Beast Master's Circus

Chapter Eighteen

Cregar worked on for a moment before he replied. He could only think of one thing.

"I quit, Dedran."

"Do you indeed? But you know guild rules, once in—never out. If you didn't like it you shouldn't have joined."

Let the man keep talking, Cregar hoped. Let him tell me how clever he's been, how stupid I am. Anything. Just so long as I have time to finish this. Dedran didn't do the wiring himself. He had it done. If I finish he won't be able to repair it. The animals will live.

Dedran dropped to one knee, looking at what those racing hands had accomplished. He knew more than this idiot believed he knew. Well, well, he thought. So the fool really was trying to save the beasts. He chuckled patronizingly.

"A pity you've wasted all the work. But there's a dead-man switch with each of the special cages. Too bad. And a dead man should go with it. You can't quit, Cregar. I'm firing you." He produced the tiny deadly needier he carried and pressed the trigger button. Cregar arched in agony as the spray of minute missiles struck. Then he slumped.

On Versha's watch, the display finally ticked over to show midday.

Dedran bent to peer under the cage. Blood all over, the needle's scorch in the chest. That was the end of a traitor. He straightened, resolved that it was definitely time to depart. If this wasn't a warning he didn't know what was. He'd go to the ship, close it up quietly, and lift before anyone including the port officials realized what he was doing. The circus had served its purpose.

He could blame the traitor the guild had found in its own ranks for any failure of his own and Nhara's plans. He strolled toward the ship and was out of the beast cage rows before something made him slow to stare around. That was odd. The usual crowds were missing. They'd been there half an hour ago when he'd come out to walk the midway. Where had they gone in that time? He advanced cautiously.

At the gates two peacekeepers turned back those who would have entered. Those who left stayed out. In the half hour Dedran had been oblivious to this, almost all of the people wandering the sideshows and animal cages had departed. At midday most planned to be home and were ready to seek the gates. The time of the raid had been chosen for that reason. With Laris's information Anders had made a decision. He'd have the midway clear. He wanted no list of dead civilians if a cage was accidentally triggered.

Twice, circus people noticing the odd emptying of the midway had sought out Dedran to mention it. Each time they'd missed him. The first had looked in the office tent and gone away muttering. The other circus employee had missed seeing Dedran as he moved between the cages. That second man had felt a warning chill down his own neck, gathered his meager gear, and sought the gates. The peacekeeper presence had reinforced his decision to be elsewhere while something was happening. He faded into the watching crowd by the gates and left hastily.

At the far side of the cages Laris waited with Prauo. Logan stood with her. Storm walked up to them briskly.

"Versha says that's most of the civilians out of the area." He turned to look up at Laris where she sat in the cage doorway. "My team. What do you know about them?"

She looked away, her voice a whisper. "I'm sorry. I was too afraid for Prauo to tell you before. Are you sure they have Dedran?"

"Not yet but they will." He frowned. "He was seen only a short time ago. He's still here. Don't worry, Laris, Anders will arrest Dedran the minute he's seen. So, talk to us. Where are my team?"

"In secret cages. Some of the bigger ones have special hidden compartments."

"Show me!" he commanded. Tani had arrived in time to hear much of this. She took Laris's freezing hands in hers, rubbing them gently. The girl was still so afraid of her owner, Laris needed to feel secure, to be soothed a little.

"Don't be afraid. We're all here. I promise, Laris, Dedran won't come near you, Storm will protect you. Are my coyotes unhurt? What about Surra and Hing and the babies?"

"Hing and the babies are all right. The babies are growing and everything. Your coyotes are fine, Tani. They were mad at me but I made sure they had good food and clean water. I kept Dedran away from them." Tears began trickling down her face. "Surra was so badly injured when they stole her. I kept her alive. I kept telling her that Storm would come for her. That I'd save her. I wouldn't let her die. She's in this end cage."

Storm would have looked under the cage for the circuits. Laris pressed the back panel in the sequence which opened it. Before anyone could prevent it, Surra fell out into Storm's arms. She was skin and bone with wasted muscles and fur roughened by her illness, but she was alive. Tani was stooping by the cage.

