Legacy | Page 3

good friends.
Doctor Plemponi removed a crammed breakfast tray from a wall chef,
took a chair across from Trigger, sat down with the tray on his knees,
excused himself, and began to eat and talk simultaneously.
"Before we go into that very reasonable complaint you made to Mihul

yesterday," he said, "I wish you'd let me point out a few things."
Trigger nodded. "Please do."
"You, Trigger," Plemponi told her, "are an honored guest here at the
Colonial School. You're the daughter of our late friend and colleague
Runser Argee. You were one of our star pupils--not just as a small-arms
medallist either. And now you're the secretary and assistant of the
famous Precolonial Commissioner Holati Tate--which makes you
almost a participant in what may well turn out to be the greatest
scientific event of the century.... I'm referring, of course," Plemponi
added, "to Tate's discovery of the Old Galactic plasmoids."
"Of course," agreed Trigger. "And what is all this leading up to,
Plemp?"
He waved a piece of toast at her. "No. Don't interrupt! I still have to
point out that because of the exceptional managerial abilities you
revealed under Tate, you've been sent here on detached duty for the
Precolonial Department to aid the Commissioner and Professor
Mantelish in the University League's Plasmoid Project. That means
you're a pretty important person, Trigger! Mantelish, for all his
idiosyncrasies, is undoubtedly the greatest living biologist in the
League. And the Plasmoid Project here at the school is without
question the League's most important current undertaking."
"So I've been told," said Trigger. "That's why I want to find out what's
gone haywire with it."
"In a moment," Plemponi said. "In a moment." He located his napkin,
wiped his lips carefully. "Now I've mentioned all this simply to make it
very, very clear that we'll do anything we can to keep you satisfied.
We're delighted to have you with us. We are honored!" He beamed at
her. "Right?"
Trigger smiled. "If you say so. And thanks very much for all the lovely
compliments, Doctor. But now let's get down to business."

Plemponi glanced over at Mihul and looked evasive. "That being?" he
asked.
"You know," Trigger said. "But I'll put it into specific questions if you
like. Where's Commissioner Tate?"
"I don't know."
"Where is Mantelish?"
He shook his head. "I don't know that either." He began to look
unhappy.
"Oh?" said Trigger. "Who does know then?"
"I'm not allowed to tell you," Doctor Plemponi said firmly.
Trigger raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Federation security," Plemponi said, frowning. He added, "I wasn't
supposed to tell you that either, but what could I do?"
"Federation security? Because of the plasmoids?"
"Yes.... Well.... I'd--I don't know."
Trigger sighed. "Is it just me you're not supposed to tell these things
to?"
"No, no, no," Plemponi said hastily. "Nobody. I'm not supposed to
admit to anyone that I know anything of the whereabouts of Holati Tate
or Professor Mantelish."
"Fibber!" Trigger said quietly. "So you know!"
Plemponi looked appealingly at Mihul. She was grinning. "My lips are
sealed, Trigger! I can't help it. Please believe me."
"Let me sum it up then," Trigger said, tapping the arm of her chair with

a finger tip. "Eight weeks ago I get pulled off my job in the Manon
System and sent here to arrange the organizational details of this
Plasmoid Project. The only reason I took on the job, as a temporary
assignment, was that Commissioner Tate convinced me it was
important to him to have me do it. I even let him talk me into doing it
under the assumed name of Ruya Farn and"--she reached up and
touched the side of her head--"and to dye my hair. For no sane reason
that I could discover! He said the U-League had requested it."
Doctor Plemponi coughed. "Well, you know, Trigger, how sensitive the
League is to personal notoriety."
The eyebrow went up again. "Notoriety?"
"Not in the wrong sense!" Plemponi said hastily. "But your name has
become much more widely known than you may believe. The news
viewers mentioned you regularly in their reports on Harvest Moon and
the Commissioner. Didn't they, Mihul?"
Mihul nodded. "You made good copy, kid! We saw you in the
solidopics any number of times."
"Well, maybe," Trigger said. "The cloak and dagger touches still don't
make much sense to me. But let's forget them and go on.
"When we get here, I manage to see Mantelish just once to try to find
out what his requirements will be. He's pretty vague about them.
Commissioner Tate is in and out of the Project--usually out. He's also
turned pretty vague. About everything. Three weeks ago today I'm told
he's gone. Nobody here can, or will, tell me where he's gone or how he
can be contacted.