Read Online Night Train to Rigel by Timothy Zahn - Free Book Online Page B

New Tigris,” Applegate said. “They’d been out there looking over the system.”
    “And where were you exactly?” I persisted, still not believing I could have missed spotting him.
    “I was already at the platform when your shuttle came in,” he said with a knowing smile. “Relax—even Westali field training fades away over time. Besides, you were busy glaring at the Spider who walked off with your luggage. Did you get it back, by the way?”
    “Yes,” I assured him, glancing around the car. This was not a line of conversation I wanted to pursue just now. “And I really should get going.”
    “Why?” Applegate asked, waving me back down as I started to get up. “Oh, sit—sit. You’re not worried about Losutu, are you?”
    “What, worry about a man who once said he wished I would just go away or die or something?” I reminded him darkly.
    Applegate snorted. “Oh, please. Losutu talks a blustery day, but he has way too big a turnover in enemies to worry about some minor two-year-old political embarrassment. In fact, once he finds out you’re aboard, chances are he’ll invite you for a drink.”
    “Why? Does the bar serve hemlock?”
    “Hardly,” Applegate said, his smile fading as he turned serious. “Off the record, Frank, Director Klein’s been having trouble with the Western Alliance Parliament over a couple of his proposals. It could be that a former Westali agent like yourself might be able to suggest ways of soothing their fears and getting them on board.”
    “Isn’t that why you’re here?”
    He shrugged. “It never hurts to get a second opinion.”
    “Ah,” I said, feeling the cynic in me rising to the surface. “Besides which, there’s a chance that the handful of Alliance reps who jumped on my bandwagon back then might be favorably influenced if I came out with a ringing endorsement of the Directorate’s proposals?”
    Applegate’s lips puckered. “I see you’ve lost none of your trademark tact.”
    “You go with your strengths. I take it this Cimman starfighter deal is the bone of contention?”
    “One of them, yes,” Applegate said. “But I really ought to let Losutu brief you on that himself.”
    I nodded as a memory suddenly clicked. The two Cimmaheem in the corner table when Bayta and I had dropped in a few hours ago for our tea and lemonade. The human who’d been sitting with them… “That was you having the quiet chat over a bowl of skinski flambé wasn’t it?”
    He smiled. “You see? You haven’t lost it completely. Yes, I invited our colleagues for an informal strategy session while Losutu was working on his report. I would have come over and said hello, but you seemed to be having a rather serious conversation of your own.”
    My stomach tightened, then relaxed. With the bar’s acoustic design, there was no way he could have eavesdropped on us. All he would have seen was me having an intimate tête-à-tête with a young woman. Knowing him, he was bound to have instantly jumped to the wrong conclusion. “It was interesting,” I said, keeping my voice neutral.
    He lifted an eyebrow roguishly. “I’ll bet it was.” His eyes flicked over my shoulder. “And productive, too, I see,” he added, lifting a finger. “Miss?” he said, raising his voice a little. “He’s right here.”
    I half turned and looked around the seat back. Bayta was coming toward us, a frown clearing from her face as she spotted me. “There you are,” she said, sounding relieved as she came up. Her eyes flicked to Applegate, back to me. “I was starting to get worried.”
    “No need,” I assured her, gesturing to Applegate. “I ran into an old associate, that’s all.”
    I was facing Applegate as I said that, with Bayta only in my peripheral vision. But even so, I caught the sudden stiffening of her body. “You’re one of Mr. Compton’s friends?” she asked, her voice suddenly guarded.
    “ Mr . Compton?” Applegate repeated, a touch of amusement in his voice. “Hmm.