The servant looked regretful.
"No chance," he said, "he's leaving today."
The plainclothesman jumped.
"Today?"
"For Darth," said the Embassy servant. "The ambassador's shipping him off on the space liner that came in last night."
The plainclothesman dithered.
"How's he going to get to the spaceport?"
"I wouldn't know," said the servant. "They've figured out some way. I could use a little extra money, too."
He lingered, but the plainclothesman was staring at the innocent, inviolable parcels about to leave the Embassy for distant parts. He took note of sizes and descriptions. No. Not yet. But if Hoddan was leaving he had to leave the Embassy. If he left the Embassy....