“It’s still a cage. But tell me, sir, don’t you feel trapped here?”
“Yeah, I’m sick of this place.”
Mhitshul grinned, a radiant relief filling him. “I hoped you’d say that. Sink, honestly, you need to be with the troops. You’re not a martinet, not a corrupt politician. Look at you! You’re bouncing from foot to foot, beating your palm like it’s Bruen’s face. That’s why you’re half crazy about Mayz. You ought to be out there, not waiting here for something to happen.”
Sinklar bowed his head, mind racing. Was that really it? Did Mhitshul know him so well?
I’ve lost myself. That’s my real problem, isn’t it? I’m getting caught up in all the trappings, I’ve been feeling so guilty about Ily that now I can’t concentrate on what’s important.
He shifted, his sense of desperation growing. Had the air gone stale, or was that feeling of suffocation just the room, this room, where Tybalt had made love to Ily Takka ... right there on the floor before his desk?
He stared at the spot, and remembered the way Anatolia had looked at him when he admitted to having sex with Ily. The lingering sensation of uncleanliness still touched him.
Anatolia: once again he couldn’t help but dwell on her. One moment, he’d been walking in the cold rain, alone, defiled and self-disgusted. And the next she’d been there, her cool blue gaze piercing, evaluating, strengthening. From out of the chaos, a sense of order had suddenly come with her presence. For those brief couple of days, she’d dealt with him honestly, as one human being to another.
Suddenly, that fragile and tenuous stability was threatened. What if Ily had done something, figured out that Anatolia had a line on Sinklar somehow? Would Ily have thought that?
Rotted right she would!
He smacked his fist into his palm again, heart beginning to pound. He turned a hard squint on Mhitshul. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Go up to the garage and tell them we need both LCs powered up for evac.” He started for the bedroom, seeing Mhitshul’s sudden confusion, and wheeled, pointing a finger. “Well, don’t just sit there, go do it! When I said we’re leaving, we’re leaving. I’m going back to gather some things in the bedroom, get my clothes and Anatolia’s, and I’ll bring the Third Section up with me.”
Mhitshul grinned, leaping to his feet, crying, “Yes, sir!” before he bolted for the door.
Sinklar chuckled as he heard a whoop from the front. He stopped, taking one last look at the palatial fittings of Tybalt’s office. This time, he laid tender fingers on the expensive wood. “I guess I’m just not fitted out to be that kind of Emperor. Sorry.”
In the sudden oppressive silence, he collected himself and walked slowly back past the table where he’d eaten that fatal dinner with Ily, remembering her sultry eyes and the way she’d played him.
In the bedroom, he ransacked the wardrobe-not that there was much there, only two of his suits of armor, Anatolia’s blue dress, and some casual clothes Mhitshul had picked up for her.
Those piled on his arm, he walked over to the sleeping platform: Tybalt’s bed-it had never been Sink’s. There, Ily had brought him to sexual ecstasy, and in that bliss, he’d pumped his common sense out with his ejaculate.
“How many times did she sleep there with you, Tybalt? Did she do the same things to you that she did to me? Is that how she worked her way past your guard?”
“Oh, I did more than that with him,” Ily said from behind him.
Sinklar wheeled, backing away as she walked out from a hidden doorway beside the toilet. Several young men emerged from behind her, fanning out, gleaming pulse pistols leveled. Ily raised a small device and thumbed a button. The door to the dining area slipped silently shut.
“Going somewhere?”
Sinklar dropped the clothing, but it fouled on the grips of his blaster as he clawed for the weapon.
“I wouldn’t,” Ily warned. “I don’t have to take you out of here alive. You could be just like Tybalt. He died right there, on that exact spot.” She pointed at the lush carpet. “Arta broke him up rather badly. At the end, she practically castrated him. “
Sinklar shot a frightened glance at the doorway, seeing no hope of making it. Ily’s guards had ringed him. In desperation, he studied the secret entrance she’d used, wondering what his chances would be to get to it, to pull his weapon.
