Evil for Evil

by K. J. Parker

  Ziani looked at him. For a moment, he was afraid that it would be like looking into a mirror.

  “I know,” Daurenja went on. “I’m good with brass and iron, but I’ve never got the hang of dealing with people. I never seem to be able to make them understand me, and then problems develop. I suppose it’s been the same with you, and these people here. I thought when I saved that woman, during the hunt, when the Mezentines attacked … It seemed like such a wonderful opportunity, to get the Duke on my side; and then, when we need to ask him for help — money and materials; and he’s got a war to fight, it couldn’t be better from that point of view. I don’t know; if I’d told you earlier, maybe. But I wanted to make sure.”

  Ziani was quiet for a long time. He knew Daurenja was hiding something, and that no amount of violence or manipulation would get it out of him; the question was whether it was important, or whether it was just slag on the top of the melt. He wondered too about the serendipity of it all. To crack open cities like walnuts; he already knew how to do that, even if this strange and unpleasant man could show him a more efficient way. He was a refinement, an improvement, but an unnecessary one — a departure from Specification, and in orthodox doctrine, wasn’t an unnecessary improvement inevitably an abomination?

  On the other hand, he needed a good foreman.

  “Casting’s not the answer,” he said eventually. “All castings are brittle, you’ll never get round that.” In the corner of the shop, he caught sight of the slack-tub; just an old stave barrel, half full of black, oily water. “You don’t want a mortar,” he said, “or a bell. You want a barrel.”

  16

  “It was a success, I grant you,” Boioannes was saying, in that loud, carrying voice of his. “Twenty-seven confirmed dead, including the Chancellor. I concede that it was well planned and efficiently executed. What I’m asking, however, is whether it was a good idea or a bad one.”

  The meeting had already overrun by an hour. By the look of it, someone else had booked the cloister garden for a meeting or a reception; Psellus had seen a man’s head bobbing round a pillar with a look of desperate impatience on his face — the establishments clerk, probably, too timid to dare interrupt Necessary Evil, but petrified that he’d be blamed for double-booking. The Republic’s bureaucracy ran on the principle of symmetry; for every blunder, one responsible official. He sympathized, but found it hard to spare much compassion for someone else. Never wise to be too liberal with a scarce commodity you may well need for yourself.

  “In order to assess success or failure,” Boioannes went on, “it’s always helpful to know what the object of the exercise actually was. Fortuitous incidental benefits are all very well, but it’s my experience that every time you stoop to pick up a quarter in the street, a thaler falls out of your pocket. Bearing in mind what we stand to lose by this action, I feel we have a right to know what the precise objective was. If the intention was to assassinate Duke Valens, for example, we failed.”

  “That wasn’t the primary target,” someone said; Psellus couldn’t see who, because Steuthes, the loaf-headed director of resources, was blocking his view. “The purpose of the mission was to kill the abominator, Vaatzes.”

  Boioannes hesitated, just for a moment. It was like watching a waterfall freeze for a split second. “Now we’re getting somewhere,” he went on. “And did we get him?”

  “The reports are inconclusive.” Whoever the speaker was, he didn’t sound in the least intimidated by the full force of Boioannes’ personality. Probably he could juggle white-hot ingots with his bare hands, too. “We’re investigating, naturally, but our lines of communication are necessarily quite fragile, it doesn’t do to push too hard. As soon as we get an answer, I promise you’ll be the first to know.”

  Psellus frowned. He knew for a fact that that hadn’t been the reason for the cavalry raid, because he’d been told about it, well in advance. It was inconceivable that he knew something Maris Boioannes didn’t. And if he did, then why? The answer to that, he was sure, wouldn’t be anything good.

  “In any event,” the hidden speaker continued, “as you said yourself just now, the exercise has fully justified the expenditure of resources. Just as we’re about to launch a major offensive, the Vadani are confused, terrified, practically leaderless. They know we can strike them at will, in the very heart of their territory. They know that they have no friends. Thanks to their own acts of sabotage, they’ve lost their principal source of funding. The fact is, we’re poised to win a victory that will end this war, quickly, cheaply, ostentatiously. Caviling over details is a pretty sterile exercise, in the circumstances.”

