entered. Off the left, which he could not see, she plucked the ring,
which he glimpsed before she tossed it into the stream.
“She is running for cover beneath the trees, sir,” Chives reported.
Of course, replied the emptiness in Flandry. She thinks that, via the
ring, I’ve seen what she’s just done, in the teeth of every pledge she
gave me. She thinks that now, if she moves fast, she can vanish into the
woods–make her own way afoot, find her people and not betray them, or
else die striving.
Whereas in fact the ring was only intended to lull any fears of
surveillance she might have after getting rid of it–only a circlet on
her bridal finger–and Chives has a radio resonator along to activate
her bracelet–the slave bracelet I told her would be blind and deaf
outside of Terra.
“I do not recommend that I remain airborne, sir,” Chives said. “Allow me
to suggest that, as soon as the young lady has passed beyond observing
me, I land likewise and follow her on the ground. I will leave a
low-powered beacon to mark this site. You can flit here by grav-belt and
retrieve the vehicles, sir. Permit me to remind you to wear proper
protection against the unsalubrious ambience.”
“Same to you, old egg, and put knobs on yours.” Flandry’s utterance
shifted from dull to hard. “I’ll repeat your orders. Trail her, and call
in to the recorder cum relay ‘caster I’ll leave here, in whatever way
and at whatever times seem discreet. But ‘discretion’ is your key word.
If she appears to be in danger, getting her out of it–whether by
bringing me in to help or by taking action yourself–that gets absolute
priority. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Did the high, not quite human accent bear a hint of shared
pain? “Despite regrettable tactical necessities, Donna Vymezal must
never be considered a mere counter in a game.” That’s for personnel and
planets, the anonymous billions–and, savingly, for you and me, eh,
Chives? “Will you proceed to the Technic settlement when your
preparations are complete?”
“Yes,” Flandry said. “Soon. I may as well.”