you've decided to be
reasonable," the cop said. "After all, if you Terries should convince the cabinet, it will be much nicer all around if there have been no
incidents."
"How true," Retief murmured.
He left the car at the 20th floor.
"Don't forget, now," the cop
said, watching Retief key his door. "Just slay inside and all will yet be
well." He signaled to a policeman slanding a few yards along the corridor.
"Keep an eye on the door, Klosta
..."
5
Inside, Retief picked up the phone,
dialed the Ambassador's room number. There was a dry buzz, no answer. He looked
around the room. There was a tall, narrow window set in the wall opposite the
door, with a hinged section that swung outward. Retief opened it, leaned out,
looked down at the dizzying stretch of blank facade that dropped sheer to the
upper walkway seventy yards below. Above, the wall extended up twenty feet to
an overhanging cornice. He went to the closel, yanked a blankel from the shelf,
ripped it inlo four wide strips, knotted them together, tied one end to a chair
which he braced below the window.
Retief swung his legs outside the
window, grasped the blanket-rope, and slid down.
The window at the next level was
closed and curlained. Retief braced himself on the sill, delivered a sharp kick
to the panel; it shattered with an explosive sound. He dropped lower, reached
through, released the catch, pulled the window wide, knocked the curtain aside,
scrambled through into a darkened room.
"Who's there?" a sharp voice
barked. A tall, lean man in a ruffled shirt with an unknotted string tie
hanging down the front gaped at Retief from the inner room.
"Retief! How did you get here? I
understood that none of the staff were to be permitted—that is, I agreed that
protective custody—er, it seems ..."
"The whole staff is bottled up
here in the building, Mr. Ambassador. I'd guess they mean to keep us here until
after the Cabinet meeting. It appears the Krultch have the fix in."
"Nonsense! I have a firm
commitment from the Minister that no final commitment will be made until we've
been heard—"
"Meanwhile, we're under house
arrest—just to be sure we don't have an opportunity to bring any of the cabinet
around to our side."
"Are you suggesting that I've
permitted illegal measures to be taken without a protest?" Ambassador
Sheepshorn fixed Retief with a piercing gaze which wilted, slid aside.
"The place was alive with armed gendarmes," he sighed. "What
could I do?"
"A few shrill cries of outrage
might have helped," Retief pointed out. "It's still not too late. A fast
visit to the Foreign Office—"
"Are you out of your mind? Have
you observed the temper of the populace? We'd be torn to shreds!"
Retief nodded. "Quite possibly;
but what do you think our chances are tomorrow, after the Gaspierre conclude a
treaty with the Krultch?"
Sheepshorn made two tries, then
swallowed hard. "Surely, Retief, you don't—"
"I'm afraid I do," Retief
said. "The Krultch need a vivid symbol of their importance—and they'd also
like to involve the Gaspierre in their skulduggery, just to ensure their
loyalty. Packing a clutch of Terry diplomats off to the ice-mines would do both
jobs."
"A great pity," the
Ambassador sighed. "And only nine months to go till my retirement."
"I'll have to be going now,"
Retief said. "There may be a posse of annoyed police along at any moment,
and I'd hate to make it too easy for them."
"Police? You mean they're not
even waiting until after the Cabinet's decision?"
"Oh, this is just a personal
matter; I damaged some Krultch naval property and gave a Gaspierre cop a pain
in the neck."
"I've warned you about your
personality, Retief," Sheepshorn admonished. "I suggest you give
yourself up, and ask for clemency; with luck, you'll get to go along to the
mines with the rest of us. I'll personally put in a good word—"
"That would interfere with my
plans, I'm afraid," Retief said. He went to the door. "I'll try to be
back before the Gaspierre do
reasonable," the cop said. "After all, if you Terries should convince the cabinet, it will be much nicer all around if there have been no
incidents."
"How true," Retief murmured.
He left the car at the 20th floor.
"Don't forget, now," the cop
said, watching Retief key his door. "Just slay inside and all will yet be
well." He signaled to a policeman slanding a few yards along the corridor.
"Keep an eye on the door, Klosta
..."
5
Inside, Retief picked up the phone,
dialed the Ambassador's room number. There was a dry buzz, no answer. He looked
around the room. There was a tall, narrow window set in the wall opposite the
door, with a hinged section that swung outward. Retief opened it, leaned out,
looked down at the dizzying stretch of blank facade that dropped sheer to the
upper walkway seventy yards below. Above, the wall extended up twenty feet to
an overhanging cornice. He went to the closel, yanked a blankel from the shelf,
ripped it inlo four wide strips, knotted them together, tied one end to a chair
which he braced below the window.
Retief swung his legs outside the
window, grasped the blanket-rope, and slid down.
The window at the next level was
closed and curlained. Retief braced himself on the sill, delivered a sharp kick
to the panel; it shattered with an explosive sound. He dropped lower, reached
through, released the catch, pulled the window wide, knocked the curtain aside,
scrambled through into a darkened room.
"Who's there?" a sharp voice
barked. A tall, lean man in a ruffled shirt with an unknotted string tie
hanging down the front gaped at Retief from the inner room.
"Retief! How did you get here? I
understood that none of the staff were to be permitted—that is, I agreed that
protective custody—er, it seems ..."
"The whole staff is bottled up
here in the building, Mr. Ambassador. I'd guess they mean to keep us here until
after the Cabinet meeting. It appears the Krultch have the fix in."
"Nonsense! I have a firm
commitment from the Minister that no final commitment will be made until we've
been heard—"
"Meanwhile, we're under house
arrest—just to be sure we don't have an opportunity to bring any of the cabinet
around to our side."
"Are you suggesting that I've
permitted illegal measures to be taken without a protest?" Ambassador
Sheepshorn fixed Retief with a piercing gaze which wilted, slid aside.
"The place was alive with armed gendarmes," he sighed. "What
could I do?"
"A few shrill cries of outrage
might have helped," Retief pointed out. "It's still not too late. A fast
visit to the Foreign Office—"
"Are you out of your mind? Have
you observed the temper of the populace? We'd be torn to shreds!"
Retief nodded. "Quite possibly;
but what do you think our chances are tomorrow, after the Gaspierre conclude a
treaty with the Krultch?"
Sheepshorn made two tries, then
swallowed hard. "Surely, Retief, you don't—"
"I'm afraid I do," Retief
said. "The Krultch need a vivid symbol of their importance—and they'd also
like to involve the Gaspierre in their skulduggery, just to ensure their
loyalty. Packing a clutch of Terry diplomats off to the ice-mines would do both
jobs."
"A great pity," the
Ambassador sighed. "And only nine months to go till my retirement."
"I'll have to be going now,"
Retief said. "There may be a posse of annoyed police along at any moment,
and I'd hate to make it too easy for them."
"Police? You mean they're not
even waiting until after the Cabinet's decision?"
"Oh, this is just a personal
matter; I damaged some Krultch naval property and gave a Gaspierre cop a pain
in the neck."
"I've warned you about your
personality, Retief," Sheepshorn admonished. "I suggest you give
yourself up, and ask for clemency; with luck, you'll get to go along to the
mines with the rest of us. I'll personally put in a good word—"
"That would interfere with my
plans, I'm afraid," Retief said. He went to the door. "I'll try to be
back before the Gaspierre do
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