Maybe she's just figured that out.
Twelve hours later, the camp of the Imponsero Phalanx swarmed with activity, although most of Its soldiers had already departed. Infiltrated into the Federal District during the daytime, when most of the city was asleep, they had left behind only the headquarters staff to guard the children and noncombatant civilians associated with the phalanx. Most activity focused, therefore, on Coeur and the ship's boat she had just brought back from orbit indeed, almost every spacer in the camp clustered around to have a look at it, with the exception of An-Wing and Masaryk—who was helping get An-Wing ready for her own mission, "So this isyour secret weapon, is it?" Vink asked, climbing into the ship's boat cargo bay to admire a cylindrical tube supported by a heavy metal cradle.
"Yeah," Coeur said, "that's a 100-kiloton demolition charge. I figure it'll do the job."
"Klnda funny, that," Tom said, "after all the trouble you made me go through not to nuke Sauler Downport"
Physic shook her head sadly, "Soy, you still don't get it, do you Tom?"
"Hey, It was just a Joke. I know we're going to set this thing off underground."
"But what about the people in the depot, sir?" Drop Kick asked. "Are we Just going to let them get toasted?"
"No," Coeur answered, "we're not. I don't know how we're going to convince 200 slaves to get Out of that place before It goes up—particularly since they and the nightjacks will probably be shooting at us at the time—but we have to try. Otherwise, all our high-handed rhetoric about respecting life will sound pretty hollow."
"Amen to that," Physic responded, watching Tom "Actually," V-Max said, "I still think we'll be lucky if we get that far. What if that meson gun of Red's Is active and does decide to start firing on us when we enter the depot?"
"I guess we'll all be dead then, won't we?" Tom said. "I mean, really, what's a better place to die, here serving your country or back home in front of a firing squad?"
"Thanksfor the perspective, skipper."
The firepower of a 200-gigajoule meson gun was, of course, nothing to joke about, but Coeur forgave the remarks from pirates who would, indeed, face their own justice once all this was over.
Yet Coeur had reason to believe that they might be safe from the meson gun, even if it were intact. Since the depot was a relic facility, built by the Solomani, it almost certainly had an integral meson screen and a fall-safe circuit that would prevent that screen from ever being lowered when the planet's meson guns were firing. Otherwise, an incorrect fire solution from one of the guns could very well let it annihilate the belter portion of the oepot with a single shot.
"Let's worry about that when we get to it," Coeur said. "Now, has anybody seen Liu?"
"Right here," An-Wing called from behind the crowd.
"Let her through," Coeur said Coeur didn't need to give that order, though, for the Arses and pirates alike fell aside when they saw how remarkably An-Wing had fixed herself up. Followed by Masaryk, she appeared in something altogether lighter and breezier than her usual depressing black—a green silk dress with gold appliqu^ design and a red sash.
"Good Gala," Tom said, "where In the world did you get that?"
"Oh," An-Wing said modestly, "it's just a little something I brought down from orbii "Hm," Coeur remarked. "I thought Mercy put a strict weight limit on what you could bring down in the tank."
"Of course she did," An-Wing replied. "That's why I only brought essentials, like this."
"Hm," Physic said, giving An-Wing a once-over look. "I think it's the sling-back pumps that do it tor me,"
"All right, all right," Coeur said, "enough with the fashion discussion. Liu, do you understand your mission?"
"Roger. I'm to make contact with Kilalt, promise him the sun, the moon and all the s'.arsin the sector, and hold him in place umii I get word to duck."
"Good enough," Coeur said. "We've fed Kilalt radio messages suggestingyou'dtry tomakecontactwithhlm, so at the very least he shouldn't be surprised at your coming. Now, Physic, did you get the wire implanted?"
"Yes, sir," Physic said. "It's subcutaneous, so nobody'll spot it Of course, I could have implanted a transmitter, too, but I figured that would be too obvious on an x-ray scan."
"I'm sure it'll be fine, just remember to listen for the warning from Ceneral Lemos. His troops will begin their assault in two hours, just about the same time we hit the depot, and that'll be the time for you to take cover."
"Understood," An-Wing nodded.
