Fon has asked for a two year extension of his extraordinary powers—see attached: the Emergency Powers Bill.
III
From Redfin:
The official line since Mondragon's escape is that Mondragon was guilty so far as his involvement with the Sword and did participate in assassinations until the Sword included his own family on its list of targets: that he then sent word to Fon, and attempted to warn his relatives, but that he was apprehended on the grounds.
Mondragon therefore is recently given to be innocent of his own family's murder, but guilty of numerous others, including the assassination of Fon's father. The reason for this shift in the official line is not clear, but the same highly reliable source believes Fon has ordered the one set of charges dropped to keep the official inquiry into the escape from pursuing certain lines of investigation.
IV
From Skit:
Most significantly, certain of the Moderates among the Families of Nev Hettek have shifted assets and personnel to their widely scattered estates, which has, in our opinion, been an effective tactic in maintaining their political effectiveness in the face of Fon's attempt to gain control.
The Sword has made some strikes in remote estates, and in fact there are rumors of "bandit action" and "outlaws" attacking trucks and upper Det shipments, and there have been rumors of attacks on certain estates or villages belonging to certain key Adventist Moderates, which we believe is Sword action. However, though the Nev Hettek Families traditionally keep secret the extent of their holdings, we believe that this network of remote plantations and stations is actually growing at present. All such attacks and reports of numbers of casualties and losses are rumor put forward most likely by the Sword and exaggerated: the Families deny all such reports, denying the existence of outside holdings, as they have done throughout the past.
This scattering of assets and personnel, accelerating a trend actually beginning before the Revolution, has compelled Fon to moderate his tactics and his program in the Council.
Fon clearly sees his dilemma: he cannot strike simultaneously at such a diffuse and in many cases effectively concealed number of outlying holdings; neither can he strike at the Nev Hettek residences of such families: to do so would remove the center that ties the remote estates together, thus decentralizing the Nev Hettek economy and government, which is not at all to his advantage.
Instead he is attempting to seize control of and manipulate the moderate organizations, even to the extent of setting up opposition to himself—building the reputation of certain individuals, notably Ian Metcaff, who has been safe to speak vehemently against Fon and to stir up a popular following.
Metcaff is not a Sword member, or at least has no provable ties to Fon or to the Sword. Tracing this matter has been very difficult, but Metcaff's miraculous survival of two assassination attempts may not be luck: in the second, Simmons may have been the real target, and I do not put it beyond likelihood that Met-caff himself was working with the assassins.
This tactic, if it is a tactic, has advanced Metcaff among the Moderate leadership; and provided a focus and an apparent success that may influence certain votes; that may incline certain Families about to bolt Nev Hettek for the outback to maintain a strongly centralized power in Nev Hettek—in short, Fon has provided leadership to his enemies and so far while we can penetrate that cover we cannot discredit it.
V
From Redfin:
Regarding your inquiries: the Mondragon family is extinct with the sole exception of Thomas Mondragon. The estates were confiscated by the government and by creditors. The possibility of outlying holdings exists, but if so, they were completely decentralized by the removal of the Nev Hettek branch and the confiscation of outlying estates and properties. Supply and trade would have betrayed their existence to other interests, and, if such ever existed unfound by Fon's agents, such outlying properties were probably secretly annexed by neighboring estates.
Regarding the trial records: we are still trying. On his escape: the most reliable source maintains it was from Karl Fon's residency: that Fon on numerous occasions over the five year term of his confinement had him transferred from prison to his residency under guard, for periods as short as a few hours and as long as three days, notably preceding his arraignment on various charges, and several times close to set trial dates. Trial was set six separate times and each time canceled for reasons ranging from illness of witnesses to national security and Fon's personal intervention. Regarding the nature of those interviews, our source indicates that Fon wanted names and details of Mondragon family business; and possibly locations of property. Fon's behavior at such times ranged from fits of anger, striking out at bystanders, to threats of bodily harm, to threats of his own suicide, with what provocation is uncertain, although our source believes Fon is caught between his necessary political action on the one hand in eliminating Mondragon from his Sword post and on the other, his long-standing attachment to Mondragon—which our source characterizes as emotional dependency. Regarding any possibility Mondragon is still working for Fon and that Fon himself engineered his escape: our most reliable source indicates this as unlikely, on personal judgment. A deep and elaborate cover is certainly within Fon's pattern, but Mondragon's disaffection from Fon seems solid.
Regarding public perceptions in the case: the initial charges, that Thomas Mondragon was prominent in a Sword plot to assassinate Hamad Fon and simultaneously eliminate and replace key councillors—is still believed in some quarters; but Karl Fon's quick midnight move to take control and attack alleged perpetrators, which of course eliminated others of his enemies—is regarded with less and less credulity—not that people in general believe that Mondragon was innocent, but that many believe that Fon, due to his close friendship with Mondragon and his family, may have had some advance knowledge of Mondragon's involvement with the Sword: the general knowledge of their personal relationship and Fon's currently growing reputation for clandestine maneuverings and sharp dealing has created suspicion centering on Fon's swift assumption of power—but Metcaff doesn't make that suggestion.
