by TS Hottle
"Your Prophet. And he's going to be pissed," JT added, running his finger up and down the blade of the Gelt dagger, "when he learns you almost sold her out to Salamacis and her sugar daddy Leitman."
The Grand Dimaj pressed his legs together, informing Suicide that his bladder had somewhat loosened. She let JT continue to finger the blade of Tishla's dagger. "So, where did you send her?"
"I cannot say. Please, let me go. I won't say anything."
"Jayne Best is married to Douglas Best. Remember him?" said Suicide. "The man who procured this planet for you?"
"Actually," said the Dimaj, "Mr. Luxhomme procured it."
"Whatever. It was Best's project that made all this possible."
"And," added JT, "he's still held in high regard on Jefivah. You know. The world that gave you your position?"
The Dimaj tried to rise from his chair but his bindings held him back. "I earned my role as Grand Dimaj..."
"Settle down, Larry. I meant as governor." He circled around "Larry," the Dimaj's legal name being Lawrence McLaren, and swung the Gelt dagger from one hand to the other and back. The knife looked like it would come flying out of his hand. Suicide wondered if it might. "This dust ball is a convenient solution to two problems. Your 'faith' causes a lot of trouble on Jefivah, and Jefivah needs its own food source, since no one bothered to check the stability of the climate when the world was founded. So, you get a homeworld, and all you have to do is make sure that creeper vine doesn't get off planet except after harvest. They disposed of you, Larry. And I know all about being disposed of."
The Dimaj sneered at JT. "Like your mother disposed of you?"
JT went back to stroking the flat of the dagger's blade. "I left. Meant to go to Tian. Missed. My friend here taught me how to navigate in space."
"Focus," said Suicide, more for JT than the Dimaj, "Larry. The point is, we work for Douglas Best, and Douglas Best is not one of your biggest fans. He actually resents that title of Prophet you've given him. My friend with the questionable knife discipline is simply telling you that Jefivah doesn't care what we do with you. Best, not you, found colonies for Jefivah. Best, not you, represented Jefivah in the Assembly and on the Security Council. Best's late wife gave her life investigating Juno. Best is a planetary hero. You are a punchline."
"Yeah, so where's Jayne Best?"
"High Normaj Jayne is our greatest asset, the key to our credibility," said the Dimaj. "She will bring us into the mainstream of humanity, maybe beyond."
JT leaned into his face, the dagger pointed up. "Where. Is. She?"
The Grand Dimaj looked up with a serene expression, like a martyr quite prepared to die for his beliefs. "I'm not at liberty to say."
Suicide watched as JT moved to put the dagger to the Dimaj's throat. She reached out and took his arm. "I think it's time our friend had a chat with His Holiness, don't you?"
JT withdrew the dagger and sheathed it. "Fine." He backed away, his eyes slits as they stared down the Grand Dimaj.
"Your Ladyship," Suicide called out.
Mitsuko Yamato entered the room dressed in the black uniform of the House of Windsor's Sappers, her combat sword strapped to her side. She wore a Compact Navy patch on her left sleeve. Navy protocol called for it to be worn on the right one, where the sigils for the Throne of Napoleon and the Duke of Windsor were instead. Suicide and JT had similar uniforms from Metis, Hanar, and Amargosa, each with the Navy patch and two of the three polities on the left and the patch for their current active service on the right.
"Lieutenant Commander Yamato," said the Grand Dimaj, "order these two terrorists to set me free."
"Oh, I would," said Mitsuko. "But I'm not here as part of the Compact Navy. I'm here as tactical advisor to the House of Windsor's Household Guard. You know, Governor. My fiancée, the Duke, briefed you personally on it." She cocked her head. "And Governor, you didn't bow your head when I came in. My uncle is King Yanuhito. My fiancée is his Heir. Protocol demands certain courtesies be observed, don't you think?"
The Grand Dimaj again strained against his bindings. "Do not lecture me about courtesy, you stupid kid."
Suicide cringed, thinking the Dimaj would say "slut." Protocol would require Mitsuko to slap him for such a breach of etiquette.
