Verkan Vall sat at his desk in the Foundry basement, his boots up, cleaning his flintlock hideaway pistol. Thanks to the collapsed-nickel ceiling it.was quiet inside the basement: no banging of anvils or endless chatter of Kalvan Study Team intellectuals. The wall-sized visiplate now displayed a close-up of Tarr-Hostigos, with dozens of carts and flatbed wagons full of provisions and weapons snaking their way up the hills back and forth on the switchbacks to the outer bailey. The rainy season was in full drizzle, but that hadn't stopped the stream of foodstuffs and tools of war from flowing into the castle. The foundry was working night and day to turn out more big guns. The cobblestone streets of Hostigos Town were so filled with wagons a pedestrian wasn't safe on the streets, night or day.
Verkan wished he had the authority to call in an airstrike team and have them hit Tarr-Harphax and Balph. That would settle this war once and for all. The locals might believe it was one of Thanor's bolts, but Kalvan would know better and so would the Dhergabar University Study Team. And that would be the end of his visits to Kalvan's Time-Line as well as his job as Paratime Police Chief-the latter he wouldn't mind losing, but he didn't want to give up his visits with Kalvan and Rylla.
He heard the door's hydraulics activate and then creak as it swung open, revealing Inspector Ranthar Jard, still wearing his high-combed morion helmet and back-and-breast. Verkan rose and they clasped shoulders. Verkan noticed fresh cuts on his face and the beginning of a black eye. "What happened to you? A cat fight?"
Ranthar winced. "In a manner of speaking. I got between Scholar Lala and Baltrov Eldra in the middle of their argument over Kalvan's decision to teach the Ruthani orphans 'male pattern bonding and archaic aggressive male behavior patterns' and Professor Baltrov Eldra's rebuttal, which included a detailed description of Sastragathi slave laws. When Varnath Lala couldn't hold her ears tight enough to protect them from Eldra's rather colorful language, she struck out with her nails. I got in the way, only to be on the receiving end of Lala's claws and Eldra's elbow, meant-I believe-for Lala's nose! They were both most apologetic, and it did stop their interminable arguments as they went looking for the unguents for my face. Unfortunately, they'll be at it again in another couple of hours."
Verkan laughed. "By then you're going to have one Dralm-blasted black eye. Do you want to use my medpak now, or after our talk?"
"Well, Chief, unless you've got another assignment for me-please, tell me you do-then I'm stuck. Our little contretemps was witnessed by several of the foundry staff, who would think it Galzar's Own Miracle if I were to arrive with anything less than a bruised eye. Thanks anyway boss."
"Well, Ranthar, this may be your lucky day indeed. I had a discussion with Kalvan this morning and he's most impressed by your leadership abilities."
"Likewise, Chief. I think Kalvan could even run this outfit."
"Don't say that within spitting distance of the Kalvan Study Team or you will have a cat fight on your hands!"
Ranthar laughed. "Please, say no more. So what's this new assignment?"
"It's a surprise to me. Things are getting bad enough in the war against Styphon's House that Kalvan is taking a few pages from his own Europo-American headlines. He wants to start a revolt in Hos-Bletha to force them to withdraw their forces from the Great Host. He's got a whale of a plan-to use one of his terms-and I think it's more than plausible. Part of it involves a guerilla uprising in the southern provinces starring yourself as none other than Robin Hood-that name's from a common Europo-American myth of a bandit who robs from the rich to give to the poor. Obviously, a fairy tale for children. Kalvan remembers the story and told it to me in great detail. I had to agree that you would make a most excellent Robin Hood."
"Actually, if it will get me away from the Foundry and the Kalvan Study Team, I'd accept an assignment to break into Regwarn!"
"Well, you've got it, my friend. And, that isn't all. Guess who else Kalvan wants to borrow?
Ranthar shook his head, then flashed a wicked smile. "He wants to borrow Varnath Lala's head to use for one of his scarecrows!"
