Steg looked aghast at the full-length garment. It had lace around the collar and down the front. The lining was a silky pink, and the external color was a vibrant yellow with green piping.
His horror not entirely feigned, he said. “You want me to wear that?”
“Yes, sir. We found the material in Wanderer’s stores. It’s ablative—if it’s hit by laser fire or a blaster, it will protect you. The fabric can withstand about four shots before it loses its effectiveness. You know what happened last time—we don’t want to travel back a hundred and sixty years to visit you in hospital.”
“The lace?”
“Think of it as a disguise, sir,” Jessie said. “It’s intended to distract. If an assailant thinks you’re as pretentious as the cloak and lace suggest, they may underestimate your abilities.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Sir, you must wear your cloak. Our plans depend on it.”
“All right, what have you done? I thought we said no weapons?”
“Sir, we wear what you see—so to speak.” Jessie twirled around.
Steg blinked.
Jessie said, “See? Totally innocent.”
Steg wondered at her definition of innocent.
“Now put on your cloak,” instructed Finch.
Steg shrugged the cloak over his shoulders and pushed a flimsy of lace away from his nose. He sneezed. No one took any notice. Sighing to himself, he handed out small earpieces to each of his escorts. The devices were flesh colored and designed to fit behind the ear where they would provide undetectable communications.
“By the War Goddess,” Kirby exclaimed as he reached the exit lock, shaking his head in disbelief. “I wish I was coming with you, so I could see the reactions. Denke is late. He’s still learning how to steer his electrochair.”
“Thanks. We make a startling foursome. Denke will ground us, I’m sure. Finch, each of you, test your earpieces. Alke, testing.”
“Good morning, Admiral,” said Alke via his earpiece. Wanderer, even though remote and shielded, was indirectly included in the proposed meeting with the Emperor.
“I hear you loud and clear,” Steg said.
“Good. Likewise,” confirmed the AI. The test was repeated with each escort member. “Admiral, all earpieces are in good working order.”
“You have your documents?” Kirby asked.
“Yes, I have my formal appointments from Homeworld and our detailed reports on ImpSec activities on Jochum II.” He didn’t mention that Alke had printed out the documents the night before and attached Homeworld’s seals and signatures. The results were formal and official. “As soon as Denke arrives, we can go.”
“Sir, a party of marines has arrived,” advised Ioke.
“So has Denke. Impeccable timing.” Steg ignored the shocked expression on his friend’s face when he saw Steg’s cloak. “Come on, lead the way. You can set the pace.”
Marines at the first checkpoint in the Imperial Palace conducted a basic examination of each visitor and their identity documents. A marine took Steg’s cloak and fed it through an inspection station and handed it back without comment. Finch was second through the detection arch. Next was Sergeant Velez. She turned to the attendant and said, “Do you mind helping me with my necklace?”
The marine took the jewelry and looked down at the sergeant. He swallowed, and his face turned red. Velez had an extreme amount of flesh on display. The marine said, “Er—perhaps one of your companions should help you, miss.” He handed back the gold-chain linked stones.
When they were away from the inspection station and their escort too far ahead to overhear, Steg asked, “What was that all about?”
“Don’t ask, boss,” replied Finch.
“Just testing my appeal,” said Velez.
Jessie laughed.
Denke looked from one to the other and shook his head. He accelerated his chair to keep pace with their military escort.
The inspection process was repeated another hundred yards or so further into the Imperial palace. It was more thorough; this time the visitors were expertly patted down. A female marine, white-gloved, checked Velez, Finch, and Jessie. Denke had to stand away from his chair to allow a marine to check it. They were passed through the inspection point without comment.
Alke said to Steg, via the earpiece, “There is inspection equipment built into the walls all along here. I’ve detected x-ray sources and explosives sniffers. Also, I’ve identified small teams of marines in adjacent rooms. They have hidden doors allowing them to enter this walkway. There is a series of shockproof drop doors. If necessary, they can seal off sections.”
