by Timothy Zahn
With my digestive sensitivity in mind, I’d already decided to steer clear of anything exotic or heavy on spices. Accordingly, I ordered a simple steak and vegetable combo, passing on the half-dozen optional sauces offered by the menu.
Bayta, ignoring my raised eyebrows, just ordered another vegetable roll and a glass of lemonade.
“People do get indigestion on trips, you know,” I reminded her as the Spider headed away from the table. “Especially long trips like this one.”
“Maybe,” she said. Her eyes were on the center of our table, her attention clearly on her rumbling intestinal tract. “But I’ve never had indigestion. Not like this. Never.”
Abruptly, she looked up at me. “Did you ever find out from Mr. Kennrick or Dr. Witherspoon what the Human symptoms of heavy-metal poisoning were?”
“You were there the whole time,” I pointed out. “That part of the conversation got short-circuited by Strinni’s one-and-a-half-gainer into the deep end.”
“I just thought you might have asked Mr. Kennrick about it while you were helping him to the dispensary.”
“Never even occurred to me to bring up the subject,” I admitted. “We were a little preoccupied with his ribs at the time.”
“So we don’t know if”—she glanced down at her abdomen—”if this is a symptom or not.”
“Not specifically, no,” I said as soothingly as I could. “But we know that the train’s food supply isn’t contaminated, and no one’s been leaning over our dinner plates sprinkling cadmium garnish on our salads.”
“What if it’s airborne?” Bayta asked. “We still don’t know about that.”
“We will as soon as we finish dinner,” I said. “You said they’ll have the filter disassembled in, what, another half hour?”
Her eyes unfocused briefly. “About that.”
“So we’ll eat and then head back and take some samples,” I said. “Five minutes after that we’ll know whether the stuff was in the air or not.”
“Compton?” Kennrick’s voice came from behind me.
I turned, wincing as the movement strained freshly tenderized joints. Kennrick was standing a couple of feet back, his expression that of a man who’s just eaten a bad grape. “I thought you were heading back to your compartment,” I said.
“I was,” he said. “Other matters intervened. Usantra Givvrac would very much like a word with you.”
“I’d be delighted to give him one,” I said. “Just as soon as we finish our meal.”
Kennrick’s eyes flicked pointedly to the empty table in front of us. “Or possibly beforehand?” he suggested. “Usantra Givvrac is right here, over in the bar section.” His lip twitched. “We were discussing the situation when he spotted you coming in.”
“You’re as well informed about this mess as anyone,” I reminded him. “What does he think I can add to the discussion?”
Kennrick glanced at Bayta. “He feels you may have a better handle on what’s happening than I do.”
“And you resent the implications?”
“What I resent or don’t resent is irrelevant,” he said evenly. “I’m Pellorian Medical’s representative to these people, and the head of the contract team has made a request of me. The rule is, if you can satisfy such requests, you do.”
“True enough,” I agreed, feeling a twinge of sympathy. In my early days in Westali, when most of my missions boiled down to VIP-babysitting duty, I’d often found myself in the same unenviable position. “Well, we can’t have yon ignoring your mandate, can we? Tell Usantra Givvrac I’d be honored to give him a few minutes of my time.”
“Thanks.” he said, and headed back toward the bar section. I waited until he was out of earshot, then turned to Bayta. “Anything you want me to ask him?” I asked her. “Upper-rank Fillies are notorious for speaking only to the senior person present.”
“No. I don’t think so.” Bayta said. “We can always ask him later if I think of something.”
“Careful,” I warned. “In classic dit rec dramas, putting off a conversation usually means that person is the next one to die.”
Bayta shivered. “I wish this was a dit rec drama,” she murmured. “At least then there would be some sense to it.”
“Oh, there’s sense to it,” I promised her grimly. “We just don’t know what it is yet. But we will.”
“I hope so.” She looked up again, her eyes focusing somewhere over my shoulder. “Here he comes.”
