and now.' He made a little nod in the direction of the couple now chatting with Jessica Stein.
'Him. The young man accompanying Virginia Usher.'
Palane gave the man in question a quick glance. 'Tough looking little bastard,' she murmured.
'I'm not asking you to sleep with him, Thandi. Do or don't, that's entirely your business. If you don't feel like it, then don't. What I want to know is simply whether you
She seemed a bit startled. 'What-'
'Let's just say we're testing a cover story, how's that?'
Palane gave the couple in question another glance. A longer one, this time, since it was clear neither of them was looking her way. Certainly long enough not to miss the way the woman was stroking the young man's back.
'Word is that he's her toyboy. Find out for me if it's true.'
Thandi's eyes widened. Then, for the first time since the conversation began, her expression grew humorous.
'Oh, bullshit. Pardon my language, Sir. Except for the complexion and features, that-what'd I call him?-tough- looking little bastard might have come right off the streets of Mzilikazi. And no helot, either. The kind of guy nobody in their right mind plays games with, no matter how much bigger they are.'
She gave the tough-looking little bastard another glance. This one was definitely longer and more lingering. Then, her quick gleaming smile appeared.
'Sure, Captain. Be my pleasure.'
After she left, the captain gave the man in question a lingering glance of his own. One of envy, in his case.
'Discipline, Rozsak,' he muttered to himself. 'The sacrifices of command, and all that.'
He made no attempt to suppress his own sigh. Like Habib, he had full confidence in his scrambling equipment.
Chapter 12
There was something vaguely unpleasant about Jessica Stein. Anton wasn't quite sure what it was. Some of his reaction, he was sure, was simply due to the people who surrounded her. Stein's own coterie of Renaissance Association leaders were no more repellent than such people ever were: self-righteousness and moral loftiness serving as a none-too-thick patina over ambition. But the Solarian who made it a point to stay at her elbow the entire time set Anton's teeth on edge.
Not that the man wasn't polite and cordial. Anton was quite certain that no one had ever accused Lieutenant Governor Cassetti of being crude or uncouth. But since the same could be said for any suave reptile, Anton was not impressed. And, in Ingemar Cassetti's case, he knew more than enough about the man to be certain that his emotional reaction was well founded.
Still, there was also something about Stein herself that made Anton uneasy. Perhaps it was the subtle sense