"Good guess, but no. He wants to have Baltrov Eldra join his merry little band."
"Baltrov Eldra! Why, Chief?"
"Think. You were at the University Founders celebration."
"Sure-I got real plastered-left my alcodote pills at home on purpose. Had a good time."
"Do you remember seeing Eldra?"
Ranthar's brow furrowed. "Sure. She was hanging around that skinny Duke Skranga and Kalvan all evening. Then later on she was decorating Colonel Democriphon's uniform-he seemed to like it."
"Well, before she changed dance partners, she approached Kalvan and said something into his ear I'm too polite to repeat in mixed company."
"She tried to seduce Kalvan in public? Does she have a death wish? Sure Kalvan and Rylla are having problems, but Rylla would fillet any woman who she saw get within kissing distance of her husband."
"Absolutely. When I heard about it, I was ready to send her packing. But it's not that simple."
"What do you mean, Chief? It looks pretty simple to me. Send Eldra home to First Level 'for her own protection' and let the University of Dhergabar figure out what to do with her. Flirting with Kalvan isn't Paratemporal Contamination, but it more than skirts outtime ethics. University Study Team participants are instructed to act as 'observers only.' Trying to set up a liaison with the primary agent of change on Kalvan's Time Line is bad procedure-even if she wasn't successful. Success could get her killed and who knows what else! She goes home when you give the order. I can escort her out of the Foundry and have her on a conveyer in ten minutes. She'll be back on Home Time-Line so fast she'll never know what hit her!"
Verkan shook his head. "Very few people know this, but I was sharing my quarters with Eldra when that Second Level reincarnation fracas came up on Akor-Neb, which led to Dalla and me renewing our marriage contract. You've just witnessed an example of Eldra's temper-how do you think she took that? Or my asking her to leave our dwelling!"
"Wow, Chief, you sure can pick them!"
Verkan looked down at his shoes.
"Why in Xerpa's Mandibles did you ever pick Eldra as our undercover operative for the Kalvan Study Team?"
Verkan was still studying the floor when he answered. "I owed her one. She could have stirred up a real firestorm for me back then, but she kept it between the two of us. Kept Dalla out of it, too. Eldra heard about the Kalvan Study Team, knew I'd be involved and asked if she could become a member. She had the right credentials so I called one of our friends at the University and arranged for her to be assigned to the Kalvan Study Team. It was the least I could do."
"Blackmail?" Ranthar asked with a frown.
"No. Eldra was nice about it. She just reminded me of a promise I'd made to her when she left: I'd told her I'd do her a favor if ever she needed one."
"Some favor. Does Dalla know any of this?"
Verkan shook his head.
Ranthar whistled. "Dalla has always had a temper. And jealous! I remember that time she caught you with that prole scarf dancer-"
"You were there. You know it was perfectly innocent!"
"Sure, but it didn't look that way to Dalla. It didn't help that the girl had lost all her scarves in the riot-not that it made much of a difference!"
"And, since I've never told her about Eldra…"
"Yes," Ranthar said, trying to keep a straight face. "It would look bad."
"Eldra even offered, I guess to sweeten the pot, to go undercover and spy on her own cohorts. She's the one who spotted the redhead sending up message balls to Hadron Tharn."
"She's done a good job. After that little tussle I just partook in, no one would ever accuse Eldra of being our agent. You should have heard some of the creative language she used on both Lala and me. Still, Verkan-"
"A stupid blunder-I've never even told Tortha! I'd never hear the end of it. I didn't even want to tell you, but someone needs to know and since you'll be Johnny-on-the-spot, well, Eldra's going to be the party's black widow spider and spy mistress."
"And just when this was sounding like fun!"
"It's not that bad. She may not be working with your team. I haven't drawn up the assignments yet."
"Praise Dralm! And, Chief, you'd better think of telling Dalla about your history with our spy vixen. If she ever hears it from Eldra, Styphon be damned, it will be a disaster-your disaster!"