L. E.Modesitt - Imager’s Intrigue

When we entered the chamber, Glendyl was sitting up in the infirmary bed, not looking terribly pleased, but that might have been because he was able to appreciate the severity of his surroundings, as well as the large and immovable obdurate guard stationed outside his door.

“Ah…Maitre Dyana and Maitre Rhennthyl, to what do I owe this visit? Do you wish to collect for saving this factor’s life? Or to congratulate me for surviving the fare and sparseness of this chamber? Or to indicate that I must suffer yet more tedium amid this grayness?”

“Why, we wished to see to your health, Councilor,” replied Dyana. “It does appear that you are recovering in a satisfactory fashion. Your words would indicate as much. Your wound was quite severe, and you will be staying several more days, but only several more days. Unless you do something foolish and impair the healing.”

Glendyl did not speak for a moment, then said, “Surely, it does not take the two highest Maitres in the Collegium to tell me that.”

“For a distinguished Councilor, nothing but the best,” said Dyana lightly, looking to me.

“I have a question for you, Councilor,” I said. “Did you have any interest in L’Excelsis Indemnity?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Their branch here was bombed and destroyed. I wondered if that would have any effect on your enterprises.”

“I don’t see why it would. It’s no secret that I’ve always placed my indemnity contracts with Solidaran Indemnity…in the Solis branch. They don’t have a branch in Ferravyl.”

“Might I ask how much your works in Ferravyl is indemnified for?”

“You can ask. That’s my business.”

I looked to Maitre Dyana. She nodded every so slightly.

“Not any longer. Your works suffered a series of devastating explosions and fires over the weekend, and whether you will have the funds to replace the destroyed facilities, and how soon, are a matter of interest and concern to all Solidar, including the Council.”

“How devastating? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Glendyl lurched upright in the bed. He tried to move his right hand, and he raised it chest high, before he let it drop.

“Because I just returned from there yesterday and wanted to report to Maitre Dyana and you directly. The locomotive works, the foundry, the drop forge, and possibly the boiler fabrication buildings did not seem too heavily damaged. All the turbine works were leveled…and most everything else.”

“But…how?”

“Ferran saboteurs. They’ve been removing workers for a year and replacing them with their own people. They even shot at me and Director Huesyt as the explosions were being detonated.”

Glendyl was paler than before.

“The amount of indemnity?” I pressed.

“All I could obtain was one hundred and fifty thousand golds,” he finally admitted.

“If Suyrien the Younger or others extended more funding, you could rebuild?” asked Maitre Dyana.

“I…don’t know.” He shook his head slowly. “Why…why me?”

“Because no one else has facilities to build the new turbines for warships,” I replied, “and that means years before Solidar can modernize its fleet while the Ferrans build more and more fast ships.”

“I tried to tell the Council. So did Suyrien…” He swallowed, then let himself lean back against the pillows. “But how…?”

“Because everyone in Solidar has been concentrating on the traditional ways of fighting wars,” I said. “You were right, in a way. Once there are more machines and factories of all sorts, and more factors competing with each other, we won’t be as vulnerable to a handful of acts of sabotage. Since you were unable to persuade the Council and since many Councilors chose not to understand…”

“The High Holders will not-”

“They won’t have any options before long, either.” Nor will you or the other factors . “Now…you need to rest.”

“Rest? How can I rest?”

“You can’t do much else, right now,” I pointed out. “You may have to consider Suyrien’s proposal for a fast frigate…if the funding can even be worked out.”

Glendyl didn’t quite glare at me. “Suyrien told me about you.”

“I’m certain he did.” I smiled. “Do try to get some rest, Councilor. Solidar would prefer to use your expertise, but we will have modern vessels, one way or another.”

“You’ve made that clear, Maitres. Good day.”

“Good day,” replied Dyana pleasantly. “I look forward to your return to the Council.”

I just inclined my head politely.

Glendyl’s acknowledgment was the smallest of nods.

After we left Glendyl and walked back toward the administration building, Maitre Dyana said, “You weren’t all that easy on him, Rhenn.”

“You mean I didn’t use much finesse? No, I didn’t. If he hadn’t been so greedy, trying to hold onto the sole production of those turbines, trying to outwait the Council, we wouldn’t be in as bad a position. If Glendyl isn’t cooperative, young Suyrien does have the plans and specifications, but for him to build a facility will take much longer than if Glendyl rebuilds. We ought to insist on someone else building the turbines anyway.”

“With that debt…how can Glendyl rebuild?”

“He’s fortunate. He has products we all need. I think you should be able to persuade a number of the more…solvent…High Holders to loan the funds, for a suitable return, of course. Since he’s not a High Holder, there’s no point in their ruining him by refusing.”

“You’re presuming I can do that.”

“Maitre…I know you can do that.” I tried to keep my tone humorous and light.

She did laugh.

“We need to find Valeun, but I need to gather some materials.”

“I’ll have a coach waiting in a quint,” she said.

“I won’t be that long.”

She just nodded, then headed through the doors and upstairs to her study.

True to his word, Schorzat had gathered everything I’d requested, and I slipped all the documents into a leather folder.

“Might I ask where you’re headed?” Kahlasa asked, with a smile that bordered on impish.

“To visit-or attempt to visit-the Sea-Marshal in the Naval Command. I’m trusting that he’ll see reason. If not, he will anyway.”

Kahlasa nodded. Schorzat barely managed to keep from looking appalled.

I walked out swiftly.

Once we were in the Maitre’s coach and headed toward the Naval Command, Maitre Dyana turned and fixed her eyes on me. “What you have isn’t complete.”

“It doesn’t matter, not if Valeun wants to remain Sea-Marshal.”

“Do you intend to force change on Solidar?”

“No more than the pressures of change and time would have anyway. Seliora pointed out to me that she and her family already have the kind of card-directed lathes that will provide better and less expensive furniture than can the average cabinet-maker. The Ferrans are applying those techniques to everything, warfare as well. There’s no way that they could have built all those new land-cruisers without a similar approach. That’s what Glendyl was going to do with the turbines, and what Suyrien was trying to do with the fast frigates and battlecruisers.” I snorted. “All I’m trying to do is buy Solidar enough time so that we have a chance to make those changes. Suyrien understood the need. He wouldn’t have slipped in those reforms if he hadn’t.”

“Do you think his son is that wise?”

“No. But Frydryk isn’t a Councilor. Nor is he stupid. He’ll do what he must to retain what he has. All we have to do is to point out what that is.”

“You’ll have to do that. He’s more likely to listen to you.”

“That’s fine. The Council is more likely to listen to you.”