Chapter 43 #2
“There were only three runners that managed to get out of the Unhil in time. So thirty people saved. The rest perished.” Baruke sighed. “There are a few survivors who escaped the base in time, but none of them are the master minds.”
“Kilmar got away?” Fee asked.
“We couldn’t find him, and if he’s buried under the rubble, we never will,” General Olna said. “I’ve been working with the Balco’s security services, and we’ve found everyone it was possible to find.”
“Your help has been greatly appreciated, General.” Baruke inclined his head.
He had nearly been usurped and his whole planet taken in a bloodless coup backed by the Garmman military, Fee thought. No wonder he was so generous with the thank-yous.
“Have the Garmman contacted you?” Noki Tamir asked. “Because they’ve contacted me. They’re using the Tecran playbook, that it was rogue elements within their government who were responsible for this. The Garmman people didn’t know about it, and so on.”
“I would be interested to discuss this with you,” Baruke turned to Tamir. “They have tried to contact me numerous times, but I have given the excuse that I am still recuperating. I suppose now that we’ve had the ceremony, that excuse will no longer suffice.”
“I’ll be happy to share what they’ve told me,” Tamir said. “Perhaps in a less public forum?”
“That would be most appreciated.” Baruke looked around the table. “Are we finished here?”
“I think so.” Hoke got to her feet.
“I do believe Fiona has agreed to a private meeting, if you don’t mind giving us ten minutes, ambassador?” Baruke turned to Tamir, who murmured her agreement, leaving with curiosity sparking in her eyes.
“Would you like to move to the private room on the ground floor?” Fee asked but most of the group had taken Baruke’s comment as a signal to leave and it was just herself, Hal, Hoke, Baruke and Arn left.
“This will do well enough.” Arn glanced around and gave a nod. “We were approached this morning by someone from the desert base.” He stood, looked down the stairs, and gestured for someone to come up.
Fee leaned back in her chair as Nukolo appeared from below.
“Fiona.” He was clutching a silver cylinder.
“He’s still got it,” Eazi murmured in her ear.
She couldn’t respond, every eye that wasn’t on Nukolo was on her.
“Is that for me?” she asked Nukolo.
“It is.” He handed it to Baruke, who held it in his hands, looking down with rapt attention.
“Would you mind if I . . . opened it?” he asked.
“No. Go ahead,” Fee said.
He unscrewed the lid and slowly, carefully, drew out the crystal trophy.
Arn leaned over to have a look, and so did Hoke.
“Beautiful.” Baruke slid it back into place, and screwed the top back on.
“We wanted to give this to you as soon as possible. Can I assume Paxe has been running the way station in Eazi’s stead?”
“Of course,” Fee murmured. She took the cylinder from Baruke with as much gravitas as she could manage.
“I’m sorry,” Nukolo said. “I managed to get away from the base and I went straight to give myself in. I didn’t know anything about Leader Baruke’s kidnapping.”
“He didn’t,” Fee confirmed. “He confronted Kilmar about it as soon as he knew.”
Nukolo sent her a grateful look.
“Well.” Arn stood and inclined his head to them all. “We best go speak with Tamir about the Garmman.”
They said their goodbyes and she, Hal and Hoke stood at the top of the stairs watching the Balcoans leave.
“Is Paxe running the station?” Hoke asked.
“No. Baruke asked if he could assume that he was, and I said of course he could.”
Hal cleared his throat.
“And just to be clear, that’s not actually Eazi?” Hoke asked.
“No. But it doesn’t hurt for them to think it is, does it?” Fee said.
“No.” Hoke turned to look at her.
“That was funny,” Eazi said.
Hoke seemed less sure, because she rubbed her face. “What about the grahudi? Where are you keeping it?”
“It likes my balcony more than being inside my apartment,” Fee said, “but it also likes Eazi’s workshop, so it seems to be there the most.”
Hoke went still. “It’s just roaming free around the way station?”
“The only way to keep it in one place would be to cage it, and I won’t do that. Have you managed to contact the Fitali?” Fee asked.
Hoke nodded. “They’re aware. I should hear back from them shortly.”
“Oris and Bane are here,” Eazi said in her ear.
Fee smiled. “We should go outside,” she said. “There is something really worth watching happening.”
“What?” Hoke looked at her like she was a frien about to attack.
“Let’s go outside and see.” She took Hal’s hand and made her way down the stairs.
By the time they reached the square outside, the crowd had swelled to almost the same size it had been earlier.
“Are you able to project what’s happening onto the square?” she asked.
“I am,” Eazi said. “Good idea.”
“Are you excited, Paxe?” she asked.
“I’m sorry that there is some damage to the frame, but it is fixable, so yes, I am excited,” Paxe answered.
“Is this what I think it is?” Hoke stared up.
“Two Class 5s carrying the frame from the base for Paxe.” Fee craned her neck with everyone else as Oris and Bane maneuvered the frame and then slowly lowered it into the center of the ring platform, where it locked into place exactly at the circumference.
The skeletal beginnings of Paxe’s ship was a sight to behold, even more amazing from below than it had been when she’d seen it from above in the amphitheater.
“Baruke’s probably having a heart attack,” Hoke said.
“No, I told Arn this was coming. I actually thought they were going to protest it happening today when he asked me for the private meeting. I didn’t know Nukolo had come to them with the fake Eazi.”
“I hope the Garmman are watching this,” Hoke said. “Because this is a slap in their face.”
“The Garmman have earned my dislike,” Paxe said in Fee’s ear, and the way Hoke and Hal reacted, she guessed he’d transmitted to them, as well.
“They’re certainly going to pay double on their docking fees,” Fee said.
“Mean,” Hal said. “But as you know, I like it.”