“So far,” Severin said, “our players have four percent and two percent. Who really owns the Meridian Company?
“Allodorm had ten percent,” Terza said. “He got it when the Meridian Company bought out his engineering company. But the largest owner was Cassilda’s father, Lord Zykov, followed by other members of the Zykov clan.”
Surprise murmured through Severin’s veins. “Must be interesting to be robbed by your in-laws,” he said.
“Not just robbed,” Terza said. “Lord Zykov’s plan was to bankrupt the Chee Company, then buy the remnants with its own money.”
Severin turned his head at the sound of footsteps coming out of the house. Lord Roland Martinez strolled toward them, a wry smile on his lips. He was dressed casually, in a blousy white cotton shirt and faded red baggy drawstring trousers.
“How’s Cassilda?” Terza asked.
“The doctor says she won’t deliver for a few hours yet.”
Cassilda had gone into labor the previous evening.
Roland leaned over his brother’s shoulder to peer into the silver wire basket. “Didn’t you leave me any breakfast?”
“We didn’t know you’d be coming,” Terza said. “You can call the kitchen.”
“I don’t have a comm unit on me,” Roland said. “Gare, could you call the kitchens and get me some pastry and a pair of shirred duck eggs?” He sat heavily in one of the whitewashed metal chairs.
Martinez, looking resigned, made the call on his sleeve comm. Severin finished his pastry and freshened his coffee from the silver pot. He looked at Roland.
“Yes?” Roland said.
“Beg pardon?”
“You had a question on your face.”
“I— ” Severin started, and then decided to take a more tactful approach. “It must be hard for you, with Lady Cassilda about to give birth and her father sitting on a pile of money he’s stolen from you.”
Roland grinned. “No. That makes it easier, actually.” He poured himself a cup of coffee, then looked at Severin.
“It’s very simple,” he said. “I don’t know if Lord Zykov gives a damn about Marcella or not, but if he ever wants to see his daughter again, or see his grandchild ever, he’ll do exactly what we tell him.”
Severin felt his mouth hanging open, and closed it. “I see,” he said.
“You understand,” Roland said, “Allodorm and Lord Pa got too greedy— they didn’t just cheat us, they cheated the Fleet. And that’s not civil or corporate law, that’s a violation of the Praxis, and the penalties are torture and death. Cassilda had some stock in the Meridian Company, and we can make a case against her.”
Can you do that? Severin wondered.
Apparently he could.
“Any case is amazingly easy,” Roland went on. “There’s scads of information— we had inspectors on the ground, and other informers as well, but they all reported to Marcella, and she sat on the information and told the others that adjustments were being made.”
“Plus of course the conspirators are all informing on one another,” Martinez said.
“So in return for not laying the information before the Legion of Diligence,” Roland said, “we’re asking for half of Lord Zykov’s interest in the company, plus all of Lord Pa’s, and Allodorm’s, and Marcella’s. Lord Pa will pay us a large fine, enough to knock him flat for some time. Marcella and Allodorm will be locked up until we’re reasonably certain we’ve wrung out of them every zenith they possess.”
“And the first thing I did,” Martinez said, “was procure Lord Ehl’s resignation from the Fleet.”
Roland shrugged, as if this was of no concern. “We’ll have his shares, too, of course.” He adopted a contemplative look. “I’m thinking of having Lord Zykov pass over his elder daughter and make Cassilda his heir. So everything comes to us in the end.”
Martinez looked at his brother with dissatisfaction showing in his narrowed eyes. “Speaking as the one who got shot at,” he said, “I’m not sure I’m happy that everyone gets off with just fines and spankings. I wonder what you’d have done if Marcella had actually succeeded in killing me.”
Again Severin felt a line of tension between the two brothers, and thought again that the two might not like each other very much.
Roland very coolly raised his coffee to his lips. “I suppose that after Marcella was good and bankrupt,” he said, “she might have had an accident.”
Martinez looked at Roland for a moment, then shrugged. Terza reached over and patted his hand.
“Thanks to Commander Severin,” she said, “we’re not concerned with that outcome.”
“Not so much me,” Severin said, “as— ” Then, “Commander?”
A tight little smile played across Roland’s lips. “You will not find us ungrateful, my lord. We’ve spoken to the higher echelon of the Exploration Service here, and explained in some detail our considerable admiration for you, and my understanding is that you’ll be promoted and given Surveyor once it’s out of dock.”
Severin goggled at him. You can do that? he wondered.
“In addition,” Martinez said, “my father is granting you several sections of prime Chee real estate. You should have a very rich estate to retire to when you leave the Service.”
“And I believe there will be a substantial cash reward from the Chee Company,” Roland said. “Though I understand we’ll have to get your superiors’ permission.”
Severin’s mind whirled. “But,” he said, “I didn’t really do that much.”
“Other than save the Chee Company’s entire investment?” Roland smiled.
“I shut off the pulsar, yes, but the reason that Captain Martinez hasn’t joined the Great Masters is that he insisted that what I did with Titan remain secret. I didn’t have anything to do with that.”
Martinez grinned. “I had to protect my investments,” he said.
Severin looked at him. “My lord?”
“I took the money I won from Lord Mukerji and bought every futures contract on Chee from the poor fools Allodorm and Pa sold them to,” Martinez said. “Some will be worthless, no doubt, but I believe I’m now a rich man.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled out at the world. “I’ve never actually had money of my own before,” he said. “It’s all come from Terza or my father. I wonder what I’ll do with it?”
“The possibilities are staggering,” Terza murmured.
Martinez looked at his brother. “And of course some of the fines from the conspirators will go to reimburse the investors who were cheated.”
Roland was annoyed. “They were gambling, really. It’s not as if they can complain. It was the futures market, for all’s sake.”
“Roland.” The voice was firm.
Roland flapped his hands. “Very well. If you insist. But if you go on this way, you’re going to make me wish Marcella were a better shot.”
Martinez smiled. “I seek only perfect justice for the entire universe.”
“Ah!” Roland said happily. “My shirred eggs!”
A smiling white-haired servant brought Roland his breakfast and another basket of pastry. Terza looked at Severin from over the rim of her coffee cup.
“Will you be seeing Lady Liao while Surveyor’s in dock?” she asked.
Severin darted a glance to the opal ring on his finger. Does everyone know? he wondered.
“I’ve sent her a message,” he said. “But I imagine a lot will depend on her schedule.” And her husband’s.
“Any plans for the meantime?” Terza asked.
“Well,” Severin said, “I’m thinking of building a puppet theater.”
There was a moment of silence broken only by the calls of morning birds.
“That’s original,” Martinez murmured.
“Do you think so?” Severin asked. “Let me tell you about it.”
And, as the long morning stretched before them, he did.
THE END
Table of Contents
INVESTMENTS
&nb
sp; Investments
Investments Page 12
