Endgames

by L. E. Modesitt Jr

  “Oh?” Chelia didn’t sound particularly surprised.

  “Aloryana will accompany Maitres Alastar and Alyna.”

  Chelia nodded. “It’s better that way. You are getting serious about Alyncya D’Shendael, aren’t you?”

  “Why do you say that?” Charyn knew very well why she’d said that, but wanted an admission.

  “Because you promised Aloryana that she could meet the young woman, and meeting her at a ball is the easiest way. I assume you will make the introductions.”

  “I’d planned to, both for you and Aloryana.”

  “It might be best if I introduced myself to Alyncya. That is, unless you’re determined to ask her to marry you immediately.”

  “You think that if I make both introductions…?”

  “I do. Young men, even Rexes, do introduce lady friends to sisters without it being taken as a commitment or a potential commitment. However…”

  “I see your point. Then I should introduce Alyncya to Aloryana early. I’d thought to ask Aloryana to the second dance, and after that…”

  “No. That is a trifle obvious. You can ask your sister to dance two or three times. I’ll wait.”

  As he left his mother, Charyn smiled wryly. As he’d suspected, Aloryana had written something to their mother.

  When he returned to the study, Wyllum immediately said, “That package is on its way, sir. Also, while you were gone, an army courier brought a dispatch from Marshal Vaelln. It’s on your desk.”

  “Thank you.”

  Charyn doubted that the news contained in the dispatch would be good. At best, it would show more progress against the Jariolans, but still more losses of merchant shipping. At worst, there would be lost warships and lost merchanters. He immediately opened the dispatch and began to read. There was good news. The Solidaran fleet off Jariola had destroyed three more Jariolan ships with no losses. The bad news was that two Jariolan privateers had sunk and taken the cargoes of seven merchanters bound to Solidar from Otelyrn. While the privateers were sunk, in turn, by a Solidaran third-rater, the cargoes and crews were lost.

  Almost as an afterthought, Vaelln noted that construction had begun on the frigate in the new shipyard in Solis, several weeks ahead of schedule.

  After rereading the dispatch more carefully and finding nothing he’d overlooked the first time, Charyn added the dispatch to the others now in the file chest that contained only material from the Marshal, a chest he’d been forced to add given the volume of what Vaelln had sent. If this keeps up, you’ll need another chest by year end.

  47

  Meredi morning found Charyn again reading the newssheets, resigned to the fact that there would be little good news printed and hoping that the bad news wasn’t terrible.

  The Veritum story was relatively straightforward, just noting that the warehouse of one Arasanyt, a factor in woolens and linens, both imported and Solidaran, had been damaged by fire, but that the presence of a large water tank had enabled the factor to save stock in one wing of the building.

  On the other hand, what appeared in Tableta was very different.

  Despite the continuing fires of factorages and warehouses in L’Excelsis and throughout Solidar, fires set by workers desperate and unable to feed their families on the starvation wages offered by factors, neither those most respectable factors nor our most beloved young Rex appear able or willing to address the cause of those fires. Men need decent wages to feed their families. Chief Factor Eshmael refuses to accept this basic fact. All he—and many other factors—cares about is how great his profits will be. Our beloved Rex is perfectly willing to fight an undeclared war with Jariola, one in which our mighty and growing navy seems unable even to stop scarcely armed privateers from sinking and pillaging our ships, but he is not willing to fight for the right of workers to a decent wage …

  How do you fight for that … Charyn frowned. He really hadn’t made any attempt to talk with the craftmasters or the guilds after Argentyl had vanished. Then he shook his head. That wouldn’t resolve anything. The workers only had the power to disrupt. There has to be something to bring the factors around … or a way to give them what they want that does more than that …

  A quint later, he was striding along the upper corridor toward Alucar’s study.

  The Finance Minister looked up from his desk at Charyn’s abrupt entrance.

  “Your clerks have records of all the factorages in L’Excelsis, don’t they?”

