Free Android at Arms by Andre Norton Page A

How long had Grasty been one of their company?
    â€œTurpyn can remember 2265,” Yolyos continued. “And he expected this to be a going port. Instead, there is every indication that it has not been used for a good many years. According to your dating, I myself have been in storage somewhere for seventy-three years, Elys for the longest period of all—seventy-eight. We shall, I am afraid, have to face up to the fact that whatever our absences were supposed to accomplish has long since come to pass, like Tsiwon’s apparent treachery in Naul. I—I wonder what my double did for the trade mission. And you, Prince, perhaps your double now rules your empire in another’s plan. We cannot be sure of anything until we learn more. But suppose you tell me, Grasty, what do you know of Sargol or Inyanga or—”
    The Chief Councilor shook his head. “Nothing—I never heard of this Sargol nor Inyanga. The galaxy is too wide. A man could spend a lifetime voyaging and yet not visit a fraction of the inhabited worlds—you know that. I know about Naul because it was Eighth Sector and Thrisk is Ninth. We have had refugee ships from the Jauavum invasion.”
    â€œWell, we need not have thought that repatriation under the circumstances was going to be easy,” Yolyos commented. “But we had all better be prepared to face some disaster upon our return. Do you still want to go to Inyanga, Prince?”
    â€œYes!” Andas supposed that the Salariki’s speculations and his own fears were the truth. But still he had to know. Only what if he returned to find he was a traitor, or worse, as was old Tsiwon? More than ever he must make sure that his visit to the Triple Towers was in secret until he knew the truth.
    â€œYou’ll have to find the tape first,” Grasty pointed out. “It might be better to take a chance on one of those other two.”
    Yolyos had already clicked up the fastening of one. He brought out the coil of tape and turned it over to inspect it before returning it to its case. Then he did the same with the second. Holding that out to Andas, he pointed with claw tip to a very small symbol on its spool.
    â€œInyanga?”
    â€œYes! How did you—”
    â€œGuess that Turpyn might have switched cases for hiding? In the tight quarters we have here, it would be the most obvious way of keeping it safe. Remember he thought he was going to set us down in territory where he had friends—he might want to use the other tape later. If our kidnaping had something originally to do with payoffs to the Guild for our disappearances, he could believe that he might hold us here and try for a second sum to dispose or deliver us—whichever paid the best.”
    â€œThen we can take off for Inyanga! But Turpyn, what about him?”
    They were back now to one of the oldest and most fundamental laws of space flight. You did not abandon a fellow spacer, no matter if he was your worst enemy, on an alien world. But if Turpyn did not want to be caught, to lift off in their ship, how in the world were they going to find him? It would take days, maybe weeks, and a much larger and better-equipped search force than they could muster to find him against his will.
    â€œYes, Turpyn—”
    â€œLet him rot here!” Grasty snarled.
    â€œA fate he may well deserve,” Yolyos returned. “But one we shall not grant unless he asks for it. Yet I do not think we can stay here very long waiting for him to change his mind. And we cannot hunt him tonight.”
    Andas looked to the visa-screen. The Salariki was right. Shadows were creeping from the jungle like dark fingers reaching for the ship. To venture into that wilderness in the dark was folly. They had no trails, no knowledge of what hostile native life might now lair in the ruins.
    Elys came up to them carrying E-ration tubes from their supplies.
    â€œTsiwon?” Andas asked.
    â€œHe sleeps, but the life