Mind Guest (Diana Santee Book 1)

by Sharon Green

  By the time the confinement was over I was nearly insane. Val had ignored all the frozen silence coming from me, and had calmly chattered away almost without stop. I was bored to the point of wanting to start a fight just for something to do, but he refused to argue and I was in no mood to spend more time being mashed into the floor. I flatly refused to be friendly in bed, but that didn't bother him either. He just laughed and said he could wait.

  When we were finally escorted over to Dameron's office, I was as far from feeling diplomatic as you can get. Dameron was nowhere in sight, but a man sat relaxing in the blocky terminal chair and I studied him openly.

  He was a lean, well-preserved man in his apparent sixties, wearing a base uniform in yellow with no insignia, and he had gray hair and sharp, intelligent gray eyes. He moved his head to inspect me as Val and I took seats, but there wasn't a word out of him. I ignored the appraising look and just waited, but he kept up the silent treatment for longer than was wise with me at that moment, so I decided to make the I first move.

  "Did-you-want-to-see-me-about-something?" I finally asked slowly and clearly, as if he might be hard of hearing - or well into senility. Val made an exasperated sound, but Phalsyn just laughed.

  "I see why Dameron was so impressed with you," he said pleasantly. "Many people in your position would be apprehensive if not downright frightened. I applaud your self-possession."

  "Thanks," I answered, not joining his amusement. "Where I come from, people don't think I'm bright enough to be frightened. Situations have to be spelled out for me. Is there a reason for me to be frightened?"

  "Not at all," he assured me, leaning forward to emphasize his words. "On the contrary, we have every reason to be grateful to you."

  "Grateful," I repeated. "For barging in and disrupting one of your outposts?"

  "Of course not," he returned with a smile. "We're grateful for the help you supplied on Tildor. The planet is of special concern to us, and we like having things go smoothly there. If our … assistance becomes too noticeable, we may never get to the bottom of the Paldovar Villages question."

  "You probably never will anyway," I commented. "I had a taste of their methods, and I couldn't even guess how they do it."

  "That's almost our problem," he agreed with a grimace. "Our people have had more than one taste, are willing to speculate endlessly as to the how of it, but the speculation is useless. We want to know, but precipitous action won't gain us the knowledge." Then he flashed a quick grin. "Perhaps a fresh outlook is what's needed. When you return to us, you may well find yourself back on Tildor."

  "I can live without the honor," I assured him. "Am I supposed to notice that 'when you return to us' phrase, or ignore it and go on discussing Tildor?"

  "Notice it, by all means." He laughed, leaning back in his chair. "It's the introduction into the second reason as to why we're so pleased to have you here. We've been hoping for a go-between for some time now."

  "And since I'm anything but a private citizen, I'm it," I summed up. "I can understand your pleasure, but I can't understand why you neglected to mention the point. It would have made the last few days slightly more enjoyable."

  "Call it … an experiment," he said with something of a smile behind his eyes. "We still don't know as much about your people as we would like to, and it was an opportunity for observing you. For someone who handled a weapon on Tildor with such lack of concern, you showed remarkable restraint with our base people. It's an encouraging sign."

  "That's me," I muttered, remembering what I'd gone through the last few days. "Encouraging. We're all lucky I happen to be fond of certain of your base personnel. I take it the proposed partnership now has official approval?"

  "It certainly does." Phalsyn smiled as he picked up a cube marking rod to play with. "It's an excellent chance for one of our people to look around your Federation without causing a stir. When the two of you return here, you'll have a similar opportunity to study our Confederacy. That combined with the formal talks should go far toward establishing an atmosphere for friendly negotiation."

  A previously unnoticed tension seemed to have melted out of me by then, so I was able to get more comfortable in my lump chair.

  "Formal talks," I mused. "You sound as though you have something specific in mind."

