〃Actually； yes；〃 I said。 〃We also seem to have a new group of players in the game。〃 I described the incident with the Lumpy Brothers on Xathru； and the coronal…discharge weapons they'd been carrying。 〃Have you heard of either this species or the weapons？〃 I asked when I finished。
〃A qualified yes to both；〃 he said； his eyes still busy off camera。 〃You may recall hearing rumors about a failed covert operation a few years ago in which an elite EarthGuard task force tried to steal data on the Talariac Drive。 Weapons very similar to those you describe were used against them； by guards who also match your description。〃
I sighed。 〃Which makes the Lumpy Clan some kind of Patth client race。〃
〃Very likely；〃 he agreed。 〃Don't sound so surprised。 Certainly their first efforts to find the Icarus would be made quietly； through their own people and agents。 It was only after that failed that they began to approach first the Spiral's criminals and now legitimate governments。〃
I thought about the three Patth Cameron and I had seen in that Meima taverno。 So that was why they'd ventured out of their usual restricted hideouts。 〃Still； it strikes me that they gave up on the quiet approach rather quickly；〃 I pointed out。 〃Could my smoking the Lumpy Brothers really have rattled them that badly？〃
〃I doubt it；〃 he said soberly。 〃More likely it was a matter of new information as to what exactly the prize was they were chasing。〃
And that knowledge had instantly pushed them into an open and increasingly public hunt。 Terrific。 〃This place you're finding for us better be real anonymous；〃 I told him。
〃I believe I can make it so；〃 he said。 〃Can you make Morsh Pon from there in one jump？〃
I felt my eyes narrow。 〃Assuming we can get off Potosi； yes；〃 I said cautiously； wondering if he was really going where I thought he was on this。
He was。 〃Good；〃 he said briskly。 〃The Blue District on Morsh Pon； then； at the Baker's Dozen taverno。 I'll have the information delivered to you there。〃
〃Ah。。。 yes； sir；〃 I said。 Morsh Pon was an Ulko colony world； and the Ulkomaals； like the Najik； had a reputation for great talent at creating wealth。 Unlike the Najik； however； the Ulkomaals relied heavily on the hospitality industry to make their money； specifically hospitality toward the less virtuous members of civilized society at large。 Morsh Pon was a quiet refuge for smugglers and other criminal types； far worse than even Dorscind's World； with the Blue District the worst area on the planet。
Which under normal circumstances； given my connection with Brother John and the Antoniewicz organization； would have made it an ideal place to go to ground。 Unfortunately； the current circumstances were far from normal。 〃I trust you remember； sir；〃 I said diplomatically； 〃that the Patth have invited the entire Spiral underworld out for a drink？〃
〃I remember quite well；〃 he said calmly。 〃It will be taken care of。 Now； I suspect time is growing short。 You'd best get moving。〃
It was； clearly； a dismissal。 I didn't particularly feel like being dismissed yet…there were still several aspects of this whole arrangement I felt like arguing some more。 But when Uncle Arthur said good…bye； he meant good…bye。 Besides； he was right； time was indeed growing short。 〃Yes； sir；〃 I said； suppressing a sigh。 〃I'll be in touch。〃
〃Do that；〃 he said。 The screen blanked； and he was gone。
I collected my change and left the booth。 Once again； I half expected one of Brother John's assassins to jump me in the corridor； once again； it didn't happen。 I snagged a city map from a rack by the main exit doors； located the street intersection called Gystr'n Corner； and headed outside。
The rain that had been threatening earlier was starting to e down now； a scattering of large fat drops that almost seemed to bounce as they hit the ground。 I had already decided that Gystr'n Corner was too far to walk； and now with the rain beginning I further decided not to wait for the public rail system。 Brother John wouldn't like that； his standard orders were for us to take public transportation whenever possible； the better to avoid official backtracks。 But then； Brother John wasn't here getting wet。 Hailing a cab； I gave the driver my destination； told him there would be an extra hundred marks for him if he got me there fast； and all but fell back into the spring…bare seat as he took off like an attack shuttle on wheels。
