Rissa and Tregare (31 page)

"Madame Hulzein will be in her office now." They found Tregare there also.

He said, "Liesel, meet Rissa's brother-Ivan Marchant." Ivan stepped forward and shook her hand. Liesel gestured. "Sit down, sit down." Then; "Ivan-you'll have newer word from Earth. How much newer, since Rissa left? And tell me how things are-were-with my sister Erika."

Ivan cleared his throat. "You look so much like her-only younger-it's a shock. Rissa's told you-and I left only two years after-in that time, Madame Erika hadn't changed much."

"What was the situation there, as you saw it? And call me Liesel, if you please."

"All right-Liesel. Erika wasn't much for formal, either. Well, let's see-she had to be over seventy, but she kept in good shape, active. And she had things well in control. UET tried a putsch in South Western-Hem but Erika's govern-ment-and she
owned
it, by then-cut off the main body of Committee troops in the Matto Grasso. Erika collected quite a big ransom for them."

Liesel slapped her desk and laughed. "Always make a profit when you win!"

"Yes-I know." Ivan frowned. "Toward the last, I didn't see much of her. She had some project going-I don't know what. Frieda took charge." He looked at Liesel. "You know Frieda?"

"My sister's daughter? Of course. She was about fourteen when I last saw her. But what's
your
impression of her?

And how old was she when you left?"

"How old? Between thirty and thirty-five, I'd guess. But there's something wrong with that one; to tell you the truth I was glad to get out of there."

"For any specific reason?" said Rissa. She remembered the incident of Maria Faldane.

"Well-she was trying to reproduce. When she miscarried, she ordered her doctor killed. Erika intervened, but-" He shook his head. "She just wasn't stable. You never knew-"

Liesel sighed. "The Hulzein genes gone to seed; I was afraid of that. We may as well forget any effective liaison with her group. I wish-"

Tregare-said, "Before I was born, Erika closed the door. And if you could be on Earth right now-never mind the ob-jective travel time-she'd be nearly a hundred, or more likely dead a while." He saw Liesel wince, and said, "You know what the long view means; you knew it when you left Earth. Liesel-you can't reshape the past, so face what
is."
She nodded, the heavy crowning braids bobbed with the motion. "Oh, you're right, Bran. But-if only Erika could have realized! We could have-"

Tregare reached to grip her hand.
"We
still can. She can't; that's all." Liesel turned to Ivan. "Then Frieda has-or had-no daughter?"

His hand gestured negation. "The rumors-nothing but monsters, mostly born dead. There was talk that one was kept alive for a while until she gave up on it. From what I heard, that was a bad time-I'm glad I wasn't there then." Rissa said, "This would have been before I was there? But I heard nothing."

Ivan shrugged. "Erika kept good security in her own circle. The story didn't leak until you'd left-and then by someone who wanted to start trouble." He shuddered. "He got it, all right. It was then I knew I had to get out, and fast. It's a good thing we're
all
out of there."

"The Argentine Establishment itself," said Liesel. "Was it in danger when you left?"

"I don't know. A lot of rumors, was all-nothing solid. Power plays I didn't understand, and Frieda in the middle of them. For all I know, the Establishment could be wiped out by now-or it could own the planet. That's Frieda for you."

"I see. Well," Liesel turned to Tregare, "we have to be alert for any word from Earth, don't we?" He nodded, and Rissa asked Liesel, "Have you no later word through Osallin?" Then she gasped. "But I have not told you! He
came
here-to Base Two, rather-and was killed in the fighting." She shook her head. "I shall miss him. He was a good friend." Then; "But, Liesel-
have
you later in-formation?"

"I'm not sure; I'll have to check the dates.
Graf Spee
brought a dispatch-it's stil being decoded-and it's signed by Frieda and initialed by Erika. I figured out that much."

She sighed. "Sorry to hear about Osallin; from his reports that I've seen and from what you tel me, I think I'd have liked the man. Wish I'd met him. As for Earth-I suppose we can only wait and see. And by the way-with Osalin gone, what about Far Corner?"

"His successor is named Kirchessel; Osallin brought the new codes. And there, too, we can only wait." Tregare stood. "Nothing we can do now; that's certain. Rissa-I haven't had any real exercise since forever-or since I got burned, anyway. Want to hike uphil a way if I get a lunch packed for us? And how about you, Ivan?" Ivan nodded. Rissa said, "Yes, of course." She went to her room and changed clothes, then met the others downstairs. at first, until their muscles loosened, they walked slowly. Then the trail steepened; the three began to exert themselves, becoming short of breath until they gained second wind. Tregare turned left onto a narrow, overgrown trail Rissa had not noticed before. It bent sharply uphill, so steep that they needed to grasp bushes to help keep balance. Panting now, they continued until the slope eased-cresting a ridge to see, ahead through the trees, a smal dark-blue lake. Rissa said, "Bran-did you know this was here?"