"Good luck, Liu," Masaryk offered, his face a rigid mask.
"Thanks, Bela." the other junior Tech Fiatch said, though her face had likewise become a mask of control.
"All right, then, let's let the lady go, She's got Important work to do."
"Thank you, Captain," An-Wing said, climbing aboard a hovering broomstick that Red Eye held in place for her. She then powered up the impeller tans and steered the loosed broomstick up into the expansive canopy of star-speckied night.
"That's phase one," Coeur said. "Now Ifs our turn. Bela, ftea Eye, Newton and V-Max are going to stay here with the rebel camp. The rest of us, it's time to hit that depot."
"You know ifs funny," V-Max said to Red Eye, off to one side of the camp. "I haven't seen Newton all day. Suppose he's hiding?"
"Of course he's hiding," the first sergeant said. "But then, he wouldn't be much of a Hiver if he wanted to volunteer for a firefight."
"True."
"You heard the woman," Drop Kick said meanwhile, hustling his own people and Tom's away from Coeur and her bomb. "Lef s get movingl WhLz Bang's team—Bonzo, Widget, Tom—Into the G-carrier. All the rest of Tom's people. Into the ship's boat with Red Sun and Physicl Hurry up, people, we don't have all nlghtl"
The Arses and pirates scrambled quickly aboard the two transport craft, leaving Drop Kick just a moment to check for stragglers before saluting Red Eye and dashing for the Intrepid with Mercy.
"Say, Red," Tom said to Coeur via maser, from the C-carrier she'd been assigned tolly, "I wonder how you'd feel about a little wager."
"What's that?"
"How about this: If The base really isn't protected by a tail-safe meson screen and we all get blasted, V-Ma* and I surrender ourselves for prosecution But if there is a meson screen and we get In salely, then you let us go free."
Coeur laughed.
"Nice sucker bet, Tom. follow Drop Kick out when he lifts off."
"Yes, sir."
With that the operation was on. Following the Intrepid's lead, the C-carrier and ship's boat engaged their contra-grav to float free of the ground, then powered their whining plasma thrusters to follow the tank off into the night.
Dawn—and the proof of their success or failure—was eight hours away.
Chapter 22
Standing in an opulent, but otherwise empty, apartment, a lone man with a gaunt face stared down into the broad expanse of Enea Avenue—ablaze with scattered fires and echoing with the sound of distant gunfire—and marveled.
Within hisfortress the flames and gunfire could not touch him.
In the distance hecould see crowds of tiny people rushing back and forth, swept like piles of leaves before a gusting wind. What did those people think they coufd accomplish?
What did you really expect of meatier my 90 years of patience? How qould you know what it is iike to feel yo tirhfe slip ov/oy Into coldness, with no guarantee of a Suture except the power of our own will? What future do you deserve if you cannot conceive of such an act?
What did you Imagine i dreamed while I slept away the decodes ? Did you think I dreamt of grace? Of light? This church of yours was nothing but a circus for your amusement, and I have brought you the greatest show of all: life, death, darkness, lire.
to I dreamed, and thisis what fdreamedof. Yon may call it chaos, but Island above itond know that whatever you may call it, it is mine.
Attempting to lower himself to the level of such creatures was an effort for Kilalt, however, and he withdrewfrom his bulletp
roof window tosettle into a relic ottoman and reflect upon the process that had brought him here.
Though no one in the city knew It Kilalt was not the real Cardinal Kilalt—rather, he was an aide of the cardinal, who had taken his name after murdering him. The real Kilalt probably was a saint—If the word had any meaning at all—a man who hoped to use the technology in the depot to save Mexit from the cfark age he was certain was coming. But he lacked cunning and the sense to see that Mexit Depot could serve other purposes. His most senior aide, however, knew better—that the weapons of Mexit Depot could as easily make a man Into Cod as they could rebuild a world. He killed Saint Kilalt before he could undergo suspension.
Awakening from suspension, though, the false Kilalt experienced a strange and frightful dream. Screaming at mobs of people who would not hear him, he tried to impress them with the arsenal of weapons in the depot but even when he killed them by the thousands they would not listen. Rather, they stood by unmoved as a great hand descended from the heavens and crusned him in its grip.
