Penult (47 page)

“
Three? Do we need
three?”

“
That’s the number Zhang
seems to consider the bare minimum to justify a raid. Listen. You
and me know for sure we got one that definitely works, okay? For
me, that’s more than enough to make this worthwhile. We just got to
be strategic about where we place it. And who knows, maybe we can
get that dummy you made up and running. Let’s not count it out yet.
Worst case scenario we have one cracker column. Best case? Sky’s
the limit. We get one copy working, we can make a dozen. Hey, you
did it with the wing joints.”

I took a deep breath. Why was the
pressure always on me?

The purple sun had dipped below the
horizon and the stars that might not be stars were showing
themselves.

“
Come on,” said Olivier.
“Let’s go see the Council.”

Chapter 51:
Decision

The council chamber was crowded with
onlookers from each faction of the resistance occupying New Axum.
Even the Old Ones were well-represented. I had not seen so many
active at one time since my attack on Frelsi. I looked around for
Mr. O, but couldn’t spot him. Maybe some remained in the long
sleep.

As usual, the big shots on the Council
sat in the center of the room on stone benches surrounding a
circular stone table. Each had a pair of round things the size of
poker chips in front of them, one green and one red. I watched
Yaqob snatch his up and clack them together in one hand.

I whispered to Olivier as we pushed
out way closer to the table. “What are those colored
things?”

“
Ah, they’re for
voting.”

“
Where do we get
ours?”

Olivier narrowed his eyes at me. “We
don’t vote. Only the Council reps vote.”

After all the meetings we had
attended, I hadn’t realized we weren’t members of the War
Council.

“
So what are we doing here?
Moral support?”

“
They value our opinion.
Some of them, anyhow.”

I was startled to see Victoria seated
next to Zhang. The flesh weavers had pretty much restored her human
shape, though her body still seemed a bit stiff and lumpy in the
wrong places, her hair all wiry and askew.

She seemed dazed until I entered her
line of vision. Something snapped and her eyes latched onto mine
and stared right through to the bottom of my soul. It made my skin
prickle. A shiver rippled down my spine. I had to look
away.

I spotted John lurking in the back of
the room and peeled away from Olivier to go see him. He seemed
nervous as I approached, almost as if he were afraid of
me.

“
What’s wrong?”

“
I’m technically a
refugee,” he whispered. “Refugees ain’t supposed to be
here.”

“
Don’t worry about it. I’m
a refugee too. Technically. Did you manage get those wings up to
Lille?”

“
Yeah.”

“
So what did she
say?”

“
She said thank
you.”

“
So is she gonna use
them?”

“
She said she would think
about it. Bern said he’s take them for a spin so he can show her
the ropes.”

“
God. I hope he doesn’t
crash.”

“
James!” called Yaqob,
gruffly. “Come here.”

I pushed back through the
throng.

“
You stay with us,” said
Yaqob. “Stay close.”

Olivier was chatting with Urszula.
Though he had come from the Deeps, I didn’t usually think of him as
a Duster, but he looked right at home among these guys. Conversely,
Urszula would always be a Duster in my eyes, even though she no
longer shared their chalky, grey complexions.

Through my peripheral vision I could
sense Victoria still staring at me. I tried my best to ignore
her.

The Old Ones’ leadership had rotated
once again. Two Old Ones, a man and a woman this time, sat together
across from Yaqob. Each had red and green chips in front of them. I
had to wonder how these people kept track of who was in charge at
any given moment.

Yaqob was flanked on either side by
Hailay, his top lieutenant and Reznak—a grizzled Duster with scars
to rival Yaqob’s. Across the table Zhang sat with Victoria and a
studious-looking Frelsian who sat quietly with his hands folded on
his lap. I noticed that he had a pair of chips in front of him but
Victoria did not.

A young Duster clad in scaly armor
sidled over to Yaqob and engaged him in an intense discussion. He
spoke the guttural tongue of the Deeps.

“
Who’s that guy?” I
whispered.

“
That’s Ubaldo,” said
Olivier. “One of the new crew. He came over with us from
Deeps.”

“
Oh yeah. He looks sort of
familiar.”

“
Good fighter. He might
come on the raid with us if we go. But let’s not put the cart
before the horse. The Council first has to agree to send us.
Apparently, Zhang’s trying to monkey wrench the whole
idea.”

Yaqob cleared his throat and glared
across the table at Zhang.

“
Why you bring
her?”

“
Miss Victoria?” said
Zhang. “No worries, Yaqob. She will not be voting.”

“
We would prefer she not be
privy to our deliberations,” said Reznak.

“
Oh no, it’s fine,” said
Zhang. “My people have been working with her. They’ve reversed most
of the modifications. She’s almost all the way back to the way she
was. I do so value her judgment. As much as you all value James.”
Zhang smiled and winked at me.

“
She should not be here,”
said Yaqob. “What if she still communicates with the Lords of
Penult?”

“
Oh! No worries,” said
Zhang. “The Erelim do not speak to her. But since she has witnessed
the other side, she may have perspectives, insights worth sharing.
She deserves her place at the table.”

Through all this discussion, Victoria
made no attempt to defend her presence. She kept staring straight
ahead, her expression as blank and inscrutable as the Old
Ones.

“
We should have tossed her
to the Reapers,” said Ubaldo.

Zhang’s mouth dropped. “I beg your
pardon?” He turned to Yaqob for support, but the old Duster would
not even look at him.

“
Honestly, when you think
of all she has done for Frelsi … for … our cause. You are talking
about one of the original founders of our colony.”

“
Perhaps she can stay for
now,” said Reznak. “But if any sensitive discussions arise …
operational details and such … she should leave.”

