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relax。 I'll look at Cameron's flight path in the morning and leave you a message at Xathru as to where the most convenient place will be for you to catch up with us。〃
〃Regulations require a minimum of two crewers for a Capricorn…class ship；〃 he reminded me。
〃Fine；〃 I said shortly。 It was late； my leg and head were hurting； and I was in no mood to hear the Mercantile Code being quoted at me。 Especially not from the one who'd ultimately gotten me in this mess to begin with。 〃There's you； there's Pix； and there's Pax。 That's three of you。 The details you can work out with the Port Authority in the morning。〃
With that I stomped out of the living area…being careful to stomp on my good leg only…and went into the bath/dressing room。 By the time I'd finished my bedtime preparations and rejoined Ixil I'd calmed down some。 〃Anything new？〃 I asked him。
He was still staring out the window； the two ferrets perched on his shoulders staring out right alongside him。 〃More aircraft seem to have joined in the activities；〃 he said。 〃Something out there has definitely piqued someone's curiosity。〃
〃Piqued and a half；〃 I agreed； taking one last look and then heading for my bed。 〃I wonder what Cameron's people dug up out there。〃
〃And who could be this interested in it；〃 Ixil added； turning reluctantly away from the window himself。 〃It may be； Jordan； that our discussion of Brother John's cargo will turn out to be moot。 You may reach the Icarus in the morning to find it already in someone's hands。〃
〃Not a chance；〃 I said； easing my aching leg gingerly under the blankets。
〃And why not？〃
I lay back onto a lumpy pillow。 Yet another lumpy pillow； at yet another lumpy spaceport； in what seemed to be an increasingly lumpy life。 〃Because；〃 I said with a sigh； 〃I'm not nearly that lucky。〃
CHAPTER 2
THE SKY TO sunward was gaudy with splashes of pink and yellow when I arrived at the spaceport at five the next morning。 A crowd of spacers； humans and aliens both； was already milling around the gates； most of them impatient to get to their ships and head out on the next leg of their journeys。 A few of the more impatient were making the standard disparaging ments about Ihmis customs； the Ihmis door wardens standing watch by the gates as usual ignored them。
There were no Patth in the waiting group； of course。 Over the past few years there had been enough of what the diplomats call 〃unpleasant incidents〃 around spaceports for most port authorities to assign Patth ships their own gates； service facilities； and waiting areas。 Port authorities hate dealing with the paperwork associated with assault and murder； and planetary governments are even less interested in earning the sort of sanctions the Patth routinely dish out for any affront to their people； real or imagined。
Which； e to think about it； made the three Patth I'd seen mixing with the mon folk at the taverno last night something of an anomaly。 Either they'd been young and brash； old and confident of local protection； or simply very thirsty。 Distantly； I wondered if they'd run into any accidents on their way home。
At 5：31 the edge of the sun appeared over the horizon； and at that moment the gates unlocked and swung open。 I joined the mass of beings flowing through； checking my collar once to make sure the tag Cameron had given me was still there。 I hadn't spotted Cameron himself in the crowd； which either meant he was waiting at a different gate or that whoever had been searching his archaeological dig last night had already picked him up。 Either way； I still planned to check out the Icarus； if only to see which species was standing guard over it。
A heavy； aromatic hand fell on my shoulder。 〃Captain Jordan McKell？〃
I turned。 Two of the Ihmis wardens had e unglued from their posts and were standing behind me； impressive and intimidating in their ceremonial helmets。 〃I'm McKell；〃 I confirmed cautiously。
〃e with us； please；〃 the Ihmisit with his hand still on my shoulder said。 〃Port Director Aymi…Mastr would like to speak to you。〃
〃Sure；〃 I said as casually as I could manage with a suddenly pounding heart as they gestured to the side and we worked our way across the pedestrian stream toward the Meima Port Authority building just inside the fence twenty meters away。 Our papers were in order； our cargo cleared； our fees paid。 Had someone finally backtracked one of Brother John's cargoes to the Stormy Banks？ If so； we were going to have some very awkward explaining to do。
I'd never been in this particular Port Authority before； but I'd logged enough hours in Ihmis hotels and tavernos to have a pretty good idea what to expect。 And I was mostly right。 The friendly lighting； extremely casual furniture； and smiling faces were hallmarks of the Ihmis style； all designed to put visitors at their ease。
From what I'd heard； all those same friendly touches remained cheerfully in place right up to the point when they strapped you to the rack and started cranking。
〃Ah…Captain McKell；〃 a deep voice called as I was led across the bustling main room to a large and cluttered desk in the corner。 Director Aymi…Mastr was typical of the species； with bulging； froglike eyes； four short insectoid antennae ing up from just above those eyes； and costal ridges around the sides of the face and neck。 A female； of course； with Ihmisits the females were generally the ones with the organizational skills necessary to run a zoo like this。 〃Good of you to drop by。 Please sit down。〃
〃My pleasure； Director；〃 I said； sitting down in the chair at the side of the desk； deciding to pass over the fact that I hadn't had much choice in the matter。 One of the other Ihmisits set my bag on the desk and started rifling through it； I thought about plaining； decided against it。 〃What's this about？〃
〃To be perfectly honest； Captain； I'm not entirely certain myself；〃 she said； selecting a photo from the top of a stack of report files and handing it to me。 〃A message has e down from my superiors to ask you about this person。〃
It was a picture of Arno Cameron。
〃Well； he's a human；〃 I offered helpfully。 So it wasn't Brother John's cargo they wanted after all。 At the moment I couldn't decide whether that was good or bad。 〃Aside from that； I don't think I've ever seen him before。〃
〃Really；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； dropping the pitch of her voice melodramatically。 She leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers in front of her…like the melodramatic tone； an annoying habit many Ihmisits had picked up from the old Earth movies they consumed by the truckload。 〃That's very interesting。 Particularly given that we heard from a witness not fifteen minutes ago who claims you were talking to him last night in a Vyssiluyan taverno。〃
A family of Kalixiri ferrets with very cold feet began running up and down my spine。 〃I hate to impugn the integrity of your witness；〃 I said flatly； tossing the photo back onto the desk。 〃But he's wrong。〃
The frog eyes narrowed。 〃The witness was very specific about your name。〃
〃Your witness was either drunk or a troublemaker；〃 I said； standing up。 That taverno had been crowded； and after my grandstand play against the three Yavanni there would be a dozen beings