Chapter 7: The Conspiracy

skreeee…

Fifty years after mankind's discovery of hypergrav, the ozone gave its last gasp and surrendered to the ultraviolet rays that had plagued it since the 20th century. As predicted by scientists then, and as ignored by naysayers after them, the polar ice caps surged to life, creaking and groaning and eventually melting under the harsh power of an unforgiving sun. Major cities all across the globe succumbed to the water's icy grasp, and a mass exodus from terra firma ensued.

bzzzt…

Funded by governments and private companies, a multitude of ships tore away from Gaia and launched hopeful colonists to pursue manifest destiny in space. Distance travel into the farthest reaches of the galaxy, though feasible, proved costly and inefficient. Hundreds of thousands of colonists died on board their ships even before they reached their destinations. It is said that the outer reaches of the Milky Way are littered with ghost ships, empty husks of these first experiments into space.

squawkkk…

After the first wave and the disaster this proved to be, man became less ambitious and decided to keep close to home. Satellite colonies suddenly littered Gaia's orbit, but even this seemingly endless arena proved insufficient as more and more people petitioned to leave landside, their homes swallowed up by the encroaching water from the ice caps. Unbeknownst to these later colonists, corrupt entrepreneurs and governments desperate for funding took advantage of the demand and sold more petitions than there was space.

transmission override…

A jihad between the Primes (original colonists) and the Croachers (succeeding colonists) erupted. This second wave successfully wiped out another third of the world's population as the Primes ruthlessly shot down all ships that held anything but provisions from landside. Many innocent people perished and mankind has still to recover from this monstrosity. To this day, enmity is alive and well between Gaians and colonists, although an uneasy truce has stood in effect for the past twenty years.

error…error…error…

Charybdis sighed heavily and disengaged his 'trodes from the port. The problem with using his own terminal to jack into the Hub was that the hack job piece of crap constantly malfunctioned on him. Still, better to get kicked off than caught by Hub Guardians. It was technically not an unauthorized download, the data being a freeware file, but once H.B. locked down on a user, they stored the imprint in their banks and were able to track said user anytime he surfed the Hub. Charybdis enjoyed his anonymity and tried to avoid attention whenever possible.

"Shah. Your visitor is here."

"Ah, very well. Send him in, Delau." The catman gave his terminal one last glare before terminating transmission and swiveling around to face the door.

He didn't have long to wait. His major domo ushered in a deep-cowled figure who swept into the room impatiently, patently ignoring the servant who hovered just behind him.

"You're early," Charybdis noted.

His visitor grunted a reply.

"No matter. Please, make yourself at ease." The catman waved at the settee in front of him with an ironic twist to his lips. Another signal dismissed the servant who exited with relief. Young Delau was still uncomfortable around strangers, particularly unenhanced ones. Charybdis made a note to discuss this with the cub at a later date.

His visitor sat down with an abrupt thump and settled his cloak more firmly around him. Again, Charybdis bared his fangs in amusement. "Really, my friend, why all the subterfuge? You know you're quite safe here. Take off that ridiculous disguise."

"I'm perfectly fine the way I am," the visitor rasped primly and clutched at his cloak even more tightly. Then, before the catman could continue his gentle needling, the man pointed an accusing finger.

"You didn't kill him."

"I blooded the target," Charybdis answered, his mien taking on a somber cast.

"He's still not dead."

"So you say."

"Witnesses verify that R'Ikeda was shot but still breathing when they left the port," the visitor insisted, his cowl quivering with vehemence.

Charybdis leaned back in his chair and steepled his paws, regarding the other through ominous yellow slits. "Perhaps he expired on board."

"Or perhaps you missed anything vital on purpose. Tell me, Charybdis, is it true he is your gokenin?"

"That is of no concern to you."

"Oh, but it is. Anything that could jeopardize this venture of ours is my concern. R'Ikeda was a wild card, a loose cannon. He needed to be eliminated in order to ensure our success."

"I didn't see you making any attempt to get rid of him when you had him."

"De Medici was scrutinizing every move I made! What would you have me do?"