Ily smiled as she stepped close, a satisfied gleam in her dark eyes. She jerked her head toward the secret entrance, black hair gleaming as it caught the light. “Tybalt had that passage run from here to my personal quarters, and, yes, I kept my own rooms here as well as in the Ministry. “
“Why didn’t you tell me there was another way in and out of here?”
She tilted her head. “I never surrender all of my options, Sinklar. You should know that by now. The men who built that passageway hid the doorway with a master’s skill. It looks just like the rest of the wall when it’s closed.
Not only that, but if you run a sensor over it, the mass in the door balances with that of the wall.” She smiled. “Tybalt had a very jealous wife. Since she couldn’t bear him a child, she hated the thought of him with any other woman.”
“What are these guys here for?” Sinklar nodded toward the guards.
“Insurance.” Ily walked over and settled herself on the edge of the sleeping platform, running a hand over it. “If you’d like to repeat that first night here, I’ll send them away.”
He shook his head, a dull throbbing in his chest. v Ily nodded acceptance. “In that case, you’ll stand ery still.” She rose with the grace of an unfolding lotus and stepped up to him, to run fingers lightly down his cheek with one hand as her other hand plucked the heavy blaster from his belt. She gave him a hollow look through poollike eyes as she backed away and tossed the gun to one of the guards.
“Ily, you’re hardly going to get much in the way of cooperation out of me when it comes to military matters. “
“I’m aware of that, Sinklar. I’ve made other arrangements. “ A wistful shadow of a smile curled the corner of her lips. “You see, I don’t need you anymore. “
“You’ve got a way to break the Companions?” “No ... but you do. That’s all I need now. What’s in your head-and I’ll have it out of you. Whether you cooperate or not. You’ve trained the rank and file, and even the most stubborn Division First has either seen the advantages or has been replaced. Mac has effectively castrated the Sassans. That fat Sassan maggot-god is panicked out of his wits. The Sassan Empire is falling apart as we speak, their ships and personnel scrambling to keep their crumbling systems intact. They’re incapable of trying any crazy attacks on us. “
Sinklar filled his lungs and bellowed, “Help! Razz! Lambert!”
Ily raised a hand to stop the guards as they rushed forward. “It won’t work, Sinklar. You don’t seriously believe this room hasn’t been soundproofed, do you? Tybalt liked his entertainment private, no matter what it entailed. Ah, yes, I can see understanding dawning. You know, you should work on that. I’ve always been able to read you. Now, if you’d be so kind. “ She inclined her head and gestured toward the hidden passage.
Sinklar licked his lips. Try and take them all? Die here?
Reading him again, Ily raised an eyebrow. “You really have no choice. Your time’s up here, Sinklar.” Ily slipped a small black baton from her belt. “You can walk ... or be carried.”
At the sight of the stun rod, Sinklar’s will collapsed in numb defeat. Even if he could stall, and if Mhitshul could figure out what had gone wrong, the armored security door that protected this room would.delay Third Section until way too -late.
“I’ll walk.” He started for the door-the certainty of defeat tempered by the knowledge that Mayz, Ayms, and Shiksta would realize what had happened. The Targan Divisions were still out there, still armed and dangerous.
Rot it, Mayz, you’re all I’ve got left!
“Anybody got any questions?” Division First Shiksta asked as he scanned the faces of the officers w
ho sat around the conference table at Tarcee Estate. “If not, we’ll call this adjourned. I want you all to study the simulations before the next exercise. We’ve got to have the armor moving in coordination with the entire assault. Think of it like this: You’re not just a series of metal punches, but the jaws of a giant bolt cutter. Integrate that idea ... dream about it tonight.”
He stood then, nodding to the Division Firsts as they rose amidst the clatter of closing notepads, laser pens, and scraping chairs. One by one they filed out of the room amidst subdued conversation. Shik took a deep breath and tapped his fingers on the hardwood table as he cudgeled his brain to recall anything he might have missed mentioning.
He stepped back to the wall niche and pulled back one of the lacy curtains, pouring himself a shot of Ashtan brandy. Lost in thought, he stepped over to the situation board where the lights all blinked or glowed-effigy of an army frozen in time. How long did they have before Sinklar sent them off to the stars to crush Sassa? And after that? The Companions? “Division First?”
