The Wizard of Anharitte (3 page)

As a Company agent more astute than most, Tito Ren had long since learned the value of an in-depth study both of the history and the cultural mores of the territories to which he was assigned. Thus he had been quick to recognize the multiple role of the societies and equally quick to adapt the system to his own requirements. His researches had shown the Society of Pointed Tails to be not only the most efficient of the available clans, but also the one still most proficient in the use of arms in situations where the rudimentary laws of Roget could not be bent sufficiently to gain the necessary advantage for an ambitious free trader.

Ren had wooed the members of Pointed Tails by concentrating his considerable leasings of property, services and local labor with them. He pursued his advantage by offering them well-paid investigation assignments probing those aspects of life in Anharitte he found of interest. Now he was ready to move into the next phase—that of actually using the Pointed Tails as an instrument with which to manipulate particular elements of Anharitte society itself. He was prepared to recognize, however, that a society as competent as the Pointed Tails would not be likely to accept his propositions without question. Nor was he wrong.

Catuul Gras, senior scribe of the Society of Pointed Tails, looked questioningly at Ren.

‘You’ve already spoken with your director, then?’

‘I have—and he’s in complete agreement. The
Imaiz
will have to be stopped. The director has already given me access to whatever Company funds I need in order to make a preliminary approach to you—and now he has gone to consult the Free Trade Council. If they concur, I’ll have unlimited funding from the Galactic Bank itself and whatever additional facilities I choose to call on.’

‘And you wish the Pointed Tails to prepare a scheme of harassment and feud against Dion-daizan?’

‘t need more than a feud. I need to crush Dion-daizan. Harassment may have its place—but if it doesn’t bring results prepared to consider anything short of full-scale warfare.’

. ‘And the Prefect Di Irons? Do you think he’s going to sit by happily while you wage war on the
Imaiz
?’

‘I intend to seek the support of all the lords of Anharitte, Di Irons among them. If we can gain their backing plus that of the Free Trade Council, the
Imaiz
won’t stand a chance.’

Catuul, his brilliant robes flowing about his muscled body, took a pensive turn around Ren’s booklined chamber. He was obviously not enthusiastic.

‘I think you oversimplify about the lords,’ he said. ‘Di Irons never support you in an overt act of war against the
Imaiz
, whatever his private sympathies. Di Guaard is so insane he’s till holding an inquisition to find pirates who became extinct two generations ago. Di Rode will listen to you, but he’s unlikely actively to support an outworlder against another House of Anharitte. Only the Lady T’Ampere appears as a possible—though I doubt you’d be prepared to pay her price for the alliance.’

—And the Society of Pointed Tails?’ asked Ren. ‘Will they support me?’

Catuul frowned. ‘I can’t anticipate the decision of my fellow scribes. I’ll call an immediate meeting of the lodge and recommend they take your assignment. But there will be much argument.’

‘What’s there to argue about?’

‘About the possibility of losing the fight. It’s easy enough for you to wave money and say you want to crush the
Imaiz
. But did you never think that Dion-daizan may prove powerful enough to crush the lot of us?’

‘That isn’t possible,’ said Ren. ‘Because whatever strengths he has, I can call on resources to match his ten times over. This is one fight you can’t possibly lose.’

‘Your thinking is typical of an outworlder’s,’ said Catuul. ‘You don’t appreciate Dion’s considerable influence with the bondslaves—or his command of magic. Believe me, you underestimate his potential, or you would not so lightly engage in plans for his destruction.’

‘Dion-daizan is a fraud. He’s a Terran adventurer—with no more occult powers than you or I.’

Catuul shrugged. ‘Call him by any name you like. We know him as a formidable and unforgiving enemy. He never allows an injury to pass unavenged.’

‘I can always approach another society if the Pointed Tails have cowards among their members,’ said Ren coldly.

‘Cowards?’ Catuul swung on him angrily. ‘There are none braver or more dedicated than the Pointed Tails. It isn’t they who might falter—but you.’

‘I?’ Ren was perplexed.

