Deserter (36 page)

“To delay further before responding to these hostile actions would be to endanger the lives of those who will be called upon to fight for Turantic’s survival. Therefore, I am declaring that, effective immediately, a state of war exists between Turantic and Hamilton. If any planet is foolish enough to ally themselves with the forces marshaling against us, they can consider us at war with them as well.”

The camera panned to the flag of Turantic—orange, gray, and black—behind the President. Martial music boomed from all the speakers in the room. A moment later, the screen divided into five, showing the news anchor people of the main media outlets, and the music sank into the background. Kris kept a slow cadence in her head, one, two, three. . . . She got up to thirty-five before the first newsie recovered enough to mumble something that did little more than state his surprise. One screen switched to a talking head chortling about being right, that Hamilton was behind all this and now would get the beating they deserved.

“Off,” Kris ordered. She half-expected the screen to refuse. The view returned to a sunset’s afterglow, waves slightly iridescent as they lapped against the white sands of an untouched shore. Beautiful. Peaceful. All wrong.

I WILL CHANGE IT, Nelly said and switched to a star-speckled sky. Two moons lit a snowy vale surrounded by evergreen trees. What that sky promised was left to the viewer’s reflections.
Time for me to change something,
Kris thought.

“He can’t do that!” “He’s doing that!” “We’ve got to stop him!” “You have any idea how we can?” “Anything you do will play right into his hands!” “But to do nothing!” The Senators ran out of words.

NELLY, I NEED SOME NANO SPIES THAT CAN SURVIVE AND RECON THE DOCKYARD ABOVE US.

TRU GAVE ME A COPY OF SOME CORRESPONDENCE SHE HAD WITH SEVERAL OLD FRIENDS LOOKING AT THE PROBLEMS OF NANO SPY SURVIVAL IN A WELL-DEFENDED AREA. IT SUGGESTS BUILDING SPY UNITS, DEFENDING UNITS, AND COMMAND CENTERS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEM. I HAVE THE DESIGNS HER EXPERTS THINK WOULD BE BEST. THE DESIGNS ARE UNTESTED.

START A REPORT FOR TRU ON HOW YOU APPLY HER GROUP’S DESIGNS. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT FOR A LIVE-FIRE TEST OF ART.

I HAVE THE LEFTOVERS FROM TODAY’S RECON UNITS.

THEN GET TO WORK. I’D LIKE THEM SOON ENOUGH SO SOMEONE CAN PASS THEM AROUND AMONG THE SHIFT CHANGE AT ELEVEN.

Only a hum answered. Senator Krief stared at Kris. “You hear so many stories about what this or that Longknife has done. It makes you sound like miracle workers. Do you by any chance have a spare miracle? We could use one to stop this war.”

“I don’t think even a miracle could keep Izzic from launching this crazy war of his.” LaCross shook his head.

“And, rumors to the contrary,” Kris said, standing, “Longknifes are only human.” And if she was to find any miracles up her sleeve, she needed some privacy. “My father, as Prime Minister, does his best to leave his loyal opposition as few openings to oppose him as possible. Still, they always do. Certainly you have some options open to you.”

“I don’t think Prime Minister Longknife ever declared martial law and war and dissolved his Parliament on the same evening,” Senator Krief said, standing herself.

“I’ll agree with you on that. I take it that none of you would have supported his vote for war,” Kris said, wordlessly getting her guests to their feet.

“I have been in the House and the Senate over thirty years,” LaCross said. “There was no sentiment for war in those chambers this afternoon as we adjourned.” He stared at the ceiling, lips moving slightly. “Tory, Liberal, Farmers’ Party, Izzic didn’t have five votes out of a hundred.”

Krief was shaking her head. “I know those people he’s rounded up. They couldn’t be in anyone’s off-planet conspiracy. My God, the people he’s arrested never voted together on anything except maybe a resolution to adjourn. Speaking of which, I suggest we adjourn to the home of a supporter of mine. He has, if not a fortress, at least a place where we will know before the goons arrive to arrest us.”

“That sounds wise. You need to stay free if you’re going to speak for your people,” Kris said as Jack opened the door and she ushered her guests out. “As a representative of Wardhaven, I can’t be too careful about staying out of your internal affairs. I think that last warning may have been personally addressed to me and my father’s government on Wardhaven.” The last was witnessed by at least four guards and a couple in dinner dress walking toward the elevator.
Good audience.