  Alucar frowned. “We have records of all the factorages that pay tariffs, not just in L’Excelsis, but everywhere in Solidar. I’d estimate those records account for eight out of ten at best.”

  “Excellent.”

  “What do you have in mind, Your Grace?”

  “Increasing tariff revenues and making factors and High Holders more accountable. Also bringing the army to bear. Let me explain. You’ve already pointed out that we aren’t collecting all the tariffs we should. Isn’t it true that we know, for the most part, all the High Holders? Whether they pay all the tariffs they should is another question, but they all pay something. Isn’t that so?”

  “There might be a handful who don’t pay anything, but they’d be small High Holdings in very out-of-the-way places, like in the heart of the Montagnes D’Glace. There are still many High Holders who aren’t paying what they should. That’s why we’ve been working to update the information and records.”

  “That means that where we’re missing the most in tariff collections is among the factors?”

  “That’s true, but I’d judge that half of those probably wouldn’t contribute much.”

  “Do you have a clerk or two who can quickly read ledgers and compare names and locations to the tariff records to determine whether someone is paying tariffs? Not necessarily the correct amount, but whether they’re paying them at all?”

  “We could compare names to the tariff rolls … in most cases, anyway. But I doubt if many of those who aren’t paying tariffs have decent ledgers … or any ledgers at all.”

  “But if they don’t, and there’s no record of their paying tariffs, we can come back and insist on tariffs. We’ll also know who they are, and we can add them immediately to the tariff rolls for the future.”

  “That’s true. It will take a considerable amount of work. Just what exactly do you have in mind, Your Grace?”

  “Making things fair,” replied Charyn with a smile. Then he went on to explain.

  When he finished, Alucar shook his head slowly. “You’re taking quite a risk there.”

  “Everything’s a risk, but the High Holders will support it. They’ve always contended that the factors weren’t paying their share. They’ll also have less to complain about regarding our efforts to make their records and tariffs more accurate if we’re doing something along the same lines with the factors. The factors can’t complain … not too loudly, because the aim is to make sure that they’re paying what they should, and the workers will like it because they’ll see that I’ve decided that the factors need to be put in their place. I can also point out that I’m not increasing tariffs on those who pay them, and that those who don’t pay them are taking an unfair advantage over those who do.”

  “They won’t just open their doors to my clerks.”

  “No, they won’t. But they will if there’s a squad of troopers behind them. That’s where the army comes in. Since the army will already have to be there to protect the factorages and warehouses … what better way to pay for what the army is doing than to put the costs on those factors who aren’t paying?”

  “That could generate another kind of revolt.”

  Charyn shook his head. “This time around, the clerks won’t ask to see the ledgers of anyone who’s on the tariff rolls. They’ll just check off the fact that the factorage is on the tariff rolls, and perhaps offer an estimate to the factors, and take notes for the future. I’ll leave the exact details to you, however, on how to get them on the tariff rolls with the least effort and conflict.”<
br />
  “That makes more sense than asking for everyone’s ledgers. You’ll still get resistance.”

  “As I recall, there are laws and penalties for not paying tariffs.”

  “They’ve only been enforced selectively.”

  “So … your clerks can simply tell them that, if they pay the tariffs due, no penalties will be assessed and no one will go to the workhouses. If they resist, however…”

  “Some factors will protest.”

  “I’m certain that some of them will, but they’re the ones who asked for the army to protect them. Now … what you need to do is to copy down the names and locations of all the factorages in L’Excelsis onto separate lists for your clerks. Wyllum can help do that. The lists need to be by district, and I realize that may take some time…”

  “We can’t do this overnight, Your Grace.”

  “How long will it take to get the names of the factorages along the river on the west bank, south from the Sud Bridge?”

  “Two or three days.”

