"But he did say it was the only place we could find answers," said Lewis from the pilot's seat, frowning thoughtfully.
"I still say Mistworld," Brett said stubbornly. "You want answers, you can buy them there. You can buy anything on Mistworld. Particularly with the cargo we're carrying."
"Ah," said the AI Ozymandias. "While you were gone, I took the liberty of exchanging most of the data crystals for food supplies. We were running very short."
Brett tugged at his hair with both hands. "You swapped a small fortune in alien porn for a bunch of fresh fruit?"
"Fruit is very good for you," said the AI firmly. "I got you some vegetables too, and some preserves. And a case of parsnip wine."
"Kill me now," said Brett to Rose. "Put me out of everyone's misery."
"If you don't stop whining, I'll have Saturday do it," growled Lewis.
Brett looked at the grinning reptiloid, and shut up.
A blazing light appeared on the bridge like a clap of thunder, and they all cried out in shock. It was too fierce to look at directly, and forced everything else into silhouette. It slowly consolidated, becoming heavier, and there was a growing sense of presence on the bridge, as something from above and beyond the material world drew closer, sinking into the world, becoming solid, becoming real. The light snapped off, and they all stood blinking at a harsh-faced woman with a shock of blond hair.
"Oh, my God," said Jesamine. "I know you! Lewis, that's Diana Vertue! I saw holos of her when I was researching my part in Deathstalker's Lament, for last year's revival tour!"
"Jenny Psycho?" said Lewis. "But she's dead!"
"Now there's a name no one's dared to use to my face in a long time," said Diana. "And yes, Deathstalker, I am dead."
"Lot of it going around," said Brett, hiding behind Rose.
Lewis and Jesamine were on their feet, clinging to each other. Even Rose looked distinctly unsettled. There was something overpowering about Diana Vertue's presence, as though she was… realer than everyone else. Saturday had retreated to the rear of the bridge, compelled by his instincts into a submissive posture. Diana smiled coldly upon them all.
"One hundred and eighteen years ago, the Gray Train and the Shatter Freak ambushed and murdered me. I trusted someone I had every reason to believe was my friend, and I walked right into it, alone and far from help. Even so, they were lucky to beat me. I was old and tired, and feeling particularly low that day. Perhaps I wanted to die, and just used them as an excuse. It's possible. Anyway, my body died that day, torn apart by psionic razorstorms. I never was a Maze alumni, after all; just an esper who got an unexpected boost. My dying mind was picked up by the oversoul, and made a part of it. I exist now as a thought in the great mass mind of the espers. But sometimes I draw on the energies of the oversoul, and manifest in the real world again, for a time—when I'm needed, and no one else will do."
"Why are you here?" said Lewis, and took a little pride on how steady his voice was, under the circumstances.
"The oversoul has been following your progress ever since you left Logres, through Brett Random."
"Hey!" said Brett, poking his head past Rose's shoulder. "I never joined the oversoul!"
"You're an esper," said Diana. "We all drink from the same pool." She looked at Rose. "Sometimes we see you there, too. Isn't that interesting?"
"Fascinating," said Lewis. "To what, exactly, do we owe the unnerving pleasure of your company?"
"You must go to Shandrakor," Diana said implacably. "To the forsaken world. I crash-landed the old Deathstalker Standing there, after the last battle."
"Yes," said Lewis. "My father gave me the coordinates."
"I know. Go there, and in the old castle you will find things you need, and things you need to know. It is your heritage, Deathstalker."
"Will you be joining us?" said Jesamine, tentatively.
"No. I don't belong in the waking world anymore. I'm just a dream of who I used to be. I'm here only as a favor to my father, John Silence. We dead people must stick together."
She smiled for the first time, and then disappeared. They could still feel her presence on the bridge for several seconds, slowly fading away, as she receded in a direction they couldn't even name. Finally she was gone, and a certain tension left the bridge.
