From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey)
Subject: [R] Mistletoe[Pashar]: 24 Hours We Don't Need
Reply-To: aaron@space.ualberta.ca
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 23:39:07 GMT

Amaan came back to where he had left the others, fuming.  "This is absolutely
unacceptable," he said.  "Absolutely.  Generican incompetents."  He stood lost
in thought for several minutes.

Finally Ornigan asked, "What?"

Amaan looked up in surprise, momentarily annoyed to hear the voice of a slave.
Then he said, "That fool Karl, the emissary from Generica, informs me that it
will take time to procure a ship for our passage northward.  Had he not the
foresight to have to ship ready for us already?  Totally unacceptable!"  He
brooded further.  "Hopefully the delay will not take us more than one day.
Come along," he said suddenly, leading them all back toward his house.

When they neared the house, something caught Mistletoe's eye.  "Master, stop,"
she said.  The first word caught Amaan's attention, and he obeyed the second,
although turning to ask for an explanation.  "That street is being watched,"
she said, flicking her gaze upward.  Amaan also looked up, and saw a pair of
men in black bodysuits and masks crouching on a rooftop in shadow.  He hissed
air between his teeth.

"Well spotted, my dear," he said, condescendingly.  "I might not have noticed
them, myself.  But they are undoubtedly assassins, sent to watch and wait for
my return.  We must reach a place of concealment.  I am in disguise, and you
are not my slaves, but Juhlavi's, so we shall not be noted now--apart from your
outlandish appearances, and it will take time to connect those.  But I cannot
keep up this spell too long, or it will attract notice.  We shall find an inn
to stay at.  Perhaps one near where this man Karl is being quartered.  Yes."
And he strode off again back the way they had come, leaving his slaves to
follow as best they could.

Mistletoe thought frantically, what are we going to do about Bronwen?  I don't
have any way to keep her sedated much longer, and I don't want her to cause a
fuss until we're safely on the ship and away.

Ornigan wondered at Amaan's apparent youthfulness.  Every time he had met the
mage before, he had moved as a man approaching old age.  Either that illusion
spell was more efficacious than any he was familiar with, or Amaan was not what
he seemed...

Amaan got them a room at an inn that he said was near enough to Karl's rooms
for his purposes.  He posed as a young merchant, newly arrived in Pashar with
his entourage.  The others kept their features concealed as much as possible--
for the two women, this was only proper--to avoid being recognized as the
spectacular pick of the slave market a few weeks ago...

Once they had settled themselves into the room, Amaan imperiously sent them off
on errands--Ornigan to fetch food and refreshment, and Mistletoe to convey the
news of Amaan's location to Karl, in secret if possible.  He indicated the
building where Karl was to be accommodated, and recited a message in Common for
her to convey.  Once they were outside, Ornigan stopped and whispered, "What
about Bronwen?  How are we going to keep her safe?"

Mistletoe shook her head.  "I don't know.  If we told Amaan, he might be able
to use some kind of spell on her.  But if he knew who she was, wouldn't he be
more likely to return her to Juhlavi rather than take the added risk?  For that
matter, might he not be taking advantage of her 'simpleness' right now?"  She
shrugged.  "Perhaps this Karl, or one of his companions, will be sympathetic.
Or perhaps one of us can slip away to an apothecary.  Now, we'd better get
going on our tasks, before Amaan gets suspicious."  They left the inn and went
their respective ways.

--
---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist)
"Been there, done that
 Been there, don't want to go back"  --Brian Eno & John Cale
Current Album--Idyl Tea
Current Read--John Updike:Rabbit, Run