The Domino Pattern q-4
Page 34
Bayta stared at me, the blood draining from her face. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes,” I confirmed. “But it gets worse. Remember why the Modhri was created in the first place?”
“He was a weapon,” Bayta said, the words coining out mechanically, her eyes staring out at a horrifying future. “A last-ditch infiltrator and saboteur.”
“Which was also designed to be under Shonkla-raa control.” I nodded back toward the coach car two cars behind us. “What did you think of the demo?”
She shivered. “All that because he couldn’t get Logra Emikai to kill you earlier?”
“All that because he had to deflect me away from Kennrick,” I corrected. “So that he and the others could get off the Quadrail without me ever seeing these papers.” I shrugged. “And probably also because he’d figured out Kennrick was the killer and wanted to get the murder technique for himself and his buddies.” I grimaced. “Remember, a few days ago, when you pointed out that the Modhri hasn’t got any purpose? Well, he’s got one now. The sword’s on the shelf, and the swordsman’s all set to pick it up again.”
For a long minute neither of us spoke. “What are we going to do?” Bayta asked at last.
“I don’t see that we’ve got much choice,” I told her. “We have to take them down.”
Bayta stared at me in disbelief. “Frank, it took the whole galaxy to stop the Shonkla-raa the last time. And they didn’t have the Modhri to help them then.”
“I didn’t say it would be easy,” I conceded. “But we have a couple of advantages they don’t know about.”
She barked out a sound that was midway between a chuckle and a sob. “Like what?”
“One: we don’t have a whole galaxy’s worth of them to deal with this time,” I said. “With luck, they’ve only got a few thousand up and running.”
“Only a few thousand?”
“And they don’t have all the warships and weapons they had back then, either,” I said. “Number two: they may be really good fighters—and they are,” I added, rubbing my ribs. “But they don’t know about the new defender-class Spiders. As much as you and I may disagree with the whole defender concept, it’s a wild card we ultimately may be glad we’ve got.”
Bayta shivered. “If they don’t save the Quadrail only to destroy it,” she murmured.
“We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen, either,” I said grimly. “And finally—” I lifted the folder again. “We know where they are.”
Bayta sat up a little straighter. “Their location’s in there?”
“I think so,” I said. “It’s clear now that it wasn’t a coincidence that Aronobal and Emikai were on Earth at the same time that Givvrac’s contract team was at Pellorian Medical. My guess is that the attack on Terese German and her subsequent pregnancy were already planned, and that whoever’s in charge of the Shonkla-raa decided the Pellorian Medical thing would be good cover. They then maneuvered Muzzfor onto the team so that he could monitor the others while they brought Terese German to Filly space.”
“But why?” Bayta asked. “What do they want with her?”
“Something disgusting, I have no doubt,” I said. “But whatever the why, the where is a space station called Proteus.”
Bayta frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a Filiaelian name.”
“It isn’t,” I agreed. “The station actually has thirty different names, one corresponding to each of the Twelve Empires’ official languages. Apparently, it was designed to be the jewel of Filiaelian diplomatic glory and finesse.” I tilted my head. “Want to take a guess as to where this multispecies crown jewel is?”
She frowned; and then, her face cleared. “The Ilat Dumar Covrey system,” she said. “Where those six Modhran Filiaelians we ran into on New Tigris had come from.”
“Bingo,” I said. “Muzzfor had a new set of tickets and passes made out for himself, Aronobal, Emikai, and Terese. I assume he was planning to spring the package on them at Venidra Carvo.”
“And we’re going to follow them there?”
I turned the folder over in my hand. “Actually,” I told her, “I had something a bit different in mind.”
TWENTY-THREE
We found Terese and the two Fillies waiting on the far edge of the Venidra Carvo Station, their luggage gathered in a pile around them. “Good day, Dr. Aronobal; Logra Emikai; Ms. German,” I greeted them as Bayta and I came up. “If I may say so, you all look a little lost.”
“Well, we’re not,” Terese spoke up, giving me one of those glares she did so well. “So go away.”
“Actually, I think you are,” I said. “I’m afraid the guide you’re expecting won’t be joining you.”
“What do you mean?” Aronobal asked, frowning down her long nose at me.
“I’m sure you heard that there were four final victims of the murderer Kennrick shortly before he himself was killed a couple of weeks ago,” I said.
“Yes, we heard,” Aronobal said darkly. “A tragic occurrence.”
“Very tragic,” I agreed. “Even more so as it turns out that one of them was supposed to contact you here and give you the tickets to your final destination. Specifically, Asantra Muzzfor.”
Aronobal jerked her head at that. “Asantra Muzzfor? Are you certain?”
“He told me so himself, before he died,” I assured her. “Here are your tickets.” I pulled out the tickets I’d gotten from Muzzfor’s folder and passed them out.
Aronobal peered at the destination on her ticket. “These are for Kuzyatru Station.”
“Never heard of it,” Terese said, frowning at hers.
“In English, it’s called Proteus,” I told the girl. “You may have heard of it by that name.”
“Well, I haven’t,” she growled. “No one said anything about going to a space station. I thought I was going to some big clinic on Dojussu Sefpra Major.”
“That was my understanding, as well,” Aronobal seconded.
“Maybe you’ll be going there after you visit Proteus,” I said. “All I know is that these tickets are made out in your names, and that I was asked to deliver them to you.”
“You were asked by Asantra Muzzfor?” Emikai asked, an odd expression on his face.
“Yes,” I confirmed, looking him straight in the eye. “I was with him when he died. He also asked me to accompany you to Proteus, to make sure you got there safely.”
“There is no need for that,” Emikai said firmly. “I will watch over them.”
“I’m sure you will,” I acknowledged. “And I certainly imply no slight on your capabilities. But I promised Asantra Muzzfor I would go with you, and I would ask that you permit me to honor that promise.”
“Of course,” Aronobal said distractedly, looking around. “Very well, then. Do you happen to know which track our new train will be taking?”
“Number Eighteen,” I said, pointing across the station. “Just follow us.”
With Bayta beside me, I started toward our new track. I’d gone only a couple of steps when I felt a soft but insistent grip on my upper arm. “Keep going,” I told Bayta as I allowed the hand to slow me down. Terese and Aronobal passed me by, Aronobal giving me barely a glance, Terese ignoring me completely. As their trailing luggage rolled past me I came to a halt. “You have a question?” I asked quietly, turning to face Emikai.
For a moment he didn’t speak, his hand still gripping my arm. “They will wish to know exactly how Asantra Muzzfor died,” he said at last. “Those who now employ me.”
“And I’ll be glad to tell them,” I assured him.
“Will you?” he countered. “Even if they assign a portion of the blame to you?”
“Why would they do that?” I asked, keeping my voice and expression calm. There was no way, after all, for Emikai to know the truth about what had happened to Muzzfor. “I had nothing to do with his death.”
“You are the same species as the killer,” Emikai pointed out. “That may be enough.” His eyes flicked ahead t
o Bayta and his two companions. “There is no need for you to escort us. It would perhaps be better for you to go about your own business.”
“My business is the protection of innocent people,” I said. “I have an obligation to see Ms. German safely to Proteus.”
Emikai’s eyes bored into mine. “Very well,” he said. “If you are truly determined, I will not forbid you to accompany us.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I started to turn away, turned back as his hand darted up again to grip my arm. “But remember,” he added. “I too am a protector of my people.”
“Indeed you are,” I said softly. “Don’t worry. I won’t forget.”
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