"Come into the main cabin," the Flotish invited. "I have a tank there that makes things easier on me."
He followed and saw that it was so; the tank allowed the creature to relax in sea water while keeping its head out in the air. There was no furniture that fit his form, which was natural, so he sat on the edge of a table and faced the strange sea creature.
"It's not often that I see water-breathers with surface ships," he remarked.
"They go down in our waters, we get them, fix them up, refloat them, and sell them for a profit," the Flotish replied. "It's a good business, salvage, particularly good when you're bordered by land on four sides."
He nodded. "I wish to buy this one," he told the creature.
"Medium?"
He smiled. "Gold, if you want, or diamonds. Even if you don't use the medium yourself they're useful in exchange."
"Either is acceptable," the Flotish replied agreeably. "We'll deal in gold. This ship has been completely refitted. It's in tip-top shape, was down because it was swamped by an incompetent captain in a storm. No structural damage; we had it refloated within two days. Good hardwood, solid."
He nodded. "I like the looks of it. There's an auxiliary engine?"
"Steam," the sea creature said. "Brand new, not salvage. You can see the small stack aft. Useful only in emergencies, though. You wouldn't make two knots with it. It's when you let out the sail in a fair breeze that this thing really moves. Eighteen, twenty knots. A fantastic ship. As is, forty-seven kilos."
The man laughed. "You've got to be kidding. Forty-seven kilos of gold? You could buy a dreadnaught for that."
"But dreadnaughts require records," the Flotish responded. "This does not. No records, no bills of sale, yet all legal and aboveboard. Not traceable, since it's a salvage refit."
"I could buy a new one for half that amount," the man retorted.
"Less," the creature agreed. "But you wouldn't be here if that were your first criterion. I don't know what you're planning—smuggling, piracy, or what. But we wouldn't be meeting in this way if it was anything honest and you know it. You get what you pay for and what you're paying for is a great ship and total anonymity."
The visitor chuckled again. "It's not as bad as that," he told the creature. "It's convenience. Flotish is near where I have to be, and timing is more important than hidden registry. Twenty kilos and I'm being robbed at that."
The creature chuckled evilly. "Twenty won't get you a lifeboat. Forty."
They went back and forth for a while, each giving a little, until finally they were haggling over grams and not kilograms.
"Thirty-one, my final offer," the man told the Flotish. "That's it. Any more and I'll gamble on a little extra time and go up to Vergutz."
The creature spit. "They'll sell you trash. But—all right! Thirty-one it is. You'll make the transfer through Zone?"
He nodded. "You'll know the name. Nobody else is likely to use anything remotely like it. Now I'll need a crew. Versatile, good sailors, experienced on this type of craft. Men who stay bought if overpaid."
The Flotish looked thoughtful. "I think something might be arranged."
"I'm sure it can," Gypsy replied.
South Zone
They were coming in by the thousands. It was unbelievable, Ortega thought. He wondered how the hell Brazil had managed it. The Well was coping, sending Entries evenly to the Southern hexes, but so far the impact had been small. If this kept up, though, it would soon tax their entire resources. Already he was getting reports of killings in some of the hexes and a panic mentality setting in. People had been killed because they were thought to be Entries.
They trooped down the hall in a steady stream, halting only every once in a while so that an ambassador from a water hex could flood the chamber and move to a gate himself to report home.
The Entries moved under the watchful eyes of hardened troops of dozens of races, all armed with wicked crossbows and similar weapons. Although all technology worked here, sophisticated weapons would not keep the peace. It didn't matter what killed you, though; a bolt of searing fire or a spring-propelled arrow.
It was more than a week before something new happened. He heard it, heard the shouts and yells and screams and tramping of feet, and was immediately out into the corridor. Frightened Olympians pressed back against the walls to avoid being trampled by the formidable serpentine ambassador as he moved with amazing speed toward the source of the commotion.
There were a number of soldiers there, all standing around something, some great insects with nasty-looking projectile weapons, were all staring down at a body on the floor.
He pushed his way through the mob and came up to the body, still bleeding profusely. No less than sixteen arrows penetrated all parts of the body, including the skull which was crushed from the back.
The figure was a man, lying face down in a pool of blood. He leaned over and examined the body carefully. There was no question; it was dead beyond any hope of magical resurrection or reconstruction. This was no trick. Slowly, carefully, Ortega turned the body over. The look of stunned surprise was still on the dead face, eyes staring wide but no longer seeing the missiles which killed him.
He felt odd, not relieved one bit but almost unbelieving at that face.
"So it was a crock of shit all along," he sighed, talking to the dead body. "And your luck finally ran out." He looked up at the insectile soldiers who had done the deed. "You can relax a little now. You've just done the impossible. There's no doubt in my mind. Nathan Brazil is dead at last."
THE END
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The Return of Nathan Brazil
Table of Contents
Parkatin, on the Frontier
Hodukai, a Planet on the Frontier
Com Police Headquarters, Suba
Kwangsi, the Council
Chambers of the Com
In the Madalin System
Dreel Central, about Five Thousand Light-years from the Com
On the Freighter Hoahokim
Kwangsi
Com Police Laboratories, Suba
Gramanch, a Planet in
the Galaxy M51
In Orbit Off the Well World
Dolgritu
Nautilus—Underside
Olympus
Kwangsi
Nautilus
Meouit
Room 404-A, the Hotel Pioneer
At the Warehouse—Noon
Aboard the Jerusalem
Nautilus—Underside
Nautilus—Topside
Olympus, the Chamber
of the Holy Mother
Nautilus—Underside
Nautilus—Topside
Nautilus—Topside,
Later That Same Day
Serachnus
South Zone
Hakazit
South Zone
Awbri
South Zone
Dillia
Durbis, on the Coast of Flotish
South Zone
The Return of Nathan Brazil Page 29
