She’d moved the table about a meter when a grayish patch formed in the air above it. She stiffened, stopped the table where it was and waited.

  The grayness bulged and throbbed. It split, decanting a clump of bodies clinging together. The clump hit the floor with a whistle, several grunts, and a hissing curse, broke apart into five forms. Shadith scrambled onto her feet, pulling Linfyar up with her. Taggert rolled up into a crouch, scanning for trouble. Ticutt came up more slowly, holding himself in tight control. Grey didn’t bother getting up, just lifted his torso, bracing himself on his elbow. He grinned at the doorway. “Lee.”

  She blinked back the tears that blurred her eyes; it was a minute before she could speak. “Well. Good to see you. Grey. At least I think so. You look like a silvercoat after a hard winter.”

  “You pop the bubble?”

  “Not me.” She nodded at the bedtable. “I was giving myself fits trying to get hold of that ring.”

  Shadith walked over to the table, poked at the ring. “This the trigger?”

  “According to Kell’s ship.”

  “Uh. I take it he isn’t around anymore.”

  “No.”

  “Mmm. You know, I think your moving the table messed things up just enough so we could crash out.”

  “I doubt it. Coincidence, that’s all. That I was here.” Aleytys turned to the android. “What’s ship say about the door?”

  Pause. Abra stood poised, head tilted, light making a grotesquerie from the planes of his nonface. “Ship says don’t go in yet. Ships feels a force about the doorway. Ships suggests you get hold of the ring.”

  “And what happens if Shadith tries to lift it?” Pause. “Don’t know.”

  “Shadow?”

  “I can’t see spending the rest of my life in this room.” She poked tentatively at the ring; over her shoulder she said, “What’s Harskari think?”

  “Harskari’s a long way from here, getting settled in body and home. She said to say hello.”

  “Ah.” She swung around. “And our common curse?”

  “Sitting in a lokbox in the ship till I hand it over.”

  “Um. That sort of complicates things.”

  “I wouldn’t argue with you on that. You want a guarantee? I’ll come after you if it comes to that. Promise.”

  “You know I don’t mean anything like that, Lee. I’m just talking to get my nerve up. Here goes.” She switched around again and reached for the ring. She couldn’t lift it. When she tried to tighten her hold, her fingers slipped off. “Shit.” She tried again. “Like it’s greased or something.” She looked at her fingers, wiped them on her sweater.

  Taggert touched her shoulder. “Let me see what I can do.” His fingers slipped off no matter how hard he pinched. He tried shoving the ring sideways off the table. It wouldn’t budge. The table tipped over, the ring stuck firmly in the center of it. He picked the table up and set it on its legs.

  “That seems to settle that.” Aleytys looked quickly at Grey, turned away; he was stretched out on the rug, his eyes closed, his gaunt face still; he hardly seemed to breathe. “Tag, see if you can find something to push that table through the door to me. Stay as far back as you can.” She glanced at Grey, then Ticutt. “Hurry a little, please.”

  Taggert frowned at the nearest of the claw rods, shook his head; he prowled about the room, found a closet, a wooden rod holding some of the Ajin’s clothing; he knocked it loose and brought it back, held it flat in front of him. “Should be long enough.” He set the table close to the door, then used the rod to nudge it through.

  The table juddered through the doorway, the ring suddenly loose, dunking against its top as it shivered from the rug to the tiles of the hallway. Taggert stepped back and stood leaning on the rod, watching Aleytys as she scooped up the ring. She ran fingertips over the incised design on its square flat top. “I can’t read anything in this,” she said. “Abra, what about the doorway now?”

  A long silence, then the android spoke. “Ship says, still activity around the doorway. Ship does not—repeat, does not—think you should be the one to try crossing. Ship says Kell has certainly set special snares for you.” Silence again. “Ship says since all the captives are out, she is going to burn out the scaffolding, let the bubbleverse collapse. That should remove the last danger. Ship says wait, don’t do anything yet. Ship is coming in low to make sure of the cut, says she stops talking now because she is busy. Wait.”

  Aleytys drew her hand across her forehead, down the side of her face, pressed it against her mouth, her eyes fixed on Grey.

