Andre Norton - Beast Master's Circus

by Beast Master's Circus(lit)

  "If the circus is there when you arrive, let the child know what we have so far. It must be hard for the girl not to even know her full name. Tell her I plan to keep digging." Unspoken was the thought in all of their minds. It would help Brad to keep his mind occupied while the rest of his family followed another trail.

  "I can let her know about the name," Logan offered. "It won't be too exhausting for a poor invalid."

  His brother snorted. "I'm sure it won't." Logan flushed then grinned.

  "So I'd like to see her again. No crime."

  Storm's eyes were kind. "No crime at all. She may even have seen something. After all, a circus uses animals. It's possible someone could have approached them offering to sell beasts. See if Laris has heard anything."

  Brad spoke quietly. "If you do ask, do it without anyone else hearing, son. I didn't take to that boss of hers. I'd say he wasn't the most honest man around. I doubt he'd take openly stolen beasts to use. Too much trouble could come of it. But I suspect a couple of those tigerbats of his may not be completely legal. They were all but wiped out on Lereyne. Since they've been preserving them in special reserves this last five years the bats are banned from being taken off-planet."

  Logan looked puzzled. "So?"

  "So Laris mentioned that the two females aren't related to the other three. They're only about two years old as well. He might just have bought them from a reserve or some private collector on a different world. But it's in my mind he could also have had them smuggled from Lereyne. There'd be plenty of collectors who'd be ready to sign fake papers for a price. But two unrelated females-they'd spread the gene pool, breed far better. Tigerbats are becoming so rare now that any he breeds would sell for high prices on several worlds with arenas we could all name."

  Tani was thoughtful. "That's true. We could also have Versha talk to Lereyne wildlife officers about that. Lereyne may have some way of telling whether the two young ones were born there. If so maybe I can get Laris to take blood or tissue samples. If we prove the bats were smuggled then Lereyne will apply for their return. If they fine Dedran they might be able to confiscate the other three tigerbats as the fine. I think Laris would like that. She doesn't like them being in the circus. She says they aren't really happy there."

  "Sounds like a possibility. All right. You three start to get ready. Versha commed while Tani was gone. She'll pick up any who are leaving at around nine-hour. Get moving. You don't have that much time if you want to eat, pack, and sleep before she arrives." They scattered at once.

  Versha was on time, her teeth showing white against the dark skin as her face broke into a grim smile. "All three of you. I expected that. I heard the Trastorian authorities were being difficult but there's ways around that if you know the right people." She grinned with wicked amusement.

  "I've talked to the patrol officer on Trastor. Jared trained with me until he transferred to the patrol. He confirms that the raider pair were seen again only a few hours ago. He's arranged a stop on their own personal IDs. If they try to board a passenger ship they'll be very politely turned away. I've taken a precaution or two myself. He's also identified their own ship. It looks as if they may be staying on Trastor a while." Her smile broadened.

  "Oh?" Logan grinned back.

  "Oh, yes. We don't want to spook the game before we reach them. But he's arranged a small party if it looks like they're planning to up-ship before we reach Trastor. After all, they have the ship registered under a false ID. And guess what?" She surveyed three amused faces. Storm was the first to reply.

  "You've tied in the fake ID with some complaint."

  "Exactly. So until they can prove that the ship the complaint is listed against is not their ship, then they stay right where they are."

  "Won't they realize that it's a setup?" Logan queried.

  "Possibly. But they may also assume that old enemies have caught up. Gods know they have them if Brightland speaks true. The Trastor broker could have sold them a fake ID to achieve just this. He'd deny it either way and once he hears about this mess-and Jared has arranged that the broker will hear first-he'll vanish anyway. We have a front-man making the very serious and convincing complaint. It can be tied in via Meril and if they get that far, to criminal figures from Bright-land." Versha chuckled richly.

  "By the time they've unraveled that rat's nest, talked to Trastor, Meril, and Brightland, found no one there is involved-that will acknowledge it or help them very much, and then traced back our front-man to Trastor again. We could have had enough time to arrive, decide the meaning of life, and arrive back on Arzor lifting on a ship traveling solely by pedal-power. Believe me. They won't up-ship until the patrol says so."

  By now all four were grinning. It was bad enough trying to trace an error through the bureaucracy of one planet. Trying to sort out a mistake through the red tape of several was the sort of thing which sent the would-be tracer completely crazy. Experienced bureaucrats had even been known to turn green and resign on the spot at the suggestion. The usual method was to come to an agreement with one's opposite number. Cut out the whole loop and start again. Except that for civilians with suspicious antecedents this wasn't an option.

  Storm had been thinking. If it was his problem he might just decide to act like a pirate. Cut out the loop, not in records but in real life. He hoped Versha had thought of that. Better to ask and find she had, than not ask and discover the raider ship had quietly vanished from under the authorities' noses. He asked.

  "Hmmmm. You and I would think that way. Jared's a good man. But he's never been in the field. His whole career's had him flying a desk. I never thought to mention that chance. I'll check he's taken precautions. Boot up the com for me while I get the code settings."

