The clockwork traitor, p.9
The Clockwork Traitor, page 9
"Zander said that everything should be done as normally as possible," Edna maintained. "It's been well reported in the press that I enjoy hunting. Our suspect might become suspicious if there wasn't any during the Progress. And besides, everyone will be armed. The killer might hesitate knowing that everyone around him has a weapon, too. If he missed, he wouldn't get another chance."
In the end, of course, the Princess won out, though she did agree to the d'Alemberts' suggestion that the hunt be scheduled fairly early during the Progress. Their thinking was that the assassin would still be acting conservatively then; he might pass up a chance at shooting her if he thought he might get a better opportunity later. If the hunt were scheduled toward the end of the Progress, he might decide he wouldn't get a better chance.
Borov joined them shortly after breakfast, just as they were about to leave on their expedition. The pain of his broken ribs and the disappointment at missing some of his time on the Progress bad done nothing to improve his disposition. He was sullen and complained loudly about the terrible service he had received at the hospital. Yvette and Edna exchanged disgusted glances, but said nothing. The party set out into the forest. Because of the trouble they had had the previous day with the dorvats, they rode in cars today instead. They parked their vehicles at the edge of the woods and walked the rest of the way, which meant that the candidate who'd sprained his ankle the previous day was unable to accompany them. To the people who had to protect the Princess that was a bit of relief, because it meant one less suspect they'd have to keep an eye on.
The party marched along through the cool forest, delighting in the freshness of the air and the pleasantness of the breeze. The natural scents of plants and animals commingled in the atmosphere, producing a euphoric bouyancy in the spirits of the group, which bad still been a bit low from the mishap of the day before.
The forest was full of game of all sizes, up to and including panna-cats, the fastest and most feared predators of the planet. To make the event more sporting, all the participants were issued old-fashioned projectile weapons rather than stunners, which were too easy to hit the target with. Projectile weapons required much more skill and accuracy to handle properly.
A point system had been set up based on the size of the animal, its speed, and how many shots were needed to kill it. By courtesy, the spotter was always granted the right of the first shot; after that, the kill was open to anyone who could make it.
After only two hours they had bagged a fair amount of game. Almost all of it was little rabbitlike creatures called bobbers. What they lacked in size they made up for in speed, and they were deceptively hard targets to hit. Edna herself had gotten three of them, as opposed to two each for Jules, Borov, and Symond, and one by nearly every one of the other candidates. In addition, the Princess had felled a whiteneck-a small herbivore that, at full growth, was the size of an Earthly fawn. Whiteneck meat was considered a delicacy by Ansegria's gourmets, and Edna was justly congratulated on her prowess at the hunt.
Most of the morning was spent quietly, with no one bothering to say much-ostensibly to avoid frightening the game. Only the sounds of occasional gunshots disturbed the general silence-and at each sound, the two d'Alemberts and the two Roumeniers cringed and looked first to the Princess. But none of the shots were aimed at her. Edna, oblivious to their concern, had immersed herself totally in the excitement of the hunt. Her face was aglow with energy, her muscles were taut with expectation. Most of the time she walked beside Paul Symond, and even though the two of them did not speak much there was a communication between them on an extremely basic level. Symond obviously enjoyed this pastime as much as she did; the same hunter's gleam could be detected in his eyes, the same enthusiastic spring livened his steps. When he smiled, it was a smile of warmth, and an unspoken conversation flowed between their eyes when they looked at one another.
When they stopped for lunch in a small clearing, Edna commented to Choyen Liu that he alone of the candidates had not managed to shoot anything. "That," he replied solemnly, "is because I do not believe in killing creatures for sport."
"But you're not a vegetarian, I've seen you eat meat." "It's a question of destiny. Food animals are raised by human beings for the express purpose of being killed for their substance. For me to deny that would be closing my eyes to their destiny-in essence, refusing to take my place in the chain of life.
