The Wrong Lance

by Sharon Lee

  They rolled, came to their feet, and staggered as a rock slammed into their shoulder.

  The crowd was all around them, yelling and moving fast. More rocks became airborne; one guy reached out to grab them, but they somersaulted away, hitting the ground and rolling, tucked, arms over their head, while the shouting grew louder.

  Never aspired to die in a riot, she said then.

  Good, he answered.

  Through the crowd's noise, she heard a duocycle roar—more than one, maybe—getting louder, faster. The yelling turned to screaming, and boots thudding, the oppression of gathered bodies vanished, and they came up onto their heels, crouching, turning, as one 'cycle flew by, its roar deafening, chasing the crowd away from them—and here came the second, slowing a fraction as the driver held his arm down.

  They grabbed him above the elbow—and swung astride.

  Their rescuer kicked the accelerator, roaring as they raced after the first, and they saw Theo up on a 'cycle, ahead of them, heading for the North Gate, and it looked like they were going to catch her, but the leader swung wide, heading south inside the port, their 'cycle following, and Miri felt a little nudge of concern, but, no, it made sense to split up, and give whoever might be following two targets to worry about.

  In fact, Miri thought, she wouldn't be surprised if the leader peeled off, too, at the next likely-looking exit.

  Except, that's not what happened. Both 'cycles made another swooping loop, and hit the accelerators again, drivers leaning near flat across the bars, and them curled low behind theirs. They managed to get a peek sideways, and the nudge of concern became a flicker of actual fear.

  They weren't heading out of the port; and they weren't heading for any of the several safe-places inside the port. They were heading for the hotpads.

  Miri felt her stomach flutter.

  Now, she said. It's gonna be now.

  Soonest begun, soonest done, Val Con answered. Cha'trez, you should leave me now.

  She ignored that, instead focusing ahead.

  Likely looking jumping off point ahead at one o'clock.

  I see it.

  The 'cycle they were on wasn't wasting any time. They had hardly identified the dismount point before they were upon it, and Val Con leaping from the back, somersaulting behind the confusion of hoses and repair lines tangled around the single-ship to the right.

  They came up into a crouch, and began working their way to the other side of the ship, where they crouched again, concealed by the shadow of its gantry, ears and eyes straining.

  The regular and normal sounds of a hot-pad yard came to them, which didn't, Miri thought, mean much, given how quiet duocycles ran when they weren't intentionally making noise.

  Val Con was calculating; she could feel it, like an itch inside her skull. Too bad she didn't have access to what he was measuring, on the other hand, she'd played this game before, herself.

  It was best to stay under cover as much as possible. Unfortunately, while there were plenty of things in the area, not many of them provided good cover. The spaces between the ships had to be negotiated, and once they were discovered, they'd be easy targets.

  "Jeeves," Val Con murmured. "Can we get surveillance?"

  "Bechimo has found both duocycles standing at the place where you left their party. He sees other 'cycles in the area, but there seems no way to discover their affiliation. The two pilots who rescued you are both Scouts. Joyita pulled their IDs and I confirm."

  "Scouts heading for a hot-pad," Val Con murmured; "not Scout Headquarters."

  "We theorize that these are Liaden Scouts," Jeeves said, "who may wish to return you to Headquarters, for discipline."

  Miri felt him reject that, though he didn't bother to argue with Jeeves. Instead, he leaned out from their cover a little, frowning down the row of ships.

  "How near are the other 'cycles?" he asked.

  "Two avenues to the east."

  "Location of nearest safe, or defensible, location?"

  Jeeves hesitated.

  "You are on the opposite side of the port from nearly all of our allies and safeplaces. The yard repair barn is nearby and possibly defensible. If you remain where you are, I will send a car."

  "No," Val Con said sharply. "I want no one else in this."

  "Understood."

  "Bechimo allows me to know that he has acquired the two targets—by which he means the duocycles opposite your location. He tells me that he can neutralize them."

  "I'm touched," Val Con murmured. "Please ask Bechimo to hold fire. What is Theo's situation?"

  "En route to Lady Kareen; she has not been pursued."

