"You remember the Senior Mechanics we had to deal with," Alli said. "They managed to rationalize doing just about anything, because so many of them never questioned their own motives."

"How many of these notices are there?" Mari asked.

"The Urth drone dropped hundreds over this city. They're probably doing the same elsewhere."

"Hopefully not in Dorcastle yet. Excuse me. Here come the city leaders. I need to—"

"Lady!" called out one the city officials hurrying toward them. "The ship from Urth! It has come to rest in a field just outside of Danalee!"

"Our plan is working," Alain said. "The attention of the Urth people remains on us."

"Great. I hope it's helping Kira."

By the time Mari reached the field where the Urth ship had come to rest, troops were pouring in to control a large crowd that was getting larger by the minute. As she walked past the crowd, Mari heard the same old cries of relief, the same cheers, the same confidence that the daughter would handle this problem. And she felt the same old determination to do her best, tied to the same old feelings that these people should not have so much faith in such a fallible person as her.

She and Alain were still walking up to the ship when the opening appeared in its side and Talese Groveen descended the ramp to confront them. To Mari's surprise, the woman from Urth was smiling in welcome, her attitude that of someone greeting a friend. "I'm glad that you're here, Lady Mari."

Mari smiled in return despite the tingling of her nerves as she wondered what Talese Groveen was up to. "Welcome. What brings you to Danalee?"

"We should be able to help your search. I know how concerned you are about the fate of your daughter and deeply regret any hasty actions that might have contributed to her facing such serious danger."

"Thank you," Mari said.

Groveen looked toward the city. "You came here by an interesting means of transport. Would it be possible for one of the Mages who, uh, create such things to demonstrate for us?"

Mari kept her smile in place. So Talese Groveen wanted an opportunity to "scan" more Mages doing their spells, probably in the hope of being able to duplicate the data on the drive that Jason had taken. "I'm sorry, but those Mages who brought us here on their Rocs are exhausted. It will be some time before they are recovered."

"Oh. Unfortunate. Perhaps later." Groveen's expression shifted to earnest sympathy. "We have monitored some transmissions indicating how serious the danger to your daughter is. There is a way we can assist in the search for her far more efficiently and effectively, and it requires only the tiniest assistance from yourself."

"What is that?" Mari asked.