Charybdis brushed the excuse aside. "Water under the bridge. What matters now is how we proceed from here. By the way, since we're casting aspersions, why was the Empath with Mitsu? You weren't planning on double-crossing me, were you?"

His visitor projected his impatience clearly even from the depths of his cowl. The catman's shoulders shook with suppressed mirth. "Ah, take a joke some time, my friend. It's not fattening."

"This is no laughing matter," the man reproved.

"I agree. But humor puts things in perspective, eh?" Charybdis enjoyed poking at his overly serious colleague. But perhaps he should go easy on the man. He had the worse end of the bargain, after all, what with his playing the game on both sides. The catman decided to get down to business; his visitor was twitching nervously again.

"Rest easy. R'Ikeda may have gotten away and we may have tipped our hand by attacking so precipitously, but he still has no idea as to his role in all this. For all he knows, it could've been a random sting."

"They extracted him, Charybdis."

"WHAT?" The catman roared in anger, bringing to the door several sentries and Delau. Their shah recovered quickly enough, however, and waved them away, but he refocused his attention on his guest with ill-concealed wrath. "Did you order this?"

"No, no!" Holding out his hands in denial, it was the other man's turn to be placating. "De Medici's then commander of the Guardians did it all on her own volition."

"The one who is now also aboard the Moirai." Charybdis noted with some satisfaction. "She won't be alive for long when the crew finds out."

"Are you sure you are not gokenin with R'Ikeda? You seem to be overly concerned about his welfare considering you tried to kill him." The visitor's voice was sly.

"I was following the orders of the Assembly. I didn't agree when we passed sentence then and I don't agree with it now. Just because de Medici was looking for him didn't mean he was a danger to our plans."

"Is that why you were so unforthcoming with R'Ikeda's whereabouts?"

"Had to make de Medici work for it, didn't I? What fun would any hunt be without a challenge?" Charybdis expertly evaded the main issue.

It had never sat well with him, this decision to eliminate Mitsu. Whatever de Medici had cooked up for the conman in his putrid little brain was of no concern to the catman. He knew Mitsu would never work for the First tier Advocate and he had fought vociferously for his friend's dispensation, defending his honor. But for some reason, the belligerent bunch that comprised the Assembly had not sympathized at all with one of their kind, although most knew Mitsu at least in passing; they had all voted for the conman's extermination. Charybdis suspected that there had been more to that entire situation than was apparent. And he knew it had something to do with Loki Swift, who had presided over the meeting with an oblique gleam in his eyes.

His guest brought him back to the present. "With the Empath, the Guardian and R'Ikeda all together, it will only be a matter of time before they put the pieces together."

"What makes you say that?" Again, the catman's eyes narrowed. "Is there something you forgot to tell me?"

"Le Freya – the Guardian – was privy to a conversation that was not meant for her ears. And the Empath has more tricks under his fingernails than we do combined. Add to that R'Ikeda's extraction, which smacks of upper tier involvement and which will no doubt have aroused suspicion in him already, and we've got a situation on our hands."

"Ahhh," the catman let out a sigh of contemplation. "I see your point. We have to move swiftly then. When we had only de Medici to contend with, we could afford to take our time. This new turn of events does not give us that luxury anymore. The Assembly will need to be informed of this, you know."

"I know." Underneath his cowl, the guest began to sweat. "Not only that, but the Enclave will want answers regarding the Empath's spike."

"Such terminology coming out of your mouth, my friend," Charybdis commented, his natural good humor reasserting itself despite the seriousness of the matter at hand.

"I got a crash course in Empath earlier," his guest replied shortly.

"Ah, Nuada. This is a dangerous game you're playing. I don't envy you, having to juggle the Enclave, de Medici and the Assembly all at once. Are you sure you know which side you're really supporting?"

"The side that's right, Charybdis, the side that's right." The Second tier Advocate drew a weary hand across his brow.

"Well, I can help ease matters a bit. On the off chance that I couldn't complete my directive," the catman smiled wryly, half in acknowledgement of his error and half in triumph because of it, "I took the precaution of planting a beacon on the Moirai when the child wasn't looking. My sabrewings are tracking the ship as we speak."

