“Whether there’s another tunnel or not. the equipment I need is at the hospital,” she told Marjorie. “I may be in a position to do more about this plague thing than anyone else, but I have to get to my equipment. I can’t let those Hippae keep me away.”
“Do you have any ideas? Any line of attack?” Marjorie asked. “Nothing. Not yet. I have a few ideas, but I’m not really onto a line of inquiry at this point!” She shook off Jelly’s remonstrances and went, her helpers with her. all of them laden with food and drink and various esoteric supplies they had carried in when the Commercial District had been evacuated.
There was nothing else Marjorie could do. Tony was sleeping in the order station dormitory, ready to leave when the Star-Lily left— a matter of hours. Mainoa and Rillibee were in the forest- Persun and Sebastian were helping Mayor Bee get the evacuees settled and fortify the winter quarters.
There was nothing more that Marjorie could do “Roald’s offered us a room at his place in town,” she told Rigo. “His wife, Kinny, is fixing us some supper. We can walk down….”
He tottered to his feet with an apologetic grimace. “I’m not sure I can walk.”
Persun overheard this and came forward. “I’ve got a little runner outside, sir. Room enough for you and Lady Westriding, if you don’t mind being crowded. I have to go down to town anyhow.”
Rigo smiled his thanks, and they rode in exhausted quiet to the Few summer quarters.
Kinny, with tears in her eyes, led them to a suite of comfortable rooms below. “We only lost one village,” she said, weeping. “Only one out of seven. But everybody in town was related to someone there. Everyone’s mourning Klive-“
Marjorie herself could mourn Klive, mourn the waste of it.
Kinny went on, shaking her head in amazed, pained annoyance. “Those bons, already trying to take over, did you know?”
“No,” said Rigo. “How do you mean, take over?”
“Oh, Ambassador, you wouldn’t believe— Well now, let’s see. It’s Eric, brother to the dead Obermun Jerril bon Haunser, and Jason, Jerril’s son. And it’s Taronce bon Laupmon, nephew to Obermun Lancel that died, and Traven, that’s the dead Obermun bon Bindersen’s brother. The four of them. They’ve decided to take over Commons, for the time being.” She laughed, angry and amused, both at once. “They told Roald they had elected themselves a council of four to run things. Roald and Alverd are tryin’ to explain things to ‘em. Not easy. Not with them.”
“Did they think you would all take orders from them?” Rigo asked, amazed.
“They really did. Yes. Well, we always pretended to, when we went out to the estancias. you know. It pleased the bons, and it didn’t do us any harm. But there’s too much at stake here in Commons to let them meddle with it. They’re so ignorant.” She made a face and asked them if they were ready to eat something.
“I think so.” Marjorie said with a sigh. “I can’t remember when the last meal I had was. In the Tree City, I think.”
“Oh, I want to hear about that! You folks take your time washing up, and supper’ll be ready when you come up.”
Kinny served them in the kitchen while she chattered about the Tree City and a dozen other things, interrupting herself to cry occasionally, then interrupting her tears to laugh about something she remembered. It was only when they had eaten and were sitting over cups of tea that she remembered. “Oh, Roald called while you were down below. He told me to tell you. There’s a big ship coming in tomorrow. From Sanctity. Roald says the big high mucky-muck himself is on it. The what-do-you-call-him. The Hierarch.”
“Is he going to let it orbit?” Rigo asked, his stomach clenching as he thought what such an arrival might mean.
Kinny shook her head. “Roald said tell you he doesn’t want to, nor Mayor Bee. Question is, how would you keep it from sittin’ up there if it wants to?”
Marjorie’s imagination had leapt ahead, far ahead. “Rigo, we have to get Dr. Bergrem away from the hospital. It’s right by the port. If that ship comes down. If Sanctity finds out what she’s working on ..