She turned to her mother, who had finished her message. "If things go totally wrong, I hope to meet that duplicate Hanse one day. Perhaps it can be managed. I do not intend for my betrothed to suffer the fate of that poor Esteren, his reputation destroyed by another man."
Katrina smiled. This young daughter of hers was growing up. All she said was, "We shall see ..." How often over the millennia had mothers taken refuge from their children's unanswerable questions with those three words?
* * * *
Maylor Efflinger tended to be lazy. So far from his home world and his demanding ruler, he was able to indulge his laziness without attracting too much notice. However, with a message as urgent as the one just come direcdy from House Steiner, he did, as the ancient saying went, get a move on.
Steiner had an enviable network of spies, both in friendly and unfriendly worlds. Those super-skilled agents were capable of finding out almost anything worth knowing about anyone at all. So when a ripple went through the rumor-mills beneath the surface of things on New Avalon, it came to Efflinger's attention with admirable speed.
"Four men and a woman have taken lodging at the House of Six Stars. They arrived in Avalon City on foot early last evening. They seem to have plenty of credits, though they look rather worn and seedy. One of them keeps the hood of his robe over his face most of the time. He is of the build of Davion, but no one has yet heard him speak."
Efflinger pricked up his ears at that report. He knew that there would be at least two men. If his informant were correct, there would be several more warriors, drawn from Soltek's friends in the Guard. And that big fellow with the hood...It sounded almost too much like Hanse Davion for comfort.
The ambassador had not really believed anything Katrina had said in that message. It seemed too far-fetched, though he knew she would never have involved her House unless firmly convinced she was correct. No matter what he thought, Efflinger knew which side his bread was buttered on. He went about finding the truth about those newcomers as quickly as he could manage.
He didn't use his spies. He knew that Davion's own spies were watching over him, just as he kept tabs on anyone of political interest to his superiors. His son, however, was another matter entirely.
Anyone trying to keep watch on a rake like Kolek Efflinger was in for a breathtaking time of it. Besides, it was unlikely that the Davion, Kurita, or Liao informants paid much attention to his frivolous son, who never did anything worthy of their interest anyway.
It was for that reason that occasionally Efflinger passed important messages to interested parties by way of his carousing son. Not a soul would suspect Kolek. Every sort of subtle investigation assured him of that. The House of Six Stars was a rather obscure inn, not exacdy lower-class but edging in that direction. It did, however, have excellent beer.
As evening slid toward darkness, Maylor called his son into his study. "Ah, Kole," he began amiably, "I wonder if you would be so kind as to help me with a small matter..."
Kolek, as lazy as his father and therefore little inclined to earning his own living, was usually glad to do as his father asked. After all, the man supported him. "Of course," he said, dropping into a cushioned chair in a pose that should have disjointed both his hips and his backbone. "Just tell me what."
"Do you know the House of Six Stars?" asked his father.
Kole straightened a bit, his eyes growing brighter.
"Indeed, yes," he said. "Excellent beer they have there. I go there fairly often."
"So do others...some of whom I must contact in the most unobtrusive way possible." Maylor knew that his son was a subtle man, for all his seeming frivolity. He would be a fine diplomat, if ever he overcame his laziness.
Kole was now sitting straight. He enjoyed these commissions for his father, as they came rarely enough to seem more like adventures than scheduled tasks.
"Four men and a woman. Staying at Six Stars together, very quietly. One is a big fellow who wears a hooded robe. You should be able to pick them out by that. Few desert-worlders come here at this season. The rain drives them mad."
"And you want what?" asked Kolek. He was standing now, like a racer ready to take off down the track.
"To find out if the big man is Hanse Davion," his father replied.
Kole looked startled. "But what about..."
"May be an imposter. Steiner insists he is. It would seem to make sense, in light of the change of policy toward our systems. If this is the real item, take him and his friends to that little place where you used to keep your mistress. You recall it?"
A reminiscent smile lit Kole's face. "Of course. And then?"
Maylor grinned, looking for a moment no older than his son. "Get roaring drunk, as usual, and have someone carry you home, singing at the top of your voice. Then tell me if they are really who I suspect and go to bed. You will have done a fine job, either way."
Kole did exactiy as he was instructed. In the early morning hours, the city Guard brought him home, together with a bystander, who turned out, to Maylor's amusement, to be one of the spies set to watch the Efflinger household.
Efflinger grumbled down the stair, opened the outer door, and helped to support his elevated son into the house. "My thanks," he said to the spy, handing him a credit he had brought for the purpose.
He turned to the Guard. "How much fine this time?" he asked wearily.
"The usual." The Guard was grinning broadly. Kolek was a young man who took his pleasures where he found them, but there wasn't a troublemaking bone in his body. Those entrusted with bringing him back home were always handsomely rewarded, and the doting father paid his fines without a word.
As soon as his attendants had gone, Kolek sat up in the chair where the Guard had deposited him. The dark eyes were filled with mirth.
"You do play a drunk quite well," Maylor observed.
