Rissa said, "Yes-I remember the traffic markers well enough. Where will I find you?"
"Hmm-how about over at the corner where we landed the scout?"
"Yes." She kissed him and got into the aircar. She found the DRC building with no difficulty, and Estelle Marco was free to see her almost immediately.
This time Rissa knew what to expect-the slight discomfort of gas moving inside her, after the cold feel on her belly as the "faucet handle" opened pa.s.sage to her ova.
This time no blockage was found, and in a very few minutes, after talking briefly with Dr. Marco, she was outside again. As she got into the aircar she heard slow thunder. Looking toward the port, she saw the ship descend.
She flew a little faster than the city"s traffic rules sanctioned, and landed where she had agreed. She did not see Tregare, so she got out and walked toward the new ship, less than a mile away. When she neared it she saw its name: Graf Spee. She thought, Why, it"s one of his! Now he has the six he needs! She tried to remember more of what he had said.
At the ship"s ramp she met an armed guard. She said, "Is Tregare aboard? " The man said, "If he is, who wants him?"
"Tell him Tari Obrigo."
"I never heard of you."
"Nor I of you-but be advised that Tregare will want to know I am here."
"I"ll see." He talked into the unit strapped to his wrist, listened, then nodded.
"Captain Krueger says you can go up. Sorry-we never know who anyone is at a strange landing."
"In such case, would not courtesy be the safer course?" But she added, "Aboard I will say nothing to your disfavor."
She did not wait for an answer, but climbed the ramp and entered. Inside, the ship was nearly a twin to Lefthand Thread. Guessing, she tried the galley first and found Tregare sitting and talking with a slim blonde woman. He looked up and waved a hand as Rissa approached.
The woman stood; she was considerably below average height. Tregare said, "Tari, meet Ilse Krueger. We"re six ships now!"
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As Rissa shook hands she looked carefully at Use Krueger- pale curly hair, blue eyes slightly tilted, strong cheekbones that dominated the thin face. Thirty years, biological? Or thirty-five, perhaps? And for all her look of fragility, the woman"s handclasp had strength.
"Let me see if I remember," said Rissa. "You are freely allied, with nothing owed?"
"He told it right, I see." Coming from so small a body, the deep voice surprised Rissa. "Yes. Bernardez and I-if he gets here-we"re in it because it needs doing. Like poor Hoad-except that he was obligated and we"re not. Of course if Tregare pulls it off. we"ll all profit." She motioned. "Here, let"s sit down. There"s coffee and things. Now-I hear you"ve married this great beast. Nothing wrong with that, if your tastes run so. He tells me you"re a match for anything on two feet." She sniffed. "Can"t say you look it, but looks can fool a person.
"Peace, Ilse Krueger! So many quick words-give us a chance to know each other. I am not that difficult to know."
Tregare laughed. "I told you, Ilse. Didn"t I?"
"You"ve told me a lot of things-mostly true, I grant." Then, to Rissa; "All right-you talk for a while."
"What is to say? My life, until now? Very well. I am Earth-born, was Welfared as a child, and am Escaped. I am trained in combat and have needed to kill three. Tregare and I have married; when it is time, I go with him on Inconnu. What else would you know?"
"You don"t like me, do you?"
"I have no dislike. If someone pushes, I push back. Nothing more."
Ilse Krueger paused, then said, "We"re different, that"s all."
"Lots different," said Tregare. "And both valuable to me, different ways."
The small woman laughed, "All right, Tari-we"re both working for the same maniac. I think we can get along." But Rissa found neither words nor tone convincing.
"I hope so," she said, "though I do not entirely understand."
"Don"t worry about it," said Tregare. "Time to go, anyway."
He stood. Ilse Krueger said, "Wait a minute. It just struck 194.
me-I"ve heard the name Tari Obrigo before, earlier today."
Tregare"s brows rose. "So? She"s known here."
Krueger shook her head. "No. It was one of my pa.s.sengers, fresh out of freeze but young and strong enough to start moving right away. He was asking for you groundside, Tari-for you and two or three other names."
