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it out. "My name's engraved inside, and the graduation date's on the outside."
"Sas-sin-ak," the leader said, reading it slowly. "Well, it's evidence, though
I'm not sure of what."
Sassinak took the ring back, and the leader might have said more, but a
newcomer jogged into the room from the tunnel, carrying a flat black case that
looked like a wide-band communications tap. Without preamble, he came up to
the leader and started talking.
"The Pollys have an all-stations out for a renegade Fleet captain, name of
Sassinak, and a big guy, civilian. They've murdered an Admiral Coromell ..."
The leader turned to Sassinak. The messenger seemed to notice them for the
first time, and his eyes widened.
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"Is that true?"
"No."
"No which? You didn't murder anyone, or you didn't murder Coromell?"
GENERATION WARRIORS
231
"We didn't murder anyone and the dead man isn't Admiral Coromell."
"How do you oh."
Sassinak smiled. "We were there, supposedly meeting Admiral Coromell, when
someone of his age and general appearance sat down with us and promptly got
fades in the head. We left in a hurry, and trouble followed us. Whoever killed
him may think that was Coromell. It'll take a careful autopsy to prove it's
not
Or the real Coromell showing up. I don't know who lent us a fake Coromell, or
why, or who killed the fake CoromeU, or why. Unless they just wanted to get us
into trouble. Aygar's testimony, and mine, could be crucial in the trial
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coming up."
Blank looks indicated that no one had heard of, or cared about, any trial
coming up.
"His name Aygar?" asked the messenger. " 'Cause that's who they're after,
besides Sassinak."
* Now a buzz of conversation rose from the others, no one would meet
Sassinak's eyes. She could feel their fear prickling the air.
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"You mentioned Parchandri," she said, regaining their attention. "Who is this
Parchandri?"
To her surprise, the leader relaxed with a bark of laughter. "Good questionl
Who is this Parchandri?
Who Is which Parchandri would do as well. If you're Fleet, and have never been
touched ..."
"Well, she wouldn't, if she'd been a slave," said the r big man. "They'd know
better." He turned to
Sassinak. ''Parchandri's a family, got rich in civil service and 'Fleet just
like the Paradens did in commerce. Just like talon' bribes and giving 'em,
blackmailing, kidnapping,
" the law as thin as they could, and pilin' the profits on thick."
hem'
know there was a Parchandri Inspector General," ^Sassinak said slowly.
Oh, that one. Yeah, but that's not all. Not even in You got three Parchandris
in the IG's staff alone, two in Procurement, and five in Personnel. That's
family: using the surname openly. Doesn't count cousins and all who use other
names. There's a nest
232
McCaffrey and Moon
of Parchandri in the EEC, controls all the colony applications, that sort of
thing. There's a Parchandri in
Insystem Security, for that matter. And the head of the family is right here
on FedCentral, making sure that what goes on in Council doesn't cause the
family any trouble."
His casual delivery made it more real. Sassinak asked the first question that
popped into her head.
"Are they connected to the Paradens?"
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"Sure thing. But not by blood. They're right careful not to intermarry or
anything that would show up on the computers. Even though they've got people
in Central Data. Say a Paraden family company wants to open a colony somewhere
but they're down the list. Somehow those other applications get lost, or
something's found wrong with 'em. Complaints against a Paraden subsidiary get
lost real easy, too."
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"Are other families involved?" Sassinak noticed the sudden shifting of eyes.
She waited. Finally the leader nodded.
"There have been. Not all the big families. The Chinese stay out of it; they
don't need it. But a few smaller ones, mostly in transport. Any that gets in a
little ways has to stay in for the whole trip. They don't like whistleblowers,
the Parchandri. Things happen." The leader took a deep breath. "You're getting
into stuff I can't answer unless I know . . . something more. You say you were
a slave, and Fleet got you out so you joined Fleet..."
"That's right."
"Well, did you ever hear, while you were a slave, of a ... a kind of group?
People that. . . knew things?"
Sassinak nodded. "Samizdat," she said very softly.
The leader's tense face relaxed slightly.
"I'll chance it." A broad, strong hand reached out to shake hers in a firm
grip. "I'm Cons. That was my wife who speared you with the spotlight." He
grinned, a suddenly mischievous grin. "Did I fool you?"
"Fool me?"
"With all this padding. We find it useful to disguise our body outlines. I've
been listed in official reports as
GENERATION WARRIORS
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233
a 'slightly obese middle-aged woman of medium stature.' " He had reached under
his outer coverall to remove layers of rag stuffing, suddenly looking many
pounds lighter and much more masculine. Off came a wig that Sassinak realized
looked just like those in the costume shop, revealing a balding pate. "They
don't worry as much about stray women in the tunnels. Although you, a Fleet
commander, may give them a heart attack."
"I hope to," said Sassinak. She wasn't sure what to make of someone who
cheerfully pretended to be the opposite sex. "But I'm a little . . .
confused."
Coris chuckled. "Why wouldn't you be? Sit over here and have some of our
delicious native cuisine and exquisite wine, and we'll talk about it."
He led her to an empty pile of blankets and gestured. lt She and Aygar sat.
She was glad to let her aching legs relax.
"Delicious native cuisine" turned out to be a nearly tasteless cream-colored
mush. "Straight from the food proceessors," someone explained. "Much easier to
lib-[. erate before they put the flavorings or texture in
... nasty stuff, but nutritious." The wine was water, tapped from a water main
and tepid, but drinkable.
"Let's hear your side of it," suggested Coris.
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Sassinak swallowed the last of the mush she'd been ^ given and took a swallow [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]