Puzzled, she asked, “Shouldn’t the plotters be pleased?”
Flandry shrugged. “I daresay they are. Still, don’t forget the vast
majority of your officials must be patriotic, and whether or not they
prefer independence, consider civil war to be the final recourse. The
top man among them issued that cease-and-desist order.” He frowned.
“But, um, you know, this nails down a lot of our possible helpers, both
citizens and police. The enemy isn’t expecting us. However, if too many
parliament members refuse to board the secession railroad, he’ll have a
clear field for attempting a coup d’etat. Maybe the firebrand who
instigated that, uh, ispravka is a Merseian himself, in human skin.”
The wind boomed between walls.
A minor commotion occurred on the fringes of the troop. Word flew back
and forth. “Chives!” Kossara gasped.
The ychans let him through. He also went cloaked to muffle the fact of
his race from any quick glance. Emerald features were eroded from spare
to gaunt; eyes were more fallow than amber; but when Flandry whooped and
took him by the shoulders, Chives said crisply, “Thank you, sir. Donna
Vymezal, will you allow me the liberty of expressing my sympathy at your
loss?”
“Oh, you dear clown!” She hugged him. Her lashes gleamed wet. Chives
suffered the gesture in embarrassed silence. Flandry sensed within him a
deeper trouble.
They continued through hollow streets. A fighter craft passed low above
chimneys. Air whined and snarled in its wake. “What’ve you been doing?”
Flandry asked. “How’d you find us?”
“If you have no immediate statement or directive for me, sir,” the
precise voice replied, “I will report chronologically. Pursuant to
instructions, I landed at the spaceport and submitted to inspection. My
cover story was approved and I given license, under police registry, to
remain here for a stated period as per my declared business. Interested
in exotics, many townspeople conversed with me while I circulated among
them in the next few planetary days. By pretending to less familiarity
with Homo sapiens than is the case, I gathered impressions of their
individual feelings as respects the present imbroglio. At a more
convenient time, sir, if you wish, I will give you the statistical
breakdown.
“I must confess it was a complete surprise when a Naval patrol entered
my lodgings and declared an intention to take me in custody. Under the