Beast Master's Circus

Chapter Fourteen

Inside the circus Laris heard nothing of the fugitives' arrival until Dedran sought her out. "The largest hidden place," he snapped at her. "It has occupants. Take them a jug of the local cider and see that it's cut with about half juice. I won't risk them getting drunk."

Laris snorted, "They'd find it impossible to get drunk on that stuff without juice added. And what if whoever it is blames me?"

Dedran's face was grim. "Tell them it's my order. Don't waste time, girl. Get moving and come straight back. I want to go over changes in the order of tonight's acts."

He strode away as Laris headed for the tent which held food and drink for the circus staff. She half filled a large lidded jug with the local cider and topped it off with a tart thirst-quenching fruit juice. She was wondering who Dedran had hidden. Cregar was nearby as she slipped down the alley behind the cages. He nodded once to her and went back to his work, which appeared to consist of polishing cage locks. Laris wondered about that, then thought perhaps he was checking security and seeing that no one followed her to the hidden room.

She opened the door with care, climbed in, and placed the jug on a small ledge. It was darker inside where the bright sun did not penetrate so her vision was blurred. She spoke quietly to the dim shape which lounged against the wall.

"I have brought you cider and fruit juice to drink. Dedran says it is by his orders." She moved to leave and was caught by the arm.

A half-familiar female voice purred softly. "Was it indeed?" A second shape moved up; as Laris's eyes acclimated to the dimness she stared and bit down fear. The speaker was Ideena with Baris behind her, and they looked unpleasantly pleased to see her.

"I don't much care for fruit juice," Baris said softly. "I'd prefer Fever brandy, wouldn't you, Ideena?"

"Much better than fruit juice," came the sweet agreement.

Laris twisted. "Dedran expects me back at once. He wants to discuss tonight's acts."

"Oh, but we'd rather you got us brandy. We're even prepared to give you a couple of credits and you can keep the change."

"Dedran—"

"Can wait while you go and buy us what we want." Baris took a firmer grip on her wrist. "Do you hear me? I want brandy!" His fingers dug into a bruise the girl had received earlier and Laris squealed at the sharp pain.

Cregar thrust his head in and scowled. "Never mind wasting time here, girl. Dedran's expecting you."

"Maybe we'd like her to stay?" Ideena's voice was half-questioning.

"And maybe we have work for her," Cregar said, looking at the woman. "There's an old saying: Offend not the host in his home." Ideena pouted but nodded to the man. Baris released his grip sullenly. He reached for the jug, drank, and spat in outrage.

"Fruit juice! Tell Dedran we want something drinkable. Merilian wine, even the wine they make here is drinkable. Anything but Ghesh-damned fruit juice. There's no kick in that for a man."

Laris scrambled out of the cage and left Cregar to discuss that subject. She wanted to be far away from the fugitive pair. If Cregar hadn't come when he did she had a feeling Baris would have started slapping her. And why had he come? How had he been about just when she needed him? She didn't know. She'd just be grateful he had been, and she hoped he'd be there if she had to tend that pair again. Behind her Cregar was speaking very quietly.

"Lay off the kid. She belongs to Dedran. She does a good job for the circus too. She's in four acts; Dedran won't be at all happy if she can't perform." His gaze became threatening. "Besides, she's not a bad kid. You start upsetting her and I might just take a hand. I haven't got a lot of time for your kind."

"Is that supposed to scare us?" Baris sneered. Cregar said nothing. He simply stood there holding the man's gaze with his own until the larger man dropped his eyes.

Cregar left. Baris made a spitting motion, then looked at Ideena.

"No one talks to me like that. There's always another day and next time it'll be my turn."

Ideena was thoughtful. "Yes. But not yet. First we need to get off this planet. The best way would be with our ship. I don't want to go back to finding another and fixing it up. Not if we can get this one back." She remembered the filthy jobs they'd had to take to afford even the shabby, decommissioned old patrol courier ship. It wasn't the killings she'd minded, nor the easier robberies. It was working for people who'd given the orders and treated her and Baris as if they were something scraped from a gutter.

