Beast Master's Circus

Chapter Sixteen

If Larash-Ti-Andresson had not been happy about the disappearance of Baris and Ideena, their reappearance left him speechless—for all of ten seconds. After that what he had to say should have melted his plasteel building to the foundations. Then he was a whirlwind of action. Demands for specialist reports propagated like Terran rabbits.

Storm and Tani arrived just as the explosion was dying. Reports had begun to arrive. Anders read them and exploded all over again. His visitors listened until the fury had blown itself out.

Then Storm asked questions. "How did it happen, and where were they found?"

Anders snarled. "Ideena was poisoned. Baris was stabbed with a long and very thin blade. I doubt he even knew it. Here, look at this report." He dropped a hard copy before Storm and Tani, then continued talking. "The worst of it is that I suspect this method's been used to dispose of unwanted people before."

Tani raised her gaze from the report. "How did it go wrong this time?"

"Someone will be furious about that," Anders said grimly. "It was outside the murderer's control."

"Anders, what happened?" Storm had finished reading the preliminary reports.

"Trastor has a couple of moons as you know. There's a large mining dome on one and a smaller group on the other. Since they're so close it pays not to use the expensive type of ship. But we have to run a regular service. When the mines were opened we had several small, old-fashioned ships mothballed. We reactivated those. They leave every fifth day from a small separate port."

Anders gave a small snort of amusement. "That was what wrecked things. The ships are really old. They use the matter drive. In other words, at a pinch they can burn anything for fuel."

Tani smiled. "They may be old fashioned but there's still plenty about. The circus you have here uses a huge old freighter of that sort. And the ark has those engines. They're workhorses. No speed but a wide and low-cost range because they can use almost anything at all for fuel."

"Exactly. And they can cost little to run if they're being used for such short hops. So that's why we went back to them for the mines. Normally they're run on compressed fuel bricks. But some bright theorist suggested we combine operations. She purchased a compactor and is paid to collect unwanted garbage. That's compressed into bricks and sold to the mining company at a minimal price."

He grunted. "Bright lady. She makes her money coming and going. Not a lot at each end, but it's a cheap operation and the two amounts combine to make good credits. The system is run by her family. Her, a brother, and their older kids, with a couple of part-time oldsters doing the light stuff. If what I suspect is true, in the past anyone with a spare body to get rid of hauled it to the compactor, dumped it in overnight, and left again."

"They filled the compactor ready for the morning's start?"

"Uh-huh. The old chap who runs it would just have pressed the button when he got there the next morning. When enough bricks had fallen out into the loader he runs them to the next ship to lift and loads them into the outer fuel chamber. That's what did it. He pressed the button. The compactor gives a groan and dies. He calls the family. The brother rushes over to fix the compactor, checks the load in it first, and guess what he finds?"

Tani laughed. "I see what you mean. Bad luck for the killers. Did you ask how often the compactor breaks down?"

"I did. They said it's very rare. That was only the third time in the five years the system's been going. But—and listen to this—the other two times it was at the end of the day. They fixed it overnight and were running again by morning. In other words: It was unlikely anyone but the family ever knew about those times. The method must have looked like a sure thing for disposal. It never broke down."

A woman bustled in just then, laid papers on the desk, and departed in silence. Anders turned to leaf through them. He glanced up. "Nothing important. Interviews with everyone we could find at once who lives near the mining port. No one saw or heard a thing." He shifted a switch. "Is that pathology report in yet?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Crats." Anders sat back. "I asked them to do Ideena first. Maybe finding out what was used on her will give me a place to start." He looked as if he was about to explode again. "The nerve of them. I'm looking everywhere for that pair and someone kills them. Right under my nose. Then sticks them in the garbage." His gaze on them sharpened. "Do you think this beast master business could be the link?"

"I think so," Tani said thoughtfully. "We know they were involved with both raids. Mandy's imitation of the voice she heard was identified on Brightland. The authorities there were certain it was Ideena. Logan saw the woman who shot him and is certain it was her. The pair are known to have been working together for years. But look at their records. They don't steal animals."