"What's this? Storm, look here. Someone's been hurt. There's blood and a lot of it."

Prauo had leaned around Tani and sniffed. *Cregar, sister. He dies. Dedran shot him, I think. I follow the blood-trail.*

Laris gulped. "Storm. Prauo says Dedran shot Cregar. Cregar must have been defusing the cages. He said he would. We have to find them both. Cregar's hurt bad, Prauo says. And Dedran may do something awful still."

Storm was judging disconnected circuits with a knowing eye. "This one was cleared all right, and a job well done too. Let me check the next one before you open it, Laris."

Dedran had left quietly. With no crowd to provide cover he had slipped along the cage row and then darted behind the sideshow tents. Behind him Cregar stirred. The other beasts—still in danger, and the kid too. He knew she'd come first to try to rescue the animals. He forced leaden arms up to where the last circuits remained working under Surra's prison. The deadman circuit was easily disarmed. Thanks be that Dedran couldn't resist boasting. Its greater danger lay in not knowing it was there.

Better not to emerge or try to stand. He dragged himself back under the cages and disarmed the switch beneath Minou and Ferarre. There. One last cage to go, then he could rest. It was strange. He'd been sure it was earlier in the day. But it seemed to be growing dark. Not that it mattered. Laris would come for the beasts soon. He must have them ready. He crawled, his breath tearing at his throat.

Laris was ahead, Prauo trotting now, tracing that painful trail and relaying it to the girl.

*He grows weaker, sister. I think he dies. But he has some purpose. He goes toward the third cage now.*

Tani had released the coyotes who frisked about her, leaping to nuzzle her hands. They sent satisfaction that they were free, assurances that both were well, and that neither had been ill-treated. The human female with the strange cat had been kind to them. In the midway Prauo gathered speed as he followed Cregar's trail; Laris raced after him ahead of the others. Storm, carrying Surra and distracted by Tani's reunion with her coyotes, was well back when Prauo realized where Cregar was headed. The girl vanished from Storm's sight as she dived between two large cages in a shortcut.

Cregar reached the last cage and stared along the ground. He felt the vibrations of someone coming. He peered out in time to see Prauo appear at the end of the cage row. Where the cat was, the girl would not be far behind. The last cage—it was still wired to that final circuit! She would try to free the meercats. He would be left watching as she and the small ones who'd trusted him died, smeared bloodily across the midway when the deadman's switch took its toll.

She was coming. He saw the small figure trot forward. Storm had rounded the cage some distance away, Tani and Logan at his heels. They saw a terrible figure appear then. Swaying, covered in blood, both new and part-dried, Cregar rolled from under the cage and forced himself to his feet. His eyes blurred as Laris moved toward him. His sister. She was coming. His small, much loved sister. He couldn't let her die.

Terror for her accessed the last of his strength as he tore open the cage panel. He leaned in scooping up the sleep basket in which Hing was feeding her babies. In his fear for them he was sending. Hing read the message, *Lie still! Danger!* and she chittered the babies into a frozen stillness in his arms.

Cregar paused a fraction of a second, then leaped backward with them. They passed through the alarm circuit. With it shut down there was no pain for the meercats. But the circuit noted they had left, the switch triggered, and the cage blew up in a great smashing explosion. Cregar had known it would. Even as he leaped he had spun, cradling the trusting meercats in his arms, his back hunched over them, his own flesh and bone between them and harm as he flung himself forward. One pace, another—then the explosion came and he fell.

He went down still curled about the startled meercats. The scythe of splinters slashed across the alley of cages but it met only their backs. Further down the row Prauo had read Cregar's knowledge in the last second and dived at Laris. They rolled entangled beneath a cage. Storm, carrying Surra, with Tani and Logan beside him, had been far enough back to miss the deadly spray. Now they came running as Laris and Prauo crawled out.

"Are you hurt?"

"No." Laris brushed him off. "Cregar, Cregar?" She reached the fallen man and would have turned him over but Storm had laid down his cat and now he caught the girl's hands.