She didn't want to do all that again. It was a pity they hadn't had a good chance at Cregar once they'd lifted from Arzor. But the man was cunning. Maybe now was a better time. Baris wasn't much for planning but he sometimes had ideas. She opened the discussion and waited to hear if this was one of those times. They settled to making plans as outside Laris was trotting for Dedran's office. He looked up as she entered.

"Where have you been?"

"Baris tried to make me stay with them." Laris hoped that a few words would convey more. It seemed to. Dedran's eyes went hard.

"What happened?" That was easy. She explained what the pair had said and done. Then that Cregar had come by, heard her cry out, and intervened. She exhibited the bruised wrist.

"He stayed?" was Dedran's question.

"I think so. I heard him talking as I left."

Dedran grunted. "Humph. Very well. I may have to speak to them if Cregar hasn't made it plain that I hire you to work with the animals. They don't qualify." Laris giggled and he shot her a look then half-smiled reluctantly. "They don't qualify as circus animals. Now, tonight we have some of the local VIPs attending. I want to shift the carra act..." They got on with work.

Later, after the show, Dedran found his man. "What happened with that pair and the girl?" Cregar was terse and the language he used was explicit. His boss frowned. "They're a risk. We may have to do something about that."

"All you have to do is say the word."

"Not yet. That could be a risk as well. I'll let you know."

"Want me to keep an eye on the kid? If they start anything with her and she screams there could be some outsider to hear and ask questions. That Ghesh-damned Anders has the whole city filled with spies. Baris plays some very unpleasant games I've heard, and anyway, if they rough the girl up too badly she can't work. She could even run away if they hurt or scare her too much. You don't want to risk any of that."

Dedran pursed his thin lips. "No, I don't. All right. Stick around anytime she's with them. I'll tell her she's to let you know beforehand." He changed the subject. "What about those beasts? The girl says the small ones are fine and quite friendly but the other two won't cooperate and the big one is still very sick."

"She's telling the truth. The meercats are friendly." He felt a warmth as he remembered how the small group welcomed him. The babies climbing his clothing to beg for treats and petting, even Hing accepted his physical touch—if not any mental contact as yet. "The coyotes eat and drink well. They are in good condition but they resist bonding very strongly. It will take time but I think they'll come around in the end." At least he prayed they would.

"And the cat?"

"That's a different matter. If Ideena hadn't shot her it would be a lot easier. As it is the animal associates me with her pain. Once she's healed further I may be able to convince her that I am a friend. It all takes time."

Dedran scowled. "I don't like having them here so long. There are too many snoopers prying. I'll make arrangements in case anyone does discover anything I'd prefer they didn't know." He broke off and looked at Cregar. "Let's just say that there's to be no evidence of any kind at all if a search gets too close."

He walked away, heading for the main tent and Cregar was left thinking about everything happening lately. He didn't like any of this. And what had that last comment meant? The possible disposal of Baris and Ideena didn't worry him. That Dedran might have the child disposed of if the authorities pressed too closely behind did bother him.

He suddenly felt an odd need to protect Laris. She was a good kid, she admired his training of the circus beasts, and she was good with the animals herself. He didn't remember clearly why he felt somehow protective of her. Only that somewhere behind the fog of years, from the before-time, when he'd had a team who loved him and a place of his own in society, he'd known a kid like her. On a planet destroyed by the Xik, he thought.

He dismissed his vague, trauma-blurred memories of the little sister he'd loved when he had parents and siblings and a world. But Ishan had been destroyed by the Xik and all he'd known and loved had gone with his planet. Over her years with the circus Laris had grown more and more to look like his sister. But Cregar didn't want to remember all the pain of loss again. He forgot again by an effort of will, his memories sliding back into the mists in his head.

In the security building Anders's assistant was speaking quietly into a comunit. He turned to Tani.

"Gracious Lady, it is requested that you join Larash-Ti-Andresson. I will drive you to the place where he waits."

"The three of us will be going," Storm said firmly. "Can we assume that after all this, our quarry escaped?" The assistant flushed unhappily and said nothing. Storm nodded. "They did. I see. All right. Drive us to meet Anders."

They met a man who under the mask of quiet competence was fuming. Storm was honestly interested. "How did they escape?" Anders evaluated the question and understood the genuine interest. The questioner had been in a similar business after all.

