by Keith Laumer
V
"You'd better stay here on this terrace out of the way until I've spreadthe word," Zorn said. "Just in case."
"Let me caution you against any ... ah ... slip-ups, Mr. Zorn," Magnansaid. "The Nenni are not to be molested--"
Zorn looked at Retief.
"Your friend talks too much," he said. "I'll keep my end of it. He'dbetter keep his."
"Nothing's happened yet, you're sure?" Magnan said.
"I'm sure," Zorn said. "Ten minutes to go. Plenty of time."
"I'll just step into the salon to assure myself that all is well,"Magnan said.
"Suit yourself," Zorn said. "Just stay clear of the kitchen, or you'llget your throat cut." He sniffed at his dope-stick. "What's keepingShoke?" he muttered.
Magnan stepped to a tall glass door, eased it open and poked his headthrough the heavy draperies. As he moved to draw back, a voice wasfaintly audible. Magnan paused, head still through the drapes.
"What's going on there?" Zorn rasped. He and Retief stepped up behindMagnan.
"--breath of air, ha-ha," Magnan was saying.
"Well, come along, Magnan!" Ambassador Crodfoller's voice snapped.
Magnan shifted from one foot to the other then pushed through thedrapes.
"Where've you been, Mr. Magnan?" The Ambassador's voice was sharp.
"Oh ... ah ... a slight accident, Mr. Ambassador."
"What's happened to your shoes? Where are your insignia anddecorations?"
"I--ah--spilled a drink on them. Sir. Ah--listen...."
The sound of an orchestra came up suddenly, blaring a fanfare.
Zorn shifted restlessly, ear against the glass.
"What's your friend pulling?" he rasped. "I don't like this."
"Keep cool, Zorn," Retief said. "Mr. Magnan is doing a little emergencysalvage on his career."
The music died away with a clatter.
"--My God," Ambassador Crodfoller's voice was faint. "Magnan, you'll beknighted for this. Thank God you reached me. Thank God it's not toolate. I'll find some excuse. I'll get a gram off at once."
"But you--"
"It's all right, Magnan. You were in time. Another ten minutes and theagreement would have been signed and transmitted. The wheels would havebeen put in motion. My career ruined...."
Retief felt a prod at his back. He turned.
"Doublecrossed," Zorn said softly. "So much for the word of a diplomat."
* * * * *
Retief looked at the short-barreled needler in Zorn's hand.
"I see you hedge your bets, Zorn," he said.
"We'll wait here," Zorn said, "until the excitement's over inside. Iwouldn't want to attract any attention right now."
"Your politics are still lousy, Zorn. The picture hasn't changed. Yourcoup hasn't got a chance."
"Skip it. I'll take up one problem at a time."
"Magnan's mouth has a habit of falling open at the wrong time--"
"That's my good luck that I heard it. So there'll be no agreement, noguns, no fat job for Tammany Zorn, hey? Well, I can still play it theother way, What have I got to lose?"
With a movement too quick to follow, Retief's hand chopped down acrossZorn's wrist. The needler clattered as Zorn reeled, and then Retief'shand clamped Zorn's arm and whirled him around.
"In answer to your last question," Retief said, "your neck."
"You haven't got a chance, doublecrosser," Zorn gasped.
"Shoke will be here in a minute," Retief said. "Tell him it's all off."
"Twist harder, Mister," Zorn said. "Break it off at the shoulder. I'mtelling him nothing!"
"The kidding's over, Zorn," Retief said. "Call it off or I'll kill you."
"I believe you," Zorn said. "But you won't have long to remember it."
"All the killing will be for nothing," Retief said. "You'll be dead andthe Rotunes will step into the power vacuum."
"So what? When I die, the world ends."
"Suppose I make you another offer, Zorn?"
"Why would it be any better than the last one, chiseler?"
Retief released Zorn's arm, pushed him away, stooped and picked up theneedler.
"I could kill you, Zorn. You know that."
"Go ahead!"
Retief reversed the needler, held it out.
"I'm a gambler too, Zorn. I'm gambling you'll listen to what I have tosay."
Zorn snatched the gun, stepped back. He looked at Retief.
"That wasn't the smartest bet you ever made, Mister; but go ahead.You've got maybe ten seconds."
