"And if Dahno has people watching from the port, to tell him you haven't left the ship?" Toni asked.
"That's why I had two of the techs rent a shuttle and take it over the horizon, right after we landed," Bleys said.
Toni subsided in the face of Bleys' logic, but there was still a small frown line between her eyebrows. Henry, in the screen, nodded thoughtfully; and then signed off, intending to review his Soldiers' preparations and positioning.
That had been more than half an hour ago.
Mars' star was now on the horizon behind the port buildings, just out of Bleys' view, and the sky in his screen was shading itself to a dark, almost metallic indigo color that managed to suggest coldness without actually being the black of space. Stars were already showing, in the darker edge of that sky.
"There's a ship approaching," Toni's voice said. After Henry had signed off she had moved to the communications room; these were the first words he had heard from her since that time.
—And there it was, suddenly!
The ship was not as large as Favored of God, and was shaped a little differently—a more flattened cylinder. Like Favored, it was largely a silver color, polished to a mirror finish; but it was painted in a few places, with letters, numbers, and other markings Bleys could not make out.
The ship seemed to be moving slowly, almost hovering and drifting into its place; and yet it had seemed to appear out of nowhere, so swiftly had it dropped from above. He supposed that meant it had a very experienced driver, one of those who could make everything about shiphandling seem effortless.
He wondered if Dahno had hired a Dorsai. It was possible, he supposed, although his intelligence people had been telling him for some time that the Dorsai were going back to their planet.
For the first time he wondered whether Dahno might have told the Dorsai this would be a good place to take action directly at their major enemy. He felt a breath of coldness, but shook it off—Toni had always insisted the Dorsai would never stoop to assassination.
Bleys put no faith in the likelihood that people in trouble would remain true to their principles. However, he thought the Dorsai had to realize that assassinating a foreign dignitary in Old Earth's space would cause more trouble than they might want to handle.
The ship was down now, nestling almost softly onto the resilient pad surface. And in almost the same moment, Toni's voice came over Favored’s intercom.
"We've received a message from Dahno," she said. "He says he's just landed and wants to know where to go to meet you."
"Tell him to meet me in the bar on the main concourse," Bleys said. "We'll decide where to go from there ... oh, and tell him to dress warmly, and to bring oxygen."
Bleys was perched on a tall stool at the bar of the Seven Came Back Tavern when his half-brother loomed in the broad, open doorway. Bleys had known Dahno was on his way, because a series of alert-looking individuals had been drifting through and past the bar for the last five minutes.
From halfway across the room, it seemed obvious that Dahno was angry. Most of the bar's few patrons noticed it quickly, and, prudently respecting the huge size of the newcomer, moved quietly away.
"I'm not as angry as I look," Dahno said, as he took the second stool over from Bleys—one that was just around the curve of the bar. "You've seen this act before." He punched the control pad before him for a drink while waving away the bartender. At this late hour there were few people about to patronize the port services, and the bartender was happy to be left alone with her entertainment console.
"Hello, Toni," Dahno continued. He smiled cheerily. Bleys thought his brother had put on a little more weight.
"It's good to see you again, Dahno," Toni said. She was smiling, too.
"It's good to be seen," Dahno replied; and reached for the drink rising from the interior of the bar. Then he snorted, looking back to Toni's puzzled face.
"Sorry," he said. "That's a very old Earth joke."
"You didn't look as if you were in a joking mood," Toni said.
"No doubt," Dahno said. "I like the privacy people tend to give me when they think I'm angry." He turned his eyes to his brother.
"With just a little more work, we'd have privacy to talk right here," he said. "My people can bring in an inhibitor field generator."
"Aren't they illegal here?" Toni asked. Dahno shrugged.
"I can set up a HUSH field," Bleys said. "But I'm not comfortable about depending on that for the important subjects. You have to know, from my mention of oxygen, that I wasn't planning to talk in this place."
"I know," Dahno said. "But it's cold out there!" He grinned, a little savagely.
"And how do I know who else might be out in the dark?" he added. "I saw some familiar faces in the concourse as I walked over here."
"I figured you wouldn't feel comfortable unless you saw a few Soldiers," Bleys said. "But I guess you don't trust me, brother? I've never tried to harm you in any way, you know that."
"Turn on the field and I'll admit it," Dahno said. "I've learned you weren't behind the people who were stalking me on Earth."
"I don't know anything about that," Bleys said. "I do know you were behind the police who came after me."
"You're right," Dahno said. "I guess I owe you an apology." He grimaced.
"I lost my head," he went on. "You know I've done that before, under stress. My people stopped several attempts on my life, and one was a staff person from the Freiland organization. I thought maybe you'd sent him after me."
"I didn't."
"I realized later it made no sense; but at the time I was angry— all right, and I wasn't thinking well."
"What did you tell the police that would send them after me?"
"They got an anonymous tip that the person in your room might know something about the killings at the Mayne estate."