Tregare laughed. "I spotted it once, from aloft. I was guess-ing I had the right trail to it."

"It's beautiful here," said Ivan. "Not just the lake-all of it."

"Yes," said Rissa. "And the climb has given me an ap-petite." She sat on the ground, Tregare on a stump, Ivan on a mossy boulder. They ate bread and cheese, meats and fruit, with sips from a bottle of tart red wine. They spoke little-mostly of their surroundings, pointing out oddities of plant life and the few smal, scuttling animals they saw. They fel silent. A fish-or something like a fish-jumped and splashed back into the lake. Rissa lay back and dozed. Tregare's voice woke her. ". . . for sure, then, no counting on the Earthside Hulzeins?" 

"I wouldn't think so," said Ivan. "You
are
going to Earth, are you? Or maybe I shouldn't ask." Tregare laughed. "Oh, I've thought of it-several ways. I always have lots of possibilities in mind, Ivan-so if one goes sour, I scratch it off and don't waste thought on it. But it makes a difference whether there'd be a stable Hulzein con-nection on Earth, maybe sixty-eighty years after you left."

Rissa opened her eyes and saw Ivan shake his head. "I couldn't guess-not even two years from when I left, let alone the time until
you
could get there."

"No matter," said Tregare. "There'll be news. If not from the Hulzeins, then from someone else. And if not here, maybe the next place I land."

- -

"The long view." Ivan said it a moment before Rissa would have. She sat up.

"Yes," she said. "It is hard to think in such terms, but it is necessary."

"Damned hard," said her brother. "I guess I'll have to work on it." Tregare stood. "Before we turn back, should we go a little farther?" He led the way; they circled half around the lake and climbed one side of a looming promontory, then came out to its tip and gazed at the scene below. The Lodge looked very small; beside it the aircars were mere dots.

"And this," said Rissa, "is less than halfway to the top."

"Top of the first-and lowest-major ridge, you mean," said Tregare. "Well, I've had my workout climbing. On the way down, I'm willing to take it easy."

In no great hurry, they descended; when they reached the Lodge, the sun was low. In their room Rissa and Tregare shared a hot tub, then bed, before going downstairs to dinner. Liesel was first to the table; shortly Ivan joined them, then Sparline and Ernol.

"Ernol-my brother, Ivan Marchant."

The two shook hands; Ernol said, "If you fight like she does, unarmed, I'd appreciate a practice session sometime." Ivan grinned. "I worked more with weapons-unarmed, maybe I'd be the one learning. Sure, though-I might have a couple of new moves for you."

Servitors brought food. "Eat now, fight later," said Liesel.

when coffee and liqueurs were served, Tregare excused him-self and returned a half hour later. "Talked with Limmer," he said. "Things are moving well. But we'd better go across to-morrow, Rissa, and check the work before anyone does any cutting.
Spee
and
Valkyrie are
the same class as
Lefthand Thread,
but not the same age. There may have been some modifications."

"Very well. Bran. And Ivan goes, also?" Tregare nodded. "Good-Ivan, you will have a new experience." Then, "And did you speak with Base One?"

"Yes. Main caught part of a message from the packet. It's pretty close, now, but he missed the landing date-noisy signal."

Liesel smiled. "Hawkman-he'll be here soon-and about time! But, Bran-you and Rissa are leaving again, so soon?"

"Only for two-three days. Why? Something's up?"

"Well-" Liesel looked at her daughter. "This girl's had long enough to try out her man. When Hawkman gets home, I think we'll marry her off and get it over with."

"Mother!"
Sparline was up and around the table, hugging and kissing the older woman. "Mother-I'm so glad!" Never before had Rissa heard Sparline call her mother anything but Liesel.

Ernol said, "I am, too," and leaned to kiss Liesel's cheek. "Thank you-and I guess this means I'm doing my job all right?"

"You don't have to ask that-you
know
you are. Now there's one question-only because Hawkman and I may be going to Earth, leaving you and Sparline in charge here."

Ernol's brows raised. "Yes?"

"Names. By custom, you'd each keep your own. But you've come up fast; some of the oligarchs could get snicky.

'Ernol Lombuno? Who's he?'-you know? So if you'd like to add the name Moray-
or
Hulzein-we'll put it in the contract."

"I-hadn't thought of the possibility. I-"

"You don't have to decide now, think it over. Whatever you and
Sparline prefer, that's how it'll
be." Ernol nodded. "It's a great compliment, Liesel. My own name-a Lombuno commanded troops that won victory against terrible odds. But I'd be just as proud of Moray or Hulzein, too."

