L. E.Modesitt - Imager’s Intrigue

“Most are classed as tertius or Maitre D’Aspect?”

“Mostly very bright thirds. It’s a good position for an intelligent imager who won’t ever have the raw ability to be a master, but they have to be able to blend in and listen and draw conclusions…. They reported to Dichartyn, and now…”

“To me,” I finished. “I assume there are reports somewhere that I can read and catch up on?”

He laughed. “You get a copy of the monthly report from every Civic Patrol Commander in Solidar-from every city big enough to have a Commander, rather than a captain. You also get a monthly report from every regional.”

“What about High Holders, or more important factors? Do we have information on them?”

“There are files on the High Holders who serve on the Council, as well as those who have served, and others who have come to our attention. We only have files on fifteen or twenty factors.” He shook his head. “We do our best, but there’s no way to keep records on more than a thousand High Holders and tens of thousands of factors. The ones we do have are all in the cases in the study. You’ll need to image the hidden catches…”

I listened as he explained in more detail the regional imager network that I’d known existed, but little more than that.

After a glass, he leaned back. “Any questions about this?”

“No. I’m sure I will, once I read through everything and think about it. What’s most urgent that I should keep in mind as I try to get on top of matters?”

Schorzat chuckled, if nervously. “The biggest problem is the Ferran support of the more militant freeholders. That’s a guess, of course.”

“I assume that we have no proof of an actual connection, since, if we did, you’d already have done something about it.”

“We’ve discovered and dealt with, in one way or another, over twenty agents. So far there’s barely circumstantial evidence of a connection with any others we suspect.”

“Blast patterns similar to or identical to Ferran demolitions…that sort of thing?”

He nodded, then went on. “Here’s what we do know….”

I listened as, again, he provided detail after detail, not once repeating himself, for more than half a glass. In the end, though, he had provided a wealth of events, discoveries, and possible connections-yet without a single concrete linkage to either factors or freeholders. I had a far greater breadth of understanding, but the structure looked to be what I’d already pieced together from my own observations as a Patrol Captain and from my reading of the newsheets. At the same time, I had the feeling that there were events and actions that didn’t fit-like the grain explosions and the bombard attack on Imagisle…and the growth and distribution of the stronger elveweed, which I suspected lay more with Stakanaran origins.

When he finished, I was the one to nod, then say, “Thank you. You mentioned the riots in Westisle, Estisle, Solis, and Kherseilles. I’ve heard that all have started in the local taudis, and some were sparked by rumors that imagers and Pharsis have been doing the dirty work for the High Holders.”

“That I hadn’t heard, but it would fit. The Ferrans will use anything.”

“So where are the Jariolan agents?”

He smiled sadly. “We don’t know for certain, but we’ve tracked several suspicious persons to the estates and lands of various High Holders.”

“Such as Haebyn?”

“He’s one. There are several there.”

“Haestyr? Shaercyt?”

“Both of them. Also, Nacryon and Ealthyn. There are others, but those are the most likely.”

I knew Nacryon was from Mantes and had interests in copper and tin, as well as a new process that created artificial fertilizer from potash and other mineral deposits. I’d never heard of Ealthyn. “Why would the Jariolans want Ealthyn as a supporter?”

“We don’t know yet. In fact, I’d never heard of him, either, until we tracked some former sailors to his lands. They made the mistake of cutting through a taudis in Piedryn. They walked out untouched, but there were six bodies in various alleys.”

“Do you think Ealthyn and Haebyn are working together?”

“I’m certain they are. We can’t prove it.” Schorzat shrugged.

“Did Master Dichartyn ever talk to you about the possibility that a trader or factor named Alhazyr might be involved with certain dubious matters involving Caartyl?”

“He did, but we don’t have contacts in Mantes right now…and what with the way things turned out…”

I understood that. “I take it that he’s probably more than someone who just wants public representatives added to the Council?”

“Most likely, but he’s very careful.”

“What about Stakanar?”

“We’ve found some agents, but Solidar’s a little cool for them.”

“They might be behind the elveweed.”

“They probably are, but if that’s so, someone’s shielding them.”

“Like Ruelyr?”

“That would be hard to find out.”

“See what you can do.” I laughed. “Along with everything else.”

He smiled wryly.

“What can you tell me about Sea-Marshal Geuffryt? And about his relationship with Madame D’Shendael?”

“I understand they’re related in some way, but not all that closely. I could give you his biography and his impressive credentials, but that would obscure more than it would reveal. He’s a capable Naval officer. He’s more than capable in terms of intelligence.”

“Why didn’t he know more about what was happening with the bombards and the stolen Poudre B?”

“The Army didn’t tell anyone. The Depot Commander either didn’t know or covered it up. It’s likely to be the latter, since he vanished a month ago.”

“When did you and Dichartyn find this out?”

“He started probing into it right after Maitre Poincaryt told him…you were there, weren’t you?”

I had to think for a moment. “That was on the twenty-sixth.”

“Then he found out on the thirty-second. It was just short of a week later.”

“I think I need to have a private meeting with Geuffryt.” I paused. “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t? Or would it be better for the two of us to meet with him?”

“He won’t say anything if he meets with more than one person.”

“So he can deny that he said it, if necessary?”

Schorzat smiled. “So that no denial is necessary.”

I could see that. “You’re suggesting that I need to meet with him and that I’d best be very careful. Who else should I meet with? Is there an Army counterpart?”

“No. Geuffryt sends reports to the Army Command as well as to his superiors at Naval Command.”

“Do I have you request the meeting or have Maitre Dyana do it?”

“They’ll expect me to make the request. I did for Master Dichartyn.”

“Whom else do you think I should meet?”

“For now…probably no one else until you read some of the recent reports and see what Geuffryt has to say.” Schorzat smiled. “You may not have to arrange any meetings. By next Lundi invitations will be arriving at your house for various small dinners from High Holders’ wives. Doubtless, Glendyl’s wife will hurry over to make Seliora’s acquaintance as well. A new Maitre D’Esprit-and one so comparatively young and with such a beautiful wife-is always in demand during the winter social season.”

Seliora might like that…if only for a while. “Was that one of the reasons you turned the position down?” I asked lightly and wryly.

“Better you than me,” he replied with a laugh.

When I returned to my “new” study, I was tired. I closed my eyes for a time, but that wasn’t particularly restful. Not with all the various bits of information swirling through my thoughts. So I tried to make sense of it all. Caartyl couldn’t be stupid enough to think that he would remain even as acting head of the Executive Council. That meant he needed the position to do something immediate, and it was likely that he’d arranged, or someone had arranged for him, the difficulties that had required Glendyl to go to Ferravyl. What could that be? I was doubtless missing the obvious, and that was because I was tired and aching.