Prince of Havoc
Page 24
Sun-Tzu's face remained expressionless. "Insults? I praised you."
"Ha! You mocked me with your comments about stability and safety."
The First Lord stood there for a moment, his eyes glancing up and away. "Ah, I see how that could have been taken. I beg your pardon, Archon, but English is not my first tongue."
"Damn you, Sun-Tzu, but I will not accept that." Katrina leveled the paper knife at him. "Mock me again, think me stupid enough to believe you didn't know what you were doing, and I will bury your realm. I think you should remember that I managed to take the Federated Commonwealth from my brother and you can't even wrest the St. Ives Compact from your aunt. I can guarantee that will never happen."
"But you are willing to stay away if I nominate you as First Lord, my successor?" Sun-Tzu tapped a finger against his chin. "Thomas would back you, and perhaps Magnusson— one for peace and one for the promise of help to build his economy and fortify his realm. Theodore will oppose you, as will Candace. You need my vote to win."
"No, Sun-Tzu, you need to vote for me to win your little war." Katrina's eyes hardened. "If I don't have you with me, then I have to give Candace something, and I promise you won't like the deal I work with her at all. Vote for me, and St. Ives is an internal Capellan matter as far as I am concerned. Vote against me, insult me again, and you'll find I can be very passionate and dedicated to the rights of a subject people. I am my father's daughter and I could easily see completing his dream of conquering your realm."
Katrina smiled sweetly. "Your choice, Sun-Tzu. Make it quickly."
The Capellan bowed graciously to her. "I have every hope that your tenure as First Lord will be as rewarding for you as mine has been for me."
"Oh, I am certain it shall be." Katrina laughed lightly. "Most rewarding indeed."
29
Chinggong House, St. Ives Compact Consulate
Tharkad City, Tharkad
District of Donegal, Federated Commonwealth
5 November 3061
As he looked at her sitting there in the big leather chair at the consul's desk, it occurred to Kai for the first time that his mother was getting old. Her gray eyes still burned with the same fire, and her long black hair had not a strand of gray in it, but her shoulders had softened and her physical motions had slowed a bit. After seventy-three years and multiple injuries sustained in 'Mech combat, dealing with cancer and surviving an assassination attempt, some deterioration was to be expected, but she'd come through all those things very well.
The subjugation of her nation is grinding her down. Kai forced a smile onto his face and looked from her to her brother, Tormano. Eight years her junior, Tormano seemed older because of the white stealing through his hair. He'd also thickened appreciably, without being fat, and his various travails had tracked wrinkles across his brow, out from his eyes, and around the corners Of his mouth. His subjugation by Katherine has ground him down, too.
Kai leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I thought we had a major concession out of Sun-Tzu yesterday. He says he's withdrawn all the SLDF forces he'd placed in the Compact."
Candace nodded. "Yes, he's replaced them with his own troops, so he'll be shedding his own people's blood. Unfortunately, they'll be spilling our people's blood."
Tormano sat back in his chair. "At least we had the Combine and the Republic backing your motion, Candace."
"True, this does set up an interesting scenario for today's vote on the new First Lord. Your mistress will no doubt be advanced and supported by Sun-Tzu."
"She will." Kai frowned. "Katherine spoke for your motion, and seemed to anger Sun-Tzu by it."
Tormano smiled weakly. "Of course she did, getting Sun-Tzu to withdraw was the carrot she held out to me and your mother for the Compact's support for her candidacy. The fact that Sun-Tzu anticipated her and pulled the troops means she no longer has anything to offer us, save military support."
Candace pressed her hands together, fingertip to fingertip. "She won't do that, of course, because she has set herself up to be a paragon of peace. So far her nations have only gone to war against the Clans. She has already offered me asylum within the Federated Commonwealth, but I'd sooner flee and exile myself to Arc-Royal. Since she cannot offer us anything substantial, she will promise Sun-Tzu to not interfere with his little war. You heard the language yesterday : that this was just an internal political matter of the Capellan Confederation."