UET? "What did he look like?" Rissa waited.
"I barely glanced at him. Slim, about Tregare"s height- white face, dark hair.
That"s all I remember."
Rissa frowned. "Do you know his name?" Though if he were UET, it hardly mattered....
"Just a minute. The list should be under these papers." Krueger found it, ran a finger down the margin and turned the sheet so Rissa could read it. "This one."
The name meant nothing to Rissa; she repeated it and shook her head. "I do not recognize it, but I thank you for the information. I will be on guard."
"Both of us," said Tregare. "Well, Ilse, you can be at Base Two in three days?
We"ll have the crews ready to start converting."
"Good enough, Tregare. I have cargo to d.i.c.ker off-I"m already set for refueling- and that"s all."
"Then I"ll see you next, probably, across the Hills." He shook hands-Rissa did not- and they went downship and outside.
Krueger"s manner still bothered Rissa. "I do not dislike her ... yet. Is there some reason she should resent me?"
"She doesn"t. Ilse just has to crowd everybody a little. You got off easier than most; I think she likes you."
"I felt no communication, no rapport. But I suppose that is not necessary, to exchange information over a viewscreen."
"Forget it-I guarantee there"s no problem. Now, then- what happened at the Hatchery?" She told him; he said, "Good. They get the ovum from you day after tomorrow-right?" She nodded. "We"ll stay at Maison Renalle that night -have Norden to dinner, and maybe Ressider-even Ilse, if you don"t mind. And-"
She touched his arm. "Yes, Bran. But we will be there first for a time, before the rest. Then you may invite anyone you wish."
Hand in hand, arms swinging together, they walked toward the aircar. Pointing at it, he said, "I"ve ordered out a couple 195.
more of those-newer models but not much different. As things are, we"re running too low on mobility."
"Who pilots the third one? I mean-through the pa.s.s?"
"No hurry. Two will hold us for a while. Hawkman"s due back soon; likely he"ll visit us and can bring it then."
"That is feasible. And what are we to do now?"
"Wait. Get the word to some people I know, to be on the lookout for Mr. Nosy Stranger. And catch up on some business in the city. Is Maison Renalle all right with you?"
She nodded. "Although I shall not stay hidden-it is not practical-a.s.sured safety in our own quarters will be welcome."
"Sure. Too bad we"re stuck, for now, with the need to fill that peace-jangling zoom-womb!"
"I am no fonder of the restriction than you are. But it is necessary."
TREGARE carried their luggage into Maison Renalle-then, after checking them in, up to a room Rissa recognized as security quarters. Relaying through the Lodge and the scout, he called Limmer and gave him the news. "So paint two more landing circles. Expect Valkyrie- Kile Ressider"s acting captain until Zelde gets here-two days from now. Krueger with Graf Spee the day after. I may be one day later, maybe not-either way you can go ahead with the hull plates."
As Limmer cut circuit, Sparline"s face appeared on the screen. "So you"re in town!
Why didn"t you stop by?" She smiled and shook her head. "Never mind-I know you"re busy, Bran. But, Rissa-I"m coming in tomorrow myself. Can we meet?"
They arranged it for mid-morning at the Maison, and for Tregare to join them for a noontime meal. When the call was done, Rissa said, "Bran-what do they, at the Lodge, know of what has happened with us? I have not spoken of your business to any, even Liesel."
"I"ve sent in progress reports every day or two-on the work, though, nothing about Peralta"s caper and all that."
"Then how much may I tell Sparline?"
"All you want. This is family-social. My reports were business."
"Good." She looked out the window. "The-sun is still high, 196.
but it seems much later; I am hungry." Then she laughed. "No wonder-I am used to our early sunsets, behind the Hills!"
They had dinner served in the room. Afterward, Tregare made a few calls, then studied papers at a small desk. For a time Rissa watched an entertainment channel on the view- screen, sound turned low. Then she switched it off and read for a while. Tired from the previous night"s excesses, they went to bed early.