  "Excellent. Where is the repair barn?"

  "To your left, at the end of this row—two avenues distant."

  "Staff?"

  "One person in the back office."

  Val Con nodded.

  "That will be my target."

  Get Liz to mobilize some mercs for an extraction, Miri said.

  She felt him not like that, and added.

  'less you're set on living in the repair barn, or have hard facts about those Scouts?

  A very slight hesitation, before he said, They may be Scouts, though the odds do not favor that interpretation. Best to have the mercs.

  "Jeeves, ask Commander Lizardi to move armed backup to the repair barn. Position report, please."

  "Contacting Commander Lizardi. The duocycles that had been loitering two avenues to the east have moved on. The duocycles which brought you here are still parked opposite your position."

  "Any sign of the drivers?"

  "No, sir."

  Worse and worse, he said, possibly to himself, and she felt him gather himself for the sprint down to the repair barn.

  Now, he said, and they were gone, running at his top speed, keeping to shadow, weaving under gantries, and around bucket lifts. Miri ran with him, keeping both eyes open and ears stretched wide.

  A shadow moved under the gantry ahead.

  Val Con dodged left, ducked under the belly of the ship across the avenue, and kept on going. Nobody came after them.

  Nobody had to, after all; they were waiting in the repair barn.

  The first swung out to meet them; Val Con spun—there was a cough, very polite in its way, and the pellet hit him in the thigh.

  He went down, rolling to come up on his elbows—and froze, looking up into the barrel of the—dart gun.

  Horror lifted Miri out of his head, but not before she heard the gunman say, in the mode of Comrade.

  "Well met, Agent yos'Phelium. Commander of Agents has called you in for debriefing."

  Chapter Eleven

  Surebleak

  Dudley Avenue and Farley Lane

  Theo pushed the duocycle under the back steps, then went up those same steps, slowly, feeling a little gone in the knees.

  "Been a full day," she muttered, and raised a hand to knock on the on the door.

  It opened before her knuckles connected, and the door guard she'd met when she'd come down to see Kamele—Dilly?—waved her in to a small room with jackets hanging on hooks, and boots set under a built in bench.

  "Where'd you leave the 'cycle?" she asked, locking the door behind them.

  "I put it under the steps. Figured it would be best if it was out of sight, even a little."

  "Good," Dilly said, "Pary'll bring it inside." She paused, giving Theo a critical once-over.

  "Let's get you in to Esil. I'll let the professor and the Lady know you're here safe. They're both in the middle, so's you got time for a cuppa somethin' warm and a bite. Right in here."

  She leaned past Theo, and opened another door, pushing it wide.

  "You go on, now. Nothin's happened up this far, but we ain't sliddin' on chance. Got the doors and windows spotted, and Gert's up on the roof, keepin' an eye out."

  "Thank you," Theo said.

  Dilly shook her head.

  "You think we're not gonna open for the professor's own daughter and the Lady's niece?
Go on in the kitchen, get something warm inside you, relax. We got your back."

  Feeling that something more was required, yet not willing to risk another thank you, Theo inclined her head, and went through the door, into the kitchen.

  "There you are, now!" said the plump person at the stove. "You sit on down at the snack table, there, and warm yourself up. You want coffee or tea? Got both."

  "Tea, please," Theo said, finding a small, scarred table pushed against the wall near the stove, and slipping into the chair that gave her the best view of Esil, the stove, and the rest of the kitchen.

  Her fingers hurt, she noticed; and her face. She suddenly realized that she was cold.

  "Tea, coming right up. Got some cheese biscuits left over from lunch steaming back up t'warm; they'll be over in a minute. You'll tell me you want soup, sammich, or anything else."

  "Just tea's fine, thanks."

  Esil put the mug on the table, and stood looking down at her, hands on ample hips.

  "Din't I hear you was beat up in a fight this mornin', afore spending the late afternoon ridin' a cycle all over t'city and port, while you got no jacket on, an' no gloves, neither?"

  There wasn't, Theo thought, any point arguing with the truth, though it was interesting that Esil was so well-informed.

