Grave Covenant

by Michael A. Stackpole

  It hardly seemed possible to Katrina that Candace Liao was speaking of grandchildren when she hardly looked a day over forty. Katrina assumed the lack of gray hair was due to hair dye, and the file the Lyran Alliance's intelligence division kept on Candace suggested the paucity of wrinkles was due to cosmetic surgery. Katrina doubted that since she saw the hints of battle scars peeking out from beneath the short left sleeve on the Duchess' gown. If she were vain enough to undergo surgery, certainly she would have had that problem taken care of. Katrina believed Candace's generally healthful conditioning was due to a daily regimen of t'ai chi chuan, a practice she had learned from her late husband nearly thirty years before.

  Candace smiled, her gray eyes full of intelligence and charm. "You know my son, of course."

  Katrina offered Kai her hand. "It is good to see you again, Kai. I still remember watching you defend your title on Solaris. It was quite thrilling."

  "You are most kind, Archon." Kai politely raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "I remember your visit quite well."

  "Archon? Please, Kai, I thought we knew each other well enough that such formality could be dispensed with." You're enough of an ally of my brother to refuse to call me by my grandmother's name. It's very convenient to have such a simple litmus test for loyalty. Katrina allowed her eyebrows to rise. "And this must be your wife. I am Katrina Steiner."

  The black-haired woman on Kai's arm shook Katrina's hand with a firm grip. "Deirdre Lear. Pleased to meet you, Archon."

  "The pleasure is mine. You've kept your name—but then you are a doctor, aren't you? Do you still practice?"

  "Not at the moment. I. .."

  Katrina pressed a hand against her own breastbone. "Oh, forgive me. You just had a child, didn't you? A daughter."

  Candace nodded. "She's only six weeks old."

  Kai glanced back at Katrina. "She is Melissa Allard-Liao, named after your mother."

  "After my mother." Katrina hesitated a moment, then let her voice drop to a choked whisper. "That is a great honor."

  Deirdre Lear smiled. "We thought so."

  Katrina read something in the woman's blue eyes that made her uneasy. It added to her dislike for Lear's being able to regain her figure and slip into a fashionable black gown despite only being six weeks removed from giving birth. Clearly Kai's feelings for my brother have colored Lear's feelings for me. Still, she is a mother and therefore has a weakness, her children.

  "Please, Dr. Lear, if there is anything you need while here on Tharkad, I would be offended if you did not ask me for it. If you and Kai want to get away for even an evening, I can arrange child care. It would be an honor, and no trouble at all." Another factoid from Deirdre's file came to mind. "And I know you have been coordinating public health and education programs in the St. Ives Compact. If possible, I'm sure your counterpart here, Dr. Wilson, would love to compare datafiles and even exchange educational materials—if you have time." Katrina underscored her offered with an open-faced innocence that clearly took Lear by surprise.

  "I appreciate your offer, both of them, in fact." Deirdre smiled carefully. "Melissa is a bit young to leave alone right now, but I would happily meet with Dr. Wilson, at his convenience, of course."

  "Very good, I will tell him." Katrina pointed toward the refreshment tables. "Please, enjoy the hospitality of the Lyran Alliance."

  As the Liaos moved away, Katrina caught sight of her younger sister, Yvonne, and fought to suppress a sigh. Though several centimeters taller than Katrina and two kilos lighter—allowing her to make a stunning success of the gown Katrina had obtained for her—Yvonne seemed as awkward as Kali Liao was feral. At nineteen, Yvonne was pretty by anyone's standards, with the red hair and gray eyes reminiscent of her father and the smooth, fair complexion of Melissa Steiner-Davion.

  Yvonne, you must come out of your shell. Katrina, who was seven years Yvonne's senior, had always viewed her as something between a living doll and a protege, though the younger woman failed in the latter department. She did allow Katrina to dress her up and make her beautiful, but she acquiesced mostly because of the futility of trying to argue Katrina out of something she wanted. Katrina knew her sister gave up without giving in, but that did not terribly bother her. If you don't have enough spine to stand up to me, I can't use you, but you also can't be used against me.