Earlier, when I’d seen Kennrick and Givvrac conferring in the latter’s coach car, I’d noted that the Filly looked fairly elderly. Now, as I watched him crossing the dining car toward us. I was struck by not only how old he was. but also how fragile. He walked carefully, as if balance was a conscious decision instead of something his body automatically did on its own. His eyes continually scanned the tables and chairs alongside his path, with the air of someone who fears a casual bump might break delicate bones. Kennrick walked close beside him the whole way, his eyes alert, his hand poised for an instant assist should the other need it.
I stood up as they approached, swiveling my chair partway toward them. “I greet you, Usantra Givvrac,” I said, gesturing to the seat. “Please take my chair.”
“I thank you. Mr. Compton,” Givvrac said, sinking gratefully onto his knees on it in the standard Filly sitting position. He waited for the chair to reconfigure for his body, and then gestured to the chair across the table beside Bayta. “Please—sit. You as well, Mr. Kennrick.”
“Thank you,” I said, stepping around the corner of the table and sitting down in the indicated chair as Kennrick took the other empty seat beside Givvrac. “If I may be so bold, Usantra Givvrac, I’m surprised to see someone of your age so far from home.”
“With age comes experience, Mr. Compton.” Givvrac replied. “With experience comes wisdom and perspective. Or so one hopes.”
“Your people thought such wisdom and perspective would be necessary in this contract discussion?” I suggested.
“They did,” Givvrac confirmed. “And so it was. But I came here to question you, not to be questioned by you.”
“My apologies,” I said, inclining my head. “Please state your questions.”
“I’m told by Mr. Kennrick that you are an investigator,” Givvrac said. “Let us begin with a list of your credentials.”
“I’m a former agent of Earth’s Western Alliance Intelligence service.” I said. “During those years. I traveled over fairly large stretches of our end of the galaxy, and gained experience dealing with members of several of the Twelve Empires.”
“And now?”
“Now I travel the galaxy with my associate Bayta,” I said, nodding toward her. “We do odd jobs and assist with investigations for the Spiders.”
“I see,” Givvrac said, and I could see him wondering, just as Witherspoon had, what sort of investigations the Spiders might possibly need assistance with. Unlike the good doctor, though, Givvrac was too polite to ask. “Any other credentials?”
For a moment I was tempted to tell him about my brief employment with Larry Hardin, who had hired me to find a way to steal, bribe, or extort control of the Quadrail away from the Spiders. Givvrac’s reaction to such a revelation might have been interesting. “Various odd jobs when I was in school,” I said instead. “Nothing remarkable.”
Givvrac nodded, a rather awkward looking motion for that head and neck combination. Clearly, it was a gesture he’d picked up solely to use with Humans and a couple of other species. “Tell me what you’ve learned of the present situation.”
“Unfortunately, at this point I probably don’t know much more than you do,” I said. “Yesterday evening Master Colix came down with cadmium poisoning, source unknown, and quickly succumbed to it. Shortly thereafter, Master Bofiv died from the same cause. It appears now that di-Master Strinni has also been poisoned, plus he’s been dosed with a drug called printimpolivre-bioxene.”
Givvrac looked at Kennrick. “Are you familiar with this drug?�
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“Dr. Witherspoon says it’s a hallucinogen,” Kennrick said. “It was apparently the reason for di-Master Strinni’s violent behavior earlier in his car.”
“I’ve not heard of this drug before,” Givvrac said, looking back at me. “Is it common?”
“It’s common enough,” I said grimly. “In the illegal drug trade, its street name is necrovri.”
Givvrac sat up a bit straighter. “Necrovri,” he murmured. “Yes, I’ve heard of it. A blight among the Shorshic and Pirkarli lower classes.” His nose blaze darkened. “But how could such a thing have drawn in one of di-Master ranking?”
“The upper ranks of any species aren’t immune to the lure of the forbidden,” I reminded him. “However, in this case, I don’t think di-Master Strinni took the drug on his own. I believe it was given to him without his knowledge, possibly to prevent us from learning something from him about the other two murders.”
