My next thought was to look into the cloud backups—but I didn’t bother. Nothing would be there. I knew that already. This was a setup, and the stony silence from all the other humans in the room testified to that simple fact.
“All right,” I said, “if I’m guilty of starting this conflict, then who else is going down with me?” I gave Turov and Drusus hard stares. They looked at the deck. “I was sent to that ship. I was ordered to inspect it. I was—”
The Nairb interrupted my tirade. “Your attempts to shift blame are as predictable as they are pointless, criminal. Still, the prosecution agrees. The guilt should be expanded to include the entire species. That is standard Galactic policy in these cases.”
Nox made a chopping motion with one of her numerous limbs. “We’ve looked into all of that. Normally, a situation like this might well escalate to an extinction result—but Earth has become too important in local terms. As much as I’m embarrassed to admit it, we need local governance here on the frontier. It’s much cheaper and decouples Trantor from this kind of incident.”
That sounded like typical Mogwa justice. There was the law—which was unfair to begin with—but then there was also reality. When these two came into conflict, the elite always won the coin-toss. Always.
“What’s the punishment, then? Am I to be permed? Good luck with that.”
“No. You are to be delivered as a living prisoner to the offended party. The Skay will decide your ultimate fate.”
That statement gave me a chill, I don’t mind telling you. The Skay made the Mogwa look all squishy and cuddly. They were smart machines—and machines have never known for their compassion.
There was a lot of prattling after that. Declarations, big lawyer-words and whatnot. I stopped listening, as Drusus and Turov agreed to sign me over to the Skay to do God-knew-what to my sorry body.
I used that time to think. To think hard. At last, I came up with an angle. It was slim—but it was all I had.
“Hold on! Hold on, sirs!”
“The accused shall be muzzled,” the Nairb ordered. “It’s input is no longer required.”
A couple of hogs produced a hood with mouth-clamps in it, but I squirmed. “Nox! Governor Nox! I know where your baby is right now!”
The hogs rushed in and a wrestling match began. Three broken fingers and one broken nose later, they managed to get the bag over my head. My hands were now gravity-cuffed behind me, and I was stood up like a sack of potatoes.
There were eye-holes in the bag, so I could see and hear some of what was going on. The bastard Nairb was demanding more restraints and talking about how dangerous I was. The officers who’d sold me out were standing and fidgeting with their caps and jackets. I could tell they wanted to put this whole thing behind them and walk away. Maybe they’d tip back a shot of whiskey in memory of crazy old McGill tonight—but overall, I’d say they looked relieved.
Twisting my head around, I peered up at the hologram of Nox. She alone didn’t seem agitated or anxious to leave. She was staring right back at me. I could only get one eye to the eyehole, but I pressed it up there, craning my neck and staring. They dragged me toward the exit, and doubtlessly toward Gray Deck where I would be shipped off to parts unknown—but the whole time, I maintained eye-contact with Nox.
She shifted on her throne, shuffling her limbs around uncomfortably. Several of them tried to flatten the floppy pouch that was on her belly—but they failed. Having given birth only a year or so earlier, her body hadn’t tightened up yet, I guess.
“Stop,” she said.
That single word changed everything. Everyone present ceased fussing. The humans looked up at her with a fresh jolt of fear. The Nairb looked annoyed.
But me? I looked hopeful.
“You will send the prisoner to my ship,” she said. “I will transmit him to the Skay when I see fit.”
“Governess?” the Nairb complained. “That’s not—”
“My will has been stated. Are you going to comply or not?”
The Nairb shrank down a bit. “Compliance is mandatory. I simply—”
“And I’m not interested in your opinions. Follow my command.”
That was that. I had time to see Drusus and Turov exchange confused glances. They shrugged, and then I was dragged out the door.
A few minutes later, still wearing my manacles and that hot, irritating hood, I was teleported to the Governess’ flagship.
-59-
When I got to the queen spider’s lair I was nervous, I don’t mind telling you. I knew I was on shaky ground. The Mogwa weren’t known for their compassion and generosity—quite the opposite. It might well be Nox had decided to dip me in tar and feathers before she delivered me to the Skay for outright dissection.
With my hands still clamped together, and my hood slipping around on my sweaty head, I wasn’t escorted or anything. I just appeared in an empty chamber with orangey-yellow arrows lighting up the floor.
Following the arrows, I grumbled. It was just like the Mogwa to expect a man to meekly take himself to the gallows. I didn’t even take off the hood by scraping it against a wall or anything. After all, I didn’t want to upset anyone any further—or to warn them of what I might be able to do.
When the arrows ended at a door, I politely knocked. Nothing happened, so I messed with the door. There was no knob, nothing. I hammered on it, and at last, it swished open.
Two Mogwa marines in power armor greeted me. I’d tangled with these boys a few
