by Ryk Brown
“Let’s see. You made a deal with the Dusahn, agreeing to help them capture me and destroy my ship, in exchange for not glassing your world, and leaving you in charge of Rakuen as their puppet governor.”
“An interesting fantasy you’ve concocted,” Ito said, trying to play innocent.
“Trust me, Ito, I have a mountain of evidence to substantiate my claims. I’d be happy to compile it for your review, if you’d like.”
By now, Ito was pretty sure Captain Scott was not the type to bluff. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Would you like to hear the fantasy version?” Nathan asked. “The one where you are the hero?”
“Why not.”
“Being eager to open up new markets, you unknowingly allowed a Dusahn spy, posing as a Takaran businessman, into your midst, where he sabotaged several Gunyoki racers, all of which belonged to you, of course, including the one you loaned me. This spy’s plan, of course, was to capture me and destroy my ship. When you uncovered the truth, you confronted him, had a struggle in your office, which you lost, obviously, and suffered serious injury. Luckily, your trusted employee, Quory, who had brought Mister Seeley’s suspicious activities to your attention in the first place, found you bleeding out, and called for help. My people heard the call, and offered assistance, knowing what a prominent member of Rakuen society you truly are.”
Ito glared at Captain Scott, who was smiling from ear to ear. “You’re insufferable, you know that.”
“I admit, I have my moments.”
“What is it you want from me?”
“I want the support of your world, and of your Gunyoki; ships, pilots, and support crews, so that we may drive the Dusahn from this quadrant. I want you to become the savior of Rakuen…a man of vision, who realized that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil was for good men to do nothing.”
“Edmund Burke?”
Nathan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I am quite well read,” Ito reminded him.
“Ah, yes. The library.”
“I’m afraid I do not have the power to grant what you ask, Captain,” Ito admitted.
“Ah, but you do have the power to stand in the way of your fellow leaders, all of whom are ready to support our rebellion against the Dusahn. You might not be able to stop them, but you could make things very difficult. And trust me, we have enough problems as it is.”
Ito sighed. “Did anyone ever tell you that you have a strange way of negotiating?”
“My grandfather once told me that there were two ways to convince a man to see your point of view; through intelligent discourse, or at the point of a gun. In my short life—both of them, that is—I have found that it sometimes requires both. An unfortunate reality, but a reality, nonetheless.”
“And I was one who required both,” Ito realized.
“Very much so, I’m afraid.”
“I was only doing what I thought was best for my world,” Ito insisted.
“When men say that, it usually means they were really doing what was best for themselves. However, I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, this time…assuming we have a deal, of course.”
“Of course,” Ito agreed, closing his eyes.
“Excellent,” Nathan exclaimed. “I’ll have the galley send you some ice cream for dessert. You’ll love it. It will make your scratchy throat feel better.”
“What would I have gotten, had I chosen not to cooperate?” Ito wondered, trying to keep the mood light in lieu of their new working relationship.
“I don’t know, probably molo pie, or something equally unappetizing,” Nathan replied. “We’ll talk more later.”
“I look forward to it,” Ito replied, failing to hide his sarcasm.
Nathan stepped out of the room, letting the door close behind him.
“How did it go?” General Telles asked.
“He’s going to play ball,” Nathan announced as they headed into the corridor.
“I’m assuming that means he will endorse Rakuen’s support of our rebellion.”
“Wholeheartedly.”
“I am impressed,” General Telles admitted. “But, be honest, Captain. Was this your plan all along?”
“Of course,” Nathan replied, smiling.
General Telles cast him a dubious look. “Where are we headed?”
“The galley. I promised Yokimah some ice cream to seal the deal.”
“Another Earth custom that I am not aware of, I assume?”
“Indeed.”
* * *
“There are two bedrooms, each with their own bath, as well as a den, master suite, dining room, and full gourmet kitchen,” the realtor explained as she led the young man through the top floor apartment. “Since you are single, it may be more space than you need, especially considering the rent.”
“The rent will not be a problem, I assure you,” the young man promised.
“What was it you said you do?”
“Security,” he replied. “For a political lobbying firm.”
“Oh, we have plenty of that around here,” she laughed as she led him into the living room. “And this is perhaps the best feature, and the reason for the high rent.” She pulled back the curtains, revealing a breathtaking view of Winnipeg, including the NAU capital building, less than a kilometer away. “A simply stunning view, you must agree. You can even see the president’s office window.”
“Stunning, indeed,” he agreed. “I’ll take it.”
“Wonderful,” she cooed, already spending her commission in her head. “I’ll have my people send the lease agreement to your hotel. Which one did you say you were staying at, Mister…”
“The Excelsior, room three zero seven. And the name is Bornet. Krispin Bornet.”
Thank you for reading this story.
(A review would be greatly appreciated!)
COMING SOON
Episode 7
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The Frontiers Saga:
Rogue Castes
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