"Any news?" Nuada was hopeful.

"None at the moment. They made a series of random hops and we're currently following the ghost trails they left when they blinked in and out of various space pockets. Rigo's doing an admirable job masking their progress." Charybdis sounded duly impressed.

"Are you sure it shouldn't be me asking you where your loyalties lie?" Nuada's comment was rife with implications.

Charybdis growled a warning and the Advocate chortled. "Don't you hate it when the tables are turned, my friend?"

"Indeed." The catman gave him a grudging smile. "But, back to the matter at hand: when the Moirai finally anchors, we'll be right behind them. Then we'll have to see what Mitsu and the rest have managed to puzzle out on their own. If they know too much, they will be taken care of."

"The same way you took care of Ikeda in the City port?"

"Don't push your luck, Nuada D'Argent. You're still in my demesnes, and outside of the Assembly, I am entitled to my own opinions. Let me handle Mitsu and you worry about de Medici. Between the both of us, we may yet salvage this situation and accomplish our goals as well."

"I hope so." Nuada rustled underneath his heavy cloak. "I have to go. I've spent a bit longer here than I'd planned and there's still the Enclave meeting tonight to worry about. I assume I can count on you to relay our conversation to the others?"

"Yes. With you and Loki in absentia, I shall be presiding over the group. It's perfect timing too. The Enclave meeting effectively keeps occupied any important people who may have wanted to poke around the City tonight."

"Then I leave everything in your hands. May the gods go with us, Charybdis." Nuada stood to leave.

The catman bared his fangs. "It has nothing to do with the gods, my friend. My money's on lady Fortune this night."

The Enclave was in mute uproar. Taking into account the 150 Guild representatives from Second tier, the fifty Sector representatives from Third tier and the fifteen First Family representatives from First tier, plus each one's entourage, Nuada was not surprised at the volume level as he entered the hall. As he made his way through the crowd milling about, the Advocate noted that the conversations seemed to swirl around two things: the potential trade embargo on the colonies and the Empath spike of that morning.

"…and Sabat almost didn't come tonight because he professed that his ears bled at the feedback!"

"Sabat's an old goat and he probably just bled because he'd been taking too many aggromeds!"

"I hear another uprising broke out on Argos."

"Damn those backwater colonies and their stupid wars! It's what got us into this mess in the first place. Can't get decent droids anymore because of their petty inheritance claims!"

"But surely the threat of embargo would quell any further altercations?"

"You would think. Oi! Have you heard about Sabat?"

"Ohhhh, my head!"

"Milady, I told you not to overexert yourself. That spike was intolerable, even for me. Here, have a deadener."

"Excuse me. Pardon me! Oh, I'm sorry, Llarona. I didn't see you there!" Nuada backed away hastily from the diminutive Microbiology Guildmaster and headed for the front of the hall where the Advocates' dais was located. As he craned his neck over the sea of heads, the man spotted both Swift and de Medici already in place. He hurried faster.

The hall where Enclave meetings were officially held was located on First tier and chutes were allowed extra activation hours to accommodate the high traffic that preceded each gathering. Several representatives had argued once that the conferences could be more efficacious and consume less time if each member was restricted to only two people in their entourage, but this caused petty squabblings among certain folk and that amendment was quickly tabled. Of course, this action determined that meetings would last at least five hours, two of which were spent awaiting members' arrivals. It was a tedious process but, Nuada noted, well worth the effort if it allowed every voice to be heard.

Granted, a majority of those voices were inane at best and ignorant at worst, but democracy had become a fundamental part of Gaia since the Collapse and one that had to be protected at all costs.

Nuada checked his chrono as he wended his way to the dais. Five minutes to the hour. The other two Advocates were early. In de Medici, this punctuality was a given but Loki Swift was a different matter altogether. Nuada narrowed his eyes. Damn Loki! Now, more than ever, he needed to keep a low profile and not do anything that might arouse questions – or, worse, suspicions – from the masses. The Second tier Advocate was already noticing the furtive glances his Third tier counterpart was receiving from certain factions in the room. Damn Loki!