  Back beyond Yvonne, Victor stood in conversation with Leftenant General Trevena and the tall man who had escorted Yvonne all the way from New Avalon for the conference. Tancred Sandoval towered over Victor by at least twenty centimeters and had a ruggedly handsome set of features that made Victor look rather boyish. Tancred's amber eyes proved to be his most striking feature. The color reminded Katrina of cats and their eyes, a connection strengthened by Sandovals fluid grace and, from the holovids she'd seen, his skill in the ancient art of fencing.

  The sudden appearance of Phelan Kell eclipsed Katrina's view of Sandoval. Despite the formality of the situation, or perhaps in spite of it, Phelan had chosen to wear Wolf Clan leathers. The gray leathers clung to his body more tightly than the slinkiest of gowns on the vainest of women at the gathering. Katrina had to admit that her cousin had the powerful build to wear such outrageous clothes to great advantage, though she did not find him particularly attractive. Not that it's not a nice package, but the eyes spoil it.

  Unadulterated disgust pooled in Phelan's green eyes. "Archon Katherine, how kind of you to invite me and my father to this reception. I am pleased that our invitation to it did not vanish the way our invitation to the Conference did."

  "Khan Phelan, you are still a Khan, aren't you?" Katrina struggled to keep her voice even. "Surely you do not question the wisdom of not inviting an enemy to a conference whose sole aim is ridding ourselves of that same enemy."

  "Not at all, though that hardly explains why my father was not invited." Phelan smiled coyly. "And, Katherine, I cannot believe your intelligence people forgot to mention that I and my people are at war with the Clans ourselves. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

  "I hardly thought you would characterize yourself as my friend, cousin."

  Phelan gave her a quick nod. "Very good, Katherine, very good. I had forgotten how quick-witted you could be."

  "Not a good thing to forget, Phelan."

  "Agreed" Phelan's eyes narrowed. "I just hope you use your brains for the good of the Inner Sphere, to unite it instead of shattering it."

  "Oh, it is my intention to bring the Inner Sphere together, Phelan, you can count on that." Katrina gave him a sly smile. And when I do, there will be no place for people like you in it, dear cousin. You can rest assured of that.

  5

  Grand Ballroom, Royal Court The Triad

  Tharkad City, Tharkad

  District of Donegal, Lyran Alliance

  1 October 3058

  Victor Steiner-Davion nodded agreement with Tancred Sandoval. "You're right in pointing out that the Japanese emphasis on using the blade's edge—versus the European emphasis on the point and lunge—is a major distinction between the styles, but there's more to it than that."

  "This I understand, Highness." The Baron of Robinson gave Victor an easy smile. "I've heard the theory advanced that Japanese-style swordsmanship is somehow more of a pure art than ours. Granted, fencing is a sport and even my specialty of epee is stylized, but it seems that comparing fencing with kenjitsu is unfair. Kendo is apparently as restricted as fencing and, therefore, more apt ground for comparison."

  Victor caught a mixture of amusement and pride in Tancred's reply, which struck him as appropriate. The Sandoval family had long been the leaders of the Draconis March—the part of the Federated Commonwealth with the longest border and bloodiest history of conflict with the Draconis Combine. Some Draconis Marchers would claim coal was white because a Kurita said it was black, but Tancred has his chauvinism more under control than that.

  "Then if fencing and kendo are more correctly compared with each other, what does the Western trad
ition have to match kenjitsu?"

  Tancred smiled. "I believe Doc can answer that better than I can."

  Victor turned to his military advisor. "Care to give it a go?"

  Doc Trevena nodded, flicking a finger against his oversized nose before he began. "In Japan, the design of the katana appeared very early and was modified very little down through the ages. What the Japanese did was to perfect a weapon, then continue to refine the technique for fighting with it to a high art."

  Victor nodded. "Kenjitsu."

  "Yes, Highness." Doc Trevena frowned for a moment, letting his brown-eyed gaze drift toward the ground with concentration. "In Europe, the sword underwent constant refinement. The weapon changed and developed new fighting styles around it. The introduction of the rapier, for example, caused a revolution in swordfighting techniques in Europe that transformed everything inside a generation. As a result, we have no art of swordfighting akin to kenjitsu because we have no solid, centuries-long tradition of fighting with the same weapon."