They walked another hundred meters to the end of the corridor where ceiling-high glass-paneled doors opened into a courtyard. It was stone floored, contained numerous pots of large flowering shrubs, and a fountain sprayed water into a shaded pool. Steg obeyed their Imperial marine escort’s signal to continue into the courtyard. Denke struggled for a moment to get out of his electrochair as directed by the marine captain, and Sergeant Velez assisted him. The sunlight, artificial, was warm. As he moved further into the courtyard, Steg saw three men standing near the fountain. Two were facing towards him and he thought he recognized the Emperor.
Alke’s message was barely audible. “They have automatic laser weapons trained on you. One of the men with the Emperor is a senior officer, a four-star general. He’s wearing the striking snake symbol, so I guess he’s ImpSec. His name is Marcellus Mendoza. The other is the Emperor’s key military advisor. His name is Ruis, nothing else. He’s alien, not human. There are two marines further back, behind some of the shrubbery. Both are ImpSec and armed.”
Steg sub-vocalized. “Can Ioke target anything here—the two ImpSec marines, for example?”
“The shields are strong. She could try, although the beam would not be as focused as you need. I’ll instruct Velez and Finch to move towards the two marines; they can admire the fountain and the statues. Plus I’ll take control of the programs controlling the lasers.”
“Do both. Tell Velez to move only at my direction. She can take my cloak if she needs it.”
“They say you need to keep wearing it, in case.”
Steg noted Alke didn’t say in case of what.
Denke hobbled further into the courtyard with the support of a walking stick.
“Stop there, Colonel. Sit on the bench. Don’t stress your injured leg,” the Emperor said as he walked forward.
oOo
CHAPTER 11
WHEN THE EMPEROR reached the bench where Denke had seated himself, he looked at Steg. “I remember you, Steg de Coeur. Homeworld. You discovered a surprising feature of the portals and joined my new Imperial Intelligence Agency. Sadly, your Fain companion and partner was murdered. My forces helped you regain control of Homeworld, and you disappeared. I assume, from the scar on your head, you were injured. Now you return as a Homeworld admiral, ambassador, and member of the Homeworld ruling family. An interesting background.”
Steg nodded, realizing he was not expected to reply.
“Tell me, what have you done with five of my destroyers?”
Steg noted the ImpSec general had approached while the Emperor was speaking and now stood only a yard or so away. The third man had stayed back, as though he was ignoring the meeting.
“Sir, I rescued your base and personnel from a rogue ImpSec attack. In return, I captured the destroyers, and I’m exercising my rights to keep them as spoils of war.”
“What? You claim you’re at war with me, with the Western Star Empire?”
“No, sir. Certainly not. I’m at war with rogue elements of ImpSec. They tried to take over Homeworld. They tried to kill me when I first enlisted in the Imperial Navy—check with Colonel Croix and General Boston. After I received this,” he indicated his scar, “they sentenced me to death because I was on an Imperial hospital ship without their knowledge. Finally, under the command of Group Commander Marius, they attacked your base, shot one of your men, and
attacked Colonel Denke when he protested. I think five destroyers is a reasonable price.”
The ImpSec general laughed, a throaty guffaw. “He’s a keeper, Quinton. If only I had a hundred or more like him.” He stepped towards Steg and held out his hand.
“He’s armed. He has a weapon of some kind under his skin—” Before Alke could complete her observation, there was a swish of sound and a molecular-thin diamond nanowire, its end weighted by a jewel stone, curled around the general’s forearm. Jessie held the other end of the wire, her hands protected by her gloves. She was poised to pull on the thread, the result of which would amputate the general’s arm.
Finch said, “We’ve disarmed these two back here, Admiral.” She was using the earpiece to communicate to Steg.
Alke added, “The lasers are inoperative.”
Steg said, “General, I suggest you do not move your arm unless you wish to lose it.” He examined the man who had been put forward as the leader of the Western Star Empire. He was not the same man Steg had met a year before.
“You, sir, are an impostor,” Steg declared. “Where’s the real Emperor?” Alarms were beginning to sound both in his mind and outside, in the palace.