"They had an emergency override program. When the navcomp was blown by the scramble-laser the program kicked in. It allowed them to set their ship down in any open area within a certain distance. That distance was determined by how high they were when they had to begin descent again. The program uses a combination of height and side-jets to give a ship options in case of navcomp malfunction."

"Your people weren't allowing for the program?"

"Someone will be answering for that. It's a new system and the people I sent out to collect Baris and Ideena never expected a ship that old to have it installed." He paused. "In fairness to my people I should say that I would have thought the program too new and different to interface well with that ship's older equipment. But if I'd been out there myself I'd have still taken it into consideration just in case. They didn't and that gave Baris and Ideena a chance, one they didn't waste time in taking. We traced them to the street outside a building in the city. They were not seen entering by the building's security cameras."

"So they've vanished," Storm said flatly.

"For the moment." Anders's eyes took on a hard gleam. "Just for the moment. The governor has posted a reward for information. That's not for public consumption, by the way. We're just filtering it quietly through a few underworld informants. But every little criminal in the place will know about the reward by tomorrow. We'll have to sift through a lot of rubbish but someone who knows something will get to considering how much they know—and what it's worth. Then they'll make a call."

Tani looked up at him. "What if the someone hiding them is in as deep or deeper? What if they're the ones who hired those two from the start? They aren't going to come running to sell them to you. They'd be selling themselves at the same time."

She received a look of respect. "That's true. But there are always people who know small pieces of information and who aren't really involved. They'll talk, collect the reward, and immunity from prosecution for whatever minor crimes are on what passes for their conscience." He straightened, hands massaging the small of his back. "Don't worry. Baris and Ideena will turn up." He strolled ahead making for the hovercar, missing Storm's last comment to Tani and Logan.

"I'm sure they will. I'm just not as sure as he is that they'll be in one piece." From the looks of agreement the other two felt the same.

Anders wasn't as sure as he'd seemed. In reality he had thought of that himself. But he'd seen the full file on the fugitives. They'd been involved in much more than was apparent from their list of actual charges. In a secondary file there were pages of supposition and suspicion. Brightland alone suspected Baris and Ideena of involvement in everything from a couple of clever assassinations to several brutal robberies in which every possible witness had been eliminated.

It made it likely the pair could take care of themselves. Then, too, they could be valuable still to those who'd hired them. Anders thought that Ideena would be keeping a wary eye on those employers anyway. She'd know that often employees who became a risk were quietly deleted from the equation. She'd be watching for any hint that was planned. He thought that Ideena and her partner would turn up alive eventually. It was just a question of when—and where.

So he partly discounted the chance her employers would dispose of the two. Ideena would be alert and she'd keep the man alert too. The pair would most likely stay low, seeking a chance to get their ship back and get off-planet. He'd put a cordon about the ship to deal with one part of that. He'd pick them up if they appeared.

For the other possibility, that they might elude his men, he'd had the ship rendered inoperable. It would appear to be working, but there was a stop on the engines. Even if Baris produced a spare navcomp and had the undisturbed hours needed to replace the ship's system, the vessel would stay right where it was.

And the street-smart were talking. Anders had spies and contacts who owed him favors in many areas of the local crime network. Already word would be spreading. He had a two-pronged attack there as well. Firstly there was the reward. It was generous but with it went word that Anders would not appreciate his time being wasted for nothing. To help that along he had a section of his people rousting every game in town.

Each time it was carefully explained that they were searching for Baris and the Lady Ideena. Once they were found, this poking into every corner could stop. Anders gave a hard grin. His efforts were infuriating half the big criminal groups in the city. Once they were annoyed enough they'd start doing his work. After that Ideena and her man were as good as in an interrogation cell.

At the circus Baris and Ideena certainly felt as if they were prisoners. The hidden portion of the animal cage was barely six feet wide and ten long. It held two very narrow bunks along the far end from the entrance. There was no entertainment but themselves so they spent much of the time eating, sleeping, quarreling, and drinking. None of it was completely satisfactory. The food was usually lukewarm and bland. Dedran would give them only weakened cider. And with the narrow bunks sleeping was not as comfortable as usual.

