Solantha Handsel went down again, but she was hardly injured at all except for her dignity. I kicked her a second time as she sprawled, but without any kind of footwear to protect my toes I had to be careful not to inflict more damage on myself than I could on her.
I think Niamh Horne might have come forward then to settle the matter if it had been her call, but she and Lowenthal had already exchanged glances. She had shaken her head to indicate that she hadnt been able to get out of the corridor into which the door opened, and hadnt found anything useful there.
Lowenthal must have calculated that there might be more to be gained by letting me run with the ball than by trying to hold on to it by force. When Solantha Handsel rose to her feet again he was quick to say: Thats enough. Let them go. He paused for a significant couple of seconds before saying: Do you need medical attention too?
Solantha Handsel was too angry to speak, but she shook her head in a suitably derisory fashion.
Right? was all that Lowenthal said to Alice.
It was enough. She nodded her head.
Niamh Horne stood aside and let us pass through the doorway unimpeded. The door closed behind us, leaving us in the darkness.
That wasnt necessary, Alice said, as she guided me back to the cupboard.
No, it wasnt, I agreed, nursing my pain. It wasnt even sensible. But there was no way in the world I was going to resist the temptation. Im the barbarian from the dawn of time, remember.
Im older than you, she reminded me, as the lights came on again.
This time she had a hypodermic syringe ready, and a vial from which to draw liquid.
Whats in it? I asked.
Nanobots, she told me.
I thought we werent allowed privileges of that sort.
Theyre making an exception.
They? I queried. Not we ?
We re making an exception she said, a trifle wearily. It didnt sound like a wholehearted correction. We didnt want you here, but now you are here youre our responsibility. I know its difficult, given that you dont know whats going on, but it would help us all if you were to be patient. Please dont do anything else to make things worse than they already are. I gathered from this speech that the negotiations in which she and her companion were involved were proving almost as frustrating and unhelpful as Lowenthals conference.
How am I supposed to know what might
make matters worse? I asked her, without having to feign annoyance. You cant blame Handsel and Horne for trying to find out more about their situation. Maybe it would have been a stupid move to try to beat the truth out of you, but if you wanted us to stay quiet you should have let us sleep.
I agree, she said. But we have all kinds of conflicting demands coming in. We have to keep a lid on things until weve set a meeting place. Its all spinning out of control, and we have to do everything possible to keep the game going. You have to calm things down back there, if you can. She jabbed the hypodermic in as she pronounced the final phrase, as if to emphasize it. Maybe she thought the note of challenge would get results, but I needed a better incentive than that. I wasnt prepared to believe that I was better off not knowing what kind of conflicting demands she and her mysterious companion were trying to satisfy.
The nanobots were good. The injection itself hurt like hell, but the condition of my nose wouldnt have allowed me simply to snort the stuff, and the needle got the bots to the site in no time at all. Once there, the pain dwindled away.
Itll take an hour or so for the swelling to go down, she told me. A couple of hours more to knit the tissues. Dont get into another fight, though theyre limited.
How much longer will it be before we get to where were going? I asked.
She looked me up and down. I figured that she had to have some kind of private data feed, like the one Davida had had while we were on Excelsior, but I had no way to know how tightly she was confined by orders, or what scope she had for using her own initiative.
Its not settled yet, she told me. Locations are symbolically loaded ask Lowenthal and Gray about their peace conference experience. However it works out, this showdown will be a defining moment in the history of the solar system and all the different humankinds perhaps the defining moment. We have to establish the principle that it ought to take place now before we can determine where and how.
Ive bought you a little extra breathing space I reminded her. If I knew what I was fighting for, I might be able to buy you a little more. If youre prepared to trust me, Ill try to get whatever information you need from Lowenthal and Horne. I was feeling a lot better, and was entirely ready to be proud of my tactical skill if she decided to reward my quixotic gesture by giving me further clues as to what the hell was going on but she wouldnt play.
I cant, she said.
In that case, I told her, I cant help you. I have to play the game as I see it.
So do they, she said, bitterly. Thats the problem. Theyre very fond of games and theyre determined to play this one to the end, despite the lack of time. Theyre very fond of stories too, so theyll delight in keeping you in suspense if they can. You might need to remember all that, if things do go awry. She gave the impression of someone who was trying hard to pass on some good advice under adverse conditions.