“Damn.” The alien Alke had called Ruis turned and approached the small group. “Steg de Coeur, you impressed me the first time we met, and you’ve done it again. Ask your escort to release the two lieutenants whom they’ve taken captive. Stefan, get out of here. Admiral de Coeur saw through your act.” He didn’t wait for the impostor to leave and addressed Jessie, “Young woman, please release my general from your trap. He’ll behave. I give my word.”
The clamor of alarms ceased, and Alke said, sub-vocally, “I’ve disabled the alarms and locked the doors into this courtyard.”
Jessie looked at Steg as though requesting his consent. He nodded, and she carefully unwrapped the nanowire from the general’s arm. She folded the weapon back into its container and clipped it to her waist. The general shook his arm, relieved the threat had been removed.
“I’m beginning to understand. Name’s Mendoza. Call me Marcellus.” He held out his hand.
Steg declined the offer. “While I’m pleased to meet you, sir, you’ll forgive me if I stand back.”
“I understand. Quinton, where are your men? I thought the alarm would bring everyone running.”
The alien was distracted for a moment. “I’ve checked, and the doors into this courtyard are locked.” He addressed Steg. “Your work?”
“Sir, yes, my work.” Steg didn’t explain. “I’m confused. Your name is Ruis, not Quinton. You’re not hu—”
Emperor Quinton—or Ruis—held up his hand. “Enough. Stop there. Marcellus, we’ll go to the Rose Room. I believe we need to treat this young man and his friends with the seriousness they deserve.”
“I agree. No one has got this close to you before, while armed and angry. Steg de Coeur, admiral and ambassador, I apologize for my men here and for any threat you perceived. Please unlock the doors. I’ll deal with my men, and we’ll go to a meeting room where we can address your needs. Colonel Denke, you’re welcome to join us.”
Steg directed Alke to unlock the doors, and when Imperial marines burst into the courtyard, the general held up his hand and commanded, “Stand down. False alarm.”
At the intrusion, Jessie, Finch, and Velez had moved to protect Steg. Their actions were spontaneous. Steg was surprised to see various weapons at the ready, similar to the nanowire. Finch had converted her headpiece jewelry to a small hand weapon, and Steg identified the combination as a makeshift blaster. Velez held what appeared to be a bolas, the throwing weights attached to the main cord by nanowire; it would decapitate anyone she entangled in it.
He said to his escort, “I think you can stand down. Where are the two ImpSec marines?”
Finch replied without taking her attention away from the retreating Imperial marines, “Unconscious, sir. They’ll each have a headache and perhaps a bruise; that’s all.”
“Good.” He watched as the various weapons were returned to their more harmless guises as jewelry.
Quinton—or Ruis; Steg was unsure of the man’s correct name—stood beside Steg and his escort. “That was well done. Come with me. You’ll all be safe; I give my word. Denke, do you need assistance?”
“I’ll help him,” volunteered Velez.
Emperor Quinton sat at the end of the conference table, facing the door into the room, and a sergeant from the Emperor’s Own stood behind him. A palace servant set out refreshments. Denke, with assistance from Velez, positioned himself at the other end of the table. Steg was seated on one side of the table and the general on the other. Velez sat next to Denke while Finch and Jessie sat beside Steg. He perceived both tension and apprehension affecting his companions.
He sub-vocalized on the comlink with Wanderer’s AI, “Alke, situation report, please.”
“Yes, Admiral. The Emperor’s Guard is heavily armed. There are spy stations behind the walls, manned, and they have weapons. I don’t believe they can hear discussions in this Rose Room. The Emperor has alarm buttons on the underside of the table. I’ve disabled all the electronics.”
“You and Ioke please attend in hologram form. We’ll keep Adrias out of the picture for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Two life-sized holograms formed opposite Steg and he struggled to contain his laughter. The AIs had taken the lead from Finch: Ioke was scantily clad in a female warrior-style outfit with breastplates, a short leather skirt, and leather sandals, while Alke was wearing a uniform, the blouse of which appeared to be far too small for her.