Kai opened his hands. "Well, I can't let Sun-Tzu take the Compact. The moment we leave here, I'll take the First St Ives Lancers and we'll give Sun-Tzu more war than he can handle."
"You'll not be alone, nephew." Tormano sat up straight.
"Once this conference is concluded, I will resign my position with Katrina and begin to actively direct the Free Capella Movement. I will bring my son in with me—it is time he has a direction in his life. We have assets that will make Sun-Tzu's life uncomfortable. More important, I know secrets that give me leverage with Katrina. She may not actively support us, but she will be turning a blind eye to any support we get from parts of her realm. Within the Capellan March there are a large number of expatriates who will give money and volunteer service to help us."
Candace sat there, stock still for a moment, her eyes closed. "For the better part of three years I feared for your safety so far from home, Kai, and now you come back safe only to move into danger again. And you, brother, I had long been afraid your association with this Steiner witch would end badly for you. And now this war may end badly for all of us. We could capitulate, save ourselves and our people the agony of this war."
"Leave them subject to Sun-Tzu's whims and Kali's madness?" Tormano solemnly shook his head. "You and I, Candace, escaped the madness of our father's realm, and what Romano did to it when she took over. Our freedom had a price, and now the bill is due. It's time for us to pay."
Candace smiled, displaying her teeth in the predatory grin Kai had seen often before. "My thoughts exactly, Tormano. It's a butcher's bill, and will be rendered in blood, but we have the coin to pay. Now we'll just have to see how much cost Sun-Tzu finds prohibitive."
Royal Court, The Triad
Tharkad City, Tharkad
Katrina sat on the couch in her office, opposite Thomas Marik. On the table in front of her had been laid out a silver coffee service and two china cups. The cups themselves went Steiner blue with the old armored fist crest on them. "These were my grandmother's favorites. You take your coffee with sugar, yes?"
Thomas nodded, the heavily scarred tissue on the right side of his face twisting unnaturally. Katrina did her best to look away from it—it repulsed her, but fascinated her at the same time. To bear such hideous scars, to look each morning in a mirror and see your mortality etched into your flesh. I could never stand it.
She put a single sugar lump into his cup, then poured thick black coffee over it. She offered it to him with a spoon and he stirred once. Her own coffee she prepared with cream and two lumps of sugar—doing as much as she could to make it taste like anything but coffee. She normally abhorred the beverage, but she had been told Thomas enjoyed it, so she indulged him.
Sitting back on the couch, she crossed her legs. "I don't wish to be abrupt, but our afternoon session begins in a couple of hours and we will be dealing with the election of the new First Lord of the Star League."
Thomas gave her a half smile. "You wish to know if the new First Lord will be you or me, then?"
"Most perceptive of you."
"Let me see if my other perceptions impress you." Thomas sipped his coffee, then let the cup and saucer rest on his left knee. "You wish to be First Lord for two precise reasons: neither your father nor your brother attained that goal in life."
Katrina allowed herself a little laugh. "The failures of the past are of no consequence to me. I have everything of my brother's that I could want. My desire to be First Lord comes from my intention to help the Inner Sphere through what should be an exciting and formative time. The pea
ce with the Clans will initiate a prosperity of which we've not seen the like. Factories that have been turning out weapons will now produce consumer goods, and the Clans will have a voracious appetite for the same. The establishment of trade will benefit the Inner Sphere, and I mean to coordinate and develop that trade."
"I salute your vision." Thomas studied her thoughtfully for a moment. "Can you deliver the votes you'll need? Sun-Tzu's pulling SLDF troops from the Compact means you can't leverage their withdrawal for Candace's vote."
"I know, but no matter. Sun-Tzu is mine, and yesterday I had a long talk with Prince Magnusson. His paltry realm is in need of a lot of support, and I allowed as how the Federated Commonwealth would be happy to attend to his realm's needs in return for his support."
