Charles Stross - The Merchant’s War

Paulie nodded once, sharply. "She told me what she was going to do. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wasn't listening."

Brilliana rolled her eyes. "I am going to pretend I didn't hear what you just said, because if I had heard you say it, certain superiors of mine would want to know why I didn't kill you on the spot."

"Ah- " Paulette's face paled. "Thanks, I think."

"No problem. Just remember, those are the stakes. Don't let anyone else know that you know." Brill gestured at the coffee machine. "Shall I refill it? This may take some time."

"Be my guest." There was no trace of irony in Paulette's voice. "You meant that. About the Clan's involvement in a fertility clinic being so secret people can be killed out of hand for knowing about it?"

Brill stood up and walked over to the coffee machine. "Yes, Paulie, I am absolutely serious. The project the center is working on is cither going to change the structure of the Clan completely, and for the better-or it will trigger a civil war. What's more, the authorities here are now aware of the Clan's existence. There have been disturbing signs of covert operations... If they discover what has been happening at the clinic, we can't be certain how they will respond, but the worst case is that several thousand innocent teenagers and their parents will lind themselves on a one-way trip down the rabbit hole." She finished with the coffeemaker and switched it on.

"I find that hard-"

"What do you think the clinic's doing?" Brill demanded.

"What?" Paulette shook her head. "It's a fertility clinic, isn't it? It helps people have babies. Artificial insemination, that kind of..." she trailed off.

"Yup," Brill said lightly. "And they've been helping couples have children for nearly twenty years now. The fact that the children just happen to be de facto outer family members, carriers of the world-walking trait, is an extra. The clinic is still helping couples who're desperate to have children." She looked down at the table. "Half of the children are female. In due course, some of them will be getting letters from a surrogacy agency, offering them good money for the use of their wombs. And they'll be helping other couples have children, too. Children who will be world-walkers. And when they grow up, they'll get a very special job offer."

Paulette nodded slowly. "I'd gotten that much."

"About twenty years from now, the Clan's going to have to absorb a thousand Miriams, and their male counterparts. They'll all crop up at once, over about a decade. A torrent of world-walkers. At the peak of our power, before the civil war, there were less than ten thousand of us; now, I'm not sure, but I think only a couple of thousand, at most. Think what that change means. One of the reasons everyone has been bearing down on Miriam is that she's, she's a prototype, if you like. Raised outside the Clan. Not uncivilized, but she thinks like an American. They all want to see how-if-she can be integrated. If she's going to fit in. If Miriam can learn to be part of the Clan, then so can the children. But if not... in fifty years time they could be a majority of our members. And the established elders will not willingly give up their power, or that of their children, in favor of uncivilized upstarts. Think what Miriam is going to do to their lives, if she makes a mess of things now!" Brill stopped abruptly. Her shoulders were shaking.

"What's it to you?" Paulie demanded. She stared at Brilliana for a few seconds, then jammed her fist across her mouth. "Oh. Oh shit. I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"Not your fault. My mother had... difficulties. Around the time the clinic was being set up. Angbard proposed to my father that he and my mother..."

"Oh. Oh dear."

"My father has issues," Brill said bitterly. "I believe that is the accepted euphemism. Over here, it's easy enough to say 'test tube baby.'" Over there..." She lapsed into silence as the coffee machine began to burble and spit. "In any case. To the matter in hand: Miriam stuck her nose into sensitive business-making life much harsher for people she has never met-and was imprisoned, under house arrest. Baron Henryk decided to see if he could domesticate her, using the stick alongside the carrot."

"What kind of carrot? And stick?"

"He promised not to execute her, if she married the King's younger son, the Idiot. She agreed-reluctantly. And to ensure the succession, he arranged for artificial insem-are you all right, my lady?"

Paulette finished coughing. "Bastards." She stared at Brill blearily. "The bastard. He did that?'

Brill shrugged. "Evidently. He didn't tell Angbard: this all came to light later, by which time it was too late. There was a betrothal ceremony, to be followed by a wedding at the palace. Egon-the Idiot's elder brother-got wind of it, and realized he would be a liability once the younger brother's wife bore a child, so he-"

"Hang on, this is the crown prince we're talking about? Why would his younger brother's offspring be a threat?"

"Creon might be damaged, but he's outer family. There's a test. The clinic only developed it in the past two years. Egon is not even outer family, he is merely royally. Obviously, he was afraid that once a royal Clan member was to hand, he might suffer an unfortunate hunting accident. So he contrived an explosion in the great hall and proceeded to kill his father, usurp the throne, and start a civil war in the Gruinmarkt. In the middle of all this, Miriam disappeared. She is either here, or in New Britain. I have agents searching for her over there, and over here-"she shrugged again"-I thought she'd come to you if she was in trouble."

"Oh sweet Mary, mother of God..." The coffeemaker spluttered and hissed as Paulette stood up and shuffled over to it. She pulled two mugs down from the cupboard: "How do you take yours? White, no sugar, isn't it?"

"Yes, please." Brill waited while Paulette tilled the mugs and carried them over to the table. Finally she said, in a small voice, "Her plight is perilous."

Paulette froze for a few seconds. "I seem to recall you said this was good news. Is there anything worse?"

"Oh, plenty." Brill picked up her mug. "Your government knows about us now. We have reason to believe they know Miriam is connected to us, too. They obviously don't know about you yet, because they haven't dragged you off to a secret underground detention facility. Hopefully they won't notice you-they are tracing the Clan courier routes, which you have never been connected with-but if she shows up on your doorstep, there is a chance they will follow her and lind you." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a business card case. "Here's my mobile number. If Miriam shows up, ring me at once. If I'm not there, the phone will be answered by a trusted associate. Tell them the word bolt-hole. You will remember that?"

"Bolt- hole." Paulette licked her lips.

"They'll tell you where to go and what to do. From that moment on, we will ensure your security. Once we've got Miriam back, if you want to go home we'll make sure it's safe to do so." She paused. Paulette was staring at something on the table. Following her gaze, Brill noticed her handbag was gaping. "Oh. I am sorry." She reached across and Hipped it shut.

"You're carrying. Concealed."

"Yes." Brill met her gaze evenly. "It's not meant for you."

"Why- " Paulette stopped for a moment. "Why don't you shoot me? If there's such a security risk? Surely I know too much?"

"I don't believe you know anything that could jeopardize our security. The breeding program is being moved: the patient records are already in a safe location while a new clinic is set up. So, strictly speaking, you can't actually harm us. Besides." She pulled up a wan grin: "I try not to kill my friends."

Paulette chuckled weakly. After a moment, Brill joined in. Especially when the friend in question is one of the two people who Miriam is most likely to go to for help, she added silently, and resolved to check back on what progress her employees had made with the other one as soon as possible.