Kirdy growled: "Always you make things difficult! Why can't you
be sensible for a change? You must learn to take me and my opinions into account."
"That is absurd," said Glawen.
"It's you who must be sensible. We're here on serious business!"
Kirdy's throat suddenly pulsed and seemed to swell. He spoke in a voice rumbling with the sound of doom.
"I feel an absence of respect. You have no care for my feelings. Your eyes fleer half closed in scorn. You ignore my words as if I had not spoken, and give glib evasions. You make flippancies of me and my great studies. I am not a person to be taken lightly, as I have demonstrated on several occasions. You may learn as much in your turn."
Glawen stared blankly, at a loss for words. He became angry.
Crazy or not, Kirdy must be brought up short. An instant later he reconsidered. Anger would only amuse and reinforce Kirdy in his present phase. Glawen spoke coldly.
"Your manner is unacceptable. It is clear that we cannot work together. Both of us will take pleasure in your return to Cadwal. I will continue the investigation alone."
Kirdy's mouth twisted into a crooked smile.
"Aha, Captain Clattuc! That's what you wanted from the start!"
"Think whatever you like. Bodwyn Wook asked me to bring you along; that is why you are here, in the hope of straightening you out."
"And you blame me for my difficulties? That is generous of you."
"Wrong. I am committed to Bodwyn Wook, and I will continue to put up with you, but only if here and now you decide to straighten out. That means you must act like a normal person. I refuse to cope with your surly fits any longer."
Kirdy glared, opening and closing his hands. Glawen watched him closely, prepared for anything.
"Make up your mind," said Glawen.
Kirdy temporized. He spoke in grumbling tones: "What you ask is easier said than done."
"I suspect it's not so hard as you make out. Proper behavior should be second nature to a Wook. You know how to act; why don't you simply do so?"
"As I told you, it's easier said than done."
"Hard or easy, I don't care. Do it or go home."
"I can do only the best I can."
"That means you'll do only as well as you want to, which isn't good enough. Make up your mind. Sane behavior, or the first ship home."
Kirdy shut the door with a thud. Glawen turned away and went down to the lobby. At the moment Kirdy was furious, but--so Glawen believed--in a sane and normal fashion. In a few minutes he would cool off and take stock of the situation.
Glawen imagined him standing by the gray-glass wall, big face creased in thought. Perhaps the fragments of his old conscious mind might come together, taking strength from necessity, and renew a normal dominance over the subconscious mind. Perhaps the crafty subconscious would feign normalcy and try to deceive Glawen. Too bad, thought Glawen, that Bodwyn Wook himself wasn't on hand to deal with the problem.
At the front desk Glawen inquired the whereabouts of the Phlodoric Agency and Bucyrus Tours. The clerk indicated a broad passage leading off around the central garden, with shops to the side.
"You will find these places along the Parade. Both are of good repute and deal often with folk of the highest connection, including, needless to say, Patrunes. Sirrah Kyrbs manages the Phlodoric Agency; Sirrah Fedor is equally efficient at Bucyrus Tours."
Glawen visited first the Phlodoric Agency. He identified himself to Sirrah Kyrbs, and was taken hurriedly into a back office, lest some highly connected patron notice his presence.
Sirrah Kyrbs, a portly gentleman of early middle age, carefully attired, groomed, perfumed, shorn and shod, accorded Glawen a formal if somewhat stiff courtesy.
"Sir, I am naturally curious as to the reason for your visit."
"I will explain presently, but first let me ask you this:
have you had dealings with Ogmo Enterprises?"
"Ogmo Enterprises? I think not. But let me consult my files." Sirrah Kyrbs touched buttons on his office computer, discovering no pertinent information.
"Sorry. I can't help you there."
"What of the Perfection of Joy excursion to Cadwal?"
Sirrah Kyrbs shook his head in bemusement.
"The same applies."
"Thank you, sir." Glawen took his leave.
At Bucyrus Tours Sirrah Fedor provided no more information than had Sirrah Kyrbs. Glawen returned to the lobby, where he found Kirdy, neatly dressed and apparently in full command of his faculties, sitting quietly to the side of the room.
Glawen went to join him. Kirdy jumped to his feet.
"Where have you been?" His voice, thought Glawen, was emotionally neutral, if a trifle tense. The question? It might be considered either fretful complaint or reasonable curiosity.
