impulse to be unpleasant, which happens all too frequently
when we are around.
The Radisha and the Prahbrindrah Drah still mourn their treacherous impulses.
I told Swan, “This business was a lot more fun when I was the one scheming and
being mysterious.”
The First of the File said, “Will you do us the courtesy of withdrawing for a
moment, Captain? Ambassador? I believe a consensus may be within reach.”
While we waited in the antechamber, Swan asked, “Why did he bother asking us to
leave? After what happened? Does he really think we won’t know what’s going on
in there?” Things moved in the corners of my vision. Strings of shadow snaked
over the walls until I tried to look at them directly. Then, of course, nothing
was visible.
“Possibly he didn’t catch all the implications.” Like the fact that something
would be eavesdropping on every word he spoke until the Black Company left the
Land of Unknown Shadows. At this late date anything he tried to pull together
would be a complete wasted effort.
“Let’s go,” Sleepy said. “Move out. Croaker. Swan. Quit jacking your jaws and
get moving.”
“Moving where?” I asked.
“Downstairs. Home. Get going.”
“But . . . ” This was not what I expected. A good Black Company trick ends up
with lots of fire and bloodshed, the vast majority of both not inflicted upon
us.
Sleepy growled. It was a pure animal sound. “If I’m going to be Captain I’m
going to be Captain. I’m not going to discuss or debate or request preapproval
from the old folks. Get moving.”
She had a point. I had made it a few times myself, in my day. I had to set an
example. I went.
“Good luck,” Sleepy told Sahra. She strode toward the nearest stairwell. I
followed. Presumably better trained by Sleepy’s predecessor, the others were
clattering down those ancient stairs already. Only Sahra and Master Santaraksita
remained behind, though Shiki did hover around Sahra briefly, as though
interested in a parting hug.
“Interesting,” Sleepy observed. “It’s such a good mimic that it almost forgets
itself.”
She was talking to herself, not to the Captain-Emeritus. He no longer needed an
explanation. He had seen this stuff before. The ladies were going to take the
information that we needed. Santaraksita had located it and had tagged it and
now our own people were in the process of collecting it. Tobo was somewhere
else, hard at work. One of his spooky friends was masquerading as Shikhandini.
All of which meant that Sleepy was better prepared to travel than I had
supposed. You miss so much when you are laid up. Things continued to stir in the
corners. Movements persisted at the edge of my vision. Always there was nothing
to be seen when I looked directly. Nevertheless . . .
Khang Phi had been conquered. That unvanquishable fortress of enlightenment had
been taken and its occupants did not yet know. Most might never find
out—assuming the real Shikhandini successfully completed the real mission given
to Tobo by Sleepy and Sahra. Hard to imagine becoming badly winded by running
downhill. I managed. Those stairs went down forever, much farther than when I
had gone up at a more leisurely pace. I began to develop cramps. Behind me Sahra
and Sleepy kept right on barking and mocking and pushing like they were not
almost as old as me.
I spent a lot of time wondering what had compelled me to come along. I was too
old for this shit. The Annals did not need to record every little detail. I
could have done this One-Eye’s way. “They went to Khang Phi and got the
knowledge we needed to fix the shadowgates.”
Some deep-voiced bell bonged far above. No one had enough breath to explain but
no explanation was needed. An alarm was being sounded.
Our fault?
Who else? Though I could imagine scenarios where the File of Nine might be
guilty of trying to snuff the Company brain trust.
It did not matter.
when we are around.
The Radisha and the Prahbrindrah Drah still mourn their treacherous impulses.
I told Swan, “This business was a lot more fun when I was the one scheming and
being mysterious.”
The First of the File said, “Will you do us the courtesy of withdrawing for a
moment, Captain? Ambassador? I believe a consensus may be within reach.”
While we waited in the antechamber, Swan asked, “Why did he bother asking us to
leave? After what happened? Does he really think we won’t know what’s going on
in there?” Things moved in the corners of my vision. Strings of shadow snaked
over the walls until I tried to look at them directly. Then, of course, nothing
was visible.
“Possibly he didn’t catch all the implications.” Like the fact that something
would be eavesdropping on every word he spoke until the Black Company left the
Land of Unknown Shadows. At this late date anything he tried to pull together
would be a complete wasted effort.
“Let’s go,” Sleepy said. “Move out. Croaker. Swan. Quit jacking your jaws and
get moving.”
“Moving where?” I asked.
“Downstairs. Home. Get going.”
“But . . . ” This was not what I expected. A good Black Company trick ends up
with lots of fire and bloodshed, the vast majority of both not inflicted upon
us.
Sleepy growled. It was a pure animal sound. “If I’m going to be Captain I’m
going to be Captain. I’m not going to discuss or debate or request preapproval
from the old folks. Get moving.”
She had a point. I had made it a few times myself, in my day. I had to set an
example. I went.
“Good luck,” Sleepy told Sahra. She strode toward the nearest stairwell. I
followed. Presumably better trained by Sleepy’s predecessor, the others were
clattering down those ancient stairs already. Only Sahra and Master Santaraksita
remained behind, though Shiki did hover around Sahra briefly, as though
interested in a parting hug.
“Interesting,” Sleepy observed. “It’s such a good mimic that it almost forgets
itself.”
She was talking to herself, not to the Captain-Emeritus. He no longer needed an
explanation. He had seen this stuff before. The ladies were going to take the
information that we needed. Santaraksita had located it and had tagged it and
now our own people were in the process of collecting it. Tobo was somewhere
else, hard at work. One of his spooky friends was masquerading as Shikhandini.
All of which meant that Sleepy was better prepared to travel than I had
supposed. You miss so much when you are laid up. Things continued to stir in the
corners. Movements persisted at the edge of my vision. Always there was nothing
to be seen when I looked directly. Nevertheless . . .
Khang Phi had been conquered. That unvanquishable fortress of enlightenment had
been taken and its occupants did not yet know. Most might never find
out—assuming the real Shikhandini successfully completed the real mission given
to Tobo by Sleepy and Sahra. Hard to imagine becoming badly winded by running
downhill. I managed. Those stairs went down forever, much farther than when I
had gone up at a more leisurely pace. I began to develop cramps. Behind me Sahra
and Sleepy kept right on barking and mocking and pushing like they were not
almost as old as me.
I spent a lot of time wondering what had compelled me to come along. I was too
old for this shit. The Annals did not need to record every little detail. I
could have done this One-Eye’s way. “They went to Khang Phi and got the
knowledge we needed to fix the shadowgates.”
Some deep-voiced bell bonged far above. No one had enough breath to explain but
no explanation was needed. An alarm was being sounded.
Our fault?
Who else? Though I could imagine scenarios where the File of Nine might be
guilty of trying to snuff the Company brain trust.
It did not matter.
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