But it bothered her that she was being out-thought and out-maneuvered. Especially since she had no idea by whom.
At least she had succeeded in somewhat reassuring the Deyzara’s representatives without riling the Sakuntala’s chosen Hata. That was something. Now, if things would just calm down for a day or so and give her some time to delve a little deeper into the source of the disturbance, maybe learn what groups and individuals were behind it all, she might be able to find ways to stabilize the situation. To induce, for example, some of the less unruly Sakuntala to give up fighting and return to their homes.
Most important of all, she needed to find out how and where they had managed to obtain sophisticated weaponry. It had to be admitted that the latter troubled her more than anything else, especially since armed radicals and human patrols had nearly come to blows at several outposts. If a couple of her people got killed, as opposed to just threatened, it would alter the existing dynamic dangerously. Then she would have to worry about restraining her own staff as well as the Sakuntala.
She found herself pleading with unseen forces: I’m not asking for much. Just a day or two, a brief but real cooling-off period when nothing of significance happens . . .
Pandusky stuck his head in, smiled apologetically, and entered. “Sorry, Administrator, but I thought you should see this right away.”
Thoughts of a possible break evaporated. “What is it now, Sanuel? If it’s another batch of reports about fleeing Deyzara being chased by rabid Sakuntala, I’ve had about all I can handle for one morning.”