Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [195]
He lost track of time, saw that he had passed more than an hour in the troubled waters of his mind, and stood, stretching to relieve the ache in his back from sitting on the viewing bench. He had already swept his apartment and assured himself that not even the Chairman had managed to slip in any surreptitious eavesdropping devices. Basil Wenceslas did not quite suspect his deputy of outright treason. Not yet.
On a secure channel, he contacted Captain McCammon, whom he knew to be off duty. 'Did you establish the repeater stations, Captain?'
'Yes, Mr Deputy. Several members of the royal guard assisted me.'
'And you are certain of their loyalty?'
'As certain as I can be. They are aware of certain details concerning the escape of King Peter and Queen Estarra. It's already enough to hang me,' McCammon said with a hint of black humour. 'If there is a weak link, I would know it by now.'
'Good. It's time to circulate the message as widely as possible. The Chairman keeps trying to stop it, and we will keep distributing it. King Peter will have his say, and the people will believe it.'
'I have no doubt of that, sir. But what will they do? Do you really expect a spontaneous uprising?'
'No. We may have to help them along.'
One hundred and nineteen
Admiral Sheila Willis
True to her word, Willis kept the EDF soldiers out of everyone's hair. She allowed Hakim Allahu to broker deals with Roamers for certain non-essential materials, while the EDF prepared a valuable shipment to send to Earth as soon as they received the Chairman's authorization for payment.
She stood at the edge of the floating raft-base, watching the colourful fish below dart in and out of the honeycombed segments, build nests, and nibble at algae that grew on the pontoons. Willis had caught many of her people surreptitiously dropping food into the water to watch the marine life eat.
No further incidents of sabotage occurred, Rhejak's authorities watched over their citizens with sharp eyes. Willis had made them understand that cooperation was best for everyone. The three young vandals had spent a week in the brig of a Manta, where Conrad Brindle had evidently scared the boys out of further mischief for the rest of their lives. 'I hate it when normally good kids put themselves on the wrong side of an issue,' he practically growled. The Admiral wondered what sort of concrete experience he had in the matter. She had served with his son Robb, and he'd always seemed a good kid.
When a gaunt young Roamer named Jym Dooley arrived with unexpected news, Allahu brought the trader to see Willis on her raft-base and announced, 'Admiral, the conflict is almost over!
'If your Chairman knows what's good for his people, he'll have to reach an accommodation with the rest of us.'
'That's a bold statement, Mr Allahu. Our guest hasn't even given me his message yet.'
Dooley had rumpled hair and a perpetual look of panic on his face. He was a thin, sallow-faced man of about twenty-four with a wispy, light-brown beard that did little more than make his cheeks look dirty. 'Ma'am, the Mage-Imperator has formally recognized the Confederation by going to Theroc and meeting with the King. He and Peter have formed an alliance.'
Willis let out a long breath. The lion's share of the abandoned 3 Hansa colonies had already joined the Confederation, as had the Roamer clans, along with all of Theroc - and now the Ildirans. She nodded to Allahu. 'You're right. It sounds like the Chairman should cut his losses.'
'Do you think he'll do it?' Allahu asked.
'Not a chance.'
'Have you heard yet what the Eddies did on Usk? That news should turn any stragglers against the Hansa.'
Willis frowned. 'We haven't received any official communication in some time. What happened on Usk?'
Dooley was breathless. 'Eddy ships wiped out the colony town because the people tore up the Charter. Crucified the town elders, just to flex their muscles. Bastards!'
'You've got to be exaggerating. General Lanyan would never , condone such an action.'
'Condone it? He was there. He did it.'
Willis rolled her