"Don't. You could make the injuries worse." Hing squirmed chittering from under Cregar and scampered to her human. The babies followed. Storm scooped them up and handed them gently to Tani. Then he knelt, his hands checking with the experience of many battlefields. Cregar opened weary eyelids and gazed up at the blurred figure.

"Deadman ... tied to ... kill-bar circuit." Hing returned, patting his bloody face with small anxious paws. Cregar's memory turned back. "Las? Lara?" He appealed to Storm. "My team ... are they ... okay?"

"They are unhurt," Storm said steadily. The man was dying. Whatever sins he'd committed, so far as Storm was concerned, he'd paid for them with the lives of Hing and her family. "Rest easy, beast master. You saved them all. You've done well."

"Shal?" Cregar could see only a blur of light now. "Little ... sister ... Shal. I love ... Shal?"

Laris was holding his groping hand in hers, tears pouring down her face. This was the one who'd saved her from Baris. The only one who'd been kind to her since she joined the circus. He'd saved the animals. Her grip brought him back a little. His gaze cleared and he knew her.

"Laris? My cache, yours." His eyes turned desperately to Storm. "You witness. Hers!"

"I witness. Whatever you have is to go to Shallaris Trehannan." He saw the man's eyes open in amazement. Storm nodded to the frantic question in these eyes. "Yes. She is. You saved her."

Cregar forced out the final words. "Good girl... not blame." He fell mute, appealing to Storm.

"We know. I'll see she's all right, beast master, it's Dedran who'll pay." Cregar heard the words. It was good. All good now. He'd saved his own blood unknowingly. Saved his team, saved his heart, laughter, the inner vision by which a beast master lived. Darkness was coming. Time for Jason Regan Trehannan and his team to hunt. He could see them. They were around him, with him. He could feel their minds holding him up.

Storm was silent, waiting. He saw the body stiffen a little, then as the eyes became blank windows staring up, it seemed to slump and flatten. Storm had seen it often enough. The man was gone, his spirit fled for judgment. Well, at the last Cregar had paid blood price. May the faraway gods open the Warrior Path to him.

Hing pattered back to Storm, swarmed up his pants leg, and cuddled close. Laris was on her knees still holding the limp hand. Logan was beside her. Tani, her arms full of meercat babies, was standing at Storm's back when a voice spoke.

"How charming. Now which of you is going to walk me to my ship?" Dedran smiled at them, needier rock-steady in one hand. Prauo appeared from under the cage behind him and departed the ground in one soaring black-and-gold leap. He landed, claws slashing away the needier. Dedran yelled as they included a generous amount of skin with that blow. Taken unaware and off-balance from the impact of almost eighty pounds of cat, he fell backward. The big cat landed sitting across the recumbent body.

Delicately he flexed claws, laid them across Dedran's eyes, and waited, watching Laris. *Sister? It will not keep him from talking to those who would hear.*

She hesitated. It would be sweet. The patrol could still drain the man of everything, deep-probe all his secrets. She looked at her friends. Storm was impassive. He'd accept her vengeance. Tani and Logan were less accepting. If she did this it would always lie like a dirt smudge across their friendship. Laris sighed.

*Just stay there, Prauo. Don't hurt him.* She brightened hopefully. *Unless he tries to escape.*

*You mean that?*

*I have to. But if he tries to hurt you or get away, then you can shred him!*

*That I shall do.* He settled down with the air of a cat which has no intention of moving anytime soon.

Storm had watched. Yes. Interesting. There was no doubt in his mind, even apart from the second file he'd seen just before they left the patrol office, that Laris had been Cregar's little sister's daughter. The ages would fit, and there was quite a facial resemblance if one looked for it. No one had before because the possibility had never occurred to them. And only Storm had seen the last spacegram which had arrived from his stepfather minutes before they left for the circus. There hadn't been much in it, just the information that further old records had been checked for Regan. Those had noted that the man had reverted to his basic name and dropped the final portion. Originally he'd been Jason Regan Trehannan. So Laris came from a beast master line, and she appeared as well to be bonded to the big cat—or something.

Prauo's head turned toward Storm. Purple eyes studied him. An itch awoke in his brain; then words came.

