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That very evening, everything was loaded onto a navy sloop on a dock not far from the trading ship. I was standing on the dock with Renna, waiting until the last moment to say good-bye...

... and the moment never came. We'd been scheduled to leave an hour past sundown, but two bells (second hour past sundown) came and went without even a boarding call. The captain and Farsel were nowhere to be seen. Eventually, a busty 1:1 brown mouse strolled down the gangplank and inquired, "So, are we leaving, or staying, or what?"

I shrugged; Renna said, "Last I saw Farsel, he was at the end of the dock, talking with an army officer, and that was over an hour ago." I guess she stole a few more situational-awareness glances than I did.

The mouse asked her, "I remember your face - no doubt about that! But what's your job, again?"

"Telegrapher, but..."

"Ah, right! I remember now. We'll be needing you in good shape for sure. I'll be keeping them off your back, don'cha worry." She winked.

"Ah... what? Who are you?"

"Star-of-Dawn, dearie. And this is Famir, right?" I nodded. "Ah, the two telegraphers, of course. Dreadful lot of equipment you brought, wasn't it? I thought telegraphy was supposed to be more compact."

I offered, "It is. The stuff we need for the telegraphy itself, I carried it on in one go. The rest... is an experiment."

Before I could elaborate, Farsel called out as he rushed down the dock. "Aresh! Aresh!"

Renna looked to him, saying, "I'm Renna. Aresh isn't ready."

He panted lightly as he came to a halt. "Well, she's... where is she?"

We shrugged. I asked, "Why do you need her?"

"I don't need her - it's that Fazo has kind of gone crazy on her."

"Whatever for? What do you even mean?"

"Never mind - just, find her and bring her to... well, here is fine, or the foreign office. Any idea where she is?"

Renna said, "She mentioned the Golden Swan."

Farsel raised an eyebrow. "An up-scale place like that?" Renna nodded. Farsel's brow furrowed as he said, "If she were anywhere else... Renna, stay with Star for your safety. You're publicly planning to be in her body, so who knows what they'll think. Star, we're not going anywhere tonight. Tell everyone else they can go home and meet in the morning at your place. Oley!"

Star-of-Dawn nodded and scampered back up the gangplank; a naga in a uniform slithered down at high speed. Farsel shooed Renna up after, and she hesitantly went.

Farsel nodded for me to follow and we ran. I had no real idea of where we were going, but Farsel did. To my surprise, as we came in sight of the restaurant, he slowed down to a walk and gathered his breath.

Once I had mine back, I asked, "Okay, what's going on?"

Farsel kept his eyes on the door as we walked. "Fazo's ambassador went off-message. He said his mail had been tampered with, and fingered Aresh, saying she's a spy and traitor. Tengo is backing him up."

"But... diplomatic messages are always sent encrypted."

"Yes - the blatance of their lie is the most disturbing part, here."

Oley asked in a bass rumble, "Why did we slow down?"

"We can't be seen to be too urgently involved in what's supposedly an internal matter. That would seem to support their lie."

Farsel and I arrived at the door; I didn't see where Oley had gone. The doorman, a dapper fox, halted us. "Reservation?"

Farsel said, "None, but I suspect you'll..." - "Reservations are required." - "... have a major disturbance. May we stand by to forestall such an event?"

The doorman looked us over. We were hardly dressed for the occasion, though at least Oley was in a uniform. He held up a finger and went to see the manager.

Within a minute, he was back. "You may, but be discreet."

The restaurant's antechamber was not flashy, but every part was ridiculously expensive. No gold or diamonds, just meticulously lacquered rare woods, with exquisitely fine-detailed patterns of dark gray on black. We glanced through a bead curtain (the beads were ground obsidian). I found Aresh immediately - all was still well with her. She had borrowed one of Renna's fanciest outfits, and it suited her well.

Shit, her boyfriend's ugly. He was at least sixty, and at first I thought he was 1:1 pig until I realized he was perched on an extra-heavy-duty naga stand. His name slipped my mind for a moment... Alliko.

Oley whispered, "How likely is it that they will actually come for her here?"

Farsel replied, "Considering that there are two Fazo diplomats there... if they get a message... likely. Famir, do you want to tell her, or shall I?"