Loki Swift beamed cheekily at the crowd, his lurid crimson shirt a direct contrast to the others' muted clothing and clashing painfully with his bright, flame-colored hair. A pointed chin and long, narrow nose, along with slightly upturned ears gave the man a decidedly elfish demeanor. Long, pale fingers danced ceaselessly over a string of jadeite worry beads, producing a most jarring clacking even in the already noisome hall. Sylphlike legs encased in crushed purple velvet were extended almost beyond the dais's step and were crossed languorously at the ankles. The Third tier Advocate had the air of an effeminate sybarite, one he proudly affected with every twitch of his wrist and every tinkling, well-rehearsed laugh. Only a rare few knew of the crafty mind behind those pleasure-hazed eyes.

"You're late." De Medici murmured under his breath at Nuada's approach.

"I'm on time," the man retorted, barely glancing at the third Advocate who spared him a benign glance before returning his gaze to the burbling crowd.

"Ah, indeed. I suppose our esteemed colleague's unusually prompt appearance confused me a bit," de Medici responded easily enough.

Nuada was not fooled. Damn Loki!

"Gentlemen, I believe it's my turn to call this meeting to order. Oh, I do so love the authority; it sends chills up and down my slender spine," Loki trilled fatuously and he unfolded himself from his chair to do just as he'd announced. He deposited his worry beads into the velvet aumoniere at his belt.

Nuada turned his head in time to catch de Medici's muttered "annoying little flit" before he was distracted by Loki Swift in action. It was a spectacle that warranted one's full attention.

"Messieurs and mesdames! Votre attention, per favore! We will commence tout de suite and I beg your silenzio pour maintenant!" Using the European patois that always managed to make Nuada cringe but which afforded de Medici no small amusement, the Third tier Advocate raised both arms grandiosely. His undersleeves of emerald green flashed like parrot plumage through the slashes of his billowing red shirt.

"We call this meeting to order à la heure de otto and we surrender the floor to our fellow confrere, Giancarlo de Medici!"

As Swift bowed graciously and stepped away, he took a moment to survey the hall. It never failed to appeal to the Corinthian in him. He took sensual delight in the albescent marble pillars that ranked the perimeter, the faux chandeliers that cast tantalizing chiaroscuros over the throng, the sumptuous crimson – ah, crimson! My favorite color! – carpet that did little to dampen the usual roar of the crowd but was beautiful nonetheless.

In between the pillars were the sateen-lined galleries that accommodated the several hundred members of the assemblage. Designed after the Coliseum of yore, the highest strata were reserved for lower-ranking hangers-on while the lower levels catered to the intelligentsia and glitterati. Like refined butterflies alighting on vivid flowers, the Enclave members provided a perfect foil to the elegance of their surroundings.

But, as the crowd dispersed from the common floor and moved to occupy their assigned places, Swift set aside his carnal musings and chased the bitter thought of the City dwellers he represented and how an entire family of Dregan drudges could feast for a year with but one shard of the chandeliers' precious crystals.

He would do well to remember that his position as Advocate was tenuous at best and that the City fathers only suffered his authority because of his vast network of supporters in the Thieves' Guild. They would never be convinced of Swift's altruism, never believe that the man fiercely supported the people he spoke for. Why would they? They were as greedy and self-serving as their First tier counterparts.

Still, it wasn't as if Swift had just cause to rail at the fathers. After all, it had been his decision to play the fop, the sybaritic king of thieves, in order to mask his true intentions. The Advocate spared a glance at D'Argent.

Soon. Soon I'll be able to abandon this ridiculous masquerade. And then the real fun begins!

"…and concerning our first order of business, I call on Master Guiles." De Medici had wasted no time in hurrying the meeting along and Swift ordered himself to pay closer attention as the normally jocund Trades Guildmaster stood to speak, a scowl already gracing his face.

