The Wizard of Anharitte by Colin Kapp

feud and harassment were necessary preliminaries to destroying an enemy. Nevertheless he obeyed Ren’s insistence that he confine himself indoors at least until after Zinder’s arrest. He amused himself by interrogating the spaceport computer complex from Ren’s line-fed office terminal and inspecting the agency accounts in the minutest detail.
    When the watchmen arrived Ren saw the tension visibly rise in the market. As they moved in the direction of Zinder the scene became tinged with menace almost to the point of open resistance. But Di Irons knew his trade. As the arresting officers moved to take the slave girl, a second force of watchmen deployed through the crowd ready to nip in the bud any pockets of disobedience. Even so the resentment was building to crisis proportions and some slight catalyst could easily have tipped the balance into violence. Ren understood now Catuul’s insistence that Vestevaal should not be present when the arrest took place.
    It was Zinder herself, however, who averted the dangerous phase. She shrugged amusedly at the watchmen’s advance, then turned and addressed herself to the crowd. Ren could not hear what she said, but he was certain from the attention she was receiving that she was completely in control of the situation. She calmed and pacified the group around her and told it something that proved such a huge joke that those nearest to broke away laughing and went to retell it to others.
    Prefect Di Irons thrust his way through and spoke to her. Again she laughed, and even he came out of the encounter with reluctant smile curling the corners of his determined mouth. Then Zinder allowed herself to be escorted away. None of the watchmen touched her. They formed a double rank and she, obligingly, walked between them, moving off in the direction of the prefecture. The marketplace relaxed, yet returned not to trade but rather to heated and speculative conversation. Di Irons and the watchmen stood stolidly watchful for any hotheads who might try to rekindle hostility.
    When Catuul Gras came up, Ren met him at the door.
    ‘I think it’s safe now, friend Tito. I have men enough to cover you to the prefecture. The hearing will take place as soon as Dion-daizan can get a spokesman there. Zinder has predicted to the crowd that the Imaiz will teach the director a great lesson. I must speak with him at once.’
    ‘He’s inside,’ said Ren.
    ‘Good. You go along to the prefecture. I’ll follow as soon as I can.’
    Ren buckled on his sword and carefully checked the readiness of the blaster which he wore concealed beneath his shirt. Warily he moved out into the square. Surprisingly, nobody seemed to pay him much attention. This was now the battle of the giants, the Imaiz versus Vestevaal. Ren was merely a bit-player and not a main participant at all.
    As he passed out of the square a sudden grip on his arm made Ren swing round. He found himself face to face with the prefect.
    ‘Agent Ren, I’m not deceived. I can read your hand behind this little charade. I don’t know what you hope to gain by antagonizing the Imaiz , but let me repeat my warning. Dion is more cunning than you’ll allow. Twist his tail too often and he’ll break into a thousand parts. And if your machinations cause public trouble in Anharitte—I’ll break you myself. I hope I make myself understood?’
    ‘Perfectly,’ said Ren, ‘But I pay well for the best available advisers and they guarantee we’re engaged in nothing contrary to the law. I take it we’ve a perfect right to request that Zinder be impounded pending a legal inquiry?’
    ‘You have that right through a society,’ agreed Di Irons. ‘But I would not have thought you well advised to exercise it. The loss of the register entry is in itself suspect. I am now looking for a despoiler of prefecture records—and Dion-daizan will be looking for blood. I suspect that if I delay my inquiries a little my problem will be answered for me. Be very cautious,