I gulped. "I feel under-dressed."

"Not as inappropriately-dressed as when we first met. Come on."

He pushed through the curtain, and I followed, with Oley taking up the rear. Aresh saw me coming and her eyes widened. Alliko saw her reaction, turned, and frowned. When we stopped at their table, just as she said, "Famir, what is it?", he scowled at us.

I knelt and quietly asked, "Do you remember how you've been handling some Fazo diplomatic messages?"

"Yes..."

"They were all encrypted, right?"

"Yes..."

"Well, somehow it got into your wonderful government's collective head that you somehow tampered with them, even though that's obviously impossible."

"Preposterous!", declared Alliko for all to hear.

Irritated at the contradiction, I quietly continued, "Yes, it is preposterous. We hope that they'll realize their error and stop before they do anything too drastic, but it might be too late."

"No, preposterous that Fazo could say such a thing. That would make her a traitor."

I glared at him. "Yes, that was what I was getting at."

"But they couldn't back down on that! My dear boy, Fazo couldn't possibly officially declare something that stupid. I won't hear anything of it!"

I glanced to Farsel, who was keeping a sharp eye on two lions at another table. I'd been hoping to keep this quiet, but here Alliko was making sure everyone heard.

And then as he continued, it struck me: that was precisely what he was doing. "Fazo isn't run by idiots, my boy. And for one minor message-carrier to be able to substitute their own message... well, maybe you don't know how it works. There are verification codes that make it impossible to fake a message. Sure, you could substitute a message, but they'd know it wasn't real. So, am I to believe you that they are accusing her of doing the impossible? Might as well accuse her of throwing the grand coliseum into the sea, or keeping the sun down, as substitute a Fazo diplomatic message from the middle of the chain. So no, they can't have been accusing her of that, because I happen to know that Fazo isn't run by fools."

By this point, everyone in the restaurant was staring at us.

My jaw was hanging open. Aresh was staring at Alliko herself, mortified. I managed to say, "I do so hope you're correct, sir."

Then he said, "I'm afraid this food was so collossally excellent I had a bit too much of it and am feeling ill. Shall we vacate?"

Aresh nodded and wiped her mouth. He slithered off the stand and around the table, and graciously gave her a hand up, in the Fazo fashion - a light touch, not really giving any assistance, but symbolic.

Once the five of us were out of the dining room and heading out the door, Alliko whispered to Aresh, "That just bought you a few hours. Get out of here. Famir, take your wife too. Someone would get them confused for sure."

Aresh finally said, "What is this? Why would Fazo think I did this?"

Farsel said, "They don't. But it's politically convenient to level the charge anyway."

"They wouldn't."

Scorn crossed his face for a moment. "You can find out whether they did tomorrow morning. We're definitely not going anywhere until we know what's going on with Fazo. In the mean time... I think it would be wisest if you did not sleep at home tonight - or for the forseeable future."

Aresh frowned. "I'm going to Periten on the trade ship in two days anyway."

"The more bald-faced the lie, the more boldly they must act to protect it."

Alliko squeeed her hand. "Dear, please. Take this seriously. Hide, and then go. By the time you get back, it should be resolved."

Aresh objected, "And when would that be? We haven't even picked an end date! And I won't see you at all in the mean time, if Renna's gone too!"

I pointed out, "The long-distance swap isn't so very specific to you and her. He can use it with me. Or any other man on the expedition, for that matter. If I recall correctly how you met, this is something he is comfortable with."

Aresh slowly nodded. "I guess we'd lose the element of being in ourselves for the meeting, but..."

Alliko nodded briskly. "I find this solution agreeable."

By this point we were back down to the dock. Farsel called out to Star; momentarily, she and Renna appeared on deck. Renna rushed down. "You're all safe!"

They were soon followed by the captain, a 2:1 fox. He accosted Farsel, saying, "Just got back from the admirals. Fazo and Weld are on the move. If we don't want to sail through a war zone, we might want to leave tonight."

Farsel winced. "Tomorrow morning? We need a bit more information."

"Can't you just telegraph it under way?"

"It changes who we want to bring."

The captain sucked air through his teeth. "Well... the sooner the better."

Farsel said, "Renna. I'm concerned for your safety if you remain here. You would be a woman living alone in an apartment she is known to live in..."

