Read Online Quiet Knives by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
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petition is mishandled--and there
is no possibility that the chairman will not mishandle it--doesn't bear
thinking about. I--Action needs to be taken. But I must know what
the High Judge is planning."
"And you think Kore knows."
"Yes."
"But Kore's been taken by
the chairman," Midj pointed out, trying to keep the thought--and
its implications--from reaching real nerve endings. "If he's as
ruthless as he say, he's already cracked Kore's head open and
emptied out everything inside." Including
my name, my ship's name, and the fact that I was coming for
him. That did touch nerve, and she picked up
her cup, swigging down the last of the cold coffee.
"The chairman tried to do exactly that,"
Sambra Reallen said. "Mr. Zar's defenses are formidable--also, as I
discover from my study of the session transcript, he wasn't asked
the right question."
"You got my name from the transcript,
then."
"No." The Juntava shook her head. "I got
your pinbeam receiver ID from the transcript. Mr. Zar could not be
persuaded to part with your name, though he was obviously
experiencing some ...discomfort for withholding the
information."
The receiver ID was enough to sink
her--present company being evidence--but she'd made it extra easier
for them by coming on-world--and the joke was on her, if she'd
taken an honest warn-away for code.
"So, what do you want from me?" Might as
well ask it straight out, though she thought she had a good idea
what it would be.
"I want you to pull him out of custody. I
can provide you with his location, weapons if you need them, and a
safe place to bring him to."
Yup, that was it. Midj shook her head.
"And what do I get?"
The Juntava pushed the untouched sandwich
away and leaned her elbows on the table.
"What do you want?"
Just like that: Name a
price and the Juntavas would meet it. No problem. She felt a hot
flash of fury, felt the words, I want my
brother back rising and kept them behind
her teeth with an effort. Sat for a couple of heartbeats,
breathing. Just that.
When she was sure she could trust her voice,
she met the other woman's bland eyes.
"What I want is Kore, free and in shape to
leave, if that's what he still wants. And I want us both to have
safe passage out of here, and a guarantee that we won't either of
us be pursued by the Juntavas after."
There was a pause.
"I could promise you these things," Sambra
Reallen said eventually, "but until I hear what Korelan Zar has to
tell me--if he will tell me anything--I can't know if my promise
will hold air." She raised a hand, palm out. "I understand that you
have no reason to love the Juntavas, Captain. The best I can
promise at this point is that, if Chairman Trogar leaves the game,
I will do my best to ensure that your conditions are met."
About what she'd figured; as good as she was
going to get, and no time to negotiate anyway, with Kore's life on
the line.
"Why hasn't the chairman killed him?" she
asked.
The Juntava shrugged. "It could be that the
chairman thinks Korelan Zar still retains some potential for
amusement."
Right . Midj sighed.
"I'll need a diversion. If Kore's
high-level, then there are high-level people interested in him
who'll have to be drawn off."
Sambra Reallen nodded. "I'll call a
department chair meeting."
Midj blinked. "You can do that?"
The Juntava smiled, letting a glimmer of
genuine amusement show. "Oh, yes," she said. "I can do that."
* * *
GETTING OUT THE DOOR hadn't been so hard
after all, though there was going to be hell to pay if--well, there
was going to be hell to pay; it wasn't any use thinking there could
be a different outcome to this.
He was sorry he wouldn't be on hand to see
the finish of it, since he'd been in on the beginning. It had been
a grand, beautiful scheme, so logical. So--simple. Introduce a
justice system into Juntavas structure. Feed and nurture and
protect it and its practitioners for twenty, thirty, fifty
Standards--they hadn't been sure of the timing, but hoped to see
results within
is no possibility that the chairman will not mishandle it--doesn't bear
thinking about. I--Action needs to be taken. But I must know what
the High Judge is planning."
"And you think Kore knows."
"Yes."
"But Kore's been taken by
the chairman," Midj pointed out, trying to keep the thought--and
its implications--from reaching real nerve endings. "If he's as
ruthless as he say, he's already cracked Kore's head open and
emptied out everything inside." Including
my name, my ship's name, and the fact that I was coming for
him. That did touch nerve, and she picked up
her cup, swigging down the last of the cold coffee.
"The chairman tried to do exactly that,"
Sambra Reallen said. "Mr. Zar's defenses are formidable--also, as I
discover from my study of the session transcript, he wasn't asked
the right question."
"You got my name from the transcript,
then."
"No." The Juntava shook her head. "I got
your pinbeam receiver ID from the transcript. Mr. Zar could not be
persuaded to part with your name, though he was obviously
experiencing some ...discomfort for withholding the
information."
The receiver ID was enough to sink
her--present company being evidence--but she'd made it extra easier
for them by coming on-world--and the joke was on her, if she'd
taken an honest warn-away for code.
"So, what do you want from me?" Might as
well ask it straight out, though she thought she had a good idea
what it would be.
"I want you to pull him out of custody. I
can provide you with his location, weapons if you need them, and a
safe place to bring him to."
Yup, that was it. Midj shook her head.
"And what do I get?"
The Juntava pushed the untouched sandwich
away and leaned her elbows on the table.
"What do you want?"
Just like that: Name a
price and the Juntavas would meet it. No problem. She felt a hot
flash of fury, felt the words, I want my
brother back rising and kept them behind
her teeth with an effort. Sat for a couple of heartbeats,
breathing. Just that.
When she was sure she could trust her voice,
she met the other woman's bland eyes.
"What I want is Kore, free and in shape to
leave, if that's what he still wants. And I want us both to have
safe passage out of here, and a guarantee that we won't either of
us be pursued by the Juntavas after."
There was a pause.
"I could promise you these things," Sambra
Reallen said eventually, "but until I hear what Korelan Zar has to
tell me--if he will tell me anything--I can't know if my promise
will hold air." She raised a hand, palm out. "I understand that you
have no reason to love the Juntavas, Captain. The best I can
promise at this point is that, if Chairman Trogar leaves the game,
I will do my best to ensure that your conditions are met."
About what she'd figured; as good as she was
going to get, and no time to negotiate anyway, with Kore's life on
the line.
"Why hasn't the chairman killed him?" she
asked.
The Juntava shrugged. "It could be that the
chairman thinks Korelan Zar still retains some potential for
amusement."
Right . Midj sighed.
"I'll need a diversion. If Kore's
high-level, then there are high-level people interested in him
who'll have to be drawn off."
Sambra Reallen nodded. "I'll call a
department chair meeting."
Midj blinked. "You can do that?"
The Juntava smiled, letting a glimmer of
genuine amusement show. "Oh, yes," she said. "I can do that."
* * *
GETTING OUT THE DOOR hadn't been so hard
after all, though there was going to be hell to pay if--well, there
was going to be hell to pay; it wasn't any use thinking there could
be a different outcome to this.
He was sorry he wouldn't be on hand to see
the finish of it, since he'd been in on the beginning. It had been
a grand, beautiful scheme, so logical. So--simple. Introduce a
justice system into Juntavas structure. Feed and nurture and
protect it and its practitioners for twenty, thirty, fifty
Standards--they hadn't been sure of the timing, but hoped to see
results within
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