The general public attitude among Fon's supporters about Fon's involvement in his father's murder and his ties to the Sword of God, whether present .or past, seems pragmatic: that regardless of how he came to office, Karl Fon is capable to govern and that he has brought a stability and prosperity to Nev Hettek which it would be foolish to disturb.
The Adventist clergy in opposition to him is shifting its line, abandoning the moral theme and emphasizing the dangers of Fon driving certain economic interests to decentralize from Nev Hettek.
Metcaff's general issue has always been that Fon is morally reprehensible, both politically and religiously: this is carefully constructed to draw the genuinely unbuyable opposition into one manageable camp; and also to set up the chief opposition to Fon on an issue designed to fail, i.e., one which seems sound but which ignores the political and economic realities of Nev Hettek politics. Fon is, we are certain, the real voice behind Metcaff: Metcaff's apparent freedom to speak is also Fon's proof that he tolerates dissent. We are seeking solid evidence, but so far nothing that will not compromise our sources. We are deep in Metcaff's operation. We have extreme options available.
VI
Memo: A. Kalugin
Preserve all options with Metcaff. Pursue solid evidence.
VII
From Skit:
Karl Fon has been in and out of the city for months, general rumor says, clandestinely moving about the region. It is further rumored that he is troubled by disaffections from his Revolution, and that he has been under pressure from orthodox Adventist clergy to dispel the persistent rumors that he has past links to Jens Chambers: Chambers' position as the figurehead director of the Sword of God remains unchanged, although there is an indication of a shakeup in Sword ranks. Our Sources believe that Fon is still strongly in control of that organization and that this shakeup reflects Fon's determination to retain that hold against certain
stresses within the Sword hierarchies.
VIII
From Runner:
At station: 12 Septe; Meridien.
Plague this winter affects hundreds; however prevention and treatment have prevented disaster. Suggest extreme caution: spread into hinterlands and Det Valley likely by spring. Nev Hettek's advanced methods are better able to cope with this. . . .
IX
Memo: A. Kalugin:
Joseph: see me.
X
Memo: Pardee
I have secured a copy of an early writing of Exeter's: she was a junior aide to Bishop Lin Ramsey. The question involved the proposal for the establishment of general wire service in the city.
XI
Memo: Exeter
On the proposed wire system:
As per your request for Impact Study:
I respectfully recommend rejection of the proposal on the following grounds:
1. The public presence of such wires would provoke curiosity leading to speculative experimentation with presently available technology in ways exceeding the application. The argument that the system uses only existing technology (generators, batteries, current-carrying lines) fails: there is a non-existing component, namely the use of power interruption as a message-carrying signal and thereby the use of electrics as voice-transmission and thereby speculative curiosity into wireless transmission, i.e., radio devices which might easily be manufactured with commonly available materials, once the College lifts the ban on the general Type of such devices.
It is not the dissemination of banned knowledge that is the hazard in this case, but the widely remembered and very simple principles of radio communications. The public justly fears that radio transmission might bring sharrh attention: to lessen that degree of apprehension by granting College approval to a principle of electrical message transmission might seriously undermine that long-established abhorrence of electrical communications in general which is our first-line protection against the random tinkerer in some outlying village—or worse, some subversive—who might decide to experiment with wireless technology which might be detected by orbiting monitors; and which might represent a major threshold in the mentality of the sharrh.
2. Historically, the advent of wireless technology on ancient Earth produced profound societal changes, including a tremendous increase in the speed, spread, and general accessibility of information; the availability of minute unnTtered detail, hence the need for electronic storage; the proliferation of communications devices in the hands of individuals and the proliferation of devices to monitor and detect such communication; increased efficiency of espionage; and ultimately research into electromagnetic phenomena of all sorts, which is a major step toward a potentially space-faring technology.
This wireless system cannot be justified under Existing Technology. It contains a principle which does come under the Ban.
It must be rejected without eomment, under College Privilege of Silence.
Index to City Maps
Table of Contents
Title Page
ALONG DARK WATERWAYS...
C.J. CHERRYH invites you to enter the world of MEROVINGEN NIGHTS!
Title
DIVINE RIGHT Copyright © 1989 by C.J. Cherryh
CONTENTS
Maps
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION
RUN SILENT, RUN CHEAP
FARREN'S FOLLY: MEETING OF MINDS
RUN SILENT, RUN CHEAP (REPRISED)
FOGGY NIGHT
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
SECOND OPINION
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
SECOND OPINION (REPRISED)
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
FARREN'S FOLLY: MEETING OF MINDS (REPRISED)
RED SKIES
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
TURNING POINT
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
DRAW ME A PICTURE
TURNING POINT (REPRISED)
POSTPARTUM BLUES
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
POSTPARTUM BLUES (REPRISED)
SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION (REPRISED)
RUN SILENT, RUN CHEAP (REPRISED)
APPENDIX
From the files of Anastasi Kalugin, Advocate Militiar
Index to City Maps
C. J. Cherryh, Divine Right
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