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beneath his partner's arm to his correct place. His line took two steps back
without him, and just
232 / WALTER JON WILLIAMS
as he caught up they surged forward again. Gregor wiped sweat away and smeared
cosmetic on his sleeve.
Damn this dance, anyway. He hadn't had enough time to leam it.
Now, at last, it was his turn to stay still while the third couples made a
passage. Mentally counting out eight mea-
sures, Gregor reached into a pocket arm and came up with the sterile vial. He
turned right on the eighth measure and did a back-to-back with his new
temporary partner, a
Tanquer in a pince-nez with smoked lenses. This uncov-
ered a view of the pretty girl who would be his temporary partner in about
forty-eight measures, and Gregor winked at her- She seemed surprised. Gregor
and the Tanquer finished their back-to-back and commenced eight measures of
siding.
"Sir," he said, producing the vial, "1 have just picked up something belonging
to Miss Amalia Jensen. Maybe we should give it back. Would you do me the favor
of passing it down the line?"
The Tanquer's nictitating membranes slid shut, which, together with the smoked
glass, produced an odd effect.
"Very well, strange young person," he said, and took the vial.
Gregor capered back to his permanent partner and blinked sweat from his eyes.
Thank God that was over.
Paavo Kuusinen looked down the set, saw something moving toward him. Looked
up, saw something coming
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He thought a few figures ahead, made a rapid calcula-
tion. He hooked his arm through the arm of the Khosalikh next to him. swung
the man around.
"Wait. Sir. This is next figure."
"No, sir. Now."
THE CROWN JEWELS I 233
"Sir." The voice was pained. Kuusinen had just altered their progression. He
and Kuusinen had just changed partners.
Amalia Jensen gave him a surprised look as the dance swept her away.
"Baron Sinn."
"General Gerald."
Gloating. "Try denying now that you're a spy."
The Baron was imperturbable- "I am a private noble-
man, trying to do my Empire a service."
Hah, thought the General. You think we're going to get the real artifact, and
that you're deceiving us by letting us think yours is going to be sterilized
when it's not. But I
saw your spunk get sterilized, and know all you're getting is small
meaningless coils of dead protein. So there. Hah.
The plot made the General's head hurt, but one thing he knew. This was better
than whipping the Imperial fleet.
More personally satisfying.
"Navarre will be finishing his business here. The estate auction is in five
days."
"I see."
"I've got one more stop on my tour, and then I'm going off to have my feet
done. We'll meet on Fantome, and start making arrangements for the play."
"Perhaps" dancing about her "I'li manage to attend the premiere."
"The pickings would be good, Drake, but can you do a good imitation of a
broken heart? You'd have to, you know."
Thoughtfully. "I suppose I could summon a tear or two."
"It would have to be more than that. After all, you're
234 / WALTER JON WILLIAMS
supposed to have engaged in a passionate and desperate romance with me here,
all while I was falling in love with the handsome lieutenant. Going to the
premiere might be
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Crown%20Jewels.txt more than your heart could bear."
Maijstral considered this while Nichole circled him.
"Perhaps you are right. A mere display of manly grief wouldn't be enough."
"Pity we can't tell the truth. The public would be enraged to discover that
you and I were faking a romance in order to pursue our various intrigues the
Diadem's followers insist on the authenticity of their illusions, and they'd
want to pay us back for fooling them."
Maijstral reflected on his decision, four years ago, not to seek membership in
the Diadem. He had no reason, he concluded, to regret it.
"I shall have to console myself with a recording," he said.
"I will send you one, but only if my performance is good. If I'm awful, 1 will
bum every copy."
Maijstral smiled. *'I shall consider the recording's ar-
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