Kole chuckled. "I should know how, by now. But you want my report. They are the ones you thought them to be. The big fellow is the real thing, too. Enough like the one in the palace to make you think you really are drunk!"
Efflinger sighed. "And they are safe in that quiet apartment above the tavern in Wine Street?"
"Safe as houses. Those are sound people. They didn't make any pretense, once they learned who I was and why I was there. They played along with me, getting drunker by the minute, until we all decided to take a keg upstairs to their quarters and make a night of it. And they had a scrambler that could break up the transmission if any sort of listening device was in their rooms."
"Good!" grunted his father. "It is really the Prince? You are sure?"
"I should say, yes. After I identified myself, they told me their story. It was quite a plot, once you put the pieces together, too. A double to break up the partnership between Steiner and Davion. A fast change, before NAIS gets their new security system into place. And removal of the one person close enough to the Prince to recognize an imposture, given time. Neat and quiet. But not quite successful."
"The city Guard and a detachment of the Royal Brigade have been scouring the city tonight," Maylor said. "I suspect that word has come through to the conspirators that the Prince has escaped from wherever they had him. They must be frightened that he is here, under their noses. Which he is. But where did he come from?"
"They made the switch on Argyle. Quite a nice tale... you should hear them tell it sometime. Dungeons and midnight escapes, and all sorts of bits you'd never expect to hear outside the ancient novels or operettas," said Kole.
Maylor was relaxing in his own deep chair now. "I was afraid, for a while, that we were about to go to war with
Davion. The broken treaties, the dismissal of so many of the old councillors that Hanse Davion trusted, not to mention that important announcement they have been touting for the past week. All those things were making me nervous. A war is no place for a man who likes his comfort."
"So what do we do now?" asked his son. He didn't look like the same young man who had been brought in, disheveled an
d flushed, a short while before.
"We take the opportunity they are giving us. We produce the real Prince and his friends at the palace when they have all the communications people there, all set up for their grand announcement. Then we demand, with all the weight our House can muster, that both be tested."
Kolek Efflinger nodded, his eyes even brighter than before. "And then...we shall see."
33
Avalon City was abuzz. Under the rulership of the Davions the people had become used to a smooth and peaceful life on this principal world. But now something seemed amiss. Ardan could feel it, even through the walls of the chambers he was sharing with the rest of his friends.
The snatches of conversation floating up from the street, the roars from the tavern below, even the whispers of chambermaids in the corridor outside their door all spoke of unease among the commoners. Sep, being the least recognizable of them, would don Ardan's hooded robe from time to time and slip out to gather news. It was uniformly bad.
"Some sort of announcement is in the offing," she said, as she doffed the robe and accepted a cup of soup from Ardan. "And war with Steiner is being rumored everywhere. Nobody is happy, Your Highness. Not at all. Your name is mentioned in tones I have never heard before. This imposter is going to ruin the Federated Suns in short order if we can't find some way to stop him."
"There is no time to foment a rebellion," said Hanse. He was staring down from the narrow window whose dirty glass hid his face from the street "We have no one left in office to whom we can appeal. We can only trust Efflinger to pull this thing out of the fire for us. Who would have thought that Steiner would be the saving of our whole system?"
"You chose well when you signed the treaty with Steiner," said Ardan. "And even better when you contracted marriage with Melissa. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you see her again. She has grown into a woman of wit and strength. Much like her mother, though gentler-seeming."
Hanse smiled absently. Ardan knew that in his mind's eye Melissa was still the child he had known before.
"Just hope that the day will come when that marriage can come to pass," said the Prince. "We are in a predicament. We cannot come forward, because the Guard would hustle us off to prison before we could attract any attention to our cause. I do hope Efflinger has something up his sleeve beside his lazy arm."
That evening, they learned that lazy as the ambassador's arm might be, it was effective when used to capacity. At mid-afternoon, Sep called the others to the window, pointing out Kolek Efflinger as he came into the inn with a pretty young woman much younger than he. The fugitives listened closely as a confusion of steps and running chambermaids came down the hall into the flat adjoining the one they occupied.
"I will need a personal attendant," the young woman was saying. "And I must go shopping at once. Will you see to that, my sweet?"
Kole's voice replied in a mumble, but his words must have been agreement, for she began to giggle. Doors opened and closed. The landlord's voice, too, sounded in the passage, conveying his willingness to assist with anything the distinguished couple wanted. They had only to ask.
Then the hubbub died down again. Heels tapped next door. Kole spoke quietly. The girl replied just as quietly. Everything became very still.
Jarlik grinned at Hanse and Ardan. Ref chuckled, and Sep tapped her fingernails on the table. What on or offworld was the young idiot playing at now?
There came a light tap at the door connecting their end room with the adjoining set. Jarlik stepped lightly as a cat to unlock it. Kole slid through and closed the panel behind him.
"Neat, eh?" he asked.
"She's a pretty one, yes," said Hanse. "But how will that help us?"
"Why, she's going out to shop this afternoon. Shell be bringing in parcels of all sizes and shapes. She will wear me completely out, paying for her purchases. And of course I shall buy some few matters for myself, too." He looked at their shabby uniforms, the noticeable robes.
