Clarion

CLARION

27

"That doesn't mean you have the right to charge in here like you own the place," Hendrikson snarled, his cheeks blazing.

"It's all right, Steph," Paul said, touching the young man's arm to calm him down. Confrontations always upset Dorland's delicate nervous system, and his nerves had already been put through enough for one day. But Paul was curious about the captain's statement. "A report has already been filed with the Guard. Why is Security involved?"

Frakes shrugged as if the matter didn't concern him. "Sabre thinks the men who attacked Mr. Avery may be involved in an interstream matter."

"Parke Sabre?" Paul said with surprise. Parke Sabre was Security Director for Omega Centauri Sector, and the highest ranking UNSA official in the Omega Sector. "Why is he interested in this?" Frakes moved his shoulders slightly. "Maybe you ought to ask him. He's waiting at the local Guard office."

30 William Greenleaf

horizon when Frakes guided the Aire Vega down toward a connected group of modem, cubelike office buildings. Thick vegetation surrounded the complex, and farther out Paul could see residential clusters—large, rambling buildings in brown and beige.

Frakes landed in an open stall on the roof of one of the mid-level buildings and popped open the Aire Vega's gullwing doors. The whine of the engine keened downscale.

"How long will this take?" Paul asked as he ducked under the door and stepped onto the tiled roof. "Mr. Avery has another show in two hours."

"No problem," Frakes said in a tone that revealed little concern. Not his problem, he means, Paul thought angrily.

Frakes led them in a diagonal line across the roof, picking his way easily through the parked flyers and streamcraft until he reached a section of the building that jutted above the parking level. He thumbed the lock of an unmarked door and led the way into a narrow, brightly lighted corridor. The two guardsmen stepped in behind them, but turned down another hallway and disappeared without a word.

The corridor was lined with numbered, woodveneer doors and opened into a lobby farther down. Paul heard distant voices and the erratic chatter of a high-speed printer. Frakes stopped in front of one of the doors before they reached the lobby. He thumbed the lock and pushed open the door, then moved out of the way to let Paul and Dorland step through into a small conference room.

"Sabre's on his way down. Have a seat if you want."

Paul turned to ask a question, but the door had already closed behind Frakes with a soft whirring sound.