Crystal Heat

2

Aleytys’ blue-green eyes burned through the screen. “I don’t know if I want to listen to you, kak. Who threatens Shadow, threatens me. You’d better believe that.”

“I seem to have made an error in judgment.” Digby’s voice dripped penitence; he’d chosen a sad puppy look and was doing his best to project rueful contrition. “Is there some way we can resolve this difficulty without mutual destruction?”

“For one thing, you can stop trying to worm through Tigatri’s defenses. If you get her annoyed enough, she’ll seize your trace and do to you what you’re trying to do to her.”

“Ah. I must apologize to Shadith. I thought she was exaggerating for effect.”

“Hm. I think more than apologies are called for.”

In the Backhoe, watching this exchange on the forescreen, Shadith smiled. Squeeze the bort good, Lee, squeeze him till he squeals.

She blinked as the screen suddenly added a third cell as Harskari appeared and joined the conversation.

“Yes. Considerably more. Shadow is my sister, my daughter, Digby. Lee is not alone in this. Look to your health, you thing of painted light. We’ll pull your house down and melt your flakes to slag.” She was smiling as she spoke and her voice was soft, her dignity pulled like a robe about her.

Shadith was bouncing in her chair and grinning widely enough to threaten her ears. “Go get ’im, Mama Harskari.” She drew a deep breath, chortled as she watched Digby’s face go stiff and his eyes empty as he contemplated the nearly identical faces of the two women. The load was off her shoulders now, she could sit back and watch her soul-kin operate. For a little while she could revel in being a child again.

Digby seemed to sigh. “It was an extravagant tale… that your daughter, you say? Mm… that Shadith spun for me, but it seems she underspoke the truth. What do you require?”

“She is indeed the daughter of my heart and of our long companioning. In addition to her immediate return to us, WE,” Harskari laid stress on that word, “require indemnity deposited on Helvetia equal to one year’s gross income of Excavations Ltd; Aleytys will give you the details in a moment. As to what Shadith requires, you’ll have to ask her.”

The screen blanked and Shadith found herself in darkness; around her the faint, subliminal soughing of the ship’s life support was hushed. Digby’s voice was silky in her ears. “I can do more than stop the fans. I can evacuate the air from the ship and you’ll die gasping.”

A moment later the lights were back and a faint current of air tickled at the tiny hairs that curled about her face.

“That’s to remind you what happens if you drive me too far,” he said.

Shadith laughed and enjoyed the look on his face when he heard the freedom of the sound. “I’ve died twice already, why should I fear a third death?”

“Then why bother with your friends out there?”

“If I had to go, I wanted company. You’re wasting time, you know. My offer is still open. Leave me and mine alone and we’ll leave you your secrets and your life.”

“So I have to run every job past you to make sure I’m not violating your precious ambiance?”

“Leave legalisms to lawyers, Digby. You’re trotting out problems that don’t exist. Go about your ordinary business and there won’t be a pattern. If by chance you and I meet as adversaries, we can work out an accommodation or declare all-out war and see who emerges at the end. If you go after us again, you’ll make a pattern and we’ll know it. You haven’t any notion of the capacity of a Vryhh-designed kephalos; I suggest you don’t try to test it. If you do, we’ll come after you, the ones you know and the ones you don’t.”

“I could still fight this out. My Sanctuary is land-based and the atmosphere will limit the weapons your friends can bring to bear on me. Plus the fact that you’re sitting here, more vulnerable to them than I am.”

“Don’t count on that, Digby. There’s a lot you can’t know about Aleytys. Or Vryhh tech.”

“Threats about what I don’t know get thin very fast. I do not like the thought that I exist on your sufferance, Shadith. In fact it’s so unappealing, that I find myself just about ready to call you back in here and take my chances with your champions.”

“You can try.” Shadith sighed. “I’m not going to argue with you, Digby, or let you distract me. Agree or fight. Make up your mind.”

There was a long silence.

Shadith stretched out her legs, shut her eyes, and waited with what patience she could scrape together.