Halfling Moon Read Free Page A

ship -- it's
docking! What more does Aunt want? A calling card?"
    "They want the pilot to prove the door code,
too," Quin said.
    "Why?" Padi was fairly dancing from one foot
to the other. "He had all the others. What proof can one more door
hold?"
    Quin touched the screen's keypad, accessing
the camera on the hall outside the forward dock. It would, he
thought, be Cousin Shan, or perhaps Cousin Anthora. Or . . . if
Cousin Nova -- if the First Speaker couldn't spare any of the Line
Direct for the errand, then it would certainly be Pilot Mendoza, or
. . .
    Familiar and firm. That was what Grandmother
said. That the pilot the First Speaker sent to them, when it was
come time to go home, would be familiar to them, and firm in their
loyalty to Korval.
    For long moments, the bay door remained sealed, ready light
glowing green above it. Quin's stomach clenched. What if the pilot
failed, after all, of having the proper codes for the door? That
would mean -- Gods,
would
it mean that the ship had been stolen? Or that the
pilot --
their
pilot, familiar and firm -- had been stolen, and -- and
coerced into revealing --
    "Quin?"
    Padi was frowning at him, and that would
never do
    He took a deep breath and gave her a smile. "Don't
you
want to know who
has come for us?"
    Her face relaxed into a grin.
    "The pilot could," she agreed, "take our
feelings into account and make some haste."
    As if the pilot had heard her, the ready
light snapped to yellow, and the bay door slid open.
    "Syl Vor!" Quin hissed. "Count of
twelve!"
    He had never in his life seen the woman who
stepped, soundless as a Scout, into the hallway.
    * * *
    The ship rejoiced in the name of
Fortune's
Reward
;
a ship of the line, lately assigned to the wastrel cousin, whom
Korval's great enemy and the Juntavas alike had thought to be easy
meat.
    Not so the Office of Judgment, and in that
they had been proven wise. Never an ill thing, to have the sagacity
of the Judges proven.
    It
was
ill, the pilot thought, releasing the webbing, but not yet
rising from the chair . . . It was ill, indeed, that she came thus
into Korval's most secret treasure-house, alone, and unknown to
those who stood guard. It had been better -- but no matter. Done
was done, and, truly, she had finessed more volatile situations.
She would need to win them, that was all.
    Win them.
    She rose then, with no need to check her
status. Her weapons were old friends; each of their caresses known
and unique. They would not disturb her, nor unbalance her; and they
would come to her hand when they were needed.
    So, then, the codes; last in the series she
had been given to memorize. She would in a moment open the door and
step into Korval's treasure-house, where she would doubtless be
greeted by one of the vigilant guardians.
    Win them.
    * * *
    The door accepted the codes, whisking out of
her way. Beyond, the hall was empty, saving the cameras and the
vents that she did not doubt were an active part of security.
    Happily, whoever monitored the camera, and
presumably held the decision as to what sort of gas might fill this
hallway, appeared to be of a deliberate nature. She had, after all,
demonstrated mastery of the codes. The guard might grant an extra
few minutes of life to such a one, awaiting . . . confirmation.
    There was another door, at the top of the
hall. She did not approach it; certainly she did not try it. Her
information regarding what might happen, did she attempt either,
had been specific.
    By necessity, then, she waited.
    For the cameras, she adopted an easy stance,
proud without being prideful. She was a pilot; and pilots had
pride. As did Judges, of course, and certain of the better class of
Juntavas assassin.
    Scarcely had she counted to eight when the
door at the end of the hall -- the door that led to the interior,
and all the treasures collected therein -- opened, admitting a man
no longer young, his hair silver and his eyes wide and grey.
Childlike, one might say, in ignorance.
    As she was very