L. E.Modesitt - Imager’s Intrigue

“How does he stand on the blockade?”

“Caartyl supports it. He and the guilds don’t like the Ferrans any more than the Jariolans. He’s said that the factors of Solidar would prefer to replace all the guild members with steam-powered factorages manned by low-paid laborers.”

There was something about that…but I couldn’t grasp it.

“The High Holders have already selected Fhernon to fill Suyrien’s Council seat,” Dyana continued. “They’re petitioning the High Judiciary to have Councilor Ramsael take Suyrien’s position as head of the Executive Council. They claim that Caartyl was not selected in a formal Council session. To complicate matters more, several factors’ associations are petitioning to have the High Holders’ petition set aside until the next formal meeting of the Council, which is not scheduled until the eighteenth of Ianus.”

That was more than a month away. “They haven’t decided to meet formally any sooner?”

“That can only be decided by either the full Council or the unanimous vote of the Executive Council.”

I should have remembered that, but it had been several years since I’d last studied the Council’s parliamentary procedures. “I can’t say I’m surprised.” My greatest concern was that matters would get worse, especially without the moderating influence exerted by Maitre Poincaryt. No matter how capable and knowledgeable Maitre Dyana was, even as Maitre of the Collegium, the fact that she was a woman would weigh against her, particularly in dealing with High Holders. She certainly had the knowledge and understanding, because she’d come from a High Holder family, and she was a powerful imager; but she might have to use far more force, or the hidden threat of it, on the Councilors. I only knew that Ramsael was Alynkya’s father and had been slightly patronizing to me years before. Fhernon had commissioned several pieces from NordEste Design and had behaved with dignity and restraint, but that didn’t really tell me much about him.

“We won’t take an official position on any of those issues, except that the Justiciary rule quickly on the law itself. You present another problem. There is no way you can return to being a Civic Patrol captain and take on the duties before you here at the Collegium.”

“You don’t have to announce that immediately. Tell Commander Artois that I’m needed here for the time being, given the destruction and deaths here, and that in the interests of the Civic Patrol, Alsoran should act in my stead. Artois already has two lieutenants doing that for dead captains. I’m nowhere close to dead.”

“Why do you suggest that?”

“To keep Cydarth from replacing Alsoran. If they think I’m coming back, and even if they don’t, it will make that harder. Alsoran looks easygoing, but he’ll do what’s right. I can make it harder for them by dropping in to see Alsoran once. It doesn’t have to be for long.”

“That seems reasonable, and it will support Artois. Just don’t trot out there until you have full shields and full control.” Dyana nodded. “Aelys has already removed all of her husband’s personal items from Dichartyn’s study in the administration building, and it is ready for your immediate use. I suggest you settle in there as soon as possible.”

“Is she staying here?”

“No. She could, but neither of the girls is an imager, and she has a sister in Extela to whom she is very close. Also, the stipend she’ll receive, while not miserly, will go much farther there. She and the girls are leaving on the ironway later today.”

I suspected Aelys would just as happy to be away from Imagisle.

“You’ll also have to take over as preceptor for those junior imagers that Dichartyn was mentoring. You’ve effectively been doing that with Shault, but there are four others. Only Shault isn’t a tertius.”

I frankly hadn’t thought about taking on being a preceptor, since I’d only had to assist with Shault because of the circumstances of his past. Still…that wasn’t urgent. “Did you find out anything from Sea-Marshal Geuffryt?”

“Nothing anyone can act on. Not yet.”

“Would you mind I kept in touch with him?”

“I’d appreciate it if you would.”

“You’d like me to build and maintain contacts with the various military types, then?”

“Since Dichartyn did…” She raised her eyebrows.

“He didn’t mention those contacts. He did mention his liaison with the Civic Patrol. I’d prefer to wait a few days before dealing with Artois and Cydarth, though.”

“That might be for the best.”

“I’m still concerned about Caartyl.”

“You don’t care for him, do you?”

“From what I can tell, he’s been plotting since I was with Council Chateau security. You might see if Schorzat or anyone knows anything about a factor named Alhazyr-”

She looked at me, and I realized that was my job, among other things that I really hadn’t thought through. “More along your lines, Maitre, Juniae D’Shendael has been close to Caartyl-”

“I know. I’ve already talked to her. She was actually worried about you. She was playing Caartyl as part of her effort to change Council procedures to allow women Councilors.”

“You knew her when…before.”

“Yes.” The single word closed further discussion of Madame D’Shendael. After a pause, Dyana continued. “I’ve been able to avoid specifics about how the barges were destroyed.” Her voice turned wry as she continued. “Draffyd already suspected. He merely asked if I wanted the fact that you’d done it not mentioned. I asked him how he’d come to that conclusion. His answer was rather direct. He said you’re the only one who could have. He also said that if you weren’t a Maitre D’Image already, you would be soon, assuming you took better care of yourself.” She stopped, as if waiting for a response.

I nodded politely. There was no reason to point out that, even if my actions had been emotionally driven, taking better care of myself would have resulted in scores more imager deaths and far greater destruction of the Collegium.

“Good. That’s the only suitable response. You understand, I presume, what the meeting is all about?”

“To give everyone the opportunity to believe that they could influence what they should not-and that is something that most of them know.”

“Who doesn’t know, do you think?” she asked gently.

“Rholyn knows, but he would hate to admit that his greatest strength is dealing with the Council on a day-to-day basis. He will have to say something.”

“What about Jhulian?”

“He may say something about the legal aspects, but only if he believes that there’s a serious problem. He doesn’t flyspeck.”

“You best go into the conference room and wait. Please leave the door closed after you leave.”

I nodded and rose.

When I walked into the conference room adjoining the anteroom, I was the first one there. I took a seat in the middle of the table, but with my back to the windows, although, since it was still morning, those on the east side of the table wouldn’t be looking into the sun.

Jhulian was the first to join me. A thin blond figure, he was the Collegium’s legal expert as well as its sole justicer. “Greetings, Rhenn. I’m glad to see you’re back on your feet.”

“I’m just as happy to be sitting for the moment.”

Draffyd was next. He looked at me even before sitting down. “No more physical problems?”

“Not so far.”

Then came Rholyn, who was the Collegium’s Councilor. I’d even painted his portrait years before, and he hadn’t changed much since I had. Behind him came Schorzat, who seated himself across from me.

Before anyone could say anything, Maitre Dyana stepped into the conference room and closed the door behind her. The only senior Maitres not attending were Dhelyn, the master in charge of the branch of the Collegium in Westisle, and the heads of the other two regional collegia. There had never been that many imagers who were Maitres D’Structure or higher, but the fact that all of those in Solidar, save three, were gathered around a single table was more than a little sobering.