  Shadith glanced at her, went to kneel beside him. “He’s all right, Lee, just taking it easy.”

  Grey chuckled suddenly, tried to sit up. Taggert dragged a chair over to him, raised his shoulders so he could lean against it. He looked exhausted but alert. His hands were shaking on his thighs; the cloth of his trousers, bunched about wasted legs, trembled with the trembling of his hands. “Don’t fuss, Lee.”

  “I’ll fuss if I want. Look at you.”

  “I have felt more heroic.”

  “Well, it’s better than dead. I thought …” She broke off as Abra touched her arm.

  “Ship says scaffolding is gone, archira. No activity detectable about the doorway.”

  Aleytys looked down. The ring was melting into smoke that curled away from her hand, fading into nothing. Another breath and even the smoke was gone. She flung herself into the bedroom and knelt beside Grey. She caught hold of his hands, lifted them to her face, her eyes on his. He smiled at her, the hurts between them forgotten for the moment, the need back. “Stretch out,” she said after a while. “Let me work on you.”

  Shadith scrambled to her feet, stood watching a moment as Aleytys set her hands on Grey’s chest. Lee’s changed, she thought. More settled, I think. That’s the word. Settled. Yes. She knows who she is now and where she’s going. Linfyar brushed past her, went to poke at the sodden figure of the Ajin, radiating satisfaction. The Ajin had never liked him, a feeling fully reciprocated. Shadith sighed, stretched, then shooed him away. The Ajin was twisted in sprawl that made her back ache as she inspected him. She looked up as Taggert came to stand beside her. “How long does that gas keep them under?”

  “Couple hours.” He felt about his jacket, pulled out two patch seals. “I’ll slip the claws, you paste these on.”

  Shadith nodded. She pulled the backing off one of the Patches. The claws whipped out of the Ajin’s wrist and blood started to pump. She slapped on the patch, smoothed it out, moved along the bed, dealt with the ankle wound as Taggert collapsed the second claw. She stepped back. “I’ll get a wet towel so we can clean him up a bit. You pull the tangle off.” She felt in her pockets. “I’ve got cord somewhere.”

  “Never mind, Shadow, I’ve got slave wire.” She nodded. “Back in a minute. And hey, you ought to hunt in those things you dumped for something he can wear. Unless you prefer him wrapped like a piece of meat.” She looked around. Aleytys was bent over Ticutt. Grey was asleep. “Just had a thought. And you know what you can do with your funny faces. Grey and Ticutt aren’t going to want to put those stinking clothes back on once they’ve had a bath.” Taggert took out a flat tin. “Get the towel, Shadow.”

  “Yessir, yessir, happy to serve you, yessir.” Giggling, she trotted into the fresher. “Hey, Tag, you ought to see this, there’s a tub in here big enough to float a harem.”

  “Get the towel, Shadow.” Laughter in his voice. She pulled a towel off the rack, bunched it in the basin and turned the water on. With a groaning yawn, she stretched, then splashed handful of cold water on her face. She yawned again, dabbled her fingers in the water. Got to talk to Po’ sometime soon; he’s probably whirling in his whatever with all that’s going on. She wrung the towel out and went back into the bedroom.

  The Ajin was laid out like a corpse, cleaned up, dressed, bound with Taggert’s slave wire. Shadith checked him again. He should be waking in a bit; when she touched him, she could feel a sluggish stirring. She smiled, thinking about what he’d be going through when he did wake. You earned every second of it too. Mmm. Harp. And a chat with Po’. She left the bedroom and tried to leave the apartment, but the warbot at the door wouldn’t let her pass.

  “Lee.”

  “What, Shadow?”

  “Got some stuff I want to get. Tell that ‘bot to let me out.”

  “Go where? It’s quiet in here, but the ‘bots outside say there are still snipers in the rubble. They’re clearing them out, but …”

  “I’m not going outside, just over to the rooms where the Ajin put me. Left my harp there. I want it back. Send the extra ‘bot with me if you’re nervous.”

  “I’ll do that. You’ll probably need it to power the door. We chewed up the control center when we passed through it. Before you go, Shadow, Grey and Ticutt are going to wake starving. And Linfyar’s hungry. Any kind of kitchen in here? I don’t want to leave until we’re all ready to run.”