The quarreling was dangerous. They allowed themselves to do so only when the alternative would have been a physical attack. Neither wanted to risk that. Not on each other or on those who, for the moment, sheltered them. But Ideena knew her partner was becoming uncontrollable. Baris had never reacted well to imprisonment. The few times he'd spent short periods in jail he'd had to be sedated much of the time. She'd timed the visits made to them with food and the longer periods when they were left alone. Now she spoke.

"Let's get out."

Baris stared. "I thought it was too dangerous?"

"Staying here while we both go crazy is just as bad. If we disguise ourselves as father and son again we could have a while outside this rat hole. Dedran doesn't have to know."

Baris was scrambling into his outfit before she'd finished speaking. Once Ideena was ready they drifted out of the cage alley and joined the crowd flowing along past the sideshows. They stayed out several hours, returning more relaxed to sleep well. After that they risked it again. Then again.

But apart from that, Baris wanted a decent drink. He'd have angrily refuted the idea that he was an alcoholic, and he never got really drunk, but he did like something strong and the fruit-juice-weakened cider which was all Dedran allowed them just wasn't enough to keep Baris happy. If he got his hands on that girl when no one was around he was sure he could scare her into finding him something decent to drink.

He hadn't seen Cregar and had no idea that the ex-beast master was watching any time the girl slipped away to take supplies to the fugitives. Cregar had seen them out however, and recognized them despite the disguises. He knew the risks they took. He was holding the information. If he had to stir Dedran to a decision he'd have the spur.

Baris lounged on the lower bunk. He heard the tiny click that was the latch and moved like lightning. Laris entered and his hands closed on her. One over her mouth, the other clamping her wrists together. But his victim hadn't grown up in the camps for nothing. Cregar would be waiting. Her heel slammed out. Not against Baris but against the door which was still ajar. It crashed open.

She kicked again through the opening. Cregar would see that and know she was fighting. Baris's hand gripped her wrists as he tried to kick the door shut again. From around the girl's neck a chain fell to dangle her ring against the rough tunic. Her attacker's eyes widened.

"Well, well. So that's who got this. Ideena, take a look. I guess I get a drink if I want one now." He swung Laris toward the watching woman. Cregar entered just as Ideena rose to her feet. She took one look at his face and sat again. Ideena knew when to back up.

"Let her go, Baris." Cregar looked bland and uninvolved until one saw his eyes. Baris wasn't looking.

"I do what I want an' right now I want a drink."

Cregar wasn't arguing. He placed a palm-sized needier against the man's neck and triggered. Baris slid heavily to the floor, eyes shut, body limp. Laris landed half under him with a gasp as his weight drove the air from her lungs. Ideena remained sitting as Cregar looked at her.

"Nothing to do with me," she said. He nodded acceptance of that as she continued. "If it was I'd mention a ring the girl has and I'd remember where it came from. Dedran won't hear about the ring if he doesn't hear about this." It was Cregar's turn to nod. "Soldier's oath?" He nodded again and Ideena relaxed. She'd never kept her word in her life if there was profit in breaking it. But she knew that those who'd been in the service prided themselves otherwise.

Cregar lifted the tousled Laris and helped her from the hidden room. She could stand, bruised and scared though she was. He surveyed her once they were safely outside.

"Did he hurt you?"

"Just bruises; he'd have hit me if you hadn't gotten there, though." The look she turned on him was honest gratitude and a deep admiration and it warmed him. He reached for the ring and dropped it back on the chain down her tunic neck. His hand patted her shoulder.

"Long as you're okay." Something stirred in Laris. Without thinking she turned her head to the side and, in a gesture old as the camps, kissed the hand which held her.

"Thanks to you. I won't forget. Camp oath on that." She shook herself. "I'd better get going." She accepted the light push he gave her, grinned at him, and hurried away. Cregar stood considering the past ten minutes. He'd sworn not to mention Baris and his actions just now. He hadn't sworn not to tell Dedran a few other things his boss didn't know as yet. Such as that pair's habit of running about the circus in disguise, and maybe bringing the peacekeepers down on the circus. Cregar would wait just a little longer and he had no doubt that the pair of fools would stray so far over the line Dedran would have no choice but to eliminate the dangers they posed to his plans.

