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concluded； I wasn't quite ready to make such a decision。 Not yet。 Maybe once we were off Palmary。
The tram line； for all its obviously quick assembly； was still more fortable and professional than transports I'd used on a lot of supposedly more advanced worlds。 I arrived at the platform to find a pair of trams already waiting； one each heading in to the cities of Drobney and k'Barch。 I picked the k'Barch one； reasoning that the place with a k'Tra name would probably have a more frenetic celebration level； and hence more cover for a man on the run。
Most of my fellow travelers had apparently e to a similar conclusion； though undoubtedly with different motivations。 I let the traffic flow carry me in through the doors and to a standing point midway down one of the cars； jammed between a group of sweaty Narchners and a group of clean but equally aromatic Saffi。
We headed out。 I had enough of a view out one of the side windows to see that Nicabar's assumption had been correct： Not only was there a good…sized outfitters' store at the junction of the two tram lines； but also a collection of restaurants； tavernos； and gawk…shops。 Even Starrm had gotten into the act； setting up a prefab satellite station so that spacers who felt the need to get in touch with the outside universe wouldn't have to go to wherever their main building was in the twin…city area。 Once again； I raised my estimate of how much money this Grand Feast must pour into the Palmary economy。
We rumbled our way to the end of the line； which from the look of things was relatively close to the middle of k'Barch and perilously near the epicenter of the uping celebrations。 The earlier flow through the tram doors reversed itself； and a few chaotic minutes later I was maneuvering my way down a sidewalk that was only marginally less crowded than the inside of the tram had been。 About a block ahead； I could see the rustling display flag of a pharmacy； and I concentrated on making my way toward it。
I had reached the shop and was working my way sideways through the crowd toward the door； when something exploded against the back of my neck； plunging me into darkness。
CHAPTER 19
I CAME TO slowly； drifting back toward consciousness in gradual and tortured stages。 There was a vague sensation of disfort； which first coalesced into an overall chill and stiffness before zeroing in on a throbbing somewhere in the back of my head。 There was something wrong with my arms； though I couldn't figure out exactly what。 There was light somewhere； too； though as vague and undefined as the disfort had originally been； and the distant thought occurred to me that if I turned my head maybe I could figure out where it was ing from。 It took some time and effort to remember how that could be done； but finally I had it doped out。 Feeling rather pleased with my acplishment； I turned my head a little to the side。
And instantly came fully awake as a flare of pain burned through the back of my skull。 Someone； apparently； was doing his best to rip my head off my spine with his bare hands。 Clenching my teeth； I waited until the pain had mostly subsided； then； keeping my head as motionless as possible； I eased open my eyes。
I was sitting in a plain wooden armchair； unpadded； my head lolled forward with my chin resting on my chest。 What was wrong with my arms was quickly apparent： both wrists were handcuffed to the chair arms on which they were resting。 Experimentally； I shifted my right foot a bit and found that they hadn't bothered to lock my feet in place as they had my arms。 In the background I could hear the faint sounds of distant music； closer at hand； somewhere just in front of me； I could also hear the sounds of quiet alien conversation。 Slowly； mindful of the trip…hammer waiting to resume work on the back of my skull； I carefully raised my head to look。
And immediately wished I hadn't。 I was in a medium…sized room； plain and largely unfurnished； with a single light in the ceiling and a single closed door maybe four meters directly ahead of me。 Seated behind a low wooden table midway between the door and me； my partially disassembled phone on the tabletop in front of them； were two more members of the lumpy Iykami Clan。
At the moment； though； they weren't paying any attention to the phone； nor to any of the rest of my pocket equipment that had been unceremoniously dumped out onto the table。 My efforts at stealthy wakefulness to the contrary； they were looking straight at me。
And not； as near as I could tell from those alien faces； with particularly friendly expressions。 They were more the sort of expressions worn by people who have orders to keep a prisoner alive and mostly well； but who are at the same time secretly longing for said prisoner to make trouble and thus provide them with an excuse to beat the living daylights out of him。
Cooperative type that I was； it seemed a shame to disappoint them。 I came up on my feet； hunched forward for balance as I gripped the arms to hold the chair more or less in place against my back and rear。 Their secret hopes notwithstanding； a sudden and clearly suicidal attack on my part was probably the last thing they were actually expecting； and the shock had just enough time to register on their faces as I took two quick steps forward and swung 180 degrees around； taking care not to let my chair get hung up on the edge of their table。 With all the strength I could muster； I heaved myself and the chair as hard as I could squarely on top of them。
They saw it ing； of course。 But seated with their legs under the table； there wasn't a single thing they could do about it。 We all went down together in a confused and thunderous crash of splintering wood and alien curses。 Still handcuffed to the chair； my movements were severely limited； but even so I was in a far better fighting position than my opponents。 Flailing back and forth； hammering them with the chair and keeping them pinned beneath me； I lashed out with my feet； throwing kick after kick to head and torso and anything else I could reach。 After what seemed like forever through the haze of pain from my head； they stopped moving。 I gave them each another couple of kicks； just in case they were faking； then collapsed in a panting heap amid the carnage。
I didn't stay collapsed long； though。 It had been a serious gamble on my part； taking them on just after waking up； but I hadn't had much choice in the matter。 Two…to…one odds were as good as I was likely to get； and if I'd waited for them to call whoever was in charge with the news that the sacrificial Voodoo doll was awake and ready to have pins stuck in him； I'd never have left the room alive。
An unhappy ending that could still very easily happen。 The brief fight had been anything but quiet； and the music I could hear in the distance meant that there was at least someone else in the immediate vicinity。 My chair had suffered some damage in the fight； but enough of it had survived to keep me pinioned。 Rolling around awkwardly； keeping an ear cocked for the inevitable reaction； I started checking my unconscious jailers for the keys to my handcuffs。
They were wearing the same sort of neo…Greek tunics as the two who'd jump