“Murders,” Givvrac murmured, his blaze darkening a little more. “Mr. Kennrick said he believed the deaths were not accidental. Now you add your same opinion to his?”
“Yes. I do.” I said, diplomatically passing over the fact that Kennrick wouldn’t have had any such insight if I hadn’t taken the time to beat it into him. “Dr. Witherspoon is trying to reverse di-Master Strinni’s cadmium poisoning. If he succeeds, we should be able to question di-Master Strinni and see what he knows. If anything.”
“Do you know how this poisoning was accomplished?” Givvrac asked.
“Not yet,” I said. “Part of the problem is that we don’t have a motive for the attacks. Typically, motives for murder fall into one of three categories: passion, profit, or revenge. Passion is out—clearly, these killings were carefully planned and executed. That leaves us profit and revenge.” I raised my eyebrows in silent question.
“Clever, Mr. Compton,” Givvrac said, a touch of amusement in his voice. “So in order for you to answer my questions, I must first answer yours?”
“All investigations require questions and answers,” I pointed out. “Can you think of how anyone would profit from the deaths of Masters Colix and Bofiv?”
“No,” Givvrac said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
“Leaving us with revenge,” I said. “Can you think—?”
“Just a minute,” Kennrick interrupted. “Your pardon, Usantra Givvrac, but there are reasons of profit that could explain these deaths.”
“No, there are not,” Givvrac repeated, giving Kennrick a warning glare. “Your next question, Mr. Compton?”
“Let me first rephrase my previous one,” I said, eyeing Givvrac closely as I thought back to his answer. I’d seen this before, usually with suspects trying to beat a polyline test by finding loopholes in the interrogator’s questions. Teenagers, I recalled from years gone by, were also adept at the technique, especially during parental cross-examinations. “Can you think of how anyone would profit from Master Colix’s death?”
Givvrac hissed out a quiet sigh. “Perhaps.” he said reluctantly. “There was some disagreement among us as to whether we would grant Pellorian Medical Systems the genetic-manipulation knowledge and equipment they seek.”
“Let me guess,” I said, watching Kennrick out of the corner of my eye. “Master Colix was against the deal?”
Kennrick’s expression didn’t even twitch. “In actual fact, Mr. Compton,” Givvrac said, “Master Colix was one of the strongest proponents for the contract.”
“Interesting,” I said. “I gather, then, that Master Bofiv was against the contract.”
“He was,” Givvrac confirmed, frowning. “Did he tell you that before he died?”
“Unfortunately, he didn’t speak to me at all,” I said. “I deduced that from your earlier statement that no one would profit by both Master Colix’s and Master Bofiv’s deaths. Ergo, they must have been on opposite sides of the disagreement, with both deaths together thus returning the contract team to its original status quo.”
“Hardly the exact status quo,” Kennrick said. “There were no more than two or possibly three of the eight in opposition to our proposal. With the unfortunate deaths of Masters Colix and Bofiv, the percentage of members favorable to Pellorian has actually increased.”
“Not precisely true, Mr. Kennrick,” Givvrac said. “In actual fact, before these deaths the contract team was evenly split on the matter: four for, and four against.”
Kennrick stared at him. “You never said—” He broke off. glancing sideways at me. “I was unaware the contract team’s feelings were running so closely.”
“It’s not a matter of your company’s expertise and learning,” Givvrac assured him. “You’ve proved that beyond doubt. The question is solely whether or not your species in general has the wisdom to use these methods properly.”
“I see,” Kennrick said, and I could sense his reflexive desire to argue the point in Pellorian’s and humanity’s defense. But this wasn’t the time or place to reopen the negotiations. “Forgive my intrusion. Please continue.”
“Thank you,” I said. “So what you’re saying, Usantra Givvrac, is that the original four-to-four deadlock has been reduced to a three-to-three deadlock?”
“Deadlock implies the matter may end without resolution,” Givvrac corrected me sternly. “That will not happen. The decision will be made before Mr. Kennrick leaves the Assembly for his return home.”
