"The paidhi is still alive," Banichi said, "and we keep him that way. But the details are his security's concern."

"Not where it regards Hanks!"

"Ah. Humans do do proceed to feud." proceed to feud."

"With this woman? d.a.m.ned right." The door spat them out into the upper corridor, that with the porcelain bouquets. "Unfortunately the Guild has no offices on Mospheira. - And I need to know this, Banichi-ji."

"It seemed at the time to involve only atevi, on this side of the strait," Banichi said, "and Tano and Algini didn't know. Had Jago and I been here, our rank would have obtained that information for you. Yes, there has been such traffic between Mospheira and the coast, in Ragi, definitively her voice."

"Nand' Deana." Deana, who had had such widespread contact with all the wrong people, until someone had kidnapped her from Shejidan, someone whose ident.i.ty both Ilisidi and lord Geigi had to this day declined to reveal, nor had he ventured to ask his own staff too closely. The embarra.s.sments of the great houses were a volatile subject.

And when a rival paidhi was at issue, perhaps, he'd decided last of all, they were uncertain how he'd react and whether he'd be able to, in human shorthand, forgive forgive the atevi responsible. the atevi responsible.

"Where was was my female colleague lodged when she was not in the Bu-javid?" he asked Banichi as they walked. "May we now ask officially, and for the record?" my female colleague lodged when she was not in the Bu-javid?" he asked Banichi as they walked. "May we now ask officially, and for the record?"

"With lady Direiso."

He was not utterly surprised. To say the least. "And Geigi simply walked in there?"

"Guns were involved, but not seriously. Direiso-daja had launched her greater hope without guns, simply in her acquisition of Hanks-paidhi."

"She took her away." took her away."

"Without serious resistance."

"One thought so. And getting Deana back - was there bloodshed?" That defined a level of seriousness in most quarrels. Not in this, he thought. "Did Direiso resist?"

"No bloodshed," Banichi said. "Against fear of her own harm, she saw there was nothing left but graceful acquiescence to the aiji-dowager and the hope that Tabini would soon be a dead man. And that you would be. That would leave Deana Hanks as paidhi. And if Direiso's wishes had proved to have stronger legs, it would have led to her her in possession of the ship-paidhiin - which again would have made her powerful. Hence her easy capitulation on the day in question." in possession of the ship-paidhiin - which again would have made her powerful. Hence her easy capitulation on the day in question."

That was a plateful of information. Direiso had folded when Ilisidi, whom Direiso had regarded perhaps as rival was a plateful of information. Direiso had folded when Ilisidi, whom Direiso had regarded perhaps as rival and and as ally, had walked in at gunpoint and demanded Hanks be turned over to her. Direiso had still hoped to reach the descending capsule and get her hands on Jase and Mercheson-paidhi. as ally, had walked in at gunpoint and demanded Hanks be turned over to her. Direiso had still hoped to reach the descending capsule and get her hands on Jase and Mercheson-paidhi.

But she hadn't won that race. They They had. had.

So Direiso had lost Ilisidi's support (realizing perhaps at the last that Ilisidi would have cheerfully put a dagger in her back, perhaps not even figuratively, rather than see her as aiji.) And now it was possible Direiso was courting the Atageini after an a.s.sault on Atageini pride last year, which had destroyed the lilies, perhaps by accident or perhaps not.

"Was not Direiso's son with with Tatiseigi of the Atageini at that moment?" he asked Banichi. He recalled hearing that. Tatiseigi of the Atageini at that moment?" he asked Banichi. He recalled hearing that.

"That he was, Bren-ji."

"You exceed my human imagination. Why?"

"If I knew that for certain, Bren-ji, Damiri might be lord of the Atageini at this hour."

Serious news. Banichi suspected Tatiseigi of existing on the fringes of Direiso's conspiracy, and the son's presence there as not without Direiso's approval. "You suspect Tatiseigi was with with Direiso, at least in the attack against us in Jase's landing?" Direiso, at least in the attack against us in Jase's landing?"

