Narval's rage spluttered from his lips in a
viperous hiss as he pointed at a baffled Drummer.
Brad, straight-faced behind Drummer, stood easy.
Scarf, off to the side, stiff and erect, stared
blankly at the wall behind Narval, his features
twitching to depress a smirk.
"You were responsible for Camari's emissary,
Drummer. I've had you notified that I am ready to
receive him. Where is he?"
"He's disappeared, Mr. President."
"So I'm told. What does that mean?"
"Your orders were to provide lodgings for the
Ambassador somewhere other than the official
guest house. I had no choice but to put him up at the
Condor. When I was informed of the time that you
agreed to see him, I went to the Condor to extend
the formal invitation. He wasn't there. I inquired
of the Condor's management and also among the
citizens present. Several recalled him because
of his unusual height, but no one, it seems, saw
him leave." Glancing toward Scarf, he added,
"I immediately requested your Chief of Internal
Security to put out search parties. That's where
it stands."
Narval turned to Scarf.
"Well?"
Scarf stiffened.
"We've searched the city, Mr. President," he said,
"and can't find a trace of him under the dome. But
we had several unexplained killings a short while
ago and I'm sure he's involved. Two of my agents
were gunned down on the street near air lock 43,
apparently without reason, and their bodies were
dumped down a utility access. Also, two of my
guards, on special detail inside the air lock were
killed. Add to that a communications blank-out
swamped the same area about that time, and a
space taxi is missing from the 43 ramp.
"We can't get a tracer on the taxi; its automatic
location signal is out, and it doesn't respond to
direct inquiry. All this, taken together, is very
suspicious, and leads me to conclude the Ambassador
skipped rather than meet with you."
Brad's eyes moved gravely from one speaker to the
other.
"Drummer." Narval turned back to him. "When you met
with Camari's Ambassador, what did you discuss?"
Drummer shrugged and stroked his chin.
"Just the routine chit-chat of protocol: small talk
about the inconveniences of long hops and living out
of traveling kits. Oh, yes, we expressed our hopes
for a better future when Slingshot cuts in. That
was about it."
"Then why would he leave so abruptly?"
"I have no idea, Mr. President."
"This incident does not please me, Drummer. A
special envoy arrives from the UIPS, obviously
carrying an important message to me from President
Camari. He leaves before he delivers the message,
with no advance notice. As he leaves he kills
several Plutonian citizens and steals property.
No, I don't like it at all, Drummer."
His fingernails drummed the desk. Suddenly
conscious of what he was doing, he stopped and
brought his hands close and inspected them for
damage.
"Drummer, draft a personal message from me to
Camari, complaining about the manner in which his
Ambassador conducted himself on Planet Pluto.
Accuse the Ambassador of murdering several of
our citizens and stealing our property to escape our
judicial process. Tell Camari his message to me, if
he really sent one, was not delivered. That'll throw
the ball back to him. As far as I'm concerned, the
matter is closed. I have far more important matters
to discuss with you and Brad."
He waved his hand at Scarf.
"Get on about your business."
As Scarf closed the door behind him, Narval shifted
his bulk. Placing both hands flat on the desk he
studied each ring. He glanced momentarily at
Drummer and fixed his eyes on Brad.
"I am not a fool," he hissed as his features
contorted into waves of quivering fat.
"That UIPS envoy had motives for coming to Planet
Pluto far beyond delivering a message to me and
getting a formal response. His timing was to be
here when Camari broadcast his appeal for his
convocation with INOR Heads of State. He was here
to assess my reaction." Looking from one to the
other, he demanded, "Did you hear Camari's speech?"
"Yes," from Drummer.
Brad nodded.
"Well, as my diplomatic affairs advisor, Drummer,
what did you make of it?"
"My feeling is that Camari is willing to meet us
halfway to resolve differences between the Regions."
"You do, eh? What about you, Brad?"
"I'm neither a politician nor a diplomat, Mr.
President. I can't see behind the words. Taken
literally, I suppose, he wants a grand party to
talk things out. That might be fine, providing it
ties in with your plans."
"Aha," Narval said, with a gentle slap at the
desk's top.
"You've hit it a lot closer than Drummer. The
question of the moment is how might this so-called
peace conference affect achieving my ultimate
objective?"
"I have not been made privy to your 'ultimate
objective', Mr. President," Brad said. "I cannot
speak to that point."
Drummer looked straight at Narval, silent.
"My question, Drummer," Narval demanded, his tone
impatient.
"You shared your objectives with me in confidence,
Mr. President. I am not at liberty to speak on them
in the presence of others without your permission."
Narval stared long and hard at Drummer and back
to Brad.
"Not yet," he said. "Meanwhile, and especially in
the light of the forthcoming convocation, I want
you, Brad, to accelerate preparing our military
fleet to take possession of the depot and that
gaggle of transport and other vessels that
constantly hover about. They will be the main
bargaining chip when I give my ultimatum to Camari."
Brad nodded, his features closed.
Drummer looked dubious. He said, "That means we
must have the depot under our control when you
speak to President Camari."
"Sound conclusion," Narval replied caustically.
"Now, Drummer, is the time for you, my chief
diplomat, to engage in a bit of manipulation and
encouragement among our allies -- in my name
and behalf, of course.
"We'll do this one step at a time. Prepare personal
messages from me to the heads of INOR governments.
Remind them of our past agreements to stand
together to resist incursions by the UIPS. Point
out that Camari's invitation presents us with an
excellent opportunity to exert our combined will
on this issue. Then, state my intention to take
temporary control of the Slingshot Logistics
Depot to add weight to our persuasions. Are my
instructions clear?"
"They are, Mr. President."
"Good. Emphasize the need for us to act in concert
to bring peace and prosperity to the Outer Region.
Lay it on thick about how we can demonstrate our
unity of purpose to Camari, and harmony among
ourselves if we join forces. This shouldn't be
a surprise to them; it was the purpose of the
planning at the Neptune meeting. Wasn't it, Brad?"
"It was."
"Here, then, is my first objective, Drummer. I want
the INOR warships that were committed at the Neptune
meeting to be alongside ours to take over the Depot.
The Depot must be ours before the conference
gets under way. That is vital to our purpose. In the
message, say that now is the time to strike. Insist
that they send their ships as quickly as possible
to join in the operation. Also, and be shrewd in
presenting this: INOR ship commanders are to be
subordinate to and carry out the orders of the
Plutonian Fleet Commander for the duration of this
operation. Clear?"
"Clear, Mr. President."