True, the guilds did not always inform each other when security on an operation was extreme—and particularly the Assassins’ Guild did not use regular communications when the Shadow Guild might be at issue. The Shadow Guild had identical equipment, identical communications—had once had identical codes, one having been part of the other not that long ago, in a scheme that reached back decades. There was also, though lessened now, the possibility of sleeper agents in their own network, so that wherever Shadow Guild interests might be drawn into a situation, the Assassins occasionally sent false messages on their regular networks to try to draw out such persons, operating in constantly changing codes.
That much he knew of their procedures. The Assassins did not generally deploy noisy means—but if somebody was intending to get down from the heights ahead of Bregani’s return, a train was the only way. There were two authorities that might make such a move: the Assassins’ Guild Council, making its own assault on the Dojisigin Marid, and declining to discuss the move with the aiji-dowager—or Tabini-aiji moving forces, either to protect the dowager—or to restrain her from a move that could set fire to the whole Marid. The Hasjuran grade was not the easiest or safest route from Shejidan to the northern Marid, but it was the fastest.
Granted Ilisidi had not consulted with her grandson nearly as thoroughly as she should have done in advance of this venture.
Granted Tabini might have some reservations about her mood and the outcome of a mistake.
Maybe her sending a trainload of Guild down to hold Bregani’s capital had tripped an alarm and set Tiajo to invade Senjin outright.
That would not be good news.
Tano, half of the second team of Bren’s bodyguard, left the compartment for the through passage, headed, Bren was sure, for the Guild car forward of theirs. The senior member of that team, Algini, exchanged a hand-signal with Banichi, head of the unit, and went out, likewise on a mission of some kind.
Banichi along with his partner, Jago, stayed with Bren, while Narani and his assistant Jeladi moved quietly to the galley nook and set water to heating. Tea and wafers would be available.
Bren went in search of his slippers, that seeming about all that the paidhi-aiji could do about the situation, besides staying out of everyone’s way. If Ilisidi wanted his presence, she would call him, and Bregani and the rest would simply have to wait for information. He found his slippers not where he expected, but close by the rumpled bed, then came back to the little galley to a seat at the adjacent table, a narrow fixture that served them additionally as conference table and office.
“We just do not know, do we?” Bren said to Jeladi as Jeladi set a steaming cup in front of him.
“Not yet, nandi,” Jeladi acknowledged.
“But no one will have slept through that.” He took a sip of hot tea, enjoying the warmth in his hands as Jeladi stood waiting for orders. The whole car, like the cup, like the seat, was scaled for atevi. His feet did not reach the floor. He tucked one slippered foot behind his knee, to finish thawing it. “We should communicate with our passengers, Ladi-ji, that first. Barring some order from the dowager, or a problem aboard, I shall need messages run in a moment.”
“Nandi.” Jeladi bowed. “I shall get my coat.”
“I should dress,” Bren said. “But I shall write the notes first.” Another sip of tea. Then he set down the source of warmth and took the writing kit and three sheets of paper from the caddy on the walled side of the little table. A call from the dowager to ask him about the train was not likely: he had no information to give her. But when the dowager moved on to next questions, in particular anything regarding the possibility of her grandson’s actions interfering with her operation, he could not be found sipping tea and doing nothing.
Keeping their assorted passengers from attempting moves of their own was a start.
Selecting a sheet, he wrote hurriedly.
Bren paidhi-aiji to Machigi, Lord of the Taisigin Marid.
We were also startled by the passage of the train and as yet have no explanation. We are secure here, we are amply defended, and the aiji-dowager will be seeking an answer. It is possible, though only my own theory, that the aiji may just have put additional forces at the dowager’s disposal.
That was the entirely optimistic interpretation. They were days out from the capital. If anything had been launched from there, it was not due to recent developments.
Please stay where you are and rest if possible. We have no appearance of local danger and certainly right now the descent to the Marid is unavailable to us, so long as that train’s whereabouts and the track conditions are unknown. I shall inform you the moment I have additional information.
It was essentially the same message in all three notes, one to their ally Machigi, one to Bregani, and one to Nomari—the latter being Transportation Guild himself—and likely with a more specific image of what could possibly be going on, at least as regarded the way down to the Marid.
To Nomari, instead of the last paragraph, he wrote: Advise your bodyguard if you have any insight into the situation of the train that passed us, who it may be, or any technical problem it may cause us if ill-intentioned. Your aishid will relay it where useful.
And he added, as an afterthought. At some time this morning, granted my schedule has not yet materialized, I should welcome a conference with you regarding conditions on the descent. I have questions.
Bregani had been supposed to go down that route last night. Ilisidi had promised him as a condition of his coming up here that, if he came, he would be given safe transport back again, possibly soon enough that no one would have realized his absence. That expedited return had not happened. Prior to the signing of the agreement of association with Ilisidi and with his old enemy Machigi, there had been dinner. There had been further negotiations. Details to work out. By the time the signing was completed, it had been very late. Rumors had spread through Bregani’s capital and the repercussions had begun. Bregani’s acceptance of Guild assistance had set protections in place and begun a sweep for hidden problems, but Bregani’s return had been delayed awaiting an all-clear from the Guild.
Too, there was the matter of courtesy to their host, Topari of Hasjuran. For all Hasjuran and Senjin were neighbors, give or take a hazardous rail link, these two had never met. Topari, lord of Hasjuran, smallest and least of the provinces in the Western Association, of which they all were members, had not been party to the signing of the previous night’s agreement. He was not a man used to conference rooms and delicate maneuvering, and being firmly counted as a lord of the aishidi’tat, he could not wish to entangle himself and his people in the politics of the Marid.
Economically, however, his tiny province stood to benefit greatly by the new agreement, and to that end he would soon, if all went well, sign a separate agreement, forming an association with, specifically, Ilisidi and her associate, Lord Machigi. That agreement would create an additional felicitously three-way agreement. In it, Topari was promised increased trade—and a large warehouse to handle the increased trade. Machigi’s link would bring far more traffic into the system—entailing jobs, and fees and recognition of the district within the aishidi’tat, all of which were very welcome with Topari and Hasjuran.