Anders was reading swiftly down the list of ascribed crimes again. "No. They go for portable high value. I can see them taking your Thunder-talker's regalia. Green or white cat's-eye gems are worth a lot of credits in a very small package."

"But this time they grabbed whatever they could find of some value. Yet they also stopped much longer to pick up a pair of coyotes, a family of meercats, and Surra, injured though she was. I think it's the third man. He was the one after the animals. The other two were on contract with the right to loot."

"Makes sense." Anders propped his chin on one hand as he reread Ideena's rap sheet. "That ship was hers. Since officially she and Baris were fugitives wanted for questioning on both crimes against a citizen and interplanetary crimes, my people have been tearing the ship apart. So far they've found some fascinating things which may clear up a number of the crimes Brightland has listed here. Nothing on your problem as yet. That may come.

"The man who specializes in the job says he's rarely seen such diverse ways to hide contraband. He's sure there are still a number of places he hasn't found. They'd have required damage to the ship and so long as we had no conviction we couldn't do that."

Tani smiled sweetly. "But now the ship's owners of record have been murdered. It's your duty to find out how that happened. If you have to tear the ship down to basic structure it's legal, surely?"

"Yeeess. Yes. It is." Anders was thinking. "After all, it's clear the owners were criminals. That's plain from things we've found so far. There's no record of any deed of gift or will disposing of the ship. We should make every attempt to satisfy court requirements. We have to find those who'd inherit."

"Apart from which, don't you have the Contingency Law?" Storm suggested before reciting: "Where the owner of a property has been involved in provable criminal acts and dies before conviction, the state may confiscate the property, provided no immediate or minority heirs exist." He pointed to the documents before Anders.

"Baris and Ideena were never legally bonded. Not to anyone else or each other, and they're both dead. They have no known children. Brightland says they come from respectable families there. Their respective parents formally and legally disowned them. Their siblings are all adults. Neither Baris nor Ideena have had any contact with their families in many years. So they can't have any legal responsibility to sibling offspring. So far as I can see the Contingency Law applies."

Anders nodded. "I'll speak to the head of the search team." He touched a panel. "Jyrin? Yes, Anders. Listen. We're applying Contingency Law to that ship you're in. Rip it apart. I don't care what you do. Just find everything there is to find even if you have to take it down to the hull plating." He nodded in reply to a question. "No. On my authority. We've checked records. No immediate or minor heirs. Go to it."

He turned to grin at them both. "Jyrin's a good man with similar habits to a Trastorian burrower." He chuckled. "He looks a bit like one as well but if there's anything in that ship to find, Jyrin will dig it out. Once he's done the ship can be put back together again and join the mining fleet. The governor will be delighted about that. We've been needing a fourth ship."

Tani laughed. "Everyone benefits. Except Baris and Ideena. I keep wondering who the third person with them was."

"Speaking of a third person," Anders queried idly. "Where's your brother?"

"Where else? With Laris at the circus."

"Which reminds me, I had a spacegram from Brad Quade. Not long. But he's found out something more for the girl." He picked up a report and handed it over. It was as brief as promised. Tani read the few lines rapidly and looked up.

"He says they've traced her and her mother via two other worlds to Fremlyn. Her mother was listed in the camp there as Shalmarra Trehannan." Her voice went up, "And her father as Aylaris who was already dead. See, Storm? They combined their names for Laris. Brad says that the Fremlyn camp took in refugees from Bowlil, Meril—and Ishan just before the Xiks destroyed it. He thinks Ishan is the most likely, but not to tell Laris that until he finds out more."

Storm picked up the spacegram. "We could go now. Even if we don't find her we could give this to Logan to pass along." He allowed a tiny smile to warm his eyes. "I'm sure he'd enjoy that." He swept Tani up, bade Anders farewell, and once outside hailed a hovercab. They were borne in the direction of the circus.

"Why don't we just give Logan the report when he comes in tonight?"

