WITH THE LIGHTNINGS(34)

Daniel leaned over her shoulder. The air-formed holographic display was visible only over a narrow angle; all Daniel could see from behind her was a quiver of color with no more substance than an image of the aurora borealis.

" `As the hydropter wallows in the greatest foulness but nonetheless ascends into the upper air,' " Adele said. It was a moment before Daniel realized she was quoting. " `So a man may hope, no matter how great his sin, to achieve the portals of heaven so long as he turn his face upward.' "

She touched her controls again. "I think," she said dryly, "that if we search a zoology database under `hydropter' we may find a more useful—there, I think."

She rose, turning the console's chair over to Daniel. He slid into it gratefully. At the top of the display area was the image of a creature identical to the one he'd bundled again into the folds of his handkerchief.

Daniel brought up the text. He could use the data unit—there was nothing unfamiliar about its controls—but he suspected he could have spent days at the terminal without getting the results the librarian had achieved in a minute or two.

"I gave your men the day off," Adele said behind him. "The locals have a holiday. Quite apart from fairness, they wouldn't be able to get into the warehouses for the stores they need."

"Fairness is important," Daniel said as he scanned the description of the hydropter; indeed, a member of the Barchidae. "A Cinnabar rating won't complain about hardship, but God help the officer he thinks is unfair. As for the stores—if Hogg couldn't get through the lock, Woetjans is quite capable of blasting the door down."

He rotated images of adult and juvenile hydropters. The display was so sharp the creatures looked solid. This was a naval-quality system, a light-year more advanced than anything he'd thought to find in Kostroma City.

"I can't get over the amount of work your sailors have done," Adele repeated. Her voice had moved away; she was beside one of the new cases, filled now with books arranged only by size. "And they took time to clear living quarters for themselves in the subbasement here."

She paused. "Ah, I hope that was all right? Ms. Woetjans said it'd save transit time and have other advantages."

"Quite all right," Daniel said. "She checked with me and I informed Maisie—that's Lieutenant Weisshampl. It keeps the detachment closer to its work, and I gather makes it easier to gather the necessary materials outside duty hours."

"Ah, I meant to ask about that," the librarian said in a tone that implied she wouldn't have raised the subject if Daniel hadn't brought it up. "Ah, I trust the wood and other materials aren't coming from navy stores?"

"No," Daniel said, "and the arrangement is quite legal."

He grinned broadly and continued, "Which is why I was informed about the details. You have a warrant from the Elector to receive goods and services for the library operation?"

"That's right," Adele said in puzzlement, "but it's worthless because all expenditures have to be approved by the Chancellor. Her approval hasn't been forthcoming even to the extent of my outstanding pay."

Daniel swiveled out of the console and stood; he didn't like to be seated while talking to a person who was standing.

"There's quite a lot of construction and reconstruction in Kostroma City," he explained. The idea had been his, though it couldn't have gone anywhere without Hogg's local contacts. "In the palace, but elsewhere as well."

"That's right," Adele agreed. She took in information the way a mudhole drank stones, a mild plop to indicate receipt and then a blank surface again.

"Quite a lot of what's being torn out or covered over would be considered valuable art back in Xenos," Daniel said. "Mosaics, frescoes, ornamental railings. Your warrant gives Hogg the right to collect that sort of thing and arrange with the officers of Cinnabar transports to carry them home. The difference in what Hogg pays local workmen for scrap and what he's getting for works of art from the officers covers the cost of shelving very nicely."

He coughed delicately. "With something left over, I assume, which is no more than proper. Ratings who do work beyond their normal duties are paid extra, and my personal finances are such that I'd really prefer those charges not come from my purse."

His chuckle had a hollow sound in his own ears.

Adele laughed merrily for the first time since Daniel had met her. "I've always claimed information was the most valuable resource there was," she said. "I'm glad to see you and your manservant have been able to achieve more tangible results from the theory than I ever did."