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t of the way。 〃It's no use arguing with him when he's made up his mind this way。〃
〃And what if the Iykams find him？〃 Nicabar growled。
〃The Iykams are dead or scattered；〃 I said。 〃Personally； I'm more worried about what'll happen if the Patth stumble onto the ship and none of you are there to defend it。 Or do you really think Tera and Chort can hold off a concerted attack by themselves？〃
〃I suppose he's right；〃 Everett said reluctantly。
〃Of course I'm right；〃 I said。 〃Give me one hour after you get to the ship for me to catch up with you。 If I'm not back； Ixil； you'd better try lifting off。 Head for Everett's hiding place； and I'll try to catch up with you。 And let me have some money； will you？〃
〃Here；〃 Ixil said； pulling out his wallet and handing it to me； his eyes steady on my face。 〃There should be enough there。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said as I took it。 There was a lot he wanted to say； I could tell； but didn't dare do so in front of the others。 〃Now get going。〃
Ixil nodded。 〃Be careful。〃
〃Trust me；〃 I promised。
They headed out； varying degrees of unhappiness mirrored in their faces and postures。 I leafed through the wallet…three hundred marks； more than enough…making sure to give them a good head start。 Then； diving into the crowd； I followed after them。 Partly it was simple caution on my part； a desire to be in backup position in case the Iykams hadn't all been killed or scattered。 Mainly； though； I wanted to make sure all three actually got on that tram and stayed there。 What I was about to do next I couldn't afford to let even a hint leak out about。
And so I stood half…concealed behind a group of Skanks and watched as they got aboard。 I hung around until the tram pulled out； then； standing on tiptoe to study the flapping display flags； I headed for the nearest pharmacy。
I had anticipated having no trouble picking up borandis in the middle of the Grand Feast； and no trouble was exactly what I got。 Ten minutes after entering； I was out on the street again； two hundred marks' worth of borandis safely tucked away in my inner pocket。 With any luck that would be far more than we would actually need； but it would look suspicious if I'd only brought enough to get us to Everett's Beyscrim hideout。 I made my way back to the station and hid in the crowd until the next tram arrived。
Not surprisingly； the tram was quite uncrowded； with the revels in full swing the majority of the traffic was headed into the cities and not vice versa。 The sparse occupancy meant I was more conspicuous than I might otherwise have been； but it also meant I got a seat all to myself； plus a few minutes of badly needed rest。 All in all； I decided it was a fair trade。
The ride was uneventful。 I saw no Patth； no Iykams； and no sign that I was being either watched or followed。 And after what seemed like far too short a trip the doors opened onto the Bangrot Spaceport platform。
It was going to be another long hike back to the Icarus； unless opportunity and diminished crowd density enabled me to take one of the little runaround cars instead。 But whichever； ride or walk； it was going to be postponed a little while longer。 Instead of turning right and making for the Icarus； I turned left and headed to the Starrm building。
The receptionist at Uncle Arthur's left me on hold for several minutes； which was a bad sign all by itself。 It meant they were having to wake him up； and Uncle Arthur roused from his beauty sleep was never even remotely at his best。 Add to that the news I was about to give him； and this was likely to be one of our less pleasant conversations。
My first look at him； when the display finally cleared； was the first indication that my assessment of the situation had been ominously off target。 Uncle Arthur was not garbed in sleep shirt and hastily thrown…on robe； his hair tousled into a multidirectional halo。 He was instead immaculately groomed； every hair in place； and dressed in the sort of upscale finery I hadn't seen him wear in years。
Which meant that instead of hauling him out of bed； I'd instead interrupted a meeting with those higher up in the food chain than he was； out in those murky waters he'd spent so much of his life swimming in。 I tried to decide whether that was better or worse than waking him up； but my throbbing head wasn't up to the task。
And then I took my first look at his face； and felt an icy cold begin to seep into my heart。 It was a graveyard face； the look of a man who's been backed into a corner by his enemies with nowhere else to go and no more tricks left to use。 The look of a chess master down to his king and one pawn； with the painful knowledge that that pawn is about to be sacrificed。
〃Jordan；〃 he said； his voice studiously neutral。 〃We were just talking about you。 What's the situation？〃
〃Mine's not so hot；〃 I said。 〃How's yours？〃
〃Not very good； I'm afraid；〃 he conceded。 〃Where are you now？〃
〃In the middle of the Grand Feast celebration on Palmary；〃 I told him。 〃And hoping to get the hell out as fast as we can。〃
〃I take it you had some trouble？〃
〃You might say that；〃 I agreed tartly。 〃The Patth caught up with me and let their Iykami underlings play a brief drum solo on my head。 My crew was able to spring me； but two of them took plasmic burns on the way out。 I know you don't like getting overtly involved with my life； but we need some backup。 And we need it now。〃
His expression； if anything； went a little more neutral。 〃Do you have a destination in mind after you leave there？〃
〃One of the crew has a friend on Beyscrim with an isolated lodge he's not using；〃 I said； feeling the cold dread settling a little more deeply into me。 He hadn't responded to my call for reinforcements； and now the mention of Beyscrim should have had him busily punching his off…screen puter keys for data。 But he wasn't。 〃It's supposed to be a five…day flight from here； which I figure should put it within reach of at least some of your people。〃
〃Yes； it would；〃 he agreed heavily。 〃Jordan。。。 I'm afraid there won't be any backup。〃
I stared at him。 〃May I ask why not？〃
〃To be blunt； because Earth has caved；〃 he said； his voice suddenly bitter。 〃Not fifteen minutes ago Geneva issued a formal notice that no public； governmental； or private organizations or persons with citizenship ties to Earth or Earth…allied worlds are to offer information； personnel； materiel； or any other assistance to the outlaw starship flying under the name Icarus。〃
His lip twitched。 〃You were also specifically mentioned in the order； Jordan。 Along with Ixil and two or three others of your crew for whom they have names。〃
〃This is nonsense；〃 I said； my voice sounding unreal through the noise of my suddenly pounding heart。 Uncle Arthur had been my absolute last chance。 〃They can't do that。 The stakes here…〃
〃The stakes are precisely what they're thinking about；〃 he said with a grimace。 〃I didn't tell you the other part。 Approximately ten minutes before Geneva issued their order the Patth issued one of their own。 The entire Kalixiri populace has been declared anathema。〃
I stared at him； Nask's parting…shot curse against Ixil and his people echoing through my mind。 〃That was fast；〃 I said。 〃It wasn'