Bred for war

by Michael A. Stackpole

  Caitlin smiled grimly. "I'd forgotten Ryan was a pilot. He would have been mine."

  Her golden-haired cousin sniffed. "At least you could have done something. All I could have done was snub him at a party. Maybe even seated him next to the Baroness de Gambier!"

  "Even I'd not have been that cruel." Caitlin shook her head, the ends of her dark hair swinging slightly. "Don't sell yourself so short, Katrina. You might not be a warrior or pilot, but you'd have had Ryan all tied up."

  Katrina frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "I may spend most of my time on Arc-Royal training with the Kell Hounds, but it's not that much of a backwater. I've seen how effectively you dealt with Ryan, mediating between him and Victor. You stopped the two of them from doing things that would have split the Federated Commonwealth in two. Victor's decision to return to New Avalon lets you calm things down here."

  "Perhaps, but I'm nowhere near the mediator my mother was." Katrina covered her face with her hands. "I miss her so much, Cait."

  Caitlin worked herself forward in the chair and leaned over to put her arms around Katrina's neck. "I know, I know." Poor Katrina. First her mother is killed by a bomb, and then her sweetheart Galen Cox is killed the same way. With Victor gone and Peter vanishing, she must feel abandoned. "We all miss your mother, Katrina, but in you she has a worthy successor."

  Again, Katrina brushed tears away. "My mother was an institution. With one cold glance or—more like her—a warm smile and firm handshake, she always seemed able to persuade people to do what she thought was best for the Federated Commonwealth. Everyone loved and respected her and looked to her for leadership. She was so beautiful and vibrant. She was a strong foundation to hold up the Federated Commonwealth and, at the same time, the glue that bound it together."

  A smile came easily to Caitlin as she thought of Archon Melissa Steiner Davion. "I don't think anyone, meeting her face to face, could have refused anything she might ask. That's why the assassin had to use a bomb. If he'd tried to shoot your mother, he couldn't have pulled the trigger."

  "I suppose that's why she had to die." Katrina swallowed hard. "This might sound morbid, but ever since I learned that it was Ryan who ordered my mother's death, I've tried to get inside his mind to understand why he did it."

  "That's not morbid. It's understandable." Caitlin stroked Katrina's fair hair. "I've also wondered about what sort of person would plant a bomb, knowing it would kill so many people. Killing your mother was bad enough. Maybe he was just a stupid bastard who was afraid the plot wouldn't work otherwise. Ryan probably told him to do it that way."

  Katrina stood and shook her head. "No, Ryan wasn't stupid. Anything but stupid."

  "Killing your mother was stupid, Kat."

  Katrina stood up and began to pace back and forth with her long-legged strides. "Ryan saw my mother as a stabilizing influence. With her as Archon Princess, my father's policies—as modified and humanized by her—would have continued. We'd have spent the remaining years of the Clan truce coming together as a nation. We'd have been preparing for the Clan onslaught and even building alliances with other nations to make certain the Clans would never succeed in conquering the Inner Sphere.

  "Ryan couldn't abide that. Stability for our nation meant stagnation for him."

  Caitlin snarled in disgust. "He should have found himself another line of work."

  "He couldn't. He was ambitious and hungry for power, with goals tied to both things. As sainted as my mother was, not everyone agreed with her policies. People like Ryan had legitimate doubts about my mother's plans for the future."

  "True, Katrina, but most people felt free to bring their concerns to your mother so she could incorporate them into her plans. Ryan brought her a bomb."

  "Yes, but I think he had a fundamental disagreement with the nature of the Federated Commonwealth. You know as well as I do that the Clans carved twenty-five percent of their conquests from the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth. To Ryan, that was a mortal wound. He wanted to push back against the Clans, but my mother wanted us to rebuild and train and be ready for when the war resumed." Katrina stopped and leaned against the back of another of the room's plush chairs. "Ryan thought my mother was destroying the Lyran Commonwealth."

  "And to save it he wanted to make the Isle of Skye independent?"

