Timothy Zahn - Conquerors' Legacy

"That would certainly fit the Speaker's slash-tongue style," the Fifteenth agreed. "As well as providing a certain symmetry to the way we trapped and blackmailed him over the theft of Thrr-pifix-a's fsss."

"Indeed." The Eighteenth nodded agreement. "You'll want a triple guard on your chambers from now on."

The Prime flicked his tongue in irritation. There was a war for survival under way, with Zhirrzh beachheads under constant threat and an assault fleet poised for a make-or-break attack on the Human-Conqueror surveillance installations on Phormbi. He didn't have time for this political nonsense. "A guard won't be enough," he told the Elders. "Cvv-panav's got something else under his tongue. Do we still have a secure pathway to Dorcas?"

"Reasonably secure," the Eighteenth said.

"Open it," the Prime instructed. "I want to speak to Searcher Thrr-gilag."

"From here in your chambers?" the Eighteenth asked, frowning. "That's not recommended."

"We don't have a choice," the Prime said. "In this case—"

"The Eighteenth is right," the Fifteenth put in. "This chamber is supposed to be inaccessible to all Elders. That deception must be maintained."

"I'm aware of that, thank you," the Prime said. "However, in this case—"

"The secret nearly escaped once before," the Fifteenth continued as if he hadn't spoken. "During the term of the Twenty-second."

"I remember," the Fourth rumbled. "The Twenty-second opened a pathway from here, and an Elder eavesdropping at the other end noted the exact time and checked on when he was supposed to have been in his chambers—"

"I'm aware of the risks," the Prime said sharply, cutting through the growing discussion. "But in this case it's a chance we have to take. Cvv-panav has allies all over Unity City, physicals and Elders both. I can't afford the risk that one of them might overhear this conversation. Now open the pathway."

"As you wish," the Eighteenth growled, still not sounding convinced.

He flicked away. The beats ticked by; and then he was back.

"The pathway is open, Overclan Prime," he said. "You may begin."

"Thank you," the Prime said. "Searcher Thrr-gilag, this is the Overclan Prime. Are you alone?"

The Eighteenth nodded and vanished, returning a few beats later. " 'My brother, Commander Thrr-mezaz, and Searcher Klnn-dawan-a are here with me,' " he quoted. " 'Shall I ask them to leave?' "

The Prime flicked his tongue. More witnesses, should this ever make it to the jurist level. But on the other side, Thrr-mezaz and Klnn-dawan-a could hardly be more involved in this than they already were. "No, they may stay," he said. "This concerns them, as well. But make sure no one else is listening."

The delay this time was nearly double the previous interval. " 'We're ready,' " the Eighteenth quoted when he finally returned. " 'Thrr-mezaz has sent all the Elders to inspect the beachhead perimeter.' "

And if any of them had lingered behind... but there was no way to totally eliminate that risk. "First of all, I want to know if you've made any progress on your Human-Conqueror studies."

" 'I'm afraid it's going slowly,' " the reply came half a hunbeat later. " 'The facilities here are limited, and an organism's biochemistry is an immensely complex system.' "

"There's nothing even preliminary you can tell me?"

" 'Nothing relating to my theory of Human aggression. We've established a baseline, though, and compared it to the similar readings from the first Human prisoner, Pheylan Cavanagh. That gives us a start.' "

The typical maddening pace of searcher studies. "Keep at it," the Prime ordered, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. "I want any information you get as soon as you get it. Not a tentharc later; right away. Is that clear?"

" 'Very clear, Overclan Prime.' "

"Good," the Prime said. "Now, what about the other matter? The one that also concerns Searcher Klnn-dawan-a's presence there?"

" 'Again, we've made no progress,' " the cautious answer came. " 'The climate and other factors aren't yet right.' "

The Prime grimaced. Translation: they hadn't yet been able to get Prr't-zevisti's new cutting within range of the Human-Conqueror mountain stronghold. Perhaps hadn't even tried. "You may not be able to wait for the climate to be right," he warned. "Matters are coming to a crisis here. Possibly there, as well."

The Eighteenth nodded and vanished. "What did you mean by that?" the Fourth asked.

"I mean that Speaker Cvv-panav isn't just going to wait around and hope I'll make a mistake," the Prime said grimly. "He has to make another move; and the odds are that move will involve Thrr-gilag."

"Yes, of course," the Fourth murmured. "Thrr-gilag has the evidence of fsss tampering that Cvv-panav wants, after all. Shouldn't you warn him?"

"I just did," the Prime said. "Even with a supposedly secure pathway I don't want to risk being any clearer than that."

The Eighteenth returned. " 'We understand, Overclan Prime,' " he quoted. " 'We'll do our best.' "

"Make certain you do," the Prime said. "Keep me informed as to your progress. Farewell, and good luck." He nodded to the Eighteenth. "Deliver that, and unless there's more from their end, you may release the pathway."

"Yes, Overclan Prime." The Eighteenth vanished.

For a merciful wonder, the other two Elders kept quiet. Reaching across his desk to his reader, the Prime keyed for the latest warrior update. The eight beachheads they held in Human-Conqueror territory were still holding firm under enemy pressure, though three of them just barely. The diplomatic group on Mra was settling in for the long term; a Dhaa'rr ship was on its way there with extra supplies for them. The ships for the quick-strike assault on the Human-Conqueror surveillance bases on Phormbi were assembled and on their way to the attack, and Warrior Command was busily trying to gather a force together for the planned thrust into the Human-Conqueror homeworld.

Assuming, of course, that the Mrachanis made good on their promise to sneak those warships past the Human-Conqueror detectors.

The Eighteenth returned. "No further messages from Thrr-gilag," he reported.

"Thank you," the Prime said. "That'll be all."

"I daresay." The Eighteenth paused. "If I may comment, Overclan Prime, you seemed unduly interested in Thrr-gilag's Human-Conqueror biochemical studies. I would have thought such subtleties had already been overtaken by events."

"Only if you trust the Mrachanis," the Prime said sourly. "I'm not sure I do."

"You're worried about the Phormbi attack?" the Fourth asked.

"I'm worried about all of it," the Prime said with a tired sigh. "Everything the Mrachanis say seems perfectly reasonable at first look. Even at second look. But whenever I start really thinking things through..." He flicked his tongue in a negative.

For a few beats the room was silent. "There's no point in worrying excessively about it," the Eighteenth said. "The decisions have been made, and the events are in motion. What will happen will happen."

"And whatever does happen, it is always safe to put your trust in Warrior Command," the Fourth added. "Whether the Mrachanis are being honest or deceitful, the Zhirrzh warriors will be capable of handling it."

"I hope so," the Prime said, turning back to his reader. "I truly hope so."

The Elder vanished, and for perhaps twenty beats the only sound in the room was the spattering of the cold, windswept rain lashing against the office windows in the latearc darkness. "I don't know about you," Thrr-gilag said at last. "But to me that sounded like an order."

"It was," Thrr-mezaz said heavily. "Something's happening back on Oaccanv. Or else is about to happen."

"Maybe someone's discovered our tampering," Klnn-dawan-a said. "Maybe they're on their way here."