"Doesn't anyone stay dead anymore?" said Brett plaintively, appearing from behind Rose. "I really would like to be excused now, please. I can hear some clean underwear calling my name, and then I think I'd like to lie down for a while…"
"Why doesn't anyone ever want to join my group?" said Lewis, as Brett and Rose left the bridge. "Oz, set a course for Shandrakor. It appears Haden will have to wait for a while, after all."
CHAPTER FOUR
CHANGING TIDES
It was late in the day, and far later than anyone realized. Parliament was in session, no one was saying anything important, and King Douglas was almost dozing on his uncomfortable throne. The House was hot and stuffy, the guards were yawning into their armor, and everything seemed to move at a crawl. Nearly all the MPs were present, because the House was the last place where anyone listened to them anymore. The section set aside for aliens was almost deserted, with only a dozen or so species represented. Because even the MPs didn't listen to aliens these days. The esper representative was gone, his place taken by a smugly smiling clone representative. No one said anything about this. Everyone could see which way the wind was blowing. A single blue steel robot watched everything for Shub. And Douglas, King and Speaker to Parliament, was there because… well, because he had nowhere else to go, really. His presence was never required anywhere. Anne Barclay didn't even bother to brief him on the day's business anymore. He had been abandoned by friends and enemies alike, because events had passed him by. Power, real power, lay in the hands of those strong enough to grasp and hold on to it. Douglas didn't even bother trying to get people's attention these days. He played the part of a broken man so successfully that some days he wasn't sure whether he was acting or not. But still, he waited and watched, and hoped for a chance to do… something. As it happened, he was currently resting his eyes, during a particularly dull and protacted debate over value-added tax in the outer worlds.
Just another day, in what used to be the heart and conscience of the Empire.
Everyone looked round sharply, including Douglas, as a blare of recorded trumpets cut across the MP's droning speech. Everyone recognized that particular fanfare. Finn Durandal had had it written especially for him. The Imperial Champion strode out onto the floor of the House, accompanied by James Campbell, the man who should have been King. Finn was tall and resplendent in his black leather armor, and James had never looked more grave and noble. The MP who had been speaking slunk back to his seat, unnoticed. Everyone else was too busy murmuring urgently among themselves, and congealing into their various factions. If Finn and James had come to the House, it meant something important was about to be decided. Perhaps by the MPs, perhaps not. Finn took up a commanding stance before Douglas on his throne, and bowed a bow that held no obvious trace of mockery. Douglas gave him exactly the same kind of bow in return. Both of them ignored James.
"My apologies for interrupting the business of this House," Finn said smoothly, "but a matter of some urgency has arisen. It is imperative that your brother James address the House. Do you give your permission, Your Majesty?"
"Of course, Sir Champion," said Douglas. Sure, let's pretend I have a choice in the matter… "Step forward, brother James, and tell us what brings you to this House, so urgently and unexpectedly."
James looked solemnly about him, and struck a pose carefully calculated to suggest courage and determination in the face of adversity. Douglas felt like applauding.
"Most honored members," James said ringingly, "I have no official standing here, I know that, but information has been made available to me of such importance that I must share it with the House. As I'm sure you're all aware, for some time now espers have been deserting their homeworld
s to come here, to join with others of their kind in the separate city-state of New Hope; home to that most secret organization, the oversoul." It was amazing how much hate and contempt James was able to cram into that last word, without actually spitting. "Humanity has, quite rightly, been suspicious of espers ever since they used their unnatural powers to suppress the perfectly legal demonstration by Neumen outside this House by, possessing and controlling their minds. Just like those acknowledged terrorists the Esper Liberation Front. Well, I have acquired solid evidence that the reason espers have been gathering together is so that they can plan an attack against Human authority! They intend to defy our just and reasonable demand that all espers present themselves for conscription, to be used as weapons against the coming Terror. They intend, through force of numbers, to throw the law this House passed back in your faces, and defy you to do anything about it! They cannot be allowed to reject your authority, and evade their responsibilities. If they will not volunteer their special abilities in the defense of the realm, then they must be compelled. They must be brought to heel, before their treacherous defiance spreads. I put it to this House that the time has come to register, control, and command all espers in the Empire. They must be taught their place in the scheme of things. Those with suitable abilities should be sent to Heracles Four, to stand against the coming Terror, while others should be made available for scientific research, to discover the true source of their powers, which they have always willfully held to themselves. It is long past time that these abilities should be shared equally by all Humanity!"