  “Linfy’s always hungry. God knows how big he’s going to get before he stops growing. Kitchen. Uh-huh. The Ajin was pretty paranoid. Has a separate power source and aircon system for these rooms. Kept his food separate too, sealed in an autochef Kell had his androids build for him.” Shadith grinned. “Poison tasters and all. Come on. I’ll show you.”

  Lights flaring, the warbot crouched in the sitting room. Shadith looked around, sniffed cautiously. With the door open the air wasn’t too bad. The viewscreen was gray glass, a mirror reflecting the ‘bot, a figure out of nightmare sketched in light and shadow. The room had a dulled dusty feel, abandoned, though she’d been gone less than one night; it looked like any cheap hotel room after the guests had left. She jerked the velvet curtain to one side and went into the bedroom.

  The air smelled staler in the bedroom; it was harder to breathe in there. The harp in its case stood beside the bed where she’d left it. She started to hoist the strap onto her shoulder, then frowned at the screen. The Ajin’s stash. He had to have the gold and the sweetamber to pay off whatever runner he dealt with. Those types never heard of credit. Should be in his rooms somewhere. Now there’s a hoard I’d like to get my hands on. I’m not riding free anymore; have to make my own way. Her reflection floated in the glass, insubstantial as a ghost. Ghost. Old Po’. This is about the only place I’m going to have privacy enough. Well, Shadow, quit dithering and do something. She let the strap fall and stretched out on the bed, resting her forearm across her eyes to shut out the lights from the other room. With her tiredness in this the dregs of a very long night, it was hard to quiet mind and body enough without slipping too far and dropping into sleep.

  What is happening there, Shadow? Who was that came down like a fire wind? (agitation, suspicion, anger)

  *Hello, Old Po’. Relax.*

  Relax!

  *Sure. It’s over. My friends are sprung. The Ajin’s in Hunters’ hands. And you don’t have to worry about that ship. Belongs to a friend of mine. She tends to overreact at times, but she’s good to have around if there’s problems.*

  *I’ve got lice in my forest.* (indignant grumbling) Blown there by the big wind your friend made.

  *Hey, Old Po’, don’t you try telling me you don’t know what to do with them. Hah! You and your soft sides, you run your forest hard and tight, god help anyone tries to go against you. Which reminds me, let Perolat know I’m all right, huh? Tell her what’s happened and why I came here. I’d tell her myself, but that’d just make trouble for her. The closest I’m going to get to Dusta is that islet where I parked my lander. Listen, Po’ Annutj, what I’m gonna say is important. There’ll be trouble when Hunters hands over the Ajin. I think I can talk Grey into hauling him off to Pajungg itself to turn him over. That’d give you a nineday or so to get ready to handle the homeworlders. Ajin’s been making them look stupid and small; when their egos start expanding, they’re going to come out stomping. Um. Maybe it’d be a good idea to organize a little guerrilla activity on your own, something to keep them honest without being too serious about it. But that’s your problem now. How you deal with it is up to you. ‘F you don’t mind, I’ll come back in a few years to see how things worked out and we could have that chat we talked about but never did.*

  *Ancient child, I’ll miss you.*

  *Ahh, no you won’t, Old Po’, you’ll be a lot too busy.*

  Never too busy. The All keep you, Shadow.

  Well, see you, friend.

  Shadith shook herself out of the half-doze and sat up. The air in the bedroom was heavy and dusty, and it smelled. She caught hold of the harp case’s strap, slid it over her shoulder, coughed, got to her feet, coughed again, wrinkled her nose in disgust and went out.

  Aleytys and the others were sitting at the Ajin’s dining table, eating and listening to Linfy tell about their part in the Ajin’s campaign. Taggert looked up, saw her, waved her to the empty chair beside him. Sensing the divided interest of his audience, Linfy went back to eating.

  Aleytys pushed at her hair, smiled at Shadith. “You’ve had quite a time here.”

  “Surprised the hell out of me first time it happened.” Shadith began filling her plate. “My sisters used to do that. Not me. I thought the art died with them. Apparently not. Though maybe it’s just the pollen.”

