Paying the Price (Book 5 of The Empire of Bones Saga)

by Terry Mixon

  Senator Nathaniel Breckenridge stood and came around his desk as soon as she came in, a wide smile that seemed eerily genuine on his face.

  “Crown Princess Elise. Welcome to Avalon. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.”

  She allowed herself a smile. At least he wasn’t the boor his nephew was. “Anything I can do to speed the process of our alliance along is time and effort well spent.”

  One of her guards waited in the outer office while the commander of her protection detail took up a position off to the side.

  Breckenridge waved the senatorial guard back out. “I’m perfectly safe. I’ll call out if I need you.”

  He gestured toward the bar. “May I offer you refreshment? I have a selection of the finest the Terran Empire has to offer, both alcoholic and non. The fruit juices are quite good.”

  “I’m fine for the moment,” she said as she took her seat. “I think it’s best if we get right down to business. They tell me your committee has some concerns about the alliance between the Empire and the Kingdom of Pentagar. Perhaps you’d be kind enough to outline your objections for me.”

  “The problem isn’t me, I’m afraid. More the Imperial Charter. It doesn’t recognize the validity of secession and I’m loath to toy with its long understood meaning. By strict reading of the provisions, it doesn’t allow for withdrawal of any member world for any reason.”

  “That seems to me to be somewhat shortsighted considering the rebellion,” she said dryly. “You see, we didn’t leave the Empire. The Empire left us. We’ve fended for ourselves since the Fall and we’re going to go right on doing so.

  “And, I’ve done this dance before, so forgive me if I move us along. You wouldn’t have called me over if you didn’t have a counteroffer to make. One where we can both get something we want. I’m interested in hearing it.”

  He smiled. “You’re very astute. Yes, I’m willing to compromise. Frankly, I’m not an idiot. The Rebel Empire is dangerous. Their ignorance is all that is keeping us safe. But I don’t want to cross my party without receiving something in return.”

  “Why am I left with the feeling that your price revolves around Captain Wallace Breckenridge? He’s your nephew, is he not? And, also for the record, he’s an ass.”

  The senator smiled sadly. “I’m forced to agree. Make no mistake, I’ll do everything I can to minimize the damage he’s done to my family name, but he’s crossed several lines that I cannot and will not shield him from the consequences of.

  “He’s going to be court martialed and thrown out of Fleet. He’ll also spend many years in the brig. So be it. That need not have anything to do with the alliance between our peoples. I’m willing to throw my support behind your cause and bring as many of my compatriots as I can.”

  “I see. And what are the goals of your compatriots? Is it in their interest to support the division? If so, how will you sway them?”

  “They’ll almost certainly bow to the inevitable, but not until they make the Throne suffer. Our stated goals in this matter are that the Imperial Charter doesn’t allow Pentagar to be separate, rebellion be damned. They hold that your world is still subject to the Empire.”

  She shook her head. “How would you enforce that? This might come as a shock to you, but we have powerful ships, too. Ones given to us by my close friend Kelsey under the treaty between our worlds. Would you go to war with us in the face of the Rebel Empire?”

  Breckenridge stood and walked slowly over to the bar. “I’m going to make a drink for myself. Call out if you change your mind.” He poured something dark into a tumbler over ice.

  She considered him for a moment before responding. “What’s the price of your assistance in navigating this obstacle?”

  He sat back down and sipped his drink. “I know where some figurative bodies are buried and I’m willing to twist arms, but I want your help in the matter of my nephew.”

  Elise raised an eyebrow. “I’m at a loss as to how I can help him, even were I were inclined to do so. The man is a menace.”

  “You and Princess Kelsey are friends. She’ll listen to you. I know that I can’t save Wallace from his madness, but I have an obligation to shield my family from as much of the disgrace as I can. If you can convince her to intervene with her father to leave treason off the table, I’ll work tirelessly to keep the Kingdom of Pentagar a sovereign state, precisely as you’ve negotiated.

  “You can ask around,” he said with a smile. “I’m a good politician. I stay bought.”

  This kind of deal making wasn’t unknown to her. She could see how it would help him. His nephew would still be a disgrace, but the family wouldn’t have spawned a traitor. For a powerful senator, that had to be worth a lot.

  “I’m willing to talk with her about it,” Elise said, “but I can only promise to be as persuasive as possible. Ultimately, she might decide to say no. Or her father might.”

  “Then I suggest you be very persuasive. We have the votes to enforce the Imperial Charter and without my influence, your treaty will never be ratified.” He raised his glass in salute to her. “I’m looking forward to seeing another professional at work. Good luck.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Karl Bandar stopped the video report he was reviewing when he heard his son at the door. He’d left instructions not to be disturbed, but that wasn’t how his son worked. As much as he’d tried to temper his son’s…enthusiasm, it hadn’t really taken. Ethan always expected immediate results.

  When his guard politely declined to disturb Karl, his son got louder. Karl sighed and walked to the door.

  “It’s alright, Les. Ethan, come in.”

  “Father, we need to talk about—”

  “Sit,” Karl said firmly. “And listen. That entails closing your mouth, in case that wasn’t clear.”