‘Of course. If the society accepts your assignment every man is committed to the death. But you have the option to rescind the contract at any time. If the going gets too rough you can retreat offworld to lick your wounds and total up your losses. But we can’t. We have to continue operating here in Anharitte—and the
Imaiz
makes no distinction between those who are paid to injure him and those who do the paying. Only the scrolls tell of the remains of societies who once tangled with the
Imaiz
and lost.’

‘Nevertheless,’ said Ren, ‘that isn’t going to happen. If ever I drew back, the Free Trade Council would replace me with another. They can’t afford to do otherwise. And their resources have no limit—they can acquire them a thousand times faster than we can exhaust them. I’m offering you the backing of a dozen merchant worlds and seven hundred space companies and combines—to fight one man and a handful of slaves. Tell that to the other scribes and see if they share your doubts.’

‘I’ll tell them,’ said Catuul gravely, gathering his robe across his arm. ‘And I think they’ll be convinced. But it will be a close decision. I’ll let you have our answer in the morning.’

When Catuul had departed Ren turned his attention to the radio link with the space terminal. From the spaceport the powerful FTL communications equipment reached out in real time to the relay chains across the vastness of commercial interstellar space. In response to his inquiry he learned that an incoming call from Free Trade Central was already logged a mere five hours away. Finally Vestevaal’s voice came through.

“Tito, can you hear me clearly?’

‘Yes, Director. Transmission is good. Did the council meeting go in your favor?’

‘It did indeed. They were even more perturbed than we—especially those who have big investments nearer the Rim. The outcome is that we’ve got all the support we need. The Galactic Bank will give you unrestricted credit. Any Free Trade ships calling at Anharitte will be obliged to offer assistance—and the merchant worlds of Combien and Rance are donating a light battle cruiser to be set down on Anharitte for the duration of the exercise. The battle cruiser will have most of the facilities you might require in the way of laboratories, trained commandos, communications, armaments and the like. You’ve enough there to start a war if you should need to.’

‘It mustn’t come to that,’ said Ren. ‘If we upset the planetary government we’ll be thrown off Roget for sure. Our best chance is to try to woo the local lords to our side, then to fight an undercover campaign against the
Imaiz
. Then we can divide Magda’s share of the spaceport royalties among the remaining Houses and expect the dust to settle pretty fast.’

‘You’re the man on the spot, Tito, so it’s your advice that counts. I’ll be returning to Roget shortly, but purely as an observer and to maintain liaison with the Free Trade Council. I may advise on policy, but the strategy and conduct of the battle will be entirely your affair. I hope that arrangement is to your liking.’

‘I couldn’t have asked for better. Terran or no Terran, if we have modern weapons and the support of the other lords, the
Imaiz
hasn’t got a chance.’

‘I wish I completely shared your confidence,’ said Magno Vestevaal, signing off. ‘But Zinder didn’t have to make that confrontation in the market. For the moment I almost wondered if the
Imaiz
wasn’t spoiling for a fight.’

Catuul Gras came back the next morning with the Pointed Tails’ acceptance of the offer. The price. was high, but Ren brushed aside the financial considerations. ‘You managed to find agreement, then?’

Catuul grimaced. ‘Some of the scribes had reservations, but they’re all alarmed by what the
Imaiz
is doing. Certainly they respond to your argument that if we’re to maintain things in Anharitte as they now stand, some form of action is necessary to curtail Dion-daizan. The fact that you’re willing to finance and supply backing for the skirmish makes it easier for us to do what we should finally have been forced to do anyway. In some ways this is an alliance—and there are other societies who may contribute to our cause.’

Ren held out his hand in acceptance of the bargain. ‘Then it’s settled. The
Imaiz
will be stopped.’

‘He will be. But initially we must proceed by customary feud and harassment. Only if these measures aren’t effective can we consider outright war.’

‘I’ll accept that,’ said Ren. ‘You start to prepare a campaign against the
Imaiz
. I’ll do some preliminary canvassing for support among the other lords. I suggest we meet again in two days time to decide our plan of action.’

As Ren left his office he was at once aware of being observed. He had not gone far through the quaint and narrow streets before a prefecture watchman approached him.

‘Agent Ren?’

‘The same.’ The watchman had obviously been waiting for him to emerge. ‘What services can I offer?’

‘If you please, you will accompany me to the prefecture. Lord Di Irons wishes to speak with you.’

