“This is obvious. And we could move into the demimonde, if it were just that simple. But there is a large police force on the surface and in orbit, and the last time they saw us they were trying to kill us as quickly as possible. And the way they treated Sax does not give me any confidence that things have changed.”

“I’m not saying they have. But I think there are things you could do to oppose them more effectively. Getting together, for instance, and making a plan. Making contact with surface organizations that would help you. That kind of thing.”

“We have such contacts,” Maya said coldly. But Nadia was nodding. And Nirgal’s mind was racing with images of his years in Sabishii. A meeting of the underground. . . .

“The Sabishiians would come for sure,” he said. “They’re already doing stuff like this all the time. That’s what the demimonde is, in effect.”

Art said, “You should think about contacting Praxis as well. My ex-boss William Fort would be very interested in such a meeting. And the whole membership of Praxis is involved in innovations you would like.”

“Your ex-boss?” Maya said.

“Sure,” Art said with an easy smile. “I’m my own boss now.”

“You could say you are our prisoner,” Maya pointed out sharply.

“When you’re the prisoner of anarchists it’s the same thing, right?”

Nadia and Nirgal laughed, but Maya scowled and turned away.

Nadia said, “I think a meeting would be a good idea. We’ve let Coyote run the network for too long.”

“I heard that!” Coyote called from the next table.

“Don’t you like the idea?” Nadia asked him.

Coyote shrugged. “We have to do something, no doubt of that. They know we’re down here now.”

This caused a thoughtful silence.

“I’m going north next week,” Nadia said to Art. “You can come with me if you like— Nirgal, you too if you want. I’m going to drop in on a lot of sanctuaries, and we can talk to them about a meeting.”

“Sure,” Art said, looking pleased. And Nirgal’s mind was still racing as he thought of the possibilities. Being in Gamete again brought dormant parts of his mind back alive, and he saw clearly the two worlds in one, the white and the green, split into different dimensions, folded through each other— like the underground and the surface world, joined clumsily in the demimonde. A world out of focus. . . .

• • •