"I am a simple man. I don't cotton to long speeches and I'm not here to try to sway anyone to my side. The facts will speak for me. As of today, my tallies indicate a severe drop in imported goods from all colonies in the Omega Belt. What does manage to come through is priced at exorbitant rates, marked up by their scarcity and an overwhelming demand. The colonies are taking advantage of their position and status and I think it's high time we send them a message. If they do not lower their export tariffs and open up trade to manageable means, I say we pronounce embargo on them!"

This speech was met by faint cheers from several factions but by low grumblings from the majority of the assembly. Heads turned to whisper to neighbors and the Guildmaster felt himself losing momentum. He still had the floor, however. None of the Advocates had made a move to stop him. So he continued, hands raised for silence.

"Even in this day and age, many of the colonies are not self-sufficient. They are dependent on us for a lot of their agricultural needs, such as fruits and vegetables, that cannot be grown on space satellites. Another important need is water. If we stop the export of these goods, they will be forced to bend under our will."

Again the mutterings. Behind De Medici's back – the Advocate had remained standing – Swift cupped a hand to his cheek and murmured indolently to Nuada: "He's not very subtle, is he?"

The other man snorted. "If he continues with this tirade, he won't find a lot of supporters from any of the others."

Nuada spoke the truth. From the galleries, people had begun catcalling and speaking out of turn, their outrage loud and carrying. De Medici, as acting chair, was not doing a thing to calm them. Rather, he observed the masses serenely, an inscrutable expression on his chiseled face.

"That's outrageous! No one can survive without water!"

"Guiles, you old penny-pincher! Stand down!"

"Let someone else speak!"

"My kinsmen live on Argos. Do you plan on cutting them out too?"

"You're suggesting the deliberate annihilation of hundreds of people! How dare you!"

"Murderer!"

"Thief!"

Swift brusquely stood up and flanked de Medici. He pulled his worry beads from his pouch and clacked them sharply. The noise reverberated through the hall like a thunderclap. Even de Medici started at the sudden report. Nuada shook his head but remained seated. Only Loki could have infused so much drama in a handful of jadeite. It was effective though. The hall immediately quieted down.

"Now, now, mes amies! I take offense at the term "thief" used in that tone of voice. I assure you that I and my Guild would never entertain such a thought as denying anyone the prime necessities of life. And I'm sure our conoscente, Monsieur Guiles, did not mean it that way either. Am I corretto?" Swift raised an eyebrow in the Guildmaster's general direction, then fell back down gracefully in his chair as if the matter had already bored him.

The Advocate had given the man a way out and an opportunity to save face. Unfortunately, Guiles was right; he was a simple man. And he had a simple mind. What craftiness he showed at the bargaining table was lost in the mire of diplomacy and politics. The man grew red-faced, infuriated that Swift had dared put words in his mouth.

"I do mean exactly that. Let the colonists see what we're made of! Let them feel our misery! Can any of you really survive without seishou crystals? What will you use to run your hovers? Your homes? You, Master Flay! How will you manage the holding blocks if you can't even power up the plasticrene cells? And you, Mistress Hyser! How much business will you lose if the chutes can't remain activated?

"And it's not just the seishou crystals from Danae. What about the droids from Argos or the silks from New Cairo? Miladies of the First Families, I beg you! See reason! If this travesty continues – if we allow ourselves to be led around like hornos by these greedy colonists – our lives as we know it will be ruined! No more easy life for any of us. We'll be relegated to drudge status before you know it!"

It was melodramatic, and highly offensive to Third tier since the majority of its citizens were considered drudges. But Guiles had unwittingly struck a collective nerve and the fire and passion in his voice penetrated even the most skeptical of listeners. The seed was planted, the idea taking root and germinating. And there was no love lost between Gaians and the colonists to begin with. What Guiles said was beginning to sound more and more plausible. The pendulum swung the other way.

"No droids? But what will we do? I simply can't cope without my droids! And I need a new servobot too!"

"What did he say about seishous?"

"The colonists be fragged! I need my crystals!"

"But my family on Argos?"

"Shut up, you! Sacrifices have to be made by us all!"

