A Mere Formality by Ilona Andrews

Author:Ilona Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction

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This time the meeting fell onto afternoon, and the sunlight filled the room. Nagrad waited in precisely the same position Deirdre had seen him the first time.

"Greetings, Lady Deirdre. And Your Grace."

Jason smiled. "I wasn't aware I'm well know to the Reigh."

"You are," Nagrad assured him.

"Very well, Lord Nagrad." Jason rubbed his hands together. "In that case shall we dispense with preliminary niceties? Let's talk money."

"Indeed."

They launched into the foray like two warriors, amidst clashing blades and thudding shields. By the second hour Deirdre lost the thread of the argument. By the fourth she caught herself dousing off.

Nagrad's voice snapped her from her reverie. "I do believe the lady is tired. Let us take a break." He offered her his hand. "Would my lady care for some fresh air?"

To say no would've been an insult. She put her hand in his and let him lead her out to the balcony. Big enough for a decent size party, the semicircular balcony extended out good twenty five meters. Nagrad maneuvered all the way to its farthest point and stopped at an ornate amber and white rail. The keep protruded from the side of the mountain and as she looked down below to where the forest shimmered awash with green leaves, a curious feeling of peace filled Deirdre. Bright blue and red birds flittered from branch to branch. Somewhere a distant relative of the Vunta howled once. She inhaled the air. It tasted sweet.

"Beautiful," she murmured. "I forgot how lovely the planetside can be."

"It's home," he said simply, putting the world into a single word.

Deirdre leaned on the rail. "Why me?"

"Because you're attractive," he said. "And I greatly admire your body."

She blushed.

"Of work," he added and offered her his reader. A list of recent publications lit the screen. The top one...

"This hasn't been publicized. It's classified information." She took the reader and tapped the top title with the stylus. Here it was, the entire contents of her Reigh research. "How did you get this?"

"It was brought to my attention by a party concerned that we may have a loose mouth in our midst."

"You tapped the Embassy's network." She stared at him stunned. Lao-Tzu, what else he could have access to?

"It wasn't that difficult actually." He shrugged. "I can't afford informants in my branch, no more than you can tolerate the blame for my father's death."

"I had no informants." She handed the reader back to him.

"I realized that once I've read through your analysis. To have deduced that much from external indicators is remarkable."

The extent of his arrogance was even more remarkable. Deirdre looked at him. "Then perhaps you would enjoy another deduction." She slid the square of a reader card from her data bracelet and snapped it into the reader. The recording of a peace meeting from three decades ago filled the screen. "This is the Survey Captain Sean Kozlov. And this, I believe, is your father. They are performing a peace ritual--they have fished together and now they are sharing their catch.

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