A Deepness in the Sky

"I can do better than Trud Silipan and Bil Phuong, but still there will be failures." The greatest horror of all: There would be some who would damn her for bringing them back.

Pham reached across the flowers and took her hand. "Okay. But you will do your best."

She looked down at his hand. Blood still oozed from the gash she had opened on the side of his palm. Somehow the man was lying, but if he let her deFocus the others...Play along."You're running things now?"

Pham chuckled. "I have some say. Certain Spiders have a bigger say. It's complicated, and it's still in chaos. Four hundred Ksec ago, Tomas Nau was still running things." His smile widened with enthusiasm. "But a hundred Msec from now, two hundred Msec, I think you are going to see a renaissance. We'll have our ships repaired. Hell, we may have new ones. I've never seen an opportunity like this."

Just play along."And what do you want of me?"How long till I amreFocused as your tool?

"I—I just want you to be free, Anne." He looked away. "I know what you were before, Anne. I've seen the story of what you did on Frenk, your final capture. You remind me of someone I knew when I was a child. She also stood up against impossible odds, and she also was crushed." His face half-turned back to her. "There were times I've feared you more than Tomas Nau. But ever since I've known you were the Frenkisch Orc, I've prayed you could have another day."

He was such a very good liar. Too bad for him that his lie was so bald-faced, so pandering. She felt an overwhelming urge to push it over the edge: "So in a few years we'll have functioning starships again?"

"Yes, and probably better-equipped than we came with. You know the physics we've discovered here. And it looks like there are other things—"

"And you will control those ships?"

"Several of them." He was still nodding, blundering his deception forward.

"And you just want to help. Me, the Frenkisch Orc. Well, sir, you are uniquely qualified. Lend me those ships. Come with me to Balacrea and Frenk and Gaspr. Help me freeall the Focused."

It was amusing to see Pham's smile freeze as he boggled on her words. "You want to take down a starfaring empire, an empire with Focus, with just a handful of ships? That's..." Words for such insanity failed to come, and he just stared at her for a moment. Then, amazingly, his smile was back. "That's marvelous! Anne, give me time to prepare, time to make alliances here. Give me a dozen of your years. We may not win. But I swear, we'll make the attempt."

Whatever she asked he simply agreed to. It had to be a lie. Yet if true, it was the only promise that could make her want to live. She stared into Pham's eyes, trying to see behind the lie. Maybe the inevitable destruction of deFocus had taken her sharpness, for however deeply she looked, she only saw awed enthusiasm.He's a genius. And lie or truth, now he has mefor twelve years. For just a moment she relaxed into belief. For just a moment she fantasized that this man was not a liar.The Frenkisch Orc might yetfree them all. The strangest thrill flowed out from her heart, tingling through her body. It took her a moment to recognize something that had been lost to her for so very long: joy.

SIXTY-THREE

Pham sent Ezr Vinh groundside to negotiate.

"Why me, Pham?" This was the most extraordinary trade situation in the history of Humankind. It was also a war waiting to happen. "You should—"

Nuwen held up his hand, interrupting. "There are reasons for sending you. You know the Spiders better than any of our other unFocused people, certainly better than me."

"I could be staff. I could help you."

"No, I'll be onyour staff." He paused, and Ezr saw a glint of worry. "You're right, son, this is tricky. In the short run they hold the whip hand, and they have plenty of reason to hate us. We think the Lighthill faction still has the ear of the King, but—"

There were other factions in the Accord regime. Some of them thought Focused translators were a negotiable commodity.

"That's why it's even more important you go, Pham."

"It's not our choice. You see, they've asked for you specifically."

"What?"

"Yeah. I guess over the years, working with Trixia, they think they've got you figured out." He grinned. "They want to see you close up."

That almost made sense. "Okay." He thought a moment. "But they're not getting Trixia. I go down with some other translator." He glared at Pham. "She's the star; Underville's crew would love to get their hands on her."

"Hm. Maybe someone down there is thinking the same way. The King asked for Zinmin to accompany you." He noticed the expression on Ezr's face. "There's more?"

"I—yes. I want Trixia deFocused. Soon."

"Of course. I've given you my word. I've given Anne the same promise."