"Well, there is substantial evidence that several of the old Kyber worlds heavily support the present-day piracy movement." El'ken raised his hands. "Not all of them. There are doubtless many honest Kyber, and Kyber worlds that are no more a part of piracy than you or I. But others are not innocent."
Legroeder absorbed that silently. "And Impris?"
"Ah," said the Narseil. "At last we come back to Impris. I have long believed that the so-called Free Kyber—the pirates— have known exactly where Impris is. They knew where she was seven years ago, when they used her to entrap your ship, City of the Angels. And they no doubt have done the same with countless other victims."
Legroeder clenched his fists. "That's exactly what I've been trying to say!" He swung triumphantly to Harriet, then back to El'ken. "Can you help us prove it?"
"Not directly, no," El'ken answered.
Legroeder's heart sank.
"It is only a strong suspicion," El'ken continued. "The trouble is, none of the victims ever make it back to testify. Or they haven't, until now. You are unique, Rigger Legroeder."
Legroeder shut his eyes, thinking of Jakus Bark, who could have told the truth but didn't. Had others made it back—but under the pirates' thumbs, like Jakus? Or framed, as he was?
Harriet was tapping furiously on her compad. She looked up. "It's a very provocative assertion—if we can prove it. Academic El'ken, I'm afraid Legroeder is in a terribly difficult position. Not only has he violated his bail by coming here, but he's fled from possible prosecution for two murders he didn't commit— including, I fear, that of Robert McGinnis."
El'ken's eyes closed in sorrow. "I would very much like to see the killers of Robert McGinnis brought to justice."
"Well, I can assure you that Legroeder is innocent. I was with him the entire time. Academic—it is clear that there is a conspiracy on Faber Eridani to conceal the involvement of Impris in the L.A.'s capture. And it would seem that to unmask the conspiracy, we must first prove the continued existence of Impris."
El'ken touched his fingers to the front of his robe. "That is indeed the problem, isn't it?"
"We were hoping you'd be able to help us," Legroeder said.
El'ken's neck-sail fluttered. "Unfortunately, I do not know where Impris is."
"But I thought you said—"
"Let's just say that the Narseil Rigging Institute has been hard at work trying to answer questions related to her disappearance."
Legroeder waved his hands in frustration. "Such as?"
"Matters related to obscure conditions in the Flux, conditions that can interfere with a ship's movement in and out of certain interdimensional layers. I am no rigger, and cannot explain it to you. May I assume, however, that this line of research is of interest to you? If it is, perhaps you would like to stay here as my guest for a day or two, while I acquire some information for you."
"Thank you—yes. We would appreciate that very much."
"Excellent." El'ken gave a great, inhuman sigh. "In that case, my friends, I must ask you to excuse me. I am unused to so much company. If you could return first thing in the morning..."
Chapter 11
Decisions
"I think he knows more than he's saying," Morgan said, pouring herself some pale-violet Narseil wine and passing the bottle to Legroeder.
"Well, of course he does," Legroeder said. "The question is, why? Is he just teasing us? Or does he want something?" Harriet barely looked up from her notes, which she had been studying almost continuously since they'd been escorted to the dining room. Legroeder held out the wine bottle, but she ignored it.
"What about this connection between the Kyber worlds and the pirates?" Legroeder said, pouring himself a refill. "I wonder if we could get evidence on what the pirates are doing with Impris by going to one of the Kyber worlds. Do you know anything about them?"
Harriet peered up from her compad and removed her glasses. "Not much. I've heard rumors on occasion that some of the old Kyber worlds are supplying some of the pirate outposts. But there's enough innate suspicion between the Kyber worlds and us—the wired and the unwired, you know—that it's hard to know what to believe."
"But if there's even a grain of truth to it—" Legroeder turned the wine glass slowly, studying the purplish liquid "—there are probably people on those worlds who have information."