  "It's been a busy day," she admitted. "Cheese rolls would be good, thanks." Her stomach growled suddenly, and she sighed, looking up into the cook's knowing face.

  "And maybe a bowl of soup, too."

  "That's the way it's done," Esil said approvingly. "You eat somethin', warm yourself up. Get a bath, put on some clothes don't look like they been dragged down the street, an' you'll be fine."

  She turned back to the stove. Theo picked up the mug and had a cautious taste.

  The last cup of tea she'd had in Lady Kareen's house had been Joyful Sunrise, a citrus-mint breakfast tea. This was darker, smoky, with an unexpectedly sweet undernote. It was better than Bitter Truth, though that, thought Theo, could be said of most tea, and, once she had gotten used to the sweet note, good on its own terms.

  She sighed, and sipped again. Her eyes started to close—and came open at the sound of a small click, which was Esil putting a plate of cheese rolls down in front of her.

  "Soup's coming," she said. "You get started on them."

  "Thank you," said Theo, picking up a roll and breaking it open. It smelled delicious, and tasted better.

  "Bechimo," she said in bond-space; "please let Exec O'Berin know that I've reached a position of safety."

  "Yes, Theo."

  "Also," she said, breaking open another roll; "the crew can stand down, unless there is an on-going situation that I'm not aware of."

  "Yes," Bechimo said again. "Please, eat and rest. Your biologic systems are in disarray. You must not risk yourself."

  She managed not to laugh outloud, which was good, because here was Esil coming back with a bowl of soup.

  "Thanks," she said, and received a pat on the shoulder as the cook turned to the stove.

  "You eat up. When you're done, I'll take you upstairs, so's you can have a nice hot shower. They found some clean clothes oughta fit you fine, and a coat."

  Esil turned around to shake a finger at Theo.

  "What was you thinkin', going outside on a day like this with no coat?"

  "I had a jacket," Theo told her. "It was stolen."

  Esil sniffed.

  "Some people's children," she said, darkly, and moved back to the stove.

  * * *

  "Jeeves!" Miri shouted. "Where are those mercs?"

  "On the way; they will not arrive in time to prevent Master Val Con from being taken aboard Seilaht, out of Solcintra, Liad."

  "Can you disable the ship?"

  "Yes. Bechimo tells me that he can make the shot, but the damage will be . . . extreme."

  "Not acceptable."

  Miri extended her mental fingers–-but he was gone, not present; the him of him a hazy pattern seen through a snow squall–-which would be the effects of the dart-delivered drug.

  "Track Seilaht; don't let it out of your sight," she snapped, turning back toward the house. "Mr. Joyita likes to pry into people's secrets-–tell him to get me the Jump coords, the Struven signature, anything at all that we can trace."

  "Yes."

  "Miri!"

  She looked over her shoulder, though she didn't stop. Daav and Aelliana weren't quite running full out, and Emissary Twelve effortlessly keeping up.

  "Good," she said. "All of you, come with me."

  "Jeeves reports Val Con has been acquired by the Department of the Interior," Aelliana said, from her right side.

  "I'm going after him, now," Miri answered.

  "Korval-–" Daav began from her left side–-and she shook her head, once, violently, cutting him off.

  "Van'chela, you recently solved for this exact equation," Aelliana said. "Have you forgotten already? If one is taken, both are compromised. Of course, she must go. Not only to mount a rescue, if it can be done, but to shield the clan."

  "Agreed," Daav said. "Miri, who is your pilot?"

  "I am," said Emissary Twelve.

  Miri stumbled, stopped, and turned to face her.

  "You?" she asked. "I thought you have orders from the Elders."

  "A dragon of the Great Tree has been stolen from his duty," Emissary Twelve said sharply. "His recovery must be my first priority."

  Miri looked at Daav, who looked at Aelliana, who looked at Miri.

  "How're you going to follow a Jump-ship?" she asked. "I assume yours uses the same drive as the big rocks."

  "My ship is more subtle than the larger vessels," Emissary Twelve said. "I can follow; and I will not lose them. I will need coordinates and identifiers; and my board."

  Miri blinked at her.