There was a lot more, growing increasingly ugly and hateful, but Douglas tuned it out. Everything from then on was just rhetoric; everything that mattered had already been said. James was proposing drafting all espers, making them property again, as they had been in Lionstone's time. Some for cannon fodder, some for vivisection. It was a well-written speech, one of Anne Barclay's best, and it sickened Douglas that she should have turned her talents to such viciousness. He studied the House unobtrusively, and was disturbed to see how well the speech was going down. In times of crisis, there's nothing authority delights in more than discovering some scapegoat to blame it all on. Standing just behind James, Finn smiled openly at Douglas, as though he knew what his King was thinking, and knew it didn't matter. The House was going to accept this proposal, and there was nothing Douglas could do to stop it, as Speaker or as King. Even trying to stand in its path would turn the House actively against him. So he stayed slumped on his throne, smiling and staring vacantly, and said nothing. His carefully crafted mask of disinterest was the only weapon he had left. For the moment.
Finn studied Douglas carefully, and felt a warm glow in his heart. It did him good, to see how far his old friend had fallen. It seemed dear Jesamine had taken Douglas's balls with her when she left. All the fight had gone out of him. Soon enough, he'd be so beaten down he'd be grateful for a chance to abdicate, and then James would take his throne by popular acclaim. And Finn would rule through James until he didn't need him anymore. Finn put Douglas out of his thoughts, and concentrated on the real problem. The espers had to be controlled. That was vital to Finn's plans for all kinds of reasons. They were just too powerful and too dangerous to be allowed to run free anymore, and besides, even Finn's esp-blocker might not be enough to protect his thoughts, if the oversoul targeted him directly. So, a preemptive strike—because it was necessary, and because he could.
He'd never liked espers. No one should have the right to be more dangerous than him.
James's carefully crafted speech reached its end in a triumphant climax that brought the whole House to its feet, and the vast majority of MPs gave him a standing ovation. There were a few holdouts remaining stubbornly silent, but they were too isolated to be any problem. James looked about him, smiling bashfully, nodding his appreciation for their support. Finn clapped him on the shoulder in a manly, congratulatory way. And Douglas… wanted desperately to get to his feet and make a speech of his own. He'd never needed Anne to write his words for him. Not when they came from the heart. He could reach out to the hearts and minds of the House, woo them with sweet words and strong emotions, remind them of the espers' long service to the Empire, defend their rights and the integrity of the House… But he didn't, because he knew it was already a lost cause. Helpless in the face of the coming Terror, the House needed someone to strike back at.
It had been months since Douglas's father William had been arrested, and still no one had been allowed to speak to him. There wasn't even any word of when William might be brought to trial. He remained a prisoner in House Campbell, where anything could be happening to him. Anything. So Douglas had no choice but to appear weak and beaten down and no trouble to anyone, while he worked furiously behind the scenes and in strictest secrecy to gather information on what Finn was really up to, and build up ammunition to be used against him.
"Well, James," Finn said finally, after the House had calmed down enough to vote in favor of James's proposal. "I suppose the next step is mine. Given that the safety of the Empire itself is at stake, it is my duty as Imperial Champion to bring these esper scum to heel."
The House roared its approval, an ugly sound of spite and blood-lust. Finn and James looked at Douglas, and he nodded reluctantly.
"Do what you must, Sir Champion," he said tiredly. "Go to New Hope, and make Parliament's will clear to them. And Finn, good luck. You're going to need it."
Finn looked at him sharply, but Doulas met his gaze innocently enough, and Finn let the remark pass. He strode out of the House like a conqueror, with the cheers of the honorable members ringing in his ears. James followed quickly after him. And Douglas allowed himself a small cold smile.