"But these animals here in the forest have their own destinies, independent of us. To hunt them down at random on our own whims is to interfere with their destinies-to interfere in a business which should not concern us."
Edna was starting to pick up the hang of Liu's little philosophical games. He was verbally sparring with her, and in a strange way she found it exhilarating. It was as though he were asking something more of her than she'd ever thought of giving before. Rising to his challenge, she countered, "But couldn't it be the creature's destiny to be killed by your gun?"
Liu smiled, pleased that Edna had entered the game. "Not if I don't pull the trigger," he said and, bowing, walked off to eat lunch by himself-leaving in his wake a very puzzled crown princess wondering exactly what was going on inside his mind.
"Don't worry about him," Borov said. "He's been making those mystic pronouncements of his ever since he arrived here. Nobody listens anymore."
"I listen," Edna said coldly. "There's probably more meaning in the sighing of the wind than in the screeching of a peacock." She didn't realize until after she'd said it how close her phraseology was to the Anarian's style of proverb. Blinking with amazement at her own profundity, she walked away and left Borov standing angrily in the center of the clearing.
"I think I'm becoming as mystical as Choyen Liu," the Princess said to Yvette as she sat down with her to eat her lunch. "I'm starting to talk like he does... and he's starting to make a little sense!"
When lunch was over, the group started out again, hoping to run into slightly bigger game than they'd encountered in the morning. Borov hung to the back, staying well clear of Liu. The pain in his ribs and the Princess's icy remark had worn a thin edge on his temper, and the resulting vehemence came out directed at Liu. Every so often he would make a caustic remark about how the Anarian was trying to cover up his lack of skill by saying he was ethically opposed to hunting. His comments became increasingly louder, until there was no way the Anarian could have avoided hearing them; but still Liu paid no notice of the insults and walked along the ground with his rifle dangling casually over his arm.
This lack of response annoyed Borov worse than if Liu had returned the insults in kind. He felt he was being ignored, one of the worst possible fates imaginable to a show-off like himself. Finally he lost his temper altogether. "Liu!" he called out loudly. "Turn around and look at me, you cowardly pligworm. Let me see if you can face anything like a man."
Edna, who had been doing her diplomatic best to also ignore Borov's taunts all afternoon, whirled angrily, about to chastise the man. But she found Liu already facing Borov, a look of serenity engraved on his imperturbable features. "What seems to be your problem?" the Anarian asked in even tones.
Borov was somewhat unnerved by this casual acceptance of his challenge, but he was too far into this confrontation to back out now without loss of face. Stubbornly he continued. "I don't think you deserve to be along on this Progress. Edna needs a man to mate with, not a burrowing nightcrawler like you."
Without warning, Liu raised his rifle in Borov's direction and fired. The bullet whizzed just past the Kolokovnik's head, startling the daylights out of him and stoking the fires of his anger still further. "You murderous cretin!" he bellowed. "I'll kill you."
In the heat of his anger he dropped his gun and charged straight at the Anarian like an enraged bull at a matador's cape. He never got there, though; both Jules and Symond were in positions between the two men, and both sprang instantly into action to prevent a worse fight. Symond was closer to Borov than Jules was, and consequently bore the brunt of the attack. Borov's fists pummeled his body with blind fury, and Symond was hard-pressed to defend himself. Instead, he retreated strategically, giving ground before the other's onslaught and allowing Jules to get into position. It took only one hard punch from the DesPlainian's powerful fist to knock Borov to the ground where he lay for a minute, still conscious but quite stunned.
Edna stalked over to him and stood beside his body as it was sprawled out on the ground. "Gospodin Borov," she said in a chilled voice as soon as she was sure the words would register, "this is the most disgraceful exhibition I've ever watched. I know I told you not to treat me like a princess; but this irascible, egotistical, unmanly conduct would not be fitting in front of even my lowliest serving maid. You are dishonored, tovarishch, and as such you can be no fit company for us. You are to return to Rockhold, pack your belongings, and leave at once. I never want to see you again."
