one of the Horde Commanders, Sopt s'Qu, took him from his quarters at the Auroa Inn. They did it by flitter and loaded the prisoners on board at once—they had been stassed— the guard looked near death. The ship lifted them as soon as possible.'
When the woman stopped speaking Tetempra clicked her long nails on the tabletop.
'We knew that the Tssekians might try this,' she said, 'they moved fast.'
'They had another passenger also, Veep.'
The nails were now motionless.
'Who?'
'A woman of Asborgan—one of those trained to give pleasure—and of the highest rank—those called Jewelbright.'
'Ah—' What Zarn had parted with in the way of knowledge, besides the jewels, was now to be added to the picture. That was the one he had spoken of at their second meeting, the one to whom the Guild, in the manner of speaking, owed the increase on their fee.
'What do they say was the purpose of this Jewelbright's visit to Tssek?'
The woman shrugged. 'What could her purpose be? She was a gift to the Holder. Doubtless she was to whisper into his ear at the proper moments any word her sponsor would wish passed on.'
'Tssek—' Tetempra's nails began to tap again. 'Four shipments of arms to the far west there—and a different touchdown, not a true port for any of them. The rebels made an excellent deal and they must be very close to the fruition of their plans. It may go hard with the Zacathan— and his guard, if he survives the trip—should Arn s'Dunn win this squabble. What is the latest news?'
'None as yet, Veep. We have the eyes out, the ears ready. Wayright is covered.'
'When there is news, bring it at once.'
With no parting salute the woman turned and was gone. That one was to be depended upon, Tetempra considered with satisfaction. She had handpicked her herself and the reward which had been dangled was very great. Nor would it be skimped—this one was well worth her hire.
There was nothing to do now but wait. But she could find plenty otherwise to deal with. There was the matter of the ship they would need, if and when they could get the Zacathan away from Tssek and once more on the' move along the path THEY chose—though the fool thought it was all his doing. It showed that even such as a Zacathan could be subtly managed into obeying the desires of another. All had been going so well until these mire- eaters of Tssek interfered. Though if Guild calculations were right about Arn s'Dunn, the Illustrious Holder and any henchman of his would speedily have very little to say about anything.
She would present at the conference the bargain with Zarn and she had no expectation of anything but success.
It was a ten-ten of days later that Tetempra's chamber safe alarm brought her awake. This Farcar Inn was Guild owned, through a proxy, of course, and had a number of additions for the comfort and convenience of its occupants. The Veep pressed a button set in the frame of her bed, pulled around her a length of thick blue-green cloth and stalked over to the wall farthest from the window.
At her touch the concealed door opened, and, slipping into the very dim light of the room, was the woman she had interviewed before.
'What has happened?'
'Opher has reported in—not from the port, Veep. No, there was the landing of a service courier and on board were all three of those you wish knowledge of—the Zacathan, his guard, and the play woman.'
'A service courier! They were under some form of arrest?'
'The signs were not of that. An antigrav was summoned and they all went to the same inn where the Zacathan was staying when the Tssekians took them. Also—Opher reports that they have a Jat.'
'Sigsman gave that to the Holder four seasons ago when we wished certain privileges. But—a Jat does not leave its bond master. That needs some thinking about also.
'Tssek must have come to a boil. But why this woman with them? She is a new complication.'
'What we can learn, Veep, we shall.'
'You continue to do very well, Ho-Sing. I am well pleased.'
'One asks no more than that, Veep. I have already ordered that a strict watch be kept.'
It was the third day after their return to Wayright and Zurzal had been summoned twice to service headquarters. He returned each time with a flaring frill and a refusal to talk for a while after pacing the room like a caged orzal. The scanner had been carefully returned to the guardianship of the hive as if the Zacathan feared that it might disappear were he to leave it out of safekeeping.
Jofre had known something of impatience also. He needed weapons. Even the Makwire was lost to him now and he felt almost as if he had been stripped of his clothing as well. On the third morning he ventured to break into Zurzal's preoccupation with a mention of this point.
'Of course!' Zurzal was immediately attentive. 'A man must always be supplied with the tools of his trade if he is to be set to work. But this is not a place where I have the proper contacts—'
'There is one Istarn of Vega.' The cool voice of Taynad somewhat startled them both. 'It is said that he offers weapons from half a hundred worlds to those who take pleasure in collecting such things.'
Though Zurzal had urged her to gather a new wardrobe, she had made no effort to return to the rich garments of her supposed trade. She had selected a second spacer suit, lacking any insignia, and seemed, when wearing it, to be able to take on a kind of enwarping drabness. Jofre knew that she was summoning her own form of the Shadows invisibility.
