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He was led inside to an ornate dining room where white-uniformed mess stewards served an excellent meal. Jeff declined wine, but was persuaded to have a small glass of grua after he ate. Conversation was minimal, and once again MacKi
When they finished, MacKi
They didn’t have to go far. Jeff was privately amused. It wasn’t unknown for colonials to show their importance by insisting on elaborate rules of precedence. Obviously a mere lieutenant wasn’t important enough for a cabinet officer to have lunch with.
There could have been a scene at the office door. Jeff’s Marines didn’t want to be separated from him. “My apologies, Colonel,” Jeff said. “The sergeant has been ordered to protect me—”
“Surely not from us,” MacKi
And he looks plenty insulted, too, Jeff thought. Oh, hell. “I’ll be right out, Sergeant,” Jeff told Donivtsky. “Please wait for me here.”
The Marine wasn’t pleased. His “Sir!” made that clear. Jeff went into the paneled office musing on just how much expression a senior NCO could put into a monosyllable.
The man seated at the large desk certainly didn’t look dangerous. Jeff remembered meeting him briefly at some palace function or another.
“My lord Dougal, minister without portfolio,” MacKi
“Very kind of you to come,” Dougal said. “Please have a seat. Thank you. Grua?”
“I’ve been entertained well, my lord,” Jeff said. “If you’ll pardon me, I’m overcome with curiosity about why I’m here.”
“Yes, of course you are,” Dougal said. “If you could please give me your credentials as an official observer for the Empire?”
Jeff handed over the documents. They were studded with seals. “Dazzlers,” Ackoff had called them. Since there wasn’t any such office as “official witness” the text had been cobbled up by Ackoff’s secretary. It was possible that the locals could read some of the Imperial language — their own wasn’t all that different from Angelic — so the documents states, in flowery terms, that Lieutenant Jefferson was empowered to observe and make an official report.
Dougal examined the papers, then put them in his desk. “If you’ll excuse me one more moment?” He lifted a small tube from the desk and put it to his ear, listened, then spoke into it. “Excellent. Please ask H.M. to be ready to come in.” He put the tube back on the desk and turned to Jefferson. “Indeed, it is time we had a long discussion, Lieutenant. I would rather your government had sent a more senior officer, but you’ll have to do. First, though, I must make a strange request. Would you allow me to lock your sidearm in my desk?”
MacKi
“I regret that the colonel is armed,” Dougal said. “As am I. And of course this office is under observation by several of my agents. Believe me, Lieutenant, you are not being kidnapped. No demands will be made on you, and your weapon will be returned to you shortly. But I must insist that you surrender it. You see, we have a silly law that only the king’s officers may be armed in his presence, and His Majesty is waiting to come in.”
And Colonel MacKi
“No problem,” Jeff said. “You didn’t have to be so dramatic. A simple request—”
“Which is all we have done,” Dougal said.
Jeff carefully drew his pistol and held it out. MacKi
Dougal lifted the speaking tube again. “All clear,” he said pleasantly.
The door opened and King David came in.
Dougal stood when the king entered, so Jeff did also. And what’s the protocol for a disarmed Imperial officer meeting a colonial king? Jeff wondered. Can’t hurt to be polite. “Your Majesty,"Jeff acknowledged, and bowed.
“This is not an official audience,” David said. “Please be seated.”
Jeff waited until both the king and Dougal were seated before he resumed his chair. As King David took his seat, Jeff studied him. Not a bad looking fellow, he thought. And not an idiot, from everything Greenaugh says. This is a pretty stupid move, but they’ll never know just how stupid. By now Greenaugh himself is certainly listening—
As if he were reading Jeff’s thoughts, King David said, “My lord, you are convinced we are not being overheard?”
“Nearly certain,” Dougal said. “All through lunch the technicians detected some kind of radio wave. After the lieutenant came in here and the door was closed they couldn’t detect it any longer. I suppose it’s possible they have some other kind of secret communication we can’t stop, but I doubt it.”
“How long have we?” King David asked.
Dougal shrugged. “As best we know, we’re duplicating that signal exactly. At this moment, three actors who sound very much like myself, MacKi
“What the devil does this mean?” Jeff demanded.
“Please,” King David said. “Lieutenant, you have my word that no harm will come to you and that you will shortly be given your weapon and taken to a place where you can communicate with your superiors. Indeed, we will insist that you communicate. All we want is to be certain you will not interfere with our test.”
“Then may I suggest that Your Majesty conduct his test and not interfere with an Imperial officer on duty?” Jeff said.
“Please,” Dougal said. “If you’ll listen for a moment all will be clear. We have one question we need answered.” He looked sourly at MacKi
Jeff stood abruptly. “If you damned fools fire some kind of rocket at Tombaugh you really are stupid—”
“Sit down.” Colonel MacKi
“Rescue? What — Your Majesty, just what do you contemplate doing here today?”
“Surely that is obvious from the question,” King David said. “We are launching a spaceship. Our only problem is that it ca
“Helmswoman,” MacKi
“The colonel’s fiancee,” King David said. “He is understandably worried about her.”
“I see. “Jeff sat down. “May I take out my computer?”
“Please do,” Dougal said.
Jeff scrawled numbers across the screen. “You’re launching due east?”
Dougal nodded. “They tell me that’s best, although I confess I don’t know why.”
“I do.” Due east from this latitude … what orbit was Tombaugh in just now? Not true polar, but highly inclined. No problem to intercept a ship coming up from Prince Samual’s World, but to match orbits … “Your Majesty, you must not do this. Tombaugh’s defenses will be on automatic, and they might shoot down your ship—”
“We’ve timed our launch pretty carefully,” Dougal said. “Your ship will be on the other side of Prince Samual’s World precisely because we supposed something like that. Once our ship is up you can warn your people.”
“I see.” Jeff scrawled more numbers. “Assuming your craft actually makes orbit — which I doubt, that’s tougher than you can possibly know — then Tombaugh should be able to match orbits in a bit more than three hours.”