Mitsuko clucked at him. "Oh, Larry, Larry, Larry. You don't understand. These two work for Governor Best, who wants his wife and children back. You're holding out on them, which makes you guilty of kidnapping." She bent her knees so she could lean forward into his face. "The King of Bonaparte, its chancellor, and even our opposition leader favor letting Metis and Amargosa secede from the Compact. The three of them also can decide, quite easily, that Marilynism is a cult rather than a religion. Did you know that?"
"How dare you!" The red in the Dimaj's face warmed Suicide's heart.
Mitsuko began pacing. "How dare I? Let me count the ways. Let's see. Between the Jews and their surrounding ancient neighbors, we have most of our common law. Granted, my planet went with the Napoleonic Code, but everything they taught us about our world's namesake says Nap was a fan. Then we have Christians. They're big on schools, hospitals, charities, the like. The Islamists figured out the concept of zero, scientific method, and, again, are big on charity." She stopped and turned to face him once more. "But if you're going to ask about atheists, they worship science and logic and reason. They invented stuff. Lots of stuff. Like the hypergates and projection drives that let you come here and rule over a sandbox. But Marilynists?" She laughed. "Half of you are in it to screw and call it 'communion.'" She smiled. "I kind of like it, but I don't have to pretend some actress from the World War Era is really a goddess to call it that. The point is, you guys do nothing."
"We feed Jefivah." His voice now quavered.
"This place would have fed Jefivah, anyway." She knelt in front of him, folding her arms across her knees. "Barataria feeds Jefivah. That one they named for that legend about a time-traveling crackpot feeds Jefivah."
"Which one is that?" JT whispered. "Gallif―"
"Yes. Now shut up," Suicide hissed. "Mom and dad are talking."
"If they hadn't used this place to dump your annoying little cult off, they could have recruited settlers from Mars and Ares and a dozen planets with big deserts to settle here. You're here for convenience, not because you're powerful." She stood. "If my great uncle whispers in the ear of his two parliamentary leaders to label you a scam and a fraud, how long before other worlds do it? How long before, say, The Caliphate or Etrusca pulls the plug on you?"
The Grand Dimaj now shook.
"Where is Jayne Best?"
He sucked in his breath in a rattling sob. People did that, Suicide had noticed, whenever they faced losing their cushy lifestyles and their positions of power.
"Walton." It came out in barely a whisper. "I sent her to Walton."
"That place is a war zone!" JT now looked truly angry. Never mind the tough act he had just performed. He almost shook from the rage twisting his face. "She'll die there. It makes Aphrodite look like paradise."
Suicide put herself between the Grand Dimaj and JT. "He's right, Larry. I lived there for a while. And I've been to Walton. Their core world status devolved to their colony, Belsham. And Belsham's given up on the place. All they do is blockade it."
"I had no choice." The Grand Dimaj now had tears in his eyes. "They would take away our license for the creeper vine. We'd be ruined."
"License?" asked JT. "From whom? Dasarius sold JunoCorp's assets off to all the old-line GMO entities after they dissolved the company."
The crying became a sneer once more. "You think you know everything, but you don't. Your family's company never owned JunoCorp. They owned a front. Juno is much bigger than you know."
"That explains a lot." Suicide gave Mitsuko a curt nod. "Cut him loose. We need to get to Walton."
JT took the dagger and sliced the Grand Dimaj's bindings. "Hit the road, Larry."
"Governor," the Dimaj snapped.
"W
hatever."
"Austin." Suicide jerked her head toward the door, indicating she wanted her hot-headed protégé to follow. They made their way down the corridor toward the cockpit and stopped. All three turned as the Grand Dimaj sneaked out like a little kid skulking around the house after bedtime. He took one look at the trio and ran.
"Bye, Larry!" JT waved at the departing cleric. "Hugs and kisses to Marilyn."
Mitsuko elbowed him and gave him a cold look. "I am so glad we never dated."
Predictably, he said nothing to the slight.
Suicide led them to the cockpit. "We need to go to Walton."
"We need an army," said JT. "Walton's basically a dumpster fire. Has been for a hundred years. The factions there aren't going to let us waltz in and grab Jayne Best, no matter who put her there."