  "Fomenting the rebellion was a way to wake my mother up to how serious the problem was. He still remembered how the Lyran Commonwealth saved the Federated Suns' economy after my father seized the Sarna and Tikonov Commonalties from the Capellan Confederation twenty-five years ago. Then he saw frightened people fleeing the Clan invasion, abandoning the Lyran half of the Commonwealth for haven in the Davion part of the nation. My mother did nothing to prevent them, confident they'd return once they saw the Clans had been stopped."

  "And they were coming back, Katrina. We all know that."

  "Yes, but not quickly enough. The rate of return didn't match the rate at which people ran. And those returning were often the ones who didn't have sufficient money to make it in the Davion sector. Government programs financed their relocation. Worse than that, I think, for Ryan was the fact that no one else viewed the situation as he did. He thought my mother was lulling the nation to sleep with her kindness. Until my mother was eliminated, there could be no change, no progression."

  Caitlin's green eyes blazed for a second. "Thank God his was a minority opinion."

  "Minority, yes." Katrina shuddered. "Unique, no."

  "What are you saying?"

  "Don't ask me that, Caitlin."

  Caitlin stood up quickly at the sight of Katrina trembling. "What's wrong, Kat? You can tell me."

  "No, no, I can't. It's too horrible."

  "More horrible than our mothers being vaporized by a terrorist bomb?" Caitlin grabbed Katrina by the shoulders. "Look at me. What could be more horrible than that?"

  Katrina's mouth opened in a silent cry, then she sagged forward against Caitlin's chest. "I don't think Ryan was acting alone."

  The sound of Katrina's tears faded to the background as the full implication of the words hit Caitlin. Ever since Melissa Steiner's death, the Federated Commonwealth had been rife with rumors of conspiracies connected with her assassination. Most had tried to pin the murder on Victor Davion, but Caitlin had known Victor for years. They had all played together as children. She'd dismissed those rumors out of hand.

  Katrina's outburst suddenly brought them all back. It was true, after all, that Victor and Galen Cox had been the ones to discover Hanse Davion dead of a heart attack. It was also a fact that Victor had missed his mother's funeral on Tharkad, though her other children, who'd had to travel all the way from New Avalon, managed to make it. The death of Melissa gave Victor his seat on the throne that made him the sole ruler over an empire spanning the furthest borders of the Inner Sphere and containing trillions upon trillions of people.

  And the latest rumors about a growing rift between Galen and Victor had taken on a sinister note after Galen died in a bomb blast similar to the one that had killed Melissa. People were whispering that Victor had killed his own father in Galen's presence, promising Katrina's hand in exchange for his silence, then Victor reneged and had Galen killed because Cox was on the verge of revealing the truth about the deaths of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner Davion.

  "Katrina, how can you say that? What makes you think that?"

  "I don't know, Caitlin. It's just a feeling, but it all begins to add up. After Ryan's death, Victor told me that the mystery around our mother's assassination was solved. He said that Ryan had done it and had paid for the crime with his life. Then he said that Ryan had worked alone, all alone. He said it was done. It was time to move on. It was time to do things for the Federated Commonwealth that our parents could never have conceived of."

  "But you don't think Victor had anything to do with their deaths, do you? You can't."

  Katrina shook her head, her tears pasting golden strands of hair to her face. "No, of c
ourse not. Victor couldn't have ... no, I'd bet my life on it, but ..."

  "But?" Caitlin felt her stomach tightening. "But what?"

  "But all those reasons why Ryan would have killed my mother, they work for Victor, too. And me. And Peter and Arthur and Yvonne. Each one of us gains from the deaths of our parents."

  "But Victor? He couldn't have killed your mother or your father."

  "Of course I don't believe that, Caitlin. Of course I know he didn't do it, but I have to remember who I am and what my responsibilities are. It's that which makes me take a long look at Victor and start to wonder."

  Caitlin frowned and seized her cousin by the hand. "Katrina, what are you talking about?"

  "Well, his return to New Avalon, for one thing." Katrina freed herself from Caitlin's grasp and began to pace again. Occasional sniffs and sobs punctuated her words, but she spoke firmly. "Yes, the seat of government used to alternate back and forth between Tharkad and New Avalon, even during the years of the Clan invasion. And, yes, the people of the old Federated Sun felt short-changed when the throne remained on Tharkad after our mother's death, but the throne should be here. I begged Victor to stay, but he was determined to go back to New Avalon."

