Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson [123]
Shifting his gaze from the compy to the Chairman, struggling to control himself, the terrified young man blinked more than was necessary. He shook his head like a dog drenched in water and tried to focus on what had happened to him. As he gratefully sipped from a glass of fruit juice, absorbing electrolytes and sugar, he had to be wondering why he was still alive.
When the compy finished with the explanations, Daniel stammered, "So . . . so what happens to me now?"
"That depends. You have already proved to be a disgrace." Daniel flinched. "The question is, are you salvageable, or should you be discarded? I'd prefer not to waste time starting from scratch with another candidate. But I don't want to waste time with you, either, if you haven't learned your lesson."
"I've learned my lesson!"
As he scrutinized the shaky young man, Basil wondered what kinds of nightmares the boy had experienced while asleep.
"Please, just let me out of here."
"Easy enough to say. But have you fundamentally changed? Learned your place in the Hansa down to the marrow of your tiniest bone?" Basil's voice cut like a surgical instrument. "If you force us to remove you again because of your intractability, we'll turn you into fertilizer for a colony world. No sense wasting resources on life support."
"No! You won't need to do that. I promise." Basil studied Daniel's eyes. Fear dripped from the young man like icicles from a wintry rain gutter.
"Can you be the King that Peter isn't?"
Daniel swallowed hard, rallied his courage, and sniffed. "I can be the right kind of King. He's had his chance. Now it's my turn."
"It's your turn if I say it is."
"Then say it, Mr. Chairman. Please." His lips trembled. "Just please don't kill me. I want to be a Prince--the Prince."
"It's not a Prince I'm looking for, Daniel." Basil walked around the bed. "I need a new King."
OX spoke up. "Mr. Chairman, I have the proper instructional programming. All I need is cooperation from my student."
Basil gave the compy an annoyed glance. "I wouldn't start keeping score, OX. Peter was your student, too, and look how he turned out."
Daniel swung his gaze quickly to the compy, whom he had previously hated. "I promise to do whatever OX says! Really. I mean it this time."
The young man's complete surrender and cooperation was a good sign--Peter had never shown such submissiveness, not even in his earliest days. When Daniel began to whimper, Basil frowned. "Stop that. It isn't very regal of you."
In response, Daniel sat stiffly on the infirmary bed, barely able to keep his balance. In a few days the boy should be able to walk again. He composed himself, dredging up everything OX had taught him. It was an impressive show.
Basil smiled at Pellidor and Cain. His voice was warm and gracious. "All right, Daniel, you've convinced me."
71
OSIRA'H
A cutter bearing forty-nine Ildirans arrived at Dobro, sent directly from the Prism Palace. The courier asked to speak to the Designate, though he could not specify whether he meant Daro'h or Udru'h. Ildirans and freed humans had come to the spaceport to watch.
Scanning the gathered crowd, the courier recognized the half-breed girl. "And the Mage-Imperator requests that Osira'h also hear my words."
Within the hour, they met inside the new Designate's private residence, where the courier delivered his dark message. "The hydrogues have returned to Ildira with their demands. Adar Zan'nh will be dispatched with a message to Earth offering Solar Navy warliners. He will claim they are for protection."
"And they are not?" Udru'h asked.
"That is not for me to say. Most of the Solar Navy's warliners have been summoned back to Ildira, gathering for the massive deployment."
Listening in angry silence, Osira'h felt a dull knife of disappointment pierce her heart. She wanted