Timothy Zahn - The Icarus Hunt

He shrugged again. "They would need to remain guests of the PatthaaunutthDirector General for a time. In quite pleasant surroundings, I assure you.

Eventually, they would certainly be released."

"I'm sure they would be counting the days," I said. "And how long would youanticipate this luxury vacation would last?"

His eyes seemed to probe mine. "Until such time as the alien device you carrycould be made operational or else proved nonfunctional. Your assistance, orlack of it, could certainly affect the length of that study."

"Only if I knew anything about it," I said, wondering how much he knew aboutthe artifact. Or rather, how much he thought he knew about it. "It's completelysealed up."

"The unsealing will be the least of our difficulties," Nask said dryly. "So: the lives and eventual freedom of your traveling companions. What else?"

"Well, there'd have to be money, of course," I said. "Lots of it." I lifted myeyebrows to him. "Unfortunately, money's not much use if you aren't able tospend it. And I'll hardly be able to spend it if I'm locked away, will I?"

He made an unfamiliar gesture with his fingertips. "If you're worried aboutretribution from your companions, we can arrange that you be housedseparately."

"You misunderstand," I said. "I'm saying that I walk. Immediately. You canlock up the others from now till doomsday as far as I'm concerned. But I get mymoneyand walk."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I'm certain the Director General wouldnever agree to that. We can't allow even a hint of this find to leak out to the restof the Spiral."

"What about Cameron himself?" I countered. "He knows about the Icarus, andlast I heard he was still at large."

"Your information is out-of-date," Enig spoke up. "Arno Cameron wasapprehendedon Meima two days ago. He is being held at our compound there."

"Ah," I said. So much for Brother John's support; now, so much for Patthhonesty, too. Big surprise on both counts.

"Still, I can assure you that during the time you're detained you'll haveaccommodations and treatment suitable for Steye'tylian royalty," Nask went on, his voice low and earnest and utterly trustworthy. Even the normal smarminesslevel had been muted for the occasion. "And afterward, you will be a friend tothe Patthaaunutth for the rest of your life."

"Something to strive for, all right," I said with only a trace of sarcasm. Theglow on his face, I noticed, had changed subtly. Had one of the displaysfacinghim altered? "But suppose the device turns out to be useless? How much of afriend will I be then?"

"When the Patthaaunutth promise friendship, that promise is always fulfilled," he said. "Your goodwill and assistance will be counted toward that end, nomatter what the final result."

"I see," I said, the hairs on my neck rising. Suddenly Nask's words and tonehad gone mechanical, his full attention riveted to the displays. Something washappening out there, something even more important than sweet-talking me outof the Icarus. "Suppose I can find a way to guarantee my silence in some otherway—"

"You must choose quickly," Nask interrupted me. "Tell me where the Icarus is, or the decision will be snatched from your hands."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, the sinking sensation back in mystomach. "How could—"

I broke off at the sound of clinking from the door to my right. The sound of alock being keyed. "He is here," Nask said with a forlorn-sounding wheeze I'dnever heard a Patth make before. "The glory and profit now pass to theDirector General."

The door swung open. I turned to look—

And felt my breath catch like fire in my throat. Two figures were stridinginto the room, looking as if they owned the place and were about to raise the rent.

One was another robed Patth, the by-now-familiar starship-pilot implantstwinkling around his eyes.

The other was Revs Nicabar.

IT WAS, ON stunned reflection, about the last sight I would have expected tosee. The last person in the Spiral I would have thought would be striding with such casual arrogance into a Patth den. I opened my mouth to saysomething—anything—but he beat me to the punch. "I see you've got him," hesaid to Nask. "About time."

"Yes, I have," Nask said, considerably less taken aback by Nicabar'sappearancethan I was. "And you are...?" he added as Nicabar crossed the room toward him.

"What do you mean, who am I?" Nicabar countered scornfully. "Weren't youwatching when Brosh held my ID up to the monitor?"

"Only the Director General's seal was clear," Nask said. "Not the number orrank designation."

With a supremely restrained sigh, Nicabar pulled an ID folder out of his innerpocket and dropped it on the desk. "Fine. Help yourself."

Nask did. For nearly half a minute he studied the folder, while the rest of ussat or stood where we were in silence. Nicabar sent his gaze around the room, pausing briefly and measuringly on each of the Iykams in turn, sent me a briefand totally impassive glance, then looked back at Nask.

Finally, almost reluctantly I thought, the Patth closed the folder and laid itback down on the table in front of him. "Satisfied?" Nicabar asked.

"Quite satisfied, Expediter," Nask said, his voice almost sullen.

"Good," Nicabar said, holding out his hand. "Then you can return the favor.

Brosh tells me you're the ambassador to Palmary. Unless you want to trytellingme this is an embassy annex, I'd like to see some proof of that."

"Of course this isn't the embassy," Nask said stiffly, reaching into his robeand pulling out his own ID folder. "I chose this place precisely because Ididn't want the encounter taking place on official Patthaaunutth soil."

"So where exactly are we?" I asked.

Nask glanced at me but didn't answer. Nicabar, studying Nask's ID, didn't evenbother to look at me. I looked around at the Iykams, but none of them seemedinterested in talking to me, either. After a moment, Nicabar closed Nask's IDand dropped it onto the desk beside his own. "Fine," he said. "Any progress sofar?"

"We have him," Nask said, gesturing toward me. "That's a start." He clearedhis throat. "You'll forgive me if I find myself surprised by your unexpectedarrival, Expediter. I was not informed of your presence on Palmary."

"You'll be even more surprised when I tell you the name of the ship I came inon," Nicabar said dryly. "A little independent freighter by the name ofIcarus."

It was as if all three Patth had simultaneously grabbed hold of the samehigh-voltage wire. "What?" Enig said, the sound coming out more as a gasp thana legitimate word. "The Icarus?"

"What, don't you read your own government's hot-sheets?" Nicabar sniffed. "Mypicture ought to be plastered all over the embassy identifying me as one ofthe Icarus's crewers."

"There have been no such pictures," Nask said. "We have only now begun topiecetogether the profile of the Icarus's crew from sifting through the variousreports, and there are no pictures or sketches as yet."

Nicabar grunted. "Sloppy."

"We are doing the best we can with what we have," Nask insisted, his voicestill civil but clearly showing some strain. "It was mere blind luck that one of Enig's defenders spotted McKell heading for that pharmacy and was able to seethrough his disguise."

"Enig's defenders?" Nicabar echoed, looking over at Enig.

"Yes," Nask said. "Enig and Brosh are the pilot and copilot of the freighterConsiderate."

"Civilians?" Nicabar demanded, his eyes blazing. "You brought civilians intothis?"

"I had no choice," Nask snapped back. "I couldn't involve my staff for thesame reason I didn't take McKell to the embassy. Besides, Brosh and Enig are nolonger precisely civilians. Their ship happens to be the only Patthaaunutthvessel currently on the planet, and once we have the Icarus we'll need someonewho can fly it back to Aauth. I've therefore commandeered both of them intoofficial service."