A long silence followed before Hyde sputtered, "What? Impossible! It doesn't make any military sense. What motivates that man beyond death and mayhem?"
Bruen stroked his chin. "We — and the machine — competely missed this possibility."
Magister Hyde moved over and pulled out a chair, grunting as he settled into it. "You're sure? Perhaps he's playing for time — driving the price up? Perhaps the Myklenians hurt him worse than our intelligence indicated?"
"Perhaps, honorable Magister," Bruen mumbled absently as his mind played with this new dimension of Staffa kar Therma's personality. How did it fit? He needed some key to slip this new piece into the puzzle. How could he make a picture when the pieces insisted on changing colors and shapes in the midde? Quanta at work.
"Didn't predict he'd kill the Praetor, either," Hyde reminded, lost in his own thoughts. "That's when our predictions began to go awry.".
Bruen slapped a withered hand on the monitor before him. "Indeed. Until then we had stayed within three degrees of freedom. But Staffa withdrawing from the table? Totally outside of any of our predictions." His wrinkled face creased in annoyance. "No, we didn't predict he would kill the Praetor. Accidentally, yes. But in person? Never."
Hyde bent over the desk, pulling his robes up his skinny white arms so he could lean on his elbows without slipping. "So we have the key. The Praetor did something to him— said something."
"If we accept that assumption, it could change everything. You know what sort of man the Praetor was — brilliant and diabolical."
Hyde stared absently at the floor. "Yes, brilliant. A man to admire and hate. Working with him always left me feeling like I had been privileged and fouled at the same time."
Bruen continued to frown at nothingness, lost in his
thoughts. "The Praetor could have done anything, said anything. You don't suppose he bragged about Chrysla, do you? Have we underestimated that facet of his personality? We ensured that Chrysla died during the battle — I think. Our agent never got free of the Praetor's flagship to report. I would assume thrakis got her before the blasters did." Bruen made a useless gesture with his hand. "Rotted shame. She was such a beautiful woman. and the world is so short of beautiful women these days."
"And the girl? Arta? Is there some way we can still use her to salvage this situation?" Hyde worked his toothless gums and rubbed his deep-set eyes.
Bruen blinked and leaned back. "You read the report. They succeeded in eliminating Atkin and his staff — in bed no less. With that vacancy, we can expect the Minister of Defense to appoint Kapitol to the First Division. He's earned it, you know. Kissed Tybalt's rosy red rectum enough times. With him in command of the First Division, he'll do everything in his power to hamstring Mykroft in the Second. There's been an incredible hatred between them. Should effectively reduce the Regan capabilities on Targa by the third." His eyes lit. "We might even get lucky and have them shooting at each other."
"I read that report. The girl got more than a dose full of assassination," Hyde reflected. "Not only that, but I worry. I perceive a sexual interest."
Bruen grunted. "Butla knows. We talked."
"You had counted on her remaining a virgin." Hyde looked at him dully. "Breached, will she react the way you hope she will?"
"With Staffa going wild? I don't count on anything. The quanta are acting. Either that or we've missed a variable."
"Or could it be the machine?" Hyde wondered.
Bruen fought a shiver. Don't think it. Not now. Change the subject. Otherwise it will gnaw at Hyde. Drive him into the grave.
Bruen tapped his lips with translucent-skinned fingers. "Do you suppose Staffa's turning rogue? Perhaps he's becoming a pirate? This way, he can keep the balance of power and play one against the other so neither can become strong enough to threaten him and his precious industry."
"We investigated that years ago, Magister," Hyde re-
minded, with a pointed finger. He leaned against the rough stone of the cavern wall and shook his head. "The decision we made then — and I think it still holds — is that he would help the Sassans win. When the dust settled, he would
declare himself Emperor with his Companions to back him up. Would you ignore two empires that could one day destroy you? No, you're like Staffa, Bruen. You'd take it all." Hyde waved his hands furiously, "Oh, sure, he's refused to dicker. I insist it's a ploy for time."
"Then why has he disappeared?" Bruen wondered, enjoying the look of absolute astonishment in Hyde's fractured expression.
"Assassination? Or. " Hyde gasped, "Oh, no! Perhaps he… suspects?" Hyde ended up coughing and hacking.
"I don't think so." Bruen indicated the monitor screen and accessed a program. "This is Staffa's speech to his command rank officers. Listen to him. Notice the expressions he uses."
Bruen watched Hyde pensively as the tape played through to the end.
"I still don't believe it!" Hyde slapped the table between gasping breaths. "What chances are there that this is some false trail ooked up to send us down the—"
"Statistically and practically impossible. Subsequent to this being released by time delay — oh, Staffa was clever— the Wing Commander turned down both empires. Didn't even listen to their offers. And within ten hours Skyla took her private vessel and left the Itreatic Asteroids in search— we presume — of Staffa."
Hyde had his eyes closed again, lost in thought. Moments passed before he asked, "And what does that tell us about Skyla? Does she know where Staffa is? What is her concern? Surely the Companions are in no trouble."
Bruen lifted a shoulder. "They aren't lovers, so I doubt it's an affair of the heart. No, I would rather think it has something to do with Staffa's activities."
"I have the latest figures. Our forces have enjoyed another ten percent enlistment. People are fleeing the cities to join the Rebellion in the back country. The Regan outposts have been harassed constantly and we've routed two entire Sections and inflicted heavy losses. Their ranks are
wearing down — all but one, that is." Hyde clicked his long fingernails on the counter. "Care to guess whose?"
"Sergeant Sinklar again?"
"He is exceeding his projected curve much too early." Hyde leaned back and chewed on his finger.
Bruen smiled wearily. "Yes, I know. Our people paid a lot to keep him out of their university. Now we may need him after all, depending on what Staffa does — and what happens with Arta."
Hyde turned his head to stare. "I wonder how he kept from being killed. The quanta at work?"
"Congenital ability," Bruen grunted. "Keep the pressure up on the invasion forces. Morale is dropping in the Divisions. Too many Regans are dying and not enough Targans. It's sapping them on the inside."
"We captured an entire weapons dump full of rifles, heavy blasters, ten patrol craft, and a half dozen heavy assault vehicles," Hyde announced. He beamed a smile. "They set down in the wrong valley, it seems. We're not the only ones with bad luck. Our military capability took a quantum leap with that infusion of material. We can defeat an entire Division — if they're stupid enough to put one in the field."
"So things look moderately good with the exception of Staffa."
"If we just knew what he's up to!" Hyde cried. "The Lord Commander is the most important person in Free Space. The fate of all humanity rests on that man's shoulders. And we can't find him!"
Bruen smiled wearily. "Easy, my friend. Calm yourself and consider this. Ily Takka, our single most dangerous adversary, left the Itreatic Asteroids after the Companions' refusal to deal."
"So?"
"So she never returned to Rega. Does that suggest anything to you?" Bruen nodded soberly as Hyde stiffened. "Exactly. Ily, too, is looking for Staffa — and Pates help us if she finds him first."