The Warlock Wandering by Christopher Stasheff Page B
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction
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so far as it goes." Yorick nodded, lips pursed.
"But what if the gamble fails? What happens if you manage to disappear, or if you're so inconsiderate as to prove yourTHE WARLOCK WANDERING 83
selves innocent, or something? Then he's got a civil war on his hands."
"Not all that civil," Rod said, scowling. "I think he could smooth over a 'Not guilty' verdict, if he had to. He's got the two sides getting along well enough right now. They even need each other a little. Both sides sure want what the other has to offer. All he has to do is find them a convenient excuse for forgetting the whole thing."
"Just a face-saver." Yorick said thoughtfully. "Ever consider diplomacy as a career. Major?" Rod opened his mouth, but Gwen spoke first. "He hath, and he doth." She looked from Rod to Yorick. "Yet neither of thee doth explain why no Wolman is missing." Both men stood stock-still."
"Shall I tell thee?" Gwen said, smiling. "It may hap that Shacklar hath had his assassin disguise himself as a Wolman."
"Yeah, it's possible." Rod kept his eyes on Yorick as he nodded. "And, of course, the Futurians could have done that, too."
Yorick returned the nod. "Very possible. Major."
"So, then." Gwen set her fists on her hips and looked from the one to the other. "We have two schemes, either of which may serve. How are we to find out which is true, gentlemen?"
"Or if neither is." Rod shrugged. "We've got to find more information."
"Yeah, we keep coming back to that, don't we?" Yorick rubbed his temple with a forefinger.
"And how wilt thou accomplish this finding, my lord?"
"Go to the place where people talk, of course." Yorick grinned. "Feel like a drink. Major?"
"Very much, but..." Rod exchanged glances with Gwen.
"I don't know if it'd be too healthy for us to^how up in Cholly's."
Yorick spread his hands. "So it's my job. So what? Do I care? Do I worry about those bloodthirsty soldiers mis84
Christopher Stasheff
THE WARLOCK WANDERING
85
taking me for a spy? No! Do I ask for honor? Do I ask for praise?"
"You're asking for it, period! Okay, we're thankful, we're grateful! We'll praise you to the skies! We'll even give you a good reference! What do you think you might hear that's worth repeating?"
Yorick elaborated a shrug. "If I knew, I wouldn't have to socialize. Y' never know—maybe somebody's doing an awful lot of sudden spending. If he is, three guesses where he got the funds? Oh, you can find out all sorts of stuff you weren't expecting!"
Rod pondered. "Might be. But remember, this is all just a guess. For all we know, the Wolman could have committed suicide. Our hypothetical assassin isn't even a rumor."
"Don't worry, I won't give the rumor currency—not so much as a farthing." Yorick flashed him a grin. "I'm off to the pub with the public. Major. See you in the false dawn." He tugged his forelock in Gwen's direction, and turned away to disappear into the night.
"I trust the dawn will be all that is false," Gwen murmured.
"A point," Rod admitted. "What do you say we follow him? Discreetly, of course."
"Assuredly," Gwen agreed. "Who can be so discreet as ourselves?"
Rod proffered his arm. She hooked her hand over his elbow, and they wandered off into the night, following Yorick's mental trail.
"Yet is there not greater hazard here, my lord? We might, after all, sit safe in some shed and listen with our minds."
"No doubt." Rod poked his nose over the windowsill for a quick peek at the inside of Cholly's Tavern. "But I can't resist watching that muscle-bound jester in action. Besides, we're at the back of the building, and in the shadows. Nobody's apt to see us. I mean, they do have indoor plumbing here." Inside, Yorick was gradually bringing the conversation closer and closer to the politics of the moment.
"Aye, here's to our Wolman brothers!" A corpulent corporal lifted his mug in a toast.
"And our Wolwoman sisters," a PFC agreed. A trooper shrugged. "You have 'em as sisters, if you want. Me, I'd favor closer
"But what if the gamble fails? What happens if you manage to disappear, or if you're so inconsiderate as to prove yourTHE WARLOCK WANDERING 83
selves innocent, or something? Then he's got a civil war on his hands."
"Not all that civil," Rod said, scowling. "I think he could smooth over a 'Not guilty' verdict, if he had to. He's got the two sides getting along well enough right now. They even need each other a little. Both sides sure want what the other has to offer. All he has to do is find them a convenient excuse for forgetting the whole thing."
"Just a face-saver." Yorick said thoughtfully. "Ever consider diplomacy as a career. Major?" Rod opened his mouth, but Gwen spoke first. "He hath, and he doth." She looked from Rod to Yorick. "Yet neither of thee doth explain why no Wolman is missing." Both men stood stock-still."
"Shall I tell thee?" Gwen said, smiling. "It may hap that Shacklar hath had his assassin disguise himself as a Wolman."
"Yeah, it's possible." Rod kept his eyes on Yorick as he nodded. "And, of course, the Futurians could have done that, too."
Yorick returned the nod. "Very possible. Major."
"So, then." Gwen set her fists on her hips and looked from the one to the other. "We have two schemes, either of which may serve. How are we to find out which is true, gentlemen?"
"Or if neither is." Rod shrugged. "We've got to find more information."
"Yeah, we keep coming back to that, don't we?" Yorick rubbed his temple with a forefinger.
"And how wilt thou accomplish this finding, my lord?"
"Go to the place where people talk, of course." Yorick grinned. "Feel like a drink. Major?"
"Very much, but..." Rod exchanged glances with Gwen.
"I don't know if it'd be too healthy for us to^how up in Cholly's."
Yorick spread his hands. "So it's my job. So what? Do I care? Do I worry about those bloodthirsty soldiers mis84
Christopher Stasheff
THE WARLOCK WANDERING
85
taking me for a spy? No! Do I ask for honor? Do I ask for praise?"
"You're asking for it, period! Okay, we're thankful, we're grateful! We'll praise you to the skies! We'll even give you a good reference! What do you think you might hear that's worth repeating?"
Yorick elaborated a shrug. "If I knew, I wouldn't have to socialize. Y' never know—maybe somebody's doing an awful lot of sudden spending. If he is, three guesses where he got the funds? Oh, you can find out all sorts of stuff you weren't expecting!"
Rod pondered. "Might be. But remember, this is all just a guess. For all we know, the Wolman could have committed suicide. Our hypothetical assassin isn't even a rumor."
"Don't worry, I won't give the rumor currency—not so much as a farthing." Yorick flashed him a grin. "I'm off to the pub with the public. Major. See you in the false dawn." He tugged his forelock in Gwen's direction, and turned away to disappear into the night.
"I trust the dawn will be all that is false," Gwen murmured.
"A point," Rod admitted. "What do you say we follow him? Discreetly, of course."
"Assuredly," Gwen agreed. "Who can be so discreet as ourselves?"
Rod proffered his arm. She hooked her hand over his elbow, and they wandered off into the night, following Yorick's mental trail.
"Yet is there not greater hazard here, my lord? We might, after all, sit safe in some shed and listen with our minds."
"No doubt." Rod poked his nose over the windowsill for a quick peek at the inside of Cholly's Tavern. "But I can't resist watching that muscle-bound jester in action. Besides, we're at the back of the building, and in the shadows. Nobody's apt to see us. I mean, they do have indoor plumbing here." Inside, Yorick was gradually bringing the conversation closer and closer to the politics of the moment.
"Aye, here's to our Wolman brothers!" A corpulent corporal lifted his mug in a toast.
"And our Wolwoman sisters," a PFC agreed. A trooper shrugged. "You have 'em as sisters, if you want. Me, I'd favor closer
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