"That gives you the swing vote, provided you land me." Thomas nodded. "What will you give me for my support?"
Katrina smiled and nodded her head. "Directly asked, very good. What I shall do for you is keep Sun-Tzu distracted."
"Brightly colored objects could do that."
"His sister, perhaps, but not Sun-Tzu. The Compact war will divert his ambitions, and I can keep that war going for years."
"I will take that and one other thing."
"And that would be?"
Thomas set the cup down on the table then, tugging at his trouser leg, crossed his right leg over the left and sat back. "This commerce will benefit the Lyran half of your empire the most. I want favored-nation status, lowered tariffs, preferential shipping rates, and everything necessary to give me an equal shot at trading with the Clans. I have no doubt we will end up second to your efforts, but I will not be third or fourth. Is this acceptable?"
"Most." Katrina reached out with her cup and clicked it against his. "I believe, Thomas Marik, we have a deal."
Royal Court, The Triad
Tharkad City, Tharkad
Kai smiled slowly as the ComStar technicians set up the holoprojector unit off in the corner behind the Capellan Confederation's table, to the right of the podium. Sun-Tzu, standing at the podium and trying to take care of a number of minor procedural matters, kept glancing over at the workers. His annoyance came less, Kai expected, because of the red-robed and hooded acolytes working there than because of the message that would be displayed when they were finished.
One of the anonymous techs came over and whispered in the Precentor Martial's ear. Focht stood and nodded toward Sun-Tzu. "If the First Lord would permit?"
Sun-Tzu let the hint of a gracious smile flash across his face. "Please, Precentor Martial, let us not delay since we have important work to perform this afternoon."
"Your indulgence is appreciated." Focht clasped his hands at the small of his back and looked around the circle of delegations. "Two days ago you voted for the First Lord to record and transmit to Luthien a message of thanks and commendation to Prince Victor Davion. The message reached him at Komadorishima and he recorded the following reply, which he wished to have broadcast to all of you."
Focht nodded at the tech standing by the projector, and he hit a button to start the message. A white wall of static burned in the air for a moment, then color flooded it and resolved itself into an image of Victor standing in the foyer of Koma-dorishima's palace. Though the projector displayed Victor in life size, he still seemed very small to Kai. An illusion caused by the distance.
Victor's costume didn't help at all. He wore no shirt, and his overalls had only one suspender hitched to the front. The chest flap had flopped down, giving everyone a good look at the sword scar under his right nipple. The overalls were crusted at the knees with dirt, and the gardener's gloves he slowly pulled off were likewise soiled. A ragged cloth had been tied around his brow, and dirt smudged his nose and left cheek.
Victor smiled slightly. "I have received your message and I am deeply touched by it. It was the greatest of honors to lead brave men and women against the most serious threat the Inner Sphere has known since, perhaps, Stefan Amaris. It was their effort, their sacrifices, that won the day. I was merely fortunate that they allowed me to lead them."
The holocamera zoomed in on Victor's face. "I would return to you the hopes of a long life and happiness that you sent to me, There are aspects of my new life that I enjoy very much, and Tharkad seems a distant dream-world now. The trust you showed in me in sending me after the Clans, I return to you. I trust you to guide the Star League into a future that will be good for all of us."
The camera zoomed back out. "So, again, thank you very much. I hope similar messages of commendation will be sent to my troops so they, too, can know how much their efforts mean to the Star League and future. If you ever believe I can be of further service, you will know where to find me."
Reams of ComStar message routing data scrolled up over the image as it faded to black, then the acolyte punched another button and killed the picture.
Sun-Tzu, who had not even glanced at the message during its playing, smiled weakly. "Well, that was certainly worth the interruption of our schedule. If it is the will of this body, I shall record and have sent to the units involved in the invasion a supplementary message of congratulations and send it out with Victor's commendation and his reply to it."