"Meaning what—you want to take off to one of the Kyber worlds?" Morgan asked. "And make yourself an interstellar fugitive, instead of merely an interplanetary fugitive?"
"Well—I'm not saying that, exactly. But still—if you want to go fishing, you have to go where the fish are, right?" He took another sip of the tart wine, aware that the alcohol was layering a soft fuzz around his thoughts. Despite his confident words, he felt considerable uncertainty.
"Yeah, right," Morgan answered. "But this isn't a fishing expedition. This is your freedom and your career."
"Exactly. Which is why I'm considering it." Never mind that he had no idea how he would get to a Kyber world, or how he would gather information if he did go. "It all depends on what El'ken can tell us, I suppose. I don't want to go off half-cocked, but I'll do whatever I have to."
Morgan looked unconvinced.
"Here comes dinner," said Harriet, closing her compad. "Fortunately, we don't have to make any decisions this instant. Are you two going to hog all of that wine?"
* * *
After a dinner consisting of oversalted roast feasting bird and unidentifiable greens, plus a second bottle of wine, they left the tiny dining room. Morgan suggested that they walk around a bit to clear their heads. "Dear," said Harriet, "I'm not sure we're really invited to wander—"
"It'll be fine. Legroeder?"
He groaned at the thought of moving. Nevertheless, they followed Morgan through the winding stone corridors. Eventually they came to a domed area that appeared to be a common lounge. It was empty—except for the stars.
"It's glorious!" Morgan exclaimed, turning about under the dome. They were on the opposite side of the asteroid from El'ken's cavern, and here the display of stars was a spangle of light across blackness. The dust lanes of the Milky Way arced across the dome like a welcoming carpet of luminosity. Far off to one side, a bright blue dot floated, the distant world of Faber Eridani. A handful of moving points of light were visible: spacecraft maneuvering nearby. At the edge of the dome, the outer surface of the asteroid curved away like the dark slope of a volcano.
Legroeder walked along the edge rail, absorbed by the spacecraft activity. One ship, just near enough for its shape to be distinguishable, was approaching the asteroid. Another, much closer, flew up suddenly from below the horizon, startling him. It lifted away with glowing maneuvering inductors.
"Impressive," Morgan said, coming alongside him.
Legroeder suddenly stiffened. He pressed his hands to the crystal dome. "That's our ship!"
"What did you say?" Harriet asked.
"That's our goddamn ship!" Legroeder pointed, trying to project the flight path. "And that other ship out there is turning to meet it."
Harriet stood with her mouth open, as Morgan swore under her breath.
"Excussse me, please," said a voice behind them.
They turned, as one. A very tall Narseil approached them, holding out a slender envelope. "May I ask, which of you is Mrs. Mahoney? I have a message from your pilot." The Narseil handed her the envelope, gave a stiff bow, and walked from the room.
"What's this all about, I wonder," Harriet muttered, opening the envelope. "Oh, by God in Heaven."
"What? Mom, what is it?"
Harriet fumbled with her glasses and finally read the message aloud. " 'Mrs. Mahoney, greetings. We are sorry, but circumstances have forced us to leave Arco Iris. We have received word that a Spacing Authority cruiser, waiting outside diplomatic limits, carries warrants for your arrests. Our vessel will be impounded if we attempt to transport you. I am afraid we must leave you to find alternate transportation home. Apologies for the incon
venience. —Conex.' " Harriet crushed the message in her hand.
"Why, those—" Morgan began, then caught herself. "No, it's not their fault. So what do we do now?"
Harriet muttered to herself as she smoothed the paper out to read it again. She was clearly struggling to maintain her professional dignity. "Hope we can get diplomatic protection from the Narseil, I suppose."
Diplomatic protection? Legroeder began pacing under the dome. If the Spacing Authority was ready to arrest them the moment they left the Narseil asteroid, then they were effectively prisoners here. Unless he could find some other way to leave—not for Faber Eridani, but perhaps another star system. The Narseil probably had diplomatic ships here. It was a long shot, but they did have some goals in common.
