Getaway world, p.17
Getaway World, page 17
"As you know, we first became aware of a deep-set conspiracy when your cousin Luise learned from the late Dr. Rustin about the other robots he'd made. The information you obtained on Mellisande confirmed that, and added another piece-Lady A. She seemed to be a focal point for the activities, a very high official in that conspiracy. Well, she turned up again in Garst's office-unfortunately, on the same day Helena arrived. Garst very conveniently kept taped records of most of the conversations that occurred there. Let me play that particular tape for you."
The Head went over to the videorecorder he'd set up in one comer of the room and pressed a button. The d'Alemberts sat silently-and in shock-as they watched and listened to the conversation. They saw Lady A for the first time and heard her voice as she identified Zander von Wilmenhorst as Head of the Service, and Helena as his chief assistant. They listened to her claim that she and her organization knew most of what went on in SOTE, and her implied statement that she was working toward the overthrow of the Empire. When the tape was over, they sat, stunned, for several seconds.
"I've shown that tape to Bill," the Head said quietly, "and his reaction was much the same as yours." The reference could be to only one person-His Imperial Majesty William Stanley, tenth of his royal line, supreme ruler of the Empire of Earth. "I offered him my resignation, on the grounds that the knowledge of my identity would limit my effectiveness. He rejected that out of hand, saying that he still thought I was the best man for the job and that I should be able to handle any contingency."
"I agree with him, sir," Jules said. "I have full confidence in you. But that tape is dismaying."
"Thank you. You have a talent, though, for understatement. That tape is devastating. We thought we'd plugged all the leaks in our office after the Banion affair, and yet we seem to be more porous than ever. I'd stake my life on the people we have working under us, yet there continues to be a leak."
"Could one of our trustworthy people have been replaced by one of Dr. Rustin's robots?"
Yvette suggested.
Their boss shook his head. "No, that was one of the first things that occurred to me, too.
But as soon as we learned about the existence of those robots we X-rayed all our personnel and they checked out as human. We did it again yesterday after I saw that tape, with the same results. There are no robot infiltrators in our top echelons. Whatever the real answer is, it's a lot more complex than that. Did either of you recognize that woman?"
Both Jules and Yvette had to admit that they'd never seen her before.
"Neither have I," the Head sighed. "Yet she must operate largely on Earth, since this is the seat of government; she'd have to stay close if she wanted to keep her finger on SOTE's pulse. Also, her clothes were in the latest Court fashion, indicating she is a person of some means or rank. But that is the only real clue we have."
"What do you intend to do then, sir?" Jules asked. "Espionage is a game of secrets within secrets. It's not merely a matter of finding out what the other side knows; you also have to keep them guessing about how much you know. At the moment, there are only five people in the Galaxy who know we've seen that tape the four of us in this room and Bill. Even Irene and Edna haven't been informed of it, nor will they be. The two of you are not to make any mention of it to anyone, not even your relatives. There will be no record of its existence anywhere; as far as the Service is officially concerned, the tapes found in Garst's office were inconsequential records, nothing more. If the enemy knows that the tape exists at all, they will have no way of knowing we've seen it. That will give us some slight advantage. Boche knows, we need it."
"What about our identities?" Jules asked. "One of our major assets has always been that no one else in the Service has been aware of the role the Circus plays. Only a few people in SOTS-like Marask Kantana, for instance-have ever seen our faces, and they don't know the whole truth. Does the enemy know about that now, too?"
Here Helena blushed fiercely. "I feel so embarrassed about that. There's a tape of Garst interrogating me, and I told him everything about you and the Circus."
"You couldn't help it," Yvette soothed. "You were under nitrobarb. You were lucky to live."
"From the way Garst was questioning her," Helena's father went on, "it was obvious that the information was new and stunning to him. If Lady A and her friends know, they didn't let him in on the secret. And he never told them, either, for some reason. The Navy per- sonnel who took over Sanctuary report that the subcom was not used between the time Garst questioned Helena and the time you killed him. Whatever he knew died with him.
"Of course, we have no way of knowing whether Lady A is aware of you through her other sources-but something, call it intuition, makes me doubt that very much. I don't think she'd be quite so confident if she did, and I think she would have ordered Garst to kill Helena immediately, because she'd have known I'd send you in after her. She may be aware of your code names-everyone in the Service is-but she still doesn't know your capabilities. I intend to keep it that way. Security about your identities will be tighter than ever.
"And speaking of that brings us to the subject of Pias Belville. I understand, Yvette my dear, that you are quite taken with the man."
"He asked me yesterday morning to become engaged to him," Yvette said quietly. "I told him I'd need some time to think about it."
"Meaning that you wanted to talk it over with me," the Head smiled. "That's very wise of you. Tell me, how do you feel about him?"
"I love him very much," the female d'Alembert said without an instant's hesitation. "I'd love to marry him. But I have a duty to the Service, and I can't allow any conflict there. If you feel he'd be a security risk, I'll have to turn him down."
"What do you think of him, Jules?"
"I didn't like him at first," the other agent admitted. "He was too flashy, too talky and acted in too suspicious a manner. But as the going got tougher, so did he. I can't entirely condone what he did to Carnery-but I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if someone were to butcher Vonnie."
"If he were to marry Yvette, we'd have to bring him into the network and give him agent training. How do you think he'd do?"
"Initially, I wouldn't have thought very much of his chances. But he tracked his man for two years without having any formal training at all. He got to Sanctuary and completed his mission without help from anyone else; he might even have been able to get away without anyone's help if our paths hadn't crossed so violently. If, as you say, his loyalty is above question then yes, I'd sponsor him through the training academy."
Yvette wanted to lean over and kiss her brother, but restrained her enthusiasm.
The Head looked at Yvette. "You realize he'll have to be told virtually everything. About your identities, about your background, about the Circus-the whole works. Your family will want to meet him before they give their approval, though I don't think Etienne would hold back on such a marriage. Belville will have to know everything except the matter of the Garst tape; that I intend to keep secret among the five who already know it. I'll rely on your judgment-do you trust the Marquis that much? Your lives may depend on the answer."
"He's already saved my life once, and Jules's twice," Yvette replied. "And both times he didn't have to. He could have let us die and didn't. Yes, I'd trust him again in a second."
And Jules gave a quiet nod of agreement.
"Khorosho," said the Head with a smile. "If my two best agents are willing to put their lives in this man's hands, I can do no less. He is not to know my identity, of course-though if he ever sees Helena at a public function he'll probably guess. I'll leave it to you to break the news to him, and I'll see that he's admitted to the Service Academy."
There were tears of happiness in Yvette's eyes as her boss spoke. Helena got up off her couch and came over to give her friend a sisterly kiss on the cheek and the two women began talking over the details of the marriage-whether it would be before or after Pias's training, what kind of ceremony it would be, and so forth.
Zander von Wilmenhorst watched them with mixed emotions. His mind was considering a wedding, too, but one that few people yet knew about. The announcement would soon be made that Crown Princess Edna would be marrying the man of her choice, a man named Choyen Liu. With her being the only child of the-Emperor, Edna's wedding would command the attention of the entire Galaxy-and, he presumed, the attention of Lady A and her mob as well. Something would be afoot, he was sure of that, though what it would be he couldn't even begin to guess right now. He would be responsible for security, and nothing could be allowed to jeopardize the safety of the Princess and the Succession.
He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he focused his attention once more on his two top agents, Jules and Yvette d'Alembert. They've earned a brief vacation, he told himself. I can afford to give them a little rest before they have to save the Galaxy again.
E.E. Doc Smith, Getaway World