  “Then, when you’re ready, we’ll send out two clerks, each protected by the army. I’d think a squad for each clerk would be enough, but I’ll need to talk to Vaelln about that. They’ll go from factorage to factorage. Can your other clerks and Wyllum keep making up lists for other districts while the two clerks are checking factorages?”

  “Yes, Your Grace.”

  “So we could start on the third or fourth of Feuillyt? That might be later, of course, if the army isn’t ready.”

  “I could tell you more accurately tomorrow. I need to look into the tariff rolls.”

  “That would be fine. I’d also appreciate your keeping the reasons for what you’re doing with the records to yourself until I’ve met with Marshal Vaelln and determined if it’s possible to handle matters the way I think we can.”

  “I certainly will, sir.”

  Charyn paused. “At some point, you might check the tariff records of High Holder Laastyn. I understand he recently obtained several thousand hectares of timberland in Tilbor, and he has to have at least four or five other properties just around L’Excelsis, a lodge in Talyon, and lands near Asseroiles. Also, High Holder Ghaermyn has a number of factorages here in L’Excelsis. You can include the High Holders’ factorages in L’Excelsis, can’t you? We can’t just look at the establishments of factors.”

  “I’d already thought that, Your Grace.”

  “Thank you.” Charyn nodded and then left, walking back toward his own study more slowly.

  Once he stepped inside, he looked to Wyllum and said, “If you’d draft a message to Marshal Vaelln, requesting his presence at first glass of the afternoon tomorrow. It needs to be drafted and sent immediately.”

  “Yes, sir.” The scrivener looked questioningly at Charyn.

  “It’s not an emergency.” Not yet. “But it’s important. Once we’ve sent off the letter, I’ll explain why and how you’ll be involved.”

  Even though Charyn had finally come to a decision about what to do, he still worried. At the same time, he had to remind himself that his father’s failing to come to decisions and to follow through on them had cost him dearly. But so had bad decisions.

  What was unfortunately all too clear, from what several influential and knowledgeable individuals had all told him, was that he was almost out of time before matters would get worse—much worse. And Elthyrd’s death might just be the first of more than a few.

  He took a deep breath and waited for Wyllum to finish drafting the letter.

  48

  On Jeudi morning, Charyn took the unmarked coach, leaving the Chateau at a quint past sixth glass, early enough that it was unlikely to be noted, unless, of course, someone had decided to watch every single person who came and left the Chateau at every glass of day or night.

  That could be possible, even likely. He shook his head. That kind of worrying could turn him into someone like his father or grandsire.

  Even so, when the coach stopped at the shore end of the pier nearest to Paersyt’s factorage, Charyn was relieved to see that no one but Paersyt and the men nearest him were on that pier, and that those men on the piers to the north paid no attention to the coach, or to Charyn and the two brown-coated guards who accompanied him as he walked out to the end of the pier.

  The boat tied there didn’t appear all that prepossessing, somewhere around twelve yards from stem to stern and possibly five yards abeam at the widest. A small pilothouse perched on the deck some four yards back from the bow, behind which was an open area some five yards long, containing the steam engine and, behind it, what appeared to be the gearing system that connected to the shaft leading to the water screw that presumably was located somewhere under the stern section of the boat. A thin trail of smoke rose from the top of a metal chimney—smoke funnel, Charyn recalled from the drawings Paersyt had sent him—that extended up from the firebox assembly. The last three yards of the boat were also decked with a ship’s wheel mounted at the front of a slightly raised area just forward of the stern.

  Paersyt stood beside the wheel. When he saw the riders and recognized Charyn, he jumped from the boat to the pier and walked to meet the Rex.

  “How do you like the looks of the Steamwraith?”

  “It looks different.”

  “She. Ships are always women.”

  Charyn looked at the river, the current flowing strongly, but not rushing. “Your boat can make headway against the current?”

  “We’ve made three short trials with the engine in its current configuration. If we don’t have problems, you’ll see.”

  “How many times have you had problems?”