Haakon Magnusson leaned heavily forward on his table. "Perhaps, First Lord, that is a job for your successor. We would not want it to seem that such a message was the last act of an outgoing First Lord. It might sully it a bit."
"I bow to your whim, Magnusson." Sun-Tzu straightened up to his full height. "It would seem, then, that it is time to open nominations for the office of First Lord. I should like to begin what I hope will be a tradition in the Star League, of the outgoing First Lord nominating his successor. Toward this end, I would put forward the name of a woman who has been vitally supportive of the Star League from the outset. She brought us here three years ago for the first Whitting Conference, and she has hosted us again this time. Her wisdom cannot be denied, nor can her compassion for her people. She has heard the cries of many and done everything in her power to offer them comfort. As First Lord of the Star League I am certain she will continue in this manner, bringing home to the peoples of our nations the reality of the Star League and its multitude of benefits to us all.
"I nominate Katrina Steiner of the Federated Commonwealth."
Katrina stood slowly, wearing a look of surprise on her face. "First Lord, you honor me. I would be glad to serve as your successor. If I am fortunate to be half as successful as you are, I will accomplish great things in our name."
Sun-Tzu smiled. "Is there a second?"
Thomas Marik raised a hand. "It is my honor to second the nomination."
"Very well." The First Lord leaned heavily on the podium. "The Star League constitution calls for us to vote on this candidate, and she must win by a simple majority. If there is a tie, ComStar will cast the deciding vote. If she fails to be elected, we will entertain subsequent nominations. I will now poll the delegations."
Sun-Tzu started at his right, with his sister voting in favor of Katrina. Theodore voted against, then Thomas for. Katrina voted for herself, and Candace voted against her. All attention then swung to Haakon Magnusson of the Free Rasalhague Republic.
Prince Magnusson glanced at Katherine, then shook his head. "The Free Rasalhague Republic votes no."
Kai caught a flicker of fury in Katrina's cold blue eyes, then she slowly lowered herself into her chair. She must have thought she had Magnusson all wrapped up. He's made an enemy, which means Theodore must have made some sort of deal with him.
Sun-Tzu looked over at the Precentor Martial. "We are at an impasse. Yours is the deciding vote to cast."
Focht stood slowly and very straight. His white robe could not hide the military bearing of his frame, nor his age. "This is perhaps the most important vote that will ever be cast in the history of the Star League. It will determine our future and set in motion many things. I am eighty-seven years old and the chances that I will live to see the fruits of this vote ripen are sle
nder. It is for this reason that I choose to resign my position as the Precentor Martial of ComStar, and, instead, have my successor cast my vote."
What? Kai's jaw shot open. He looked over at Hohiro and saw that he and everyone else in the Combine delegation were equally surprised by Focht's announcement. Katrina's brow furrowed, and Thomas Marik covered his mouth with a hand. Haakon Magnusson seemed openly amused, and Kali Liao's glare seemed sufficient to cause the Precentor Martial to combust.
Sun-Tzu retained his composure. "Your announcement was not unexpected, Precentor Martial. Your choice of a melodramatic moment to make it was. Is your successor here?"
"Indeed, First Lord." Focht nodded at the hooded acolyte over by the holoprojector. "I give to you ComStar's new Precentor Martial."
When he lowered the hood, the new Precentor Martial wore a broad smile. "In this matter," said Victor Davion, "ComStar chooses to vote against Katherine."
30
Royal Palace, The Triad
Tharkad City, Tharkad
District of Donegal, Federated Commonwealth
5 November 3061
As the Council of Lords session broke up, Victor came around the ComStar desk and strode across the opening to the Combine delegation. He extended his hand to Theodore. "Congratulations on being elected First Lord of the Star League."
Theodore smiled. "And thank you for so quickly accepting leadership of the Star League Defense Force."
"I was honored by the appointment." Victor reached out his right hand and stroked Omi's arm. "I apologize to all of you for deceiving you."