  "Go, then, and get set up–-Jeeves, patch in Mr. Joyita and Bechimo, and get Emissary Twelve what she needs."

  "Yes, Miri."

  Emissary Twelve inclined slightly from the waist, more-or-less, and hurried away in the direction of the driveway and her ship. Miri spun on a heel and trotted toward the house.

  "I can pilot myself," she said. "By the way."

  "Can you, if Val Con is . . . unavailable?" Daav asked.

  "Good question. I been taking lessons, but we don't know what'll happen, if one of us leaves the loop permanently. Not really any good way to do a pretest."

  "No," Daav said softly; "there isn't."

  They were approaching the side door, which opened as they approached.

  "Jeeves," Miri said; "I want Kareen, full screen, in the morning parlor. Delm's Emergency, tell her."

  "Yes, Miri."

  "You will need clothes," Aelliana said; "your jacket. Give me leave to pack for you."

  Miri nodded, and Aelliana peeled off, running lightly down the hall to the back stairs.

  "Jeeves, let Aelliana into our room."

  "Done."

  Miri swept into the morning parlor, and stood before the screen, legs braced. She felt Daav come to rest behind her left shoulder, covering her off-side, and her stomach cramped, feeling that last sweep of horror from Val Con all over again–-

  The screen flickered, and Kareen was with her, sharp eyes moving from her face to Daav's and back.

  "Korval." She bowed, full respect to the delm.

  "Yes," Miri said, delm to clan member. "There is an emergency. You will listen; you will not interrupt; you will acknowledge that you have understood me; and you will obey. Am I clear?"

  "Korval, you are."

  "The delm has been compromised, and the Ring has fallen into the hands of the clan's enemies. Until such time as this situation has been repaired, you will hold Korval in trust for the na'delm, Talizea yos'Phelium.

  "Jeeves will open all records to you. He will provide Ms. dea'Gauss with a record of this meeting, so that she may do everything that is needful, for the good of the clan.

  "Your first task will naturally be to publicly inform the Council
of Bosses that, pursuant to Paragraph Seven, Clause Nine, the Road Boss, Val Con yos'Phelium and Miri Robertson, have sub-let the position to Kor Vid yos'Phelium and Daaneka tey'Doshi. They will provide a resume; Professor Waitley will test them for administrative aptitude. These documents will be made available to the Bosses."

  She paused to review, figured she'd hit the highlights, and Kareen'd do the needful–-no sense starting in to micromanage, even if she had time.

  "Do you understand what I have said?" she asked.

  It might have been an artifact of the screen, or the lighting in whatever room Kareen happened to be in, down there in the city, but it seemed like she'd paled somewhat, and for a long moment Miri thought she wasn't going to answer.

  Then, Kareen bowed, a potent weave of I am not Worthy, and Honor to the Delm.

  "Korval, I hear, I understand, and I will obey," she said, the High Tongue ringing like so many icy bells.

  Miri took a breath.

  "Excellent," she said. "The Ring, the clan, and its treasures, passes, in trust, to Kareen yos'Phelium. It is done."

  She bowed, low, clan member to delm, and heard Daav take a careful breath, before he, too, bowed.

  "Korval-pernard'i," he murmured.

  Kareen looked at him over Miri's shoulder, and inclined her head.

  "Kor Vid yos'Phelium, I See you," she murmured.

  She then spread her hands, showing empty palms, and spoke to Miri.

  "I release you to your task, which is of utmost importance to the clan. Solve it quickly, Pilot, and return to us."

  "Korval," Miri said, and turned to the door.

  The last thing she heard before she stepped into the hallway was Kareen saying, "Jeeves, please send the recording of this meeting to all adult clan members, and to Ms. dea'Gauss."

  Aelliana met her in the hall, passing over a travel-bag and a leather jacket.

  "We will take good care of Talizea, Miri," she said softly, and Miri swallowed, feeling that like a strike to the heart. Gods, gods, Lizzie. And neither of them likely to get out of this alive . . .

  "Thank you," she said to Aelliana, and took a hard breath. "It would be good if Kamele could come spend some time with her, too."