  "Something very specific," he agreed with a nod. "We would like to have a delegation of your people meet with a delegation of ours - in our sector of space. Do you think they'd be willing to agree to that?"

  "I have no idea," I answered honestly. "It all depends on how they take the news of your existence. The only thing I can suggest is that the approach to my government be made through the chief of my department. He has some fairly intelligent contacts who might be able to keep the flap down to a minimum."

  He considered that for a minute, and then nodded.

  "Very well. It would be foolish not to take your advice on the matter. I'll supply you with a set of coordinates and a date far enough in advance so that there will be ample time for adjustment to the situation." He hesitated very briefly, looked at me with casual friendliness, then began, "About the report you'll be making to your people…"

  I laughed. I threw my head back and laughed with more sheer enjoyment than I'd felt in too long a time. When I finally ran down, Phalsyn smiled politely.

  "You found amusement in something I said?" he inquired.

  "You might say so," I agreed with a grin. "Are you really that nervous about what my report will contain?"

  "I hadn't realized it was all that obvious," he answered wryly. "To be perfectly frank, I considered bringing Dameron up on charges when I learned what the impression had done to you. His carelessness could have caused a good deal more trouble than it did."

  "But it did work out, so there's really nothing to complain about." I shrugged. "My report will include everything that's happened to me here, told as objectively as possible, with no hidden resentments. Don't forget, I accepted the assignment even though I didn't have to."

  "That's true," he agreed. "But with an assignment of that sort, you shouldn't have to contend with problems from your own people. If I were in your position, I don't know if I could be as broad-minded as you."

  "I'm not broad-minded." I smiled, then glanced at Val. "I simply feel that I've been repaid for any inconveniences I might have suffered."

  Val stirred in his lump chair with an annoyed look in his eyes, but I didn't care if he was feeling like a joy boy. After the last couple of days, annoyance was the least he deserved.

  "Your partnership may be even more useful than anyone at first imagined," Phalsyn said with a grin when he saw my glance. "It's occurred to me that if we exchange enough personnel, we may bypass most of the acceptance difficulties inherent in a situation like this one."

  The comment made us all laugh, but Val found it necessary to put in, "That would take a lot of personnel. I don't advise starting that project until my final report is in."

  I looked at the louse in annoyance, and Phalsyn chuckled.

  "I'm glad to see that your partnership isn't based on anything as foolish as romance," he said. "I've always found venal self-interest to be much more reliable. Dameron is waiting for us in the lounge, and I suggest we join him. We have a new partnership to celebrate."

  "Celebrate," I echoed with a snort, sending a withering glance toward Val before standing up and turning to the older man. "What's your favorite potion, Phalsyn? If it isn't striped I'll try it."

  "No, my favorite is definitely not striped," Phalsyn answered with amusement and stood out of the chair to offer me his arm. We left the office companionably, and Val hesitated briefly before following us. Maybe he was thinking about Nelixan - or dissection.

  * * *

  The party was long and friendly, and I made sure to get relaxed without getting looped. Val eventually relaxed too, but Dameron seemed too preoccupied to join in the general conversation and laughter. Phalsyn was nothing but charming and attentive, and that bother
ed me. I'd expected a few select questions about the Federation, yet he discussed nothing but trivialities. That meant he had either gotten what he'd been after, or knew I couldn't give it to him. I wasn't about to try guessing which, so I just enjoyed the party.

  Just as I got the impression that Phalsyn was ready to make a suggestion, Val stepped in smoothly, remarked that we'd be leaving early the next day, and hustled me off to his room. Phalsyn had been amused by the action, but I was more annoyed.

  I started to tell Val off as soon we were alone, but he didn't let me get very far. When he pulled me into his arms, I lost all interest in arguing. We had a nice, warm time together, as a kind of farewell to the base; tomorrow I would be heading home to look up the slaver Radman - which was certain to prove … interesting.

  The next book in the series, Gateway To Xanadu, has been restored from the mess that was put into print.