Death in Winter - Michael Jan Friedman [102]
The rest, of course, would be given to Eborion’s aunt Cly’rana. After all, it was she who had exposed Eborion for the traitor he was.
Suspecting her nephew was up to something, Cly’rana had arranged to monitor all his communications. Otherwise, his message from Manathas would almost certainly have gone undiscovered.
And why had Cly’rana torn the veil from Eborion’s treachery? Out of loyalty to the praetor-or so she claimed. But she had not pleaded for the life of her nephew, who must have been a threat to her within her family, nor had she turned down the share of his wealth Tal’aura gave as a reward.
In the process, the praetor had learned a valuable lesson: that even the Hundred could be bought.
“Nonetheless,” she told Tomalak, “it was a great achievement.”
Of course, the odds had been in his favor all along. Only the rebels’ fervor had allowed them to think otherwise. But it was left to the victors to say how treacherous a battle had been, and how courageous those who had fought it.
“We are going through the ships we captured,” said Tomalak, “and sending their crews down to face charges of treason. Unless, of course, you would like us to address their actions up here.”
In other words, Tal’aura interpreted, kill them without a trial. She appreciated the value of expedience, but even she wouldn’t deprive the rebels of their right of statement.
“That will not be necessary,” she told Tomalak. “I prefer to deal with them myself. Besides, you will have your hands full repairing their vessels-and your own.”
“As you wish,” the commander responded.
Unfortunately, nearly half of the rebels’ fleet had gotten away, the ships commanded by Donatra and Suran among them. Tal’aura was forced to assume that both fleet commanders had survived the battle and were at that moment replotting her downfall.
Also, she had to deal with Sela and Manathas.
The latter, being a master of disguise, would be difficult to apprehend. However, it would be impossible for him to find work in the Empire, as no potential employer would want to incur the praetor’s wrath.
Sooner or later, Manathas would make a mistake, and someone would identify him and turn him in. It was just a matter of time.
As for Sela… she had allowed the Federation to win the admiration of the Kevrata, and thereby fan the flames of rebellion on the outworlds. And into the bargain, she hadn’t snared a single Federation agent.
Most disappointing, Tal’aura reflected. But Sela had at least been loyal to her, whereas others had not.
For now, she would leave the half-blood on Kevratas to wallow in her failure. Sela would hate that-and want more than ever to regain the standing she had enjoyed under previous regimes. And when the praetor needed her again, she would be ready.
But neither Sela nor Manathas was the worst of Tal’aura’s problems-not since the Kevrata’s plague had demonstrated an affinity for Romulans. With all the commercial traffic going in and out of Kevratas on a daily basis, there was no telling how many ships might already be carrying the virus, or how far it might have spread.
One thing was certain: It needed to be stopped.
The praetor had not previously felt a need to deploy research teams to Kevratas, since the disease had been a strictly Kevratan concern. Now, of course, she felt otherwise.
She just hoped her scientists could devise a cure before the virus reached Romulus….
Back in his lair beneath the ancient castle, surrounded by his comrades in the artificial lights of their new camp, Hanafaejas sat on his haunches and lowered his head into his hands.
They had succeeded in their effort to buy Picard the time he needed. As far as Hanafaejas knew, all five of the Federation people had escaped to Pug Joseph’s ship-not only Picard and his companions, but Doctor Crusher as well.
However, one of the rebels had perished in a blast of disruptor fire. Hanafaejas let his head loll on his chest as he keened the name of the dead one.