The doors opened again. Now Ferus realized fully why he’d been kept waiting. Bog wanted to make sure that Ferus knew that even though he’d been sent by the Emperor, it was Bog who was in charge.
“Ah,” Bog said, by way of greeting. He held out a hand but didn’t move. Ferus had to step forward to greet him. Bog was dressed in the gray tunic that most Imperial functionaries wore to match the soldier’s outfits. Over it, he had thrown a royal blue cloak embroidered with gold thread. He had aged since Ferus had last seen him, ten years ago at the Galactic Games. His hair was dyed jet-black, and his florid face was now broad. His middle had thickened and his hair had thinned.
“Ferus Olin,” he said. “Welcome to Samaria. I trust you found the Emperor in good health.”
Ferus didn’t think that “good health” would under any circumstances describe the Emperor, but he nodded anyway.
“The government of Samaria asked for our help,” Bog said, folding his hands and putting on a grave expression. “Naturally the Empire was quick to reach out a hand. I am that hand,” he said portentously.
Which I guess makes me a finger, Ferus thought. But he kept his mouth shut. It was important to keep Bog on his side, at least for now.
“The prime minister here seems to have lost control of his planet,” Bog continued in a jovial tone. “Haven’t you, old friend?”
Ferus saw the flush of annoyance on barker’s face. The contempt within Bog’s tone made it clear again who was in charge here.
“How kind of you to elevate me to old friend when we’ve known each other such a short time,” barker said in a polite tone. Ferus strained to hear the sarcasm in it but could find none. Nevertheless he knew it was there.
“A friend in need, indeed,” Bog continued. He wheeled and addressed Ferus. “You were supposed to land at the palace,” he said.
“I wasn’t aware I was under orders,” Ferus replied.
Bog stared at him expressionlessly for a moment, then let out a booming laugh. “Just so! You’re not in the Imperial army! So I suppose it makes sense to reject the advice of those who know better. The space lanes are dangerous in Sath.”
“I walked,” Ferus said.
This brought an incredulous look from Bog. “In the heat? I guess you’re not aware that Samaria is a desert planet, ha-ha!”
Ferus was getting bored with Bog’s attempts to put him in his place. He turned to Larker. “Have you had many problems with lawbreaking?”
Relieved to have his expertise consulted, Larker shook his head. “Not yet, but of course it is of concern. So far the Sathans are making the best they can out of a hard situation.”
“Yes, I see that they’re setting up a bartering system,” Ferus said.
“We’re working on establishing government-approved values,” Larker said. “That way, everything will be clear, and the people will be able to figure out how to get food and fuel. That is our most important job at the moment. The saboteur has left no trace in the system. Every time we go in to try a fix, something else malfunctions. One day we’ll have our transportation running, or our space lanes monitored, and then the next they’ll be out again.”
Ferus nodded. “I’ve seen this kind of bug before. If the saboteur is clever enough, it can be extraordinarily difficult to fix.”
“I’m sure we’ll be able to crack it,” Bog said, obviously annoyed at being left out of the conversation. “Then we’ll get everything under control.”
Everything under his control, Ferus realized. This would be a test for Bog. Ferus would fix the problem, Bog would take the credit, rise in the Imperial hierarchy, and be the real power on the planet. It was a transparent plan, and the funny thing was that although Ferus was aware of it and Larker was undoubtedly aware of it, Bog still thought that his plan was shrouded in mystery. There was nothing worse, Ferus thought, than a dull man who was convinced of his cleverness.
But he couldn’t underestimate Bog. He knew from experience that the combination of aggressiveness and ambition could make a being dangerous. Especially with the full might of the Empire behind him.
Now Ferus realized why he’d been sent. This wasn’t about helping a planet not that he’d believed that in the first place. Bog’s presence here and the way he treated Larker made it clear: This was about taking over Samaria. If Ferus fixed their central computer system, he’d be giving the Imperials the method to control the planet completely.
CHAPTER FOUR
The spaceport at the city of Ussa on Bellassa was tightly controlled by the Empire. All arrivals and departures were monitored. Since Trever was wanted on his home planet, he needed to arrive with false ID does.