Kris kept a hand on Klaggath’s elbow until they were alone except for his external guards. “I am concerned about that last dig the President got in. I fear a bomb or assassination attempt. Could you reinforce my guard and report back to me by, say, ten-fifteen?”

“That quickly?” the Inspector said, raising an eyebrow. “You know, it’s my planet, too. There are a lot of people who won’t take well to what our beloved President is doing.”

“And might even take to the streets. Yes, I understand that, Inspector, but I think my little group here is very high on someone’s list of people to keep under their thumb, forefinger, and elbow. It’s best people stay clear of us.”

He nodded like a man being denied a hand into a lifeboat and left. Kris closed the door behind him. NELLY, WHAT GOT IN?

JUST TWO. I WILL HAVE THEM IN A MOMENT.

Kris took her chair silently. No one said a word until Nelly announced, “All clear.”

“You can’t just sit this one out,” Penny blurted through lips still bruised. “You can’t let the shits who beat me up win.”

Kris said nothing. There was a kind of pleasure in watching someone else racing in where only fools hung out. She raised an eyebrow to Tom, then let her gaze slide over to Jack. They’d never had a good word to say for the messes she got herself—and occasionally them—into.

Jack just stood there, arms folded, lips pursed in thought.

Tom looked up at Penny. “You know, Kris, you said at the Paris system we had to stop a war between Earth and Wardhaven. You said if we let those two get into a fight, the rest of human space might be in deep salad dressing for generations. You said a whole lot of things, but you didn’t say a thing about any
one
. Didn’t name a single
person.
It seems to me you’re real good about fighting for an ideal. What do you have to say to Penny here, or me?” Tom turned to face Kris. “Did you charge out here because someone had the temerity to steal what one of you Longknifes thought belonged to you? Was that all I was? Well, I may not know much about Turantic, but I know we owe folks like Klaggath and the kids we saw up on the Top of Turantic and even that cabdriver who gave us a ride out when I was supposed to get knocked over the head and left for dead. As I see it, we owe them something better. At least, that’s the debt I figure I owe for putting on this uniform.”

Not bad sentiment from a guy who wasn’t sure he could use his weapon against swamp bandits on Olympia. The guy had come a long way since he’d put on the uniform to get his college debt forgiven. Maybe Kris was a good influence. That left Jack. She fixed him in her sights. “You got something to say?”

He rubbed one finger on his still-pursed lips, eying her right back. “That wasn’t a bad speech you gave to those Senators. Did I notice someone going by in the hall?” Kris nodded. “So you have other witnesses besides the cops. That damn Longknife luck of yours.” Jack came to attention. “I await your orders, Your Highness.”

“You’re not going to say where you stand?”

“Why should I? You’ve made up your mind, and unlike poor Penny and Tom here, I know what’s going through your head.”

“Tommy’s known me longer than you have.”

“Tom doesn’t know you the way I know you. I repeat, ma’am. Where do we attack and when?”

Kris failed to suppress a chuckle. What was it with Jack? Just when she thought she had him figured out, he’d do something totally out of bounds and leave her wondering if she’d ever understand what made him tick, purr, and spin.

“Excuse me, but do I get any vote in this?” Abby said.

“You’re from Earth,” Jack pointed out. “You don’t have a vote in Wardhaven’s affairs.”

Abby elbowed Jack. “But I do have a say in what pertains to my own delicate skin. May I point out that there is nothing in any of my trunks for fighting a war. I packed to rescue Tom. Nothing more. This is going far beyond what I signed on for.”

“And where did those extra trunks come from?” Kris asked.

“What extra trunks?” Abby sniffed.

“The ones that joined us somewhere between my room and airport security,” Kris said.

“We had twelve trunks all along.”

“Harvey brought up six,” Jack pointed out. He ducked into Kris’s room. “I think I can even spot the six extra trunks. They are not quite the same color as the others.”

“They are, too,” Abby insisted. Jack rolled two out. The shading was close, but close was not the same.

Kris crossed the few feet that separated them. She studied her maid: eyes, lips, body tension. “Whose side are you on?”