"If you are to go to the palace tomorrow for the Great Revelation, you need to look a bit more sharp," he said.
The light dawned for them all. They would be outfitted with fresh clothing, even disguises, if necessary—all in a completely unsuspicious way. Even if Kolek were being kept under close surveillance, who would guess?
"The backstairs go down through the servants' quarters and end in an alley on Leather Street You can go out after dark without seeing a soul. I know, because I've done it many a time. Prillie used to live in this set of rooms, instead of those next door." He looked sly.
"Don't ever tell my father, but I expect to marry the girl, when I'm ready to settle down and find work. Father will never consent, and will probably cut me off without a credit so I'll have to be the one to make our living."
Hanse smiled broadly. "Come to me when you decide to take a job," he said. "I can always use sneaky people."
Kole nodded. "I thought you might," he said wryly. "Now I'd better go and help to buy out the town."
With a plan in progress, the five relaxed enough to nap the afternoon away. It was well done, too, because nobody could possibly have slept when the procession of parcels began to arrive next door. Sep, peering through a crack in the door, exclaimed at the variety of delivery people going and coming in the passage.
It took an hour and a half for all the bundles, packages, boxes, and bags to come to roost in the apartment next door. Then Prillie whispered at the connecting doorway, and the fugitives tiptoed into her bedroom, which was piled high with goods.
There was a gorgeous gown for Sep, but she was aghast at the idea of a Mech Warrior wearing a cloth-of-gold overdress over full-legged pantaloons of white silk. Not to mention the jewels for hair and hands and bosom.
"You will never be recognized as Candent Septarian," said Hanse. "And it will get us into the grounds, I am sure. Besides, everyone will be staring so hard at you that nobody will notice any of the rest of us."
"Many thanks, Highness," growled Sep. "Once inside, we can get to barracks, where I can change. And then we'll be just another unit of the Guard, back on duty after leave. Denek has posted the orders."
For the men, there were formal uniforms. Kole had even managed to find the proper medals for Hanse and Ardan, while for Ref and Jarlik he had provided campaign clusters that put them into many places where neither had ever set foot But they looked impressive.
Everyone tried on his splendid clothing, then took it all off again and fidgeted through the night The announcement was to take place at midday. They must dress and be out of the house before the streets were busy. The desert robes would be used to good advantage again, covering Sep's grandeur and Hanse's distinctive figure. The formal uniforms were quiet enough to pass by day, though they were a bit fancy for most tastes.
"Kole says to enter the palace grounds with the throng, as soon as the gates open," said Prillie through the keyhole, as they got ready to depart. "And good luck to you all. This has been great fun!"
"Take care, Prillie," Sep replied for all of them, then they scurried down the dark stairway and into the streets of Avalon.
People were already moving about. Not only the early deliverymen in the thoroughfares, but crowds heading for the palace in order to get good places to wait out the morning. There would not be room for everyone who wanted to hear their ruler's announcement, and so people would be queuing up near the Palace walls to get into the grounds.
The five were lost in a throng so varied and colorful that Sep removed her robe. Even her cloth-of-gold wasn't noticeable, so gay were the garments of those about her. Only Hanse continued to conceal his face and figure.
They approached the palace grounds, working their way through the crowd until they reached the wall itself. Once there, Hanse motioned them to follow him along the ferro-crete expanse.
They rounded a corner. At a small door set deeply into the wall, Hanse paused for the retinal scan, then the door sighed open.
They shot through and closed the panel behin
d them, hidden now in a remote corner of the garden. Across its colorful expanse was the terrace from which Ardan had bitterly surveyed the scene so many months ago. The barracks were off to their left, behind a maze of walls and hedges.
They hurried through the plantings, around corners and through unexpected arbor-gates in the hedges. Once they saw a servant in the distance. He looked at them, startled, but they were gone before he could say a word.
The barracks buildings were abuzz. Sep hid in a hedge to strip off her finery. Beneath it was her old uniform, and she stepped out as herself, not as a painted Court lady. The others lined up behind her as she strode up the wide steps of the second building, where were her permanent quarters.
Sep's retinal scan at the door got them inside without question. She turned toward the office of the officer of the day and snapped to attention as Fram turned crossly from a pile of paperwork to glare at the newcomers.
His mouth opened. He sprang to his feet and rounded the desk, pounding Ardan's shoulder, greeting Ref and Jarlik, catching Sep into a bear hug. "You made it! By golly, you made it! And who's this?"
He was looking sharply at Hanse's hooded shape.
"The order should say Candent Septarian and group..." Sep's tone was a bit severe.
Fram looked at the posted notices. Then he nodded. "Exactly."
"This is part of the group. Now go back to work. And if Denek comes in, send him along to my quarters. We have a lot to talk about."
"And not much time to do it in. The big announcement happens in another two hours," Fram said. "We have to be on duty at the gates and in the grounds at eleven hundred hours.
"I'll see you then. Change the order, Fram, and put Ardan, Jarlik, Ref, and"—she glanced at Hanse—"Hannes behind the dais where the Prince is to speak. Can do?"
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