"They reacted like that to an anonymous tip relating to a years-old case, with no corroboration?"
"Well, maybe they had a little corroboration," Dahno said.
"What do you mean?"
"Remember, I was the one who called in people to clean up after the killings," Dahno said. "I'd made some contacts on Earth before you ever joined me, as part of my efforts to get sources of information on all the planets, and on that trip I had time to renew acquaintances."
"Your acquaintances must be pretty versatile people," Toni said.
"Like every planet, Earth has an underworld," Dahno said. "Some of them aren't just simple thugs, but successful businessmen looking for information that can give them an edge."
"You've been working with them again, I assume," Bleys asked.
"Yes," Dahno said. "In fact, some of their people are out there in the concourse ... I haven't had enough time to recruit and train dependable Soldiers of my own."
"What was that 'corroboration' you gave the police?"
"I told them where they could find the pistols used in the killings, along with a few small things from the Estate. It was enough to make the authorities think there might be something more to learn in your room."
"You were targeting me that long ago?" Bleys asked.
"Not at all," Dahno said.
"Then why did you set up something that could link the killings to mer
Dahno's face reddened, but he said nothing.
"I have a hard time believing you were really that stupid, brother," Bleys said at last. "Didn't it occur to you that if they connected me to the killings, you'd be connected, too?"
"I know, I know," Dahno said, his voice rising. "It was stupid; I didn't think it out until later, that leading the police to you had to lead them to me, too. But I thought you were out to get rid of me."
He's overplaying his role, Bleys thought.
"Anyway, the police never got to you," Dahno said. "The room was sanitized before they arrived. They only found four people sleeping off a messy party."
"So you knew where I was and you wanted to show me you could have had me taken in, if you'd wanted."
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"I just wanted to warn you off," Dahno said. "I thought you should know I wouldn't let you get rid of me without a fight."
"Did you really believe you could manipulate my attitude toward you?"
"It's past, brother," Dahno said. "Let it go. I made a mistake, and I know you never tried to harm me. The way I was looking at it, when our ways parted, the situation changed."
"I don't think we should say any more here," Bleys said.
"I suppose that's so."
"We have to decide on someplace to go," Bleys said. "I don't suppose you'd be comfortable with coming back to Favored?"
"I don't think so," Dahno said, a grim sort of smile appearing on his face. "But I have an idea how we can pick a place, if you'll go along with it."
Bleys only looked at his half-brother, waiting.
"Call Henry in here," Dahno said.
Dahno's smile seemed genuine as he greeted Henry; in fact, Bleys was sure it was genuine—as far as it went. But that did not mean there was not something else under it.
Bleys gave them time to catch up; but finally he broke in.
"You asked for Uncle Henry for a reason, brother—what is it?"
"Ah, yes," Dahno said. He smiled, and turned back to Henry.
"Uncle, we've been trying to decide on a safe place to have a long talk. I asked Bleys to call you here because I want you to pick our place."
"Me, Dahno?" Henry said. "Why would you ask me?"
"Because I can trust you, Uncle," Dahno said. "If you tell me a place is safe for me, I'll believe you." He looked back at Bleys. "Unless you have an objection, brother?"
"No," Bleys said. He was uneasy, but there was no other option.
"I'm not sure I like this," Henry said. His eyes turned to his other nephew. "Bleys?"
"I have nothing better to suggest, Uncle," Bleys said. "Can you think of a place nearby?"
"I'm sure Uncle Henry hasn't been here long enough to really know this port," Dahno cut in. "Why don't we all leave this bar together and talk a walk along the concourse, until Henry sees a place he might want to suggest?"
Still troubled, Bleys agreed.
CHAPTER 42
"There," Henry said, nodding to indicate an old-fashioned sign ahead of them on the left. Moving along the concourse, they had bypassed numerous business establishments before Henry made his choice. A cloud of alert individuals were doing their best to follow them unobtrusively. "A church?" Dahno asked.
"A chapel, rather," Henry said. "I am familiar with these places. They serve no single faith, but simply provide calm and quiet for anyone with an inclination to commune quietly with the Lord. It will likely be unoccupied at this hour."
After both sides had swept the chapel with security scanners, the four of them entered, accompanied by two bodyguards from each side; and those individuals stared as Bleys activated the blue security bubble that would keep them—or anyone else—from hearing his conversation with Dahno. Toni and Henry were included in the bubble.
"All right, brother," Dahno said immediately, "this is as secure as we can get. But nothing lasts forever, so why don't we get to it?"
"Fine," Bleys said. "What did you want to talk about?"
Dahno grinned.
"Come now, brother," he said. "Did you really believe you could fool me into thinking this meeting was my idea? I knew perfectly well you were behind everything Toni sent me."
"Then why did you come?"
"Because I'm sure it's better for both of us if we come to an agreement," Dahno said. "All right, I'll start: you said earlier I could retire and you'd leave me alone."