Could it hove been, Kilalt wondered, that the Defender himself was speaking to me In my dreams 7
Kilalt dismissed that with an Involuntary rasping of his lips.
No, that's nonsense. There is no Defender In Heaven, only myself. I must not forget fhot—I am the only god these people must fear.
The beeping of an Intercom panel on the wall Interrupted Kilalfs thoughts.
"Yes," he said impatiently, "what is it?"
"Your Most Sacred Holiness," a fearful priest answered, "we have an update on the rebel advance. Our perimeter guard reports it has been thrown back from the area of the Church of the Holy Sacristy, just a kilometer from here."
"Yes. And?"
"And, perhaps, sir, you might be thinking of moving to another location."
Kilalt only chuckled at this.
"You panic too easily, Brother Patrick. Are the nightjacks Still intact?"
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"Then they will protect us. Trouble me no more."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
And besides, Kilalt thought, there's always the holy choriot upon the roof If things get too rough.
And indeed, the rifle fire that was heard earlier, seemingly so close to the Defense Ministry, died away after a few minutes, suggesting that the rebel assault had met the nightjacks reinforcing the 1st Soledad Brigade and fallen back. Doubtless, tie brave rabble would continue their assaults until they ran out of men, but Kilalt doubted there would be any breakthrough tonight.
If only those damned meson guns weren 't oil disabled, lust one of those would end this whole stupid Insurrection in one night.
for whatever reason, though, the meson guns didn't work, and now that Craylord had gone missing, the likelihood of finding out why was rather low. But all the same, there were Still old-fashioned methods available to suppress a popular uprising, first Kilalt would intimidate the public with swift execution of dissidents. And then—when the rebels were deprived of popular support—he would hunt them down and kill them all.
Well, anyway, IT It was good enough for Lucan and the Solomon!, It's good enough for me.
Ancient hi story notwithstanding, Kilalt was notsocertainofhls safety that he didn't admit the possibility of defeat. Therefore, he had risen from hisottoman to begin collecting valuable*—mainly jewelry and gems kept as portable wealth--when anotherurgent call came from Brother Patrick a few minutes later.
This had better be Important," Kilalt said. "I told you not to disturb me."
"Forgive me. Your Holiness—I wouldn't disturb you if I didn't think you'd want to hear this yourself. A woman has been captured by our nightjacks who claims to be a representative of Oriflamme."
"Oriflamme, you say? Could that be the same woman who tried to reach us earlier today?"
"We believe so, Your Holiness. She claims tohavecallcd us on that same frequency, and matches the physical description of Liu An-Wing—an Oriflammen who had some earlier disagreements with Captain D' Esprit."
"Indeed. But did she say what she wanted?"
"Sir, she claims to represent the planet Oriflamme itself, as opposed to the entire Coalition, and she says her planet Is interested in bargaining for exclusive access to something she calls 'the depot.'"
Oh really?
"You're right. Brother Patrick, this could be significant Have her brought up to my chapel immediately."
"Yes, Your Most Sacred Holiness,"
Abruptly, Kilalt put the collection of valuables on hold and walked quickly to his apartment's front door, which opened directly into the Chapel of Blessed Providence.
Occupying aliofihe top floor of the building not occupied by Kilalfs apartment, the chapel was 3 massive structure, yet not as large as the saint would have preferred. With only I 200 square meters of floor space to work with, there was only room to write SAINT KILALT, BELOVED OF COD once In three-meter-high letters In a ring around the room, and barely enough room to fit a twice life-sized statue of himself—carved by the nlghtjack's integral plasma torches—above the golden, jewel-encrusted altar.
All in ail, though, standing In the vast chamber did give Kilalt a warm and safely impervious feeling. At any rate, there weren't any windows Inside to admit a view of the city burning—and all those tedious peasants outside.
"Your Most Sacred Holiness," a nightjack announced a moment later, arriving through a side elevator with a tall, black-haired woman in a green silk dress, whom It held loosely by the arm withone massive hand, "the representative from Orif lamme,"
"You know," the woman said, "I'm not going to run away."