"Because," Storm said slowly. "I've been wondering. Those raiders. They're stealing animals. Where's the easiest place to hide a tree?"

Tani blinked. "In a ... I see. You'd hide animals among other animals. In a private collection or a zoo except that those don't travel. But a circus does. I've had a nasty thought too. Those raiders seemed to know just where to find me. Our High Peaks ranch, fine. That's all on record. They could have got into conversation with anyone from High Peaks district."

"Except that they didn't. Remember? They arrived and flew straight to the Djimbut camp then on to the ranch. No conversations."

"So who knew where I'd be? Brad has a big map of High Peaks on the study wall at the basin ranch. There's a sketch of the ranch house in the corner. Who's been to see that?"

Storm hesitated. "Laris was at the basin ranch with us. But how would she know about the clan camp?"

"What do you think Logan would have talked about? He knew I was going there to hunt for a ten-day once Laris was gone. I told him just before the circus left Arzor. I even said I might stay a lot longer if the hunting was really good. I know he'd have talked about the clan. He's proud of being a ranger and of me being the Djimbut clan-friend."

The reply was thoughtful. "That's all possible. But there's one thing there. The raiders came in as if they expected the Nitra to lie down for them. Laris would have known better if Logan talked so much. She'd know Nitra aren't Norbies. They're the wild clans. They're warriors who shoot first and ask questions of the body. Maybe she steered the raiders that way—if it was her—hoping they'd fail and be killed."

The cab stopped and the two of them climbed out. "Say nothing," Storm cautioned. "Let her see nothing. She's bonded. She may have been forced into this but even so, she'd be a risk if she realized we're suspicious. We'd better find Logan first."

They found him at the side entrance to the main tent. The afternoon performance was on and he was watching the antics of the carras and Terran dogs. Storm gave him the report from his father and watched as he read it. Logan's gaze shifted to where Laris waited in line. The next act was the girl and the tigerbats. His gaze warmed as he watched her, his face shifting into softer lines. Tani caught Storm's flickering glance at her and nodded slightly. Logan was in love.

Once the acts were completed, customers filed out. Laris came running to Logan. "I have to change, then check all the animals, Dedran's gone into the city with Cregar for a couple of hours so I'm doing his rounds. I'll be back soon."

She was as good as her word. They accompanied her to the dog cage, then to spend a little time with the carras. Quietly Tani began to talk. She spoke of Minou and Ferarre, how she loved them. How much they were missed and how sure she was that they missed her and grieved for her absence. After that Storm took up the theme, telling tales of his war, of sabotage and reconnaissance missions on strange worlds, and how a team could be one.

Logan noticed nothing but Storm saw the girl's increasing distress. Her face showed little but the movements and the posture of her body all betrayed her.

*Sister-without-fur. There is suspicion in their minds toward you.*

*Why? How could they guess?*

*I do not know. But they wonder. Now may be the time to enlist aid. Swiftly, distract Logan, when he is gone from your side a moment, speak to the woman. Be cautious in what you say.*

Storm was wondering still more as he watched. The girl had been almost frantic with stress. Then, abruptly, her movements changed to those of one who listened to a voice unheard by the others present. He'd seen that posture in first-in scouts who had ear-implants. But this child couldn't have one. To what was she listening? Or to whom? She asked Logan to go ahead and see that no one was with the tigerbats. Storm could tell she was deliberately walking more slowly as they followed Logan. Storm waited, hoping.

Laris spoke carefully. She must make them understand how she was bound by Dedran. She must betray nothing more than that. Not yet. To Storm's puzzlement, she began talking about her cat.

"I found him at the edge of the spaceport. He was only a tiny kitten and starving." She remembered Prauo as he'd been then. His paws, too large for his little body, and his now distinctive black-and-gold markings had been softer shades of fawn and a darkish brown.

"I couldn't leave him to die but I was afraid Dedran wouldn't let me keep him. Once he'd seen Prauo he didn't mind though, he said Prauo might learn tricks and fit in, if he didn't he could always be sold somewhere." Storm saw the fear flare brightly in her gaze as she said that and he began to glimpse her problem.