“You got him.” Shik swiveled to see two young men in armor enter the room. Both wore the emblem of Sergeant First on their sleeves. Both looked wellgroomed, hardly the sort who’d last a week in the dirt and death and chaos of combat.
“We need to see you outside, sir. We’ve got a problem with logistics. It would only take a moment.” Shik grunted, glancing at the ornate ceiling panels with a suffering acceptance. “Man am I gonna be glad when this is all over. “ He tossed off the last of his drink. “Very well, let’s get it taken care of.” He started toward them. “You might as well fill me in. What’s the problem?”
The young man with close-cropped black hair smiled. “The usual, I guess. We’ve got a supply officer who won’t release equipment we need for tomorrow’s exercise. If you wouldn’t mind, sir. All we need is a word from someone with a little authority to ... how do we say it? Overcome bureaucratic incompetence?”
Shik laughed. “I got it. You want me to lean on the guy and shout a little. No sweat. I wish they were all that easy.”
The two sergeants stepped in behind him. What was it about them? They seemed too ... what? Maybe it was that they were too well-oiled for parts in the military machine. “Takes all kinds,” Shiksta confided to himself as he stepped into the main hallway running through the mansion.
“Shik?” The call came as he opened the door. He glanced back, past the two sergeants. Dion Axel came striding down the hall, asking, “You got a minute?”
“Yeah. I need to speak a little sense to a supply officer outside and I’ll be right with you.”
Dion tilted her head, straight brown hair bobbing at the birdlike motion as she inspected the two sergeants. She stiffened slightly, gaze narrowing. “If you don’t mind, Division First, I need to see you now.”
The two sergeants looked at each other, then at Shiksta, cool deliberation in their eyes. The sudden tension wasn’t lost on Shik. “Uh, you guys wait outside. I’ll be right with you. “ He held the door, and one of the young men wavered, as if ready to push his luck, as he glanced back and forth at Axel and Shik. Then he motioned the other out with a curt gesture, his annoyance barely concealed.
Shiksta closed the door uncertainly, a frown deeping. Why? What could motivate two Sergeant Firsts to risk insubordination to a Division First?
He shrugged and followed Dion as she led him down the hallway. “What happened back there?” Dion made a gesture with her hand-the traditional
symbol for “shut up and follow me.” Grousing to himself, Shik followed Axel out through the other side of the house and into the night. There, an LC rested on the grass, several armored privates standing with heavy shoulder blasters at parade rest. The ramp was down and well lit. Dion walked rapidly, a no nonsense set to her shoulders. Against the glaring LC lights, her breath frosted in a silvery wreath in the chill air.
At the ramp, she nodded to the guards and climbed inside. Shik raced up in three bounds, a pricking of unease tickling at his guts. “You want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
Dion slapped the ramp control as the last of the privates-troops from Axel’s Nineteenth Reganslipped inside. To the comm, Dion called, “Get us out of here, Sam.
“ ‘Firmative. “
“Wait a minute!” Shik lifted a hand in protest. “I’ve got a meeting with-“
“You heard from Mayz? Ayms?” Dion whirled as the LC lifted and g pushed them sideways.
Shik braced himself with a muscular arm. “No, but then I-“
“I can’t get them on comm. I can’t get through to Sinklar, either. I just tried. His LCs are powered up at the palace, and Mhitshul said he and Third Section were evacuating. Problem is, the door to Sinklar’s bedroom was locked when Mhitshul got back to it. That was an hour ago, and Mhitshul’s been agonizing about blowing it apart. First I called Ayms-no sign of him anywhere. Same with Kap and Mayz-disappeared.”
“What? Wait a minute! Division Firsts don’t just disappear. I mean we’ve each got a belt comm and nobody’s that far from their command control. You’d better try again.”
Dion crossed her arms, a glint in her brown eyes. “Shik, you Targans have one fatal flaw. You think everybody in the Empire’s on your side. Something’s happened. And I think it almost happened to you.” “What do you mean?”
