The second ground car held two more members of the XD Bureau, but it also held a surprise. Aside from the very beautiful, dark-haired woman who was helped .out to the grass by one of the diplomats, the fourth passenger turned out to be Lenham Phillips, a fellow member of my XenoMediation Bureau and a fellow empath. Len wasn’t bad for an empath below Prime grade, but he looked nervous and not too pleased about being where he was. I remembered the last time I’d seen Len, at the real he’d tried trapping me into completing, and hoped his displeasure would grow considerably greater before it was eased. It was the least he deserved.
“Ah, Tammad, I see you’ve found her,” Murdock said when he was finally standing in front of us. “Terrillian, my dear, you seem tired.”
“Sick and tired is more like it,” I muttered, glancing briefly at Tammad. “Murdock, will you please be so kind as to tell this—this—beast to release my arm? I think the circulation has stopped.”
Murdock kept silent as a folding chair was placed behind him, then he began lowering his thin, twisted body into it. No sweat appeared on his forehead below the hairline of his neat, gray hair, but I was more than close enough to feel how near a thing it was. Bending that way was endlessly painful for him, but his legs weren’t able to support him for more than a short while. I slid quickly into his mind and eased as much of the pain as I could, but wasn’t quite as deft as I’d hoped I could be. His hard, gray eyes snapped to me as he settled himself, but it was impossible telling whether he was grateful or furious. His mind was discipline incarnate, more rigidly controlled even than Tammad’s, and the first hint I had was when he smiled his narrow, tight-lipped smile at me.
“My dear Terrillian, I’m sure Tammad realizes that there is very little need to hold you so closely beside him,” be said in his sleek, even way. “Where on this world might you run to where he could not follow? Perhaps you have misbehaved again, and he seeks to punish you. Has our Prime been disobedient, my friend?”
The hard, gray eyes turned to Tammad, who smiled faintly before answering.
“It is indeed as the Murdock McKenzie suggests,” be said, smiling. “The woman is forever disobedient, yet we have now returned to my world where her disobedience will be seen to. Your assistance was invaluable in my quest, and you have my thanks.”
“Which is no small thing,” Murdock nodded, the wintry smile warming not at all when the barbarian’s hand left my arm. I rubbed at the fingermarks left in my flesh, pleased that Murdock was doing so well. If matters continued in that same vein, I would be free in no time.
“I see others have joined you here,” Tammad observed, looking around to those who stood a distance away from the conversation. One of those was Denny, who stood looking off toward the line of tents Hannas was making his way toward, very obviously not meeting Tammad’s eye. Something had happened to the friendship between Denny and the barbarian, but I couldn’t imagine what it could be.
“Others you will be interested in,” Murdock agreed, toying with the cane he held. “I thought about the difficulty you had with Terrillian here, added the possibility that you might fail to find her again, and took the liberty of making a few arrangements which should please you. Reven, bring the others over here.”
The man Reven, who had been standing beside Murdock’s chair, nodded once then turned toward Len and the darkhaired woman. His gesture brought the two of them toward him, and in a minute they had joined the group.
“Tammad, I would like you to meet Lenham Phillips, a very capable empath,” Murdock purred, watching as Len and Tammad exchanged nods. “Lenham has been told how important your work is to the Amalgamation, and will prove to be considerably more reliable than a stubborn young girl. Despite the fact that he is not quite as large as you and your men, it should not prove difficult disguising him as one of your people. His blond hair and blue eyes are, of course, assets in this situation.”
“I see.” Tammad nodded, looking Len over as his mind began to hum. Len picked up the hum with a frown, recognizing the calculation in Tammad’s thoughts but not knowing bow deep it went. It would be awhile before he learned the barbarian well enough to probe him.
“Our other newcomer should also take your fancy,” Murdock continued, watching Tammad’s approval of Len with approval of his own. “I would like to present Gaynor King, a most accomplished young women. Gaynor is on loan to us from Central’s Professional Friendship Bureau, which was established to provide companions for Amalgamation heads of state when they visit Central. She does not normally work off-planet, but Rathmore Hellman saw fit to make an exception in this case. She will, of course, return to Central when Lenham does.”
Tammad’s eyes were already on Gaynor King, openly rating her and obviously liking what he saw. From twenty feet away she was a very attractive woman; from five feet away she was startlingly beautiful. Her glossy black hair was short but beautifully styled, setting off her smooth, pale complexion and green eyes. She was two or three inches taller than I, and even Tammad wouldn’t have called her underfleshed. Her build was slender but very round, emphasizing her large breasts and curvy hips. The very stylish, electric-blue day suit she wore showed well-molded, attractive legs, a point the barbarian was careful not to miss. Gay King posed in front of him, breathing desirability in and out as if it were air, her mind cool and very nearly bored. She was used to being looked at by men, and seemed to be somewhat in contempt of them—an attitude which didn’t show in her face.
“This woman is more than acceptable,” Tammad murmured, apparently not noticing that I had slowly drifted closer to Murdock’s chair on the left. Len and Gay King stood to Murdock’s right, and only Len’s mind had registered my movement. “I ask you to convey my thanks to the Rathmore Hellman, also assuring him off my satisfaction. I will be sure to seek for a fitting return gift.”
“That is generous of you but quite unnecessary,” Murdock said with the same narrow-faced, wintry smile he always showed. “You have so far attained our highest expectations, and deserve whatever we might provide in return. Do your plans yet extend beyond those we discussed before your recent journey?”
“Only in small part,” Tammad answered, speaking to Murdock as though they stood eye to eye, equal to equal. “Unification of the twenty-five cities has already begun, and our requirements before the building of the complex will be given you as soon as they are compiled. It is now necessary to consider a manner of contacting the out-lying peoples, those our cities cannot speak for. Such a thing has never before been done.”
“I am confident you will see to the matter as ably as you have already seen to previous difficulties,” Murdock assured him, beginning to lever himself out of the chair. I gave him the same non-physical assistance I had earlier, felt his brief flash of gratitude, then stepped behind him. “I must leave Rimilia soon to see to Bureau matters on Central, but I will return as soon as I may. Would your companion there care to share my transport to Central? There is room for him as well as for the two women who recently passed us going to the embassy.”