The White Mountain

by David Wingrove

  In America, a new breed of young men has risen up, impatient to inherit. The heirs of powerful men, they have recently emerged from imprisonment, determined to grasp political power in the soon-to-be-reopened House of Representatives at Weimar. Chief among these is Michael Lever, heir to ImmVac, the giant pharmaceuticals company of North America. His attempts to revolutionize the politics of his City bring him mixed fortunes as the forces of conservatism, led by his father, Charles, line up against him.

  In Europe, Jan Mach’s revolutionary party, the Yu, continues its campaign against corruption and the decadent excesses of the Above, escalating their Program of Purity until it threatens the Seven themselves. Meanwhile in the very depths of the City, Stefan Lehmann, the albino lieutenant of DeVore, re-enters the fray, his ruthless ambition unbounded as he takes on the six great Triads that run the lawless regions down below.

  Across the silent divide of space, on Mars, DeVore is busy reorganizing his forces and preparing the geno-technology by which he will wage the next stage of the great War of the Two Directions. Back on Chung Kuo, however, Li Yuan has instigated changes – radical amendments to the great Edict of Technology, the cornerstone of Han stasis – which might yet allow him to face and overcome the seemingly inevitable onslaught.

  For Li Yuan this is again a time of some contentment. A baby son and three loving wives transform him, but, as ever, he has to learn that love is a frail and fragile thing. Once again his character is put severely to the test, but this time he finds decisions forced upon him as the pace of change accelerates and events outstrip his plans.

  In this period of great instability, Li Yuan must rely on his servants heavily, and none more so than Major Karr and his Captain, Kao Chen. To them falls the task of policing the reforms Li Yuan has set under way. But their task is not an easy one as they soon find out. Chung Kuo is rotten to the core and it will take far more than mere persuasion to change the system. Their struggle with the decaying corpse of Chung Kuo’s officialdom leads them beyond their given brief and into the greatest danger they have yet faced.

  Beyond the City’s walls, these prove fruitful years for Ben Shepherd as he begins to create the first of his great works of art, but even in the peaceful setting of the Domain – his idyllic West Country valley – he is unable to escape the dark tide of change and finds himself thrown into conflict; a conflict in which he must succeed or die.

  For Kim Ward these are years of promise. Wooed by the Old Men of North America, who want to secure his talents for their great Immortality program, he struggles to set up his own small company, trading upon his unique inventiveness. But things are far from straightforward, neither at work, nor in his relationship with Marshal Tolonen’s daughter, Jelka. Kim’s experience of the mercantile world – of its deviousness and power games – is a sobering lesson: one that forces him to make a choice. A choice that will ultimately bring him into conflict with the Above.

  For thirteen years – since the assassination of Li Shai Tung’s Minister, Lwo Kang – the threat of change has hung over the great changeless empire of Chung Kuo, but now, at last, change is set to come. Gone are the golden days of peace and stability. Gone are all hopes that the Seven might rule for ten thousand years. Ahead lies only darkness.

  In Monsters of the Deep we witness the first cracks in the great edifice as cousin is set against cousin in a war that is as tragic as it has become inevitable.

  CHARACTER LISTING

  MAJOR CHARACTERS

  DeVore, Howard A one-time Major in the T’ang’s Security forces, he had become the leading figure in the struggle against the Seven. A highly intelligent and coldly logical man, he is the puppetmaster behind the scenes as the great ‘War of the Two Directions’ takes a new turn.

  Ebert, Hans Son of Klaus Ebert and heir to the vast GenSyn Corporation, he has been promoted to Major in the T’ang’s Security forces, and is admired and trusted by his superiors. Ebert is a complex young man; a brave and intelligent officer, he also has selfish, dissolute ambition to become not merely a prince among men but a ruler.

  Fei Yen ‘Flying Swallow’, daughter of Yin Tsu, one of the Heads of the ‘Twenty-Nine’, the minor aristocratic families of Chung Kuo. Once married to Han Ch’in, the murdered son of Li Shai Tung, she subsequently married his brother Li Yuan, nine years her junior. This classically beautiful woman seems fragile in appearance, but is actually strong-willed and fiery, as was proved in her secret affair with Tsu Ma, the T’ang of West Asia.

  Kao Chen Once a kwai, a hired knife from the Net, the lowest level of the great City, Chen has raised himself from those humble beginnings and is now a Captain in the T’ang’s Security forces. As friend and helper to Karr and a close associate of Haavikko, Chen is one of the foot soldiers in the war against DeVore.

