Андрэ Нортон - Beast Master's Circus

...No longer Baris and the Lady Ideena. Now they were an older man with his young son. Even Ideena's walk had changed, to the cocky swagger of a boy in his mid-teens. Baris became a more ponderous walker, a man of substance both financial and physical; an aging man who had never had to exert himself and whose reflexes had long since slowed. They took a hovercab in the direction of the circus. Several streets away they left the cab and strolled, two in a crowd, all heading for Trastor's newest attraction. There were guards at the circus gates.

Baris slowed. "Do we risk it?"

"No choice," Ideena hissed back. "We need to get under cover. Take your time. We'll look around the cages first. With good luck we'll see Dedran or Cregar without having to ask for them." They strolled, Ideena in character as a bored boy trying to pretend he was enjoying the treat his father had offered, Baris as the equally bored father only too happy that his lad was enjoying the show. From the corner of his eye Baris saw a familiar figure. His hand tightened on her arm and she turned casually to follow his stare.

Cregar was checking guard shields and locks on the cages. There was always some stupid child left unwatched who'd try to approach the cage front or sneak in the back to enter and pet the pretty animals. Most of the pretty animals would be delighted, some because they enjoyed being petted, others because they could always use an extra snack. He checked the next lock and held himself from a betraying movement as he felt someone approaching. A voice spoke very softly behind him.

"Don't turn around. This is Baris and Ideena. We're wanted. Ideena thinks it's about our raid on Arzor. Tell Dedran he gets us under cover or the probies have us and we talk our heads off. He'd better decide fast, they won't be far behind."

Cregar thought quickly. "Stroll about. I'll find Dedran. We'll slip you into the alley between cage rows. There're places there we can keep you where even the probies won't find a thing." He turned, looked at them briefly, and slid into the crowd.

He was back in five minutes with the worried-looking circus boss. Ten minutes later the fugitives were lodged undetectably if not comfortably in the secret part of the largest cage. Cregar and Dedran had talked and Dedran was both alarmed and furious but he hid his emotions from the fugitives. There would always be another time to act. For now he would have to wait and see what sort of a storm this stupid pair had raised. If it was too dangerous there were always options.

Inside the circus Laris heard nothing of the fugitives' arrival until Dedran sought her out. "The largest hidden place," he snapped at her. "It has occupants. Take them a jug of the local cider and see that it's cut with about half juice. I won't risk them getting drunk."

Laris snorted, "They'd find it impossible to get drunk on that stuff without juice added. And what if whoever it is blames me?"

Dedran's face was grim. "Tell them it's my order. Don't waste time, girl. Get moving and come straight back. I want to go over changes in the order of tonight's acts."

He strode away as Laris headed for the tent which held food and drink for the circus staff. She half filled a large lidded jug with the local cider and topped it off with a tart thirst-quenching fruit juice. She was wondering who Dedran had hidden. Cregar was nearby as she slipped down the alley behind the cages. He nodded once to her and went back to his work, which appeared to consist of polishing cage locks. Laris wondered about that, then thought perhaps he was checking security and seeing that no one followed her to the hidden room.

She opened the door with care, climbed in, and placed the jug on a small ledge. It was darker inside where the bright sun did not penetrate so her vision was blurred. She spoke quietly to the dim shape which lounged against the wall.

"I have brought you cider and fruit juice to drink. Dedran says it is by his orders." She moved to leave and was caught by the arm.

A half-familiar female voice purred softly. "Was it indeed?" A second shape moved up; as Laris's eyes acclimated to the dimness she stared and bit down fear. The speaker was Ideena with Baris behind her, and they looked unpleasantly pleased to see her.

"I don't much care for fruit juice," Baris said softly. "I'd prefer Fever brandy, wouldn't you, Ideena?"

"Much better than fruit juice," came the sweet agreement.

Laris twisted. "Dedran expects me back at once. He wants to discuss tonight's acts."

"Oh, but we'd rather you got us brandy. We're even prepared to give you a couple of credits and you can keep the change."

"Dedran—"

"Can wait while you go and buy us what we want." Baris took a firmer grip on her wrist. "Do you hear me? I want brandy!" His fingers dug into a bruise the girl had received earlier and Laris squealed at the sharp pain.

Cregar thrust his head in and scowled. "Never mind wasting time here, girl. Dedran's expecting you."

"Maybe we'd like her to stay?" Ideena's voice was half-questioning.

"And maybe we have work for her," Cregar said, looking at the woman. "There's an old saying: Offend not the host in his home." Ideena pouted but nodded to the man. Baris released his grip sullenly. He reached for the jug, drank, and spat in outrage.

"Fruit juice! Tell Dedran we want something drinkable. Merilian wine, even the wine they make here is drinkable. Anything but Ghesh-damned fruit juice. There's no kick in that for a man."

Laris scrambled out of the cage and left Cregar to discuss that subject. She wanted to be far away from the fugitive pair. If Cregar hadn't come when he did she had a feeling Baris would have started slapping her. And why had he come? How had he been about just when she needed him? She didn't know. She'd just be grateful he had been, and she hoped he'd be there if she had to tend that pair again. Behind her Cregar was speaking very quietly.

"Lay off the kid. She belongs to Dedran. She does a good job for the circus too. She's in four acts; Dedran won't be at all happy if she can't perform." His gaze became threatening. "Besides, she's not a bad kid. You start upsetting her and I might just take a hand. I haven't got a lot of time for your kind."

"Is that supposed to scare us?" Baris sneered. Cregar said nothing. He simply stood there holding the man's gaze with his own until the larger man dropped his eyes.

Cregar left. Baris made a spitting motion, then looked at Ideena.

"No one talks to me like that. There's always another day and next time it'll be my turn."

Ideena was thoughtful. "Yes. But not yet. First we need to get off this planet. The best way would be with our ship. I don't want to go back to finding another and fixing it up. Not if we can get this one back." She remembered the filthy jobs they'd had to take to afford even the shabby, decommissioned old patrol courier ship. It wasn't the killings she'd minded, nor the easier robberies. It was working for people who'd given the orders and treated her and Baris as if they were something scraped from a gutter.

She didn't want to do all that again. It was a pity they hadn't had a good chance at Cregar once they'd lifted from Arzor. But the man was cunning. Maybe now was a better time. Baris wasn't much for planning but he sometimes had ideas. She opened the discussion and waited to hear if this was one of those times. They settled to making plans as outside Laris was trotting for Dedran's office. He looked up as she entered.

"Where have you been?"

"Baris tried to make me stay with them." Laris hoped that a few words would convey more. It seemed to. Dedran's eyes went hard.

"What happened?" That was easy. She explained what the pair had said and done. Then that Cregar had come by, heard her cry out, and intervened. She exhibited the bruised wrist.