Lion Loose
Page 7
don't know," Kinmarten said. "He was a man of rather violenthabits. My impression, however, was that he was simply attempting toobtain a hostage."
"How did he get off that island with the Hlat?"
"A University League explorer was investigating the planet. Eltakcontacted them and obtained the guarantee of a full pardon and a largecash settlement in return for what he could tell them about the Hlats.They took him and this one specimen along for experimentation."
"What about the Hlats on the _Camelot_?"
"Eltak said those had been quite recently trapped on the island."
Cooms ran his fingers over the cylinder, producing a rapid series ofsqueaks and whistles. "That's one thing Yaco may not like," heobserved. "They won't have a monopoly on the thing."
Quillan shook his head. "Their scientists don't have to work throughred tape like the U-League. By the time the news breaks--if theFederation ever intends to break it--Yaco will have at least afive-year start on everyone else. That's all an outfit like thatneeds." He looked at Kinmarten. "Any little thing you haven't thoughtto tell us, friend?" he inquired pleasantly.
A thin film of sweat showed suddenly on Kinmarten's forehead.
"No, sir," he said. "I've really told you everything I know. I--"
"Might try him under dope," Cooms said absently.
"Uh-uh!" Quillan said, "I want him wide awake to help me bait thecubicle for the thing. Has Velladon shown any indication of becomingwilling to co-operate in hunting it?"
Cooms gestured with his head. "Ask Fluel! I sent him down to try topatch things up with the commodore. He just showed up again."
Quillan glanced around. The Duke was lounging in the doorway. Hegrinned slightly, said, "Velladon's still sore at us. But he'll talkto Quillan. Kinmarten here ... did he tell you his wife's on theStar?"
Brock Kinmarten went utterly white. Cooms looked at him, said softly,"No, that must have slipped his mind."
Fluel said, "Yeah, Well, she is. And Ryter says they'll have herpicked up inside half an hour. When they bring her in, we reallyshould check on how candid Kinmarten's been about everything."
The rest warden said in a voice that shook uncontrollably, "Gentlemen,my wife knows absolutely nothing about these matters! I swear it!She--"
Quillan stood up. "Well, I'll go see if I can't get Velladon in abetter mood. Are you keeping that Hlat-talker, Cooms?"
Cooms smiled. "I am."
"Marras figures," the Duke's flat voice explained, "that if the thingcomes into the room and he squeaks at it a few times, he won't gethurt."
"That's possible," Cooms said, unruffled. "At any rate, I intend tohang on to it."
"Well, I wouldn't play around with those buttons too much," Quillanobserved.
"Why not?"
"You might get lucky and tap out some pattern that spells 'Come tochow' in the Hlat's vocabulary."
* * * * *
There were considerably more men in evidence on Level Two than on thefourth, and fewer signs of nervousness. The Star men had been told ofthe Hlat's escape from its cubicle, but weren't taking it tooseriously. Quillan was conducted to the commodore and favored with analarmingly toothy grin. Ryter, the security chief, joined them a fewseconds later. Apparently, Velladon had summoned him.
Velladon said, "Ryter here's made a few transmitter calls. We hearPappy Boltan pulled his outfit out of the Orado area about a monthago. Present whereabouts unknown. Hagready went off on some hush-hushjob at around the same time."
Quillan smiled. "Uh-huh! So he did."
"We also," said Ryter, "learned a number of things about youpersonally." He produced a thin smile. "You lead a busyand--apparently--profitable life."
"Business is fair," Quillan agreed. "But it can always be improved."
The commodore turned on the toothy grin. "So all right," he growled,"you're clear. We rather liked what we learned. Eh, Ryter?"
Ryter nodded.
"This Brotherhood of Beldon, now--" The commodore shook his headheavily.
Quillan was silent a moment. "They might be getting sloppy," he said."I don't know. It's one possibility. They used to be a rather sharpoutfit, you know."
