Андрэ Нортон - Beast Master's Circus

*Just stay there, Prauo. Don't hurt him.* She brightened hopefully. *Unless he tries to escape.*

*You mean that?*

*I have to. But if he tries to hurt you or get away, then you can shred him!*

*That I shall do.* He settled down with the air of a cat which has no intention of moving anytime soon.

Storm had watched. Yes. Interesting. There was no doubt in his mind, even apart from the second file he'd seen just before they left the patrol office, that Laris had been Cregar's little sister's daughter. The ages would fit, and there was quite a facial resemblance if one looked for it. No one had before because the possibility had never occurred to them. And only Storm had seen the last spacegram which had arrived from his stepfather minutes before they left for the circus. There hadn't been much in it, just the information that further old records had been checked for Regan. Those had noted that the man had reverted to his basic name and dropped the final portion. Originally he'd been Jason Regan Trehannan. So Laris came from a beast master line, and she appeared as well to be bonded to the big cat—or something.

Prauo's head turned toward Storm. Purple eyes studied him. An itch awoke in his brain; then words came.

*Or something.*

Storm opened his mouth in shock and would have said he knew not what, but for the arrival of Versha, Jared, and Anders. The woman was looking annoyed.

"We have everyone but that damn Dedran. He's vanished into thin—" Tani and Logan moved aside. Dedran was revealed with a smug Prauo still draped across him, a pawful of wickedly extended claws at the ready. Versha's face split into a wide, happy, and dangerous smile. "How nice. Fur packaged for safety." She turned to Laris. "Can we have him now, please?"

*Prauo, time to get up. The nice lady is going to make Dedran almost as miserable as you could.* Prauo yawned and rose. He padded over to Laris as Anders snapped arm-locks on the circus boss. Jared took charge of the prisoner and marched him away. Versha surveyed them.

"I think a conference in Anders's office would be a good idea. I'd like to know what's been happening." She glanced down. "Also if that man was Cregar, and who killed him? I see you have your animals back though. So—something of a happy ending." Her smile went hungry. "For us too. Dedran will talk, my superiors will be delighted, the guild will not be. A good result all around, I'd say."

Storm bent to lift Surra again. "Yes." Logan had persuaded Laris to let go of Cregar's hand and rise. He looked at the drooping girl. "We have loose ends to tie and things to talk about. Information to share as well. Laris?" Her head came up. "I don't want to jar Surra by carrying her all the way, any ideas?"

Given a need, Laris put aside her grief for a little. "Lifter pallets. There's one around in the next alley. Hold on." She darted away and returned with the pallet towed smoothly behind her. Over an arm she had a couple of blankets as bedding. Surra was laid on the blanket-cushioned lifter top. Laris produced a set of bars which slotted into the top. They formed a low surround to prevent Surra from rolling off. Storm pushed the pallet and it glided forward. The girl tucked the blanket edges over the cat and stepped back.

"Good. Thank you." Storm approved. She flushed and nodded.

The small cavalcade headed for the gates. Once there, a hovercar engulfed Storm and Surra, with Tani and her coyotes, who were still refusing to move more than a pace from her. Logan hauled Laris into the next vehicle. Prauo joined them, sitting comfortably between, to Logan's amusement. Versha and Anders entered his official transport and powered smoothly after the other two vehicles. Dedran brought up in the rear in a fourth car with watchful guards. They reached the Under-governor's offices and Anders halted them all.

"I think we should do best by taking a break right now. Go bathe, eat, drink, and rest. We'll meet tonight at eight-hour. By that time Versha and I may have answers to some of the questions you'd like to ask." He smiled at Dedran. "This does not apply to you, I fear. It is you who shall be providing the answers." He nodded to Dedran's guards. "Take him to the probe room and begin. I'll follow."

They scattered, to reassemble seven hours later, clean, respectably garbed, and hungry for information. Anders was waiting, his face alight with results.

"I'll make this fast. We have preliminary information which clears some of the mysteries. Briefly—Dedran's boss was a guild patron. They planned to use stolen team beasts and Cregar to build new teams. The guild patron intended to send these out as a sort of guild survey to find new usable planets. The whole circus was never more than a front. While they worked toward that plan they also used it in other ways." He saw Laris draw back slightly.

"Yes, he's talked about you and your friend there." He nodded to Prauo. "Before we began deep-probe Dedran tried to persuade us that the espionage, sabotage, and thefts were your idea. However I have seen the Kowar record copies. Dedran's acts began long before you joined the circus and you were twelve when you did so. Under probe he confirmed you were illegally bonded and under duress and his orders, not the reverse. I don't quite see you as the mesmerizing criminal mastermind he's tried to claim anyway."

Laris faced him, nerving herself. "I'll swear oath and take probe to back it. I was afraid for Prauo's life and my own."

"I believe you. I accept your oath but I'll have to have probe records for Trastor's governor and patrol High Command. Don't worry. For those who speak the truth, probe isn't dangerous—or even painful. We can do that now." He picked up papers and shuffled them. "Apart from that we had another informant in the guild's lower level. They confirm there is now considerable infighting going on. Dedran's patron has fallen. Other patrons would like to lay hands on Dedran. It's been made plain his best hope of life is to stay right here and talk about everything he's ever done or known."

"And?" Logan asked.

Anders grinned. "And once he understood that, the problem is going to be shutting him up any time soon. We're encouraging that. We have cheated him in one way. Somehow he'd taken the notion that if he cooperates he won't go to rehab. I'm afraid he's wrong. With even half of what we know he has done he already has a room booked. Or—if he chooses, a clean death. Either way he won't be merely jailed or let go."

Laris shivered. To have the personality wiped. To be a baby again and to relearn, then go free but never know who you'd been. That was death and maybe the worse sort. She shivered again. She guessed Dedran would choose a clean death in the end. At least if he did it would mean she'd never see even his body again. Anders moved toward the door.

"Laris, come with me. We can have this over in an hour. If you others would care to wait..." They did so. He was back with Laris in the promised hour, both smiling. Anders carried papers. He sat, handing the papers to Versha as he did so. The patrol officer took center stage.

"I've conferred with Jared and we agree. Laris, the probe confirms that all you did was done as a bond-servant under orders and under threat of death or injury to you or your beast. Therefore you are deemed guiltless. This, so long as it cannot be subsequently proved against you that you yourself were the deliberate cause, without legal excuse, of death or injury to any other." The words rolled out in solemn tones. Versha was giving the law as backed by the patrol.

"Storm witnessed the transfer of all property owned by the man Jason Regan, known also as Jas Cregar. It is accepted that this verbal transfer is a legal will and that you inherit as was the dead man's intent. No reason is seen why you should remain on Trastor. The probe clears you. You are free to leave when and to where you wish. Monies inherited may be transferred at your demand." She glanced at the papers and spoke again slowly.