"Will an embargo make them see reason?"

"It might take a while. You know how stupid those colonists are."

"Embargo!"

"Yes, embargo!"

The chanting began in the far corners of the hall and crested alarmingly in mere seconds. Nuada and Swift exchanged worried looks. De Medici had not made a sound. People were pouring from the stands to accost the Trades Guildmaster and his entourage, shouting out questions or encouragement. Guiles's face, previously dark, had returned to its jocular cast as he realized he was getting his own way after all.

As the meeting devolved into a morass of outraged furor and righteous indignation, Nuada despaired of ever making the other, more important Assembly conclave. He also wondered worriedly why de Medici hadn't said a word to dispel the venom that was slowly insinuating itself amongst the representatives. Was this what the man had planned all along? Was this why he had given the floor to Guiles first? What did this have anything to do with the mission? The layers of deceit clung to Nuada with icy filaments.

Loki Swift's claret-washed eyes bore into de Medici's back. The man was up to something. But it was no use wasting energy on conjecture and speculation. Swift was no Empath, and even had he been, he had no wish to paddle around in the man's twisted mind. The thought made him shudder elegantly. Then he turned and, with a hand to his cheek once more, murmured to Nuada: "Well, at least they're not talking about the spike."

Nuada sighed. It was small comfort.

Compared to the luxury and elegance of the Enclave hall, the Assembly room was a shoddy, makeshift affair, as were its members. Convening in Cain's shadowy basement workshop, the clandestine band of misfits and rogues were currently enjoying the ample supply of alc that Sartre had sent over. Draped over various pieces of machinery and haphazardly placed equipment, the group indulged in bawdy songs and highly tasteless jokes. Several were trying to cajole Cain out of his newly-acquired wetware enhancers while a fierce betting pool was taking place in the corner.

A seishou-powered lamp swinging precariously from the ceiling was the only illumination present. The concrete walls barely masked the roaring of the ocean just fifteen centimeters from swallowing the group. The room was crowded and dark and potentially fatal, considering its underwater location. It was just the way the Assembly liked it.

"My money's on Shiken's holo," a voice growled with amusement.

"Oi, wait your turn! I gotta cover a coupla more bets!" The stim-chomping ringleader waved a hand behind him, his sharp eyes watching the match closely for cheaters.

"My money's not good enough for you?" The new guy persisted.

"Oi, ya gobshite! Ya deaf? I said ya gotta wait…" The man turned around in irritation then felt his mouth go slack, "…your turn."

Charybdis smirked wickedly at the look of horror that crossed the bookie's face. The other men slowly melted away, mingling with the walls. A hush swept the room, except for old Tollo who was already bolloxed and hiccupping intermittently. The woozy Dregan suddenly burst into song and was promptly silenced by his neighbors who sat on him then looked up innocently at the newly-arrived catman.

"It's good to see you all in high spirits, gentlemen. And it's also good to see that this morning's little brouhaha aboveside has none of you concerned." Charybdis swished his cloak then picked off imaginary lint from it with an unsheathed claw. The menace was not lost on the group.

"Ah, Charybdis. We were just having a bit o' fun. You know how it gets when we're all together like this. Someone's sure to get hurt if we didn't provide any amusement," Cain stepped up boldly and winked at the assassin.

The rest of the men held their breath as Charybdis rumbled low in his throat. The claw came up and not a few of those gathered were ashamed to admit that they turned away at the carnage that was sure to ensue. Then the rumble grew louder and a bark of unrestrained laughter erupted from the catman. His claws retracted and the paw that landed on Cain's shoulder was soft velvet.

"Indeed, my friend. And what sort of a City dweller would I be if I didn't understand that? We're all just a bunch of rowdies here, aren't we?" The catman swiveled his head to appraise the crowd, humor still glinting in his eyes.

Cain grinned and the others took this as a good sign. They peeled themselves from the walls and cautiously took position around the room. The holos were shut down, the alc relegated to a less conspicuous spot and Charybdis decided that he'd had his laugh for the day. It was time to get down to business.

