by Timothy Zahn
Jody had seen plenty of holos of the Dominion warships orbiting Aventine, and she’d seen several of the landing shuttles Santores and his people had used getting back and forth between their ships and the Dome.
But the ship now settling to the ground was entirely different from either of those two types. It was much bigger than the landing shuttles, maybe half again as big as the Hoibie freighter she’d arrived in, with a sleekness that probably allowed it to be as maneuverable inside an atmosphere as it was in the vacuum of space. It had a pair of blister-like bulges on both sides about halfway back from the bow, but whether they contained weapons or sensors Jody couldn’t tell. The ship’s underside was curiously shaped: slightly curved, in a way that reminded her of a slice cut from a melon.
It was only as the ship sprouted landing gear and settled onto the grassy plain that she suddenly realized where she’d seen the underside’s distinctive gridwork pattern before. This vehicle was designed to fit into a cutout slot in one of the warships, its underside actually functioning as a section of the warship’s curved hull.
Offhand, she couldn’t see how that design could possibly make sense, given that once the ship had been launched it would leave a gaping and presumably highly vulnerable opening in the warship’s outer skin. But it obviously made sense to someone in the Dominion’s ship design department.
Briefly, she wondered if the passengers would head across the open ground on foot, which on Caelian was an engraved invitation to get yourself killed. But the advance group that had checked the place out five days ago had apparently filed the proper warnings. Even as the glow of the grav lifts began to fade, a small hatch on the top of the ship opened and a long aircar appeared. It floated upward about fifty meters, gave a casual three-sixty as if doing a quick survey of the area, then straightened out and headed toward the city.
For a moment, Jody considered just staying where she was. It was only an assumption, after all, that the Dominion was here for her. If they didn’t actually know she was on Caelian, but were just here for another survey, they might not even ask about her. And if they were looking for her, there was something to be said for not making their job any easier than she had to.
But on the other hand, it sounded like Omnathi was planning to announce himself to them. There was no way she was going to miss that.
She was in the conference room, seated between Harli and Siraj and trying not to fidget, when Kemp opened the door and announced the arrival of their guests.
Considering there were only five of them, it was quite an entrance. They strode past Kemp into the room like they owned the entire planet, or else were preparing to take it in a quick and bloody battle. There was one senior-looking officer, his blazing blue and gold dress uniform visibly brightening the room, and four Marines dressed in muted outfits of burgundy and black that made his uniform look even brighter by comparison.
And all four Marines had handguns holstered at their sides.
Jody felt a shiver run up her back. The Marines she’d seen parading around Capitalia had been in fancier dress uniforms and hadn’t been armed, at least not so obviously. Someone was expecting trouble.
“Good afternoon, citizens of Caelian and the Dominion of Man,” the officer said briskly as he stopped a meter from the end of the table. He was tall and handsome, his face an exotic combination of dark skin, short-cropped black hair, and piercing blue eyes that would have looked perfect on a recruitment poster. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Tristan Tamu, fourth officer of the Dominion Cruiser Algonquin and currently in command of the Algonquin’s courier ship Squire. Which of you is Governor Romulo Uy?”
“I’m Governor Uy,” Uy spoke up. “Welcome to Caelian, Commander Tamu.”
“Actually, sir, I doubt I’m all that welcome,” Tamu said, his voice flat.
“And why would you think that?” Uy asked.
Jody had thought Tamu was as stiff and straight as humanly possible. She was wrong. “We’re here, Governor Romulo Uy, to place you under arrest,” he said, his voice suddenly clipped and formal. “I’ve been ordered to escort you back to Aventine for trial.”
His eyes flicked once around the table, then returned to Uy. “The charge,” he added, “is treason.”
CHAPTER NINE
In other places, Jody thought distantly, and with other people, a statement like that would have been followed by gasps or shouts of outrage and disbelief.
Not in this place. Not with these people. All that Tamu got for his verbal bombshell was a dead, dark, ominous nothing.
Uy broke the silence first. “I presume you have a warrant?” he asked calmly.
