Then it came up with a new plan.
"Very well," the avatar said eventually. It stood. "He will stay. You may go. Do you wish to take the bird Gravious with you?"
The woman looked perplexed, even confused. I — " she began. "Yes, yes, why not? It can't do any harm, can it?"
"No," the avatar said. "No, it cannot." It bowed its head to her.
"Goodbye."
Dajeil opened her mouth to speak, but the avatar was Displaced away at the same instant; the sound it left behind was like a pair of hands giving a single, gentle clap. Dajeil closed her mouth, then put both her hands over her eyes and lowered her head, doubling up as well as she was able to. Next moment there was another, distant noise and from down the winding stairs she heard a thin, hoarse voice cry out.
"Waa! Shit! Grief, where-?" Then there was a confused flutter of wings.
Dajeil closed her eyes. Then there was another, closer-sounding pop. Her eyes flicked open.
A young woman, slim and black haired, was sitting looking surprised in the middle of the floor, dressed in black pyjamas and reading a small, old-fashioned book. Between her bottom and the room's carpet there was a neat circle of pink material, still in the process of collapsing, air expelling flutteringly round the edges. Around her floated a small snow-storm of white particles, settling with a feather-like slowness. She jerked once, as though she had been leaning back on something which had just been removed.
"What… the… fuck…?" she said softly. She looked slowly around, from side to side.
Her gaze settled on Dajeil. She frowned for a moment, then some kind of understanding imposed itself. She quickly completed her review of her surroundings, then pointed at the other woman. "Dajeil," she said. "Dajeil Gelian, right?"
Dajeil nodded.
XIII
[stuttered tight point, M32, tra. @4.28.885.3553]
xEccentric Shoot Them Later
oLSV Serious Callers Only
It was the Attitude Adjuster. It is dead now (signal + DiaGlyphs enclosed).
oo
[stuttered tight point, M32, tra. @n4.28. 885.3740] xLSV Serious Callers Only
oEccentric Shoot Them Later
Not a pleasant way to go. Your friend the Killing Time deserves congratulations, and probably merits therapy. However, as I'm sure it would point out, it is a warship. This implicates the Steely Glint; the Attitude Adjuster was its daughter and was demilitarised (supposedly) by it seventy years ago. I trust your friend will treat the SG's subsequent operational suggestions with a degree of caution.
oo
Indeed. But then as it seems quite enthusiastically intent upon achieving a glorious death at the earliest possible opportunity anyway, it is hard to see what more the Steely Glint can do to place it in further jeopardy. Whatever; we must leave that machine to its own fate. My concern now is that the evidence for the conspiracy is starting to look pretty damning, even if it is still circumstantial. I suggest we go public.
oo
Implicating the Steely Glint while it is in charge of the military developments around the Excession will only make us look like the guilty parties. We must ask ourselves what we have to gain. The war fleet from Pittance is under way and must arrive there in any event; exposing the conspiracy will do nothing to challenge it. The best we might hope for would be the worst for the chances of resisting the Affront's purpose; that is, the removal from influence and general disgrace of the Steely Glint and its co-conspirators. It pains me to say it, but I still think we must let this sub-sequence of events run its course before we can consider broadcasting our suspicions. Hold for now, and gather what more weight of evidence we might, the better to tip the scales with our accusations when the time does come.
oo
Frankly, I was hoping you would say that. My own instinct (if I may slur my intellect with such an archaic term) was to keep quiet but I suspected I was merely being timorous and so wanted to make the suggestion we publicise with a positive skew, so that you could not be infected by any undue reticence on my part. What of the volume around the E itself? Heard any more?
oo
Imbecile.
Last I heard regarding the Esperi thing itself there was no more news of the ZE's Stargazers and the FATC was still recovering from the effects of its unexpected trip. Everybody else seems to have taken the hint and is hanging back. Well, except for the Affronter's borrowed fleet and our old chum of course.
How are things in the realm of our three-legged friends?
Speaking personally, Screce Orbital is as pleasant as could be, and as devoutly un-militarised as one might wish a Peace faction world to be.
oo
No more news then.
Glad to hear Screce is so fair.
The Homomda are most accommodating and gracious hosts. I think I may have lost a couple of my Idiran crew members to the local pleasure-dens for the duration, but otherwise I have no complaints.
Stay safe. And peace, like they say, be with you.
XIV
The briefest of introductions completed, they stood facing each other in the circular room under the translucent dome. "So," Dajeil said, inspecting the other woman from toe to crown. "You're his latest, are you?"
Ulver frowned. "Oh, no," she said, shaking her head. "He's mine."
Dajeil looked as though she wasn't sure how to answer that.
"Ms Seich, welcome aboard the Jaundiced Outlook," said a disembodied voice. "I'm sorry this is all so precipitate, but I have just received instructions from the Sleeper Service that you are to be evacuated aboard myself forthwith."
"Thank you," Ulver said, gazing round the room. "What about Churt Lyne?"
"It has expressed a desire to stay aboard the Grey Area," the Jaundiced Outlook told her.
"I thought those two were getting on suspiciously well," the girl muttered.
Dajeil looked like she wanted to ask something, but in the end said nothing. After a moment she stood up, putting her hand to the small of her back as she did so with a tiny grimace. She indicated the table to one side. "Please," she said. "I was about to have dinner. Will you join me?"
"I was about to have breakfast," Ulver said, and nodded. "Certainly."
They sat at the table. Ulver held up the small book she'd been reading and which she still held in one hand. "I don't want to be rude, but would you mind if I just finish this chapter?" she asked.
Dajeil smiled. "Not at all," she murmured. Ulver gave a winning smile and stuck her nose back in the slim volume.
"Excuse me," said a small hoarse voice from the doorway. "What the fuck's going on then?"
Dajeil looked over at the black bird Gravious. "We're being evacuated," she told it. "You can live in the cellar. Now go away."
"Well thanks for your hospitality," the bird spluttered, turning and hopping down the winding stairs.
"That yours?" Ulver asked Dajeil.
"Supposed to be a companion," the older woman said, shrugging. "Actually just a pain."