"I could probably elaborate on Carruthers' assessment," Lanzotta said carefully, "but there's no need. Gargle words don't explain things any better than she did."
"Come on, Lanzotta. Like pulling teeth. You know what I want."
"I'd rate Sten first rate for Mantis Section. He reminds me of some of the young thugs I tried to keep under control for you."
Carruthers spun, spilling beer.
"You was in Mantis Section, sergeant?"
"He was my team sergeant," Mahoney said.
"And I got out. Carruthers, you don't know any of this. But there's a clotting difference between going in hot, facing entrenched troops, and cutting the throat of some small-time dictator while he's in bed with a girl. Remember that, colonel?"
"Which one?"
Mahoney gestured, and Carruthers passed Lanzotta his shot/beer. Lanzotta stared into the amber distance, then upended the mug. "I didn't like it. I wasn't any good at it."
"Hell you weren't. You stayed alive. That's the only grade."
Lanzotta didn't say anything.
Mahoney grinned and affectionately scrubbed Lanzotta's close crop. "I'd still trade half a team if you'd come back, friend." Then Mahoney turned business. "Evaluations?"
"Transfer recommended, Psychiatric Section," Rykor put in briefly.
"Recommend transfer," Carruthers aped awkwardly.
"Take him, Mahoney," Lanzotta said, sounding very tired. "He'll be a great killer for you."
Frazer slipped off the slideway and hurried toward the zoo. He was nervous about the meeting and the handivid burned in his pocket. He carded into the zoo and walked past the gate guard, waiting for the hand on his shoulder.
His clerk's mind told him there was nothing to be worried about—Frazer had covered all of his tracks—He was a master at the computer and the Imperial bureaucracy. No way could anyone know why he was there.
Frazer stopped at the saber-tooth tiger cages. He grew more edgy as the beasts paced back and forth. Like all the creatures in the zoo, the tiger was part of the gene history of humankind. If Frazer had gone farther, he would have encountered sloths and giant-winged insects and enormous warm-blooded reptiles. He could smell the reptiles from where he was, rotten meat and bubbling swamps…
The assassin moved in beside him. "Got it?"
Frazer nodded and handed the assassin the vidpack. A long wait.
And the assassin said: "Excellent."
"I chose someone whose record could be easily manipulated," Frazer said. "All you have to do is step in."
The assassin smiled. "I knew I could count on you. The best. You have the computer touch."
Someone recognized Frazer's talents. Only he could dip into the informational pile and cut it out, one onion slice of information at a time.
"Ah—the money?"
The assassin handed him a slip of paper. Frazer studied it. "It is untraceable?"
"Of course, pride in my work, and all that. You can see…"
Frazer was satisfied. His only regret was that Rykor could never know exactly how clever he was.
The assassin draped an arm over Frazer's shoulder as they walked away from the cages.
"You wonder about loyalty," Frazer began.
"Yes. You do," the assassin said.
The arm draped lower, curling around. Right hand curling around Frazer's chin, left hand snapped against the back of his head. There was a dull snap! Frazer went limp. Dead.
No one was around as the assassin dragged the body back to the edge of the cage. Lifted, braced, and Frazer's body lofted down.
The roars and the sound of feeding finished the matter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
THE EMPEROR, MAHONEY decided, had finally gone mad. He was hovering over a huge bubbling pot half filled with an evil-looking mixture, muttering to himself.
"A little of this. A little of that. A little garlic and a little fat. Now, the cumin. Just a touch. Maybe a bit more. No, lots more." The Emperor finally noticed Mahoney and smiled. "You're just in time," he said. "Gimme that box."
Mahoney handed him an elaborately carved wooden box. The
Emperor opened it and poured out a handful of long reddish objects. They looked like desiccated alien excrement to Mahoney.
"Look at these," he boasted to Mahoney. ‘Ten years in the biolabs to produce."
"What are they?"
"Peppers, you clot. Peppers."
"Oh, uh, great. Great."
"Don't you know what that means?"
Mahoney had to admit he didn't.
"Chili, man. Chili. You ain't got peppers, you got no chili."
"That's important, huh?"
The Emperor didn't say another word. Just dumped in the peppers, punched a few buttons on his cooking console, stirred, then dipped up a huge spoonful of the mess and offered it to Mahoney. He watched intently as Mahoney tasted. Not ba—then it hit him. His face went on fire, his ears steamed and he choked for breath. The Emperor pounded him on the back, big grin on his face, and then offered him a glass of beer. Mahoney slugged it down. Wheezed.
"Guess I got it just right," the Emperor said.
"You mean you did that on purpose?"
"Sure. It's supposed to scorch the hair off your butt. Otherwise it wouldn't be chili." The Emperor poured them both two beers, motioned to Mahoney to join him, and settled down in a huge, overstuffed couch. "Okay. You earned your check this month. Now, how about the next?"
"You mean Thoresen?"
"Yeah, Thoresen."
"Zero, zero, zero."
"Maybe we should escalate."
"I was gonna recommend that in my report. But it's dangerous. We could blow the whole thing."
"How so?"
"It's Lester. He says there's a lot more motion on Bravo Project. And he's got a way in. Trouble is, if he's caught, we're out an inside man."
The Emperor thought a moment. Then sighed. "Tell him to go ahead." He drained his glass, filled it with more beer. "Now, what about the other matter?"
"The gun smuggling? Well, I still can't prove it."
"But it's happening? That's a fact, right?"
"Yeah," Mahoney said. "We know for sure that four planets—all supposedly our confederates—are shipping weapons to Vulcan."
"Thoresen again. To hell with it. Let's quit playing games with the man. Send in the Guard. Stomp him out."
"Uh, that's not such a hot idea, boss. I mean—"
"I know. I know. Lousy diplomatic move. But what about my ‘buddies' on those other four planets? No reason I can't take them out."
"It's done."
The emperor grinned. Finally, a little action. "Mantis Section?"
"I sent in four teams," Mahoney said. "I guarantee those guns will stop."
"Without any diplomatic repercussions?"
"Not a whisper."
The Emperor liked that even better. He got up from his couch and walked over to the bubbling pot. Sniffed it. Nice. He started dishing up two platefuls.
"Join me for dinner, Mahoney?"
Mahoney was out of the couch in a hurry and headed for the door. "Thanks, boss, any night but tonight. I gotta—"
"Hot date?"
"Yeah," Mahoney said. "Whatever that is. Not as hot as that stuff."
And he was gone. The Emperor went back to his chili. Wondering which members of the Royal Court deserved to share his company tonight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THE BARON WATCHED the screen anxiously as a swarm of Techs moved quickly about the freighter's hold, making final connections and adjustments. This was it. A few more minutes and he would learn if all the credits and danger were worth it
The Bravo Project test was taking place light years away from Vulcan, and far away from normal shipping lanes. The picture on Thoresen's screen changed as the Techs finished, then hustled out of the hold, crammed into a shuttle and started moving away from the ancient freighter.