"But what about him?" Borov exploded, pointing at Liu. "He took a shot at me. Doesn't he get punished?" "Look behind you, Borov," Jules said quietly.
Borov turned his head scornfully, looked on the grass about three meters behind where he'd been standing, and suddenly gasped. Lying there stretched out its full two-and- a-half-meter length was the body of a panna-cat. The slight breeze ruffled its short coat of yellow-green fur, and its powerful paws twitched spasmodically, as it was still in its death throes. There was only a small spot of blood staining that magnificent creature-right between the eyes, where Liu's single shot had hit true to its mark and buried itself in the animal's brain.
"In another second," Jules said, "it would have leaped at you. I saw it about the same time Liu did, but he was already facing in the right direction, so he got off the only shot possible in time-a perfect one, I might add. So much for your thinking he's a weakling or a coward." He reached down a hand and yanked Borov roughly to his feet. "Now, you heard Edna-get out of our sight."
There was still lightning behind Borov's eyes. "I'll get you for this, Dallum," he warned. "And you, Symond. And particularly you, Liu. We've got a score to settle, you and L"
"So help me," Edna said with barely restrained fury, "if I or anyone on this Progress catches you around this area trying to make trouble, you'll be sent to Gastonia for treason without benefit of trial. Without benefit of a spaceship, either, if I have my way. Now go!"
There could be no questioning the imperial tone of her voice. If there had been any doubt at all in the minds of anyone present, it was now banished for good. This relatively plain-looking young woman was born to rule the Empire of Earth. Every inflection, every gesture commanded instant obedience.
Borov slunk off the scene like the whipped dog he was, figurative tail between his legs. But Jules could not help noticing the glare of resentment still held deep within those eves.
Without Borov along, the afternoon passed quite easily and uneventfully. Both Jules and Yvette, while admitting that Edna had had no other choice but to banish Borov, were unhappy it had come to that. He was still a suspect as the bomber, and now they would no longer be able to keep an eye on his activities. Then too, if he hadn't been planning on killing Edna before, the new set of circumstances might make that idea seem acceptable to him. As Jules put it when he found a moment to talk to the Princess privately, "When your life's already in danger, it doesn't make much sense to antagonize people or make new enemies."
"I appreciate your concern," Edna answered, "but what else was I to do? Order had to be maintained or the entire Progress would have fallen apart. And a person in command can't help but make enemies-I've learned that lesson well enough at Court by this time. Borov's no threat to me, though I am a little worried that he might take after you or Symond or Liu."
"Don't worry," said Jacques Roumenier, butting into the conversation. "I'll alert the guards and see to it that he doesn't bother any of us again."
By the time they were finished with the hunt, Symond had won the honors as best hunter by obtaining the most points. Edna was second, only two points behind him. Jules was fifth-but then, he had not been trying very hard.
Back at Rockhold, dinner was served in people's rooms. This was done so that they would have more time to prepare for the evening's entertainment, which was to be a formal ball. Though, to be perfectly honest, none of the Progress's participants was in a festive mood. The events of the last two days weighed heavily on everyone.
Nevertheless, they were all dressed in their most scintillating array when they arrived in the ballroom at the appointed hour. Princess Edna, of course, looked the most resplendent of the group. The bodice of her gown was of a rich oyster white brocade and was trimmed with gold and emeralds; the dress consisted of wide strips of that same brocade gathered together at the waist and flowing free to the floor. As she moved, the strips would rustle and part to reveal a petticoat of emerald green satin. The gown's large puffed sleeves were slit, and undersleeves of the same green satin showed through. Edna wore her hair in braids piled high atop her head and, instead of a tiara, she wore an heirloom necklace of gold filigree and emeralds displayed across her forehead as a pendant. Tiny pearl earrings were the only other jewelry she wore-but then, she was the Crown Princess and didn't have to show off.
