A Call to Darkness - Michael Jan Friedman [81]
And would the mix-up enhance his chances for success here-or render his mission more difficult?
“Yes,” said Data-too abruptly, he feared. “I would like to see the Coordinator.”
“Very well,” said the guard. And while his comrade stepped aside, he pressed a pressure-sensitive plate beside the entranceway. A moment later, the door slid aside; there was a vaulted lobby within, with corridors leading off it.
Revered One?
As Data followed the guard inside, he wondered how a Klah’kimmbri might come to merit reverence. It occurred to him that the knowledge might prove useful.
Chapter Fifteen
MA’ALOR HAD NOT ESCAPED without injury. His jaw was a deep, painful-looking purple blotch, and there were cuts above both his eyes. He had sustained the bruise at the hands of a Civil Service agent, the cuts as he crashed through the window high on the wall of the tavern rest room-launched through it by his compatriots.
The dark man’s scowl hadn’t left him, Dan’nor noticed. If anything, it had deepened.
“So,” said Ma’alor. “You want to become one of us.”
Dan’nor nodded. “That’s right.”
They sat on wooden chairs in a small, furnished room. It wasn’t obvious whether anyone had lived here or not before Ma’alor came to use it as a hideout. There were two others in the room with them. One was the man who had brought Dan’nor here-the same one who’d held his arms in the tavern.
Ma’alor grunted. “Trien’nor was right about you, it seems. I confess I doubted that you would ever see things our way.” A searching pause. “What made you change your mind?”
Dan’nor shrugged. “A number of things. Let’s just say I’m wiser now than when we first met.”
“You grew wise in a hurry,” said Ma’alor. “Some men take a lifetime to do that.”
“And others never grow wise at all,” said Dan’nor. “But then, we’re not really talking about wisdom-are we?”
Ma’alor’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “No,” he agreed. “We’re not. So I ask you again: what made you decide to join us?”
Dan’nor thought about it for a moment. “I saw what they did to my father. I can’t just do nothing in return.”
Ma’alor nodded. “Good. I have no use for intellectuals-Zanc’cov was the only good one I ever met. I’ll take a man with a reason to hate over an intellectual any day.”
He leaned forward and held out his hand. Dan’nor took it.
Ma’alor sat back. “Now, then. What did your father tell you about our activities?”
The younger man tried to remember. “He mentioned a factory owned by Councillor Fidel’lic. One you had sabotaged. And a plan-something important and very dangerous. He said that my Military experience might have played a valuable part in it.”
A beat. “That’s all?” asked Ma’alor.
Dan’nor thought some more. “I believe so.”
“Did the name Ralak’kai ever come up?”
“Yes. It did. My father said Ralak’kai was one of you-and he’d been captured. Placed among the combatants-in the Conflicts.”
Ma’alor’s eyes were still trying to see into him. Dan’nor realized that the dark man didn’t quite trust him yet.
“It’s true,” Ma’alor said finally. “Ralak’kai has been seen on the videoscreen. He’s there. And so, I expect, is your father. Or if he’s not, he will be soon. Along with Zanc’cov and the others who were taken prisoner the other night.”
“That,” said Dan’nor, “is what I thought. What I feared.” He returned Ma’alor’s gaze. “But-unless I miss my guess-you are going to do something about them. Are you not?”
A board creaked where Dan’nor’s escort was standing.
“You figured that out all by yourself?” asked Ma’alor.
“Yes. Is it true?”
Ma’alor nodded. “But it need concern you no further.”
Dan’nor was caught off guard. “And why is that?”
“Simple,” said the dark man. “You have never worked with us before. And we can’t afford to make any mistakes.”
“But my father…”
Ma’alor held up his hands-a peremptory gesture. “Your father was wrong. We can use you, all right-but not for this. For other things.” He stood. “Go now. We’ll get in touch with you when we need you.”
Dan’nor didn’t go. He didn’t even get up.
“You’re lying,” he said. “It’s not my inexperience that troubles you.