Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [230]
'I must return to Ildira immediately!’ Anger crossed Jora’h's face, and his braid writhed like a snake on hot pavement. Basil flinched, surprised to see it move of its own accord.
A female green priest walked up beside Jora’h. 'Ildira is under attack by the faeros Mijistra is on fire. The Mage-Imperator must be there to lead his people. The Solar Navy is being pummelled.’
Basil received this unexpected news with great interest. What in the world had the Ildirans done to anger the faeros? And if the already weakened Solar Navy was preoccupied with a new enemy, then so much the better. The Earth Defence Forces would not need to worry about retaliation from them. 'Then I am pleased to offer you a place of safety here with us. We will protect you.’
The green priest spoke up again. 'I already sent messages through the worldforest as soon as we were captured. King Peter and Queen Estarra know that you’ve taken the Mage-Imperator hostage.’
'Peter is welcome to come here himself and make a pathetic attempt to rescue him.’ Basil was glad he had taken the treeling away from this woman, she would neither be sending nor receiving new messages. Cut off, these people were completely under his control.
A human scholar was also in their party. Anton Colicos looked somewhat familiar to Basil, and then he vaguely remembered the young man. Anton had called attention to the disappearance of his parents, Margaret and Louis Colicos, and asked for the Hansa’s help to find them. During his time among the Ildirans, Basil wondered if Anton had learned anything of value about them. He would direct that the scholar be interrogated.
Deputy Cain touched Basil’s elbow. 'Sir, perhaps we should continue our discussion at a later time when emotions have settled down somewhat.’
'My people are under attack,’ Jora’h said. 'I will only grow more agitated, not less.’
'Nevertheless, my deputy makes a good suggestion, and I have an important meeting with the Archfather back at Hansa headquarters. I just came to greet you and to initiate our conversation.’ He flashed a friendly smile, the kind he had almost forgotten how to make. 'You and your party can sit tight here. No need to worry about a thing.’
Basil turned, and the EDF guards sealed the barracks tunnels behind him, cutting off the angry outcries. The Chairman was genuinely smiling as he and Cain returned to their shuttle.
* * * * *
The Archfather arrived in the highest levels of the Hansa pyramid. He was another person who knew his proper place and followed instructions. Given time, the Chairman hoped to put together an appropriate team of people who believed in his personal vision. Only then would the Hansa be strong again.
The leader of Unison held daily rallies to foster the atmosphere of fear and paranoia caused by the returning Klikiss 'demons’. Basil doubted the insect race cared one whit about human civilization, the known colonist victims had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. If the Klikiss had been nearly extinct, they couldn’t be much of a military threat, despite General Lanyan’s wild report about Pym.
Cain sat with him in the office as the Archfather read over the new speech Basil had written. The Chairman mused, 'Rational and political control will not work on the people anymore. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, hoping they would put aside their petty bickerings for the good of all humanity. To my chagrin, that strategy has not been successful.’
'What other tactic will you use, Mr Chairman?’ Cain seemed reluctant to hear the answer.
'Laws can help control a rational pool of citizens, but they are also open to endless debate and reinterpretation. Religious law, on the other hand, is much more clear-cut. It allows no compromise and gives us the wedge we need.’
'They will see through such a ploy, Mr Chairman. People are more intelligent than that.’
Basil chuckled. 'History proves otherwise, time and again.’
The Archfather set aside the new speech with a furrowed