"I meant it," Bleys said. "I still do. But now I have to be convinced you really mean what you say."
"Well," Dahno replied, "you must be aware my organization has continued to work, for your plan to divide and paralyze Earth— doesn't that count for something?"
"I don't know your reasons for that," Bleys said. He felt a coldness in him, that seemed to wall him off from the situation, and from his companions; it was as if he were looking at them from a distance. "It's not enough to convince me."
"If we don't come to a truce," Dahno said, "I'm in a good position. You can't damage my position on Earth without exposing your plan to manipulate that planet's people into leaving you a free hand in the Younger Worlds—that information would unite the planet against you."
He stopped, abruptly, eyeing his brother. Then he spoke again, more softly:
"Something's happened, hasn't it? What is it?"
Bleys looked at him for a long moment.
"The timetable's been accelerated," he said finally.
"Timetable?" Something dawned in Dahno's eyes.
"War?" he asked. "Are you saying—"
"Yes," Bleys said.
"I thought you believed that was far off—"
"It was," Bleys said. "But Hal Mayne's been out in the Younger Worlds, and he's accomplished a lot more than I thought possible."
"Mayne again?" Dahno said. "What could he have done that would require you to go to war?"
"He's got the Exotics and the Dorsai committed to helping him," Bleys said. "And he's obtained proof of our mobilization."
"Which he'll use to pull Earth into his camp."
"Don't you think that would happen?"
"It might," Dahno admitted. "I still think my people can paralyze the planet's decision-making processes indefinitely."
"Can they?" Bleys asked. "My understanding is that Rukh Tamani has been very effective in countering your propaganda."
"She's done some damage," Dahno said. "She just appeared out of nowhere, and people listen to her. She's as good as anyone we've got."
"Hal Mayne sent her," Bleys said.
"He did? I guess you were more right about him than I was," Dahno said. But his nod was more decisive than the resignation in his words, and his jaw firmed.
"Tamani's been winning some popular support," he said, "but she can't match our influence with the real decision makers all around the planet."
"Are you sure?" Bleys said. "Anyone you've got in your pocket can be turned around if she gets enough popular support—they'd have to follow along just to keep their positions."
"She won't be getting any more support, though," Dahno said.
"What've you planned?" Bleys asked—but his mind had already leaped to a guess.
"It's already done," Dahno said. "We should get the word any minute—consider it my gift."
"Dahno—" Henry began, a disturbed tone in his voice; Toni's words cut over his.
"Do you mean you've sent someone to kill her?" she said.
"You fool!" Bleys said. His voice was soft but vehement, and the anger in it shocked him; the number of times he had displayed so much emotion could be counted on one hand.
Where is this coming from? His memory of the woman he had seen on that bleak Harmony afternoon rose in his mind.
The other three in the bubble were staring at him.
"Don't you understand what you've done?" he said. He was trying to keep his voice low, but his breath was hot in his nostrils. "Assassination gives her words more credibility that she could have earned in years of preaching!"
As he was speaking, Bleys' mind registered that John Colville, one of the Soldiers outside the bubble, was waving his arms, trying to get their attention. Henry, following Bleys' eyes, saw that Colville was holding one arm up and pointing at his wristpad. Beside him, his comrade, Steve Foster, was keeping his attention firmly on Dahno's two bodyguards, who were standing against a wall, shifting nervously. One had his own wristpad up to his lips and was speaking into it.
"That'll be the news!" Dahno said.
There was no way to avoid it. Still angry, Bleys collapsed the security bubble.
"What is it, John?" Henry asked.
"The ship is reporting news from Old Earth," John said, speaking directly to Bleys. "They say there's been an assassination attempt on Rukh Tamani!"
"'Attempt'?" Dahno asked. "What d'you
mean, 'attempt'?"
"The reports say she was only wounded."
"They missed?" Dahno roared.
Colville stared at him, but Dahno turned back to Bleys. "I've got to go!"
"You can't repair this by rushing back, brother," Bleys said. His anger was gone, and he had a curious sense that he had been emptied out.
"It'll be easier than you think," Dahno said. "It was already set up to get rid of the actual assassins right afterward; all I have to do is manipulate the way people talk about her. No matter what they're saying now, in a couple of days I can change the way they look at her." He grinned. "I may even be able to blame this on the Dorsai."
"You did this?" It was John Colville's voice, speaking to Dahno's broad back. Dahno turned to look at the Soldier; but before he could speak, Henry stepped forward, moving up beside Dahno.
"John, you're overwrought," Henry said. "This is not your place."
Shaking off Foster's attempt to hold him back—an attempt hampered by the Soldier's need to keep an eye on Dahno's bodyguards— John turned to Henry.
"It's not my place, Henry. I know that! But this is an evil I can't condone."
Antagonist - Childe Cycle 11 Page 41