  Smelling politics, Psellus allowed his attention to drift. Had they really managed to kill Ziani Vaatzes? He doubted it, somehow. Something told him that if Vaatzes was dead, he’d have felt it by now. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking; because, he realized, he didn’t want Vaatzes to die in a distant country, with all the answers to all the questions locked inside his head. The thought made him want to smile, though long practice froze the muscles of his face. Here in the middle of the great affairs of the Republic — war, peace, increased prosperity or ruinous expense — all he was concerned about was scratching his own intellectual itches; and all because he was superfluous, a makeweight in Necessary Evil of whom nothing was demanded or expected. If I dropped dead tomorrow, he thought, it wouldn’t make any difference to anybody. Which, in a very real sense, is true freedom.

  “Assuming Vaatzes is still alive …” The phrase snagged his attention like a fisherman’s lure, but he was too late to catch the rest of the sentence. Someone else’s voice, but nobody he knew. Nearly a year now as a member of this committee, and still he only knew a handful of the members by sight. Each time he attended a meeting, most of the people were strangers.

  “It’s quite true to say that Vaatzes was the cause of the war,” yet another unknown voice was saying; Psellus managed to locate its source, an improbably old man with thin, wispy white hair. “To say that he is still the reason for it, or even a significant factor, would be hopelessly oversimplistic. The war has moved on, as all living, growing things do. What’s it about now? Well, the answer to that is: many things. It’s about regaining the prestige and respect we squandered when our forces were slaughtered at Civitas Eremiae. It’s about the silver deposits in Vadani territory; it’s about finding some sort of exit from the miserable, draining occupation of Eremia; it’s about the delicate balance between outgoings from Consolidated Fund and increased income for the Foundrymen and the other Guilds engaged in war work, as against those struggling to maintain productivity and output in general commerce. I put it to you that the main effect of this war is to exalt the Foundrymen at the expense of all the other Guilds, regardless of the overall effect on the well-being of the Republic; and unless this short-sighted, selfish agenda is abandoned at the earliest possible …”

  More politics. It was almost disconcerting to listen to so much truth presented with so little conviction. Extraordinary, when you stopped to think about it. All these people knew the truth about the war; but, instead of trying to find some way to reverse or at least mitigate the disaster, they were cheerfully serving it, like keepers put in charge of some captive wild animal. There were good reasons for that, of course. To abandon the war, or even suggest that it should be abandoned, would be political suicide —because everybody in politics had to maintain at all costs the notion that the Republic was invincible, its resources inexhaustible, its doctrines irreproachable, even though they all knew (everybody knew) that none of these was true. It was a bit like the doctrine of Specification itself; the denial of any possibility of improvement, even though everybody knew that any design, however good, can always be bettered; even though the Guilds themselves made an explicit exception where armaments were concerned. What a wonderful magic politics is, Psellus thought; it can recognize the truth and still override it, providing you can get consensus among the people who matter.

  Lofty stuff; w
ay above his head. Instead, he went back to thinking about Falier, the foreman of the ordnance factory. The new foreman; except that he wasn’t all that new anymore. By now, he’d be married to Vaatzes’ wife. Would it advance the war effort, he wondered, to write to Ziani and let him know? By all accounts, by the evidence of the homemade book, Vaatzes had loved her very much. They had so few weapons that could reach him; love was one they hadn’t tried yet, but it would be relatively easy, relatively cheap. Why send a squadron of cavalry if you can send a letter instead? For a moment, he pictured a tightly folded square of parchment being loaded onto the slider of a scorpion and aimed at the walls of Civitas Vadanis.

  Careful; he’d almost allowed himself to smile.

  “Councillor Psellus.” Nightmare: someone was talking to him, and he hadn’t been listening.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, jerking his head up and looking round. “Could you repeat that, please?”