  Karr, Gregor Major in the T’ang’s Security forces, Karr was recruited by Marshal Tolonen from the Net. In his youth, Karr was a ‘blood’; a to-the-death combat fighter. A giant of a man, he is the ‘hawk’ Li Yuan plans to fly against his adversary, DeVore.

  Lehmann, Stefan Albino son of the former Dispersionist leader, Pietr Lehmann, he has become a lieutenant to DeVore. A cold, unnaturally dispassionate men, he seems to be the very archetype of nihilism, his one and only aim to bring down the Seven and their great City.

  Li Yuan Second son of Li Shai Tung, he became heir to City Europe after the assassination of his elder brother. Considered old before his time, his cold outward manner conceals a passionate nature, as expressed in his brief marriage to, and divorce from, the fiery Fei Yen, his dead brother’s wife.

  Mach, Jan A maintenance official in the Ministry of Waste Recycling and a part-time member of Li Yuan’s Reserve Security Force, Mach has a second identity as one of the Council of Five, the policy formulators of the newly split-off Yu, the revolutionary successors to the Ping Tiao, a new and yet darker force within the depths of City Europe.

  Tolonen, Jelka Daughter of Marshal Tolonen, Jelka has been brought up in a very masculine environment, lacking a mother’s feminine influence. However, her genuine interest in martial arts and in weaponry and strategy masks a very different, more feminine side to her nature – a side brought out after the unsuccessful attack on her by Ping Tiao terrorists.

  Tolonen, Knut Marshal of the Council of Generals and one-time General to Li Shai Tung, Tolonen is a big, granite-jawed man and the staunchest supporter of the values and ideals of the Seven. Possessed of a fiery, fearless nature, he will stop at nothing to protect his masters, yet after long years of war even his belief in the necessity of stasis has been shaken.

  Tsu Ma T’ang of West Asia and one of the Seven, the ruling Council of Chung Kuo, Tsu Ma has thrown off his former dissolute past to become one of Li Yuan’s strongest supporters in Council. A strong, handsome man in his mid-thirties, he has extricated himself from a secret affair with Fei Yen, which – had it become public – might easily have destroyed the Seven.

  Wang Sau-leyan Young T’ang of Africa. Since his father’s murder he has thrown off his former ways and become a sharp and cunning adversary to Li Yuan and the old guard among the Seven. An abrasive, calculating figure with sybaritic tastes, he is the harbinger of Change within the Council of Seven.

  Ward, Kim Born in the Clay, that dark wasteland beneath the great City’s foundations, Kim has a quick and unusual bent of mind that has marked him from the first as potentially the greatest scientist Chung Kuo has ever seen. His vision of a gigantic star-spanning web – formulated in the darkness of the Clay – has driven him up into the light of the Above. Now, after a long period of personality reconstruction, he has, through Li Yuan’s generosity, been given the means to build his own great Company. But there are those who do not wish him success in this venture.

  Ywe Hao Born into the lowest levels of City Europe, Ywe Hao – ‘Fine Moon’ – joined the Yu, a terrorist organization, after the murder of her elder brother. A strong, idealistic woman, she represents the new tide of indignant rebellion that is stirring in
the depths of the great City.

  THE SEVEN AND THE FAMILIES

  An Liang-chou Minor Family Prince

  An Sheng Head of the An Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  Chi Hsing T’ang of the Australias

  Chun Wu-chi Head of the Chun Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  Fu Ti Chang third Wife of Li Yuan

  Hou Tung-po T’ang of South America

  Hsiang K’ai Fan Minor Family Prince; heir to the Hsiang Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  Hsiang Shao-erh Head of the Hsiang Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  Hsiang Te-shang Minor Family Prince and youngest son of Hsiang Shao-erh

  Hsiang Wang Minor Family Prince and second son of Hsiang Shao-erh

  Lai Shi second Wife of Li Yuan

  Li Yuan T’ang of City Europe

  Mien Shan first Wife of Li Yuan

  Pei Ro-hen Head of the Pei Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  Tsu Ma T’ang of West Asia

  Wang Sau-leyan T’ang of Africa

  Wei Chen Yin Son of Wei Feng; regent for City East Asia

  Wei Feng T’ang of East Asia

  Wu Shih T’ang of North America

  Yin Fei Yen ‘Flying Swallow’ ex-wife of Li Yuan and daughter of Yin Tsu

  Yin Han Ch’in bastard baby son of Yin Fei Yen

  Yin Tsu Head of Yin Family (one of the ‘Twenty-Nine’ Minor Families)