"Since the lot of you are three sheets to the wind already, let's make this brief. Loki and Nuada are aboveside at the Enclave meeting…" Here, Charybdis was interrupted by hoots and hollers of derision at the mention of the upper tier conference. He glared ferociously and the men subsided.

"And will probably not make it tonight." The catman plunged on as if he had not been disrupted.

"They're lovin' that, I'm sure!" A sarcastic voice called from the back of the room and the others chortled heartily.

Charybdis noted their jollity with impatience. He hated it when Sartre decided to play the philanthropist and donated alc to the meetings. It always made things that much more difficult. Of course, the men were not as likely to be so lax had Loki been present. That man could command an armada with a fey smile and a raised eyebrow. With Charybdis, despite or because of his intimidating appearance and reputation, it always boiled down to force.

Force it shall be, then, the catman thought grimly to himself. With a blinding leap, he grabbed the nearest rabble rouser by the shirt front and drew a gleaming claw against his jugular. Another fearful silence descended on the group. Charybdis made eye contact with the two dozen or so men in the room, making sure he now had their undivided attention.

"As I was saying, Nuada and Loki will not be attending tonight and I'm just here to give you information and orders. Understood?" The catman smiled pleasantly enough although he still retained his lethal hold on the burbling drunk.

The men nodded solemnly.

"Good. As you all know, R'Ikeda was able to leave Avalon with his crew, de Medici's Guardian and an Empath." Charybdis paused, daring anyone to make mention of his failure to dispose of the conman. There was not so much as a peep from the peanut gallery.

"Nuada feels that, together, these three may just piece together all the relevant information and figure out what we're all about. We need to intercept them before they make their next move. We have to know if they truly are wild cards in the game or whether they will ally themselves to a side. I'm hoping they see it our way."

"How do you suggest we find 'em, Char? The galaxy's mighty big," Cain asked curiously.

"My pride is on it. I planted a beacon on the Moirai and my sabrewings are hot on their trail. I've deduced that they're probably headed toward Kuiper. R'Ikeda always runs home to lick his wounds. But we'll confirm this in a matter of a few days. Once we make contact, my men will report to me and then Nuada and Loki will decide on the best course of action."

"Blow them out of the sky!" Tollo cried from between the two large men still sitting on him.

"No. De Medici had plans for R'Ikeda and we must know what makes him so important. I told you once that the decision to exterminate him was precipitous and perhaps his escape is a message from the gods that we had been hasty in our verdict."

To his surprise, Charybdis noted that several men looked sheepish at the mention of Mitsu and the shoot-to-kill directive. Some even nodded their heads in agreement to his last statement.

So, I was right. Killing Mitsu was not a unanimous vote. This gets more and more interesting…

"What about the Empath and the Guardian? Can we kill them?" Someone suggested contentiously.

"Shut up, Decker!" Cain called out before Charybdis could respond. "We're don't murder without good reason. We just want what's right. If the Empath and the Guardian can be swayed, then we should try to get 'em on our side too. I heard about the spike this morning and how it raised holy hell with the Firsters. If that Empath has them running scared, then maybe he could be useful to us."

"Well said, Cain." Charybdis nodded to the man approvingly. In his grasp, the drunk had passed out in a stupor of alc and fear and had gone limp. The catman discarded him unceremoniously and gathered his cloak to him.

"I believe that will be all for now, gentlemen."

"But you said orders, Char. What do you want us to do?" Cain spoke for the men.

"Watch. Wait. Keep your ears to the ground. Send the harlots to the sex arenas and have them cull as much information from the aristos as they can muster. De Medici could not have set up his own mission by himself, even with Nuada's aid. He must have someone else helping him; they should at least be aware of his next move. And if we ferret out that information, we'll be one step ahead. Remember, we still don't know the exact location of the target. That is our primary goal. This R'Ikeda business was incidental. For all we know, he may not even figure into the equation anymore."

The men grunted assent, all traces of alc gone from their systems. This they could do. They were a band of cutthroats and rogues and covert operations were more to their liking than outright confrontation. Leave the big games to the big boys; they would do their part in the way they knew best.

