by D.D. Chant
Chapter Thirty
The Tula
Rachel Fredrickson kicked off her shoes, and swung her legs up onto the seat beside her.
“Boy, do these guys like to make a fuss. My feet are killing me!”
Philip removed his jacket and handed it to Lester before sitting down in the armchair opposite her.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
Senator Fredrickson snorted.
“Tea’s for sissies: I want a scotch.”
“Very well, Lester; a scotch for Senator Fredrickson and a tea for me.”
Rachel eyed him disapprovingly.
“Sissy.”
“Whatever you like, Rachel.”
“Make sure he doesn’t do something stupid, like water it down with soda or ice, would you.”
As she spoke, Senator Fredrickson wriggled her plump frame into a more comfortable position. Her jacket bunched up, stretching the buttons tight and her skirt twisted, lifting to reveal a sturdy white no-nonsense petticoat that was completely free from adornment.
“They’re a bit of a crazy bunch aren’t they?”
“Who are?”
“Your parents,” Rachel returned sarcastically. “The Tula, you nut!”
Senator Burton turned slightly to accept a cup of tea from Lester.
“They have their idiosyncrasies.”
Senator Fredrickson snorted again.
“No need to go using fancy words, Phil. They’re a bit crazy. Now don’t get me wrong; they’re smart and their technology is outta this world, but there's no denying that they’re a bit cranky too.”
Senator Burton almost spat his tea across the room as he reflected that Councillor Ladron’s ears must have been burning. He tried to picture the look on Ladron’s face as he heard Rachel denounce him and his people as ‘cranky’.
“Well?”
Rachel looked at him expectantly, as though demanding that he agree with her.
“You know I’d never argue with you, Rachel.”
“Yeah, yeah: don’t bother using that sweet talk on me, you know it won’t work.” She wriggled. “What’s with this couch anyway? Must have been made from a seriously unhappy cow, that’s all I can say.” She paused looking around the room. “Where’re the cushions?”
“There aren’t any.”
“Well I need a cushion. Lester, go get me a pillow off Phil's bed.”
Lester hesitated, looking toward Senator Burton for guidance.
“What are you waiting for, sonny? Get going!”
Lester scurried away, and Rachel relaxed back into her chair grimacing.
“So, what are we gonna do about Ben?”
Philip wasn’t surprised by her blunt question, he knew better than to expect any softness from her. He paused for a moment.
“There doesn’t seem to be much we can do. The Una have made no demands; they haven’t even taken responsibility for his disappearance.”
Rachel shook her head.
“You think he’s alive?”
“They have no reason to kill him. In fact, killing him can only harm their position politically.”
Lester returned, holding the requested pillow. Rachel smiled at him, reaching out for it and stuffing it behind her back.
“Ahh… that’s much better. What about Ladron?”
“What about him?”
“Come on, Phil, you’ve been here longer than me: what do you make of him?”
Philip felt acutely aware of the listening ears.
“He seems very clever.”
“No kidding,” drawled Senator Fredrickson sarcastically. “You’re not being very helpful.”
Senator Burton rubbed his eyes tiredly.
“Then you’ll have to be more specific.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Phil, I’m asking for your opinion.”
Philip paused, trying to phrase a response. Over the rim of her glass, Rachel Fredrickson watched him with sharp eyes. He experienced a sudden flash of understanding.
“You’ve already made up your mind.”
Rachel looked away, her eyes fixed on the liquid in her glass.
“He’s dangerous.”
“But?”
“We need him.”
“Do we?”
Rachel tossed down the last of her scotch and handed the glass to Lester.
“Top her up, sonny.”
“Rachel, what are you thinking?” asked Phillip.
“You’re no idiot, Phil; we both know that the Free Nation needs the Tula.”
“At what cost?”
“At any cost! We can’t fight them, they’re too strong. So we’ll have to make peace with them.”
Senator Burton leant forward to put his teacup on the table in front of him.
“So we only abide by our principles when it’s easy to do so?”
“Oh grow up, Phil; nothing is ever that black and white. Sometimes our principles have to be flexible so that we can survive.”
“You’re wrong, Rachel. Sticking to our principles is what makes us who we are. If we can’t stay true to ourselves, what is the point of living at all?”
Rachel groaned, and flung out a hand to silence him.
“You see, this is your problem, Phil: you’re just so damned stubborn. Enough with all the psychobabble. You’d send us head first into a war we couldn’t win!”
“And you’d send us head first into servitude under a dictator!”
Rachel got to her feet with an irritated growl.
“So dramatic. Ladron might be a little…”
“Despotic?” supplied Philip.
Rachel glared at him venomously.
“Whatever he is, he’s a necessary evil.”
“Nothing that evil is necessary!”
