Protector

And Jase, standing near him, was looking a little distressed. He probably had gotten only half of Tatiseigi’s information.

“Jase. We’re heading for the train station. We’re being shunted straight to the Bujavid. The dowager’s ordering us all back to the capital immediately. I hateto ask your guard to stay in armor, but we’re going to be going back on the bus and making a run cross-country, and I’m a little anxious.” Another switch of languages, for his aishid. “Nadiin-ji, check in as you need to, find out what we have to do. Banichi-ji, please see nand’ Siegi about that shoulder. I shall be safe here with Jase-ji.”

“Algini,” Banichi said, just that. Banichi and Jago headed down the side hall, which could involve the security station. They were not leaving him alone, no, not even with Kaplan and Polano sticking close to Jase. Tano and Algini stayed right with him.

“Imminent attack here?” Jase asked.

“We’re the ones attacking,” he said, with fair confidence that was exactly the case. “Jase, I apologizefor this. It was not at all the plan. I’m sure it wasn’t the dowager’splan until those two turned up in the garage—but pieces are falling one after the other and we’re having to do something, before the other side reorganizes, I suspect. We can settle it. I swear to you—I personally swear it—no harm is going to come to you or those kids. Or if you think so—we can get you to the spaceport, and thatplace is a fortress. You could wait—”

“There’s a reason the Council sent me down here,” Jase said. “They wantthis venture with the young gentleman to succeed, if it cansucceed. For various reasons, they want to know nowif it can—or not; but no question they know things are unsettled. I hope to hell I’mnot what touched off this situation. And I hope what we did back there didn’t make it worse.”

“You’re not. And you didn’t. Listen. Basic atevi law—if you attack a person, that person is entitled to respond with his full force and all his resources. That’s exactly what you did. It’s what we’re doing now, going to Shejidan. If we let this slide—now that we know where the problem is—we’d not be supporting our people. And in the dowager’s case— our peopleincludes the aiji and the aishidi’tat. You don’t attack her, even by accident, and expect to get a free pass. That’s why she’s moving. That’s why she has to move. And she’s sure of her target. One man in a Guild office. And probably a very, very tough target to reach. It’s serious. But so is she. Absolutely serious.”

“I get your point.” Jase drew in a deep breath. “Hell of a birthday party you put on, friend.”

“Isn’t it? But, Jase, remember, too, it’s not a human war. This is about boundaries. This is all about boundaries. The opposition misjudged everything. Go down there and explain to the kids, would you? Reassure them. I think they’d like it to come from you, calmly, before we put them back on the bus.”

Jase nodded. “Good,” he said, and left, up the stairs, Kaplan and Polano staying with him.

Bren heaved a sigh and rubbed his cheek. Which hurt when he touched it. He hoped his own little medical kit hadn’t already gone into the general baggage. He wanted an aspirin.

And he looked at Tano and Algini, who were smudged with dust and who’d done the moving and fighting, and gotten the records out. “Well done, nadiin-ji. Very well done today.”

“Nandi.”

“At least we’ll get to sit down, on the bus.”

Nods.

“How bad is Banichi’s wound?”

“Considering,” Tano said, “not bad. It was close.”

“He knewthat man,” Bren said, trying for information.

Algini nodded—not forthcoming, no.

“I am at a loss,” he said, and pressed the matter. “Something is wrong, nadiin-ji. He is clearly upset. And Icannot interpret the cause.”

Algini looked at the floor, then up, arms folded. “Haikuti was his first partner, Bren-ji.”

“God.”

“This was in training, understand, Bren-ji. Haikuti left him, in the field, in a very bad situation. Two others of the team died. Banichi hunted him down, they fought, associates separated them, and that partnership ended.”

One could only imagine.

“One had no idea,” Tano said.

“Before your time,” Algini said. “Banichi and I were in training together. Banichi and Haikuti came to blows over that matter, Bren-ji, against Guild rules, and in secret. Associates on Banichi’s side intervened to get them apart and no record was made of the incident. But from that time there was hostility. They avoided assignment together, thereafter, but Haikuti’s influence reached high places. Banichi did not get favorable assignments. Banichi found, but could not prove, that Haikuti had favored his clan with information that should not have left the Guild. He reported it, as he should have.” A group of servants passed, carrying down baggage, and Algini was silent for a time.