"We know who put her there." Suicide stopped in the hatchway to the cockpit, turned, and folded her arms. "You heard the Grand Dimaj. He was taunting you about JunoCorp. He all but told us Juno itself took her."
"I'm confused," said Mitsuko. "What's the difference between Juno and JunoCorp?"
"JunoCorp was a front," said JT. "Juno is... What? Secret society? Grand conspiracy? Terrorist group?"
"Why not all of them?" Suicide stepped into the cockpit and perched in her usual seat. She waited as JT took the pilot's seat once more while Mitsuko grabbed the navigator's seat, her normal spot on the Falcons JT had been flying since the liberation. Unfortunately, the navigator's seat was not so much a seat as one of those hanging harnesses the Zarans preferred.
"How do you sit in these things?" she asked. "How do Zarans do it?"
"Budget cuts," said JT. "The provisional government of Amargosa cannot afford new butt huggers."
"What?"
"Ignore him," said Suicide. "But he's right. We need an army." To JT, she said, "I may find some friends on Aphrodite if Metis won't provide us a squad or two of Planetary Guards."
Mitsuko put up her hand. "Commander, that won't be necessary. Metis has only planetary forces, and they aren't the most hawkish core world. And who would you go to on Aphrodite? You'd never get a mixed group of Penqu or Kolkats, though that's exactly what you'd need."
"We can't go it alone, Yamato."
"Lady Yamato." Mitsuko rose. "Betrothed to the Heir to the Throne of Napoleon, Edward, Duke of Windsor and Lord of Westminster."
"That's a mouthful," said JT. "What's with giving us the title? Ed doesn't do that with us."
"Edward got shot during the liberation of Amargosa. And he is more than sympathetic to Metis officially seceding and taking Amargosa with it." She spread her arms wide. "And as I am now a senior officer in the Sappers, I can ask for volunteers to go to Walton."
Suicide could hear it now. Jez Salamacis storming the Goldeneye, taking the fiancée of the future King of Bonaparte into custody, Marcus Leitman making acid comments about treason all the while wrapping the words in honey. He would be "saddened" and "disappointed," but Bonaparte's position in the Compact Assembly would be diminished, possibly its senior delegate kicked off the Security Council. "You can't, Yamato. You're a lieutenant commander in the Compact Navy. They'll break you."
"I'm not on active duty with the Compact Navy. I am on active duty with the Windsor Household Guard. In fact, I'm on detached duty from my uncle's own Household Guard. So, duty requires I only need to tell Edward and Uncle Yoshi."
It amused Suicide whenever Mitsuko referred to King Yanuhito as "Uncle Yoshi." And apparently, he could be a cranky old uncle. "Are you sure?"
"I'll ask for volunteers. Some of them have flown with you or JT, so it'll be an easy sell."
"You do know," said JT, "that Salamacis considers us fugitives."
Mitsuko gave a cold, wicked laugh. "My uncle does not recognize her authority. Seriously, where is 'chief flunky' in the Compact in the military chain of command?"
JT smiled at Suicide. "She's like a little you."
"Oh, no," said Suicide. "She's much more ruthless than I am."
Retroact: 416 IE
Saripur Hospital, Shandug, Tian
Akrad. She needed to get a message to Akrad. Nothing would be right again until she could tell Akrad. Yun's mother hovered over her hospital bed. "How are you, dear?"
"Sore." Her voice came out as a croak. "Empty. Has Akrad messaged me yet?"
Cui Ya brushed the hair out of her daughter's eyes. "I'm sorry, baby. We haven't heard. The Hancock was supposed to be in a heavy battle last we heard. His wing commander said she'd get a message to him."
"No." Yun tried to sit up, but she still ached in her belly. "You can't tell him if he's on a mission. He'll be distracted. He'll try to come home too soon."
"Your father's trying to find out. Maybe he'll know when the ship is out of the fight."
All Yun wanted was to tell Akrad himself. She didn't want her parents or his commanders to tell him. She needed to tell him.
There was a knock at the room door. Two Navy officers stood outside. One of them, a red-headed woman, sported captain's eagles on her shoulders. The patch on her arm read "CNS Hancock." But if she commanded the Hancock, where was Akrad?