She ran a hand through her hair, distractedly pulling it from the carefully constructed chignon that sat high on her head.
“I knew it! I just knew it! We should never have sent you as the leader of this diplomatic mission.”
“You made that patently obvious when you voted against me.”
“Oh that’s right: be little about it.”
Philip sighed heavily.
“Rachel, I know we don’t always see eye to eye, but at least give this a little more thought?”
“Now you’re implying that I'm not going to give this due thought?”
“This isn’t a game.”
“You think I don’t know that? Phil, you’ve gotta look at this the right way: we can’t fight. That means we have to make peace.”
“Do you really believe that will keep us safe? The second he has managed to wipe out the Una, he’ll turn on us.”
Rachel shook her head.
“Not if we’ve managed to form a peaceful alliance with him.”
“You think he’ll honour the alliance when it gets in his way?”
Rachel shrugged.
“We'll just have to make ourselves indispensable. If we don’t antagonise him, he won’t bite. We should be clever enough to manipulate the situation in our favour.”
“You underestimate him.”
“You underestimate me! I was sent here to make peace, and you can be sure that’s what I’m gonna do.”
“I’m not sure what scares me more: his hunger for power, or your blind intent to form an alliance whatever the price. For what, Rachel? For the Free Nation’s safety? No. All you’re really interested in is getting your grubby little hands on the Tula’s technology.”
Senator Fredrickson had gone white, and when she spoke her voice was so low that Philip had to strain to hear it.
“I’m warning you, Phil; don’t butt in. I like you and all, but if you get in my way, I’ll get rid of you. Understand now that there is no way I’m going to war just because you won’t bend your precious principles for the sake of peace.”
Rachel bent and picked up her shoes before turning to Philip again.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Philip watched her leave the room in silence
, wondering if he had been a little harsh. Maybe Rachel did just want peace. Maybe she thought this was best for the Free Nation. Lester hovered anxiously in the background.
“I think it’s time we all went to bed, Lester.”
“What about Senator Fredrickson?”
“What about her?”
Lester paused awkwardly.
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing.”
“But, sir…”
Senator Burton shook his head.
“There's nothing I can do, Lester. She’s already made up her mind.”
“But, sir, you can’t just leave it like that!”
“What do you want me to do, Lester? She is the head of the diplomatic mission now. I no longer have any say in what happens.”
“But…”
“Enough, Lester. I’m tired and I’m through with arguing about it.”
Lester nodded slowly, and left with a worried slope to his shoulders.
Philip picked up his pillow from the settee, and made his way to his bedroom. He was rather pleased with how he had handled the situation. He had no doubt that Ladron was watching them all, and when he listened to tonight’s contretemps he would be satisfied that Philip Burton was no longer a problem to him.
Philip grinned and threw the pillow on to the bed. All in all he would soon be ready to launch his counter attack. He pulled back the covers on the bed and climbed in before turning his face into the softness of the pillow. He inhaled deeply, regretting the action almost immediately, and pulled back coughing. The pillow smelled strongly of Rachel Fredrickson’s perfume. He cast it away from him and made a mental note to have Lester get rid of it in the morning.
Philip had waited patiently for Senator Fredrickson’s arrival before he set his plans in motion. Partly he’d waited to give Ladron the belief that Ben’s disappearance had robbed him of his strength. Partly because he had wanted to be sure there was no other way.
Rachel had shown him clearly that there was no other way; the Free Nation would not hamper Ladron’s plans.
In a way, Philip understood why Rachel was so determined to make peace. The Free Nation couldn’t afford to be at war with a nation as technologically advanced as the Tula. The sensible option was to form an alliance and save the Free Nation from Ladron’s wrath.
Yet Philip knew that if they gave in to Ladron’s demands they would be agreeing to the extermination of the Una. Ladron was hungry for power, for domination. The Free Nation couldn’t allow themselves to be the means for him to achieve his goal. He had to be stopped, whatever the consequences, and it would be better to stop him sooner rather than later. Prevention was better than cure.
Senator Burton knew what his next step would be: Councillor Sendel.
He had no illusions regarding Sendel. He was dangerous, double dealing, and a deeply treacherous man. He was also ambitious, and his desire for Councillor Ladron's power was obvious. Philip knew Sendel would turn on Ladron if he thought the Free Nation would reward him for his help.
Sendel was perhaps the only person ruthless enough to take Ladron on. He would do whatever it took to bring him down. Philip would support him fully in that endeavour, but he had no intention of replacing one despot with another. Ladron had to go, but Sendel could not be allowed to take his place.
Philip shifted restlessly. In taking Ladron down he would be going against the Free Nation; he would be classed as a traitor.
However, he would rather be a traitor than a coward.
