"I prefer to wait for the omnibus."
"Come, Glawen! Just a bit closer to the flyer. You don't care to walk? No matter. We'll drag you. Feri, get busy with the rope. Now, then--" Two men seized Glawen and marched him to the flyer. There Feri dropped a loop around Glawen's ankles, a half hitch around his arms and chest and another half hitch around his neck. The other end of the rope passed through the cargo hatch into the flyer, where it could be cast off at an appropriate moment, somewhere over the steppe.
"You have forgotten something," said Glawen.
"Eh? What is that?"
"I am an IPCC officer."
"I bear you no special malice on that account," said Barch.
"Gentlemen, are we ready? Then let us be up and away."
Plock appeared from the far side of the flyer, carrying a gun pointed in the direction of the four policemen.
"What seems to be going on?"
"Oh, my," said Barch.
"It's Party Plock."
Plock looked from face to face.
"Do I recognize Inspectors Barch and Tanaquil?"
"You do," said Barch, in a voice suddenly subdued.
"It appears that Glawen, so callow and innocent, has played us a trick."
"A harsh cruel trick," said Inspector Tanaquil.
"Something of the sort," said Flock.
"Still, if you recall, he warned you, and warned you again, that you were molesting an IPCC officer."
Barch spoke in doleful tones: "I conceived it to be no more than youthful vainglory."
Two of Flock's men came up from behind and searched the Fexels, taking their weapons. A third released Glawen from the "Fexelburg hammock."
Glawen said: "I am disappointed with Inspectors Barch and Tana quil. They truly meant to kill me. Strange. They were so friendly at Fexelburg. I have a great deal to learn about human nature."
"Orders are orders," said Barch.
"They must be obeyed."
"Who gave you these orders?" asked Plock.
"Allow me the dignity of faithful silence, Commander Plock."
"Out here in Lutwiler Country, I must be called Chief Adjudicant Plock."
"Just as you like. Chief Adjudicant."
"I am afraid that I must press you for an answer. You can die your death either here, faithless and undignified, or totally silent, totally dignified, inside a crawl of purple ooze."
"Has it come to that?"
"This is Lutwiler Country. You tried to murder an IPCC agent in cold blood. You know the rules."
"Yes. I know the rules."
"I will tell you this. You shall not eat your breakfast this day, but console yourself. Tonight many of your superiors will not be dining at their favorite resorts. We cookie-pushers are ready to clean out the Fexelburg police force. Once more: who gave you the orders?"
"Wullin, naturally, as you well know."
"No one higher up the ladder?"
"I wouldn't dare call them at that time of night."
"Wullin might, and Wullin will tell me before he dies."
"Why bother to ask him? Everyone is in it together."
"In a week they will all be gone. You are the first, if it is any consolation to you." Plock fired his gun four times and four corpses lay in the road.
Plock went into the general store and summoned the white-faced Keelums.
"I assume that you have a power wagon of sorts?"
"Yes, sir, that I do, and quite a good vehicle, which we use to bring in stuffs from Fexelburg."
"Here is ten sols. Bring out your power wagon, load these four dead hulks aboard, take them out on the steppe and drop them off where they will give no offense. As you see, we are IPCC officers, and this is your command: say nothing of this matter to anyone."
"No, sir! Not a word to anyone!"
"Then be quick, before the whole village is up and about."
Plock returned to the road. Glawen, sorting through the weapons taken from the Fexelburg police, selected a small handgun for his own use, which he tucked into the pocket of his jacket.
"Our business here is done," said Plock.
"Are you of a mind now to visit Pogan's Point?"
"I am ready," said Glawen.
"The police flyer will be useful," said Plock. He spoke to the two full agents.
"Kylte, Narduke: the two of you follow us in the extra flyer to Pogan's Point."