Tamu gestured, and one of the Marines walked around behind Jody and the others to the head of the table. He pulled an envelope from his sleeve and handed it to Uy, then took a step backward.
Uy opened the envelope, and another silence settled onto the room. Jody looked furtively around the table, noting with uneasiness the hard look on Harli’s face.
Even more ominous, while the Marine had been delivering the warrant two more Cobras had stepped silently into the room and were now standing in a loose line beside Kemp, the three of them blocking the door.
“And while we head back to Aventine to deal with that,” Tamu continued, “my men will be organizing and directing the construction of new defenses for you. We have the plans and equipment aboard the Squire.”
“What do we need defenses for?” Harli growled. “The war’s over.”
“A particular war may end,” Tamu said. “The institution of war never does. If the Trofts tried to conquer you once, they’ll try it again.”
“And if we don’t want to waste our time playing fort-building games?” Harli countered.
“I would hope you wouldn’t take that attitude,” Tamu said coolly. “Since in that case Commodore Santores would have no choice but to place Caelian under martial law.”
“What?” Harli turned to his father. “Dad?”
“Yes, that’s in here, too,” Uy said mildly, gesturing to the papers in his hand. “We’re to give Commander Tamu our fullest cooperation, or else he’ll have it by other means.” He raised his eyebrows at Tamu. “The Dominion seems to think we’re vulnerable to threats here on Caelian.”
“Then the Dominion needs to take a closer look at the Troft warships we took out,” Harli said.
“I don’t make these decisions, Cobra Uy,” Tamu said. “I just carry out my orders, and expect you to do the same.” A faint smile flicked across his face. “Oh, yes, I know who you are, Cobra Harli Marco Uy. I know who all of you are.”
He looked over his shoulder at Kemp and the other two Cobras, and Jody noticed his left eyelid give a small twitch. “Cobras Popescu, Tammling, and Kemp. I’d stay back if I were you, gentlemen. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
He turned back to the table, his eyelid twitching again. “Elssa Onella Uy, the governor’s wife.” He paused as his gaze shifted to Omnathi, his eyelid twitching twice this time. He frowned slightly and moved on to Siraj. “You are…” He stopped, his eyelid again twitching. His eyes flicked to Siraj’s scaled gray combat suit, then turned to Jody. “You—”
He stiffened. “Jody Broom?” he said. “But you’re—” His eyes flashed briefly to Uy, then back to her. “I was informed you were taken to the Hoibe’ryi’sarai demesne.”
“Obviously not,” Jody said. “Why? Is that a problem?”
“No, not at all,” Tamu said. The brief surprise was past, and he was back on balance again. “In fact, it’s extremely convenient that you’re here. Commodore Santores is most anxious to speak with you. As I’m already tasked with bringing Governor Uy to Aventine, you can travel with us.”
“I don’t think so,” Harli said. “You’re not going to be taking anyone anywhere.”
“And why is that?” Tamu asked.
Pushing back his chair, Harli rose dramatically to his feet. “Because there’s something you don’t know.”
Abruptly, there was a multiple
flash of light from somewhere behind Jody, followed by a muffled curse.
She twisted her head around. Tammling was staggering back, clutching at his arms and chest where a dozen black spots had suddenly appeared in his silliweave tunic. Two of the three Marines had half turned to face him and the other Cobras, one of them with his forefinger pointing warningly at Kemp. The third Marine, along with the one still standing behind Uy, still had their full attention on the group at the table.
“You mean that one of your Cobras was attempting to sneak up behind me?” Tamu asked, his voice heavy with contempt. “If that was his idea, Cobra Uy, it was extremely foolish. If it was your idea, it was criminally foolish. Consider yourselves lucky that our backstab systems were set on riot control. His fresh collection of burns are painful, but not life-threatening.”
He looked back at Tammling, standing in stoic silence now beside Popescu, his eyes boring into one of the Marines as Popescu helped him ease out of his tunic. “Also be aware that riot control is stage two. There are six more stages above that. The next time one of your men tries a stunt like that, it may not end so well.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Harli said, his voice under rigid control. “I suggest you do likewise.”
