The Third Lynx

[Theft?]

Technically, I hadn't stolen anything that had ever belonged to a Tra'ho. 'No.'

[Arson?] he continued, still coming toward me. No doubt he believed he was being very brave, approaching an armed and obviously unhinged alien this way. Distantly, I wondered what he would think if he knew his current behavior was coming from an alien mind that would sacrifice him in a second if he thought it would gain him anything.

'No,' I said.

[Fraud?] he asked, his eyes glittering a little brighter. 'Not against the Tra'hok people,' I said.

His ears pricked up at that one. [I'm told you offered a piece of counterfeit art for sale.]

'Where it was bought by a Halka, not a Tra'ho,' I pointed out. 'Besides, since I never received any money for that sale, it was technically not fraud.'

He finished his walk in silence, stopping three meters in front of me. [Then you may leave this place in peace,] he said. [You will go aboard the Quadrail, and you will never again return to any world of the Tra'hok Unity.]

'Understood,' I said, and meant it. If we got out of this in one piece, I would willingly and gladly write off this entire region of space.

The oathling drew himself up. [Then go.] he said. [I will serve as your shield and safe-conduct. You may release the female.]

Released to his guards so she could be returned to bargaining-chip status? 'The female comes with me,' I said firmly. 'But you're welcome to tag along if you want.'

For a long moment I thought he was going to cancel the deal right there. He looked at Penny, glanced sideways at the crowd, then looked back at me. [Very well,] he said. [A shuttle will be prepared to take you to the Tube.]

'Good,' I said. 'Lead on.'

He started toward the doors behind the customs desks. 'Just a second,' I said. Keeping my eyes on him and the guards, I reached down and scooped up my larger carrybag, clutching it to my chest like a combination armored vest and medieval shield and leaving the other carrybag to continue rolling along at my side. 'Wouldn't want this getting lost along the way,' I explained. 'Start walking.'

The wide corridors were deserted as we headed toward the shuttle docking stations. I wondered uneasily where all the people had gone until we passed the first restaurant and I saw the wide-eyed crowd huddled inside staring out at me. A line of station security was standing as a barrier between them and our three-person parade, their hands on their heads away from their weapons. Someone had made sure to clue them in on the rules.

The same silent mob scene was repeated at every restaurant, bar, waiting room, and shop we passed. My own tension notched up a bit each time, wondering if and when the station personnel were going to make their move.

But to my mild surprise, none of them did. The oathling, under urgent Modhri prodding, had apparently managed to convince, persuade, or threaten the station manager into letting me go without a struggle.

'You take great risks,' the oathling murmured as he walked stolidly beside Penny.

I looked at him in surprise. It was the first time he'd spoken English. I hadn't even realized he knew the language.

And then my brain caught up with me, and I belatedly recognized the subtle change in voice and face and body language. 'It wasn't that big a risk,' I told him. 'You can't afford to have a fracas now.'

'What means fracas?'

'A disturbance,' I explained. 'Like the kind of mob scene we left in there.'

Penny half turned around, frowning at me. 'Frank?' she asked tentatively.

'It's okay,' I said. 'Turns out he's part of the gang who's after the Lynx.'

She twisted her head around toward the oathling, the one eye I could see widening. 'He's—?'

'Relax,' I soothed her. 'For the moment, we all have the same goal. Namely, to get me out of here and onto the Quadrail.'

'I do not control station security, you see,' the Modhri explained to her. 'If they were allowed to take him, they would impound his effects. A routine inquiry would show the Lynx had been stolen, and it would be returned to Earth.'

'Putting him back at square one,' I said. 'Even worse, the guards could start shooting.' I drummed my fingers on my carrybag. 'That would pretty well end the hunt for good.' I cocked an eyebrow at the oathling. 'You really should have infiltrated the local law enforcement establishment better, you know.'

The oathling gave a strange catlike hiss. 'Indeed,' he conceded. 'But there are other needs, and more urgent priorities. And this is such a small, useless world.'

'And playing the odds usually does work,' I agreed. 'Still, one never knows where the cards are going to be dealt, does one?'

'True,' the Modhri said. 'Yet at the end of each hand the cards are always gathered and dealt anew.'

I grimaced. 'True.'

'So they're letting us go?' Penny asked, grabbing on to the part of this she could understand.

'Only temporarily,' I said. 'Like I said, he's playing the odds. In this case, he's hoping that on the Quadrail he'll have a better chance of stealing the Lynx from us.'

I saw Penny's throat muscles tighten. 'Maybe it would be better if we did turn ourselves in.'

'Maybe better for you,' I said. 'Unfortunately, after that little drama it would hardly be better for me. Besides, the Quadrail has one big advantage over this place.'

'What's that?'

I hefted Fayr's gun. 'No weapons.'

The oathling looked sideways at me, an odd expression on his face. I was still wondering what that meant when it abruptly changed again. [I'm sorry,] he said, his voice also returning to normal as he shifted back to Seejlis. [My thoughts wandered. Were you speaking to me?]

'Just rambling,' I said. So a wandering mind was how the oathling had chosen to explain away this latest blank spot in his memory. A puppet on golden chains, and he didn't even know it.

Damn the Modhri, anyway.

The debarkation lounge the oathling led us to was as deserted as everywhere else we'd been since leaving the customs area. [There is your escape,] he said, pointing to the invitingly open hatchway.

Way too invitingly, to my mind. 'You first,' I said, gesturing with my gun. 'Don't get too far ahead of me.'

I'd expected the shuttle to be the standard Tra'hok passenger model, with ten rows of seats offering lots of cover to a determined assault team. To my surprise, it was instead a cargo version of the same ship, a single empty chamber lined with straps and anchor rings with literally nowhere for anyone to hide. 'Nice,' I commented as Penny and I stepped cautiously inside. 'Okay, then. Let's get this show—'

Without warning, the oathling turned and lunged.

Reflexively, I twisted away, swinging the barrel of my gun toward the side of his head.

But he wasn't going for me. Ducking under my wild blow, he grabbed Penny's upper arms and shoved her hard back through the hatchway. Even as I dropped my carrybag and dived after her, her gasp of surprise and pain was swallowed up by the slam of metal on metal as the hatch slammed closed.

Cursing, I switched direction toward the hatch control. But again I was too late. With a multiple popping of released clamps, we were away from the station and into the vacuum of space.

I turned back to the oathling, leveling my gun squarely between his eyes. 'Go ahead,' the Modhri voice said. 'Shoot, if it will appease your anger and shame.' He gave me an almost human smile. 'I can afford to lose this one.'

With a supreme effort, I eased my forefinger back off the trigger. A puppet who doesn't even know it. 'Clever,' I bit out. 'Passenger shuttle doors can't legally close that fast except in a decompression emergency. Hence, the cargo version.'

'I thought it would also soothe any fears of a trap,' he said, gesturing around the empty compartment. 'But don't be concerned. The Human female is in no danger.'

'Provided?'

His eyes flicked to my carrybag. 'Provided you now deliver to me what you promised.'