"We suspect everything." They had reached the doors. "We act on what we know."

"And she's still plotting against the aiji. Hence the business in the peninsula."

"True."

"And its timing?"

"One can only guess, Bren-ji."

He was talking to the ent.i.ty both best and least informed on the matter, the one who'd most likely carried out the strike against Direiso's ally Saigimi.

While he he guested with lord Geigi, who'd seemed Direiso's ally and then Tabini's. guested with lord Geigi, who'd seemed Direiso's ally and then Tabini's.

One needed a flow-chart. One truly did.

But probably the atevi thought that about humans.

There were things they had never admitted to one another. Radios belonging to the atevi government listening to transmissions. Jamming. On both sides of the strait. Phone lines that went down every time a stray cloud appeared. Banichi had said it once: an old man in a rowboat could invade the island. Or the mainland.

If Hanks had been transmitting to Direiso, there were atevi working for Tabini who would intercept those messages - and Deana and those behind her were just clever enough to plant what they wanted planted: poison, no matter the recipient, poison, whether in the hands of Tabini's people or Direiso's.

"d.a.m.n," he said, envisioning listening posts up and down the coast, on which atevi could pick up whatever short-range transmissions the conservative faction on Mospheira wanted to send. It wasn't just Direiso's cause such hateful broadcasts might incite, if Deana and her supporters wanted to see bloodshed.

The fact that such conservative humans hated atevi was in no way skin off Direiso's nose. The fact that Direiso hated her was no skin off Deana's. Both the conservative atevi that wanted Tabini dead and human technology restricted - and the conservative humans whose varied agendas just wanted humans to stay technologically superior to atevi - shared the same agenda: restrict technology getting to Tabini. Tabini in in power and Bren Cameron power and Bren Cameron in in office meant a rapid flow of tech into atevi hands. So get rid of one or both. office meant a rapid flow of tech into atevi hands. So get rid of one or both.

The door opened. The servants received them. Junior security, having used the same lift on its return trip, overtook them before the doors shut and rearmed. He wasn't acutely aware of his surroundings.

That Banichi told him what he did was indicative at least that he was being told truth on a high level. Atevi no longer kept the paidhi, who was acting in their interests, more ignorant than other humans, who were working against those interests.

That was useful. It was one step deeper into the situation he was already in.

It didn't, however, stop Deana Hanks, whose agenda he didn't believe he entirely guessed - and he couldn't act upon his suspicions until he could hear exactly what she was saying and what she hoped to provoke.

And there'd been no atevi offer yet to provide him that information.

d.a.m.n, again.

CHAPTER 11.

"THE MATTER we were discussing," Bren said to I Banichi as they entered the apartment, as servants converged and he began to undo the b.u.t.tons of his coat. "Can you prepare me a more extensive report on the problem, Banichi-ji? And And report to the aiji regarding the reason for my question, regarding the interview? I want the text of what she's been saying." report to the aiji regarding the reason for my question, regarding the interview? I want the text of what she's been saying."

"Yes," Banichi said in that abrupt Ragi style, which was an enthusiastic yes, and went immediately to the security station, where, Bren said to himself, there was about to be a very intense, very serious session that might well extend feelers next door, and might end in a reporter finding himself in serious dialogue with the aiji's security. Reporters on Mospheira questioned government agencies with a great deal of freedom and were lied to routinely. But on the atevi mainland, the concept of instant news was under current consideration by the government, the way the inclusion or non-inclusion of a highway system had gone under consideration by the government - and been rejected as socially destructive. Similar airy a.s.sumptions that what had worked for humans was good and right for atevi had started the War and killed tens of thousands of people.

In that consideration Bren didn't like what had happened down in that interview. He saw interests at work that didn't lead in productive directions for atevi - atevi interests that wanted Tabini dead and someone else installed as aiji.