Tamu turned back, his eyebrows raised. “Is that a threat against the Dominion of Man, Cobra Uy?”
“Take it any way you want,” Harli said. “Just take it as truth that you’re not taking my father or Ms. Broom away.”
Tamu snorted gently. “Words of emptiness,” he said scornfully. “I’ve already proved you can’t harm us physically. Do you really think anyone on Caelian will deliberately open themselves to their own charges of treason by interfering with our lawful duties?”
“Your words carry an emptiness of their own,” Omnathi spoke up calmly. “Not everyone on Caelian is subject to the laws and pretentions of your Dominion.”
“Really?” Tamu asked, his eyelid doing another twitch. Accessing some kind of personnel databank? “And how precisely do you compute that?”
“Truth does not need to be computed,” Omnathi said with a sudden diplomatic weight and strength that sent a shiver up Jody’s back. “I am Moffren Omnathi, Shahni of the sovereign world of Qasama.”
It seemed to Jody that Tamu actually paled. “You are—?” His eyes darted to Uy, to the still-standing Harli, then back to Omnathi. “I’m honored to meet you, Mr. Omnathi—”
“Your Excellency,” Siraj cut in, his own eyes unblinkingly on Tamu and as unfriendly as Jody had ever seen them. “The proper address is Your Excellency.”
“My apologies, Your Excellency,” Tamu said, looking pained at his gaffe. “May I ask what you’re doing on Caelian?”
“I’m engaged in diplomatic discussions with Governor Uy,” Omnathi said.
“What sort of discussions?”
“Private discussions,” Omnathi said, leaning on the first word.
“I see,” Tamu said, his voice stating to show some strain. “May I suggest that as a representative of the Dominion of Man, Commodore Santores would be a more appropriate person to negotiate with?”
Omnathi’s eyebrows rose microscopically. “Define appropriate.”
Tamu’s throat worked. Clearly, the conversation was already way outside his mission parameters. “I simply meant that Commodore Santores has the authority to speak on behalf of the Dominion of Man. Governor Uy doesn’t.” He looked back at Uy. “Especially under the present circumstances.”
“And if I ask that the charges against him be dropped?”
Tamu’s eyes flicked to the Marine standing behind Uy. “I may have some flexibility in my orders,” he said. “If you’d care to accompany me back to my ship, perhaps we could discuss it in more comfortable surroundings.”
“The surroundings here are adequate to my needs,” Omnathi said. “Whatever you wish to discuss, we may do it here.”
Tamu’s lips compressed. “Very well,” he said reluctantly “As I’ve already suggested, Commodore Santores is most anxious to speak with a representative of your world. If you were willing to travel to Aventine to meet with him, I would be honored to provide transport for you. The flight would take less than a day.”
“And Governor Uy?”
“He would be permitted to remain on Caelian until we return,” Tamu said. “But I have no doubt that you and the commodore could work out a mutually acceptable resolution to his situation.”
“As I said, I prefer my current surroundings,” Omnathi said. “If you wish to return to Aventine—alone—to consult with your superiors and bring back a full reversal of the charges against him, I’ll consider holding further discussions.”
“You’ll consider it?” Tamu retorted, his face darkening. “Have a care, Your Excellency. One word from me and you’ll be on your way to Aventine whether you wish it or not.”
“You could give that word,” Omnathi agreed, his voice gone cold. “But it would be your last. Or do you truly believe I came here alone?”
Tamu’s eyes flicked to Siraj and the Djinni’s combat suit, and Jody had the sense of a rapid reassessment. “No, of course not,” he said. “But I’ve intruded on your time too much already. With your permission, I’ll take my leave. Governor Uy, we’ll speak more on this matter later.”
He gestured, and the Marine standing behind Uy retraced his steps around the table. Then, in perfect unison, all five of them turned and strode past the three Cobras through the doorway. The Cobras followed, closing the door behind them. Straining her ears, Jody heard the faint thud as the building’s outside door closed.