  Caitlin looked down, thinking, one hand plucking unconsciously at the silk sleeve of her blouse. "But with the Isle of Skye arrayed against Victor, don't you think his leaving will let things calm down?"

  "I could have calmed things with him here. By running away he made his enemies in Skye think they can frighten him off. Meanwhile, those who love him believe he's left them high and dry. I mean, he gave Grayson Carlyle a title and demanded an oath of personal fealty in return, then did nothing to help Carlyle's Gray Death Legion in the fighting on Glengarry. In fact Victor left for New Avalon months before the situation was settled. He abandoned Carlyle the same way he's abandoned others."

  "I think, with all that's happened, you're the one who's feeling abandoned, Kat."

  Katrina stopped and smiled at her cousin. "But not by you, Cait. You came as soon as you could."

  "And I'm happy to be here, despite the circumstances."

  "You're my strength, Caitlin. You've always been stronger than I am."

  "Remember what I said before? Don't sell yourself short, Katrina."

  "Maybe once I did, but no more." Katrina took a deep breath and brushed her hair back from her face. "I'm a Steiner and it's my responsibility to see to it that my people are protected. This government has been on autopilot during the transition. Now that Victor's people are all on New Avalon with him, I'll use what Victor's left me to do what must be done. And the first order of business is healing. Healing the political rifts, healing the pain of the Skye rebellion."

  Caitlin smiled. "Laudable goals."

  "Oh, I'll do more. And healing will be the key. I'm going to focus on medical research, building hospitals, repairing the damage done by the uprising, and healing the hatreds threatening to split the Commonwealth apart. If I can do that, we'll have nothing to fear from the Clans when the truce expires."

  Caitlin nodded. "And Victor?"

  Katrina hesitated, then looked down at the floor. "My first responsibility is to my people, the people his actions have harmed. I don't want to believe Victor is a monster who could resort to murder, but if I learn that he is, then I will have to deal with him. No matter what happens, though, I remember who comes first, and I will never let Victor harm them again."

  Daosha, Zurich

  Soma March, Federated Commonwealth

  Noble Thayer smiled as Ken Fox slapped him on the back. "I appreciate the fact that you're willing to rent me this apartment so quickly, Mr. Fox, but I can't let you believe I'm a veteran like yourself." Noble ran his left hand back over his brush-cut black hair. "Just because I have the same cut you do doesn't mean I served in the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth."

  Fox frowned, resting his hands on his ample belly. "A fellow your age would have served against the Clans, am I right?"

  Noble smiled and set his two duffel bags inside the door of the furnished apartment. "Should have, yes. When I heard about the invasion I was living on Garrison and went to sign up with some friends. We had a car accident on the way there, and I ended up with my right leg snapped in two places." Thayer bent and worked one trouser leg up to show the scar from the surgery performed to set the bone. "My friends got action and I got traction."

  Fox winced and chewed on the end of an unlit cigar stub. "I always hated surgeons cutting me open to pull things out. It's worse than the enemy."

  The older man looked Noble up and down. "So if you aren't a vet, how come the haircut and the duffel bags? I mean, I look at you and I says to myself, 'there's a guy with self-discipline and a military bearing.' "

  Noble's smile carried right up into his dark eyes. 'The military wouldn't take me because of my leg. I volunteered for Civil Defense and discovered I was good at explaining things to youngsters. One of my supervisors had a brother who ran a small military academy on Hyde—Stevenson Military Preparatory Academy. Maybe you've heard of it?"

  Fox gave a noncommittal grunt.

  "Well, I got a job offer there and spent the last three years teaching chemistry and general sciences."

  "But why have you come to Zurich? We got no schools like that here."

  Noble Thayer nodded. "That's what attracted me to this place."

  "I don't follow."

  "My grandfather died about six months ago and left me some money. I'd told him, once upon a time, that I wanted to be a writer, but I never had the nerve to sit down and do it. This world is so far away from Hyde that I can't return to the security of teaching or my family. It's sink or swim."

  "An inheritance is one hell of a life vest, Noble."

  "Well, there is that, yes."

  "So why Zurich?"

