"Also slightly whirly, I imagine," grinned Thomakein. "Well, Elanane,
you may sleep in the royal apartment tonight. We'll be there shortly.
One more thing. You'll see Charalas. He's not aware. But you'll
be hidden because of your resemblance to Elanane and the Ertinian
dress, and so forth, plus the idea that no one--no, never--would ever
impersonate the lanee! The latter is going to get us over a lot of
close spots, Guy."
"I won't fear meeting Charalas. As long as you think I'm capable, I
must be. You know the answers to this problem, Kane."
"From now on, it's Thomakein," reminded the latter. "And don't forget
it for your life. That's one job--remembering one another's names--that
we'll both have to work at."
"Right--Thomakein."
"Dead right--Elanane!"
XVII.
In the lanee's apartments, Guy sat down to think. It was morning,
breakfast was over, and Guy had enjoyed a full night of deep and honest
sleep. He had analyzed things to his satisfaction right up to the next
move, and that troubled him.
There was no doubting Thomakein's statements concerning the need
for masquerade, though Guy wondered whether it wasn't slightly
off color. But Thomakein was of Ertene, and should know the temper
of the Ertinians better than any Terran. Certainly there was no
doubting Thomakein's ideals. And as for his friendship--that was well
established.
But Thomakein was a little glib in expecting a rank outsider to come
in and masquerade as a Public figure. It would be hard enough to act
as a mere citizen with no popularity, let alone a rising, popular, and
well-balanced governor of a planet.
He fingered the book of Elanane's friends and their descriptions and
habits, and despaired of ever being able to call them by name, much
less knowing them well enough to discuss their favorite subjects with
them. It was a heavy volume, and Guy knew that Elanane was very much
loved by his people.
Habit set in at this point, and Guy opened his little kit to shave
before he recalled the depilatory that Thomakein gave him. Shaving, for
Guy Maynard, was over forever since his trial of the rather tingling
unguent that morning.
But--beside his razor was the partly-assembled thought-beam instrument.
Guy laughed aloud.
This would put him in the possession of anything that was needed. And
Guy grinned again. This was his secret. Let Thomakein think that he was
really brilliant. He'd use the thought-beam gadget for himself, and
use it for the best. Besides, letting knowledge of the thought-beam
instrument out would be as dangerous for Guy on Ertene as it would
have been on Terra. No one alive, save Guy, knew of the instrument. Its
inventors were dead and gone and every instrument of its kind a smoking
mass of burned components. For his own protection, he would keep this
one secret.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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