The Colors of Space, page 120 by Marion Zimmer Bradley
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uences or responsibilities of what I'd done." His sad smile was strangely beautiful. "The Multiphase sailed without me. I've been here, hoping against hope that someday I'd know the rest."
Associations clicked into place in Bart's mind. The Multiphase. So Raynor Three was the Mentorian who had smuggled David Briscoe off the ship, and whose memories, wrung out by the Lhari captain of that ship, had touched off so many deaths. But he had paid for that--paid many times over. And now must he pay for this, too?
Raynor One strode toward them. "So it's really you. I thought it might be a trap, but Three wouldn't listen. Word came from Antares that Montano had been arrested and his ship confiscated for illegal landing on Lharillis. I thought you were probably dead."
"We sent a boy to do a man's job," Raynor Three said, "and he came back a man. But tell me--" He looked curiously at Ringg and Meta.
Bart introduced them, adding, "I came for help, really. I'm facing charges, and I'm afraid you are, too."
Raynor One said harshly, "A trap, after all, Three! He trapped you, and he's led the Lhari to you!"
"No," Raynor Three said, "or he wouldn't be walking around free and unguarded and with all his memories intact. Tell me about it, Bart." And when Bart had given a quick narration of the Lhari judgment, he nodded, slowly.
"That's all we ever wanted. Don't think you failed, Bart. The horrible part was only the way they were trying to keep it secret."
Ringg interrupted, "Do not judge the Lhari by them, Raynor Three," and Raynor Three said in good Lhari, "I don't, feathertop. Raynors have been working with Lhari since the days of Rhazon of Nedrus. But I wanted an open, official statement of Lhari policy--not secret murders by fanatics. I had confidence in the Lhari as a people, but not in individuals. What good did it do to know that the Lhari council in another galaxy would have condemned the murders and manhunts, when they were going on in this one, day af