  Grey set his cup down, shook his head. “Hard to believe. It’s a good thing I didn’t get a look at you in there, Shadow.” He passed a hand over shaggy hair. The gray streaks were growing into patches, more of them than she remembered from the last time she’d seen him. He was relaxed and calm now; the drawn look was gone.

  She shrugged. “It’s a problem I’ll grow out of.” She touched the belly of the cha pot—still hot—and filled her cup. “Where we going from here?”

  “That’s up in the air still, Shadow,” Aleytys said. “Me and Linfy, we need lift to my lander. I borrowed it from a friend and he wants it back.”

  “That I can do. Come on board with me and tell ship where to go.” Aleytys looked around the table. “What about the rest of you?” She chuckled. “Between you all and the smugglers, there must be more ships than rocks in the Belt.” Taggert nodded. “I could use a lift. The Ajin collected me with the other runners, so I’ve got no way back. Besides, I always wanted to see the inside of a Vryhh ship.”

  Grey frowned. “Mine’s been in orbit about Avosing for the better part of a year. For all I know the Pajunggs could have towed it away.”

  Ticutt looked up. “Still there when I got here. I used it as a drop station for my reports.”

  Aleytys looked at her hands. “I didn’t see it, but I didn’t waste time when I got here, just came charging ahead. Well, I was in a hurry. Ship didn’t say anything.” She tilted her chair onto its back legs so she could look through the doorway. “Abra. Come here, please.”

  The android moved with silky grace into the opening. “Archira?”

  “Ask ship to locate … you tell it, Grey.”

  As he ran through the characteristics of his ship and what signals she’d respond to, Aleytys sat frowning at the table. She picked up a fork and began drawing lines in a drop of gravy. When Grey finished, she tapped the tines on the table and watched the planes of the android’s nonface.

  After a moment’s silence, Abra said, “Ship says Hunter ship is in the orbit described and appears undamaged.”

  “Good. Tell ship to be ready to pick us up in about an hour. What’s happening with the snipers out front?”

  “Warbots report eleven killed, three injured, seventeen fled, two still firing. All other life sources have left the crater. Ah! Now, only one sniper left.”

  “Something else we’d better get settled.” Grey sat up, waited until he had their attention. “The Field Ops’ share of the fee. I’m out of it, it’s up to you all, but it seems to me the one who’s done the most to earn it is young Shadow here. Hunter or not.”

  Shadith shook her head. “Just make complications.” She grinned. “I figure the Ajin’s stash would be pay enough for my trouble.”

  Taggert gave a shout of laughter. “I’m sure you do. Well, Shadow, you awesome child, far as I’m concerned, you more than earned it.”

  Ticutt nodded, then sat silent again, removed from all this, locked in his head, fighting shadows he made for himself.

  “Right. I’ll ask ship to find the stash for you.” Aleytys set her fork across her plate. “About the fee. I’m out too. That leaves you, Tag, and Ticutt; the two of you can figure percentages later. Who’s taking charge of the body in there?”

  “Grey,” Taggert said. “You’re Hunter of Record, Grey; the rest of this is none of their damn business, those Pajunggs.’’

  Grey sighed. “I was hoping to head straight home.”

  Taggert’s pale eyes laughed at him; his off-center nose seemed to twitch. “Time you stopped lazing around letting the rest of us do all the work.”

  “Umm. Grey.”

  “Shadow?”

  “I’d kind of appreciate it if you hauled the Ajin to Pajungg itself before you turned him over. There’s some good people here who could use the time to get set for what the Grand Doawai and his creeps are going to do to them.”

  Ticutt looked up. “Perolat?”

  “Uh-huh. And a bunch more.”

  He sucked in a long breath, let it out. “Add my voice to Shadow’s.”

  Shadith waited to see if he’d say more, but he was finished.

  Grey hesitated. “Lee …”

  “I could take your ship in tow?”

  He looked down at his hands, a private man who didn’t like exposing his feelings to outsiders. “We’ve got some talking to do,” he said finally. “Your ship’s as good a place as any.”

  Wolff

  the diadem cleared off the board

  goodbye to the RMoahl