  FRIENDS AND RETAINERS OF THE SEVEN

  Chan Teng Master of the Inner Chambers at Tongjiang

  Ebert, Berta wife of Klaus Ebert

  Ebert, Hans Major in Security and heir to GenSyn

  Ebert, Klaus Stefan Head of GenSyn (Genetic Synthetics) and advisor to

  Li Yuan

  Haavikko, Axel Lieutenant in Security

  Hung Mien-lo Chancellor of Africa

  Kao Chen Captain in Security

  Karr, Gregor Major in Security

  Nan Ho Master of the Inner Chamber to Li Yuan

  Shepherd, Ben son of Hal Shepherd

  Shepherd, Beth wife of Hal Shepherd

  Shepherd, Meg sister of Ben Shepherd

  Shou Chen-hai Hsien Ling, or Chief Magistrate of Hannover Hsien

  Sun Li Hua Master of the Royal Household at Alexandria

  Tolonen, Helga wife of Jon Tolonen

  Tolonen, Jelka daughter of Knut Tolonen

  Tolonen, Jon brother of Knut Tolonen

  Tolonen, Knut Marshal of the Council of Generals and father of Jelka Tolonen

  Tong Chou alias of Kao Chen

  Viljanen, Per Lieutenant in Security; assistant to Marshal Tolonen

  Wu Ming personal assistant to Sun Li Hua

  Yu Surgeon to Li Yuan

  THE TRIADS

  Feng Shang-pao ‘General Feng’, Big Boss of the 14K

  Ho Chin ‘Three-Finger Ho’, Big Boss of the Yellow Banners

  Hui Tsin ‘Red Pole’ (the 426, or Executioner) to the United Bamboo

  Li Chin ‘Li The Lidless’, Big Boss of the Wo Shih Wo

  Lu Ming Shao ‘Whiskers Lu’, Big Boss of the Kuei Chuan (Black Dog)

  Mu Li ‘Iron Mu’, Big Boss of the Big Circle

  Wong Yi-sun ‘Fat Wong’, Big Boss of the United Bamboo

  Yao Tzu ‘Red Pole’ (the 426 or Executioner) to the Big Circle

  Yun Yueh-hui ‘Dead Man Yun’, Big Boss of the Red Gang

  YU

  Chi Li alias of Ywe Hao

  Edel, Klaus brother of Vasska

  Erika fellow member of Ywe Hao’s Yu cell

  Hsao Yen Yu terrorist

  Klaus Yu terrorist

  Mach, Jan Maintenance official for the Ministry of Waste Recycling, ex-Ping Tiao and Founder of the split-off Yu faction

  Rooke Yu terrorist

  Tu Li-shan Yu terrorist

  Vasska fellow member of Ywe Hao’s Yu cell

  Veda Member of the Yu ‘Council of Five’

  Ywe Hao ‘Fine Moon’, female Yu terrorist from the Mid-Levels

  OTHER CHARACTERS

  Boden, Mikhail alias used by Stefan Lehmann and Howard DeVore

  Cherkassky, Stefan retired Security special services officer; friend of

  DeVore

  Chi Su childhood companion to Kao Chen

  Curval, Andrew experimental geneticist, working for ImmVac

  Debrenceni, Laslo acting Administrator at Kibwezi Station

  DeVore, Howard former Major in Li Shai Tung’s Security forces

  Drake, Michael supervisor at Kibwezi Station

  Enge, Marie woman server at the Dragon Cloud teahouse

  Fan Tseng-li Mid-levels surgeon

  Fang Shuo underling to Shou Chen-hai

  Ganz, Joseph alias of DeVore

  Golden Heart young prostitute bought by Hans Ebert for his household

  Gustaffson security guard at Kibwezi Station

  Kao Ch’iang Hsin daughter of Kao Chen and Wang Ti

  Kao Jyan eldest son of Kao Chen and Wang Ti

  Kao Wu second son of Kao Chen and Wang Ti

  Kung Lao young boy; friend of Ywe Hao

  Kung Yi-lung young boy; friend of Ywe Hao

  Lehmann, Stefan albino son of former Dispersionist leader Pietr Lehmann and former lieutenant to DeVore

  Lever, Charles ‘Old Man Lever’, Head of the ImmVac pharmaceuticals company of North America; father of Michael Lever