  Versha was back quickly, taking over the seat Tani swiveled toward her. "Thanks." She flicked a dial, moved a switch carefully, then spoke quietly. It seemed little time before a slow voice answered.

  "Patrol Office, Trastor sector. Jared Anwar speaking. That you, Versha?"

  "It's me. Listen, there is no time to waste. Have you done anything physically to see the ship we're interested in doesn't lift?"

  "Physically?" The slow voice sounded startled. "But there's an injunction against departure on the ship."

  "The owners don't seem to be the types to necessarily obey court orders. If they lift and clear Trastor how do you make them come back?"

  "Why, I... well... I suppose we... Um. Versha, have you any reason to think they could try that?"

  "Only that they're wanted on three worlds including their own under their real names. They've had charges filed for everything from piracy in the space-lanes to assaulting a spaceport official on Aubeare."

  Jared was diverted. "Why did they assault the official there?"

  "I gather he wanted them to file flight reports from their last couple of stops and as that isn't normally a legal requirement, they didn't see why they should. He tried to prevent them leaving so Baris shoved him down the ship's ramp."

  "That's hardly a major offense."

  "It can be on Aubeare; most of their officials are minor members of the royal family. But take a look at a few of the other charges. I've just spacegrammed a list. I think you'd better take precautions, Jared. If that ship vanishes, we may lose our best hope in years of getting a line into some of the crime the patrol's been investigating since the Xiks pulled their heads in. If that happens I can name you a whole list of our superiors who won't be happy about it."

  There was a thoughtful silence. Then-"Just a minute." His voice was raised in a shout. "Namor, in here." After that they caught scraps of brisk orders being issued. Jared returned. "How much force is reasonable?"

  "As much as you have to use. Try to keep that precious pair alive. They won't do much talking dead. But if it's the life of one of your people or theirs, then shoot and we can hold a post mortem later."

  There was a moan at the pun. "You owe me a round of drinks to wash that down. All right. I'll put Jola in where she can ov
erlook the ship."

  "I want it stopped, not watched as it leaves."

  "Oh, don't worry about that. She'll have a scramble-laser. One good burst in the right place, the ship's navcomp is wiped, and emergency set-down is instigated. It can't lift again until the navcomp is recalibrated. Those old-fashioned ships don't have shielding against a well-aimed scramble-laser. Jola's the lady to do it too. She was one of the Trastor's best first-in commando fighters until the Xiks quit."

  Versha's tone was envious. "Just how do you rate a scramble-laser?"

  "Heh, she liberated it from the Xiks before they pulled back. I slapped a requisition order on it when she joined. Officially it's both her own personal property and ours on permanent lease. That way it can't be taken off us, it belongs to her."

  "And it can't be taken off a civilian because it's leased by a secure department," Versha finished. "Smart! If you run into any other civilians with a scramble-laser and an urge to travel, let me know."

  "Will do. Now, I'd better have a word with my peacekeeper opposite. If we end up making a shambles of his area I'm sure he'll like to know why in advance."

  "No!" Versha spoke sharply. "The pair have friends. They weren't doing this on their own. Our superior says keep events under your hat. We don't know who might be involved in planetary circles. You say nothing. If you have to kill this pair you refer him to me and say nothing until I arrive. I'm bringing people in to file official charges on Trastor."

  "They won't listen to off-planet civilians."

  "They'll listen to these. Get on with it, Jared. If you lose that duo our superiors may have my head on the block, but they'll have yours first and for sure. Versha out." She flicked a dial and the humming died. Logan stood carefully.

  "Twelve days until we know if he managed to hang on to them. I plan to spend the time sleeping, eating, and exercising. Let me know when it's dinnertime. I'll start with that."

  Storm nodded. "I hope Jared can hang on to the ship."

  Tani turned to Versha. "About Baris and Ideena. I suppose no captain on a passenger ship would go against a patrol warning. How certain is it that the pair can't hop a cargo ship if the captain takes a bribe?"

  Versha developed a wicked look. "Oh, fairly certain, I think. I had a confidential notice circulated, saying that the patrol discovered a pirate group has been getting spies aboard cargo ships. The spies either try to get a look around at defenses and cargos, or try to persuade captains or other officers into shipping them illegally. It is suspected they then help the pirates to take the ship and dispose of the crew." She smirked.

  "There's a very clear description of Baris and Ideena included in the notice as possible suspects, and Jared's people will be ensuring every cargo ship arriving on Trastor receives that information. Under the circumstances I doubt any captain or officer, no matter how greedy, is going to touch that pair with a very long pole. But he isn't likely to say why either if it makes a pirate group mad at him personally. He'll come up with something moderately believable and wish them happy voyaging-with some other ship. Well?"

  Tani was giggling and even Storm was smiling a little. "I'd give a lot to be there listening to any of that," Tani assured her. "I think you have it covered. But it's still going to be a long trip."

