Antagonist - Childe Cycle 11 (106 page)

Rather
than
making
his
way
through
the
corridors
of
High
Africa, Bleys
had
the
jitney's
crew
call
for
a
shuttle
to
meet
the
craft
as
it docked.
It
was
not
so
unusual
a
request
as
to
raise
suspicion:
any traveler
well-off
enough
to
be
embarking
on
an
interstellar
voyage would
likely
also
be
both
able
to
afford
the
cost
of
a
little
extra
service,
and
in
a
hurry
to
make
a
connection.

Thus,
while
the
rest
of
the
jitney's
passengers
made
their
way through
the
craft's
main
passenger
hatch,
now
securely
docked
at the
station's
main
concourse,
Bleys
was
climbing
down
through
a smaller
hatch
in
the
jitney's
belly,
to
which
the
shuttle
he
had
called for
had
locked
itself.
It
took
only
a
few
moments
for
Bleys
to
give the
shuttle
driver
the
data
for
the
orbital
slot
that
Favored of God—
once
again
traveling
under
a
false
name—was
parked
in;
and
they were
undocked
and
on
their
way
before
the
last
of
the
jitney's
other passengers
had
reached
the
concourse.

Wary
of
the
possibility
that
any
radioed
message
might
be
intercepted,
Bleys
had
not
spoken
directly
to
Favored of God
himself,
but only
had
the
shuttle
driver
call
ahead
to
tell
the
ship
that
one
of
her passengers
was
coming
aboard—Bleys
had
been
provided
with
a
false identity,
and
that
was
the
name
the
driver
gave
to
Favored of God.

Despite
his
discretion,
Bleys
found
himself
greeted
by
Captain Anita
Broadus
herself,
her
beaming
dark
countenance
appearing,
to his
eyes,
very
like
an
emblem
of
safety.
He
could
not
prevent
himself
from
smiling
back.

"Great
Teacher,
it
is
so
good
to
see
you."
The
captain's
voice
fairly boomed
throughout
the
entry
corridor.
"We
were
all
hoping,
when we
were
sent
here,
that
we
would
be
able
to
help
you
in
some
way!"

"Why,
Captain,"
Bleys
said,
"surely
you
know
by
now
that
wherever
you're
sent,
it's
for
our
work?"

"That
is
my
wish,
of
course,
Great
Teacher,
and
that
of
all
my
crew. But
you
must
forgive
me:
Antonia
Lu
and
Henry
MacLean
never
tell us
more
than
we
must
know
to
carry
out
our
task,
and
in
the
times
of silent
waiting—as
we
have
waited
quietly
in
this
boring
orbit
for three
weeks
now—sometimes
we
feel
we
are
pushed
to
the
side
and
forgotten.
But
please
do
not
misunderstand
me,
Great
Teacher—we are
always
faithful!"

"Of
course
you
are!"
Bleys
said.
"But
everyone's
mind
plays
the devil's
tricks
on
them
in
those
hours
when
there's
nothing
to
do
but wait.
My
uncle
Henry
will
tell
you
that's
the
very
time
when
faith and
courage
are
most
needed."

"And
most
hard
to
find,"
the
captain
said.
"It
can
be
a
hard
lesson."

'That's
so,"
Bleys
said.
"I
think
you're
aware
that
you're
sometimes
sent
off
to
wait
because
I
foresee
the
possibility
of
some
need for
you.
But
you
must
steel
yourself
to
the
fact
that
sometimes
that need
simply
will
not
come
about,
and
you'll
be
unused.
But
that doesn't
mean
the
trip
was
taken
for
nothing.
Simply
in
knowing you're
near
while
I
undertake
some
important
work,
I'm
comforted."

The
captain's
smile
blossomed
once
more,
belying
the
seriousness
of
their
conversation.

"Come,
Great
Teacher—would
you
like
to
rest?
Or
perhaps
a meal?
What
would
you
like?"
Without
really
waiting
for
a
reply,
the captain
waved
a
hand,
and
a
young
crewwoman
stepped
out
of
the background,
all
but
coming
to
attention
at
the
captain's
side.

"Shira
will
take
you
to
your
quarters,
Great
Teacher,"
the
captain said.
Although
her
words
were
a
simple
statement
to
Bleys,
they were
clearly
an
order
for
the
crewwoman.

"Have
there
been
any
messages
for
me,
Captain?"
Bleys
asked; and
the
crewwoman,
who
had
already
turned
away,
stopped,
looking
over
her
shoulder.

"Nothing
by
radio,
of
course,
Great
Teacher,"
the
captain
said. "But
we've
had
four
courier
deliveries
in
the
weeks
we've
been here.
They
await
you
in
the
same
lounge
you
used
before,
and
your stateroom
is
nearby."

She
waved
the
crewwoman
on
her
way,
and
Bleys
followed.

By
the
time
Bleys
had
worked
his
way
through
the
messages,
Shira had
reappeared.
Perhaps
emboldened
by
some
prodding
from
the captain,
she
was
carrying
a
tray
laden
with
a
large
meal
and
several beverage
containers.