  Lever, Michael American; son of Charles Lever

  Leyden, Wolfgang Security guard at Hannover Hsien

  Mu Chua Madam of the House of the Ninth Ecstasy, a singsong house or brothel

  Novacek, Lubos merchant; go-between for Triads

  Palmer security guard at Kibwezi Station

  Peng Lu-Hsing Minister of the T’ing Wei; the Superintendency of Trials for City Europe

  Reid, Thomas sergeant in DeVore’s forces

  Shang ‘Old Shang’; Kwai and childhood ‘Master’ to Kao Chen

  Sheng Minister to Wei Feng

  Shou He second wife to Shou Chen-hai

  Shou Wen-lo first wife to Shou Chen-hai

  Ts’ui Wei father of teenage troublemaker

  Tuan Wen-ch’ang alias of ‘morph’ sent by DeVore from Mars

  Wang Mai Yu uncle to Wang Ti

  Wang Ti wife of Kao Chen

  Ward, Kim ‘Clayborn’ orphan and scientist

  Wong Pao-yi steward to Shou Chen-hai

  Wu surgeon for Security

  Yen T’ung Third Secretary to Minister Peng Lu-Hsing

  Yue Mi young maid in Shou Chen-hai’s household

  Ywe Chang uncle to Ywe Hao

  Ywe Sha mother to Ywe Hao

  Ywe Su Chen wife to Ywe Chang

  THE DEAD

  Aaltonen Marshal and Head of Security for City Europe

  Alex close friend of Jake Reed and fiancée of Jenny; Security Captain in Special Forces

  Anders a mercenary

  Anderson Director of ‘The Project’

  Ascher, Mary mother of Emily Ascher

  Ascher, Mikhail junior credit agent in the Hu Pu (the Finance Ministry) and father of Emily Ascher

  Ascher, Walter Account Overseer for Hinton Industries

  Bakke Marshal in Security

  Barrow, Chao member of the House of Representatives Dispersionist

  Barycz, Jiri communications officer for the Wiring Project

  Bates, Alan English actor

  Beatrice daughter of Cathy Hubbard, granddaughter of Mary Reed

  Berdichev, Soren owner of the SimFic Corporation and leading Dispersionist

  Big Wen a landowner

  Boss Yang an exploiter of the people

  Branagh, William King of Wessex

  Brogan, Margaret Old Ma Brogan, resident of Church Knowle

  Buck, John Head of Development at the Ministry of Contracts

  Buckland, Eddie farmer from Corfe

  Captain Sensible English pop musician

  Chang Hsuan Ha
n painter from the eighth century

  Chang Lai-hsun nephew of Chang Yi Wei

  Chang Li Chen Junior Dragon in charge of drafting the Edict of Technological Control

  Chang Lui woman who adopted Pavel

  Chang Te Han soldier member of Jiang Lei’s bodyguard

  Chang Yan guard on the Plantations

  Chang Yi Wei senior brother of the Chang clan owners of MicroData

  Chang Yu Tsao Ch’un’s new appointment as First Dragon, during the War of Liberation

  Chao Ni Tsu Grand Master of wei chi and a computer genius; servant of Tsao Ch’un

  Ch’eng I Minor Family prince and son of Ch’eng So Yuan

  Ch’eng So Yuan Minor Family head

  Chen So I Head of the Ministry of Contracts

  Chen Yu steward to Tsao Ch’un in Pei Ch’ing

  Cheng Ro Song Dynasty painter

  Cheng Yu one of the original Seven, advisor to Tsao Ch’un, subsequently T’ang

  Chi Fei Yu a usurer

  Chi Lin Lin legal assistant to Yang Hong Yu

  Chin Shih Huang Ti the First Emperor

  Ching Su friend of Jiang Lei

  Chiu Fa Media commentator on the Mids news channel

  Cho Han soldier servant to Wang Yu-lai

  Cho Yi Yi Master of the Bedchamber at Tongjiang

  Chris close friend of Jake Reed, gay partner of Hugo and multi-millionaire industrialist

  Christie, Julie English actress

  Chung Hsun ‘loyalty’ a bond servant to Li Shai Tung

  Coldplay an English pop group

  Cooke, Dick farmer from Cerne Abbas

  Cooper, Charlie son of Jed and Judy Cooper

  Cooper, Jed husband of Judy Cooper and father of Charlie and John

  Cooper, John son of Jed and Judy Cooper

  Cooper, Judy wife of Jed Cooper and mother of Charlie and John

  Cooper, Will farmer from Corfe

  Croft, Leopold father of Becky

  Croft, Rebecca ‘Becky’, daughter of Leopold, with the lazy eye

  Curtis, Tim Head of Human Resources, GenSyn