Maeve by Jo Clayton

bouts of exquisite happiness. And ate away at his brain.
    â€œThe Director is sending a psychprobe, if that’s any of your business. Have her ready.” He turned to go.
    The doctor’s jowls shook. His hand groped helplessly in the unresponsive air, then he staggered to his feet and plucked at the engineer’s sleeve. “Isn’t that illegal? The Singh-Catal-Manachay Convention …”
    The director jerked his arm free. His nostrils flared with anger and contempt. “You should know the Wei-Chu-Hsien triad were not signatories to that bit of nonsense, or you’d be in Rehab long since. Instead, we support that little pet of yours.”
    The doctor winced, his brows drawn down in a painful grimace. “A psychprobe destroys the mind as it works. They’ll be vegetables.” Oily sweat flooded his face; he was trembling so badly he could barely stand.
    â€œYou think the Director plans to let them live? You’d better go on with your work, doctor, while you’re still capable. Isn’t the phorx due for feeding soon? Would you like it to go hungry?”
    The doctor shuddered. Without another word he knelt beside Aleytys and opened his case.

Chapter XIII
    Chu Manhanu smoothed his thumb over the ratrail moustaches that marked careful parentheses around the narrow line of his mouth. Lips pursed in fastidious distaste, he examined the cludair briefly, glanced at Gwynnor, then moved to stand over Aleytys. His flat black eyes slid over the casts that weighed her leg and arm flat to the floor. “You’re the only one injured.”
    Unable to lift her hands because of the tangleweb’s clinging resistance, Aleytys shrugged. “I fell out of a tree.”
    â€œYou know who I am?”
    â€œNo.” She let the cool tone of her voice tell him how little she cared.
    â€œI am Company Director, woman. What happens to you depends on me.”
    â€œMy, how terrified I am.”
    â€œThat’s the point, isn’t it? Why aren’t you afraid?”
    â€œOf you?” She laughed and he winced.
    â€œYour hair is very red.”
    â€œA birth gift from my mother.”
    â€œMcNeis or Mctany?”
    â€œI haven’t the vaguest notion what you’re talking about?”
    He dusted the palms of his hands together lightly. “No matter, the probe will answer for you.” He moved on and settled into the revolving chair by the console. “Doctor.”
    The bulky man stepped through the door uncertainly, sweat still gushing from his pores. There was a blank, glazed look to his eyes. “Yes, Illustrious?” His voice was thick and halting.
    â€œI expected to see the engineer in this room.”
    â€œI … I don’t believe he was expecting you, Illustrious.”
    â€œNo doubt. Where is he?”
    Lips moving shapelessly, the doctor worried over the question, then mumbled, “He went out to burn the villages as you told him, Illustrious.”
    â€œHmm. Is the woman in shape for questioning?”
    â€œShe fell twenty meters on knotted roots.”
    â€œI think you exaggerate.”
    â€œAt least five times her height,” the doctor amended hastily.
    â€œYou still haven’t answered my question, doctor.” Chu Manhanu’s voice was gentle, almost apologetic, but sweat again gushed from the doctor’s coarse pores and ran in lazy runnels down his jerking cheeks.
    â€œThe only injuries she has are breaks in her arm and leg.”
    â€œHow delightful. Very good. A terse, exact answer, doctor. Perhaps you will continue to answer as succinctly. Which is the leader of that group?”
    The doctor hesitated briefly, then pointed at Tipylexne.
    â€œI wonder why you changed your mind.” The Director ran his thumbnail over the soft oiled hairs of his moustache.
    â€œChanged my mind?” The doctor sputtered under the chill impact of the Director’s gaze. “What man would take orders from a