‘And I with him,’ said Ren, though he recognized the summons for the imperious demand that it was. If he had thought or declining the invitation the appearance of two more watchmen behind him pointed up the wisdom of cheerful compliance.

Even in the bright sun the prefecture looked cold and uninviting. The wide portals shaded the exterior brilliance quickly into a dim chill that seemed resident in the very fabric of the building. Tito Ren could not repress a shiver as he entered the main door. The stone corridors of the law Were always an anathema to him.

Di Irons’ office was large and grimly impressive. On the same scale was the man himself. Huge, bearded, and with a shock of rust-red, unruly hair, he was as unlike the typical
Ahhn
as was Ren himself. His very presence spoke of strength and granite resolution. The prefect was obviously not a man to be lightly deflected from his task.

‘Agent Ren—’ the handshake was a mere formality—‘I’ve asked you here because we need a better understanding of each other. My job is to maintain the law in Anharitte. Yours is to run a profitable exchange of trade through our sea and spaceport facilities. It would be a pity if in pursuit of our respective duties we should happen to collide.’

‘Indeed a pity.’ Ren shifted uncomfortably on his chair. ‘However, I think the possibility is slight. We traders are aware that we remain here on sufferance.’

‘Don’t fence with me,’ said Di Irons savagely. ‘I spoke of understanding. We both know that the lords of Anharitte are as much dependent on your money as you are upon access to the free port facilities. So let’s speak frankly. I know that you and your director intend making feud with the
Imaiz
.’

Ren examined his inquisitor warily. ‘You know of that?’

“‘Of course. Not much occurs in Anharitte that isn’t known in the prefecture. Whether or not we choose to act on what we know depends on our interpretation of the law. Provocation isn’t an offense. But if Vestevaal had struck Zinder the other day we’d have been very much concerned.’

‘To protect a slave?’ Ren affected a measure of surprise he did not feel.

Di Irons’ voice was quieter now but just as dangerous. ‘No. We would have had to intervene to protect your stupid hides. And that offends our idea of preservation of the peace. You’re no stranger here, Ren. You know which way the tides flow in Anharitte.’

‘I know it,’ said Ren, ‘but the director needed proof of my interpretation.’

‘Well, I gather he got it. But I don’t advise him to make an open confrontation like that again. Zinder has too many sympathizers to make it a healthy pastime. But what escapes me is why your director needed proof of her ability to cut him down to size.’

‘Because it’s my contention that if the
Imaiz
continues to educate slaves to her level, the slave structure will crumble. Your society as it now exists will crumble. Don’t ask me what will replace it—but it will certainly be a system with less tolerance toward Free Trade than the one we can enjoy at the moment.’

‘So that’s it.’ Di Irons was suddenly caught by the speculation.

‘You asked for understanding,’ said Ren. ‘Well, I’ve shown my blade. Now dare you return the gesture? I don’t imagine you lords of Anharitte would look upon the withdrawal of Free Trade with much favor.’

‘No!’ Di Irons reacted violently. ‘You’ll not involve me in politics. The
Imaiz
may be ill advised in the way he treats his slaves. But if I were to take arms against every slavemaster I considered ill advised, I would not have half enough cells in which to hold them—Or a tenth enough tormentors to make their stay uncomfortable. In any case, I think you’re reading more into this than is written. I know Dion well. He’s a frequent guest in my household.’

‘And Zinder? Is she a frequent guest, too? A slave?’

‘If Dion wills it. A slavemaster’s rights over his bondslaves are absolute—and that’s a principle I must uphold. If he chooses to pretty her and pamper her it’s no concern of mine. She would not be the first bondslave to become a favored concubine—though I’ll not say that’s what she is. If Dion is pleased to bring her to my, table I’ll be the last to interfere. In any case, Zinder’s a charming and cultured girl.’

‘And you approve of a bondslave’s being educated to this level?’

‘I don’t necessarily approve when a master has a slave stoned to death for some imagined slight. My function is not to judge but to maintain the law. Thus far I’ve no evidence that Dion-daizan has broken it.’

‘Then you’re not willing to assist us in protecting Anharitte from the
Imaiz
’s slave policy?’