  Noble shook his head. "I want to write thrillers and, well, about a year ago I saw a holovid bit on a woman doctor who faced down and disarmed a member of the Zhanzheng de guang and I decided I wanted—no needed—that sort of atmosphere to write."

  Fox started laughing, his fat rippling up and down under his plaid flannel shirt. "Well, you got atmosphere in spades here, Noble. This was that doctor's apartment."

  "No!"

  "Oh, yes. Hell, you're picking up the last month of her lease." Fox nodded proudly. "Dr. Deirdre Lear and her son David lived here. She paid me to keep the apartment open in case she decided to return to the hospital where she'd worked. My daughter used to mind her son.

  "We got a message from Dr. Lear about two months back saying she was going to stay on St. Ives for a while. Then some of her friends from the Rencide Medical Center came by to pack up her stuff and put it in the storage locker in the basement. They put a lock on it, so you'll have to wait till they come to get her stuff out. The key to the other lock on the storage area is here on your key ring. Her friends are waiting for a ship heading out for St. Ives—ought to be one within the month. Hope that won't be a problem."

  "No, not at all. All I've got is in those bags." Noble shrugged. "You're very trusting to give me a key to that storage area before it's cleared out."

  Fox shrugged. "I can judge folks. You ain't the thieving type. You are going to need some stuff to fill this place, though."

  "Beds, desks, and chairs ought to be easy to get," Noble said. "I figured I could buy some computer gear for writing and all, but I wonder how available such equipment will be around here."

  "Just a bit pricey, that's all. My son-in-law, Fabian, can fix you up with something."

  "Excellent." Noble dug into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a bank check for a thousand Federated Commonwealth Kroner. "This should cover rent and deposits. Anything left over you can credit for future rent. We can figure it out when you draw up the lease."

  "Works for me. Good to have you here, Noble." Fox went out the door, then paused on the landing and smiled back at his new tenant. "I live in the duplex just down the street. If you ever w
ant to hear about some of the things I did with the Twenty-second Avalon Hussars in the War of Thirty-Nine against the Snakes, I'll show you some real scars."

  "I'll bring the beer."

  "Deal."

  Noble Thayer closed the door and looked around the modest apartment. The living room led into the kitchen, and a corridor off to the right led back to two small bedrooms and a full bathroom. The walls had been painted a light blue and the floor carpeted in a deep navy. The furnishings were serviceable enough, but cheaply manufactured and never intended to last long.

  That was all right with him. He'd come to Zurich to escape his past and to move toward his future. Ending up in the apartment Dr. Lear had rented ... now that was a stroke of luck he couldn't have foreseen. No one would believe it.

  He laughed aloud and hoped Fox couldn't hear him. "This is the first day of the rest of your life, Noble Thayer. Here's hoping such good fortune marks the rest of it."

  3

  Neutrals never dominate events. They always sink. Blood alone moves the wheels of history.

  —Benito Mussolini

  Marik Palace, Atreus

  Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League

  23 May 3057

  Sun-Tzu Liao inhaled the peace of Thomas Marik's candlelit study and resolved to make his case without disturbing the serenity of the chamber. Thomas would expect him to be angry, but he had more to gain by keeping Thomas off guard. If an enemy cannot define you, he cannot begin to destroy you.

  "I thank you for agreeing to see me this evening, Captain-General." Sun-Tzu held up a holodisk. "I received your message and I wished to speak with you personally about it."

  Thomas Marik turned from the hearth and its blazing fire to look at Sun-Tzu. The glow of the firelight fully illuminated the left side of the Captain General's face, leaving the scarred half cloaked in shadow. "Please, Sun-Tzu, make yourself comfortable."

  The younger man stopped and deliberately snapped to attention before assuming a more casual stance with hands clasped behind his back. The military precision of the movement made Thomas stiffen, as though bracing for a confrontation, which was exactly as Sun-Tzu intended. No emotion showed on his face, but he let the soft tone of his voice bespeak compassion. "I am aggrieved to learn of your wife's worsening condition. As much as I have desired an end to the delay and that a date be set for my wedding to your daughter, it would be inhuman of me to intrude on your grief. If there is anything I or my nation can do ..."