After her escape from Baris and Ideena, Laris worked busily, trying to smooth from her mind the few moments of fear. The circus with its people was becoming dangerously unstable. If things continued that way she might have to run. Trastor wasn't a bad world on which to get out. Their bond-laws were easier than those on some of the other worlds. She could prove she'd been illegally bonded. She had enough to pay her way for two years with the credits Prauo had brought her and the cat's-eye the Quades had permitted her to keep.

Better yet, she could no doubt find a trade to learn here in the city and buy in on an apprenticeship for a year. Depending on the work she chose, her time of service would be from three to seven years. But after that she'd have a trade and a guild. Maybe she could find something where her liking for animals would serve her. There was also Prauo to consider.

Laris felt his attention. *I wondered where I fitted in, furless-sister.*

*You always will.*

*That is good. As for the ones whose minds I do not like.* There was the sound in her head which was his laughter. *I think they will be dealt with soon enough. Too many have plans for them. They will not elude all. You do well. Continue to play the men, one against the other.*

He was gone again. Laris worried as she swept. She didn't want to go near Baris and Ideena even once more. And Dedran would expect her to continue. He knew nothing about Baris. Cregar wouldn't spill. He'd oathed. She thought wistfully of Logan, and of riding over the vast acres of the Quade ranch. If only she wasn't trapped here, if only she and Prauo could be free. She'd like to see more of Logan if only she didn't have his beasts on her conscience. Her thoughts wandered back to the humans concealed in the secret section of the cage. Cregar would keep an eye on her when she went there again, she hoped. He liked her and he didn't like Baris and Ideena—or Dedran. She liked him too, although it was a pity he'd ever gotten involved with the circus. She didn't think he was happy here. It was good for her that he was here though.

Cregar was thinking about the same thing. Sure, the circus had given him a place. But maybe it was time to get out. Cregar knew Dedran's boss; the man was a Thieves Guild patron and in the guild there were factions. Nhara was likely to be hard-pressed to hold his patron status with an expensive plan which had yielded nothing so far. If Nhara went down so did Dedran—and the circus. Very possibly any of the staff the guild thought might know too much would also vanish. That definitely included Cregar.

He saw a familiar face approaching and hid the startled feeling which shot through him. What was the boy doing here? Ideena had shot Logan, the circus held the beasts taken from the family; could the lad be looking for any of them here? At the least it wasn't a good omen that the boy suddenly appeared. More than ever he felt it might be time to get away from the circus. He kept his face bland as he nodded politely. "If you're looking for Laris, she's grooming the tigerbats."

Logan grinned cheerfully. "Thanks. What's the season been like here so far?"

"Good. Real good. How is it that you're here on Trastor?"

"Oh, my brother and his wife had business here and I came along for the ride."

Cregar liked the sound of that even less. It was possible the business mentioned was the recovery of their animals; or had Baris and Ideena left some sort of a trail to the circus? He allowed his gaze to drift over the lad. A decent boy. Good family background, money, land, and animals. The girl could go farther and fare much worse. "You want to take off with her a couple of hours, tell her I said I'd do the work."

A hint of red showed across the boy's cheekbones. "I will, and thanks." Cregar nodded and turned away as if it was nothing. Once the boy was out of sight Cregar headed in another direction. Dedran should know the boy and his family were on Trastor.

Logan paced slowly along the cage rows looking for the tigerbat cage. He'd told Storm and Tani where he was going and they'd agreed.

"Brad did say to tell the girl her name and ask about the animals," Storm had commented. "Stars know Anders hasn't found out anything. You may as well see if there's anything to be found out about the origins of those tigerbats."

Tani had smiled gently. "Tell Laris her full name and that Brad's still looking. Storm and I will come by later on maybe."

Logan left. The hovercab delivered him to the circus lines in a matter of minutes and then he had only to find Laris." He saw her first and felt quick pleasure. She didn't know they were on Trastor. She'd be delighted.

*Sister!* Laris felt Prauo's alarm. *The ring. Hide it, now. Quickly!* She obeyed at once. Seconds later she heard the voice.

"Laris, it's Logan. Hi!" She turned in sudden shock, thanking Prauo as she did so. Logan mustn't see the ring. He mustn't know. Her mind whirled as she smiled a shy, half-guilty welcome. What was he doing here? Did he know Storm and Tani's beasts were here? Why had he come?