Wartorn Obliteration

brought met the profound murkiness of that realm.

Radstac turned away from any thoughts of mansid. She did not even have a full leaf in her possession now, and that lack set her addict's heart speeding slightly. It made for a seeping anxiety. A buzzing background of anticipatory uneasiness. But her professionalism would see her through. Of course it would. And this was still the Isthmus, after all. It didn't matter that they were now deep inside Felk territory. She would find more leaves.

This building, they learned, was called the Registry, and the Felk garrison had evidently commandeered it. It was a place of finished stone, high-ceilinged chambers, and it exuded a sort of official atmosphere, as if it had been some local governmental seat before the arrival of the Felk.

Radstac and Deo were deposited in an empty office. The door was closed, but at least one guard was placed outside it.

'Do you—' Deo started, but she silenced him with a cautious flick of her eyes. This could all go very badly for them. It depended on how reliably these Felk could trace her and Deo's journey back through the portals. If they eventually laid hands on the leaf eater who'd arranged their escape, it would mean disaster. Arrest. Possibly execution.

All for the want of a few convincing documents.

Radstac looked around the office. There were scrolls, loose papers, writing implements. But she put any thoughts of forgery out of her mind. Falsified documents were surely worse than none at all. Besides, she had no idea what a Felk travel order looked like.

It was a windowless office, and she and Deo exercised their only option; they waited silently. She imagined someone of higher authority—and thereby, more of a danger—was being informed of the situation.

Deo remained cool during the wait. Eventually the door was opened. The man who entered was in civilian dress, of a sort apparently peculiar to this city. But he was no civilian himself. Radstac recognized something glinting in his deceptively mild-looking eyes. There was swift calculation there. It was reflexive, the kind of fast sedate judgment a professional gambler would employ.

He eyed the two of them, closing the door behind. After a moment he said, 'Deserters get executed, I understand.'

'That would be the tradition,' Radstac said neutrally.

It quirked the man's brow. He seemed to find it amusing. He nodded. 'All right. Are you two deserters?'

'Certainly not.'

'Does he speak?'

'We're not deserters,' Deo said, his tone as calm as Radstac's. Perhaps he, too, sensed that any show of fear before this man would be disastrous. Or maybe he was just following her lead.

'There,' the man said. 'You're not deserters. See how simple that was? Deserters don't get themselves Far Moved to an occupied city. They sneak off in the night. And they don't abandon an army that's winning fight after uncontested fight.' He no longer seemed to be addressing them. He was of medium height and build.

Was he a Felk officer? Radstac wondered. Then why no uniform? He didn't seem like the type of ranking soldier she had encountered in that Felk camp.

'Lieutenant Wesbecht was most upset that you arrived here without orders.'

'He's the one with his mouth in a pinch?'

'He is. Wesbecht is an orderly individual. And you two are a couple of untidies. Why is it that you don't have any traveling orders, anyway?'

'We were never issued them,' Radstac said.

'And there again. Simplicity. You were verbally ordered into the portal—'

'We were.'

'—and in you went. You don't question an order, do you? Of course not. And so you arrive here in Callah without the niggling credentials you need, and whose fault is that? Not yours, obviously. Unlucky circumstances. And worst of all, you've personally done nothing wrong.'

The man crossed the office, around the desk, and dropped into the chair. He casually put up his feet, folded his hands over his middle. Radstac and Deo watched and waited.

Finally he spoke again. 'I like it. It requires no proof on your parts at all. You were told. You obeyed. Paperwork? You don't know anything about paperwork. I can only guess why a soldier would want to leave the field of action. Wait. That's a flagrant lie. I was in the field. I hated it. I got myself transferred to Sook, and I was much happier there. Had a bed to sleep in, decent food. No marching, no fighting. Callah's far from the action, isn't it?'

'Actually,' Deo said, 'I for one am not quite sure where this place is.'

'This is the empire.' Something dark moved in the man's voice. 'That's all you need to know.'

'Yes, sir.'

The man said, 'You both give convincing details about troop units and commanding officers. It's a pity you can't name the one who ordered you to be Far Moved.'

'She never identified herself,' Radstac said.

'Well, that was her prerogative, wasn't it?' The man sighed. 'You understand, of course, that something must be done with you. We can't just let you take up space here. Colonel Jesile... he's the governor here... he has handed the matter over to me. He's got enough on his hands. Coincidentally, so have I. I don't really have time for this. The easiest thing to do would be to send you right back where you came from.'

Radstac didn't wince. They hadn't been relieved of their weapons. This office had no windows, but if they killed this man, then overpowered the guard or guards outside—

'I could also have you executed. The court-martial would consist of me signing an order. There would be a certain neatness about that. Whatever trouble you've aroused in the smooth running of operations would be over.'

Deo nearly spoke up. But he caught himself, shook his head minutely, stayed silent.

'It's really all up to me. And since they've deposited this matter with me, I see no reason why I shouldn't take full advantage of it and benefit myself as best as possible. I haven't introduced myself. Now that I've made up my mind about you, I shall. I am an agent of the Internal Security Corps. It is entirely possible you have never heard of that branch of our empire's operations. I like that anonymity. But it doesn't negate the authority I bear. My job is to sniff out treason and unrest. My methods are up to me. I report to the head of the Corps. This eliminates a great deal of the fuss and nonsense of military life. Currently, here in Callah, I'm on the trail of a group of rebels who I believe are responsible, among other activities, for tampering with local water supplies. It's an important task I have. I intend to be successful at it. I have one other agent presently working with me. It occurs to me that I could use more. Say, two more.'

He smiled now.

'My name is Aquint, and this is an opportunity you can't afford to pass up.'

* * *

Callah didn't look familiar. Then again, Isthmus cities had a dreary sameness about them, so it was remotely possible that Radstac had visited here before. The air was decidedly chilly, and the wind stung her face.

Radstac and Deo had been relieved of their Felk uniforms. She had also given up her sword. The one called Aquint had arranged for it to be stored at the Registry. She still had her boot knives, however; and certainly no one was going to take away her left glove with the two recessed prongs. She had surrendered her leather armor, which was being kept with her combat sword. Coats had been found for her and Deo, civilian wear.

It had all been organized in the space of a single watch, and this was convincing testament of Aquint's authority. None among the Felk who issued her and Deo the proper credentials questioned Aquint's actions. Actually they seemed to regard the Internal Security agent with a certain apprehension.

Aquint had led them, in their new garb, out of the Registry, into Callah's streets. Radstac was perplexed when the agent put his arm into a sling before they departed.

'We'll need cover stories for both of you,' he said now as they strode along. There was traffic in the streets, people going about their business. But there were Felk, too, here and there, armed and armored, watching these