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Of course that's what she wanted； but why was he being so helpful？ 〃What about your boss？〃 she asked。 He reddened and grinned。
〃Well； ma'am。。。 that Bortu； he just got promoted； you know。 Never been on anything like this before。〃
That could indeed explain it。 On the other hand。。。 Heris looked at Cecelia。
〃What about it？ This … what's your name？〃
〃Dussahral； ma'am。〃
〃This man says he'll fly us over to meet the captain … want to e along？〃
〃Of course；〃 Cecelia said； looking determined。
Thanks；〃 Heris said； smiling at him。 〃Go find us a flitter … we'll need to stop into the。。。〃 She nodded at a door down the hall。
〃Don't be long；〃 he said。 〃In case that Bortu figures it out。〃
〃Just a moment； promise。〃 Heris watched him go； then led Cecelia to the bathroom。
〃What's that about？ I don't need to …〃
〃Yes； you do。 We need a couple of minutes to make plans； and you never go into bat with a full bladder。〃
〃We're not going into bat； we're just going over to tell the militia captain where to look for Ronnie。〃
Heris caught her employer by a shoulder and turned her around。 〃Listen。 We're going into an unsecured zone where people are shooting at each other … possibly three different sets of people all shooting at each other … and if you can think of a better definition of bat； tell me when we're safely back in our hot tubs。 Now。 I am taking a very dangerous chance here； because there's no reason to trust Dussahral …〃
〃But he wants to help us。〃
〃So he said。 Didn't it occur to you that Lepescu might want to know about that cave just as badly as the captain？ And if he had an agent in this batch of militia； that person would be eager to tell him？〃
Cecelia frowned。 〃Why would he be stupid enough to stick with what is obviously a losing side？ Any smart agent would clam up and wait to see what happens。〃
〃Not all agents are smart。 And Dussahral may be innocent and pletely loyal to Bunny。 But … 〃 Heris ducked into a cubicle and continued talking through the closed door。 〃But if he's not； we need a plan。 We take our weapons。 He will think I'm the dangerous one； I'll let him jump me； and you shoot him if he does。〃
Cecelia； too； had gone into a cubicle。 Heris heard the seat squeak。 〃Me？ I've never shot anyone。 Just game …〃
〃New experiences keep you young。 You have to； he won't expect it from you。
Just have a round in the chamber； in case； and don't shoot me by mistake。〃
Heris came out and washed her hands。 Cecelia； when she emerged； had a strange
expression on her face。
〃You're trusting me with your life。〃
Heris shrugged。 〃You trust me with yours in the ship。 Besides； what I'm really doing is taking you into danger。 You could get killed too。 Remember that； when you're tempted to wonder if you really should shoot。〃 Then she grinned at the older woman。 〃Now … cheer up。 I'm wearing body armor under my clothes； he doesn't know that； and it will help。 And don't stare at him as if you suspect him。 He's thinking of you as a helpless old woman in a flutter about her nephew。〃
Cecelia snorted； and the color came back to her cheeks。 〃I can see；〃 she said； 〃how you manded a ship。〃 They walked out side by side； as if they had nothing better to do than sightsee； and the guards now posted in the corridors smiled and nodded at them。
Dussahral； when they reached the parking area； had one of the flitters rolled out where the supply flitter had been。 He looked tense and excited； but that was reasonable。 Heris smiled； and accepted his hand up into the flitter。
〃Lady Cecelia should be in back；〃 she said。 〃In case of stray rounds。〃 He nodded； and looked at Heris。
〃You want to copilot？〃 There wasn't much copiloting to be done in a flitter； but Heris nodded。
〃I'll keep a lookout；〃 she said。 〃Maybe I can spot the captain。〃 Little chance of that； but he relaxed a bit； as if this evidence of her inexperience in ground operations eased his mind The hop across to the other island took only minutes； it looked short enough to swim。 Heris noted its narrow spine； higher than Bandon's low rounded hills； the beach along the south and east … and two flitters parked at the south end。 A squad of militia there worked on something … she could see what looked like bodies。 She hoped Cecelia hadn't spotted them。
〃Is that the captain's flitter？〃 she asked Dussahral； who shook his head。
〃Should we land there？〃
〃No。。。 that's the number two。。。 captain must've gone somewhere else。 I'll fly up along the beach。〃 They flew north slowly； Heris tried to see into the thick canopy with no success。 Then Dussahral touched her arm and pointed； and Heris saw a flitter sitting lopsided on the beach。 Not the mand flitter： it had the serial number they'd been told was on the one Bubbles checked out。 Heris saw the gaping hole along one flank； something else she hoped Cecelia missed。
The flitter hadn't landed； or simply crashed … someone had shot it down。 She felt cold。
Dussahral swung the flitter inland； and they rose over the central rocky spine； where tufts and wisps of fog still swirled。 Down the other side … and the man waved suddenly。 〃There … I see something … I'll put us down in that clearing。〃
That clearing； to Heris； looked entirely too convenient a place for a trap； but she said nothing。 She had seen nothing of the captain's flitter； either。
But if there were a cave； surely it had to be in the hills somewhere。
Dussahral made a steep approach； dropping the flitter so rapidly that Heris caught her breath。 They landed hard； she felt the jolt out the top of her head。。。 and let herself act more stunned than she was。 Dussahral； she saw through nearly closed eyes； changed the setting of the flitter's unit and pushed the transmission switch all the way over。 With his other hand； he had shoved the canopy back。
〃e on；〃 he urged。 〃I'm sure I saw the captain's signal over there … 〃 A wave toward the higher ground。 〃I'll help you。 Do you have any idea where the cave might be？〃 All this in a voice easily loud enough to carry over the unit。
Heris pushed away his hand； but slowly； as if she almost needed it； and clambered out； intentionally clumsy。 She held her rifle loosely。 Dussahral waited for Cecelia to clamber out … Heris hoped the jolting landing hadn't jarred Cecelia's reflexes。 She also hoped Dussahral was as stupid as he seemed so far。 They could get rid of him quickly； and still have a chance to block Lepescu； now that the cave was no longer a secret Dussahral led them into the forest； away from the flitter。 Upslope； Heris noted； across a streambed with a trickle of water in it。 Heris wished she dared jump him now； but there was a chance he was leading her to Lepescu … perhaps he had a real signal to home on … and in that case it would be stupid to strike too soon。 He halted soon enough； and pointed to a rocky bluff。
〃There … the captain's probably up there。 I'll go back and keep an eye on the flitter。〃
〃I can't see；〃 Heris said； trying to sound querulous。 She felt querulous； it had just occurred to her that he might have wanted an excuse to bring the flitter for Lepescu's escape。 Even now the admiral might be flying away to safety； however temporary。 〃Where？〃 She pushed past him； giving him ever