"May we come in?" she asked.
Yun studied the woman. She looked young, but older than the average first rejuvenation treatment. Then she saw them, the telltale lines under the ears and faint lines on the neck. This woman had to be over a century old, though she wore it very well.
Cui Ya looked up. "Who are you?"
"My name is Captain Eileen Burke," said the woman. "This is my Flight Commander, Lieutenant Commander Flarr. From the Hancock."
No, no, no, thought Yun. The captain only comes for one reason.
"We're looking for Yun Izumi?"
Yun would never get used to having a surname follow her given one, could not get used to being an Izumi rather than a Cui. Akrad had suggested she keep her surname. She was, after all, Cui Yun, and Cui Yun was who he fell in love with. But she went with the old ways, for her traditionalist father, though he pestered her to call herself Izumi Yun. "I'm Yun Izumi."
"May we have a moment?" said Burke.
"It's okay. This is my mother, Cui Ya."
Captain Burke came in and took a seat next to the bed. It was only then Yun realized that Eileen Burke was the Eileen who flew with her father years earlier. "Ms. Izumi, I have some terrible news."
She knew. Before Burke said it, she knew. The Hancock was back on Tian because the battle had ended. Burke had come in person, probably at Flarr's insistence.
Akrad was dead.
He would never know Yun had lost their baby daughter.
And she would never have another chance to have a child with him.
9
The Goldeneye, now calling itself the Tachi, used its discreet projection drive to jump from Marilyn to Walton right under the nose of the Anna Khirovsky. Suicide suspected the Grand Dimaj would have returned to the Temple by then and already contacted Jez Salamacis. JT Austin, she reasoned, and to some extent, Lady Mitsuko frightened "Larry" while they were in the same room. Salamacis had already achieved a higher level of spooky.
The ship emerged from the wormhole around a million klicks out from Walton, close enough to see the planet, but far enough away that tracking the ship would be hard. Suicide wanted to be off the protectorate's radar when she contacted them.
"Amazing," said JT. "I don't even know why Belsham bothers with this place."
"Walton used to be their parent world," Suicide said. "They believe they can save it."
"Like Aphrodite's been saved? Or Goshen?" His voice contained no bitterness. Aphrodite, where Suicide had lived for a few years after the Polygamy Wars, and Goshen, which caused those wars, were the Compact's most glaring failures. Walton, a founding world of the Compact, simply faded from relevance. Akrad once told her they had skipped the apocalypse and gone straight for dystopia.
Suicide pulled up a qwerty board and began typing out a message.
"What are you doing?" asked JT.
From their distance, they could see the blue-and-white disk of Walton, partially obscured by darkness. It looked peaceful.
Until Suicide noticed the black smudges over some of the landmasses. "A city and a few mines still burning years after the fires were set." She frowned. "Sad, really. The settlers intended it to be the exact opposite of Mars, a libertarian paradise."
"Isn't that Belsham's selling point?" asked Mitsuko.
"Belsham had a hundred years of Walton's mistakes to learn from. Like any place that falls in love with an ideology, this place degenerated because they refused to adapt to reality. If anything, they should have just let the succeeding generations alter the system for their own needs." She shrugged. "Or they could let it be a chaotic mess from day one like Aphrodite."
"Should we let them know we're here?" asked JT.
"Is our transponder running?"
"I... er... made the jump dark." He gave her a sheepish grin. "So, are we still the Tachi or Goldeneye?"
Boolay loped into the cockpit and flipped himself into the engineer's harness as JT spoke. "I didn't see what was wrong with Arcanum. That's where they delivered the ship."
"I hate that name," said JT.
"Run as Goldeneye." Suicide reached up. "I'll call the local defense as soon as we're live."
JT made some adjustments on his board. Immediately, weapons lock warnings sounded. "Well, that got their attention."
"Goldeneye," said a male voice over the comms, "this is Commander Rejanus of the Sullivan. You are in restricted space. Walton is a protectorate of the Republic of Belsham."
Suicide keyed up her comm. "Sullivan Actual, Goldeneye. I am Lieutenant Commander Cui Yun. I and my crew are on a classified extraction mission. We request permission to land at Samueltown."