  Tancred pressed his hands together, fingertip to fingertip. "So, let me ask the question begged by your explanation, Doc. Which method of fighting was better?"

  Doc Trevena shook his head. "Apples and oranges, really. The only troops to fight against both samurai and European knights were the Mongols, and they pretty much pounded whoever they faced. Their fights against the samurai showed that the Japanese style of fighting was inbred and ritualized— it worked well against others playing by the same rules, but the Mongols didn't play by any rules. Against Arab and European forces the Mongols used their superior mobility and tactical sense to great advantage. Tactical maneuvering was pretty rudimentary in those days, though the world's three best tacticians of that age were contemporaries: Genghis Khan, John Lackland of England and Saladin. It would have been fascinating to see any of the three of them pitted against the other."

  Tancred winked at Victor. "I see why he is serving as your military advisor."

  "He knows his stuff."

  "Forgive me, my lords, if I bored you." Doc's face wrinkled with consternation. "The tactical team I've assembled has been working on the most comprehensive breakdown and analysis of tactics and warfare since reliable records were being kept. We're running all sorts of simulations—for example, if Genghis Khan had been in charge of the Russian forces in 1941, the Germano-Russian conflict would have been over a lot sooner."

  "Does that carry with it the assumption that Stalin's purges of the officer corps never took place, or were greatly reduced?" Yvonne Steiner-Davion stepped into the conversation between her brother and Tancred. "My reading on the subject suggests that a lack of competent leadership plus an advancement beyond prepared defenses was what led to the initial catastrophe for the Soviets—as they were called during that period of history."

  Doc blinked away surprise. "We certainly had to allow for the Mongol philosophy to be reflected by the unit commanders, so, in effect, we blunted the purges. Even so, having and using mobility proved effective in lessening the devastating effects of the Nazi drives forward."

  Yvonne raised an eyebrow. "And what if your simulation was run with the winter showing up later and not being nearly as severe?"

  Doc winced. "The Trans-Siberian Railway would serve Brats and Alt on the runs from Himmlergrad to Adolphvostock."

  Victor frowned as he looked up at his sister. "I thought your course of study at the New Avalon Institute of Science was pre-law."

  "It is, Victor." She laid her right hand on his left shoulder. "That's what you want me to study, so that's what I'm studying. I do have electives, though, you know. And Tancred noted that if I overlap enough courses, I can pull down a Master's degree in history or political science with only two more years at the NAIS."

  Tancred shrugged. "Her Highness told me she was getting bored at school. She's tested out for credit on most introductory courses and is really taking graduate level seminars already. Her average is two points short of perfect."

  Victor gave his sister a sidelong glance. "It's not a perfect?"

  Yvonne shrugged and let her shoulders slump. "There's a physical education requirement for graduation. I took a fencing course that Tancred was teaching and I barely passed."

  The Baron of Robinson raised a hand to forestall any questions from Victor. "Your sister does lack a bit of physical coordination."

  "She has kind of sprouted up in the last four years." Victor smiled. "Time was we could look eye to eye."

  Yvonne blushed. "I'm sorry."

  "Don't be. Nothing you could do about it." Victor shrugged. "Just because my portraits on coins are life-size ..."

  Everyone chuckled. Victor reached up and gave his sister's hand on his shoulder a gentle pat. "You're a good kid, Yvonne."

  "Too good, I'm afraid, Highness." Tancred shook his head. "Other students were somewhat reluctant to attack her in duels, but she refused to take advantage of the openings they gave her."

  "You ascribe to reluctance what can adequately be described as ineptness." Yvonne smiled apologetically. "Pinpoint accuracy with the tip of a meter's worth of steel may be your forte, Baron Sandoval, but it's not mine."

  "You weren't that bad, Highness. If you had been, I'd have failed you."

  A frown creased Victor's forehead. "I didn't know you were on the faculty at the NAIS, Tancred. I would have thought your duties in the Interior Secretariat would have kept you busy enough."

