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into Malili's yellow mystery or down toward the spacedeck, Vorn spoke of the
conflict coming. He had warned the orbital stations and mobilized his own
command. Down on the spacedeck, Keth's father and Crewmate Sak were assembling
their defensive monopole.
"They say it ought to shield the Zone." His broad red face looked bleak. "With
luck, maybe twenty kilometers more, outside the perimeter. That will be our
universe. Between the humanoids above us and the bloodrot below "
"Your wife, sir." Vythle spoke from the doorway. "On the beam from Kai."
With a shrug, he sat at the hushed holophone. Keth watched Vythle as she
watched him, devotion glowing through her elegant reserve. Vorn's cragged face
scowled, stubborn jaw jutting like Chelni's.
"In love with the humanoids!" He rose at last, bunking in disbelief. "She says
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we're fools not to make them welcome here. Begging me to come back home and
share the wonderful happiness they've brought her." He grinned at Vythle.
"We'll hold out."
Striding restlessly again, he spoke of his brother and his niece. He had loved
them both, and he blamed himself bitterly now for refusing so long to believe
the humanoids had injured them.
"But you wouldn't let me!" He swung on Brong, almost in anger. "With your sly
way of hiding all your Leleyo tricks, you wouldn't let me believe."
"Sorry, sir." Brong's bland tone held no real apology. "But Leleyo facts turn
false when you carry them to Kai."
When Vythle entered again, she brought a message from Crewmate Sair. She and
Crewman Kyrone had run into an unexpected difficulty. The monopole was
stalled. With the human-oid transport near and descending fast, they were
desperate. Sair was on her way to Zone Command to discuss their problem with
the Admiral.
Keth was watching the door when Vythle brought her in. Wearing a dirty lab
apron, she hobbled on a bandaged foot. Her haggard look shocked him. Eyes
dark-rimmed and swollen, dull hair undone, black beads of blood dried along a
livid scratch across her cheek. The straggling hairs in the mole beneath her
eye had faded white.
"Hello, dear." She pecked him with a hasty kiss, nodded at Brong, and limped
to face Vorn. "Admiral, we're in trouble."
"I know." He gestured at a chair, but she didn't sit. "Do you want to see me
alone?"
"No need." Her gaunt head jerked toward Brong. "In fact, I think he can help
us."
"So what's the problem?"
"Maybe he can tell us." She glared at Brong accusingly. "Our installation is
complete. Circuits all hooked up and tested. Full power on. The monopolar
field ought to be building up. It isn't."
Quivering and grimy, her forefinger jabbed at Brong.
"Ask him why!"
"Sir!" Brong shrank from her, yellow gloves lifted. "I don't know what she's
up to."
"I think he does," she rapped. "But I'll explain." Her ragged voice rose. "The
device requires an exciter a weak initial field that should be picked up and
amplified. We tried to excite it with our hand weapons the small monopoles we
used to disable the humanoids around the shuttle pad when we escaped from Kai.
"Dead!" Her thin finger stabbed. "Both dead!"
"Why blame me?" Brong's quick black eyes darted at Vorn. "She's crazy, sir!"
"Something killed those monopoles." She limped at him, her drawn face savage.
"The evidence points at you. Who else "
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"The humanoids themselves?" Vorn gestured uneasily at the high windows.
"They're nearly here. Reported passing the satellite station hours ago "
"Not likely!" Hobbling closer to Brong, she raised her wasted hands as if to
seize him. "The cause is something closer. Here inside the Zone."
Though Keth had seen no signal from Vorn, Vythle Klo was suddenly inside the
doorway with a level lasergun aimed somewhere between Brong and Cyra.
Surprisingly agile, Cyra sprang aside.
"Watch him and Keth!" Her quavering tones rose and broke. "Our own dear
Keth turning traitor! Brain rotted with Leleyo drugs. Learning vile Leleyo
tricks. If they try anything "
"Cyra!" Dazed for an instant, Keth started toward her. "I'm no spy! I can't
believe the Bosun is "
"Back!" Her old voice went shrill with terror. "Don't try to touch me."
"Stand still!" Vorn shouted. "All of you." He scowled at Cyra. "Crewmate Sair,
can't you calm yourself? You seem almost hysterical "
"We're betrayed by these half-Leleyo devils "
"Please!" He waved a massive hand. "Frankly, I'm at a total loss. If you think
these men are hostile agents, we need to see your evidence."
"Thank you, Admiral." She shambled at him. "The facts will convince you.
Whoever killed those monopoles knew rhodo science. Most Kai Nu don't. The
Leleyo do-and look at him!"
She glowered at Brong.
"Half Leleyo himself, and harboring all of them that ever got inside the Zone.
Learning their language and smuggling in thek mind-rotting feyolin. Picking up
their secret science " » "Bosun!" The Admiral swung to challenge Brong.
"What do you say?"
Shuddering away from her, Brong raised his yellow gloves as if her jabbing
finger had been a deadly blade. His lean throat pulsed and his brown lips
quivered, but no sound came.
"Guilty!" Her shriek was triumphant. "Watch him squirm-but don't let him get
away. When he can talk, ask him about those secret rhodo sources. Ask about
his Leleyo friends and all they've taught him. Ask how he can jump from here
to Kai and how he brought Keth back here!"
Her wild voice shook and fell.
"I'm afraid of him, Admiral-"
"So are the humanoids!" Keth burst out. "Those are exactly the facts they were
demanding from me when they had me trapped at Vara Vorn "
"They'll trick you if they can!" She spun to glare at Brong, her eyes glazed
and mad. "Why should the humanoids fear their own spy?"
"But he isn't!" Shivering, Keth appealed to Vorn. "Listen, sir! I think think
I've seen what all this means. Will you give me just a moment? Let me ask her
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a couple of questions?"
"Why not?" With a glance at Vythle, Vorn shrugged. "If you can make some sense
of this "
"Don't!" Cyra shrilled. "Don't you see they're only playing their vicious
Leleyo game?"
"We'll soon find out." He nodded at Keth. "Ask your questions."
"Cyra" fighting a chill of horror, he had to gulp for his voice "do you
remember the gift you bought me for my seventh birthday?"
"Of course I do, dear." Her voice turned softer, though she still watched him
with a wary hostility. "Your father and I were just married, and I wanted you
to love me."
"Do you remember what it was?"
"A little red sled, for the moontime snows."
"Do you remember the first job I got, running a route?"
"Certainly." Impatiently, she frowned at Vorn. "Admiral, this makes no sense."
"Do you remember what sort of route?"
"You were selling hologame tapes." She limped a little toward him. "To all
your little friends up and down the tunnel."
"Crewman, we've no time for nonsense," Vorn rumbled. "I see no point "
"Just one more question please!" He peered at Cyra, shrinking back as she
hitched toward him. "Do you remember the thing I thought was a dragon's egg?"
For an instant she looked puzzled.
"Now I do." She almost smiled. "You were still a little boy, and what you
called the egg was a round black pebble some older kid had found in the
gutter. He told you it was something wonderful, and you gave him all your
quota tokens for it. Your father laughed when you brought it home, and you
were crushed "
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