it, no. But that means nothing. Unofficial sources from outside Empire Civil Service could have set up a base here for some reason - mining, perhaps, or - “
“I can’t believe it, you’re talking Space Pirates!” Magda said, almost laughing.
Predictably, he reacted with annoyance. “Must you always make fun of everything you didn’t think of?”
“If I was making fun, Peter, it wasn’t of you,” she said, now completely serious. “It’s only - I can’t believe anything like that could have been set up there without being discovered by satellite, or space sensors; it’s hard to believe it could be done at all, though I suppose nothing’s impossible. Is that what Lexie believes?”
“Yes. And she wants to mount an expedition to find it. I thought she might have come to you because you were working in Intelligence here, and because she knows your Free Amazons are the best mountain guides on the planet.”
“As I said, Peter. I’m the last person she’d come to.”
“But if she did - “
“I’d tell her the idea’s completely mad. We have years of satellite observations to tell us there’s nothing - all right, nothing observable - outside the Domains. And I’ll bet there’s nothing, period. That area must have been uninhabitable since - well, I’m no expert on geology and crustal movement, but - certainly for a geological eon. Probably since the Hellers rose out of the sea bed. As for mounting any kind of expedition, the logistics of it would be all but impossible, even with all the resources of Terran Intelligence behind it. Jaelle could tell you better than I what the difficulties would be, but I know enough to know it’s impossible, and so do you.” They had, after all, been in the field together, traveling as Darkovans. “To begin with - you’d have to cross the Hellers, and when you get beyond Nevarsin, the country’s all but unknown. We have no operatives in Intelligence who know the trails or the languages. There are catmen tribes up there, and - and God knows what else. Banshees - perhaps nonhuman cultures - I don’t think it could be done, at all. Certainly I wouldn’t try it.”
Peter looked skeptical. “If she should come to you, that’s what you’ll tell her?”
“Believe me. Peter, she won’t. Anyhow, Anders isn’t Intelligence, she’s Mapping and Exploring.” Legally, Intelligence was responsible only to the Terran Empire Head Centre, while Mapping and Exploring was under the sole authority of the Legate of the planet. “She’d have to get your permission, not Cholayna’s. Even if you thought Cholayna would do something like that behind your back, Peter, she’d send one of her own operatives, not Lexie.”
She did not know if Peter was convinced, but he had reason to know she had always told him the truth. She hoped he knew she always would. They exchanged a few more commonplaces and parted in friendly fashion. But as Magda walked across the city to the Guild-house, she wondered if that was why Lexie had chosen to attend her lecture.
A few days later, as Magda was leaving the HQ, Doria joined her at the Gates.
“Are you going to the Guild-house? I will go with you. I have a message from my mother for Jaelle n’ha Melora.”
“Let me take it for you,” Magda said, glancing at the sky. “It will save you a long walk in the rain.”
Doria colored slightly. “I am sorry - Rafaella said I was to give it only to Jaelle herself.”
Magda shrugged. There was a time when she and Rafaella had actually been friends, but she could never count on the other woman’s friendliness. She would become accustomed to thinking of her as friendly, even presume on it a little - then discover without warning that Rafi was behaving as if she disliked her. But since she genuinely respected and admired Rafaella, she accepted her as Jaelle’s friend, if not her own.
The two women set off side by side, walking swiftly, the hoods of their capes drawn against the rain. “Are you staying much
“I can’t believe it, you’re talking Space Pirates!” Magda said, almost laughing.
Predictably, he reacted with annoyance. “Must you always make fun of everything you didn’t think of?”
“If I was making fun, Peter, it wasn’t of you,” she said, now completely serious. “It’s only - I can’t believe anything like that could have been set up there without being discovered by satellite, or space sensors; it’s hard to believe it could be done at all, though I suppose nothing’s impossible. Is that what Lexie believes?”
“Yes. And she wants to mount an expedition to find it. I thought she might have come to you because you were working in Intelligence here, and because she knows your Free Amazons are the best mountain guides on the planet.”
“As I said, Peter. I’m the last person she’d come to.”
“But if she did - “
“I’d tell her the idea’s completely mad. We have years of satellite observations to tell us there’s nothing - all right, nothing observable - outside the Domains. And I’ll bet there’s nothing, period. That area must have been uninhabitable since - well, I’m no expert on geology and crustal movement, but - certainly for a geological eon. Probably since the Hellers rose out of the sea bed. As for mounting any kind of expedition, the logistics of it would be all but impossible, even with all the resources of Terran Intelligence behind it. Jaelle could tell you better than I what the difficulties would be, but I know enough to know it’s impossible, and so do you.” They had, after all, been in the field together, traveling as Darkovans. “To begin with - you’d have to cross the Hellers, and when you get beyond Nevarsin, the country’s all but unknown. We have no operatives in Intelligence who know the trails or the languages. There are catmen tribes up there, and - and God knows what else. Banshees - perhaps nonhuman cultures - I don’t think it could be done, at all. Certainly I wouldn’t try it.”
Peter looked skeptical. “If she should come to you, that’s what you’ll tell her?”
“Believe me. Peter, she won’t. Anyhow, Anders isn’t Intelligence, she’s Mapping and Exploring.” Legally, Intelligence was responsible only to the Terran Empire Head Centre, while Mapping and Exploring was under the sole authority of the Legate of the planet. “She’d have to get your permission, not Cholayna’s. Even if you thought Cholayna would do something like that behind your back, Peter, she’d send one of her own operatives, not Lexie.”
She did not know if Peter was convinced, but he had reason to know she had always told him the truth. She hoped he knew she always would. They exchanged a few more commonplaces and parted in friendly fashion. But as Magda walked across the city to the Guild-house, she wondered if that was why Lexie had chosen to attend her lecture.
A few days later, as Magda was leaving the HQ, Doria joined her at the Gates.
“Are you going to the Guild-house? I will go with you. I have a message from my mother for Jaelle n’ha Melora.”
“Let me take it for you,” Magda said, glancing at the sky. “It will save you a long walk in the rain.”
Doria colored slightly. “I am sorry - Rafaella said I was to give it only to Jaelle herself.”
Magda shrugged. There was a time when she and Rafaella had actually been friends, but she could never count on the other woman’s friendliness. She would become accustomed to thinking of her as friendly, even presume on it a little - then discover without warning that Rafi was behaving as if she disliked her. But since she genuinely respected and admired Rafaella, she accepted her as Jaelle’s friend, if not her own.
The two women set off side by side, walking swiftly, the hoods of their capes drawn against the rain. “Are you staying much
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