CHAPTER TWELVE
     Several days later, everyone found themselves in the
office of Nora MacPherson once more.  This time, however, the
circumstances were very much different.
     The office showed signs of wear, though not as much as
might be expected.  Being Nora MacPherson had its advantages,
one of which was quick repairs.  Still, there was a different
desk in the room, and the window glass still had the stickers
on it, proof that the adventure of the day before had really
happened.
     "So let me get this straight," said Goulet with a snort.
"You're going to tell the 3WA that you *hired* them?!"
     "Of course," said Nora.  She leaned back and put her
feet on the desk.  "You see, I've known for some time that
things weren't entirely kosher within my great empire.  I
suspected a conspiracy.  I couldn't trust my own
investigation forces, and if I hired the 3WA outright, they
might suspect.  So I hired the Lovely Angels secretly and
directly, through you.  You are authorized to do that, aren't
you?"
     "Well, yes," said Goulet, "but only in extreme
situations!  And even then I have to fill out a ton of
paperwork afterward to save my ass."
     "I think saving the ass of one of your best customers
counts as an emergency.  How much business did I throw your
way last year?  Three million credits?"
     Goulet shifted nervously in his seat.  "Yes, but--"
     "And I think my payment check of a million c's should
help a lot in smoothing things over."
     "Sure, but..."  Goulet thought it over.  "Look, what
about the demons?"
     "What demons?" said Yuri.
     "Exactly," agreed Nora.  "I don't think anyone saw
anything but us.  And even if they did, who would believe
them?"
     "What about the theft of the _Lewis_and_Clark_?" Goulet
asked.
    "A clever ruse designed to provide an explanation for the
Angels' presence on the planet, should the secret come out."
     Goulet mulled over a bit more.  "I don't have a choice,
do I?"
     Yuri winked at him.  "Not unless you want the real story
of the Lovely Angels' great escape to get out."
     Nora put her legs back down and leaned forward, looking
right at Goulet.  "The 3WA officials *are* waiting for an
explanation."
     Goulet stood up.  "Okay.  Fine.  I know when I'm beat."
Goulet walked to the door, then stopped and turned around.
"Oh, and Kei, Yuri?" he said with a cynical smile.  "I *will*
get even."
     With Goulet out of the room, Nora breathed a sigh of
relief.  "You really think they'll buy it?"
     "They should," said Yuri.  "I think it makes sense.
Besides, they'll never figure out what was really going on.
They'll be desperate for any explanation that's even
possible.  Right, Kei?"
     Kei grumbled her assent and continued to study the
carpet, as she had since she'd arrived.
     "I hope you're right," said Nora.  "I'm not ready to
step into that demon's shoes.  She was the businessperson,
not me."
     "What are you going to do?" Yuri asked.
     Nora looked at Red, who was seated next to her.
     "I think we should tell them," he said.  "After all
they've been through, they've earned our trust."
     Nora nodded.  "Red and I talked it over for a long time.
I can't manage this empire the demon built, and I don't
really want to.  So I'm going to sell as much of it as I
can."  Noticing Yuri's alarmed look, Nora quickly reassured
her.  "Don't worry, I'll do it slowly and carefully, and I'll
keep the companies intact.  The economy will be safe."
     "That's a relief," said Yuri.  "But you said you're not
a businessperson.  Isn't it hard even selling the stuff?"
     "Yes," said Nora.  "But that's what assistants are for.
I've given them their orders and I can just hope they can
carry them out without my help.  I understand Kuan Yin has
already made me an offer for my armaments firm."
     "I thought you owned Kuan Yin."
     "No, I just controlled them.  I won't anymore.  Anyway,
once I've cleared up this mess as much as I can, Red and I
decided that the two of us will just... disappear."
     Yuri blinked.  "Disappear?"
     "It's not as hard as you might think.  I haven't aged a
day since I was possessed.  I can wash this gray out of my
hair and look like a completely different woman.  I'm going
to convert a few million credits of my assets into cash and
the two of us are going to resettle on a fringe world, far
away from Platonia."
     "But won't your companies collapse without you?"
     "Oh, hell, no," said Nora.  "There's safeguards for
that.  After all, I could die any day, right?"
     "Well, I wish you both luck," Yuri said.
     "Thanks."  Nora looked at Kei.  "Kei, I realize how much
Tarc meant to you.  I can only say I'm sorry."
     "Save it," said Kei.  "It wasn't your fault.  Now if you
don't mind," she continued, standing up, "I want to get as
far away from this planet as I can, as fast as I can."
     "Uh, certainly," said Nora, a bit taken aback.  "The
repairs to your ship should be done by now."
     "Good," said Kei, and left without saying another word.
After a more polite goodbye, Yuri hurried after her.

     Soon after, the _Lovely_Angel_ left orbit, warped, and
once again began the day-and-a-half sublight trek toward
Elenore and home.
     Yuri sat on the floor in one of the small observation
rooms, poring over the book that had given them so much help
in recent days.
     "Phooie," she said.  "It doesn't work any more.  I mean,
I can mumble phrases and wave my hands 'til they fall off,
but nothing happens."  Yuri sighed.  "Looks like the magic's
gone, Kei."
     Kei said nothing, just stared out the portal at the
stars.
     Yuri got up and walked to her.  "Kei, what's wrong?  You
haven't said more than five words at a time since we left."
     "Nothing," Kei mumbled.
     "Is it Tarc?  I miss him too."
     Kei turned to look angrily at Yuri.  "Miss him?" she
asked.  "You gotta be kidding.  After all the shit he put us
through, I'm *glad* that bastard is gone."
     "Kei..."
     "No, really!  I mean, he comes out of frickin' nowhere,
drags us through hell and back, almost costs us our jobs,
then just when we start to get along, he kills himself!"
     Kei took a breath and continued.  "And to top it off,
after all he'd put us through, the jerk has the utter nerve
to say that--"  Kei's words caught in her throat.
     She tried again.  "To say that he--...  that he loved--"
     Kei's head dropped and she fell silent.  Her body
started to shake.  It wasn't until her first breath that Yuri
realized Kei was crying.
     Yuri took her friend in her arms and held her.  Kei let
it all out, in long wracking sobs.  After a few minutes, Kei
quieted and pulled away.
     "Are you okay now?" Yuri asked.
     "No," said Kei, sniffling.  "But I will be, thanks."
     "I wish I could explain why Tarc did it.  Maybe it would
help."
     "I think I know why.  Tarc didn't want me to die again
because of him."
     Yuri stared at her, not understanding.
     Kei smiled back, sadly.  "It's a long story.  But you
know what I hate the most?"
     "What?"
     "Tarc said the two of us were bound together for all
eternity, that no matter what we were reborn as, we'd end up
together.  I kinda liked that idea.  But now, with Tarc gone,
that's all over, isn't it?"
     Yuri laughed.  "Oh, I don't know.  I can't really see
the two of us apart.  We're the ultimate team.  I'll betcha
we were bound together long before we even met Tarc."
     Kei laughed too.  "Maybe."
     "Tell ya what," said Yuri.  "When we're reincarnated
again, I promise to come looking for you.  Deal?"
     Kei smiled.  "It's a deal."

     And together they sailed into eternity.


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