“Understood,” I said. “May I ask which members of your group are currently on which side?”
Givvrac hesitated. “That’s privileged information,” he said. “I’m not sure even the current situation justifies my telling you.”
Kennrick, to his credit, picked up on the cue. “Excuse me a moment. Usantra Givvrac,” he said, getting to his feet. “It just occurred to me that we never told the server that we would be over here instead of back in the bar. I’ll go get our refreshments.”
He headed across the dining car toward the bar. “Speaking of refreshments, Usantra Givvrac, I must again extend my apologies,” I said. “I neglected to ask if you would care to join us in a meal.”
“No, thank you,” Givvrac said. “Food does not interest me at the moment.”
I frowned. Fillies liked their food as well as anyone else in the galaxy. “Is something you ate bothering you?”
“Most likely,” he said. “I have been feeling somewhat delicate over the past few hours.”
“There seems to be a lot of that going around,” I commented, my own gut rumbling in sympathy. “While Mr. Kennrick is gone, perhaps you’d be willing to tell me which members of your team are for this deal with Pellorian?”
“You will agree not to share my words with Mr. Kennrick?”
“Of course,” I said. “I’ll sign a contract to that effect if you wish.”
Givvrac visibly relaxed. Written contracts were very important to Fillies. Even if he and I never actually signed anything, my willingness to do so would go a long way toward putting me in the trustworthy category. “No need.” he said. “Di-Master Strinni was the next strongest proponent of the Pellorian contract.”
“Really,” I said. So that was two aye votes either dead or on the critical list. “What about Master Tririn?”
“He stands against the contract,” Givvrac said. “Oddly enough, the four Shorshians were evenly split.”
“And of course, all of them knew where all the others stood?”
“Indeed,” Givvrac said. “The eight of us had several meetings together during the torchliner voyage from Earth to the Terran Tube Station.”
“Without Mr. Kennrick present, I presume?”
“You presume correctly,” Givvrac said. “Only in his absence can we speak freely on the subject.” He cocked his head in a Filly posture of consideration. “Though such opportunities were uncommon. He often joined one or another group of us for our meals.”
“Taking care to talk up the benefits of dealing with Pellorian Medical, no doubt?”
“Correct,” Givvrac agreed. “
He is a tireless representative of his company.”
“I’m sure he is.” I said diplomatically. He’d probably been a tireless representative of Shotoko Associates, too, right up until the day Westali had swooped down and broken up DuNoeva’s spy ring. “So Master Colix and di-Master Strinni were for the contract. Who else?”
“Asantra Muzzfor is also on their side of the discussion.” Givvrac said. “He is one of my colleagues.”
“Yes,” I said, catching the subtle vowel difference. Colleagues they might be, but an asantra like Muzzfor was lower in rank than an usantra like Givvrac. “And the fourth?”
“I also lean in that direction,” Givvrac said. “I therefore count myself among them, though I have not entirely made up my mind.”
I nodded. “And the other opponents would then be the other two Filiaelians?”
“Esantra Worrbin and Asantra Dallilo are also against the contract,” he confirmed.
“Where do they and Asantra Muzzfor sit aboard the train?”
“All three have seats in the second of the first-class coaches, the one directly back of the exercise/dispensary car.”
“Do they sit together for the most part?”
“Yes,” Givvrac said. “To anticipate your next question, the four of us have frequently discussed the contract during this trip. Di-Master Strinni often joined us, as he too has a seat in first class.”
“And the other three Shorshians?”
“I presume they also held such conversations, though I cannot say for certain.” A shadow seemed to pass across his face. “Or rather, I presume they did when there were still three of them.”
“You haven’t spoken to them about the matter?” I asked.
“We travel in first class,” Givvrac said. “They travel in third.”
“Yes, of course,” I said. “I just thought that since Mr. Kennrick had gone back there on occasion to talk to them you might have done similarly.”
“I have not, nor have my colleagues,” Givvrac repeated firmly. “Those of first class do not mingle with those of third while aboard the train.”
