The translator was silent for a long while. “When did you guess that? I thought we had a perfect cover.”
Sam smiled. “It was the only obvious choice. Who but an official of the Court would bother to help me resolve that situation?”
“True, we had been following Dratte for several months, wondering where he would strike next. We’d heard that the Adrinns had hired him, but didn’t know what he had planned. Had we even suspected, we would have intervened much earlier.”
“What will happen to the Adrinns now?” Sam asked.
“Oh, we’ve already sent instructions for the D’ret to change its destination from Bingnagia. It will stop by the Adrinn home system and assess a small penalty. It shouldn’t kill more than 50 or 60 percent of them.”
“So are you going to leave me now?” Sam asked with a shudder at the casual way Bunion had mentioned a demi-genocide.
“Oh, no!” Bunion replied. “You are so interesting we’ve decided to stick with you for a while and learn more about Earth and its potential real estate. Matter of fact, that is why we had your accommodations upgraded, courtesy of the Court. We thought that you did such a good job that you should travel in comfort.” It paused. “Oh, yes, and have the room for our traveling companion.”
Yes indeed, Sam thought as he crossed his hands behind his head and settled back, reflecting on his great good fortune: a luxury cabin, the prospect of fine food, pleasant music, and the promise of good companionship. What more could he want?
There was a commotion in the passageway, a bumping, thumping noise that came closer and closer. Sam walked to the door to see what was going on. Just as he reached it, there was a hearty thump. He opened it.
Snorf, his new cabin mate said amiably as it pushed its gaseous, smelly, blue-haired way into the cabin to rejoin its inhabitants.
Editor’s Note: Earlier stories about Sam Boone have included “Sam Boone and the Thermal Couple” (October 1995); “Sam Boone’s Appeal to Common Scents” (July 1996); and “Sam Boone’s Rational Choices” (March 1997).