Renna stood up straight. "Do you think I really need all that much convincing to join my husband? Just let me pack and I'll be right with you."

I was pleasantly surprised - "I thought you wanted to stay as a safety net..."

"Not so safe now, is it?" To Farsel, she added, "Just write a letter to Geeo saying it's a national security issue or something, and I'll come."

"Well... it definitely pertains to international politics. I guess I can write something."

"Great. I'd like to go pack now, and if Aresh is coming too, maybe we should go all together..."

Farsel gestured to Oley. He nodded, and we set out - Alliko was winded and followed more slowly.

Oley whispered to me, "When we get there, you check it out first; I'll guard them."

When we came to the street of the apartment, we followed his plan - he held them back and I went in. His warning made me nervous of what I'd find. The apartment was as we'd left it. No one was hiding anywhere. I went out and let them in. Aresh and Renna packed quickly, but slowed as we became less concerned.

And then there was a knock. Aresh looked like she'd been punched, and stopped packing. Renna, on the other hand, hurried up.

Oley stood behind the door as I looked through - a fox policeman, and a lion in a suit.

"Yes? Famir here. Who is it?"

The fox said, "I have a warrant for the arrest of one Aresh, who we are told lives with you."

"What's the charge?"

"No need to get into that. I do have the warrant."

Oley whispered, "Get that warrant."

I opened the door a bit. "I'll need a look at that warrant before I let you in."

The policeman nodded and held it up. Oley stepped around the door and took a closer look. "This warrant is civil jurisdiction. Aresh is under admiralty jurisdiction."

The lion's eyes widened. "What is the meaning of this? Is she your agent?"

"No, she's a passenger. Plus, the last I checked, our civil police are not your political operatives, and reasonable suspicion is required before we will go and arrest people. There is none in this case."

The policeman noted Oley's uniform and hesitated. "There must be some justification or the magistrate wouldn't have..."

Oley narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure they presented something. But doesn't matter: admiralty jurisdiction."

The policeman licked his lips. "Is she here? I don't see how admiralty jurisdiction can apply half a mile from the sea."

"Then you don't know the rules on it. And don't try to get legalistic on me just in order to make a false arrest."

The lion stepped forward. "Excuse me, sir. I don't care which Getta jurisdiction applies - Getta will be held accountable for any delay."

"Then it's especially not a civil matter, but an admiralty one! Perhaps even a council jurisdiction!"

"Do you want to sour relations between our people?"

"No, that's why I suggested you go get a council jurisdiction warrant. Foreign relations is their job, so if they want justice subverted to keep the peace, that's their call, not mine."

The policeman gained some confidence. "Sir, he has a point. There is a process for this. Let's go."

The lion objected, "By the time we do that process, she'll be out at sea!"

Oley pointed out, "And if you get the council warrant, we'll turn back and hand her right over. Worst of luck in getting one!" His tone was as if he'd been wishing best of luck.

The policeman gestured for the lion to depart. He sighed and complied. "We'll get it. No doubt."

Oley watched them go.

Aresh stood at the top of the stairs. "I'm not sure I even want to go with you anymore. You'd return to land to turn me over on a bogus treason charge?"

"Only if the council loses its collective balls. There's no way they'll do it."

"Why? I'm from Fazo, not even one of you. Just on principle?"

"Once Fazo gets us to lie on demand once, they know they can do it again. And again. With the kind of pressure they'd apply, that would end up a very slippery slope. So its not just you we'd be giving up, but our national autonomy."

Aresh gulped. "Somehow that doesn't exactly make me feel better."

Alliko reached the door. "I... are you all afraid someone will break in? I can store your things while you're gone..."

Renna and I glanced to each other. If Fazo was really focused on Aresh, if they went overboard, our stuff could be caught in the crossfire. We both nodded. I handed over my key. "Thanks a ton."

"Not a problem. You don't even appear to have a ton of stuff, outside the furniture. And now I'll have access to the swap thing, won't I?"

Renna and Aresh returned to the ship with Oley as I showed the neighbors Alliko. Soon I was all caught up.

I took Renna's larger bag and kissed her cheek. "So glad you're coming."

"Once we get there, sure. I hate sea travel. But yes. So, so glad."