Free Georgia on My Mind and Other Places by Charles Sheffield Page B

it. I can find out what it tells tomorrow.”
    “I suspect I went beyond prudence in obtaining the new information. The Sigil are aware that I have tapped their ship’s monitors.”
    “That’s another matter—and bad news for you if it’s true.” Krieg swung out of bed and moved toward the door, ignoring the sleeping woman. “You were supposed to operate invisibly , for God’s sake. Not blunder around and announce your presence.”
    He went to the upper floor and stared out of the window. The Sigil ship was visible, sitting at the center of a permanent circle of lights.
    Krieg grunted. “All quiet so far.” But even as he spoke the ship began to lift, drifting upward from the smooth spaceport surface. As it rose higher its six support legs retracted into the pearly white body. A few moments later the personal monitor at Krieg’s belt called for attention.
    “Emergency!” It was Bravtz’ig, by the sound of his gravel voice still three-quarters asleep. “You there, Krieg? We just received a Sigil departure flight alert. Their ship is moving out.”
    “This is Krieg. I’m watching it happen. What can we do about it?”
    “Not a damn thing—unless you want to tell me to try and stop it.”
    “How would you do that?”
    “Good question. Destroy the ship, that’s the only way I know. And I can tell you now, our space command would refuse to do that even if you ordered it.”
    “So I won’t waste time trying. Can you follow their path?”
    “Until they go to subspace. Then we’ve lost them. You know that as well as I do.” Bravtz’ig’s face appeared on the tiny screen, squinting and suspicious. “Did you cause this, Krieg, you and your cock-up Earth friends?”
    “How could we? Follow their ship as far as you can. If we lose it we’re all in trouble.”
    “You’re in trouble anyway. Get off the line, Krieg, so I can talk to someone useful.”
    Bravtz’ig vanished. A moment later the unit went dead. Krieg turned to Gilden.
    “I suggested we didn’t cause this. But you did cause this, didn’t you? You stupid asshole. It was the same on Earth. Your damned voyeur urges, you couldn’t let go watching until it was too late. Now I have to go back and tell the Mentor that instead of learning more about the Sigil it was our party that drove them away from Lucidar. Come on.” Krieg grabbed Gilden roughly by the arm and dragged him back down the stairs.
    “Where are we going?”
    “To collect Derli. With the Sigil gone our value on Lucidar is less than zero. We have to get out before this place blows up. Better be ready for pain, Gilden. The two of you will spend the next fifty years in purgatory.”
    “Derli had nothing to do with this.”
    “Don’t kid yourself. You were screwing her, or more likely she was screwing you. Don’t bother to deny it. She pushed you to get the data she wanted. Well, I hope she thinks it was worth it when she finds out what’s coming to her.”
    “You can’t hurt her.” They were at the entrance to Derli’s apartment. “She’s pregnant—with your baby.”
    “I’ve got a hundred kids.” Krieg did not even slow down. “All my women have ’em, I make sure of that. Wise up, Gilden, that’s what they’re for. One kid more or less means nothing.”
    The door was unlocked. Derli was still at the display. She turned when they entered but she hardly seemed to see them. The screen showed an enlarged view of the glistening yellow organ that coupled the small Sigil to its great partner.
    “Arrin! Did you realize what you were seeing when you made this recording? We had it wrong, everything wrong.”
    “That doesn’t matter now.” Krieg released his hold on Gilden and went over to Derli Margrave. He switched off the computer and left a static display. “You can stop screwing around with all that. You and Gilden fucked up big-time. The Sigil left, and now we’re leaving. We’re going to Earth.”
    Still it seemed as though Derli was not listening. The screen