  It was, but even the longest trip doesn't last forever. Twelve days after that conversation they were two hours out of Trastor's main port and signaling their arrival.

  From there they could also pick up Brad Quade's discussion with the peacekeepers. Before that became bogged down in refusals to act against the Lady Ideena or Baris, Brad mentioned that incoming on an official patrol vessel two hours out was Tani, daughter of Bright Sky, the savior of Trastor. Tani believed she had suffered personal hurt from this pair the peacekeepers were trying to protect. The discussion and protection reversed abruptly.

  Chapter Thirteen

  There was a small committee-one man and his assistant-waiting to greet Tani when the patrol ship set down. As Brad had requested, it was not ostentatious, nor had information of her arrival been given to the press. Versha left her ship first and took up a position which made it plain she was acting as a guard. Then Tani walked down the ramp flanked by Storm and Logan, each a half-pace behind her.

  "Gracious Lady, Trastor welcomes the daughter of Bright Sky, savior of Trastor." The welcoming official was a small man of innocuous appearance. From an angle where he could not see what she did, Versha's hands flew in the hand-signs used for communication between settlers and natives on Arzor.

  "Cunning, do not underestimate, this one is an important man."

  Without turning his head the small man suddenly grinned. "Thank you, Officer." His attention returned to Tani, his eyes studying her. He nodded once to himself and offered her a slight bow. "Let me stop being polite and start being cunning. This way." He ushered her to a comfortable hovercar, saw to the safe seating of the other three, then signaled to the assistant to drive. They moved off and the man spoke quietly.

  "I am Under-governor Larash-Ti-Andresson. My friends call me Anders. I hope you will be friends. You would not know this, Bright Sky-Ti-Tani, but I was one of the people your father saved. Later, if it is your pleasure, I will take you to his memorial." He spoke almost lightly but both Tani and Storm could sense the very real emotion beneath the words. This man, whoever or whatever else he might be, did indeed remember and honor the man who died helping to free Trastor from the enemy.

  "I have reviewed what information I have received so far," Anders continued quietly. "I will summarize. Patrol Officer Versha has requested we take into custody two citizens of the planet Brightland. These two, a Lady Ideena and a man named Baris, are at present on Trastor. They arrived openly, appear to have money, and own their own ship." His lips quirked. "It may be a rather shabby and obsolete model but it does belong to them. It is in spaceworthy condition and carries all emergency beacons and supplies mandated by law.

  "They have committed no known felonies here, nor have any complaints been made against them by citizens of Trastor. Apart from this we have received no warrants against them for offenses committed on other worlds which we would recognize as-to use the old term-extraditable. However I am told they have committed crimes against you personally. You are here to make a formal complaint and request that we act as Versha asks. That we take these people into custody and question them rigorously. Is this correct?"

  Tani simply nodded.

  "But an ordinary complaint about something which occurred on another world does not carry over to ours," Anders said gently.

  Tani met his gaze. "This does," she said flatly. "I am here as a representative of the Nitra on Arzor. Patrol Officer Versha is present to verify my complaint. I charge the people known as Baris and Lady Ideena with attempted insurrection of a native race against the humans of a 'settled world.' On behalf of the Nitra I charge theft of sacred items which I can identify."

  She could see that Anders suddenly looked grave, as well he might. It was one of the few charges which could and did carry over to another world. No world with a native race wanted some fool out there starting a holy war against the humans. Still less did they wish the other nonhuman races with whom they allied to think that Terrans did not take such a complaint seriously. Anders opened his mouth and Storm cut in.

  "I am here as a representative of the beast masters unit in which I held a commission. This may be verified on application to High Command. They stand prepared. I charge those known as Baris and Lady Ideena with acts of sabotage against a unit of the Terran Command. In the course of which acts they injured a civilian, committed theft and damage of property, and violated port safety regulations. The government of Arzor has filed charges over the latter. I carry the warrants for those and can produce them on request."

  "Beast master unit? Terran High Command?" Anders's voice was horrified. Storm descended from the harsh emotionless attitude he'd assumed to impress the Under-governor.

  "Anders." He leaned forward. "That pair
attacked a clan camp twice. They stole some jewelry from the female shaman they'd stunned. The Nitra are leaving it to Tani to sort out-for the moment. She's a clan-friend."

  "Isn't that unusual?"

  "She's only the second in Arzor's history," Storm said tersely. "But the Nitra want satisfaction. They want the jewelry returned with Tani and the thieves provably punished. They'll settle for the thieves but not the sacred items alone."

  "In other words they want satisfaction."

  "Yes. As to the other charge, that could become worse. You had a beast master living here. Yes, I know he's dead," he added before Anders could interrupt. "We have reason to think this pair may have been involved with that death, or know who was. Listen." He spoke slowly as the hovercar floated silently along the path toward a series of office buildings. It halted as Storm finished speaking. Anders exited the car and found Logan at his side. The young man spoke very quietly and seriously.