“An interesting dilemma,” Uy said.
“Not exactly the word I would have chosen,” Harli said sourly.
“I didn’t mean ours,” his father told him. “I meant Commander Tamu’s.”
“Indeed,” Omnathi agreed thoughtfully. “As I see it, he has three possible paths. First, he can attempt to take us by force. But that path is pitted with danger. Not only do you have many Cobras who would resist, but there may be an unknown number of Djinn as well. A well-schooled military commander would never go against such uncertainties unless he had no other options. Second, he can send his ship back to Aventine to alert his superiors and bring back new instructions and more warriors. But that would leave him stranded without his ship’s tactical support. Third, he and his entire force could leave and return for instructions. But he then risks the chance that we would be gone when he returned.” He looked at Uy. “Do you find any flaws in my reasoning?”
“No, your reasoning is solid,” Uy said heavily. “I only wish it wasn’t built on a castle of cards.”
“What do you mean?” Jody asked.
Uy looked at Omnathi. “I’m not sure…”
“He means that my threat was hollow,” Omnathi said calmly. “There are only four Djinn currently on Caelian, and Ifrit Akim is the only one in Stronghold.”
“The other three are in Aerie assisting the Cobras who are testing the combat suits we brought,” Siraj added.
“Fortunately, Tamu doesn’t know that,” Uy said. “The trick is to maintain the illusion. And to not back him into a corner where he feels he has to call our bluff.”
“I see,” Jody said, a shiver running through her. Tamu had called the Squire a courier ship, but given that it was a Dominion craft she didn’t doubt that it was also heavily armed. Not that it would take much weaponry to flatten what was left of Stronghold.
“There’s also Damocles,” Harli said.
“What’s Damocles?” Jody asked.
“Something the less said about, the better,” Uy told her.
“Okay,” Jody said, a shiver running through her. She’d seen the Caelians come up with all sorts of crazy combat schemes. If Uy didn’t even want to talk about this one, it must be even crazier than usual. “New tack. Your Excellency, is there any way to get you out of here if Tamu goes with option three?”
Omnathi shook his head. “That, too, is a castle of cards. The Tlos’khin’fahi ship
that is to take us home is not scheduled to return for three more weeks.”
“Wait a minute,” Harli said, frowning off into the distance. “What about the Troft warship we left in the Octagon Caves? Do you think we might be able to get that one back in the air?”
“I doubt it,” Jody said. “We left it pretty firmly wedged in.”
“Yeah, I know,” Harli said. “But if we could get it unstuck—use shaped charges to blast away the stone above it or something—we know that you, Smitty, Kemp, and Rashida can fly the thing. Even if we couldn’t get Shahni Omnathi all the way back to Qasama, we might at least get him out of the system where Tamu couldn’t find him.”
“And perhaps move Governor Uy away, as well,” Siraj suggested.
“Oh, wouldn’t that just fry him?” Harli said dryly. “What do you think, Dad? Should I send a couple of miners to the caves and see what they can do?”
Across the room, the door abruptly swung open. “Sorry,” Kemp said. “Governor, we’ve got trouble. Tamu’s got a whole bunch of his Marines out in the streets trying to get people into his ship.”
“You mean kidnapping them?” Uy demanded, straightening in his chair.
“No, no—so far they’re just talking,” Kemp said. “But they’re talking real big—promising food and money and help. The whole niners.”
“Is anyone listening to them?” Harli asked.
“Everyone’s listening to them,” Kemp said grimly. “They’ve got twenty corralled already and they’ve only gone three blocks.”
Jody felt her stomach tighten. On her walk into the city she’d noticed that several of the large gardens that supplemented Stronghold’s food supply were still out of commission, their crops torn up and trampled during the battles with the invading Trofts. With the additional deaths of so many Cobras and civilians, it was likely that the normal hunting schedule had also been disrupted.
The Caelians were hungry. Tamu had obviously noticed that, too. “Looks like he’s found a fourth option,” she murmured. “But aside from good will, I don’t see what this gains him.”
