The Draco Tavern - Larry Niven [70]
Brill had learned that most of the staff complex was empty. Of course he could be hiding on the endless miles of tundra; but where was the humor in that? And Jokers like it warm. Hiding in the staff complex would be a fine joke on me.
Where? Another species might have chosen the pool or spa.
He might have captured Miranda and taken her room, if he thought she might stumble across him.
I’d told Brill about Jehaneh. My bet was that he was in her room: my own mate’s room.
I hesitated outside the door to my apartment, stun in hand. Opened the door and, for an instant, froze. Another Pazensh was there, partly embedded in something like lime Jell-O. Tenshir wriggled, and I swung left and right with my stun held high, and Brill’s stun got me first.
I was still standing up, stun held high, every muscle rigid in spasm. I concentrated on breathing. It was too slow.
The spindly green-and-white Joker eeled out from under my breakfast table and looked me over. The grin didn’t change, and he didn’t laugh. He stepped toward my door and I heard it close and lock. Something flew past my ear. I heard two solid impacts, one as it hit, one as he fell.
Hass ran past me. I heard another thud, and more. If Hass could have used my stun, Brill would have been a lot better off.
Locked in a full-body cramp, I listened to the lovers talking.
Hass asked, “Do you know a way to get this stuff off you?”
“Only one way. Think of it as the last test.”
“The tavern tender must have left word that he would search here. He’s certainly that bright. In an irritatingly long time some Chirpsithra will arrive to free us and reclaim the Joker.”
“That’s my best answer too. Dear, how did you find me, with the puzzle incomplete and myself in the wrong place?”
“First I looked for the rest of the clue, but nothing was there. I thought, it must be that you were interrupted. We met none but two humans and the Joker last night. Jokers are notorious. Leaving me a broken and empty breeding maze would be a hoot.
“Rick Schumann was hunting the Joker. I can’t use any tool I don’t make myself, but Rick can. I followed Rick. His scent trail disappeared when he put on a pressure suit, so I had to work out where he’d take such a thing and follow him by eye.”
“You let this local do your tracking for you?”
“I did.”
“Darling, that’s brilliant!”
“He spoke of the staff housing. I found the Joker’s scent there. I found a broken lock. I went through to the pool, then a complex of rooms with Rick’s scent and a female’s. I lurked with a water flask in hand until Rick provided a distraction.”
“Nice toss.”
“Thank you.”
“I had such a nice puzzle laid out for you. There was so much more. Did you find the sticks?”
“No, I went straight to the toilets.”
“Look them up later.”
“I wish I could break you loose from the police goop.”
“Minor foreplay?”
I hadn’t thought other life-forms were as versatile in their petting as humans. Things were getting interesting when the door behind me was blasted open and two identical Chirpsithra came in. One sprayed me in the face with something acerbic. Gradually my frozen muscles relaxed. The other set some humming thing against the green jell, and that melted away from Tenshir.
They put the Joker on a float plate and one Chirp took him away. The other stayed. I thought she would question me; but she did it her way. She led me back into the bar, leaving the Pazensh to use my rooms as they saw fit. She got me to sit down at the biggest table, me with an Irish coffee and her with a sparker, and I told the tale to every entity in the Tavern.
PLAYHOUSE
DAY ZERO
Long View reached lunar orbit as so many Chirpsithramanned passenger ships had done before, but faster, skipping steps. There was a curtness to their negotiations with United Nations traffic control. The lander turned loose from the big ship before its orbit about the Moon was