The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [133]
The overcouncillor looked thoughtful. ‘One moment, Nicholas,’ he said, his eyes glazing over as he accessed some kind of Glow-linked implant. A moment or two later he blinked, gave Nicholas a wide-eyed look and began to laugh. Nicholas joined in.
‘It’s … better than you say,’ he said eventually. ‘One of the netlaw subministers has already resigned! But I shall have to move with this immediately … ’ He glanced around and beckoned to one of his bodyguards. ‘I will see if the management of the Jungfraujoch can extend the use of a private room where I can conduct some Glow politics … ’
‘Interviews?’ Nicodemus said as he took down the little screen and refolded it.
‘Spot commentaries, group declarations, and all the other features of my rebellious campaign. You know, the way things are I may be able to get the president to have our fleet take control of Darien, under some kind of diplomatic legacy. That should help safeguard the colony, and the new arrivals.’
‘Thank you, Tsu Chung. Some people I know will be heartened at this news.’ He handed over the folded screen. ‘So … now it’s time I made myself scarce and let you work.’
The two men shook hands.
‘And Nicholas,’ Tsu Chung said. ‘Please don’t wait another thirty years until next time, hmm?’
‘I guarantee it!’
As Nicodemus turned and walked away from the overcouncillor, the screen picture faded away to grey.
‘My apologies for deceiving you about the Electric Theatre City. It was a necessary part of the ploy.’
Back in the cramped little study, the older ponytailed Nicodemus was now sitting in the armchair Julia had occupied.
‘You used us as bait,’ she said.
‘And we succeeded.’
Frowning, she glanced at the unresponsive Harry. ‘How can we be sure? How soon before we find out if your Sino friend has got the president to rescind her orders?’
Nicodemus chuckled. ‘The Glow is all afroth with anger at the moment – I’ve never seen it so volatile! If President Castiglione attempts to defy Tsu Chung’s demands, she could well find herself swept away … we’ll know in about an hour.’
‘What about Harry?’
‘His internal activity continues, but there are indications that the self-check may have hit a cyclic block.’ Nicodemus shrugged. ‘I made contact with your sponsor, this Emantes, and he says to just erase it since he has a copy.’
Startled, she stared at him, a suspicion forming in her thoughts.
‘Is that what you’ll do?’
‘Hmm, not sure. Perhaps I’ll tinker with his code, see what turns up.’
‘I understand. Well, since our business here is concluded, I am keen to return to my sponsor. Are you able to translocate me?’
The elderly Nicodemus smiled. ‘You don’t feel like sticking around to watch the political fireworks?’
‘Thanks, but there is somewhere else that I have to be very soon.’
‘Of course – places to go, ungodly villains to smite … ’
Questions to ask, missiles to stop …
‘ … okay, you’ll be going via several net-junctions – are you ready?’
But before she could answer the translocation kicked in and her world folded up into tightly packed darkness.
GREG
After a microjump aboard the Starfire and a hasty trip in a shuttle on loan from the Vox Humana, they reached the rebel Tygran ship, Vanquisher. The shuttle docked at one of two underhull recesses and when Greg and Lieutenant Berg emerged from the airlock they were scanned for weapons. They were then escorted up two decks to an empty hold where the meeting with the mutiny leader was to take place.
The Vanquisher’s interior was markedly roomier than that of the Starfire and had a decor that was predominantly of a rich, dark blue, offset with softer shades. Corridor bulkheads, pipes, lines and spot monitor readouts were concealed by access panels, giving the ship a much less cluttered feel, while the lighting was smooth and diffuse. In a way it reminded Greg of the Darien Institute’s admin offices.
The hold, however, was brightly lit and functional. The mutiny leader, Braddock, was waiting when they arrived, standing by a long table with three other officers. All wore light body armour in