You're going to need all the luck you can get, Finn Durandal, against the over-soul…
Outside the House, James looked about him and whistled loudly, impressed by the sheer size of the armed force Finn had assembled.
Waiting around and above the House were hundreds, perhaps even thousands of gravity sleds, stacked in ascending levels up into the sky, all of them manned by Pure Humanity and Church Militant fanatics. Beyond and above them, dozens of huge gravity barges loomed ominously over the House, studded with ranks of waiting disrupter cannon. Finn's army blotted out the sky like a dark and angry cloud.
"Jesus," said James. "There hasn't been this much firepower assembled in one place since the Great Rebellion. You could knock over some of the lesser worlds with an army this big!"
"Now there's a thought," said Finn. "But first things first, eh?"
"You really think the espers are going to put up that much of a fight?"
"Only a fool underestimates the oversoul," Finn said shortly. "You weren't here to see what just a handful of them did to the Neuman rioters. I've used up a hell of a lot of favors and influence, equipping my people with hundreds of esp-blockers, but even so it'll be more of a fair match than I'm comfortable with. Still, at the end of the day it always comes down to firepower. I'm going to blow the floating city of New Hope into a million pieces, and then pick off the surviving espers as they fall to the ground. Oh, it's going to be such fun, I just know it! Now, off you go, James. Back to Anne, and work on your next speech."
James pouted. "But I want to come with you! I want to see the action close up."
"No, you don't," Finn said firmly. He patted James on the cheek, and James flinched just a little in spite of himself. "You stick to speeches, James, that's what you're good at. Leave the atrocities to me. That's what I'm good at. And James, dear, never argue again with me in public."
He pinched James's cheek painfully, and James stood there and took it.
"Yes, sir," he said, and Finn let go with a pleasant laugh. James searched for a change of subject. "What would you have done, if Parliament had said no?"
"Gone anyway, and to hell with them. Argue about the legality of it later. But I knew they wouldn't give me any trouble. Bunch of sheep."
He stepped up onto his waiting gravi
ty sled, fired up the engines and checked the weapons systems, and then gave the signal to his waiting fleet. Slowly and ponderously, the gravity barges started forward, and the ranks of gravity sleds spread out across the sky. Humanity was going to war, for the first time in centuries. James called up to Finn, over the rising thunder of the engines.
"What about Douglas?"
"What about him?"
"He might stand against us, while you're away."
Finn laughed happily. "He might have once. But he's not the man he was. I've seen to that."
He swept up into the sky to take the point, and the fleet moved off after him, the roar of their engines shaking the earth, heading for New Hope. James waved and waved, but Finn never looked back.
The esper city of New Hope floated serenely two miles above the surface of Logres, vast and marvelous, with thrusting towers and brilliant lights, and complex structures of glass and porcelain. Once, it was Logres's most precious jewel, acclaimed and adored—from a safe distance. It was a lot bigger now than it used to be, more than ten miles wide and almost five miles high. It had to be such a size, to contain the millions of espers who had come to New Hope from worlds all across the Empire because New Hope was the only place they could feel safe anymore. And so the great floating city shone like a multicolored star, held up and held together by the massed minds of the oversoul. The espers were its power source and its weapons, its heart and its industry and its defenses. New Hope had a lot of defenses, because the espers still remembered what happened to the first city of that name, in the bad old days of Lionstone's reign.
Finn could see it before him, hanging on the darkening evening sky like a fairy tale palace, all turrets and spires and delicate walk-ways. It looked utterly splendid and completely defenseless. New Hope had no energy weapons, no attack ships, and Finn had the biggest aerial attack force since that used by the old Widowmaker to destroy the original New Hope, more than two centuries ago. The first esper sanctuary had been blown apart and put to the torch, and all its inhabitants slaughtered, and Finn saw no reason why history shouldn't repeat itself here today. He wasn't expecting any real problems. He was using the same tactics of overwhelming force and firepower, and all his key personnel and ships were protected by esp-blockers. This wasn't going to be a battle, just an object lesson— of what happened to those who dared defy Finn Durandal.
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