The temperature would go up at that point.
But they had no contact yet. In point of fact, he expected none. And the bus would keep rolling as they skipped steps in the protocols . . . and as Nawari and his team did their best not to trip any alarms or traps, from the hole in the hedge to the side door of the house itself–necessarily a careful business; and if they did have to stop for a problem–that complicated things, considerably.
Haikuti, if he was on the premises, and if he was admitting to being on the premises, would warn the bus to stop and to go back–while he’d be positioning defenses. Or possibly he’d let the bus come in, and position offenses . Whether or not the Kadagidi had already picked up movement to its northwest would dictate how and when the local bodyguard would react. A protest against an overland intrusion would certainly be in order–plus a threat to call Guild Headquarters and get the matter on official record, which the Kadagidi could make–and they didn’t dare.
“At this point,” Bren said to Jase, “it becomes a complicated dance. They’ll protest; we’ll say it’s a social visit. They may notice our people coming up overland. Then we see whether Lord Aseida comes out to talk. He should demand to talk to me–which is his job–but we don’t think it likely he’s actually speaking for himself, or that he has any power at all over his guard.”
“Haikuti.”
“Exactly. Aseida’s either so smart he’s run everything all along, even through Murini’s administration–or he’s nothing. By all I know of Haikuti, he’d have no man’chi. Not to a living soul.”
“Aiji‑like, in other words.”
“A member of the Assassins’ Guild can’t be a lord of any kind–legally. You can be in the Physicians’ Guild and happen to be lord of a province and serve in the legislature–there is actually one such. But the compact that organized the aishidi’tat drew a very careful line to keep the one guild that enforces the law entirely out of the job of making it.”
“Has it worked?”
“Yes. Until now. But we suspect Haikuti fairly well took power under Murini’s administration–and Shishoji had to move him there. How far under Shishoji’s control he is now–is a question. If anything should happen to me, I should say, tell the captains to protect Tabini, the dowager, Cajeiri, and Lord Tatiseigi. Four people. Get them up to the station if there’s no other choice. They have the people’s mandate. But one bullet can send all plans to hell.”
“God, Bren. I sincerely take what you’re saying. But just keep your head down, will you?”
“I intend to. But a little risk, unfortunately, goes with the job.”
· · ·
“So what’s going on?” Gene asked in ship‑speak, once the servants were out of the dining room. “Where’s Lord Bren? What happened last night?”
It was upsetting to be questioned during breakfast. Great‑grandmother would never approve of such behavior. But they were all at one table, Cajeiri, his bodyguards, his guests, and the mood was not at all festive.
“Nand’ Bren went to the Kadagidi,” he said, also in ship‑speak. “Next door. Lord Bren and Captain Jase, too. With Captain Jase’s guard. To talk.”
It didn’t help the frowns, and just then a servant came in with another plate of spiced eggs and toast. “We are going to walk around the basement.” Cajeiri tried to change the subject entirely during the service. “Great‑uncle’s collections are famous.”
“I wish we could go riding again,” Irene said. “If they caught those people–”
“Not that easy,” Cajeiri said. “We’re safe in the house. But still under alert.”
“For more people?”
“Not sure,” Cajeiri said. If they kept it to ship‑speak, at least the servants would not realize they were being improper. “Don’t worry. All fine. But we don’t go outside.”
“Tomorrow?” Irene asked. And unhappily: “Ever?”
“Maybe,” he said, wishing he knew the answer.
Conversation limped along. He knew ship‑speak for things on the ship, but he struggled for words about things on earth. And he had no words to explain the Kadagidi.
“Luca‑ji,” he said quietly to Lucasi, who was good at talking to senior Guild, “see what else you can find out. You can do it after breakfast.”
“Yes,” Lucasi said, swallowed two bites of toast and got up from the table, leaving a whole piece of toast and an egg on his plate.
So his bodyguard was as desperate to understand the situation as he was.
· · ·
The bus slowed to a stop. Bren took a look out the window, as much as he could see, which was scrub trees and pasturage, and a low fieldstone wall.
“We’ve come to a gate,” Jase said, having the report from Kaplan and Polano, who had the vantage up there.
“Whether they’ll open it will say something,” Bren said.
“We can take it down,” Jase said. “That’s no problem–if you need it.”
“We’ll see,” Bren said, and looked up as Banichi arrived beside his seat.
“When we get to the Kadagidi house, Bren‑ji,” Banichi said, bypassing the question of modality, “we will bring the bus as far as the front porch, at an angle where sniping from the roof is not easy.
“Jase‑nandi,–one understands the armor is good against armor‑piercing rounds?”
Jase looked at Bren, wanting translation.
Bren gave it.
“Yes,” Jase said in Ragi, and nodded. “No problem, Banichi‑nadi.” And in ship‑speak: “Rules of engagement, Bren.”
Bren translated the question.
“Fire only if fired upon,” Banichi said. “Avoid servants and civilians.”
Bren translated that, too.
“This is the plan,” Banichi said to Jase, leaning on Bren’s seat‑back. “We would ask Kaplan and Polano to go out the instant we stop, and take position to screen us from fire as we exit the bus.”
“Exit the bus,” Bren said, interrupting his translation. “Banichi‑ji–”
“If the situation calls for it, Bren‑ji, we all four will escort you out. Only if the situation calls for it. And, much as your aishid covets the honor of defending you, stay behind Jase’s bodyguards and do not go beyond one step from the bus. Your greatest danger is a sniper in the upper floors. Pay attention to that. We shall. The house will be on the right side of the bus and we will pull up close to the door to inconvenience targeting from those floors. A grenade remains a possibility. We can do nothing about that–except interest them in finding out what we have to say, and be aware whether those upstairs windows are open or shut.”
“Understood.”
“And, Bren‑ji, you will not accept an invitation to tea in this house.”
“I promise that,” he said with a startled laugh. But it did nothing for his nerves.
“The gate is opening,” Jase said in Ragi.
Banichi straightened. “So. We shall see.”
The bus started to move. The road between the gate and the Kadagidi front door was not as long a drive as that from Tatiseigi’s gate to the house. It was a gravel road, by the sound under the tires, and the bus gathered more speed than it had used thus far, not all‑out, but not losing any time, either.
“They’re going to let the bus all the way up to the house?” Jase asked. “What if we’re loaded with explosives?”
Bren shook his head. “We’re the good guys, remember. Guild regulations. A historic site, and civilians. We’re supposed to finesse the situation all the way. And of course they’re supposed to talk to us, on their side, lord to lord. If they refuse to talk to us, we have an automatic complaint–for what it’s worth.”