Taking Wing - Michael A. Martin [66]
Despite the still-incensed proximity of Tomalak, Rehaek didn’t flinch. Nor did he need to use more than a glance to restrain Torath’s evident desire to take some aggressive action of his own against the proconsul.
Rehaek looked to Tal’Aura, as though the other two men no longer even existed. “Surely, my Praetor, you can appreciate the grave danger that Pardek’s faction poses to the Empire.”
After a pause she smiled, having come to a realization. “Yes. And I don’t imagine a hard-liner war against the Federation would be good for you, either, Director.” There is such a thing as too much chaos. Even for one who often depends upon it to keep his adversaries confused in order to maintain his own power and position.
The spymaster nodded. “Then we understand each other well, my Praetor.”
“I understand that you need me, Director Rehaek. Perhaps more than I need you.” Triumph surged within her breast, as it rarely ever did in the presence of senior Tal Shiar officials. He feels the need to flex his muscle visibly, right in front of the leaders of the other factions. Perhaps he thinks they are losing their ingrained fear of the Tal Shiar. He needs to demonstrate the length of his reach. And that the Tal Shiar still wields power to be reckoned with, Koval or no Koval.
“I wish to help you contain the threat that Pardek represents, my Praetor,” Rehaek said, not rising to her jab. “And I think you’ll agree that the intelligence support I can provide will be invaluable to you in maintaining your…authority.”
You mean such intelligence as you deign to share with your esteemed praetor, she thought.
“And I think you’ll also agree, my Praetor,” Rehaek continued, “that what you will require most immediately from me is my silence. You may, in fact, find that indispensable—if you are to maintain whatever hold on Imperial authority you now possess.”
“Your silence?” Tal’Aura sensed that Rehaek was about to pounce like a rain-jungle zdonek.
“Come now, my Praetor. The Remans are unaware of the early power-sharing conference you are about to host. The one that excludes them. Imagine how much more vulnerable your position would become were they to learn of this. The Remans would believe you are trying to deceive them. And deceit motivates Remans to break things. Sometimes even things that have yet to be built, such as political alliances.
“Commit to an alliance with the Tal Shiar, my Praetor, and I will see to it that the Remans learn nothing untoward before the first full power-sharing conference.”
Tal’Aura felt her earlier sense of triumph evaporating. Her throat felt drier than the sunward side of Remus.
“I prefer that my friends and adversaries alike state their threats in plain language, Director Rehaek.”
He nodded, an ironic smile tugging at his lips. “Very well, my Praetor. In the absence of a formal understanding between us, I can state with almost perfect certainty that the Remans will discover your upcoming secret meeting—and in plenty of time to wreak havoc across both of the Two Worlds, and perhaps far beyond. Such an outcome would be most…distracting to your praetorship, to say the least.”
She slumped back in her chair, feeling defeated.
“Do not listen to him, Praetor,” Tomalak said. “Let him stir up the Remans. That might force the hands of Donatra and Suran. A new Reman uprising could reveal the actual extent of Donatra and Suran’s control over the Empire’s military forces. It might drive a wedge between the two commanders. It could even send a large proportion of their men and matériel over to our side.”
Tal’Aura shook her head and spoke in tones scarcely above a whisper. “But at what cost?”
Tomalak began an angry rejoinder, but she silenced the proconsul with a peremptory wave of her hand. His silence encouraged her; she knew he would not have relented so easily had he not known that she was right.
Rehaek held the advantage, at least for the moment.
“Very well,” Tal