"Captain." Softly. Breathlessly.

"What are you doing?"

"I haven't been able to see you any other way. You seem to be avoiding us."

"Not so. Fate itself is determined to distract me."

"Fate, Captain?" Though Az had regular congress with the Night he remained a faithful Praman.

"Poor choice of words. Hard not to pick up bad habits here. Especially when you have to fit in."

Az took no position in response. But he would be familiar with the problem.

Hecht asked, "See anybody paying attention to us?"

Headshake.

"How did you get in here?"

"Had myself carried in. They're still finding people out there."

Hecht levered himself into a sitting position. He was feeling better, now. He would be doing no running, though.

"You were the target, you know."

"What?" As though he had not heard it already, from Pinkus Ghort.

"The explosion was supposed to destroy you and the woman's house. They've been waiting for weeks for the chance."

"How do you know?"

"We know some of the people. We know who's paying them."

"Excellent. Why are you here?"

"To talk with my captain."

"Here in Brothe? You don't belong."

"We weren't given a choice, Captain. They wouldn't let us on the boats that took the Sha-lug and Lucidians out of Calzir. Men we knew, some from our own schools, showed us the edge of their weapons and made us stay. We weren't supposed to survive al-Khazen. Your attack, the Emperor's, the Instrumentalities that appeared, and the intercession by the Collegium, all those kept us from being slaughtered. Evidently it was extremely inconvenient that we survived. People have been hunting us ever since."

"Pretty much what I've suspected. But I can't get it to make sense. Gordimer's paranoia doesn't explain it."

"It isn't Gordimer. It's the Rascal. We're sure. For some reason we can't figure he's afraid of everybody who got him his mummies from Andesqueluz. He's determined to see us all dead. And you in particular."

Hecht shook his head slowly, checking to see if anyone was interested. "How bad has it been?"

"We lost Agban, Norts, and Falaq. And Hagid. Which could be a huge mistake. For the Rascal."

"I knew about Hagid. It happened…"

"He wanted to get to you. Some big secret. So big that he sneaked out of al-Qarn and came all the way here to tell you. You made an impression on that boy."

"And er-Rashal killed him."

"Not personally. He made it happen."

"You know for sure? You're not just speculating?"

"Half and half. The Rascal has a long, strong reach on the Night side."

"What's he up to?"

"I don't know. I don't want to speculate. Maybe he's just trying to conceal the facts."

"That we plundered Andesqueluz? He's wasting his time. It's common knowledge in the Collegium. That it was done. Not who did it, specifically."

"What?"

"I heard them talk about it. They know a lot we didn't suspect they knew. You saw the firepowder weapons at al-Khazen."

"I blamed that on you. I think everyone did."

"They already had them when I got there. Why are you here in Brothe?"

"To watch over you. Here comes your woman."

Charitable of Az. And he said it with no hint of disapproval.

Anna was paler than Hecht had ever seen. And looked immensely relieved. "I've been everywhere looking for you."

"I've been right here."

"Smart-ass."

"Really, Pinkus was supposed to tell you. And the Urgent woman was supposed to, too. She said I should be ashamed, worrying you the way I was. But I passed out when I tried to get up to go find you. The kids. What about the kids?"

To the side, where Anna would not see, Az made a tiny gesture when Hecht mentioned the widow Urgent. One little finger motion that meant, "Enemy."

"They're fine. Rattled at first. But now it's an adventure. Vali even started to say something but shut up after a couple of words. They're at the house. Making sure nobody helps themselves to my things. Two of Pinkus's men are there, too. But they didn't say anything about you. Except that I should come here to see if you were with the wounded."

"Pinkus was here. He thinks the firepowder was meant for me but exploded before they could get it up against the house."

Anna's eyes became smoldering pools of dread. "No."

"I'm sorry. That's what he thinks. I don't know why anyone would do that."

"Can you get up?"

"I think so, now. You might have to help." He did get his feet under him. He did not sway much. "It was a pleasure talking to you, Mr. Suppor. I'll keep your advice in mind." Ten steps away, he muttered to Anna, "Everyone wants to tell me a better way to do my job."

"He looked foreign."

"A Calziran Deve. Came to Brothe after the Crusade because he has family here. Told me all the ways I screwed up down there and how I could have done everything better. Give the Regiment credit. They're taking care of everyone equally." He stumbled. Anna caught hold before his legs went out from under him.

"You sure you're ready to go?" The healing brother was staring their way.

"I'll be all right. Let's just go." There were things he had to do because of this. Being Captain-General included huge symbolic obligations.

Hecht felt well enough until he saw the damage caused by the explosion. That was disheartening.

Part of the brick facing had fallen off Anna's house. The shock had powdered the mortar between bricks. Another half-dozen buildings had suffered as much. Or worse.

Amongst those, in the center of the street, there was a hole as deep as Hecht was tall. "Wow!"

He barely had imagination big enough to grasp the implications of that crater. That would require hundreds of pounds of firepowder, probably not the finest because the stuff was so hard to make.

That much firepowder represented a huge investment.

Much less firepowder had brought the hippodrome down.

His own stores, for use by all his forces, amounted to half a ton. His alchemists worked ten hours a day, six days a week. Finding the saltpeter was their biggest challenge.

There was a line of wagons in front of Anna's house. "What's this?" Hecht asked.

Anna said, "I don't know."

The teamsters were not there to help everyone in the neighborhood. They leaned against their vehicles, waiting. Looking disgruntled.

"Six of them. Ho. There's a familiar face."

Sourly, Anna asked, "Isn't that the woman who was at Titus's conversion shindig?"

The blond woman stood beside the first wagon, in front of the steps to Anna's house. "Looks like her." He was not sure though. Osa Stile's was the face he had recognized. Osa moved over beside the woman. "It is her. Herros? I'm not sure about the name."

Osa wore his go-out-into-the-city disguise. Which made him look like a street kid of about Pella's age. This street kid was enjoying life. His rags were not completely awful. And were almost clean.

Up close, Hecht asked, "What's going on?"

The woman said, "Grandfather wants you to move to his town house." She was not happy about that.

Osa Stile added, "Captain-General, Principate Delari hopes you and your lady will accept his offer of assistance." He paused, beckoned. "Come here, sir." Out of earshot of women, he said, "Here's the deal. Load up everything and move it over to the town house. He doesn't use it. You can move back after this place is fixed up."

Hecht did not respond. He was disoriented. He considered Anna's house. Pella and Vali stood where the front door had been. He glanced at the guards Ghort had assigned. He knew both. They would do their job.

"All right. I understand." He went back to Anna. "The Principate says to use his town house till we get your place restored. The wagons are supposed to take away anything that you don't want stolen."