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“Umm. And Jefferson has certainly been known to be interested in tavern girls. A good suggestion, Captain. Keep it in mind. Better — perhaps before we speak to her directly, we should have, uh, evidence—”
“I can arrange that,”
“Excellent. And Jefferson himself might be vulnerable,” Dougal mused.
“I can’t think his superiors don’t know of his adventures. One more wouldn’t make a difference.”
“I wasn’t thinking of his rather libertine ways with tavern girls,” Dougal said. “Tell me, Captain, have you any reason to believe that Freelady Elaine is sterile?”
“No, sir-”
“Yet if she has obtained a birth control device, she has been exceedingly discreet. Might Jefferson have given her what the Imperials use? Something called ‘The Pill’ is mentioned prominently in the novel we found. If he has given her Imperial technology, he may be in violation of one of their regulations.”
“Isn’t that a lot to deduce on little evidence?” Gregory asked.
“Some of it isn’t deduction, Captain,” Dougal said. “I have a number of agents watching those two. One is the concierge at the apartment Jefferson keeps in the suburbs.”
“Even if you’re correct, he would probably report any approach from us to his superiors,” Gregory said. “From what I’ve seen of him he is rather admirably loyal to the Empire.”
“Yes. Unfortunately. I suppose you’re right, it was only a thought. Now, to return to the matter of Citizen Liddell. Will he cooperate?”
“Yes. He’s very loyal. Favors the unification wars and all that. And this business with Jefferson hasn’t made him love the Empire.”
Dougal looked thoughtfully at the dossier on his desk. “Roads and public works,” he mused. “Good recommendations from his superiors. Fairly senior civil servant — tell me, do you think he’s competent to be one of the roads commissioners?”
“Yes.”
“Good. He’ll have that.” Dougal made a note on the memo pad in front of him. “Sir Giles Og’s political managers aren’t going to be too happy about losing that appointment, but that can’t be helped. Time to show Liddell he has friends who appreciate his talents — make sure he knows it was your influence that got him promoted. What else does he want?”
“A knighthood on retirement, but he has no reason to expect it—”
“Offer him that, too. If his daughter will cooperate with us. If not—” Dougal shrugged. “If not, a Haven knighthood won’t be worth a lot anyway, but we can’t tell him that. Captain, Elaine Liddell is potentially one of our best sources of information about Imperial policies, and I need that information badly. Especially now.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will. That’s all.”
“Sir.” Gregory stood.
“Your very best, Commandant,” Dougal said.
Gregory was halfway to the door. He stopped and turned in surprise. “Commandant?”
“Yes. I’ve just promoted you. See that you deserve it.” Dougal made another note on his memo pad.
This is dangerous, Dougal thought. The expedition is returning and we will need information on Imperial activities. Elaine Liddell is potentially invaluable, our only real source, but she could also arouse Imperial suspicions.
But, he thought, there is nothing else to do. It is worth the risk, but that risk will have to be minimized. He took a report from his desk and sca
He continued to scan the report. Citizen Liddell owned a pair of Ma
And there were endless other details to be attended to before the expedition returned. Dougal’s fingers drummed on the polished wooden desk, and a thin smile came to his lips. The waiting was over. Now they could get to work.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
DECISION FACTORS
The small boat skipped across the water, ru
“You look like you’re having fun.” Elaine leaned against the forward cockpit coaming with her knees drawn up to her chin.
“I must be. I’m gri
She laughed. “You travel in starships, and you’re impressed by a small boat?”
“It’s not the same,” he said defensively. Now why did she have to remind him of starships? And how was he going to tell her? Maybe now was as good a time as any. Just say it. “And I may not have many more opportunities.”
Her look was enough to wrench out his heart. “Why?” she asked, But she knew.
“Something’s happened out in Trans-Coalsack Sector,” Jefferson said. “Something big. They discovered an alien civilization.”
She frowned. “But you told me yourself there aren’t any intelligent creatures other than humans—”
The boat took a rogue wave and he struggled with the tiller for a moment before he could answer. “It’s a big universe. We were mistaken. Actually, they were discovered some time ago, and the news is only just getting here.”
“But how does that affect us?” she asked.
“They sent an expedition to the alien planets,” Jefferson said. “I don’t know what they found, but they’re ordering a main battle fleet to Trans-Coalsack.”
“War?” She shuddered. “We have stories about the last wars. And those were with humans.”
“I just don’t know,” Jeff said. “It might be. Why else would they want a fleet?” A big fleet. To be commanded by Kutuzov! Kutuzov the butcher, Kutuzov the hero … it depended on your point of view. “They’re sending a lot of ships out there, so the rest of us have to cover more territory. I don’t know where Tombaugh will be sent. Maybe even Trans-Coalsack.”
“Is that far?” she asked.
“Yes. Very far. And behind the Coalsack — that’s a mass of interstellar dust so thick it hides the stars behind it. You can’t see the sector capital from here.”
“I knew it would happen,” she said. “My father told me not to — not to fall in love with a Navy man. So now you’re leaving me.”
“Hey, I haven’t left yet,” he said.
“Can you stay?”
“I don’t know.” Possibly, he thought. I’d have to resign from the Navy and go into civil government. Do I want that? Oh, damn. He thought of Tombaugh ordered away, his shipmates leaving without him. Would that be harder than leaving Elaine?
He’d been planet-bound for two years except for brief tours aboard the orbiting Tombaugh. It was a pleasant relief from ship duty. But if he resigned to stay here, he’d never go to space again except as a passenger. He’d known he’d have to face this decision one day, but not so soon, not so soon. He tried to imagine his life as a civil administrator building an industrial civilization. He’d have honors enough. Possibly a barony. Almost certainly a barony on retirement. Another title in the family. His father would be proud of him. And he’d have Elaine.
Would that be enough?