"I'll think about that, Ferris. You could be vulnerable."
"No," Tavis said with suddenly unexpected dignity. "If he was in the employ of Dr. Eric, of course he must stay. And my family will protect him, too."
"You have learned much already, Tavis," Eric said kindly. "Zainal, I really can't leave or all the groundwork that has been laid for den-tistry on Barevi will go for nothing."
"I have no objections to your staying, Eric. In fact, I would prefer it, though it does leave you exposed. Professionally, you are not in-volved," Zainal said cryptically. "However," and now he stared at Tavis, "can you keep Eric safe within your family compound?"
"We would pledge his safety if that is necessary, Zainal," Tavis said with an upward jerk of his chin to show his willingness and determi-nation. "Emassi Doctor Eric has many, many influential and wealthy patrons. No harm would come to him."
"Good. We shan't be gone long, but there may be some reper-cussions."
"Repercussions?" Eric asked. "Oh, because no one's going to like dealing with Kapash for their coffee."
"I did hear something that puzzles me," Natchi said, looking dour. The old veteran had really enjoyed his early-morning cup and a place to sit in the sun. "That Kapash would be dealing with coffee beans from now on?"
"His supply is limited to what he has," Zainal said.
"Then he doesn't have the single concession to sell beans?"
"He may think he does," Zainal said with a little smile, "but this market is free to all traders, and that is not a rule he can bend. As we shall make certain. Now, I have discovered sufficient evidence to prove to me that Kapash was the duty officer at the prison the day we were dispatched to Botany."
Wide-eyed looks and gasps echoed the surprise of those around the table.
"I knew it, I knew it," Natchi said, swearing oaths in such a jum-ble that no one quite caught their sense, which was just as well, Zainal thought. "Greedy swamp wart. May he drown in his own slime."
"He might-quite legitimately, if you are all willing to take some risks before we depart tomorrow"
"What? What do we have to do?" was the eager response to risk-taking.
Even Kathy looked determinedly eager to cooperate, judging by the vengeful light in her eyes.
Zainal propped his elbows on the table but gave first Natchi and then Erbri a long look.
"I had already intended to take you two back to Botany for your mechanical skills but it might be as well-if you agree to tonight's business-to take you with us for other reasons."
"Such as?" Natchi challenged.
"We are still missing considerable spare parts-"
"And we're going to steal them so Kapash has to pay insurance!" Ferris bounced up and down in his chair, believing he had perceived Zainal's plan.
"But, Father:" Bazil, his more conservative child, protested, glancing at Brone, who evidently had no qualms with what was be-ing suggested.
"Yes, yes, it is wrong to steal, but it is very proper and Cattenish to respond to insult. And Kapash has insulted me and mine once too often. Especially now I have proof of his complicity in my trans-portation."
"What proof do you have?" Brone asked blandly.
"I have the duty roster for that particular day, and he was on it as prison warden. That means he was supposed to oversee who was shipped out. I know he had orders to include everyone caught up in the riot, but that did not include a Catteni."
"And Zainal was certainly not part of that riot," Kris said firmly, eyeing Bazil sternly. "Neither was 1. But I was Terran and uncon-scious, so I had no chance to proclaim my innocence in the affair." "So, what must we do to assist you, Emassi?" Erbri said.
"Since you and Natchi have repaired all those lift glides, can you also help load them?"
"Sure, but all the places you need to get into are secured," Natchi pointed out.
"Some are even guarded," Erbri added cautiously.
"Shorting out the security system is no big problem," Bayes said, as their electrical expert. "Most of it needs to be repaired. Plenty of faulty lines." He shrugged. "Could go anytime."
"You can always get in from the roofs, too," Ferris said, and Ditsy nodded emphatically.
"Oh, can you? To which storage sheds in particular, Ditsy?" Zainal asked, suspecting that Ditsy had checked out such matters when he was looking around all the storage places.
"Oh, like Nilink's and Luxel's. Cut a panel out of the ceiling and with a lift on the roof we could load it in next to no time."
"And leave all the front tiers of tires to make 'em think no one's tampered with their stuff," Ditsy added.
"Zerkay's merchandise can be handled the same way. Steal the back layers and he won't be much wiser."
"He was the nicest of the lot," Kris said with dismay on her face. "He has no need of the things he looted, and we can't play fa-vorites if we're planning a widespread heist."
"It's not theft," Peran said. "It's restitution of impounded materials that were stolen in the first place."
Zainal gave his son a quick look for that bit of sophistry. Brone shrugged as if to imply he had not put such words in the boy's mouth. "We have to be careful to go for only the things we know we can use or we're cut of the same cloth," Zainal said. "Where are our lists?" Sally Stoffers opened her account book and held out copies.
"Nilink definitely. Natchi, figure out how many lifts we'll need to take the back third of his stock. Kathy, figure out the weight and cargo space this'll take. Fortunately, lifts can be taken right into the ship from the shadows of the dockside. There oughtn't to be too many people up and about in the early dawn. We'll need some light to operate by."
"We could arrange for some diversions, Zainal," Erbri suggested. "Nothing violent, just distracting?" His suggestion, as well as his ex-pression, was so eagerly helpful that Zainal saw the merit of it.
"We'll have to figure out exactly when, Erbri, but we would ap-preciate it and I'll repay any expenses when I can."
"Your word is good, Emassi," Erbri replied.
"Good. We mostly need to shift what Luxel's been sitting on-the satellite components-and Nilink's tires and batteries. They'll be bulky and heavy so we'll need six or seven lifts for those two sites alone."
"I'll volunteer for that," Bayes and Clime said simultaneously. "Brone, you'll stay out of this," Zainal said when the young tutor held up his hand. "In fact, Tavis, if you can shift Eric's things, with Brone's help, to your family compound, it will give you both alibis."
"Indeed, Emassi," Tavis said, expressing strong relief. Brone nod-ded with dignity, an attitude that did him no harm in the eyes of his young charges.
Zainal reached for a writing wand. "How many lifts have you been able to repair, Natchi?"
"Ditsy helped me, Emassi, but we have twelve in top working or-der and all powered up."
"Twelve:" Zainal murmured and started calculating weights and the time it would take to make round-trips from the storage sheds to the ship.
"No one would question our leaving after today," Chuck said. "I can stay on board on comm watch."
"No, I can assume that duty," Brone said. "I can also get our port clearance organized. I don't think there'll be any questions about that."
"Good idea." Zainal nodded his thanks. "Now," and he began to issue specific orders as to how many lifts would go to which destina-tion. "It won't take more than ten minutes by lift to make it to and from the most distant storage unit-Luxel's-so allowing half an hour for Ferris and Ditsy to load, Erbri, start your distraction at three forty-five. Chine, Chuck, the tires and batteries will be heavier to load at Nilink's, so if Erbri keeps a good watch, you should get in about the time the boys do. Ninety, you and your brother take another lift behind Clime and Chuck. It's tires and batteries and windshield wipers-we can use the most. You've got time to get some rest. You," and he pointed to Gail, "have some special signs to make for us."