*Or something.*

Storm opened his mouth in shock and would have said he knew not what, but for the arrival of Versha, Jared, and Anders. The woman was looking annoyed.

"We have everyone but that damn Dedran. He's vanished into thin—" Tani and Logan moved aside. Dedran was revealed with a smug Prauo still draped across him, a pawful of wickedly extended claws at the ready. Versha's face split into a wide, happy, and dangerous smile. "How nice. Fur packaged for safety." She turned to Laris. "Can we have him now, please?"

*Prauo, time to get up. The nice lady is going to make Dedran almost as miserable as you could.* Prauo yawned and rose. He padded over to Laris as Anders snapped arm-locks on the circus boss. Jared took charge of the prisoner and marched him away. Versha surveyed them.

"I think a conference in Anders's office would be a good idea. I'd like to know what's been happening." She glanced down. "Also if that man was Cregar, and who killed him? I see you have your animals back though. So—something of a happy ending." Her smile went hungry. "For us too. Dedran will talk, my superiors will be delighted, the guild will not be. A good result all around, I'd say."

Storm bent to lift Surra again. "Yes." Logan had persuaded Laris to let go of Cregar's hand and rise. He looked at the drooping girl. "We have loose ends to tie and things to talk about. Information to share as well. Laris?" Her head came up. "I don't want to jar Surra by carrying her all the way, any ideas?"

Given a need, Laris put aside her grief for a little. "Lifter pallets. There's one around in the next alley. Hold on." She darted away and returned with the pallet towed smoothly behind her. Over an arm she had a couple of blankets as bedding. Surra was laid on the blanket-cushioned lifter top. Laris produced a set of bars which slotted into the top. They formed a low surround to prevent Surra from rolling off. Storm pushed the pallet and it glided forward. The girl tucked the blanket edges over the cat and stepped back.

"Good. Thank you." Storm approved. She flushed and nodded.

The small cavalcade headed for the gates. Once there, a hovercar engulfed Storm and Surra, with Tani and her coyotes, who were still refusing to move more than a pace from her. Logan hauled Laris into the next vehicle. Prauo joined them, sitting comfortably between, to Logan's amusement. Versha and Anders entered his official transport and powered smoothly after the other two vehicles. Dedran brought up in the rear in a fourth car with watchful guards. They reached the Under-governor's offices and Anders halted them all.

"I think we should do best by taking a break right now. Go bathe, eat, drink, and rest. We'll meet tonight at eight-hour. By that time Versha and I may have answers to some of the questions you'd like to ask." He smiled at Dedran. "This does not apply to you, I fear. It is you who shall be providing the answers." He nodded to Dedran's guards. "Take him to the probe room and begin. I'll follow."

They scattered, to reassemble seven hours later, clean, respectably garbed, and hungry for information. Anders was waiting, his face alight with results.

"I'll make this fast. We have preliminary information which clears some of the mysteries. Briefly—Dedran's boss was a guild patron. They planned to use stolen team beasts and Cregar to build new teams. The guild patron intended to send these out as a sort of guild survey to find new usable planets. The whole circus was never more than a front. While they worked toward that plan they also used it in other ways." He saw Laris draw back slightly.

"Yes, he's talked about you and your friend there." He nodded to Prauo. "Before we began deep-probe Dedran tried to persuade us that the espionage, sabotage, and thefts were your idea. However I have seen the Kowar record copies. Dedran's acts began long before you joined the circus and you were twelve when you did so. Under probe he confirmed you were illegally bonded and under duress and his orders, not the reverse. I don't quite see you as the mesmerizing criminal mastermind he's tried to claim anyway."

Laris faced him, nerving herself. "I'll swear oath and take probe to back it. I was afraid for Prauo's life and my own."

"I believe you. I accept your oath but I'll have to have probe records for Trastor's governor and patrol High Command. Don't worry. For those who speak the truth, probe isn't dangerous—or even painful. We can do that now." He picked up papers and shuffled them. "Apart from that we had another informant in the guild's lower level. They confirm there is now considerable infighting going on. Dedran's patron has fallen. Other patrons would like to lay hands on Dedran. It's been made plain his best hope of life is to stay right here and talk about everything he's ever done or known."