“Those two sergeants? Didn’t any alarms go off? Terguzzi sumpshit, they were ready to argue about whether or not you should stop to talk to me. Think, damn it! You saw the way they reacted. Shik, those Sergeants aren’t used to being disobeyed. You could see it in their eyes. “
He slowly lowered himself to one of the assault benches. “Yeah, there was something strange about them. But why would a Sergeant First push his luck that way?”
“Because they weren’t Sergeant Firsts.” Dion dropped beside him, fists knotting. “I think they were Internal Security.” She gave him a level stare. “And we’ve got to figure out what in hell we can do about it.
“Holy Rotted Gods.” The dawning realization turned Shik’s foundations into sand.
Once this cabin had belonged to Sinklar. Then, as now, the desk had been piled with flimsies. Then as now, the man who sat in this same chair had worried and stared at the holo of Rega growing in the monitor. The same sound of air-conditioning and muted vibration had reminded the listener that he rode an interstellar warship. For Ben MacRuder, the uncertainties of the approach to Rega were no less tormenting than they had been for Sinklar.
“Mac, can I help?” Chrysla asked. She paced uneasily where once, Mac himself had paced. As she walked, her baggy dress rustled. She did nervous things with her fingers, pulling at them, while her soft amber eyes stared af nothingness.
Did I appear like that to Sink? Mac took a deep breath and angrily tossed his pocket comm onto the desk. “Help? I don’t know, lovely lady. Can you see the future? Conjure the truth out of thin air? What the hell’s going on down there? We’re close enough that we can access the battle comms, and all we’re hearing are exercises. Why hasn’t Sinklar returned any of our requests for communications? Why hasn’t Mayz, or Kap, or Shik?”
“But they don’t seem to be at war,” she reminded. “Long-range telemetry shows the massed military are only involved in exercises.”
“Yeah, and that’s what the Regan comm tells us is keeping Sinklar busy. They’ve got half the planet playing war games. I know how much time that must be taking, but Rot it, the only person in charge we’ve got to talk to is Ily.”
“Commander Braktov has talked to the other Squadron Commanders. They all say that everything is fine.” Chrysla settled on the corner of Mac’s bed. “Mac, I’ve been around military for long enough to know that scuttlebutt runs rampant. If there was trouble, someone would have spilled it to Rysta. “
“But I.... Yes, yes, you’re right. Someone would have said something.” He paused, then added, “Unless Rysta’s.... No, don’t even think it.”
“You think she’s not telling you something?” br />
Mac shrugged indecisively, then shook his head. “No. You know what? I’ve come to trust her. Now isn’t that a frightening revelation.”
“Then you don’t think she could have her own agenda?”
Mac pursed his lips. “Hell, yes, she’s got her own agenda. She wants things to be the way they were, but she knows that isn’t going to happen.”
“That doesn’t mean she’s on your side.”
“No. But she told me once that she’s Regan. A soldier for the Empire.” Mac raised a finger. “Most importantly, Rysta hates Ily Takka ... hates her with a passion that almost chills the blood. That’s the key, you see. Rysta knows that it’s a different empire today, hell, a whole different universe. For the moment she and I have more in common that not. If the situation changes, that relationship might change, too. But she’s with us until then.”
“Which brings us back to the problem. If something was wrong, someone would have told Rysta about it, and she’d have told you. You’re both letting yourselves get spooked. Isn’t that what it boils down to?”
Mac gave her a questioning look. “You’ve never had a premonition turn out right when everything looked fine on the surface?”
She smiled, the effect melting his heart. “Of course, Mac. The most notable of all was the time I knew better than to separate myself from Staffa. I should have -taken his transportation, I just knew it.” She glanced away. “And for that omission, I’ve punished myself, my child, and the man I love for over twenty years.”
He gave her an encouraging wink, and despite the hurt the words caused him, told her, “You’ll see your son soon enough. After that, we can work on arranging something with Staffa.”
She reached out, taking his hand, the touch electric. “Thank you, Mac. You’re a true gentleman. I will never be able to repay my debt to you. If I can ever do anything, you must only ask.”
He kept his face like a mask. “Forget it.” All I want from you is something I could never ask. You don’t know how much I’ve come to love you. Rot it all anyway. If Staffa hurts you, I’ll cut him in two with plasma shears.