"There's no proof you own Prauo?" he asked gently.

"None, and I'm bonded. On some worlds Dedran owns not only me, but anything I may have or earn as well. It was circus food which fed Prauo, a circus bed he slept on, Dedran owns it all. I have no ownership papers for Prauo."

"Nor does Dedran, I imagine?" Tani asked.

"That wouldn't matter, he owns me and anyhow, he can always get papers if he wants them." Storm heard her comment with interest. That Dedran could always obtain false ownership papers for an animal fitted in with their suspicions about the tigerbats. He'd mention to Versha what Laris had said once they were away from here. Laris was still talking.

"You don't know how fortunate you are, you have your teams within the law and they're Terran animals, they can't be harmed or taken from you legally anyhow. The only law which covers Prauo and me says that he isn't mine." Her gaze fixed on his, and there was both terrible fear and blazing passion in her voice.

"I love Prauo, he's my friend, I can't even imagine being without him after all this time. If anything happened to him I think I'd die. We're bound together—as much as your team is to you. I'd do anything I had to do to save Prauo; anything at all, no matter how bad it was."

Storm and Tani exchanged looks, understanding at last how Laris might have been coerced. If the girl had been entangled in the plot to steal Terran beasts it had been under duress, yet they would withhold their final decision on her true guilt or innocence until they discovered the extent of her involvement.

Tani had spent an earlier part of the day at the graveside of her father. Anders had taken her there. She'd stood and wept quietly as she read the words graven deep into the stone. Her father had given everything, his life, his team, his hope of return, to save an embattled people struggling against a merciless enemy. Now she looked at Laris. The girl had nothing, only the cat she loved. She would risk anything rather than watch him lost to her. In a way her decision was similar to the one Tani's father had made. Tani's voice was gentle. She needed to make a bargain clear but without saying anything which could be used against them later.

"We do understand. You know our grief. Maybe there is hope. A chance that Prauo could have title established. If so then maybe our grief would also be lessened."

Laris looked them both in the eye. "If Prauo was safe I'm sure it would be so. But I will take no risks with Prauo, he must be safe."

"We can find out what the law says and what can be done for you both. How would we speak to you safely?"

"I can tell Logan you are trying to secure Prauo for me. Dedran has encouraged me to spend time with him. Pass any word you have for me through him." Storm's eyebrows rose a little at that. So, the circus boss had a use for Logan's affection for Laris, did he? No doubt it had been where much of the information used had come from.

"Taking my name in vain?" Logan had returned.

Laris explained and he nodded eagerly. "I can do that. I think it'd be great if Prauo couldn't ever be taken away from you. He's beautiful."

*The human has discernment.*

*He likes me.*

*Great discernment. A good beginning, furless-sister. I think they understand your dilemma, their feelings of distrust and anger against you have faded somewhat.*

He was gone again and Laris returned to showing her visitors about, gradually relaxing with Logan's teasing. If there was word about the tigerbats they'd let her know about that too, she was assured. It might be possible to use that information, if the animals had been illegally obtained, to secure Prauo to her as well. How, they weren't sure. But a way might be found. She slept soundly that night. Her heart lifted with the beginning of hope.

Logan came the next day. Laris didn't mind seeing him alone and openly. Dedran was still happy for her to learn all she could from Logan. The boy laughed as he explained his early visit.

"Storm says I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on. I forgot to give you the official hard copy report on your family." He sobered. "Listen, Laris. You know who your parents were. Aylaris Trehannan was your father. He and your mother combined names for you."

"Which may mean I was their first child?"

"It's likely. You don't remember any other smaller kid with you?"

Laris shook her head. "I don't remember much of anything about my mother. I told Mr. Quade. I think I was about five or six when she died."

"According to this report your father must have died at least two years before that. There may not have been any other children. There was no trace of him in the two camps before your mother died. But in that last one Brad found your father's name listed as deceased. It sounds as if your mother knew how he died and had given the authorities the information so it could be correctly listed along with her, and your, details."

