* * * * *
Durham saw a thin lazy whorl of greenish mist moving into the hall. He
pressed his handkerchief over his mouth and nose and made his legs go,
hard and fast. He was right on top of Karlovic when they stumbled into
the airlock. It was still clear.
They helped each other into their suits, panting in the stagnant air.
Then, through the helmet audio, Durham could hear sounds from outside,
muffled shouts and tramplings. Karlovic went back into the consulate
where the green mist was already clinging around his knees, and looked
out a window into the circle. Over his shoulder Durham could see
Senyans milling around and he thought they were rioters, but Karlovic
said, "It's all right, they're Jubb's guards."
They went back to the airlock, and from there into the open circle.
Senyans escorted them hastily into the adjoining building, and Durham
saw that guard posts were being set up. There was a gaping hole in the
side of the consulate and the pavement was shattered, and there were
pieces of machinery and stuff lying around. Durham figured rapidly
in his head how much oxygen he had in his suit pack, and how long it
would take to repair the consulate and get the air conditioning working
again, and how long it would be before a ship could get here from Nanta
Dik. He looked at Karlovic, whose face was white as chalk inside his
helmet.
"The lifeboat," he said.
Karlovic nodded. Some color came back into his face. "Yes, the
lifeboat. We can live in it until the ship comes." He ran his tongue
over his lips as though they were very dry. "Didn't I tell you Morrison
wouldn't give up easy? Oh lord, the lifeboat!" He began to jabber
urgently at the Senyans in their own tongue, and again his expression
was agonized. Durham didn't need to be told what he was thinking. If
anything happened to that lifeboat, they were two dead men on a world
where humans had no biological right to be.
They were brought into a room where Jubb was busy with a bank of
communicators and a batch of harried aides. The room was enormous,
but it did not dwarf the Senyans, and the sombre colors did not seem
depressing in their own light. Jubb said, as they came in the door,
"I've had a heavy guard set on your lifeboat. I don't think anyone can
repeat that hit-and-run bombing--" He cursed in a remarkably human
fashion, naming Morrison and the Senyan fools who let themselves be
used. "You are all right, Karlovic--Mr. Durham? Quite safe? I've
ordered a motor convoy. There are signs of unrest all over the
city--apparently word has gone out that you, Durham, are carrying
the unification agreement for my signature, and that the terms are a
complete surrender on our part to human rule. Does it cheer you two to
know that the human race is not alone in producing fools and madmen?
Once on the spaceport you will be safe, my naval units will see to
that, and my troops are already in the streets. They have orders to
look out for you. Go with fortune."
They were taken out another way, where three heavy trucks and several
smaller vehicles were drawn up. The Senyans in them wore a distinctive
harness and were armed, and the vehicles all had armor plated bodies.
Durham and Karlovic were lifted into one of the trucks, which was
already filled with Senyan soldiers. The convoy moved off.
Durham braced himself in a corner and looked at Karlovic. "Happened
fast, didn't it? Awfully fast."
"Violent things always do. You're not much used to violence, are you?
Neither am I. Neither are most people. They get it shoved at them."
"I don't think we're through with it yet," said Durham.