"And?" Logan asked.

Anders grinned. "And once he understood that, the problem is going to be shutting him up any time soon. We're encouraging that. We have cheated him in one way. Somehow he'd taken the notion that if he cooperates he won't go to rehab. I'm afraid he's wrong. With even half of what we know he has done he already has a room booked. Or—if he chooses, a clean death. Either way he won't be merely jailed or let go."

Laris shivered. To have the personality wiped. To be a baby again and to relearn, then go free but never know who you'd been. That was death and maybe the worse sort. She shivered again. She guessed Dedran would choose a clean death in the end. At least if he did it would mean she'd never see even his body again. Anders moved toward the door.

"Laris, come with me. We can have this over in an hour. If you others would care to wait..." They did so. He was back with Laris in the promised hour, both smiling. Anders carried papers. He sat, handing the papers to Versha as he did so. The patrol officer took center stage.

"I've conferred with Jared and we agree. Laris, the probe confirms that all you did was done as a bond-servant under orders and under threat of death or injury to you or your beast. Therefore you are deemed guiltless. This, so long as it cannot be subsequently proved against you that you yourself were the deliberate cause, without legal excuse, of death or injury to any other." The words rolled out in solemn tones. Versha was giving the law as backed by the patrol.

"Storm witnessed the transfer of all property owned by the man Jason Regan, known also as Jas Cregar. It is accepted that this verbal transfer is a legal will and that you inherit as was the dead man's intent. No reason is seen why you should remain on Trastor. The probe clears you. You are free to leave when and to where you wish. Monies inherited may be transferred at your demand." She glanced at the papers and spoke again slowly.

"The beast known as Prauo is deemed to be your property until such time as you may decide otherwise. The patrol has no interest in laying claim to the animal. Nor has the circus, now listed as a criminal entity in and of itself, any rights in this matter. Your bond held by Aldo M'ranne Dedran is hereby canceled since proof has been advanced that such bonding was illegal. This judgment is the judgment of the patrol in the name and person of Sind Illisho Versha. So shall it be!" Her hand struck down on the table and she relaxed.

Laris sat there stunned. Logan grabbed her, lifted the girl to her feet, and danced her around the room.

"Don't you get it? You're free. Anything Cregar left is yours. No one can take Prauo from you." He slowed, looking down at her. "You aren't still worried, are you?"

Laris shook her head. "No. But Logan, I did terrible things. I helped Cregar steal Storm and Tani's animals. You were hurt because of me. And that isn't all." She fished under her tunic and began to draw up the ring. "Cregar gave me this. I guessed where it came from but I loved it so much. Take it, and if you don't want to know me, I understand." She dropped the ring into his hand. Storm took it from his brother.

"The ring of Walks-Soft-as-a-Puma. Brad will be happy to see that back again."

"I'm sorry," Laris choked. "I'm sorry." Prauo moved to stand with her. In Storm's mind words and images formed to combine a plea.

*She has fought. Against the camps, her bond-master, those who would have ill-used her.* Swift flicking pictures of Laris cowering under blows, the sensation of hunger, a blast of fear and pain. *Her life has been only strife until now. She had no place of her own. None save me to love for long and long.* Now a black cloud of lonely misery was sent, to pierce Storm with Laris's remembered emotions. *Do you now cast her out? What of your path? Has it been so free of wrongdoing. So smoothly perfect?*

*No.*

*Then as the dark woman judged, do you also judge, with honor and mercy.* Storm closed his fingers about the ring and his other hand was laid on Laris's arm.

"When the war finished I came to Arzor," he said softly. "I planned to kill a man I believed had betrayed me and mine. I found a man with honor but shut my eyes. Yet in the end I opened them to truth. Because of that man's mercy I stand now with my own family. With a place. Long ago a wise one of the people said that a gift should be passed on, not back." He turned Laris a little, so that she faced him.

"You kept Surra from dying, took care of Hing and her family well." He took in a deep breath. "For my part I forgive anything done against me in your name. It is dust on the wind. Forgotten."

