Free No World of Their Own by Poul Anderson Page A

creature the size of a monkey, with a beaked face and strangely luminous eyes beneath small antennae, entered bearing a tray in skinny arms. Langley found a chair and accepted a cup of hot spiced wine and a plate of cakes. Valti wheezed and drank deep. “Ah! That does these rheumatic old bones good. I fear medicine will never catch up with the human body, which finds the most ingenious new ways of getting deranged. But good wine, sir, good wine and a pretty girl and the dear bright hills of home, there is the best medicine that will ever be devised. Cigars, Thakt, if you please.”
    The monkey-thing leaped grotesquely to the desk and extended a box. Both men took one, and Langley found his cigar good. The alien sat on Valti’s shoulder, scratching its own green fur and giggling. Its eyes never left the spaceman.
    â€œWell—” After the last couple of hours, Langley felt exhausted. There was no more fight in him. He relaxed and let the weariness run through nerve and muscle. But his head seemed abnormally clear. “Well, Mr. Valti, what was all this foofaraw about?”
    The trader blew smoke and sat back, crossing his stumpy legs. “Events are beginning to move with uncomfortable rapidity,” he said in a quiet tone. “I’m glad this chance came to see you.”
    â€œThose cops seemed anxious that I shouldn’t.”
    â€œOf course.” The deep-sunken little eyes twinkled. “But it will take them some time to line up those collections of reflexes they call brains and decide to attack me. By then, you will be home, for I shall not detain you long. The good Chanthavar, now, would not stall, but he is fortunately engaged elsewhere.”
    â€œYes, trying to find my friends.” Langley felt a dull grief in him. “Do you know they were taken?”
    â€œI do.” There was sympathy in the tone. “I have my own agents in the Solar forces, and know more or less all which happened tonight.”
    â€œWhere are they? How are they?”
    Bleakness twisted the half-hidden mouth. “I am very much afraid for them, Captain. They are probably in the power of Lord Brannoch. They may be released. I don’t know.” Valti sighed. “I’ve not spies in his organization, nor he in mine … I hope.”
    â€œAre you sure that Brannoch—”
    â€œWho else? Chanthavar had no need that I can see to stage such an affair; he could order all of you arrested any time he chose. None of the other foreign states are in this at all; they are too weak. Brannoch is known to head Centaurian military intelligence at Sol, though so far he has been clever enough to leave no evidence which would be grounds for his expulsion. No, the only powers which count in this part of the galaxy are Sol, Centauri and the Society.”
    â€œAnd why,” asked Langley slowly, “would Brannoch take them?”
    â€œIsn’t it obvious? The alien, Saris Hronna I think he’s called. They may know where to find him. You don’t realize what a fever he has thrown all of us into. You have been watched every minute by agents of all three powers. I toyed with the idea of having you snatched myself, but the Society is too peaceful to be very good at that sort of thing. Anyway, Brannoch beat us to it. The moment I learned what had happened, I sent a hundred men out to try to locate you. Fortunately, one group succeeded.”
    â€œThey almost didn’t,” said Langley. “They had to take me away from two others—Centaurians, I suppose.”
    â€œOf course. I don’t think Brannoch will try to assault this stronghold, especially since he will have hopes of getting the information from your friends. Do you think they will tell him anything?”
    â€œDepends.” Langley narrowed his eyes and took a long drag of smoke. “I doubt it, though. They never got very intimate with Saris. I did—we used to talk for hours—though I still