The Space Guardian (20 page)

When the brig door was opened, Shom was immediately visible; Fanny, however, was gone. The crewman who had unlocked the door uttered an unbelieving oath and stepped incautiously inside. As he cleared the door, a neatly twisted garrote caught him around the neck and he was whirled behind the door to be used as a shield.

“Easy, Fanny!” Stoat cried. “Don’t kill him. We have made terms with the Guild.”

“Come in,” Fanny growled. “Close door.”

It was a wise precaution, showing that Fanny was a worthy member of the team. Had Stoat and Lahks been prisoners, Stoat might have been forced to say what he did. They came in and Fanny slammed the door shut. Since both were smiling and neither made any move to avoid an attack, Fanny relaxed his grip on the crewman. He looked without favor at his victim, whose bulging eyes and purple complexion were slowly returning to normal,

“Maybe tear off arm as lesson?” Fanny asked hopefully.

“Now, now, don’t be vindictive,” Lahks protested. “They didn’t do us any harm, really.”

Fanny’s eyes shifted significantly around the room. Lahks touched his arm, he thrust the still-dazed crewman into Stoat’s arms, and they moved into the corridor.

“Spy eyes but no ears here,” Lahks remarked softly, her lips scarcely moving. “We are buying our way free with an extra heartstone.”

“Cheap—if believe is all have. Will?”

“I hope so. Anyway, I think they are anxious to get rid of us without killing us if they can. They don’t want both the gorls and Trade after them, as well as the Guild. Besides, they know the drom won’t let them imprison us.” She gestured toward the dented wall. Fanny stared at it with disbelief for a moment, then vented his growling chuckle.

“Drom wants something,” he said.

“Yes,” Lahks agreed. “I think so, too. But, what? And how will it tell us?”

Again Fanny’s fangs were bared in amusement. “Will find way. Sure of that.”

Stoat and the scowling crewman emerged from the brig. “Will you carry Shom, Fanny?” Stoat asked. “I’ll take the packs.”

By common consent, Shom and Fanny were paired. They decided to keep Shom in his drugged sleep because he could not be awakened without returning his stone, and there was some chance that someone would notice what he had. As Stoat lifted his pack and that of Lahks, Fanny remarked that he would see if he was allowed to wander around the ship to test their degree of freedom.

“What heading?” he asked.

Although there was small chance of Fanny being allowed into the Control room, he might discover their intended direction by indirect means.

“The Deal was to take us to the nearest transshipment port,” Lahks replied, “but considering the Captain’s mood, we might end up at the outermost star of the rim.”

“And what if the rim he heads for is the wrong direction?”

“Is there a wrong direction, for you?” Lahks asked Stoat.

He stared at her, then smiled his sharp weasel grin. “Not for me, if you are headed there.”

Lahks turned courteously to Fanny. “And for you, Prince? Is there some particular direction in which you wish to travel?”

The gorl exposed his tearing fangs. “Call Fanny. No more Prince. No more Clanmaster. Mad adventurer, instead. Anywhere good.” A grumbling laugh shook him. “Go where drom wants. Should be fun.”

Lahks cocked her head. “It might be at that,” she agreed.

“And if what we guessed about the makers of the drom and the drom itself is true,” she added, “the drom might lead us to Ghrey more directly than my ‘knowledge’ of his whereabouts. The drom has
very
direct methods of getting what it wants.”

They all laughed and went out together, Fanny to prowl down the corridors, Stoat and Lahks to settle into the adjoining cabin. When Stoat had set the packs down, he turned to Lahks. His feral eyes were unusually peaceful, his expression uncertain and singularly defenseless.

“On Wumeera I offered you permanent Contract,” he said softly. “You said then I should speak of it again when we were off-planet and I knew the full tale of your woes. Beldame, I no longer care what your woes or joys are or where your paths lead. I only know I wish to share all things with you.” He put out his left hand, palm up. “Will you make Contract with me—for body and labor? Permanent may be a long time for us, but . . .”

Lahks’ hand was already on his, briefly palm to palm, and then in a tight clasp. “Permanent Contract without conditions for body and labor. Agreed.” Her eyes, unshadowed and, for once, unsmiling, met his fully.

Stoat used her clasping hand to draw her to him. “It is very long since I have dared to love,” he murmured.

Lahks lifted her face to his. “Whether we go to a transshipment point or to the rim, just now we have time—a few days.”

“But a few days is an eternity to us,” Stoat said gravely, “as an eternity must pass for us like a few days.”

“Until forever, then.” Lahks smiled as their lips met.