The Domino Pattern Read Online Free PDF Page A

“But in a case of such importance, surely an exception can be made.”
    “And indeed must be made,” I put in.
    [We cannot grant this permission,] Bofiv said. [We are not kin, nor of similar path.]
    “What about di -Master Strinni?” Kennrick asked. “I believe he and Master Colix were of similar paths.”
    The two Shorshians looked at each other. [That may perhaps be proper,] Bofiv said, a little reluctantly. [But the approach is not mine to make.]
    [Nor mine,] the other Shorshian added.
    “I understand. Master Tririn,” Kennrick said, nodding to him. He looked over at me. “It was Mr. Compton’s idea. Mr. Compton can ask di -Master Strinni.”
    [That is acceptable,] Bofiv said before I could protest.
    I grimaced. But there was no way out of it. Not if we wanted to find out what had killed the late Master Colix. “Where’s di -Master Strinni now?” I asked.
    “He has a seat in first class,” Kennrick said. “I’ll take you there.”
    “Thank you,” I said. “Bayta, you might as well wait here.”
    “I could—” she began, then broke off. “All right,” she said instead.
    I gestured to Kennrick. “After you.”
    We left the dispensary and headed down the darkened, quiet corridor toward the front of the train. “Thanks so very much for this,” I murmured to him as we walked.
    “My pleasure,” he said calmly. “I still have a business relationship with these people. If they end up being mortally offended at someone, I’d rather it be you than me.”
    “Can’t fault the logic,” I had to admit. “What exactly is this similar path thing Bofiv mentioned, and how come he and a di -Master are at the same place on it.”
    “It’s a religious thing.” Kennrick said. “The Path of something unpronounceable and untranslatable. Very big among the professional classes at the moment.”
    “Really,” I said, frowning. Major changes in alien religious alignments were one of the things Human intelligence agencies worked very hard to keep tabs on. “I don’t remember any briefings on that.”
    “It really only took off in the past couple of years,” Kennrick said. “A lot of Shorshians call it a cult and look down their bulbous snouts at it.”
    “What’s your take?” I asked.
    He shrugged. “I’m just a lowly Human. What do I know?”
    Di -Master Strinni’s seat was near the center of the rear first-class car. Unlike the seats in second and third, those in first could be folded completely flat for sleeping, with extendable canopies instead of the far less roomy cylindrical roll-over privacy shields that were standard in the lower classes. Strinni himself hadn’t bothered with the canopy tonight, but was merely lying asleep with his inner eyelids closed against the soft glow of the car’s night-lights and the scattered handful of reading lamps still operating.
    I’d never had cause to try waking a Shorshian from a sound sleep, and it turned out to be harder than I’d expected, But with Kennrick’s encouragement I persisted, and eventually the inner eyelids rolled back up and Strinni came fully conscious.
    He wasn’t at all happy at being woken up out of his sleep. But his annoyance disappeared as soon as he heard the grim news. [You believe this not merely a random tragedy?] he asked after I’d explained the situation.
    “We’re not sure,” I said. “That’s why we need to test some tissue samples.”
    [Might there be a Guidesman of the Path aboard?]
    “No idea, di -Master Strinni,” Kennrick said.
    “I could ask one of the conductors,” I offered.
    The inner eyelids dipped down. I was just wondering if he’d gone back to sleep when they rolled up again. [No need,] he said. [If there was one, that truth would have been made known to me.]
    Kennrick and I looked at each other. “So is that a yes?” I suggested.
    [No.] he said flatly. [You may not cut into Master Colix’s flesh.]
    I braced myself. “ Di -Master Strinni—”
    [The subject is closed,] he cut me off. He