  The boy obviously wanted to argue, but clamped his lips shut with obvious impatience and fury. He also sat, if only grudgingly.

  Karl locked the door and engaged the privacy field. That would keep the sound of the inevitable argument out of the ears of even his loyal guards.

  “You’re trying my patience, Ethan. You’re running around with your hair on fire over things that don’t deserve that level of response and you need to dial it back.”

  He held up a finger to forestall this son’s hot words. “Your turn to speak will come, but not until I’m done. What you did out there showed an extreme lack of respect for me. If I leave orders not to be disturbed, being pissed off isn’t an excuse to disobey them.

  “For reasons that seemed good at the time, I’ve let this behavior slide, but that stops now. You’re my son and heir, but that also means I’m your liege. The man you’ve sworn an oath to support and obey. I expect obedience from you. And respect. I’ll have them both or you will regret it. Is that clear enough?”

  Ethan pressed his lips into a tight line and his eyes flamed with barely suppressed fury. “Perfectly, my lord.”

  Karl sighed. It was never easy with his son. Or his daughter, sometimes, but that was a completely different kind of trouble.

  He sat on the corner of the desk. “Since you’ve already interrupted my work, you might as well tell me what has you in an uproar.”

  “Do you know what Mertz has done to Kelsey?”

  “He didn’t do anything to her, but yes. I’ve not only read the summaries, I’ve spoken in depth with Doctors Stone and Guzman. They both have a far deeper understanding of the implants than I do. I expect that other medical experts will be up to speed to check their assumptions soon enough, but I believe I know more than enough.”

  “Now who’s being naive? Mertz may not have ripped her apart and rebuilt her, but he took full advantage of it. Those monsters put things in her brain and he’s had access to sway her for a year.

  “Hell, everyone on that mission did the same to themselves. How do we know it’s anything like they say? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to enslave us? To get us to put those machines in our heads for them?
Then Mertz can just waltz in and seize the Throne. We need to lock them all away until we’re sure it’s really safe.”

  Karl sighed inside. “Your incessant paranoia about Jared Mertz is tiresome and beginning to worry me. Forget him. As to the implants, I’ve done some checking. I don’t want word getting around, but I had Emperor Lucien disinterred. With all due reverence, I assure you. He had implants just like the Fleet people do.

  “I’ve see that his body was delivered to Orbital One. It’s possible that some data will be recoverable, even after all this time. Scientists trained in doing so will get what they can before we bury him again.”

  He shook his head. “I’m finding it hard to believe that we never knew. Think of the trove of historical data from the first days of Avalon. Or the critical information his father might have given him.”

  Karl sighed. “Clearly, they were once a common part of Imperial life. Based on the advantages I’m starting to grasp, they will be again.

  “I confirmed that by having some of the Fleet personnel that died here examined. They too had this equipment. Someone I trust is extracting the hardware and will see about powering it up in due time. Then we’ll know if the programming is the same.”

  Karl leaned back in his chair. “They’ll have to learn a lot about the programming language and the hardware, but we’ll get to the bottom of this. We’re taking nothing at face value.”

  “Aren’t you?” Ethan asked with an edge to his voice. “How do we know this supposed edict is even real? Mertz could have very easily concocted it to get a leg up and move toward his real target. The Imperial Throne.”

  He’d hoped his son would come to his senses, but that was seemingly off the table. Time to address the issue squarely.

  “You’ve always thought the worst of your half-brother. And don’t even think of snarling at me. That’s what he is, like it or not.

  “Tell me this, Ethan. If he were looking for a way to seize power, and your concerns of the implants were correct, why didn’t he use force when he arrived? We couldn’t have stopped him. If that is indeed his plan, we still can’t. His people are in control of more firepower than we could muster in our defense.”

  Ethan leaned forward intently. “Then now is the time to strike. Get them off those ships under some ruse and get loyal officers aboard them before it’s too late. I’m not sure why he’s delaying, but we can’t wait much longer.”

  Karl shook his head sadly. “The Senate would never accept his claim over yours. Or Kelsey’s, for that matter. Even if they did, the people would rise up. Son, this is paranoia. You’re seeing shadows behind every event that just aren’t there.”

  “And you’re being willfully blind, Father. I’ve always known you were soft where Mertz was concerned, but I never dreamed you’d just hand our birthright over to him. How can you be so blind?”

  “Enough,” Karl said firmly. “You need a vacation, son. Take a trip out to the lake in the mountains. Stop obsessing over these crazy theories.”

  “I will not abandon the Empire when it’s in such peril.”

  “You misunderstand me. That wasn’t a suggestion.”

  Karl smiled and touched a key on his desk.

  Les opened the door. “Yes, Majesty?”

  “My son needs to take a trip out to the lake to get away from everything. Take him there and see that he stays put.”

  He turned his attention to his fuming son.

  “I can’t force you to rest and reconsider, but I can put you in time out. The heir to the Throne cannot afford to be so willfully paranoid. Once you’ve had time to think, we’ll talk again.”

  Ethan surged to his feet. “You’re making a grave error in judgement, Father. Don’t compound it by taking the one person who sees the threat clearly out of play.”

