Flinx Transcendent_ A Pip & Flinx Adventure - Alan Dean Foster [128]
The time available for such captivating speculation vanished as a team of alert and armed Church Security personnel arrived on the run. Identifying herself, she detailed the reasons behind her emergency call-in and explained what needed to be done. As a full padre, her authority to do so and to direct that the members of the Order be placed in custody was not questioned. That could very well come later, but it was not a concern of the newly arrived security personnel. Instructed to ignore the sometimes passionate protestations of those being detained, they rounded up the recovering members of the Order with a proficiency and single-mindedness that was a credit to the Church.
As he watched his nemeses being led away, Flinx knew that in a couple of days, at least a few members of the Order were likely to be released. Formal grievances might then be lodged. But by the time the Nurian judicial system fully engaged with that of the local Church hierarchy and consequent summonses could be issued, he and his friends would be aboard the Teacher, far out in space-plus on a vector for deep into the Blight, safe from both the homicidal machinations of the minions of the Order of Null and the tentacles of meddlesome Commonwealth bureaucracy.
At least, he hoped so.
Flanked by two burly Church operatives, the portly speaker was being hustled toward the hallway that led to the villa's entrance. Now fully recovered from the bewildering effects of Flinx's emotive projection, he was visibly less happy than he had been when lying on the floor immersed in its influence.
“This isn't over!” Twisting in the grasp of his escort, he turned to shout back at Flinx. “There are more of us than you know, more than you can imagine! Others of the Order will find you. The Purity will arrive unhindered and the cleansings will be done! But first, you and those around you will be … !”
“Quiet!” It was the Elder, roaring with surprising strength as he was ushered out ahead of the speaker. “You idiot!” the old man added for good measure. Thus chastened, the speaker lapsed into a petulant silence.
Clarity clung to Flinx, the two minidrags flicking pointed tongue-tips at each other from the shoulders of their respective masters, and watched as the rest of the trussed acolytes were led out.
“I know we'll be gone before they're released from detention, Flinx, but they still scare me.”
He shrugged, doing his best to make light of her concern. “Extremists are always frightening, Clarity.” He offered a reassuring smile. “With luck, though, we'll never see any of them ever again. It's a big Commonwealth.” He turned to Sylzenzuzex. “Do you have to go with the security team, Syl? To make your report?”
Gesturing a negative, she skittered up alongside him. “I'll file it via my communit. What do you want to do now?” Thoughtfully, she leaned slightly to her right to make eye contact with the woman who was holding on to his left arm. “Both of you.”
Flinx considered. Though few preparations were required before he could leave New Riviera, some could not be avoided. The Teacher's AI could handle most of the necessary procedures. A couple of days were all it would take. Meanwhile …
“Why don't we have that reunion?” Reaching out with his right hand, he swept his palm across the middle of her antennae, bending them forward.
As they snapped back, Sylzenzuzex reflected that a male thranx who had done such a thing uninvited would have risked a swift strike to the b-thorax. Coming from a human, however, the gesture carried no such social baggage.
With a female on each arm, Flinx followed the last of the security team out of the villa.
Sylzenzuzex's Church-registered skimmer was far faster than Flinx's rented vehicle, so he