  It was Boioannes, and he was smiling. Nobody else he knew had ever reminded him more forcefully that the smile is fundamentally a baring of teeth. “I hadn’t actually asked you anything yet,” Boioannes said. “I can say it and then repeat it, if that would help.”

  Psellus bowed his head like a submissive dog.

  “We were wondering,” Boioannes went on. “You’re our resident expert on Ziani Vaatzes; you’ve made quite a study of him, I believe.”

  “That’s right, yes.”

  “Your diligence is noted. Such attention to detail; for example, your repeated visits to his wife.” Short pause, to allow time fordutiful snickering. “I trust your examinations there have been productive.”

  Psellus looked straight ahead, eyes fixed on a chip on the edge of the ornamental fountain. “I do believe I’ve made some progress, yes. However, I’ve run into some unexpected obstacles, which you might be able to help me with, since you’ve raised the subject. For instance, the prosecutor —”

  “Write to me,” Boioannes snapped; unusual flare of petulance, almost a minor victory. “To return to the topic we’re currently discussing. Do you believe that Vaatzes would be prepared to negotiate for a free pardon, in return for helping us?”

  The things I miss by not paying attention, Psellus thought bitterly. “I don’t know,” he said. “I think it would depend on what guarantees we’re able to offer.”

  Someone laughed. “Obviously, nothing substantial,”Boioannes replied, “since we naturally have no intention of honoring them. However; we must consider the fact that Vaatzes has already helped us, unasked, requesting no reward; presumably he’s given us this help as an earnest of good faith, to persuade us to open negotiations. The implication must be that he is prepared to trust us, under certain circumstances and conditions. If we can use him, he could potentially be of service to us. Do you agree?”

  Psellus nodded.

  “Excellent.” Boioannes beamed; all those strong white teeth simultaneously. “In that case, who better to conduct the negotiations than yourself? Assuming the committee agrees …”

  Of course they did.

  Later, back in his cold, safe office, Psellus read (for the fifth or sixth time) the dense, concise summary of instructions he’d received from Boioannes’ clerks. Most of it was a tangled thicket of things he wasn’t allowed to offer or agree to, not even on the strict understanding that he’d be lying through his teeth; there was always the risk that the letters might be intercepted, by the enemy or (even worse) by friends, and some maneuvers would be too painful to have to explain away. Most of the rest of the brief consisted of what the Republic wanted from its stray lamb — the Vadani, for instance; the heads of Duke Valens, Duke Orsea, their heirs, counselors, ministers, families, friends, acquaintances …

  Well, that was the job he’d been given, the first real work he’d had since he joined Necessary Evil. Better than spending all day staring at the wall, or reading Vaatzes’ atrocious poetry for the umpteenth time. More to the point, here was a beautiful kind of serendipity, such sweet timing. He picked up his pen, suddenly inspired, and started to write.

  Lucao Psellus to Ziani Vaatzes, greetings.

  What a bizarre thing to be doing; writing a letter to the abominator, the arch-enemy, the man who’d slaughtered the Republic’s army at Civitas Eremiae. It was like writing a letter to Death, or Evil; it was also, he felt with a stab of guilt, a bit like scraping acquaintance with someone you’ve always wanted to meet.

  Allow me to introduce myself. I represent the standing committee on defense of the Perpetual Republic of Mezentia [inelegantly phrased; he was writing too fast in his enthusiasm] and I am authorized …

  Pause. Nibble end of pen. Another sheet of paper.

  Lucao Psellus to Ziani Vaatzes, greetings.

  I have never met you, although I suspect I know you better than anybody outside your immediate family — better, quite probably, than most of them. I work for the Guilds. That’s all you need to know about me.

  First, you ought to know that your wife — I mean your ex-wife — has married someone else. I’m sure you know the lucky man: Falier, your successor at the ordnance factory. Well, of course you do. Wasn’t he your best friend?

  I enclose a notarized copy of the marriage certificate. You know as well as I do that a Mezentine notary wouldn’t falsify a certificate for anybody, not even the Guilds in supreme convocation. But if that’s not good enough for you, ask for whatever proof you need and I’ll try and get it for you.