Laris stared. Tani smiled down at her. "You cared for Minou and Ferarre. The clan accepts blood-price. Buy something of the sky here and gift it to them." She laughed softly. "I know where you could buy a meteor. A small black sky-stone. The clan would forgive much for that gift to the Thunder-talker. It is a thing of great power. They would forgive the debt. None of them were wounded and they took four bow-hands."

"I'd pay happily." Laris gulped. "Could I afford it?"

"Oh, indeed. You have not yet seen Versha's report on Cregar." She would save until later the news that the man had been kin. Tani held up a list. "Your friend was wealthy. In the hiding place of which you told us there was a disk. It holds bank records. I have spoken to one who knows. With all gathered together you inherit..." She spoke a sum which left the girl gaping. "You can afford a sky-stone. And land too, if you wished." With slow incredulous hope the girl moved to gaze at Logan. He held her.

"For my blood, you pay time. Come back to Arzor. Stay with the family three months. Ride with us. Know the land. If you choose then to stay or leave, any debt to me is paid." Storm swept Tani hastily out of the room after her final words.

"I think they'd like to be alone, dearling." Tani, catching one quick glimpse of Laris locked in Logan's arms, agreed.

It took time. Laris submitted to a longer probe session for information. Anders's friendly banker sorted out finances and transferred credits: A final sum which would buy a meteor—and quite a lot of land should Laris wish for the latter. Five tigerbats returned to semi-freedom on Lereyne. The Thunder-talker's bracelets were found hidden in Dedran's quarters on the circus ship. Tani would return them along with a trophy lock of hair from the three: Baris, Ideena, and Dedran, and the tale of how they died. The clan would approve.

But before they took ship back to Arzor Laris stood alone on a hill and allowed ashes to sift through her hands. She knew now by whose hand she had been aided. Jason Regan Trehannan, who had taken his grandfather's surname to honor that old soldier when his grandson enlisted. Jason Trehannan who had become Jason Regan, then Jas Cregar, and who in the end had redeemed his honor. To the silence of the surrounding trees she spoke softly.

"Be free of your sorrow and pain, Cregar. May the spirits of your team find you now. Let them walk with you so you are no more alone. May you find also my mother, your sister who loved you, Uncle. And be doubly comforted. All debts are paid." She descended the hill to Logan's arms.

The ship seemed to move like a snail through space. They landed on Arzor at sunrise. Laris looked up to see the lavender sky lighting up the land as the warm air brought them the scent of falwood blossoms. The girl could feel her tension drain away.

The land took her to its heart, making her its own. She hunted with Tani, laughed, teased, and rode with Logan. Storm unbent sufficiently to show her the frawn herd.

Brad talked to her. Telling her of Ishan, of the people from Cornwall, Ireland, and Brittany who had gone there to bring back their language and some of the old ways. Then the Xik had come and Ishan was a burned-out cinder orbiting in death, but before that happened many settlers had moved to DuIshan, the new world settled from the mother planet. It was from DuIshan that Mandy, Tani's paraowl, came. One day perhaps, Laris could visit DuIshan and see her origins for herself.

Quietly too Brad and Storm attempted to find out something about Prauo. Was he a kidnapped cub from another race, or a gene-spliced experiment? Whatever or whoever he was none could deny his intelligence. It made no difference to the big cat. Home was where Laris lived. She was his sister; he would abide by the choices she made for them both.

Twelve weeks after her return to Arzor she rode out with Logan to sit her horse on the edge of the basin. In the far distance High Peaks showed purple as Prauo's eyes. It called to her. The rocks, the high hills, the dry scent of the desert fringe, the solitude, and the silence. Logan watched as she gazed over the scene. He spoke softly.

"I won't hold you if you feel you can't stay here. But if you wanted to stay and you liked the idea, we could buy land together." He kept his voice neutral, he'd not pressure her. "Do you want to leave?"

She said nothing for many minutes, allowing her heart and Prauo's to decide. At last she turned to him.

"Home is where you are. Why would I leave our home?" she said.