  When Karl said nothing, his son stalked out of the room.

  Once he was alone again, he called his guard commander. “I’m sending Ethan to the mountains. I want extra people in place to make sure he doesn’t sneak away. He’s to be kept there until I say otherwise.”

  “Is he under arrest, Majesty?”

  “No. Think of it as protective custody. Isolation to keep him from making a fool of himself. Make sure the guards aren’t ones he can browbeat.”

  “I’ll take care of it, Majesty.”

  Karl sighed and leaned back in his chair. This had all gone wrong so quickly. Ethan’s unreasoning hatred of Jared was going to cause real harm if he didn’t put a stop to it. He made a mental note to confer with Ethan’s private physician to check and be certain that there wasn’t a true pathological behavior behind this.

  At least his son would be out of the way for a little while. He couldn’t cause too much harm up in the mountains.

  * * * * *

  Ethan fumed as the guards herded him back toward his rooms to pack. The gall of the old man. He treated his chosen heir as if he knew nothing at all. As if his concerns were nothing more than the ravings of a madman. It wouldn’t surprise him if there were a visit by doctors while he was away.

  He’d turned against Ethan, too.

  Everyone had. And they’d soon strike, unless he acted to mitigate the threats against him. It was regrettable that things had come to this, but he had to do what was best for himself and the Empire.

  He leaned against the wall as soon as he was back in his rooms. First Kelsey and now his father. How could they choose the Bastard over their own blood? Mertz’s sickness had infected them.

  Unlike his sister, he couldn’t allow his father to orchestrate the overthrow of the rightful heir. He loved his father even more than he did Kelsey, but the old man was going to have to die.

  Did he? Ethan ran through the possibilities in his mind. Surely there was some way to spare his father.

  But no viable alternatives came to mind. The loss of the man who’d carried him on his shoulders as a boy ate at him, as if the man were already gone. Really, he was. He just didn’t know he was dead, yet.

  There would be mourning for his father across the Empire. The Empire would commission monuments beyond counting to remember his memory. Ethan would see to that.

  He packed in the privacy of his room, which gave him the opportunity to stash a few items he might find useful. Starting with a very concealable communications unit. He would be able to oversee every action his minions performed right under the noses of his watchdogs.

  Ethan had paid good money to be sure it wasn’t traceable. They wouldn’t even detect the signals on the security screens. It was that good.

  He called his man. “How goes the preparations, Victor?”

  “They’re good. I should have it resolved tonight.”

  Ethan smiled. “Excellent. I have a few other tasks for you. I want you to pick up someone with those damned implants. And another person who is familiar with the technology.”

  “Do you have a specific target with implants in mind?”

  He smiled. “As a matter of fact, I do. But first, I’m afraid things have taken a bad turn here at the palace. My father is shipping me off to the mountain retreat. While I’m gone, I want you to work with my man in security to get in and take care of something for me. Several things, actually.”

  * * * * *

  Talbot stayed up late drinking. The marines he’d visited had reacted as well as he could hope. Word would spread and people would make up their own minds, but at least the base slanders of the admiral’s blood wouldn’t come into play. Mostly.

  The board would want his testimony at some point, but they still hadn’t finished with the admiral. A full day wouldn’t even scratch the surface of what they’d done over the last year.

  He was about to cross the street when his internal alarms sounded. This late at night, the street was pretty empty, even in the downtown, but the group of young men coming toward him didn’t look like revelers out for a stroll.

  A glance behind him showed a number of men following.

  This was an ambush. At least, that’s wh
at his instincts told him.

  He had a neural disruptor on him, but by the time he was sure what they were up to, it might be too late. He needed them to spring their trap early.

  Talbot bolted across the street, hauling ass for the closest alley. That got them all to chasing him, so he knew he was on the right side in this fight.

  He set the neural disruptor to wide beam and fired at the forward group. They went down in a heap. They’d be under about half an hour.

  That didn’t keep the second group from opening fire on him. One of the slugs hit him in the arm, but he managed to retain his grip on his weapon.

  He linked his implants to his com and called emergency services just as a noise in the alley gave him a split second’s notice that there were people waiting. He ducked and lashed out with his foot in a savage kick as the emergency operator came on the line.

  “Emergency services. What is the nature of your emergency?”

  I’m being attacked! Near the Excelsior!

  The hotel was the closest landmark. They could track his transmission, too. The com would convert his implant communications into his voice for the operator.

  One of the men in the alley leapt over his screaming comrade and brought a metal bar down on Talbot’s arm. It snapped with a sickening crack. His weapon spun off into the dark. The second swing caught him in the head and he was out.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Kelsey woke when her com sounded an emergency tone. She rolled out of bed and answered before her toes touched the floor.

  “Bandar.”

  “Kelsey, it’s Jared. I just got a call from emergency services in the capital. Something happened to Talbot. He was attacked and is missing.”

  The last remaining fog in her brain blew away as if a hurricane had swept in. “Shit. What do they know?”

  She raced to her closet and dressed as quickly as she could. Something suitable for rough and tumble.