Kevin Anderson - The Ashes of Worlds

Deputy Cain held the dagger’s hilt, keeping the Chairman upright for a paralyzed instant. Basil’s hands twitched and he released his grip on the handgun, which dropped with a clatter to the throne room floor. His knees buckled, making him too heavy for the deputy to hold him up. Cain released the hilt, and the Chairman slid to the floor. Blood started to seep through the fabric of his expensive business suit.

Basil let out a long rattling sigh and rolled slightly so that his gray eyes met Cain’s. One last breath gurgled from the Chairman’s throat, as if he were trying mightily to utter some final expression of defiance, but he managed to find only one word before he died. “Disappointed. ”

Cain looked coolly around the room, remembering how McCammon had bled across this very same floor. He spoke in a surprisingly loud voice.

“As deputy chairman, I hereby assume control of the Hansa.” He withdrew the dagger from the Chairman’s back, wiped the knife clean, flipped it over, and extended it hilt-first toward King Peter. “On behalf of the Confederation.”

159

Tasia Tamblyn

By the time Tasia and her companions got back to Earth and learned what had happened, the whole war was over — the Hansa and the Confederation, the black robots, the Ildiran Empire, the faeros, the wentals, the verdani. Everything. On their approach to Earth they intercepted numerous transmissions: Patrick Fitzpatrick’s exposes, Confederation reports, and newsnet stories.

“Shizz, and we missed it!”

Hud Steinman made a sour face. “I can’t complain about being left out of all that.”

“We did our part,” Orli assured Tasia. “And from the news stories, I’d say it had a pretty significant effect on how things turned out.”

Kotto was still floating with excitement that his Siren had worked so well. Moving from world to world, they had found and completely knocked out ten of the separated subhives. That had been enough to topple the One Breedex.

Dodging the wreckage strewn like a metallic asteroid belt around the military ships in Earth orbit, Tasia flew toward theJupiter.

“Admiral Willis,” she transmitted to the Juggernaut. “Are you ready for some company? My team has very interesting news about the Klikiss. or what’s left of them.”

The responding voice did not belong to the Admiral, though. “You’re always welcome aboard my ship, Tamblyn — even if youwere off on a little joyride while the rest of us were saving the world.”

“Joyride? Excuse me,Commodore Brindle, but we’d better compare notes before we decide whose accomplishments trump whose.”

Robb laughed. “Come aboard theJupiter. We’d love to hear about your exploits. Admiral Willis is on her way back here, too.”

The reunion aboard the Juggernaut was a happy one. Kotto had never been on such a large EDF ship before, and he poked around the bridge, incessantly asking questions. Steinman wanted to find the crew’s mess so he could have a meal that didn’t come from self-heating packages, and Orli and DD went with him.

From the Whisper Palace, Deputy Cain had formally instructed General Brindle to cancel the guillotine-code commands and reinstate power and control to all the Confederation battleships. The EDF commander had been glad to comply. All the ships were now functional.

While King Peter remained at the Whisper Palace to prepare for the formal changeover of power, Admiral Willis headed back to her Juggernaut, resplendent in her dress uniform. Stepping onto the bridge and taking command again, Willis clapped both Tasia and Robb on the shoulder.

“Well, I sure am glad to be done with all this nonsense.”

“The Spiral Arm’s a big place, ma’am. I’m sure there’s plenty of nonsense left.”

Willis frowned. “Don’t rain on my parade, Tamblyn.”

When General Conrad Brindle’s shuttle crossed over from theGoliath, the Confederation soldiers formally received him. “Some things should be done face-to-face,” he had said, and Admiral Willis granted him permission to come aboard. Accompanied by an honor guard of ten (all of whom sported ceremonial sabres but no sidearms), Conrad wore his uniform immaculately.

Willis swiveled her command chair to face him as the General stepped out of the lift and saluted crisply. All of the bridge personnel remained hushed, wondering what the EDF’s commander would say. She favored him with a kind smile. “A lot of water under the bridge, General.”

He nodded stiffly. “Much of my fleet has been crippled or destroyed. A hundred ships lost to sabotage.”

Tasia crossed her arms, not standing on ceremony. “Shizz, sir, we could get by with a lot smaller fleet if our ships stopped shooting at each other.”

Conrad looked at her, then at Robb. “I’ve come to the same conclusion.” He gave a half bow to Admiral Willis. “As commander of the Earth Defense Forces, I am here to issue our transfer of allegiance to the Confederation.”

Tasia caught her breath. Willis blinked.

Conrad continued. “As a guarantee of our sincerity, I will volunteer the guillotine codes of all our ships.” He withdrew a folded document from the pocket of his uniform, smoothed the creases by running them through his fingers, then extended the papers to Admiral Willis. “Here is my formal surrender of authority. You are now in command of theGoliath and all my remaining ships. May you guide them well.” He took a step backward. “We could use some steady and rational leadership for a change.”

“Why thank you, General. I accept your surrender.” She cracked her knuckles. “There, now that the formalities are out of the way, we can talk turkey about how this is going to work — practically speaking, I mean.”

Brindle, though, had something to do first. When he turned to his son, Tasia could see the warring emotions on the older man’s face. “I just received a message from your mother, Robb. After all we’ve just been through, she’d be very grateful if you’d visit us at your earliest convenience. We have a lot to talk about as a family.” He looked at Tasia. “And, of course, Commodore Tamblyn is more than welcome to join you.”

160

King Peter

With Estarra and Deputy Cain sitting across the table in a small Whisper Palace room, they discussed what to do with the deposed King Rory. OX stood ready with his uploaded databases to recite chapter and verse from his files on Hansa law or diplomatic tradition, but no decision was made.

“My family died in an accident. if it was an accident.” Rory swallowed hard. “I just want my normal life back.”

“We could see to it that the boy lives comfortably, with a new name and a new identity,” Cain suggested. “If he disappears from public view, he’ll soon be forgotten.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Considering what the people are used to from the Chairman, they’ll probably assume he was killed,” Estarra pointed out.

Peter looked sadly at Rory, who seemed out of his depth. “Sorry, but you’re King Rory, for good or bad. But you can still help. You’llneed to help.”

“Perhaps find some ceremonial role?” Cain said. “Demote him, but don’t brush him away in disgrace. Let him continue to have a following.”

“The people have endured enough turmoil, and it would help with continuity,” Estarra said. “He’ll serve as a bridge between the old Hansa and the new Confederation.”

Later, soldiers lined up to hold back the crowds and the newsnet imagers for the abdication ceremony. As he and Estarra stood with Rory under the bright lights, Peter could see that the young man was sweating heavily. He looked so much like Peter’s lost brother that the cruelty of Basil’s trick burned like salt in a wound. But it wasn’t Rory’s fault.

Peter spoke quietly, so no one else could hear. “I hold no grudge against you. Don’t be ashamed.”