The woman looked back at Kris, no change in respiration or stance, eyes steady, not so much as a flared nostril. Then she gave her head a slight cock to the right. “There are a lot of sides in play here. Have I ever done anything that made you question I am working for your best interest?”

“That’s not an answer,” Jack pointed out.

Kris kept her eyes on the putative maid. There was a slight smile that never got past the woman’s lower lip. With a final flip of a mental coin, Kris returned to her seat.

Damn, this is getting interesting
. The
Typhoon
’s skipper’s treachery left Kris isolated and alone as she decided for mutiny. Now there was time to think. To reflect. Maybe that wasn’t a good idea. If a royal Princess takes up arms against a planet’s government, does that mean a state of war exists between her planet and that one? Interesting question.
Bet the historians laugh themselves silly trying to find a precedent.

Penny and Tom were all for it. Jack was willing. Abby was the one voice of reason, but mainly because she couldn’t see anything in her bag of tricks to use for this mess. She and three Senators.
Good company
. No one knew what was happening outside the tiny bubble that was Turantic. No one knew if a Hamilton battle fleet was marshaling at some isolated jump point, ready to smash this planet under a booted heel.

Any really smart person would throw up their hands and await the outcome.

Kris shook her head. Longknifes did not sit around waiting. When had Grampa Trouble ever done what was smart? And if Grampa Ray hadn’t married so well, Kris would be no better off than any of the people who risked their lives for her today.

Kris drew in a long breath, then let her lips slip into a big, vacuum-for-brains smile. “Ladies and gentlemen. As of this moment, by whatever authority some people consider vested in me, I am canceling the declaration of war between Turantic and Hamilton. This band of like-minded souls will use all means within our power to assure that no forces from Turantic commit acts of aggression against Hamilton.”

“You going to tell anyone on Turantic?” Abby asked.

“Oh, why bother them with minor details? From the looks of things, everyone is terribly busy. Far be it from me to add to their burden.”

“Yeah,” Tom said. “Maybe if they stay real busy, they won’t notice what this little band is up to.” Then he gave Kris that lopsided grin of his. “So, Princess, what’s the plan?”

19

Kris looked around at the faces fixed on her expectantly. Well, not all. Jack had that sardonic look of,
You do know, it’s easier said than done
.

“I was kind of hoping the rest of you might have some good ideas about how to stop this war. I stopped the last one all by myself, didn’t I?” Kris said.

“I thought I helped.” Tom pouted.

“You had half a squadron behind you so fast Security is still trying to figure out how you did it,” Penny said.

“It’s a Longknife thing.” Jack sighed.

“You know I hate it when you all ramble on about things and never explain them,” Abby said huffily. “Ignore me. I’m just the maid.”

Tom and Penny made to throw teacups at Abby. Kris grabbed for hers, too. Abby cringed behind Jack.

“So,” Jack said, ignoring the threatening storm of china. “Anyone got a plan?”

“Let he who has a plan throw the first teacup,” Abby said, peeking out around Jack’s elbow. Penny and Tom put their cups down. Kris took a drink of cold tea, finished off the dregs, and tossed her cup to the maid. Abby caught it.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Start talking, Princess.”

“First thing seems to be eliminating the fleet above our heads. No Turantic fleet, no attack on anyone.”

“I like the logic, but taking out an entire fleet seems a bit drastic,” Tom said.

Kris nodded. “It would be impossible once it sails off to a jump point. However, for the moment, the ships are in dock. Blow up the dock, and we are bound to put quite a few dents in the boats while eliminating the tools to take out said dents.”

“Brilliant idea, Princess,” Abby said coming out from behind Jack. “Your deduction is impeccable. However, did you notice the dock in question is right above us. There’s also the matter of an amusement park full of cute kids on the dock’s roof.” Abby shook her head. “I didn’t say I was opposed to trying something to stop this stupidity, I just don’t see a way to do it without killing an awful lot of innocent people.”

“So you propose that whatever clever idea we come up with, it should not involve killing an awful lot of innocent people,” Kris said.

“I second the motion,” Penny said.

“Though it does kind of complicate things,” Tom said slowly.

“I don’t know about the Princess here,” Abby said dryly, “but I have to put makeup on in the morning, and I really don’t want to despise the person I’m looking at.”