"Nobody doublecrossed you, Zorn. Magnan put his foot in it. Too bad. Isthat a reason to kill yourself and a lot of other people who've bettheir lives on you?"
"They gambled and lost. Tough."
"Maybe you haven't lost yet--if you don't quit."
"Get to the point!"
Retief spoke earnestly for a minute and a half. Zorn stood, gun aimed,listening. Then both men turned as footsteps approached along theterrace. A fat man in a yellow sarong padded up to Zorn.
Zorn tucked the needler in his waistband.
"Hold everything, Shoke," he said. "Tell the boys to put the knivesaway. Spread the word fast. It's all off."
* * * * *
"I want to commend you, Retief," Ambassador Crodfoller said expansively."You mixed very well at last night's affair. Actually, I was hardlyaware of your presence."
"I've been studying Mr. Magnan's work," Retief said.
"A good man, Magnan. In a crowd, he's virtually invisible."
"He knows when to disappear all right."
"This has been in many ways a model operation, Retief." The Ambassadorpatted his paunch contentedly. "By observing local social customs andblending harmoniously with the court, I've succeeded in establishing afine, friendly, working relationship with the Potentate."
"I understand the agreement has been postponed."
The Ambassador chuckled. "The Potentate's a crafty one. Through ... ah... a special study I have been conducting, I learned last night that hehad hoped to, shall I say, 'put one over' on the Corps."
"Great heavens," Retief said.
"Naturally, this placed me in a difficult position. It was my task toquash this gambit, without giving any indication that I was aware of itsexistence."
"A hairy position indeed," Retief said.
"Quite casually, I informed the Potentate that certain items which hadbeen included in the terms of the agreement had been deleted and otherssubstituted. I admired him at that moment, Retief. He took itcoolly--appearing completely indifferent--perfectly dissembling his veryserious disappointment."
"I noticed him dancing with three girls wearing a bunch of grapesapiece. He's very agile for a man of his bulk."
"You mustn't discount the Potentate! Remember, beneath that mask offrivolity, he had absorbed a bitter blow."
"He had me fooled," Retief said.
"Don't feel badly; I confess at first I failed to sense his shrewdness."The Ambassador nodded and moved off along the corridor.
Retief turned and went into an office. Magnan looked up from his desk.
"Ah," he said. "Retief. I've been meaning to ask you. About the ... ah... blasters. Are you--?"
Retief leaned on Magnan's desk, looked at him.
"I thought that was to be our little secret."
"Well, naturally I--" Magnan closed his mouth, swallowed. "How is it,Retief," he said sharply, "that you were aware of this blaster business,when the Ambassador himself wasn't?"
"Easy," Retief said. "I made it up."
"You what!" Magnan looked wild. "But the agreement--it's been revised!Ambassador Crodfoller has gone on record...."
"Too bad. Glad _I_ didn't tell him about it."
* * * * *
Magnan leaned back and closed his eyes.
"It was big of you to take all the ... blame," Retief said, "when theAmbassador was talking about knightin
g people."
Magnan opened his eyes.
"What about that gambler, Zorn? Won't he be upset?"
"It's all right," Retief said, "I made another arrangement. The businessabout making blasters out of common components wasn't completelyimaginary. You can actually do it, using parts from an old-fashioneddisposal unit."
"What good will that do him?" Magnan whispered, looking nervous. "We'renot shipping in any old-fashioned disposal units."
"We don't need to," Retief said. "They're already installed in thepalace kitchen--and in a few thousand other places, Zorn tells me."
"If this ever leaks...." Magnan put a hand to his forehead.
"I have his word on it that the Nenni slaughter is out. This place isripe for a change. Maybe Zorn is what it needs."
"But how can we _know?_" Magnan yelped. "How can we be sure?"
"We can't," Retief said. "But it's not up to the Corps to meddle inPetreacs' internal affairs." He leaned over, picked up Magnan's desklighter and lit a cigar. He blew a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling."Right?"
Magnan looked at him, nodded weakly. "Right."
"I'd better be getting along to my desk," Retief said. "Now that theAmbassador feels that I'm settling down at last--"
"Retief," Magnan said, "tonight, I implore you. Stay out of thekitchen--no matter what."
Retief raised his eyebrows.
"I know," Magnan said. "If you hadn't interfered, we'd all have had ourthroats cut. But at least," he added, "we'd have died in accordance withregulations!"
END