Chris Wooding - The Ace of Skulls

She shrugged. ‘Can’t say. There’s always gonna be some underground stuff, but the Awakeners have always been aggressive self-promoters. Now they can’t do that. Reckon we’ll see how much their ideas are worth when they can’t shove ’em down anyone’s throat any more.’ She picked something off the back of her neck and flicked it away, which didn’t seem very ladylike considering her outfit. ‘They say the diehards are headin’ for the colonies, shippin’ out for New Vardia before the Storm Belt gets impassable. Good luck to ’em, I say. Long as they ain’t here.’

Frey gave a grunt of agreement. ‘What about the Sammies?’

‘That’s a whole other can o’ worms. They invaded us, even if they fudged it. People were sayin’ we should invade ’em right back, now their navy’s gone. Seemed to forget we don’t have much more than a scrap of a navy left ourselves. Politicians came up with some plans: we were gonna use mercs to embargo the Free Trade Zone properly, crack down hard on aerium smuggling, make damn sure those Sammie bastards never got a drop from us again. But then guess who waded in?’

Frey had already heard the rumour. ‘Thace.’

‘Uh-huh. Reckon they got tired of waitin’ for Samarla to get round to invading them and decided to do it first. They got the only fleet in town now, and they know them Sammies are just gonna tool up and do it again if they ain’t stamped on hard. Lucky they’re on our side.’

‘Samarla and Thace are really at war, then?’

‘Oh, yeah. Don’t know that anyone can take a land as big as Samarla, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they took a damn good chunk of it. Still, good news for your mate Silo.’

‘How so?’

‘You know Thacians. Life, liberty, equality, all o’ that. Think they’ll stand for slavery in their territories? Might be we get to see the first free Murthian population in five hundred years. Not to mention the Daks, though they way they act I wonder if they like bein’ slaves.’

‘Damn,’ said Frey in amazement. ‘That’s quite a thing.’

‘See what you set off?’ she said, nudging him. ‘Not bad for a bunch of reprobates with a galaxy of personality disorders.’

‘Aren’t you dating one of those reprobates?’

She snorted. ‘Someone has to keep you classy.’

Frey barked a laugh, and somebody shushed him. Then Trinica touched his arm and pointed down at the dais. ‘There they are!’ she said.

And there they were, taking their places before the Archduke. Malvery, Crake, Harkins and Pinn, and finally Silo. They stood there stiffly, all shiny buttons and dazzling shoes, hair and beards combed and cut — those who had them. Even Frey had to admit, they didn’t look half bad.

Archduke Monterick approached Malvery first. ‘For extraordinary bravery in the service of your fellow soldiers,’ he said. ‘For your vital part in bringing Vardia information about the enemy, and thereby saving uncountable lives; Althazar Malvery, I present you with the Legion of Vardia medal, to go with your Duke’s Cross. Your country counts you as one of its most treasured sons.’

And I owe you my life , thought Frey. And more importantly, I owe you hers. Damn if you’re not the best surgeon in Vardia, old mate.

Applause filled the hall as the Archduke pinned the medal next to the one Malvery already had. The doctor kept his face as composed as he could, but even at this distance Frey could see Malvery glowing so fiercely with pride that you could have roasted a chicken on him.

‘Grayther Crake!’ said the Archduke, moving along the line. ‘Few men have pushed the boundaries of our knowledge with such dedication and at such terrible risk to themselves. Your research and sacrifice were crucial in bringing the Imperators to heel, and for that, I award you the Ducal Star, for your magnificent contribution to science.’

‘I notice he never quite said daemonism ,’ Trinica muttered.

‘That’ll come in time,’ said Samandra. ‘Can’t change people’s minds overnight, but I reckon it ain’t gonna be long before daemonism ain’t such a dirty word no more.’

‘Jandrew Harkins!’ the Archduke continued. ‘For outstanding bravery in the air, I present you with the Coalition Navy’s highest honour, the Iron Wing!’

The gallery applauded with gusto. Frey whistled through his fingers until Trinica hit him.

‘Artis Pinn!’ said the Archduke. ‘For a selfless act of espionage, for infiltrating the Awakener ranks at great personal risk in order to return with critically important intelligence, the People’s Medal!’

‘How in rot’s name did he swing that?’ Samandra murmured.

‘Pinn just won a medal for intelligence,’ Frey said, shaking his head as he clapped. ‘I don’t want to live on this planet any more.’

Then the Archduke moved to stand before Silo. There was a short pause as the Archduke regarded him, and seemed deep in thought.

‘Wait for it,’ said Frey. ‘This’ll be a treat.’

‘Silopethkai Auramaktama Faillinana!’ the Archduke boomed.

Frey’s jaw dropped. ‘I’ll be damned. That feller’s good!’

‘Your leadership in battle is an inspiration to all Vards,’ the Archduke said. ‘When all seemed lost, you gave us strength. Never before has a Vardic duke or monarch awarded a medal to a Murthian, but I do so today. You have shown us that courage knows no race nor borders. I give you the Duke’s Cross, in recognition of your gallantry!’

The riot of applause that followed shook the doors of the hall. Chancellor Plome was the first in the pews to stand, and with him went the House of Chancellors, and then everyone was on their feet, and cheers swelled up like a tide and roared through the chamber. The men of the Ketty Jay couldn’t keep their composure, and broke out in great beaming smiles. Frey clapped until his hands were sore, and by the time they began walking down off the dais, he was all but exhausted.

‘You’re not sad you didn’t get one?’ Trinica asked him.

Frey blew out his lips. ‘What would I do with a medal? I’m surprised that lot got one, to be honest. After what happened with Earl Hengar, I mean. Pretty gracious of him, I’d say.’

‘Reckon too many people heard about what you fellers did,’ said Samandra. ‘He sorta had to. But with regards to Hengar, they were just followin’ orders. You were givin’ ’em. It’d be a bit much for him to take, honourin’ you.’

‘Pity Ashua couldn’t be here, though. She’d have liked to see the doc get his.’

‘That’d also be a bit much,’ said Samandra. ‘Traitor to the country, whether she meant it or not. She can count herself lucky she got a pardon.’

‘Yeah,’ said Frey, with a meaningful glance at the woman next to him. ‘Not like that evil pirate Trinica Dracken.’

Samandra just looked ahead. ‘Far as I know, she died on the Delirium Trigger , just like her bosun. Funny that your new lady looks a bit like her without the make-up, though. What are the chances?’

‘It is remarkable, isn’t it?’ Trinica agreed.

They heard a shriek from the hall. Frey looked down and saw a stocky young blonde woman in peasant dress struggling with the guards. Suddenly she broke free and ran up the aisle towards the side of the dais, where the crew of the Ketty Jay had descended. Before anyone could stop her, she ran up to Pinn, seized him by his chubby cheeks and planted an enormous kiss on his lips.

‘Oh, sweet rot and damnation,’ Samandra said in horror, a hand over her mouth. ‘What am I seeing here? Is someone actually kissing Pinn?’

Then the woman broke away from him, and Frey got a look at her. Yes, he knew that placid, bovine country face. He’d seen her ferrotype a hundred times, forced on him by Pinn whenever he was in his cups. It just didn’t seem possible.