But what about Harriet and Morgan?
"What?" Morgan said, peering at him. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking," he said, "that we need to talk to El'ken again. How long's the day in this place?"
"Eighteen hours," said Harriet. "It's the middle of the night now."
"Then we'd better get some sleep. Morning will be here real soon."
* * *
They found the historian busy at his desk. He looked as if he had been awake for hours.
"Have you ever heard of a group called 'Centrist Strength'?" El'ken asked, before they had a chance to say a word. He turned from the long desk-shelf that lined the wall of his cavern, and dusted his hands together.
"Yes, certainly," Harriet said. "Why?"
"Then you're familiar with their view that the Centrist Worlds should reclaim their mantle as leader of the galaxy and strike out in a colonizing movement? 'Destiny Manifest,' they call it. 'Timid no longer—ours the stars!' is one of their slogans."
Legroeder answered impatiently, "Yes, but—"
"Interestingly enough, this group is reported to have ties with several of the old Kyber worlds—and maybe even with the Free Kyber. Adversaries of the Centrist Worlds. I only bring them up as a possible factor behind your current problem."
"Which just got worse, last night," Legroeder said.
"Yes, I heard." The old Narseil pressed his fingertips together in what seemed a very human gesture. "That was most unfortunate, the arrival of the Spacing Authority and the departure of your transportation. Perhaps there is something I can do to help you—beyond bestowing temporary diplomatic protection."
Legroeder blinked. "I'm listening."
"Yes. Well, I doubt you can fight them on their own territory. But suppose I could get you to a place where you could gain information far beyond what I have to give you."
"I would appreciate that very much," Legroeder answered.
"And would you be interested in trying to gain information directly from the Kyber?"
"I certainly would."
The Narseil stood very still, gazing at Legroeder. "Then we must get you out of the Faber Eridani system. There may be a way..."
"Yes?"
"You would travel aboard a Narseil naval vessel, with diplomatic immunity. From there, you could join in with certain efforts of our own."
"Yes?"
"But I must tell you... you would eventually be entering a—how shall I put it?" El'ken paused, touching his oval mouth with one finger. "Hostile environment."
Legroeder felt a ripple of fear. "More hostile than I'm facing here?"
"I would think so. Although you would be in the company of Narseil naval officers, so the risk would be shared."
"Are we talking about... the Kyber worlds?"
"In a manner of speaking." The Narseil's face contorted in an expression of discomfort. "I suppose there's no easy way to put this to you." El'ken looked away for a moment, then whirled back, his robe billowing. "If you want to know more about Impris and those who follow her, you must go to a place where such matters are pursued."
"You mean the Narseil Rigging—wait a minute." Legroeder caught himself. "What are you saying—"
"That if you want to go fishing, you must go where the fish are, yes? An old human saying?"
Legroeder pressed his lips together in anger. So much for private conversations.
El'ken waved a hand. "I apologize for any intrusion."
Legroeder let his breath out slowly. Forget it; let it go. "So where... do you propose that we go to do this fishing?"
"To an outpost of the Free Kyber Republic."
"The—?"
"Free Kyber." El'ken coughed delicately. "The raiders."
Legroeder felt as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. He stood stunned, struggling to draw a breath. Finally he managed, "Do you know how long I spent getting away from the pirates?"
"Yes, I do," El'ken said. "Nevertheless, my offer is to send you back into the lion's den. To a pirate stronghold." He held up a hand to forestall protests from Morgan and Harriet, then tugged the closures of his robe together. "To fully explain, I must reveal certain things that are classified as secret. Before I can do that, I require an oath of secrecy from you. All of you."
Back into the lion's den. Legroeder shook his head to dispel the buzzing sensation in his head, and a surreal feeling of disconnection from the world around him.
"I do not suggest this lightly. And I assure you—I would not send you back to the place where you served your captivity."
