Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson [241]
He didn't yet know the real extent of the casualties, but he could look at the balance sheet and know that desperate times were still to come. The Terran Hanseatic League had never been so close to total obliteration. Since the beginning of his chairmanship thirty years ago, Basil had led the Hansa to its pinnacle of power and influence. Now, in a very short time, it had fallen to its most pathetic level.
While he waited for General Lanyan to shuttle down again from the remnants of his fleet, Deputy Cain joined him in the top-level offices, as did a browbeaten Sarein. Basil realized just how few people he actually trusted anymore, and even some of those were suspect.
When Sarein looked at him, he saw mingled love, fear, and something else in her eyes. She'd been acting strangely ever since the assassination attempt at Daniel's banquet. Or had he noticed odd behavior even before? He had never completely understood the ambitious young woman, nor had he made a particular effort to do so. He was too busy--and that wouldn't change in the near future. Once again, he cursed the fact that Pellidor was dead. He doubted he'd ever find another expediter so well trained and trustworthy.
Eldred Cain was stony and unreadable as he took his seat. Basil didn't understand the ghostly deputy either. The human race needed Basil Wenceslas more than ever. That much was obvious.
Finally, guards escorted the General into the office. Lanyan looked exhausted, his uniform unkempt, his eyes bloodshot and baggy. He probably hadn't slept in the days of aftermath, dealing with hundreds of secondary and tertiary problems. Just like all of us, Basil thought.
The outlook for the Earth Defense Forces was not good. Despite the help of the Ildirans, the hydrogues and Klikiss robots had destroyed many of the assets the EDF had cobbled together for the last-stand defense. The battleships stolen by the Soldier compies were still out there, far outnumbering what remained of the Hansa military. The robots could return for a coup de grâce at any time.
And the damned Roamers. He didn't know what to do about them. Was he supposed to send them a thank-you card? A gift basket? If they had such effective weapons technology against the warglobes, why the hell hadn't they shared it with the Hansa a long time ago?
Even so, the General was charged with a strange sort of energy, as if his pride and indignation were enough to drive back the haggard edge of weariness.
Time to get down to business. Always business. That was what kept human civilization functioning, even more than strong political leaders . . . even more than intractable kings and spoiled princes who disappeared in times of crisis. The Chairman would have been willing to ignore King Peter with a sneer of "Good riddance!"--but Peter had defied him. That couldn't be forgiven.
The General manufactured a tired smile for Basil. "Even considering the terrible cost, Mr. Chairman, it is still a victory. The EDF is in shambles, but the hydrogues have been crushed, perhaps even destroyed." He shook his head. "Who would have thought the Ildiran Solar Navy would do what they did? And thanks to the Roamers, dare I say it. We have inspectors trying to figure out what they did with those secret weapons, so we can duplicate them."
"If the hydrogues are defeated, there's no need to duplicate the weapons," Basil pointed out. "Apparently, they will not be effective against any other target."
"And those huge treeships from Theroc," Sarein said in a strangely embittered voice. "It's quite a surprise my people would go to such lengths to help Earth, after we did so little to aid them after the hydrogues attacked."
"Again, the same could be said about the Roamers." Cain seemed to be enjoying this.
Basil glared at his deputy and at Sarein. "This is not the time to rehash petty feuds and differences." He sat at his desk, put his hands in front of him, and straightened his back. "We need to move swiftly. After this, whole populations will go into shock. There'll be chaos in the