With the way I'd been spending money like water lately； first with full…vid starconnects and now on cabs； it was just as well I'd relieved that Patth agent on Dorscind's World of all those hundred…mark bills that had been weighing him down。 Now； watching the city； startled vehicle drivers； and outraged pedestrians blurring along past my windows； it occurred to me that perhaps some extra travel…health insurance might have been a good idea； too。 My map's key estimated it to be twenty…three minutes from the Starrm building to Gystr'n Corner。 My driver made it in just over fifteen； probably a new land…speed record for the city； possibly for the entire planet。
Emendo Torsk was there as promised； standing in front of a short cabanalike shelter； his squat Drilie shape almost hidden behind the plex multimusic box he was playing with both his hands and the set of short prehensile eating tentacles ringing the base of his neck。 A crowd of perhaps twenty admirers were standing in the rain in front of him listening to the music。
I let the driver take the cab out of sight along the street and had him pull to the curb。 I paid him； told him to wait； and walked back through the now pouring rain to join the crowd。 I wouldn't have guessed there were that many beings on the whole planet who liked Drilie di…choral anthems； even when they were properly performed； which this one emphatically was not。 But then； I doubted any of those in attendance were there for the music； anyway。
Fortunately； the piece Torsk had chosen was a short one； and I silently thanked the downpour for whatever part it had played in that decision。 Amid the smattering of totally fraudulent applause he passed a large hat around for contributions。 I'd made the necessary preparations while careening about in the cab； and as he waved the hat in front of me I dropped in a small package consisting of three tightly folded hundred…mark bills wrapped around a piece of paper with the word 〃borandis〃 written on it。 Most of the rest of the audience； I saw； had similar donations for him。 He finished taking up his collection and gave out with a set of guttural barks that were probably a traditional Drilie thank…you or farewell； then disappeared through the flap into his cabana。 At that； the audience faded away； splashing away in all directions to disappear down the streets and alleyways or into the dark and anonymous doorways fronting on the streets。
All of them； that is； except me。 Instead of moving back； I moved forward until I was standing directly in front of the long…suffering multimusic box。 There I planted myself； facing the flap Torsk had disappeared through； and waited； doing my best to ignore the cold drips finding their way beneath my collar and dribbling down my back。 I had no doubt he could see me perfectly well through his cabana； there were several different one…way opaque materials to choose from； and a person in Torsk's profession couldn't afford not to know what was going on around him at all times。 I just hoped he'd be curious enough or irritated enough to find out what I wanted before I was soaked pletely through。
He was either more curious or irritable than I'd expected。 I'd been standing there less than a minute when the flap twitched aside and I found myself looking down into a pair of big black Drilie eyes。 〃What want？〃 he demanded in passable English。
〃Want borandis；〃 I told him。 〃Have paid。〃
〃Wait turn；〃 he snapped； waggling a finger horizontally to indicate the now vanished audience。
〃Not wait；〃 I told him calmly。 Pushing him this way was risky； but I didn't have much choice。 The standard pattern seemed to be that you placed your order and came back for it later； probably at Torsk's next performance； and there was no way I could afford to hang around that long。 Particularly not if it required sitting through a second concert。 〃Want borandis。 Have paid。〃
〃Wait turn；〃 he repeated； even more snappishly this time。 〃Or get mad。〃
〃I get mad； too；〃 I said。
Apparently I'd been wrong about the whole crowd having vanished。 I was just about to repeat my request when a large hand snaked over my shoulder； grabbed a fistful of my coat； and turned me around。 I blinked the rainwater out of my eyes； and found myself looking fifteen centimeters up into one of the ugliest human faces it had ever been my misfortune to see。 〃Hey…trog…you deaf？〃 he growled。 His breath was a perfect match for his face。 〃He said to wait your turn。〃
There was undoubtedly more to the usual speech； probably something along the lines of what would happen to me if I didn't go away immediately。 But as I'd long since learned for myself； it was hard to speak when all your wind has been suddenly knocked out of you by a short punch to the solar plexus。 I ducked slightly to the side to avoid his forehead as he doubled over without