“Sir, I’ve invited my two AI advisers to attend,” Steg announced.
The Emperor hid his reaction and nodded, “I—I’m impressed. They’re welcome. We can begin if everyone is settled?”
Mendoza looked up from his compad. “You’re effective, Admiral. I see the alarm electronics have been interfered with and the lasers are inoperative. You’ve successfully penetrated the palace, and I must wonder whether the risk of working with you is too high for our safety.”
“General, we’ve taken protective measures only. My escort disabled two ImpSec marines out of concern for my survival. Likewise, when Jessie trapped your arm, it was a defensive move. We’ve no intention of attacking you, your men, or Emperor Quinton.” He contacted Alke. “Drop Wanderer’s shields. It’s time to reveal more of our resources.” He did not mention the destroyer and continued to speak to the general. “Sir, you should receive reports in four or five minutes. Our main warship has dropped her shields. If we wanted to attack, we would have done so and departed, without attending here.”
The general kept his attention on his compad.
Quinton said, “While the general is waiting for an update, let me start. Admiral de Coeur—”
“Steg, please, sir.”
“Very well. Steg, please accept my apologies for our earlier subterfuge. Marcellus was concerned about your intentions, especially as you had sequestered five of my destroyers. We’d like to know, at some stage, how you managed to do that. So let me hear what you want from the Empire.”
“Sir, we have reports, detailed and verifiable, that the Xesset are planning to mount an attack on our civilization. We forwarded copies of everything we’ve assembled to your military via General Boston. The Xesset are planning subjugation of the Western Star Empire, the Alliance systems, and many of the free, independent systems. Homeworld is at risk, as is Djii and dozens of other independents. As a result, we—Djiis and Homeworld—formed the nucleus of a task force—”
The general’s exclamation was unexpected. “Hell and damnation! Quinton, he’s correct. An extremely large dreadnought—superdreadnought, I suspect—has unshielded above our HQ. It’s close to the way station, although out of the shipping lanes. StarCom is requesting orders.”
Steg said, “I’ve made my point. Alke, Ioke, raise shields and move Wanderer out of range. Sir, please inform your StarCom and StarDef that
there is no threat intended.”
Steg waited while the general communicated his orders. He looked at the Emperor and asked, “May I continue, sir?”
“Certainly.”
“As I was saying, we’ve formed the nucleus of a task force. We added five destroyers as a result of rescuing General Boston and his base. We need more starships, personnel, supplies—you name it. The Xesset represent a significant threat to your Empire and to our independent planetary systems. Will you—will the Empire join our task force?”
“Why not add your task force to our Imperial Navy?”
“Because it’s inept and corrupt. ImpSec is far worse.”
oOo
CHAPTER 12
ALKE INTERRUPTED, communicating via the hologram. “Admiral, two ImpSec destroyers followed us away from the way station control area as we were shielding. They’re now heading our general direction, trying to track us. Are they following the general’s orders?”
Steg looked at General Mendoza and said, “Sir?”
“I did not give those orders.”
“Marcellus, please arrange for your destroyers to return,” instructed Emperor Quinton. He watched as the general keyed instructions into his compad. He addressed the holograms, apparently unsure who was whom. “Alke, do you have the names of these starships?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve displayed them on the screen behind Steg—I mean, Admiral de Coeur.”
“Alke, Ioke, do not damage the starships,” Steg said. “Not unless they take offensive action against you.”
“Assumes they can find us, sir,” said Ioke.
“Understood.”
“They are continuing to search for us, sir,” advised Alke.
“Alke, can you initiate a system takeover? Understand?” Steg asked.
“Yes, sir. Do you want me to start now?”
“Let’s give ImpSec another five minutes to respond to General Mendoza’s orders. If they are still searching for you after that time, yes, go ahead. We’ll add them to our task force.”
Diamond Cut: Book Three in The Glass Complex Trilogy Page 7
