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It was the time of sunrise in Ceyce, the White City, placidly beautiful capital of Maccadon, the University World of the Hub. In the Colonial School's sprawling five-mile complex of buildings and tropical parks, the second student shift was headed for breakfast, while a larger part of the fourth shift moved at a more leisurely rate toward their bunks.
"No. She's on Maccadon." "Is she how's she doing?" "Doing all right," Quillan said. "She sends her regards and says a little less heft on the next solar plexus you torpedo should be good enough." Trigger flushed. "She isn't sore, is she?" "Not the way you mean," he considered. "Not many people have jumped Mihul successfully. In her cockeyed way, she seemed pretty proud of her student."
Rather severely, it seemed. "Did you mean," the green one asked carefully, "that you are not a retainer?" Trigger nodded. "I'm from Maccadon," she explained. "The name is Birna Drellgannoth." "Maccadon," the pink one repeated. "You are a commoner then, young Birna?" "Of course she is!" The green one looked offended. "Maccadon!"
As I get it, their topnotchers don't spend much time on individual cases. They keep busy with things on the scale of our more bothersome planetary cultures and there are supposed to be only a hundred or so of them in that category. So I was more than a little surprised when the Service informed me finally one of those people was coming to Maccadon to conduct your ninth interview."
If it was a choice between inconveniencing Holati Tate and losing that meathead Brule Trigger switched on the ComWeb. The head of the personnel department of Precol's Maccadon office said, "You don't want me, Argee. That's not my jurisdiction. I'll connect you with Undersecretary Rozan." Trigger blinked. "Under " she began. But he'd already cut off.
But around four days from now somebody is coming in to Maccadon to interview you." "Interview me? What about?" He hesitated a moment. "There's a theory," he said, "that you might have information you don't know you have. And that the people who sent grabbers after you want that information. If it's true, the interview will bring it out." Her mouth went dry suddenly. She turned her head to Quillan.
If not claimed then, it would be filled from the last-minute waiting list. She left the booth thoughtfully. At least the Dawn City would be leaving in less than twenty-six hours. She wouldn't have to spend much of her remaining capital before she got off Maccadon. She'd skip meals, she decided. Except breakfast next morning, which would be covered by her hotel room fee.
"Was that what they were going to find out in that mind-search interview on Maccadon I skipped out on?" "It's one of the things they might have looked for," he agreed. Trigger gazed at him very thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, I loused that deal up!" she remarked. "But why is everybody " She shook her head. "Excuse me. Go on." The Commissioner went on.
Did you know Lyad Ermetyne put in for voluntary rehabilitation with us, and then changed her mind and joined the Service?" "I'd heard of it." Trigger hesitated. "Did you know Lyad paid me a short visit about an hour before you got here this morning?" "I thought she would," Pilch said. "We came in to Maccadon together."
"I had a talk with Commissioner Tate an hour or so ago. He's preparing to leave Maccadon again, I understand." "That's right. He's been organizing that big exploration trip of Mantelish's the past couple of months. He'll be in charge of it when they take off." "You're not going along?" Pilch asked. Trigger shook her head. "Not this time. Ape and I Captain Quillan and I, that is "
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