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An hour before sunset Paft turned his goblet upside down on his table, a move followed speedily by every chieftain in the circle. The conference was at an end for that day. And as far as Dane could see it had accomplished exactly nothing except to bring the Eysies into the open. What had Traxt Cam discovered which had given him the trading contract with these suspicious aliens?
But the I-S ship might be cruising in company, ready to summon aid, men and supplies. Dane drew a deep breath, the Eysies must be sure of themselves, not only that, but they must want what Sargol had to offer to the point of being willing to step outside the law to get it. The I-S Captain took a step forward. "I think we understand each other now," he said, his confidence restored.
But you couldn't buck the Board and keep your license and so have a means of staying in space. A broken contract could cut one off from the stars forever. Captain Jellico looked very bleak at that reminder. "The Eysies will be all ready to step in. I'd like to know why they were so sure we had the plague on board " Van Rycke snorted.
But Rip did not share in the general amusement at the wild extravagation of the report from the ether. "I notice they didn't say anything about the voucher we left." Ali's cynical smile curled. "Did you expect them to? The Eysies think they have us by the tail fins now why should they give us any benefit of the doubt?
If you want to spoil the Eysies, I'm all for it. Got a stat of theirs pinpointed?" Rip pointed to the figures on the computer. "There she is. We can set down in about five hours' ship time. How long will it take to strip the hydro and re-install?" "How can I tell?" Ali sounded irritable. "I can give you oxgy for quarters for about two hours. Depends upon how fast we can move.
"Nobody hurrying out with an aid and comfort kit," Rip's voice sounded in Dane's earphones. "A little slack aren't they?" Slack or was it that the Eysies had recognized the Queen and was preparing the sort of welcome the remnant of her crew could not withstand?
The scrape of metal boot soles on ladder rungs warned of the arrival of their officers. Ali and Dane withdrew down the corridor, leaving the entrance open for Jellico and Van Rycke. Then they drifted back to witness the meeting with the Eysies.
Jellico, whose forté was more direct action, took an excursion into heavy-handed sarcasm. "You Eysies have certainly been given excellent briefing. I would advise a little closer study of the Code and not the sections in small symbols at the end of the tape, either! We're not bucking anyone. You'll find our registration for Sargol down on tapes at the Center.
"Polite, aren't they?" asked Weeks mildly. "What do you expect of Eysies?" Ali wanted to know. "To them Free Traders are just rim planet trash. Let's report back where we are appreciated." They took a short cut which brought them back to the Queen and they filed up her ramp to make their report to the Captain. But they were not yet satisfied with Groft and his gorp slayers.
And right now well, maybe they'll be worth more to the Queen, seeing as how they're made out of aromatic woods, then they'd be elsewhere. Leastwise the Eysies aren't going to have anything like them to show!" he ended in a burst of honest pride. "Indeed they aren't!" Van Rycke gave honor where it was due. So they made plans and then separated to sleep out the rest of the night.
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