… from all who love her … but if she truly is witness to a
galaxy-sized trick played on us–we’ll need care, oh, very great
care”–he clapped hand on sidearm–“till we’re ready to kill those
vermin.”
“Then you agree Zorkagrad, the planet’s government and armed service,
must be infested with them?”
“Yes.” Vymezal gnawed his mustache. “If things are as you say–you
realize I’ll see Kossara first, out of your earshot, Captain–but I’ve
small doubt you’re honest. The story meshes too well with too much else.
Why is our crisis hanging fire? Why–Ha, no more gabble. Tomorrow dawn
I’ll send … him, yes, Milosh Tesar, he’s trusty, quick of wit and slow
of mouth–I’ll send him on a ‘family matter’ as you suggest. Let me see
… my wife’s dowry includes property wherein her brother also has an
interest–something like that.”
“Kossara will have to lie low,” Flandry reminded. “Me too. You can call
me an Imperial officer who stopped off on his liberty to give you a
minor message. Nobody will think or talk much about that. But you’d
better squirrel me away.”
” ‘Squirrel’?” Vymezal dismissed the question. “I understand. Well, I’ve
a cabin in the Northrim, stocked and equipped for times when I want to
be unpestered a while. Includes a car. Ill flit you there, telling the
household I’m lending it to you. They can’t see us land at Kossara’s
hideout, can they?”
“No. We foresaw–” Flandry stopped, aware of how intent the stare was
upon him. “Sir, I’ve told you she and I aim to get married.”
“And aren’t yet–and nobody wants a hedge-wedding, not I myself when I
don’t know you.” The voivode sketched a grin. “Thanks, Captain. But if
you’ve told me truth, she needs a marksman more than a chaperone.
Anyhow, whatever’s between you two must already have happened or not
happened. Come, let’s go.”
XV
—
The year wanes rapidly on Dennitza. On the morning after Danilo Vymezal
had shaken Flandry’s hand, kissed Kossara’s brow, and left them, they
woke to frost on the windows and icy clearness outside. They spent much
of the day scrambling around wooded steeps begun to flaunt hues that
recalled fall upon ancient Manhome. Flocks of southbound yegyupka made
heaven clangorous. Once they heard the cry of a vilya, and savage though
the beast was, its voice sang wonderfully sweet. Firebush, spontaneously
burning to ripen and scatter its seeds, spread faint pungency through
the air. By a waterfall whose spray stung their skins with cold, they
gathered feral walnuts. Regardless of what spun around the world beyond
its frail blue roof, they often laughed like children.
At dusk they returned to the log building, cooked dinner together, sated
huge appetites, and took brandy-laced coffee to the hearth, where they
settled down on a shaggy rug, content to let the blaze they had kindled
light the room for them. Red flames crackled jokelets of green and blue
and yellow, sent warmth in waves, made shadows leap. The humans looked
at each other, at the fire, back again, and talked about their
tomorrows.
“–we’d better stay around the house hereafter,” Flandry said. “Your
father’s man could scarcely have gotten an appointment today, but he
should soon. Your uncle’s aides can’t all be traitors, assuming I’m
right that some are. Two or three, in critical posts, are the most I’d
guess possible. And they themselves will see no reason to stall his
brother-in-law’s personal business. In fact, that’d look too queer. So I
expect we’ll get word shortly; and Miyatovich may want us to move fast.”
Highlights crossed Kossara’s face above her cheekbones, shone in eyes,
glowed in hair. “What do you think he’ll do, Dominic?”
“Well, he’s tough, smart, and experienced; he may have better ideas than
I. But in his place, I’d manufacture an excuse to put myself somewhere
more or less impregnable. Like your Nova-class warship; she’s the
biggest around, Dennitzan or Imperial, and the pride of your fleet damn
well ought to have a solidly loyal crew. I’d get the most important
persons, including us, there with me. And, oh, yes, a copy of the
microfiles on everybody who might be involved in the plot, Imperial