Jack Vance - Demon Princes 04 - The Face.pdf

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The Face - The Demon
Princes 04
Jack Vance
The Demon Princes Series
Star King
The Killing Machine
ThePalaceofLove
The Face
The Book of Dreams
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The Face PART 1
Aloysius From Popular Handbook to the Planets, ??0thedition, 1525:
Aloysius, Vega VI
Planetary constants:
Diameter 7340 miles
Sidereal day 19.836218 hours
Mass 0,86331 standard Et cetera
Aloysius, with its sister planets Boniface and Cuthbert, is accounted among the first worlds to be
colonized from Earth, and the traveler who enjoys the ambience of antiquity will here find much to please
him. Contrary to popular assumption, the first settlers were not religious zealots but members of the
Natural Universe Society, who dealt gingerly with the new environment, and built nothing at discord with
the landscape.
The NUS is long gone, but its influence still permeates the system, and almost everywhere will be noted
a sedate reverence for native customs and textures.
The axis of Aloysius inclines to an angle of ?1.7 degrees from its plane of orbit; there are seasonal
fluctuations of notable severity, mollified somewhat by a dense and moist atmosphere. Of the seven
continents Marcy’s Land is the largest, with New Wexford its chief city. The least of the continents is
Gavin’s Land, on which is situated the city Pontefract.
It may here be noted that each land, during the Sacerdotal Epochs, represented the diocese of a cardinal
and bore his name, thus: Cardinal Marcy’s Land, Cardinal Bodant’s Land, Cardinal Dimpey’s Land, and
so forth. The appellative has fallen into disuse and is rarely heard.
Through a policy of low taxes and favorable regulations, both Pontefract and New Wexford have long
functioned as important financial centers, with influence reaching everywhere across the Oikumene. Many
important publishing houses also make their headquarters at these places, including the prestigious
Cosmopolis magazine.
Religions, sects, creeds, movements, countermovements, orthodoxies, heresies, inquisitions: this is the
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stuff of early Vegan history; emphatically so on Aloysius, which derives its name from the patron samt of
the Aloysian Order.
The Ambrosians, who preceded the Aloysians, founded the city Rath Eileann besideLakeFeamish , at
the center of Linliffet’s Land. The conflicts between these nominally devotional brotherhoods make a
fascinating chronicle.
Indigenous flora and fauna are not particularly noteworthy. Through intensive effort by the original
settlers, terrestrial trees and shrubs are widespread, the conifers especially finding a hospitable
environment, and the seas are stocked with selected terrestrial fish.
Jehan Addels, after his meticulous habit, arrived ten minutes early to the place of rendezvous. Before
alighting from his car he took pains to scrutinize the surroundings. The scenery was dramatic but
apparently devoid of menace; Addels found nothing to excite his misgivings. To the right stood
Phruster’sInn , with timbers blackened by centuries of wind and rain, and the Dunveary Crags beyond,
rising crag upon buttress, finally to disappear behind high mist. To the left Phruster’s Prospect confronted
three-quarters of a full circle and several thousand square miles of territory, varying with whims of the
weather.
Addels alighted from his car, cast a single skeptical glance up the awesome Dunveary slopes, and
walked out upon the observation platform. Leaning against the parapet he hunched his shoulders against
the wind and waited: a thin man with parchment-colored skin and a high balding forehead.
The time was close upon midmorning; halfway up the sky Vega glowed pale through the mist. A dozen
other folk stood along the parapet. Addels subjected each to a careful inspection. Their flounced and
tasseled garments in muted reds, browns, and dark green marked them for country folk; residents of the
town dressed only in shades of brown, with an occasional black ornament. This group seemed innocent.
Addels turned his attention to the panorama:LakeFeamish to the left, Rath Eileann below,
vaporousMoyValley to the right.... He frowned down at his watch. The man whom he awaited had given
precise instructions. A lack of punctuality might well indicate crisis. Addels gave a sniff, to express both
envy and disdain for a way of life so much more eventful than his own.
The time of the appointment was at hand. Addels noticed a path which, originating at the edge of Rath
Eileann far below, slanted back and forth up the hillside, to terminate at a flight of steps cut into the rock
nearby. Up this path came a man of average stature, unobtrusively muscular, with rather harsh
cheekbones, flat cheeks, thick dark hair cropped short. This was Kirth Gersen, of whom Addels knew
little except that by some mysterious means, no doubt illegitimate, Gersen had come into the possession
of vast wealth. Addels earned a large salary as Gersen’s legal adviser, to date with his scruples, such as
they were, intact. Gersen seemed well acquainted with IPCC procedures, which in times of stress
afforded Addels a degree of nervous comfort.
Gersen ran up the steps, paused, saw Addels, and crossed the observation deck. Addels took
dispassionate note that after a climb which would have reduced Addels to a state of gasping exhaustion,
Gersen was not even breathing deeply.
Addels performed a stately gesture of greeting. ‘I am pleased to find you in good health.’
‘Exactly so,’ said Gersen. ‘Your journey was pleasant?’
‘I was distrait; I hardly noticed,’ said Addels in a measured and meaningful voice. ‘But certainly you are
enjoying your stay at the Domus?’
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Gersen assented ‘I sit in the lobby for hours absorbing the atmosphere ‘
‘For this reason you remain here at Rath Eileann?’
