"This headpiece"—he spoke abruptly, shattering the silence —"is popularly called The Crown of Stars is it not? And I believe it is venerated and guarded by a fanatic cult who have sworn death to the interloper and crown-lifter—death according to indescribably bizarre and barbaric torments—am I not correct, Learned Spiro?"
Flustered, Pawel Spiro stammered inarticulately for a moment, then cleared his throat with another of those annoying, phlegmy little coughs Quicksilver found so distasteful.
"Er ... ah ... hem! I believe that is, ah, correct, Ser Hautley ..." he admitted.
"Yes—?"
"It, er, the cult object is worshiped by the Neothothic Priesthood ... fourteenth-generation descendants of the original settlers. They have, ah, evolved a form of ancestor worship in regard to the so-called Cavern Kings, a mysterious race which flourished, decayed and became extinct on Thoin IV some centuries before the first Survey Service ships arrived from Galactic Center, during, I believe, the semi-legendary reign of the Galactic Imperator Drongerghastus the Inimitable, the 'Opener of the Starways' ..."
"What exactly were these Cavern Kings?" Hautley inquired.
"A race of, ah, highly intelligent beings evolved from the lizard, as we are from the simians. To be precise: from the order Sauria, family Lacertidae, genus Lacerta; a species somewhat similar to C. niloticus, and resembling to some degree the common 'monitor^ or the familiar 'gecko' ... ah, extraordinary creatures of unusual culturaldevelopment, although of pre-Space andprobably of pre-Electric technology. Their curious architecturalmonuments, amatter of tapering towers awry-tilted and of only quasi-Euclidean geometry, and peculiar in that the cities are subterranean ..."
"Underground towers? An unique concept," Hautley said gravely. Caught up in that technical enthusiasm to which the Validian Scholar is ever susceptible, Pawel Spiro nodded several times, flushing pinkly with intellectual excitement.
"Decidedly unique, Ser Hautley! Ah ... unfortunately, naught remains of their cultural artifacts save for these curiously subterranean urban structures (which clearly argue the racial heritage of the lizard!), and which remain to this day among the most notable archeological enigmas of the entire Cluster ... and, of course, the ... Crown of Stars."
Quicksilver extinguished his aromatique in the nearby vacuum trap, and regarded the client with a slight quizzical smile.
"Any relic so rare must be worth ... a fortune?" he queried gently.
The Learned Pawel Spiro looked decidedly unhappy.
"Ah ... yes, I believe so ..."
The quizzical smile deepened, gaining an overtone of ironic mockery.
"It is—is it not, in point of fact—completely priceless—in fact, beyond price?"
Spiro's unhappy expression intensified into one of positive gloom.
"Well . . . yes!"
"In such a case, then," Quicksilver said smoothly, "my usual fees would be ... doubled.''
4
PAWEL SPIRO blinked, winced, coughed softly, fluttered his plump white hands, straightened the notched lapels of his conservative maroon oversuit, and said faintly:
"But, Ser Hautley, you will understand, ah, the cult object is prized more for its scientific value than the, er, merely monetary worth of ..."
Hautley elevated an amused eyebrow mockingly.
"It is studded with rare jewels, is it not, Learned? Hence, I believe, the name—Crown of Stars?"'
“Er ... well, yes ..."
"It is, is it not, a superb work of the goldsmith's art—open-scrolled goldwork, rather akin to the High Phriote style, and set with one hundred fifty-seven precious and semi-precious jewels, among which are the only known specimens of no less than thirteen otherwise completely mythical varieties of gemstones?" Hautley pressed.
Pawel Spiro wilted like day-old spaghetti.
"... Yes."
“Then the double fee is invoked, as is customary when I deal in such rarities."
Spiro looked at him with a trace of keen suspicion in his watery, lackluster eyes.
"You seem ... familiar ... with the Crown, Ser Hautley."
The most celebrated Confidential Agent among the Near Stars laughed sardonically.
"But of course, Learned, in my craft as a licensed and legal thief, assassin, spy, murderer, pirate, I have a certain professional interest in outstanding items of rare jewelry!"
"Of course," Spiro said sadly.
"Then you agree to the fee?"
"Ah, yes, I believe I can justify it to my senior colleagues." Quicksilver regarded him with a meditative eye. The fee, ordinarily large, thus doubled became quite exorbitant. There was something that did not quite ring true about this Pawel Spiro. What museum could afford to pay a doubled Quicksilverian fee?
He permitted another aromatique to ignite itself, and lazily lay back in his luxurious pneumo-lounger whose extensible components automatically compensated to his relaxed position. Through the vast crystalline panes, the dull light of sinking Astarte cast a sullen shaft of rubied luminance across the bloodwood desk. In the hard, straight chair directly opposite the desk, the little man fidgeted uncomfortably.
And coughed discreetly.
"You will, ah, accept our commission then, Ser Hautley?"
"There is one further item that somewhat intrigues me," Quicksilver drawled casually.
"What, ah item?"
"Why?"
Spiro blinked: "Why what ... I do not understand ..."
"Nor, to be honest, do I!" Quicksilver fixed him with a glittering eye. "Why do you want the Crown of Stars at such a cost? While due to the peculiar nature of my Charter, it is perfectly legal for me to appropriate a valuable object from its present owners—so long as I do so upon duly contracted commission—it is illegal for you or the Museum to display or even possess stolen property."
5
SPIRO RELAXED; Quicksilver noted that for this argument, at least, the little scholar had come prepared.
"That we could hardly display a stolen artifact, ah, openly, it is true enough ... however, the Museum will see to it that, ah, unofficial word of our major new, er, aquisition circulates throughout the field of archeology. Boghazy-the-Great will therefore gain higher status among comparable institutions and a more notable prestige in the minds of archeological scholars and leading historians. Our celebrated Monograph Series—particularly those issues relating to the study of Thothic archeology and prehistory and the aesthetics of the Laceridaen Cavern Kings—will attract a more respectful attention due to our newly found and unique authority in the field."
"Umm," said Hautley.
Pawel Spiro glibly continued: "And, moreover, upon the completion of that fifteen-year period demanded by the Carina-Cygnus Quadrant Criminal Code, Section V, Paragraph 12, Sub-paragraph b, 'Statute of Limitations'—we may then openly and without fear of legalistic reprisal display the cult object in fullest legality."
Quicksilver reached a decision.
He stood up, terminating the interview.
"Where may I contact you, Learned Spiro?"
The little man gaped, then grinned. "Imperial House, Chitterling, on Vassily II. I have reserved a suite under the assumed identity of 'Dr. Smothly.' Does this, ah, mean you accept our commission?"