  Paersyt shook his head. “You don’t want to know. That’s why we’ve had trials, almost a month of them.”

  Charyn nodded. “Go ahead.” He wasn’t about to say what he felt—that he worried about staying long in any one place.

  “Yes, sir.” With a smile Paersyt turned and reboarded the Steamwraith, where he gestured to the man standing by the firebox before taking his place at the wheel.

  The fireman shoveled more coal into the firebox, and Charyn waited.

  After a time, the trail of smoke from the funnel increased, but nothing seemed to happen. Charyn kept watching. Then, Paersyt gestured again, and the fireman pulled a long lever. With a hissing sound, the pistons began to move, slowly at first, then more swiftly, and the boat gradually moved farther away from the pier.

  Charyn noticed the water being churned up behind the boat, leaving a wake as the small craft headed toward the center of the river, being carried downstream even as it moved away from the pier.

  The thickness of the smoke increased, and once the Steamwraith was well clear of the pier and some twenty yards out into the river, Paersyt turned the boat into the current. Charyn found himself holding his breath, but the boat, amazingly to Charyn, began to move faster, even against the current, and before long was approaching the Sud Bridge.

  When the craft turned downstream, it seemed almost to fly toward Charyn and the pier. He noticed that several men on the pier to the north had stopped loading and were watching the Steamwraith as she slowed and eased up to the pier.

  Before that long, Paersyt was on the pier. “There was still a bit more vibration than I’d like. Over time, that could be a problem.”

  “Problem or not, that was amazing!” Charyn didn’t have to feign enthusiasm. “Even the men on the other pier were watching.”

  “Most likely to see if the engine exploded.”

  “Can you build a bigger engine?” asked Charyn. “One able to power a boat twice this size with hundredweights of cargo and still be able to move against the current like the Steamwraith?”

  “If you have the golds and patience. Building this one took almost seven months. Increasing the size and power … that will take work. And golds.”

  “Let me know how much. I want you to build it so that once we have a manufactorage in place, you can build scores of engines.”

  “Me?”<
br />
  “You. Don’t you want to be the engineer who changed Solidar? This engine can be used for many things, I think.”

  “I don’t know who will buy them…”

  “If no one else will, I will. The navy could even use engines like this one along the coast against smugglers.”

  “It won’t be easy, Your Grace.”

  To that, Charyn just nodded. Nothing was easy, but seeing how the Steamwraith had moved and handled, he couldn’t help but believe that Paersyt’s engine was going to change Solidar … and, in time, all Terahnar. “Just let me know what you need. I may not be able to give you everything necessary immediately, not with the demands of the war, but we’ll do the best we can.”

  “You’ve always kept your word, Your Grace.”

  “I need to be going,” said Charyn. “But keep sending me reports.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Charyn was back at the Chateau and in his study well before eighth glass, where Wyllum immediately said, “Minister Alucar was here earlier. He didn’t say what he wanted, just that he needed to see you.”

  “We’ll walk over there together.”

  Wyllum raised his eyebrows.

  “As I told you the other day, Minister Alucar is going to need your skills and help. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was what he was going to ask about.”

  “Just copying lists?”

  “That’s sometimes very important. His clerks can’t afford to make mistakes. Actually, I can’t afford to have them make mistakes.” Factors are going to be angry enough at me as it is.

  When they reached the study door, Charyn rapped, then opened it and stepped inside. “You were looking for me?”

  “Yes, Your Grace. I was wondering…”

  “Wyllum is ready to start work any time you need him, beginning this moment.”

  “Thank you, sir. You left the Chateau quite early…”

  “I had a meeting with Factor Paersyt. Actually, I went to see the water trials of his engine.”

  “He has it working? Water trials?”

  “It can be used for many things, it appears. We’ll see.” Charyn nodded to Wyllum. “I’ll let Minister Alucar know if I have any urgent need for you. Otherwise, you’ll be working for him for a time.” Charyn looked to the older man.