Reith and Alicia were nearly through their dinner when Sotaru at last appeared. To the twang of a harp in the hands of one of the musicians, he sang three wailing Mikardando songs.
After the last of these, the singer bowed to the applause of cracking joints and retired. In the quiet that followed, Reith was startled to hear Ordway boom out; he proved to have an excellent singing voice as, beating time with an eating spear, he sang:
At another time and place, Reith would have been amused; but now he worried. Alicia said: "Oh-oh, here comes the great Sotaru. He looks furious."
"Better be ready for trouble," said Reith grimly, reaching down to pick up his sword from beneath his chair and to loosen the peace wires.
The singer strode to Ordway's table, bowed stiffly, and went through the motions of introducing himself. Instead of assaulting Ordway, however, he pulled up an empty chair, seated himself, and plunged into earnest conversation, while Gashigi translated. Then Reith watched in astonishment as Ordway and Sotaru faced each other, beat time with outstretched fingers, and mouthed words that Reith could not hear over the background noise.
"By Bákh's toenails!" said Reith. "I believe Cyril's teaching him that song!"
After running through the verse a few times, Sotaru stood up, bowed to the assembly, and launched into Ordway's ditty:
Alicia murmured, "The Mikardando accent rather spoils the meter. So much for your authentic Krishnan performing arts!"
Reith sighed. "Sometimes I almost sympathize with Schlegel. Excuse me a moment."
When he returned, Reith was surprised to see his table empty and Alicia's weighted handbag lying on her chair. Thinking that she must have made a similar comfort stop, he sat patiently unconcerned for some minutes. When she did not reappear, he pushed past the dancing couples to Ordway's table.
"Cyril," he said, "did you see Alicia leave the hall?"
"Why yes, old boy," said Ordway. "Gashigi called my attention to it. A greenie came in and spoke to two chaps sitting at that corner table." He pointed. "Then the three hurried over to your table and talked to Alicia. They acted excited, as if there'd been some sort of disaster. Then she got up and went out with them. That's all."
Reith asked, "Can you add anything, Lady Gashigi?"
"No, Far-goose. We all sought it a little sa-trange; but I did not see any cause to interfere. She could have—"
Reith bolted out of Baghál's. The last twilight was hiding as Mikardanduma went to and fro about their business. Everything seemed normal on the street, but there was no sign of Alicia. Reith strode up and down the block, looking in all directions.
At last he accosted the man-at-arms on point duty at the nearest crossing. "Have you seen a Terran woman come out of Baghál's?"
The trooper thought. "Aye, sir, that I did, but a short time since. She issued forth with three human beings, and all four got into a closed carriage and drove off. I should not have noticed but that the female alien had shining yellow hair, a thing whereof I have heard but have never witnessed."
"What can you tell me about the three with her?"
The trooper gave the equivalent of a shrug: "They seemed but ordinary citizens; nor was there aught strange about their carriage."
Further questions failed to elicit more facts, so Reith returned to Baghál's. On a last chance, he asked Gashigi to check the women's rest room. Still no Alicia.
"I say, cobber," said Ordway, "this has a fishy smell to me!"
"To both of us," said Reith.
"I'll do whatever I can to help."
"Thanks."
Reith next questioned the manager, who said: "They behaved themselves and paid their due; so I gave them little heed. Here's their waiter. Zalmanu! Tell Sir Fergus what ye know of the men with whom Doctor Dyckman departed."
The waiter wagged his head. "Nought out of the ordinary, sir. They wore common garb—one in gray, the other brown, methinks—but otherwise they ate their dinners, paid their scot, and went."
Reith asked "Was there anything in their speech or mannerisms to show their origin?"
"Nay, sir—but hold a bit. The little fellow with the purplish-red beard, who came in after the others, I took for a Khaldonian. He had the long smellers of s race and spake with the harsh Khaldoni accent."
"Good!" said Reith. "Here's something for your trouble; and where's my man with the bill?"
Having paid, Reith picked up Alicia's handbag. To Ordway and Gashigi he said: "I'm going back to Bosyár's, to see what I can learn."
"Do you sink zere has been an abduction?" said Gashigi.
"Just that," said Reith. "She wouldn't have left her handbag unless she thought she would soon return. You might alert your government. Good night!"
At the inn, Reith first knocked on Alicia's door. "Lash!"
There was no response, even when he knocked harder and called more loudly. He returned to the lobby and asked the innkeeper: "Have you seen Doctor Dyckman, the yellow-haired Terran woman?"
"Nay, sir; but a small human being, Khaldonian from his looks, came in and gave me this for you." He handed Reith a folded sheet. Reith read:
Dear Fergus:
Forgive my leaving so abruptly, but a representative of a powerful Krishnan nation has to me made an offer that I cannot refuse. I am leaving to take up a position of great authority, wherein I can do for this world the greatest possible good, When I am settled, I shall inform you of my location.
If you still entertain sentimental feelings towards me, forget them. Nothing would ever have worked for the pair of us. And fear not for the Cosmic project; you and Mr. Strachan can perform any tasks that would otherwise have fallen to me. Best wishes,
Alicia Dyckman, Ph. D.
IX - The Dour of Qirib
The message hit Reith like a punch in the gut. What had happened? Had he said something that so offended Alicia that she had left both him and her job with Cosmic Productions? That was hardly like the conscientious Alicia. Had she become fed up with his prolonged hesitation? Or had she concluded that, since she could do better elsewhere, she should seize the opportunity? Had some potentate really dangled an irresistible lure before her?
Reith reread the letter. He had not studied Alicia's handwriting; he had only a hazy recollection of the letters she had written in the brief interval between their first meeting and their marriage, two decades before. Although the writing did look familiar, he could make no exact comparison.
The stilted, formal tone of the letter, however, did not sound like her. However angry she might be with him, she would hardly refer to Strachan, an old friend of both, as "Mr. Strachan" instead of "Ken." Nor would she add "Ph.D." to her signature. Neither was the English completely idiomatic.
Reith was baffled. The "small Khaldonian" sounded like his secretary Minyev disguised by a crimson beard; but how could Minyev have become involved? If Minyev so idolized Alicia, why should he take part in a kidnapping project?"
He sought out the innkeeper. "Master Bosyár, our companion Doctor Dyckman has disappeared. I suspect that she did not leave voluntarily."