Holding Ernol's hand in both of hers, Sparline looked up. "Whatever Ernol decides, that's what I want, too." She smiled at him. "And if you take Moray or Hulzein, I get to add Lombuno."

Her mother laughed. "She's got you there, Ernol. Wel, you

two figure out what you want. Now, then-anybody for

cards?"

Tregare shook his head. "Not me-not tonight." Rissa followed his lead, and one by one the group dispersed. tregare, next morning, lifted the new aircar toward the pass. Rissa, Ivan beside her, followed in the older one. "Watch carefully," she said. "At the crucial points there are land-marks." She showed him the oxygen equipment; they fitted the tubes into place. Ahead, Tregare came abreast of the pass; she saw him turn up and into the buffeting currents. Then she, too, turned. As they climbed, she did not speak. When the dogleg loomed she said "Wow!" and swung the car viciously, at ful power, into the first turn. She heard Ivan's whoop; when they were through the second and into more open space, she glanced aside to him. He was beating his palms against his knees and laughing.

"Oh, that's beautiful, Rissa-I'm glad you didn't tell me ahead of time!" His next words did not disappoint her. "Let me try it sometime?"

"If you have the landmarks correctly." He reported what he had seen. "Yes-that is right. Of course the reverse trip is somewhat different. You wil see."

When they neared Base One, Tregare swooped toward it, then up again. On the car's speakers Rissa heard the sound of his cal and an answer but could not make out the words. He swung up and along the ridge above the cabin, and she fol-lowed, as he took course for Base Two. After a time, the crater and its ships came into sight. Ivan whistled. "Five, by God! And he's arming them al, isn't he? What's he-no, I mustn't ask yet; right?"

"Soon," she said.
If
the truth field shows him clear of UET's booby traps...
She landed beside Tregare's aircar, where he waited. He said, "Ivan-you mind if I ask a few questions, in that build-ing over there?" Ivan looked puzzled; then his face cleared. "Truth field? Sure-you'd be crazy if you didn't. I mean-I know where I
want
my loyalties to be, but maybe Erika's people didn't spring al the triggers UET planted in my head, back at Wel-fare. Maybe some weren't geared to that situation. If that's true, I want to know it-as much as you do, maybe more." He grinned. "Let's go." TREGARE'S questioning was painfully deliberate, with pauses while he looked from Ivan to the indicators and back again. At one point he said, "We're getting a wiggle I can't pin down. Let's try it from another angle." He frowned and shook his head. "All right-Erika, not UET, trained you for killing. But what if she did exactly what they wanted?" He looked down, and up again.

"No reaction. Well, then-" His voice came harsh. "It's killing time, Marchant!
Who's your target?"
Ivan leaned forward, tensed. "The enemies!"

"Whose
enemies?"

He tried to rise; Rissa clutched his shoulder. "UET's!
You!"

Rissa gasped. So
he
was
the UET plant we feared! But watch-watch and listen ..
Ivan sank back in his chair; his eyes widened. "But how could they-?"

Tregare's pointed finger held his gaze. "They knew where Rissa had gone. They knew she meant to get you out. So they planned for it."

Rissa said, "But .you, Bran-they could not know-"

"Not me personally," said Tregare.
"Anybody
opposing UET. Right, Marchant?" Ivan nodded; he looked down at his fingers, spread them, then clasped them together. "Do you have to kill me-or maybe just turn me loose somewhere I can't hurt anything?" His clenched hands beat down on his knee. "Oh,
hell-here
I thought-all this way, and I even found
Rissa-l
was hoping, but-"

"No!"
said Rissa, and Tregare shook his head.

"Nothing like that," he said. "If you weren't pretty well defused already, you couldn't have got that up top and said it to my face. But a few precautions. You mind working under a hypnotic? Not to plant anything
into
you, but to spring what else is stil there?" Ivan shrugged. "Whatever you say." From a drawer Tregare took an ampoule, and made the injection. Now the questions came fast. Twice Ivan crouched and snarled, ready to attack. Each time Tregare fired a repetitive
"Why?"
forcing the man to Consider his answers until he saw past their origin to his true feelings. Gradualy the responses became less violent; soon Tregare could handle each with only a few questions, nodding as the indicators held a steady green. Finaly he turned to Rissa. "He's safe now; Erika must have got most of it out. I'd bet my life on him-in fact, I'm going to." Yawning, he stood and stretched. "That was
work!
Well, I'd better get on and see Limmer. Ivan'll be a while coming out of it-you'll stay with him and bring him along later?"