Dark Matters_ Ghost Dance (Book 2) - Christie Golden [24]
The Empress beamed as she rose, her gown rustling softly. "My dear, good friend Lhiau is correct," she said, her voice carrying in the suddenly silent hall. "While we are still very much interested in retrieving the traitor Telek R'Mor and the Federation Starship in the Delta Quadrant, Lhiau and I have decided that it is time to intensify the plan. We do not need to wait for Voyager to begin amassing a fleet the likes of which the Federation has never seen."
Jekri's eyes were glued, not to her Empress, but to Lhiau. That he felt her attention was obvious by the slight smirk that quirked his lips, but he remained
focused on the Empress. The profound depth of his hypocrisy amazed Jekri. Had the man absolutely no sense of honor?
There is no honor required when dealing with kllhe, came Lhiau's hot response.
He knew precisely what to say to anger her. Of course, he would. He was inside her mind, curse him. She Licked her lips and did not respond.
"Lhiau has agreed to give us whatever we require to get our fleet ready for invasion," the Empress continued. "Whereas before we had thirteen, soon our numbers shall be nearly uncountable. And when we do succeed in retrieving Voyager and Telek R'Mor, why then, the Federation vessel shall be our flagship. We shall discover what it was that so tragically brought down our thirteen lost warbirds. We shall see that such incidents do not recur. And when we sweep down upon an unsuspecting Federation, victory must needs be ours!"
Jekri couldn't believe what she was hearing. Surely, logic dictated mat they first determine what went wrong with the thirteen cloaked ships before placing the devices aboard an invasion fleet. Lhiau had said something about the wormholes doing the damage; Jekri had her doubts. Lhiau knew much more than he was telling. Jekri needed to find out what that was.
And what was his plan? Hitherto, he had given out the dark-matter cloaks only grudgingly, and even then only to the ships mat had been sent out with the express purpose of finding Voyager. Now he was handing them out with abandon and seemed to have
forgotten Ms driving quest of recovering the wayward scientist and the Federation ship.
"Little Dagger," came the Empress's smooth voice, chilling Jekri to the bone with its icy timbre. "Come forward."
Jekri rose and strode boldly to the high table, executing a quick bow. "Your Excellency?"
"What are you doing here?" The Empress's anger was not even veiled anymore.
"I received an invitation, Your Excellency, and did not think to insult you by not attending," Jekri replied.
"You received no invitation," said the Empress. Jekri thought of the crisp cream envelope, a throwback to an earlier time, which had been hand delivered, of the name card on the table where she had just been sitting. For a long moment she stared at her liege. She had known the Empress for years, had watched her grow from a precocious young girl into this stunningly lovely, brilliant woman.
Before her sat a stranger, and the knowledge was alarming.
Jekri bowed again, lower this time. "My apologies," she said, her voice controlled, "My assistant must have been mistaken. With your permission, then, I shall take my leave and return to where I may do the Empire the most good."
"In your sub commander's bed?" snapped the Empress. Snickers went around the hall and Jekri turned bright green.
Slowly she smiled, her silver eyes hard and angry. "Nay, Your Excellency. He comes to mine when I call him."
The snickers turned to laughter and there were smatterings of approving applause.
/ have to get out of here, Jekri thought, feeling something akin to panic even as she turned to face the crowd and accept their applause.
Yes, came Lhiau's thoughts. You certainly do.
"You may leave us," snapped the Empress.
A third time Jekri bowed, and, head held high,