As the group dispersed, some to the alc barrel and others to resume the holo match, Cain approached the departing catman.

"Is Mitsu really alive?" The young neurist whispered with ill-concealed hope.

"Yes."

"You didn't try very hard, did you?"

"What makes you say that?" Charybdis drew Cain away from the men, to the top of the steps, for more privacy. He needn't have bothered; the others had already resumed the revelry that the catman's arrival had interrupted.

"Well, it's not like ye to botch up a job, regardless of how you felt about it. I just thought, mebbe, yer heart wasn't in it. Coz of Mitsu bein' your gokenin and all."

"Why does everyone think that?" Charybdis sighed exasperatedly.

"Tis true, ain't it? Tis why ye argued so much against it."

"Not that it did any good," the catman was bitter.

"But it all worked out in the end, eh? No need to get yer britches in a bunch!" Cain pivoted on his heel and made to leave, giving the assassin a sly wink.

It took a moment for everything to click in Charybdis's head. Then he snatched at the neurist's shirt and hauled him back. Several men turned at the sound of the scuffle but the catman simply threw his arm around Cain and smiled at them blandly. Bored, they ignored the pair once more.

Cain winced at the subtle pressure Charybdis was exerting on his left deltoid. "Oi, what's the sitch, Char? You be needin' me for somethin' else?"

"Yes, Cain. Answers." The assassin snarled pleasantly in his ear. "You seem to have your share of them. And it's not nice keeping things from your friends, is it?"

"I dunno what yer blatherin' about, Char," Cain announced nonchalantly enough but the catman, well-versed in reading his prey, noted the twitch in the man's eye and the tremor that ran through his body.

"Cain, Cain, Cain," Charybdis purred dangerously. "You've been touching the blarney stone, haven't you? Tsk, tsk. Didn't your ma tell you it's not good to lie?"

The claws unsheathed silently and pressed with lethal delicacy against Cain's jugular. In the dim light, the neurist knew his precarious position would not be revealed to the others until he was drowning in his own blood. And, even then, Cain doubted anyone would seek vengeance for his death. He may be the best neurist the City had to offer, and he may have access to all the questionable wetware on the market, but the man knew he was not indispensable. He gulped.

"Whaddaya want to know?"

"Let's take this outside, shall we?" Charybdis kept his arm around Cain's shoulder and his claws at the ready even as he pulled the other out of the room and into the shadowy hallway that led to the legitimate part of Cain's outfit.

"Tell me, Cain. Tell me what you know about Mitsu and the order to kill."

"I can't tell you that!" Cain's pupils dilated in fear and it wasn't just Charybdis he was frightened of. Things were getting more and more interesting…

"Yes, you can," the catman let out another centimeter of claw and tickled the other's carotid with it.

"Ahhhh…you're gonna get me killed, Char!" Cain pleaded in vain.

"Which do you prefer? Dying later or dying now?" The claw pressed deep.

"No! No…stop! I'll tell, I'll tell!" The neurist panicked as he felt the stinging of salty blood on serrated skin. "It was Loki. He made us vote! We didn't want to, but he made us! We told him it went against the Thieves' Code but he wouldn't listen! None of us wanted Mitsu do die, man! He's one of us! And he's the best fokkin' runner there is – why would we want him knocked off?" Cain was frantic, trying not to swallow in case Charybdis's paw slipped.

Abruptly, the catman let go of his captive who rubbed at his throat and came away with red, tacky fingers. Cain ignored his injury, thankful that it was as minor as it was. It could've been worse. Then he peered apprehensively at the catman who was staring blindly into the shadows. Even in the dark, Cain was able to make out the bristling of Charybdis's fur.

Oh, this is not good! The neurist told himself in alarm as he noted the signs that indicated the precursor to a catman berserker rampage.

"Loki." Charybdis whispered to himself, Cain forgotten. His hackles rose and his body tensed. Involuntarily, his claws unsheathed and his yellow eyes glowed with feral ferocity. Then he threw back his head and roared.

"LOKI!"