"But will Brad find anything more? That's the question."

Logan snorted. "You don't know my father. Once he's on a trail he's relentless. If there's anything at all he'll find it."

The girl took a deep breath. She'd thought about this all night and had talked it over with Prauo. She would gamble now with both their futures, trusting that what Tani and Storm had offered earlier was true. Logan liked her, maybe he'd see that promises made to her were kept.

"I have to tell you this, Logan. You know I'm bonded to Dedran?" He nodded silently, waiting. "He's made me break laws for him. Me and Prauo. We've had to do burglaries. He said that I'd obey him or he'd take Prauo away. When I still argued he said he'd sell Prauo to an arena, or kill him for his skin. I couldn't let him do that." Her mouth trembled.

"I always planned to get away. Prauo stole credits he found on some of those jobs and gave them to me. Sometimes Dedran threw me a few part-credits as well. We've saved for years. I've enough saved now to manage for a while once the bond ends and I'm free." She shivered, waiting. "Do you hate me?"

Logan remembered the things Brad had said. Bits and pieces about the De Pyall camps. One night he'd mused aloud, and quite graphically, on what it must have been like for a small girl left alone, shifted from camp to camp, struggling to survive. To Logan it sounded like horror. He could only marvel that Laris had survived and done so with her courage intact. He reached out, curled her into the circle of one arm, and looked down into deep brown eyes.

"I don't hate you. Brad told me some of what it must have been like in the camps. Even after all that you could find a half-dead cub and love him back to life. Care so much you'd do things you hated to keep him safe. Dedran's a lousy clicker."

A flash of amusement showed in the eyes which surveyed him. "More than that. He's guild, I think."

"Is he? Versha would be interested in that. No," he corrected as she startled. "We'll keep that quiet. But if all this falls apart it might help get her on our side." He hugged her hard. "Go and do your show. I'll see you afterward." They spent time together later as she cared for the animals. Once he'd gone she vanished to check Surra. Cregar would be taking care of the other hidden beasts.

In a secret room Cregar cradled meercat babies again, his heart filling with love. Hing blinked sleepily at him. The babies scrambled, churred, and trilled affectionately, ending up in a jumble in his lap. His hands slid over small, firm, warm bodies. The faint mind-touches from them were growing stronger. If battle-fortune favored him, in a few more weeks he would have part of a team again. At least two of the babies would accept him as their beast master.

His conscious mind worried at the problems they faced. Baris and Ideena were gone. But Larash-Ti was more energetic than ever. Dedran seemed to have no idea of how to deal with events. Worse, the local Thieves Guild patrons complained that all the peacekeeper activity was inhibiting their business. It wouldn't take much more before the local patrons leaned on Nhara to close the circus and provide a scapegoat.

Also Cregar had found a reason why Dedran seemed so smug about lack of proof. It wasn't that it didn't exist as of now. But when he wished it to stop existing it would. Cregar didn't like that idea. Not considering what it meant. He'd come into this business on a promise and a belief. It looked as if the promise was hollow. The belief was possible but without the promise, he'd still have little. So where did that leave him? He could think of answers to that question and he didn't like them any better.

He should act. But he wasn't sure which direction was the best way to jump. He'd wait a while longer. Observe, be ready. Keep an eye on the kid and her cat too. He didn't want them hurt and Dedran was a great believer in clearing away loose ends. Cregar stroked the meercats and allowed his mind to run free, to a time long ago when he'd been more than he was. When one had been many and many one. The enemy had slaughtered his team and Terran Command had refused him another. They'd claimed not to have enough beasts but he was sure they'd lied.

Driven by need he'd done something stupid and after that there was no chance for him to ever regain what he'd had. Then Terra was gone, and, as he'd feared, all hope of a second team with it. If he could have remembered how to pray he'd have prayed then. To have back, even for an hour, what togetherness had once been his. Belief, hope, consciousness faded. He slept as the furred ones snuggled close.