But the implications of a person like Deana Hanks, a person trained to deal with atevi, working by radio purposely to destabilize the atevi government - that was against every law, every principle of the office. He was on shaky moral ground with the State Department because of the decisions he'd taken, but dammit, he was trying to keep keep the stability of Tabini's regime. His way was sanctioned by the people that had sent him here; and sent him the stability of Tabini's regime. His way was sanctioned by the people that had sent him here; and sent him back back here by means so desperate Shawn had secreted the new computer codes under the cast on his arm and hadn't even told here by means so desperate Shawn had secreted the new computer codes under the cast on his arm and hadn't even told him him he was doing it. he was doing it.

He wanted a Mospheiran newspaper, dammit.

He wanted to know what was happening on the island in details on which the government couldn't couldn't lie. lie.

But in an atmosphere where people were afraid for their lives, as some clearly were on Mospheira, including his mother and his brother and his former fiancee, he wasn't sure of getting the truth even if he got such a newspaper, or the unrestricted datafeed. So much for Mospheira's supposedly free press.

The situation scared him, deep down scared him - for his family, for atevi, for everyone on the planet.

And he himself had argued with Tabini-aiji not not to detain Deana Hanks on the mainland: to ship her home, safe and sound, mad, and dangerous. If things had gone that wrong, he had fault to bear. He could muster excuses when atevi politics were at fault. In this one, he could by no means blame the atevi government. to detain Deana Hanks on the mainland: to ship her home, safe and sound, mad, and dangerous. If things had gone that wrong, he had fault to bear. He could muster excuses when atevi politics were at fault. In this one, he could by no means blame the atevi government.

He smiled for the benefit of the servants who put away his coat, and he accepted their polite questions soberly: he didn't lie to his staff, who had to handle touchy situations, and who had to fend away importunate and unauthorized persons of sometimes ill intent. "There was a difficulty at the interview, nadi," he replied to the question of how it had gone. "A subject which should not have been brought up: nand' Jase. We know the staff here didn't release the information, but it is out."

"One will inform nand' Saidin, paidhi-ji. One is distressed to hear so."

"Thank you, Sasi-ji. - How is is he doing?" he doing?"

"He's speaking to his mother now, nand' paidhi."

"Thank you, Sasi-ji." He went aside immediately to the security station, into the usually open doorway and straight into the monitoring station which lay just inside. you, Sasi-ji." He went aside immediately to the security station, into the usually open doorway and straight into the monitoring station which lay just inside.

Tano was there with an ear-set, as were Banichi, Jago, and a junior security operator, all listening.

Tano didn't say a thing, just surrendered his earpiece to him, and Bren tucked the device in his ear.

"- don't know what else I can do," he heard, Jase's voice, speaking the language of the ship, and a long pause followed, where a reply should be.

"I know," a woman's voice said finally, sad-sounding. "7 have no way to help you. I can't. And you can't. Except to get back as soon as you can have no way to help you. I can't. And you can't. Except to get back as soon as you can."

"They say it's making progress. That's all I can say."

"Can you call again?"

"I just don't know. I'll try. I will try."

"I love you love you."

A long pause, while that human expression hung thin and potent in the air. Then: "I love you, too, mama. I'm fine. Don't worry worry about me." about me."

Another pause. "I'd better shut down now."

"Yeah. - It's good to hear your voice."

"Good to hear yours, Jase. Take care. Please take care."

"I will, mama."

There was silence, then. Bren looked at the occupants of the room, tall, black, a collection of alien faces one of whom was a woman he'd almost gone to bed with, all looking to him for reaction.

Some of whom understood enough of what had been said and some of whom trusted him enough to have expression on their faces.

Banichi did. And Jago.

"There's nothing out of the ordinary in the exchange," he said. "A son talking to his mother in -" There was no word for affection. There was just no concept. There was no possibility in the faces that stared at him with such good will and acceptance - and worry. "In terms ordinary for that relationship. Jase is concerned for his mother. He fears she is concerned about his mental well-being. She asked whether he could call again. He replied that he wasn't certain, but he'd try. - He will will have access, will he not, nadiin-ji?" have access, will he not, nadiin-ji?"