  So much for personal affairs: to business. I represent the standing committee on defense [there; that particular stylistic bear-trap neatly avoided] and they have authorized me to offer you a free pardon, in return for your help with the war. Of course, it’s not quite as straightforward as that. We need to be able to trust you — rather a difficult proviso, in the circumstances. Likewise, you need to be able to trust us.

  This is what I have in mind …

  Yes, Psellus thought; but what do I have in mind, precisely? He frowned, as though trying to squeeze inspiration out of his forehead by sheer clenching of the brow muscles. When it came, it was little short of horrifying.

  This is what I have in mind. I will come and meet you. I should make it clear straightaway that I am a person of no importance whatsoever. I don’t know anything that would be helpful to the Vadani, so capturing and torturing me would be a waste of effort. Nor would the Guilds pay a ransom for me, or exchange prisoners for me. Ask anybody, assuming you can find someone who’s heard of me.

  I will meet you, face to face, at some place convenient to you within easy reach of the Eremian border. If you like, I’ll bring with me any further proof you want of Ariessa’s remarriage. When we meet, we can figure out between us what it’ll take for us to trust each other. I’ll come alone, of course. You’ll know as soon as you see me that you’re in no danger whatsoever of assassination or abduction. I couldn’t hurt a fly if I wanted to; not a big fly, anyway.

  If you decide you don’t want anything to do with us, that’s fine. If that’s your decision we will, of course, have you killed, sooner or later. If we can reach some sort of agreement, on the other hand — think about that. Think about what you’ve already lost, permanently and beyond hope of recovery, and what you may still be able to salvage from the wreckage. I feel it’s very important that we should be completely honest with each other right from the very start; talking of which, I really like your poetry. It’s got a very basic simplicity which I found quite moving.

  Use the same courier to reply. I look forward very much to meeting you.

  He had to try hard before he could get the pen back in the inkwell; his hand was shaking. But now he’d written it, there was no way back. Of course, Vaatzes might not reply …

  He shut his eyes. Dying wouldn’t be so terribly bad; but if they tortured him … He reached out for the letter, but stopped before his fingertips touched it. Of course, Boioannes might well forbid him to do it; a member of Necessary Evil, strolling alone and unarmed into Vadani territory. Boioannes would
do no such thing. No risk whatsoever; you can’t betray what you don’t know. His orders would be: If they capture and torture you, here’s the misinformation you’re to feed to them, and make sure they believe you. Best not to put that idea into his mind.

  Talking of minds, I must be out of …

  Yes, he thought. Yes; but I really don’t have any control over it, not now the letter’s actually been written, not now that it exists, separate from me. It’s a fixation, a compulsion, a need that overrides everything, even fear of pain and death. Quite possibly, being in love must be something like this; in which case, all the irrational, plain stupid things I’ve heard of lovers doing suddenly make sense. I want … No, I don’t want, I need to meet him, to see his face and hear his voice, to share a space with him, to understand.

  (He stood up; far too restless to sit down.)

  And it’ll be out of the office; that’ll be a pleasant change. I’ll be staying in inns, always wondered what that’d be like, and eating food that hasn’t come from the Buttery. All kinds of fascinating new experiences, that I don’t actually want, that I’ve spent my whole life avoiding.

  He folded the letter, sealed it; it’d be safe now, because nobody would dare open a letter sealed by Necessary Evil. Not even Lucao Psellus; especially him.

  Lucao who? Oh, him. That clerk.

  He shoved through the door, scuttled down the corridor and stopped the first clerk he met. As he gave the instructions — so fussy about the details, repeating them over and over again — he realized that his voice was high and squeaky with excitement, wondered if the clerk had noticed it too. He wished he’d made a copy of the letter, so he could read it again; he couldn’t seem to remember what he’d written, but he was sure it was vilely phrased, clumsy, possibly illegible. Should’ve got a clerk to copy it out in fair hand. Too late now; it’s sealed, and the clerk’s taken it, it’s gone.