  "My duties do keep me busy, but Kommandant Allyn Hasek is the coach of the fencing team over at the New Avalon Military Academy. We were on the 3038 Olympic fencing team together, back when we were both your sister's age and full of pride. We were rivals then and have been friendly rivals since. He goaded me into coaching the NAIS team, and to be able to coach I had to teach at least one class." Tancred smiled. "I did not need much convincing—I was tired of seeing the NAIS team getting trounced."

  Victor replaced his frown with a smile. "Well, I'm tired of being trounced by Hohiro Kurita and Kai Allard-Liao in a variety of martial sports. Why don't you come teach us some fencing? You can even learn a bit about kenjitsu from Hohiro."

  "I don't think that would be a good idea, Highness."

  "Why not?"

  Yvonne sighed heavily. "You forget, Victor, Tancred is from Robinson. His father commands the defenses of the Draconis March. There would be repercussions if he were seen socializing with Hohiro Kurita."

  Tancred shrugged. "I know that's silly, but it's true. My people are still wary of the Combine, despite the last seven years of peace."

  "And those seven years should continue, believe me." Victor nodded. "I tell you what—consider your presence with us a command performance. I'll take the heat for your being there. We'll work things out so that you're seen as upholding the pride of the Federated Commonwealth because I'm sure not." The Prince tapped the mouse on his right eye. "I could really use the help."

  Tancred considered the request for a moment, then nodded. "Clearly I cannot refuse, so I shall not. And I very much appreciate your sensitivity to my situation."

  "That's part of my job, isn't it?" Victor smiled and shook hands with Tancred. "I'll get our schedule communicated to you. Now, if the three of you will excuse me, I see some other people I have to speak with."

  Victor withdrew from the circle and worked his way around to where Hohiro stood with his sister Omi. She wore a pink silk gown with short sleeves and a high collar, but loosely belted it with a blue cord that matched both the color of her eyes and the cyclone of embroidered stars that spiraled down her lithe body. Her black hair had been put up at the back of her head and held in place with a blue bow, but Victor barely noticed it because of the way her long neck had been exposed. He wanted nothing more than to plant kisses all over her neck and throat.

  If Tancred thinks teaching Hohiro how to fence will cause problems in the Draconis March, just imagine what my giving into my whims would do! Victor shook his head as he approached the Kuritas, then he bowed. "Komban-wa."

&
nbsp; Hohiro and his sister respectfully returned the greetings. "Good evening, Victor." Hohiro looked back over Victor's shoulder. "The red-headed woman, that is your sister Yvonne?"

  "Have you not met her?" Victor glanced back at where Yvonne stood with Doc and Tancred. "I'd be happy to introduce you."

  "I would be pleased to make her acquaintance, yes, but I have known Doc long enough now to get him to introduce me." Hohiro smiled. "If you would do me the honor of accompanying my sister in my absence...."

  "The honor would be all mine, Hohiro. Beware, though. The other man is Tancred Sandoval." Victor smiled. "He'll be instructing us in fencing and he's quite good."

  "And being from the Draconis March, he will be a bit wary of dealing with a Kurita." Hohiro nodded. "I understand. Thank you for the warning."

  "The last thing I want for a brother in arms is a surprise." The Prince patted Hohiro on the back, then shifted over to take his place next to Omi. "And how are you this evening, Omi-sama?"

  "Much better, now." Though only a small smile played across her lips, it came to full blossom in her sapphire eyes. "I am surprised you show no concern over my brother's desire to meet your sister."

  "Should I be concerned?"

  "Our father and mother were seven years married when my father was Hohiro's age, and they had two children by then." Omi looked across the room to where Doc was making introductions. "Pressure grows on Hohiro to look to the future and produce an heir for the Dragon throne. Your sister is not unpretty."

  Victor frowned, standing on his toes to catch a glimpse of Hohiro. "You can't be serious."

  "Why not? A generation ago the idea of a Davion and a Kurita marrying would have been unthinkable."

  "Have opinions changed that radically in the Combine?"

  "No." Omi shook her head with some finality. "But Yvonne is a Steiner, too. That's somewhat more acceptable."

  Victor started to reply, then closed his mouth as Omi's giggle made it past her hand. He looked up into her eyes and couldn't keep a smile from his face. "You set that up with your brother, didn't you?"