Read Online The Agent Gambit by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), Science Fiction - Adventure, General & Literary Fiction
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he continued, lowering his voice to a mere bellow as he gestured about him with a three-fingered hand the size of a child's head. "This is yours, is it not?"
Val Con performed another slow bow, less profound than the first.
"I am honored that you recognize the workmanship," he murmured in soft Trade, "but I ask that you humor your soft brother. The work, which I had not known you might witness, is a specialty. It is to remain anonymous, known only to myself-and you, now, brother-and this lady, who assists me."
Edger sighed a tornado.
"What genius dwells within my brother! What nobility of purpose is his, who recognizes that art may be set free and allowed to pursue its own destiny and fulfillment!
"I am in your debt yet again, and I ask that you forgive my attention to the work which required you to bow such a bow. As your brother I ask that you not bow so to me again."
He paused to gaze at his brother the musician with wonder in his saucer-sized eyes.
"Frequently, I meditate upon that last work you played for the Clan, wherein you juxtaposed elements of the music of your people with the music of my own. That you could achieve such a thing without prior composition is a continuing astonishment to me. It is my opinion that most members of your race would rest, had they achieved such virtuosity upon an instrument. But you-I find you exploring other dimensions, tying the filaments of your work together with strands of discord and rhythm . . . ." He let this drift away in order to sample again the music happening now.
"It is I who must bow to you!" he announced suddenly, nearly knocking over a passing firefighter as he attempted so do just that.
His brother waved his many-fingered hands, as if he would hold back the torrent of praise.
"It is too much-I thank you." The hands turned up to show the palms in his well-remembered gesture. "You permit?"
"Speak on. I permit all to such a brother, and such an artist."
"I would ask that you grant the boon of your company to myself and my companion for the space of a few days. It is that we must travel and there have been-hindrances. I feel we would be passed to our destination without molestation, if you grant us your cognizance." Val Con paused, head tipped slightly to one side.
"If you will," he continued slowly, "the art you see here is but part of a larger and more complex work we perform."
"It shall be done!" Edger declared, turning to his kin, who had been patiently standing by. "It shall be done!" he said in the highest of the Clutch dialects.
The others sketched quick bows, silently taking fresh note of Edger's lamentable haste. Still, a T'carais may have a brother, and who is to deny the brother of a T'carais when the request is reasonable?
"It is arranged," Edgar said in Trade. "A few days at the disposal of my brother. It is too little, yet it begins to repay the debt. I-"
"Will you damn turtles get the hell out of this lobby?" The policewoman who demanded it, stungun at the ready, was a towering, muscled brute, a scarred veteran of a multitude of riots and street fights. She loomed over Val Con like a mastiff over a lynx.
Edger looked down at her from his height, astounded by the temerity of such a small, soft person.
The small, soft person, blissfully unaware of her transgression, continued her tirade. "Don't you stupid reptiles know that this building's on fire, that there's a desperate criminal loose, that we're evacuating the tenants, and that you are obstructing all of it? You-" A jerk of the stungun at Val Con. "Who're you?"
"Linguistic Specialist Nor Ton yos'Quentl, of the-"
Miri closed her eyes briefly.
"You registered here?" the cop cut in.
"No, I'm with these-"
"Then, for the sake of Heyjus, get your butt outta here!" the cop yelled, tripping the safety on the stungun and waving it in emphasis. "And take this zoo with you; the building's being evacuated. If you wanna stand here and have the roof fall on you," she continued, as one suddenly
Val Con performed another slow bow, less profound than the first.
"I am honored that you recognize the workmanship," he murmured in soft Trade, "but I ask that you humor your soft brother. The work, which I had not known you might witness, is a specialty. It is to remain anonymous, known only to myself-and you, now, brother-and this lady, who assists me."
Edger sighed a tornado.
"What genius dwells within my brother! What nobility of purpose is his, who recognizes that art may be set free and allowed to pursue its own destiny and fulfillment!
"I am in your debt yet again, and I ask that you forgive my attention to the work which required you to bow such a bow. As your brother I ask that you not bow so to me again."
He paused to gaze at his brother the musician with wonder in his saucer-sized eyes.
"Frequently, I meditate upon that last work you played for the Clan, wherein you juxtaposed elements of the music of your people with the music of my own. That you could achieve such a thing without prior composition is a continuing astonishment to me. It is my opinion that most members of your race would rest, had they achieved such virtuosity upon an instrument. But you-I find you exploring other dimensions, tying the filaments of your work together with strands of discord and rhythm . . . ." He let this drift away in order to sample again the music happening now.
"It is I who must bow to you!" he announced suddenly, nearly knocking over a passing firefighter as he attempted so do just that.
His brother waved his many-fingered hands, as if he would hold back the torrent of praise.
"It is too much-I thank you." The hands turned up to show the palms in his well-remembered gesture. "You permit?"
"Speak on. I permit all to such a brother, and such an artist."
"I would ask that you grant the boon of your company to myself and my companion for the space of a few days. It is that we must travel and there have been-hindrances. I feel we would be passed to our destination without molestation, if you grant us your cognizance." Val Con paused, head tipped slightly to one side.
"If you will," he continued slowly, "the art you see here is but part of a larger and more complex work we perform."
"It shall be done!" Edger declared, turning to his kin, who had been patiently standing by. "It shall be done!" he said in the highest of the Clutch dialects.
The others sketched quick bows, silently taking fresh note of Edger's lamentable haste. Still, a T'carais may have a brother, and who is to deny the brother of a T'carais when the request is reasonable?
"It is arranged," Edgar said in Trade. "A few days at the disposal of my brother. It is too little, yet it begins to repay the debt. I-"
"Will you damn turtles get the hell out of this lobby?" The policewoman who demanded it, stungun at the ready, was a towering, muscled brute, a scarred veteran of a multitude of riots and street fights. She loomed over Val Con like a mastiff over a lynx.
Edger looked down at her from his height, astounded by the temerity of such a small, soft person.
The small, soft person, blissfully unaware of her transgression, continued her tirade. "Don't you stupid reptiles know that this building's on fire, that there's a desperate criminal loose, that we're evacuating the tenants, and that you are obstructing all of it? You-" A jerk of the stungun at Val Con. "Who're you?"
"Linguistic Specialist Nor Ton yos'Quentl, of the-"
Miri closed her eyes briefly.
"You registered here?" the cop cut in.
"No, I'm with these-"
"Then, for the sake of Heyjus, get your butt outta here!" the cop yelled, tripping the safety on the stungun and waving it in emphasis. "And take this zoo with you; the building's being evacuated. If you wanna stand here and have the roof fall on you," she continued, as one suddenly
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