Edna was not the only well-dressed person in the hall, however. Her ladies-in-waiting all had their own High Court gowns, and even the bodyguards looked impressive in their formal black and red uniforms. And the clothes of the different candidates had been bought by the dukes of their respective planets; no expense had been spared to make them look as dashing and handsome as could be. Each candidate was dressed according to the latest fashion on his home world, representing a breathtaking array of styles and fabrics. Velvet robes, brocade vests, satin tunics with tights, fur-lined capes, glittering jewelry-all were in evidence within the large ballroom. The complete spectrum of colors was presented in a kaleidoscopic pattern as the ball's participants swirled gracefully around the floor.
Even Choyen Liu, normally the most conservative dresser of the lot, looked impressive. The tight gold lame pants clung to every curve of his leg, and his dark brown shirt was hand embroidered with gold thread and intricate, almost hypnotic, patterns and spirals.
As host and hostess, Baron Piers and Baroness Ximena led off the first dance, moving with an astonishing grace that belied their years. The rest of the party applauded as they finished their turn, then moved onto the dance floor in pairs to commence their own dancing. Edna chose Paul Symond as her first partner. Theoretically, that choice was meaningless, since she would have to dance at least once during the evening with each of the candidates. But the fact that she had chosen this one man did not go unnoticed by the rest. Already, the trend could be seen that she was tending to prefer Symond's smooth, easy style to all the others, and none of them was particularly happy about it, outside, a pair of sinister eyes watched from a tree limb through a window as events transpired in the ballroom. Anton Borov had been feeling entirely too angry at being evicted from the Progress to let his disgrace go unavenged. He had been spoiled rotten all his life; he had always won at whatever he attempted. And to fail so miserably in this endeavor was too strong a blow to his pride to be ignored.
The guards around the grounds were extra alert because of his threats that afternoon, but even so he had little difficulty slipping past them and into the garden that overlooked the wing of the castle where the ballroom was located. Rockhold Castle had never been intended as a fortress, and had not been built with an eye for security. Even with his ribs searing fire through the right side of his body, Borov was still in good enough shape to get past the guards and hide in a tree in the garden, biding his time until he could make his move.
He watched dance after dance take place inside that ballroom, and he kept wishing he were there. He was such a superb dancer that the Princess could not have helped being taken with his charms and skills if she'd only had one dance with him. Finally there was a break in the dancing, and people came out into the garden for some fresh air, singly or in pairs. Borov saw one of his quarry go off by himself to one of the more secluded portions of the garden. He smiled. That corner of the grounds was hidden from the main house by a stand of small trees and bushes. No one would be able to see him there.
He slipped silently down out of the tree and glided along the path after his victim, a sinister shadow in the night. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his weapon, enjoying the smooth, hard feel of the stun-gun in his hand. It brought vitality back into his being. It would be his means of avenging himself of these other men who had disgraced him and his planet so severely.
He and the man he was pursuing were out of sight now, the perfect time for an ambush. With such an opportunity for a clear shot, Borov dared not waste it. The distance between them was less than five meters. Raising his stunner, Borov fired its ray directly into the back of his quarry.
The other man stopped, and Borov's jaw dropped in surprise. His stun-gun had been set on eight; the victim should have instantly fallen to the ground and been paralyzed for days-possibly permanently crippled. Instead, the stunner beam had seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the man, except that its low buzzing sound had told him that someone was shooting at him.
Borov was too stunned to move. He could only continue firing his stunner uselessly as the other figure turned and, with a demonic smile on his face, began advancing relentlessly on his erstwhile attacker.
The dancing had started up again inside the ballroom. It was Jules's turn to dance with Edna, and the two of them were quietly enjoying each other's company. They exchanged the smiles of two people who shared a secret that others around them didn't know. For Edna, this was also a chance to relax; Jules was not really a candidate for her hand, so she didn't have to put on a show for his benefit, nor did she have to be constantly sizing him up as prospective matrimonial material. She could be herself with him, and that feeling was immensely satisfying.