“
One might say this whole
discussion here is pretty sensitive,” said Olivier.

“
I assure you she has no
means of communicating with the Erelim,” said Zhang. “If she did I
would have had no need to send envoys.”

Yaqob sighed long and deep. “You send
envoys? To the Lords?””

”
Well, yes but just as an
overture. To assess their appetite for negotiation. It is useful to
have options, is it not?”

“
And what do your envoys
tell you?”

“
Well, only one has
returned so far, but the Lords seem willing to listen. What we
ultimately offer them is certainly open for discussion, but I
propose that we offer to leave New Axum. There are indications that
those willing to return to the underworld would be allowed safe
passage.”

“
That’s nothing new,” said
Reznak. “What of those who wish to remain on the
surface?”

“
We’re still working that
out. But I am hoping they will allow some of us to
stay.”

“
How so?” said Reznak.
“When their goal all along has been the total eradication of all
surface dwellers?”

“
They are taking huge
losses,” said Zhang. “Their invasion has entailed an enormous
investment of resources on their part and yet here we remain,
thanks to the valor of our citizens. And so, they may be open to
compromises.”

“
This makes no sense,” said
Yaqob. “Where would they allow us to stay? Why don’t they just
leave us be here … in New Axum?”

“
Well,” said Zhang.
“Victoria has indicated that some of us … the Freesouls among us at
least … might actually be welcome in Penult.”

“
What foolishness!” said
Reznak. “They would never have us there. They consider it
Heaven.”

“
Actually, they might. Not
you perhaps, but some of us. Victoria tells me they recognize that
the natural vetting of the Liminality has not always been perfect.
They have suggested to Victoria that some among us … many perhaps …
might be offered entry into Penult … as was offered to her at one
point.”

The crowd in the chamber burst out in
spontaneous outburst of discussion and expression. I sensed
excitement, derision, disbelief and relief.

“
Silence!” said
Yaqob.

“
So where would we be
welcome?” said Hailay. “Those of us who come from the Deeps, who
among us would be allowed into Penult?”

“
Well, Penult would be out
of the question for some. But of course you would be more than
welcome to return to the underworld.”

“
To Root?”

“
And maybe, perhaps, we
arrange for the allowance of some small enclave on the surface.
Remember, we are still in the midst of negotiating.”

“
Fuck them,” said Hailay.
“I say we stay and fight.”

Murmurs of approval erupted amongst
the onlookers.

“
As I have told you all, I
am not entirely against the action you propose against Penult,”
said Zhang. “If it could be guaranteed that we could make a
significant impact, a successful raid would grant us leverage. If
we fail, though, it would be disastrous. We would lose all
credibility, all chance of mercy.”

“
We won’t fail,” said
Olivier. “I guarantee we’ll hit them hard.”

“
I wish I could be as
confident,” said Zhang. “But as I see it, we have no choice but to
work a deal. The resources of the Erelim are inexhaustable. We have
done very well to persist here as long as we have against them.
They have underestimated everything about us. Our wits. Our
strength. Our resolve. But we cannot hold out indefinitely. Almost
half of our forces are Hemisouls. How do we sustain a defense with
warriors who disappear and reappear at random? Our Freesouls do not
suffice to provide our forces the stability they
require.”

“
All the more reason to hit
them,” said Olivier. “Hit them so hard they beg for a
truce.”

Zhang snickered. “Beg? The Erelim do
not beg.”

“
Not yet,” said Olivier.
“But only because they’ve never been punched in the face hard
enough. These guys need a taste of their own medicine. I say we
take them down with their own weapons of mass
destruction.”

The crowd again grew
excited.

“
Oh?” said Zhang. “And how
many columns do we have now? Has wonder boy here managed another
breakthrough?”

Olivier elbowed me and I
nodded.

“
Even if we have ten
columns, a hundred, I am still not convinced this is the right
course to take,” said Zhang. “Miss Victoria has indicated to me
that such an approach may not achieve the effect you seek. It may
only serve to inflame our … partners.”

“
Partners?” said Reznak.
“Do you not mean enemies?”

“
Partners … in negotiation.
If we are going to speak with them in good faith, we need to treat
each other like the fellow humans we all are.”

Olivier cleared his throat and raised
his voice. “I propose we let you go ahead and talk to them through
your envoys. But in the meantime we show them what we can do. Only
then we come to terms.”

“
We have no time for such
follies,” said Zhang. “Their forces are literally at our doorstep.
How long can we hold out? What use is a raid if New Axum falls
before you even reach Penult’s shores?”

“
According to the scouts,
we only need two days max if we go by bug,” said Olivier. “One day
to reach the shore. Half a day to cross the straits. And then just
a couple hours maybe to reconnoiter and deploy the crackers. Who
here doesn’t think our defenses can hold on for just another couple
days?”

“
At the rate things are
going,” said Wilson. “I doubt we last a day.”

“
How can you say that?”
said Olivier. “Have you even seen your people fight? The defenders
on the lower rim fended off seven attacks before they were forced
to pull back. Your people … Frelsians … Dusters … fighting shoulder
to shoulder. And we still have the Old Ones in reserve.”

“
Vote!” said Reznak. “I
call a vote.”

“
Second!” said Yaqob. “But
first we remove the traitor.”

Zhang looked hurt. “It does no harm if
Victoria stays. She will know the outcome anyway.”

“
Remove her!” Yaqob
bellowed. “Now!”

Zhang sighed and had his aides come
over to help Victoria to her feet and lead her out of the chamber.
Her face remained blank. In her current state, she seemed to pose
no more threat than a radish, but who knew what calculations were
cranking behind those vacant eyes?