"That's what I'd heard!" Velladon chewed savagely on his mustache,asked finally, "What's another possibility?"
Quillan leaned back in his chair. "Just a feeling, so far. But thebusiness with the cubicle upstairs might have angles that weren'tmentioned."
They looked at him thoughtfully. Ryter said, "Mind amplifying that?"
"Cooms told me," Quillan said, "that Nome Lancion had given Movaineinstructions to make a test with Lady Pendrake on the quiet and findout if those creatures actually can do what they're supposed to do. Ithink he was telling the truth. Nome tends to be overcautious whenit's a really big deal. Unless he's sure of the Hlats, he wouldn'twant to be involved in a thing like blowing up the Star and theliner."
The commodore scowled absently. "Uh-huh," he said. "He knows we can'tback out of it--"
"All right. The Brotherhood's full of ambitious men. Behind Lancion,Movaine was top man. Cooms behind him; Fluel behind Cooms. Supposethat Hlat-control device Cooms is hanging on to so tightly isn't asentirely incomprehensible as they make it out to be. Suppose Coomsmakes a deal with Eltak. Eltak tickles the gadget, and the Hlat killsMovaine. Rubero immediately guns down Eltak--and is killed by Fluel acouple of minutes later, supposedly for blowing his top and killingthe man who knew how to control the Hlat."
Ryter cleared his throat. "Fluel was Movaine's gun," he observed.
"So he was," Quillan said. "Would you like the Duke to be yours?"
Ryter grinned, shook his head. "No, thanks!"
Quillan looked back at Velladon. "How well are you actually coveredagainst the Brotherhood?"
"Well, _that_'s air-tight," the commodore said. "We've got 'emoutgunned here. When the liner lands, we'll be about even. But Lancionwon't start anything. We're too even. Once we're clear of the Star, wedon't meet again. We deal with Yaco individually. The Brotherhood hasthe Hlats, and we have the trained Federation technicians accompanyingthem, who ... who--"
"Who alone are supposed to be able to inform Yaco how to control theHlats," Ryter finished for him. The security chief's face wasexpressionless.
"By God!" the commodore said softly.
"Well, it's only a possibility that somebody's playing dirty," Quillanremarked. "We'd want to be sure of it. But if anyone can handle a Hlatwith the control instrument, the Brotherhood has an advantage now thatit isn't talking about--it can offer Yaco everything Yaco needs in onepackage. Of course, Yaco might still be willing to pay for the Hlattechnicians. If it didn't, you and Ryter could make the same kind oftrouble for it that my friends can."
* * * * *
The color was draining slowly from Velladon's face. "There's adifference," he said. "If we threaten to make trouble for Yaco, they'dsee to it that our present employers learn that Ryter and I are stillalive."
"That's the Mooleys, eh?"
"Yes."
"Tough." Quillan knuckled his chin thoughtfully. "Well, let's put itthis way then," he said. "My group doesn't have _that_ kind ofproblem, but if things worked out so that we'd have something moresubstantial than nuisance value to offer Yaco, we'd prefer it, ofcourse."
Velladon nodded. "Very understandable! Under the circumstances,co-operation appears to be indicated, eh?"
"That's what I had in mind."
"You've made a deal," Velladon said. "Any immediate suggestions?"
Quillan looked at his watch. "A couple. We don't want to make anymistake about this. It's still almost five hours before the _Camelot_pulls in, and until she does you're way ahead on firepower. I wouldn'tmake any accusations just now. But you might mention to Cooms you'dlike to borrow the Hlat gadget to have it examined by some of yourtechnical experts. The way he reacts might tell us something. If hebalks, the matter shouldn't be pushed too hard at the moment--it's atossup whether you or the Brotherhood has a
better claim to the thing.
"But then there's Kinmarten, the rest warden in charge of the cubicle.I talked with him while Cooms and Fluel were around, but he may havebeen briefed on what to say. Cooms mentioned doping him, which