"There's no reason to the contrary," Banichi said.

"The death of his father is attributed to accident," Jago said. "We do not follow the precise cause."

It was an offering of good faith in itself, that the most security-conscious atevi he knew let him know how much they understood. The faces came back into ordinary perspective for him. His heart was beating hard in sheer terror and he thought it was because he'd been been somewhere else for a moment, he'd been in human territory, and seeing two people he loved very much - somewhere else for a moment, he'd been in human territory, and seeing two people he loved very much - - not through a distortion, but as the atevi they were, incapable of returning that emotion. Seeing them as incapable of saying, as Jase's mother said, I love love you. you.

Seeing them as incapable of understanding, as Jase had said to a woman orbiting above them, I love you, mama love you, mama.

Atevi children clung to their parents. But it wasn't love that made them do that.

Go to the leader. Always go to the leader when the bullets start to fly: rally to the leader.

Could a human feel feel the emotional satisfaction atevi got when they responded to that urge and were responded to? No more than atevi could the emotional satisfaction atevi got when they responded to that urge and were responded to? No more than atevi could feel feel what Jase meant when a mother and son said, at such uncrossable distance, I what Jase meant when a mother and son said, at such uncrossable distance, I love love you. you.

But they knew that, held at such distance from the chief of their a.s.sociation, their their profoundest instinct would find no satisfaction. And on that side of the gulf, one face of the lot was deeply troubled. profoundest instinct would find no satisfaction. And on that side of the gulf, one face of the lot was deeply troubled.

Jago said, quietly, "As if she were on the moon, isn't it?"

It was a proverb for the unattainable.

"Even the moon," Banichi said, ever the pragmatic r one, "will have railroads and television if this ship flies."

"That it will," Bren said, with that hollow spot still cold inside him. "And Jase knows it logically. - I'd better talk to him."

They seemed relieved then, whether to think he could deal with the trouble, or simply to close off the presence of alienness they couldn't grasp without a.n.a.logy.

He left them to their discussion of whatever they might discuss - the oddness of humans was his guess. He walked across the foyer and down the hall that led to the heart of the apartment, and to the library, where the phone was, where Jase had to be.

But so were the servants - all the servants, who weren't standing in knots talking, as his first glance informed him, but arrayed somewhat in a line, and holding each a flower, whence obtained he had no idea; maybe one of the cut arrangements which appeared every few days. They bowed as he walked past in mild confusion, his attention on the same destination, past the dining rooms, past the bedrooms and the baths, alongside the grim steel barrier of the construction and on to the private office where the lady Damiri's personal phone was.

Jase stood outside, his hands already holding a few blossoms, as one by one the servants came, each solemnly presenting him a single flower, bowing her head and walking away in silence.

Jase didn't seem to know what to do. He stood there accepting the flowers, one after the other, and Bren stopped, just stopped and stood, as madam Saidin came up beside him, and also waited.

Jase stood there with his arms increasingly loaded, with the load greater and greater on his soul, by the look of him, until his arms were full, and the last servant had pa.s.sed, given him a flower, and bowed and gone her way.

"If you please, nand' Saidin," Jase said with meticulous courtesy, and offered the ma.s.s of flowers toward her. "What is proper to do?"

"You may give them to me, if you wish," Saidin said, and carefully took them, all forty-nine, as Bren guessed there were in that armful of a.s.sorted flowers. The whole hall smelled of them. "Shall I personally cast them on the garden pond, nand' paidhi?" It was Jase she addressed. "That would be appropriate."

"Please do," Jase said, looking and sounding very much at the end of his self-restraint. But he bowed correctly. "Nandi. Thank you."

"We are all sad," Saidin said, and took the flowers away.

Bren expected to speak to him, and waited.