TREGARE was up and gone early the next morning, leaving without breakfast. Rissa woke in time to kiss him good morning, then could not get back to sleep. She ordered breakfast and ate, then showered and washed her hair. She was still drying it when Sparline arrived. The two embraced; Rissa stepped back and said, "I suppose I could have clothed myself before welcoming a guest. Would you like coffee or anything?"
"Coffee"s fine." Rissa ordered it, put on a robe, and sat.
Before conversation got far, a boy brought the tray. Rissa poured, and said, "I have not kept in touch well, I know."
"Reading between the lines of Bran"s reports, I"m not surprised. Rissa, what in the flaming name of peace has been, happening over there, across the Hills?"
"Well, so that I do not waste your time, what do you know?"
Sparline summarized. Rissa said, "You have not heard the matter of Jimar Peralta, who commanded No Return." She told the story, but could not bring herself to speak of Osallin. "It will not happen again, that sort of thing. We have borrowed Ami Gustafson"s truth field equipment and checked everyone at Base Two. And of course Bran will interview the people of the new ships the same way. You know of those two?"
"Yes. I played the tape off the relay last night. But, Rissa -Bran"s all right now?"
"It has been-about two weeks, I think. A few spots are still scabbed, but he dispensed with bandages several days ago."
Sparline nodded. "He heals fast-he always did." She touched Rissa"s hand.
"You"re definitely going with him, are you?"
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"I-" Rissa laughed. "I am to be Third Hat on Inconnu!" Seeing Sparline"s puzzled look, she said, "Oh, it is not nepotism-he convinced me the appointment is valid, or I would not have accepted it."
"Sure-I know that-about both of you. Just seemed quick."
"To me, also. And now, Sparline-what occurs at the Lodge?"
"Well, Hawkman"s due soon on the packet. Liesel"s eager as a bride, but never tell her I said so! Ernol, now-for a while there, trying to learn more than he could in such a short time, he really wore himself out. But now he"s on top of the job, and not even Liesel can shake him. He and I, we"re all but married-I think Liesel"s waiting only until we can all be together, to announce it." Sh.e put a hand to Rissa"s shoulder. "You and Bran-you will visit the Lodge before you leave, won"t you?"
"Of course. We would not depart without seeing all of you first. And not only once, with any luck." She smiled.
"I"m glad. Rissa-it"s a short time you"ve been here. But I feel I"ve known you a lot longer."
Not smiling now, Rissa said, "I know. I feel much the same."
THEY were talking of other things-business matters, the conduct of Rissa"s local holdings in her absence-when Tregare entered. He hugged Sparline, then Rissa, and said, "Let me order us lunch. I came in the back way, past the kitchen, and saw something-brought in fresh-I haven"t had for a long time." He spoke on the intercom, then said, "Just wait- you"ll see."
When the meal came, Rissa ate with enjoyment. "You were right, Bran-this is delicious. A marine creature, is it not? But at what stage of evolution? Not fish-the texture is different -yet not the equivalent of mammal. Reptile? Amphibian?"
He shook his head. "No Earthly a.n.a.logue-here, evolution"s taken some sidetracks.
This critter"s scaled and coldblooded, but has a four-chambered heart and births its young alive. The lower front fins look a lot like hands."
Rissa"s cutlery clattered against her plate. "Bran-could it be intelligent?"
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He grinned. "No chance. In another half billion years it might start to be, maybe.
Right now it"s strictly an eating machine-mostly teeth. Bright for its habitat, but that"s not saying much."
She resumed eating. "All right-but for a moment you spoiled my appet.i.te."
After the meal, the three left Maison Renalle and walked toward the major retail district. "If you"re after clothes, Rissa," Tregare said, "bear to your right after I leave you."
"Yes-I had not thought before, but my wardrobe will not suffice for our travels."
Then; "Whom do you deal with next?"
"Man named Carlingen, in the Open Exchange up ahead here. Struck me, we might run low on sheet metal. Graf Spee can take it across the hills."
They parted, and the two women shopped for clothing. Rissa sought utilitarian shipboard garb; Sparline"s choices were more ornamental. By mid-afternoon, both were satisfied; they stopped at an outdoor cafe and shared a small bottle of wine.