chamber, alone. The door shut behind him. The man moved to stand two meters away from Khadaji.
"Ah, the spy returns in triumph," Khadaji said.
Massey nodded, matter-of-factly. He said, "I'm wearing a flatpack confounder. Our conversation will be private."
"I have nothing to hide," Khadaji said, "so I must assume you have. But a question before we get to why you're here. What is your agency?"
Massey shrugged. "I was Soldatutmarkt when I infiltrated the school. Now, I am in the personal service of The Wall."
Khadaji nodded. "I thought as much."
"And you knew before the raid. I have wondered why you allowed me to remain, knowing I was a spy. But I suppose we will find that out, in due time."
"One would suppose that, yes."
Massey turned away and looked around the cell.
"You are braver than the local troopers," Khadaji said, "to risk turning your back on me."
Massey turned back toward Khadaji. "Really? I think we both know better than that. I have come all the way from Earth for you. Left here, Venture will break your mind and destroy your body by millimeters, laughing all the while. I am your pass out of here."
"For a show trial and execution on Earth."
"Of course. You have to die, that's a given. It is the manner that is important. At least our way will be humane."
"The end result will be the same, why should I care?"
Massey laughed. "Because I was your student, I know you, Penn. Or Khadaji. You taught me that a matador should never give up. Alive, there is a chance to fight or flee. Dead, there is nothing. Alive and on the way to Earth, you can scheme. Left here under the gentle ministrations of Over-Befalhavare Venture, who rightly hates you, you have little chance. He would flay you personally, you know, were it allowed."
"I suspected as much."
"It doesn't matter what he wants. Factor Wall wishes you on Earth, and I have been sent to arrange it. Venture will fume, but in the end, a bargain will be struck."
"Why tell me all this?" Khadaji shifted upon the cube suddenly, but Massey did not flinch as the troopers always did. Good that he had learned that much: don't defend unless there is a real attack.
"To obtain your cooperation. You can always be killed while trying to escape, and proper media attention will paint a picture nearly as pleasing as your trial and execution, if it comes to that. But Factor Wall would rather you do it his way. After all, you might be found... innocent."
Both men grinned at this. Massey was a pragmatic professional, and he obviously gave Khadaji enough credit for being the same.
"Your proposal makes sense."
"I thought you might see it that way. Pen was always a realist. It will take a few days. Venture and I must do our ritual dance first. Incidentally, his men will be storming in here momentarily, when it finally dawns on them that I'm confounding their bioelectronic eyes and ears."
"I'm curious," Khadaji said. "What am I worth to the Over-Befalhavare?"
"Well, I don't want to inflate your ego, but you are worth command of all Confederation Ground Forces."
"Ah, I see. Wall is nervous about Venture, so he wants him on Earth, where he can watch him."
Massey looked around sharply at the door, which was once again beginning to open.
Khadaji said, "I take it you'd rather not have me repeat that?"
"It might be better if you didn't."
The door opened and four troopers, led by a Lojt, burst into the cell, hand wands held ready to fire. Both Massey and Khadaji regarded the men impassively.
The Lojt looked flustered. "Uh... is everything all right?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Massey looked faintly amused.
"We... uh... that is, our... uh... monitoring gear must be... uh... faulty. We detected... uh... signs of a struggle."
"Really? I would have thought that my confounder would have prevented that." Massey produced a thin rectangle of plastic the length of his middle finger from his tunic. He waved the device at the Lojt.
"Confounders aren't allowed in holding cells, Envoy—"
"And
"Ah, the spy returns in triumph," Khadaji said.
Massey nodded, matter-of-factly. He said, "I'm wearing a flatpack confounder. Our conversation will be private."
"I have nothing to hide," Khadaji said, "so I must assume you have. But a question before we get to why you're here. What is your agency?"
Massey shrugged. "I was Soldatutmarkt when I infiltrated the school. Now, I am in the personal service of The Wall."
Khadaji nodded. "I thought as much."
"And you knew before the raid. I have wondered why you allowed me to remain, knowing I was a spy. But I suppose we will find that out, in due time."
"One would suppose that, yes."
Massey turned away and looked around the cell.
"You are braver than the local troopers," Khadaji said, "to risk turning your back on me."
Massey turned back toward Khadaji. "Really? I think we both know better than that. I have come all the way from Earth for you. Left here, Venture will break your mind and destroy your body by millimeters, laughing all the while. I am your pass out of here."
"For a show trial and execution on Earth."
"Of course. You have to die, that's a given. It is the manner that is important. At least our way will be humane."
"The end result will be the same, why should I care?"
Massey laughed. "Because I was your student, I know you, Penn. Or Khadaji. You taught me that a matador should never give up. Alive, there is a chance to fight or flee. Dead, there is nothing. Alive and on the way to Earth, you can scheme. Left here under the gentle ministrations of Over-Befalhavare Venture, who rightly hates you, you have little chance. He would flay you personally, you know, were it allowed."
"I suspected as much."
"It doesn't matter what he wants. Factor Wall wishes you on Earth, and I have been sent to arrange it. Venture will fume, but in the end, a bargain will be struck."
"Why tell me all this?" Khadaji shifted upon the cube suddenly, but Massey did not flinch as the troopers always did. Good that he had learned that much: don't defend unless there is a real attack.
"To obtain your cooperation. You can always be killed while trying to escape, and proper media attention will paint a picture nearly as pleasing as your trial and execution, if it comes to that. But Factor Wall would rather you do it his way. After all, you might be found... innocent."
Both men grinned at this. Massey was a pragmatic professional, and he obviously gave Khadaji enough credit for being the same.
"Your proposal makes sense."
"I thought you might see it that way. Pen was always a realist. It will take a few days. Venture and I must do our ritual dance first. Incidentally, his men will be storming in here momentarily, when it finally dawns on them that I'm confounding their bioelectronic eyes and ears."
"I'm curious," Khadaji said. "What am I worth to the Over-Befalhavare?"
"Well, I don't want to inflate your ego, but you are worth command of all Confederation Ground Forces."
"Ah, I see. Wall is nervous about Venture, so he wants him on Earth, where he can watch him."
Massey looked around sharply at the door, which was once again beginning to open.
Khadaji said, "I take it you'd rather not have me repeat that?"
"It might be better if you didn't."
The door opened and four troopers, led by a Lojt, burst into the cell, hand wands held ready to fire. Both Massey and Khadaji regarded the men impassively.
The Lojt looked flustered. "Uh... is everything all right?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Massey looked faintly amused.
"We... uh... that is, our... uh... monitoring gear must be... uh... faulty. We detected... uh... signs of a struggle."
"Really? I would have thought that my confounder would have prevented that." Massey produced a thin rectangle of plastic the length of his middle finger from his tunic. He waved the device at the Lojt.
"Confounders aren't allowed in holding cells, Envoy—"
"And
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