‘Not altogether This is what I want to discuss with you, where we won’t be overheard ‘
Addels looked right and left ‘You suspect eavesdroppers at the Domus?’
‘Up here the risk is at least minimized I have taken the usual precautions, no doubt you have done the
same ‘
‘I have taken all the precautions I thought necessary,’ said Addels ‘In that case, we are almost certainly
secure ‘
Addels’ only response was a frosty chuckle For a moment the two men stood leaning on the parapet,
overlooking the gray city, the lake, and the misty valley beyond Gersen spoke ‘The local spaceport is at
Slayhack, north of the lake. A week from today the Ettilia Gargantyf will arrive. The registered owner is
the Celerus Transport Company based at Vire on Sadal Suud Four. This ship was at one time the
Fanutis registered to Service Spaceways, also at Vire. The registrations are both nominal. The ship then
was the property of Lens Larque, and so presumably is now. Addels pursed his lips in distaste ‘In our
conversation you mentioned his name. Somewhat to my distress, I must admit He is a notorious criminal ‘
‘Quite so ‘
‘And you intend to conduct business with him? Inadvisable. He is not to be trusted ‘
‘Our business runs along different lines As soon as the Ettilia Gargantyf arrives, I want a lien, or some
other such instrument, placed against ship and cargo, so that the ship is impounded without any possibility
of departure I want title to the ship attached, so that the actual owner-not his agent or his legal
representative-must come here to protect his interests ‘
Addels frowned ‘You want to bring Lens Larque here to Rath Eileann? An extravagant hope ‘
‘It is worth a trial He will naturally use another identity ‘
‘Lens Larque standing before a court of law? Absurd ‘
‘Quite so. Lens Larque enjoys absurdities. He is also avaricious. If the action appears legitimate, he
won’t want to lose his ship by default.’
Addels gave a grunt of grudging acquiescence ‘I can tell you this, at least. The most convincing disguise
for legitimacy is legitimacy itself. There should be no trouble discovering a basis for action. Spaceships
trail a rash of small complaints in their wake. The difficulty is one of jurisdiction. Has this ship touched
Rath Eileann before?’
‘Not to my knowledge. Ordinarily it works the Argo Fringe.’
Addels said in a formal voice, ‘I will give the matter my best attention ‘
‘An important point to remember. Lens Larque is not an amiable man, for all his tricks and fancies. My
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name-I hardly need emphasize this-must not be used. You yourself would be wise to act discreetly ‘
Addels ran nervous fingers through his sparse blond hair. ‘I don’t care to confront him at all, discreetly
or otherwise ‘
‘Nevertheless,’ said Gersen, ‘the ship must be immobilized here at Rath Eileann. Use a writ of
attachment, or replevin or some such document. The real owner must definitely appear, or else lose title
by default’
Addels said peevishly, ‘If the ownership is corporate, or vested in a limited society, no such result is
possible. The action is not all that easy.’
Gersen gave a grim laugh ‘If it were easy, I’d do it myself ‘
‘I quite understand,’ said Addels in a morose voice ‘Let me think the matter over for a day or two.’
Three days later, in Gersen’s chambers at Domus St Revelras, a musical tone signaled an incoming call.
Gersen touched the ‘Monitor’ button; a cascade of exploding asterisks certified that the line was free of
interference. A few seconds later Addels’ fine-boned face appeared on the screen ‘I have made guarded
inquiries,’ spoke Addels in his most didactic voice. ‘I have obtained definite judicial opinion to the effect
that an action of the sort you envisage is valid only if a local citizen has suffered substantial damage, that
debt or damage having optimally occurred locally and at a recent time. As of now we satisfy none of the
requirements. Therefore we could not obtain a valid writ.’
Gersen nodded. ‘I expected as much.’ He waited patiently while Addels pulled at his bony chin and
selected words.
‘In connection with the Ettilia Gargantyr itself, I have searched records for liens, debts, and other actions
under litigation. As ships of space pass from port to port, they often incur small debts or inflict minor
damages, which usually no one troubles to pursue. The Ettilia Gargantyr is no exception. Two years ago
an incident occurred at Thrump on David Alexander’s Planet. The captain provided a banquet for a
group of local freight agents, employing ship’s stewards and other personnel to prepare and serve the
meal. Instead of the Gargantyr’s mess hall, he chose to use a chamber at the spaceport. The Thrump
Victuallers Guild asserted that such a process contravened local ordinance. They registered a claim for
lost wages and punitive damages. The ship departed before a summons could be served, so the action
remains in abeyance, pending the ship’s return, which is unlikely.’
Addels paused to reflect. Gersen waited patiently. Addels made delicate adjustment of his thoughts and
spoke on: ‘The Victualler Guild meanwhile negotiated a loan with a certain Cooney’s Bank, chartered at
Thrump on the same David Alexander’s Planet. Along with other assets they pledged the cause of action
against the Ettilia Gargantyr. A month or so ago the Guild defaulted on the debt, and the suit has now
been transferred to the interest of Cooney’s Bank.’
Addels’ voice took on a speculative tone. ‘It has often occurred to me that your affairs might most
flexibly be handled through a bank. Cooney’s Bank, while essentially sound, suffers from a tired old
management. The stock sells at a reasonable price and you could easily buy control. Branches might then
be established wherever it became expedient to do so: for instance at Rath Eileann.’
‘The lawsuit could then be transferred, so I assume.’
‘Quite correct.’
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