"Then what exactly would you do?"
El'ken drew himself taller. "Are you willing to take an oath of secrecy? All of you?"
Legroeder laughed harshly. "Who would we tell?"
"Perhaps no one. But that is not the question. There are others involved, and I must be able to assure them of your sincerity."
"I'll take your oath," said Harriet, echoed by Morgan.
Legroeder shrugged. "Okay. Sure."
"Very well." El'ken brought his hands to his chin. "There are preparations underway, through the Narseil naval undercover services, to mount a mission to infiltrate a pirate outpost. The goal is to gain intelligence—about pirate operations and about, as it happens, Impris."
Legroeder was speechless.
"It is not only human ships that fall prey to pirates, you know. My own people are victims, all too often." El'ken's gaze shifted for a moment to the emptiness of space, beyond the dome. "And now we have made plans to do something about it."
"But how? By attacking a raider outpost? You can't be serious!"
"I did not say attack. A Narseil ship is being readied to go undercover, in search of information."
Legroeder blinked uncomprehendingly.
"The intent is to be captured. Or to seem to be captured."
"You must be joking."
"I am not. There will be danger, obviously. However, considerable preparation has gone into the mission. We have found—" El'ken hesitated, and his eyes closed to vertical slits for a moment "—sympathetic connections within the raider organization, which lead us to believe there may be hope of success. But clearly the mission would benefit from the assistance of someone who has spent years among the pirates, and who knows much about their methods and systems." His yellowish eyes widened again, which had the effect of making his entire face seem to glow.
"No doubt it would," said Legroeder. "But how would this be anything but a death sentence for me? I'd not only be an infiltrator and a spy, I'd be a returning escapee."
"To put it mildly," Morgan interjected. "Legroeder! You'd have to be crazy!"
"Perhaps he would," El'ken agreed. "However, a great many Narseil naval personnel are crazy too, perhaps. Because they are preparing, even as we speak—and the mission will soon be off."
"Forgive me, Academic," said Harriet, "but this is a rather sudden proposal—and not one that I feel at all—" she struggled to find the right word, and finally shook her head "—happy with."
"None of us is happy with it, Mrs. Mahoney."
"No, but I'm here to advise and protect my client's interests. Before I could even think of allowing him to do this, I'd have to know a lot more. Academic, what hope is there really that this
mission will succeed—and that Legroeder would come back alive?"
El'ken pressed his hands together and took a seat on the bench. "I will tell you what I can." He glanced from one to another; no one was breathing. "You see, it seems there may be an underground within the pirate organization. Our contact has advised us that we might, surprisingly, have some needs in common. Interests to be shared. You would not altogether be walking into a hostile situation..."
* * *
El'ken talked for a long time, even calling for refreshments midway through their discussion. He described a daring (far-fetched?) plan for penetrating a raider stronghold—one well away from the area of DeNoble, the outpost from which Legroeder had fled. Legroeder listened, but distractedly. He cared about the particulars of the plan, and yet in a sense, he didn't. A part of him was willing to trust the Narseil to put together a viable scheme—it was either completely crazy, or wasn't, but he doubted that he would have much to add to it one way or another.
He wondered which was the crazier prospect: embarking upon a dubious Narseil undercover operation, or turning himself back over to the Faber Eri Spacing Authority, who would lock him up and throw away the key. Which would give him the better chance of proving the existence of Impris and still being alive at the end of the exercise?
"...and so you see, we will be depending upon stealth, meticulous planning, and judicious use of connections within the Free Kyber organization. Rigger Legroeder, are you following me?"
Legroeder blinked and nodded to the Narseil. "Get captured, get information, get out."
El'ken rocked slowly on his bench. "Put simply, yes. You understand the steps leading to it?"
Legroeder shrugged. "More or less. It sounds like an astronomically long shot to me. But maybe not absolutely impossible."
"It sounds insane to me," Morgan said.
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