"Quite right." Kilalt said. "Release her, Resguardo."
The robot obliged, and Its prisoner stepped away.
"You must forgive my friends," Kilalt said. "They are rather zealous In my protection."
"Yeah, I can see that," the woman said, smoothing out her dress, "but you needn't worry about that with me. You can see I don't have any place to keep a concealed weapon."
"Well then, what are you here for7"
'Tour Holiness, I'm here as a representative of the Ortflamme Council of Technarchs. In Its behalf I'd like to talk to you about access to your depot. Oh, my name Is Liu An-Wing, by the way, lord technarch of Honfestung,"
An-Wing offered her hand.
"If you don't mind my saying," Kilalt said, shaking her hand, "that seems like a large title for such a young woman."
"You know what they say: Cream rises to the top,"
"You'll also forgive me," he said, maintaining his grip and squeezing hard, "if I point out that you came here with Coeur D' Esprit, as part of her crew."
"Well, you see—" An-Wing said, prying her hand loose, "— there's an explanation for that. Coming with her was the only way to beat her planet to the depot."
"You don't say."
"I do say. That's why I attempted to meet Lord Brak, alone, before you were defrosted. He was an obtuse Idiot, however— and he didn't grasp how profitable an alliance with my planet could be."
"And you think I do."
"Well, maybe not. I suppose that's your prerogative. But a starship from my planet Is due to arrive at this planet tomorrow to pick me up, and I'm sure her captain would like to know If I've made any constructive contact with a local ruler."
Kllalfs eyebrows rose at this, pushing up the edge of his communications cap.
"A starship, you say,"
"Yes, and a rather iarge one, too. Larger than Hornet or W it Armis, at any rate."
"An armed ship, too, I imagine."
"Doubtless, Most of our ships carry at least a platoon of powered troopers, to mop up whatever they can't vaporize with their missiles and meson guns,"
"I see."
"And those troops might even see their way to helping you out here, if I put In a good word for you."
"I'm curious. Lady An-Wing. What makes you think I might need their help?"
An-Wing deliberately suppressed a temptation to roll her eyes.
"You forget. Your Holiness, until recently I've been forced to hole up with the Aubani and their rebel friends. Before I got away, I overheard a reliable report that the whole rebel army's planning to hit this district two days from now—1000 men strong at least, with artillery,"
Now It was time for Kilalt to suppress an emotion—fear. An-Wing's estimate was uncannily close to the worst-case estimate of his own planners.
"Plus," An-Wing went on, "there's that last pretender to the ruleof Soledad, Miranda Vazquez. As longas Hornet staysup there in orbit— putting her messages out and blowing your Radio Soledad off the air—she's going to be a nuisance that you can't ignore."
"I see. And your ship could do something about that?"
"Hell yes, we could. We could blow the little punkoutol space and kill Hornet and Vazquez In one shot."
Kilalt smiled, visualizing the scenario In his mind.
"Yes," he said after a moment, "well, I'm sure the situation on the ground Is nothing our forces couldn't handle, but all the same It might be nice to let your troops have a shot at the rebels, just to establish a friendly rapport between our nations."
"Yes, Your Holiness. My thinking exactly."
"Perhaps we should discuss this in a more congenial setting. My study Is well-stocked with creature comforts. After you."
Following the sweepof Kilalfs arm, An-Wing saw through a door the upholstered opulence of the "stud." and moved to precede hlrn in that direction. Not about to let a stranger try anything out of Its sight however, Resguardo also folkwved close behind.
"That's okay, Resguardo," Kllail said. "You don't need to come along."
If Resguaroo heard, it didn't give any Indication, Rather, it floated silently behind the humans on Hs contra-grav and resumed following them when they started walking again.
"Resguardo," Kilalt said again, "I said you can go."
"Negative," Resguardo said. "The friendly status of this individual has not been established."
Frustrated, Kilalt thought about storming at the robot but he knew it would do no good. A half-tonne of implacable metal, It would only move when its programming allowed It to.
"Damn these machines," Kilalt said, "Sometimes I think they have a mind of their own."
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