Schism of Blood and Stone (The Starfield Theory Book 1) (27 page)

The crowds increased in their ferocity, throwing stones and other objects at the cars. A bottle of something smashed against the window splashing it like a deluge. They surged suddenly, surrounding the car in front. Richard bit his lip, then his eyes widened with fear as the car tipped violently then landed on its right side with a massive crash of broken glass and crumpled metal. People scattered away for a moment then converged on the crippled vehicle. The limo came to a halt and the driver seemed to be preparing to go around it.

“No, you fool! Stop the car!” Richard demanded.

Richard threw open the limo's door and, to Damien's horror, stepped into the crowd.

“What are you doing?!” Damien shouted after him.

The only thing more dangerous than moving a motorcade through an angry crowd of peasants was actually stepping out into one. Damien lunged after him, attempting to pull him back in the car, but Richard was already out and into the crowd moving ahead. Damien watched as the crowd mobbed him, tried to pull him down, obviously recognizing who he was. But Richard reached into his uniform and pulled out a pistol.

Damien cringed, waiting for the spurts of blood that would surely come as he fired into his assailants. But instead, Richard held it over his head and fired three quick rounds. Those immediately around him backed off, watching him intently. Richard walked quickly to the overturned vehicle. Some protestors had swarmed the car and were scuffling with the sergeant driver, trying to tear away his weapons. Cassandra Teton-Sten had climbed out first and reached in for her brother, occasionally needing to fend off the violent protestors by swinging at them with a stiletto. She may have been their political child, but she was certainly trained in self defense. She lashed out with her heeled shoes, landing one blow on the head of a protestor who reeled back screaming. The protestors quickly learned they couldn't overpower her and instead turned their attention to the poor sergeant.

The sergeant struggled, managing to kick one protestor in the head, sending him off the car, then punched another, sending him to the pavement. The other two protestors trying to rip free his service pistol backed off when the sergeant racked his rifle and aimed it at one of them.

This is going to be a disaster if he opens fire,
Damien realized. He shook his head, cursing his stupidity, and stepped into the crowd. As he emerged, the crowds quieted. Carefully, Damien ignored the protestors, stepping around them rather than through them, and made his way to the car.

“Stay your weapon, Sergeant,” he whispered to the terrified driver. He put the gun back on the safety and shouldered it, too terrified to disobey.

Damien assisted in pulling out Magnus Teton-Sten from the top window. He had several small cuts, but otherwise appeared unharmed. He held his synthetic arm out like a weapon. Despite its ordinary skin tone, its raw power could likely crush a human skull and also serve as a shield. Magnus was cursing quietly and glared daggers at the crowd and those who'd been responsible for the situation, keeping his real hand firmly wrapped around the hilt of his blade.

Soldiers had piled out of the leading cars and were just now making their way to the scene. Damien waved them off as Richard led his children back to the limo. Despite the action, Damien realized the crowd's attention was firmly on him.
I ought to say something to diffuse this mess. Peter – and probably Salena if she were able – would use force. Let's try a different approach.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please. This is a trying time for us all. We shall do our best to remedy the situation, but you must give us time to work. Running around in the streets attacking the nobles and destroying storefronts and public works only hurts our cause. Please return to your homes and offer your prayers for our warriors who stand in harm's way and for our administrators who are trying to save the Commonwealth herself.”

Damien turned his back on them and walked back to the limo's open door.
That was probably the weakest public speech I've ever given
, Damien thought as he took his seat. Nobody cheered.

Cassandra was still busy sending angry looks at the crowd while Magnus was nursing his wounds with ice wrapped in a bag, cursing the protestors. Richard was busy on the radio trying to get the convoy moving again, apparently willing to sacrifice the damaged vehicle. Slowly the cars began to move again and the limo driver eased around the downed car, the crowds slowly making room to allow for the maneuver.

What was it I said? 'Our' cause? Whose cause is that?
Damien wondered. They drove on in silence.

Archduchess Salena Teton-Sten

Duchess of Danvers, Archduchess of the Magdeborg Commonwealth

Sten Palace, Magdeborg, Magdeborg Commonwealth

______________

Salena Teton-Sten rubbed at her temples, easing away a headache that threatened to blow into a full blown migraine. There were the endless meetings, whiny Conclave House Lords, military concerns, foreign dignitaries and worst of all an Azuren Legate demanding a meeting. Each matter was concerning enough she wished she had clones to attend to them all.
How did Peter ever balance all this?

She was trying to relax in the same quarters of the Commonwealth palace she had when she was a girl after a long day of seeing dignitaries and diplomats. She'd dumped much of the workload on subordinates, but nobles were prideful and being handled by a non-noble staffer simply did not satisfy their need for attention. They continued to bombard her office with demands for meetings and constantly jockeyed with one another and her overworked scheduling staff to increase their position in line. So far they were all looking out for themselves, some even presented marriage proposals for either Magnus or Cassandra to solidify their standing amongst the Teton-Stens and the new order of power.

The Conclave Houses were infuriating, Salena had decided. Damien's arrival had stirred them up a bit as she'd intended. His entire visit would be controlled and monitored, he would say and do nothing that wasn't preplanned. The other houses would watch him carefully, but they weren't familiar with him. He'd spent his entire career away from Magdeborg and he had no contacts amongst the houses. He would find few allies there.

On top of their usual antics was the increasing problem with the Sørensen resistance. There had been assassinations of low level officials, a few bombings of military checkpoints and vehicle and even a shooting in a police station. One of them even seemed intended to draw out Magnus or another Teton-Sten for a chance at assassination.

Let's not think about that,
she thought.
I can't have my son picked off by murderers. I don't even want him leaving the palace again.

Some of the attacks were simply civilians who were looking to create problems, but most of the attacks showed a sort of coordination that went beyond violent thugs. The Sørensens were not out of the picture, yet. Her security had stepped up their efforts as well, conducting searches and arrests across the city and making occasional forays into the countryside when they had actionable intelligence. The countryside was still dangerous though and firmly in the hands of the Sørensens.

Salena picked up a brush and began to run it through her hair. She did not like what she saw reflected in the mirrors. She looked far older than her fifty-eight years, as if she'd aged four decades in the last week. Her hair was graying faster than she'd feared. Damien's carefully groomed silver mane made him look regal, experienced and dangerous. Salena looked haggard, weighed down and stressed. The lines on her face looked like trenches, dragging her face down and ruining the beauty she had worked so hard to cultivate. She hadn't slept more than a few hours a night in weeks.

She cringed again when she remembered the Azuren Legate had requested a meeting to discuss “stability issues.” And by requested he had meant demanded. The Commonwealth rested just over the border of Unclaimed space, a collection of independent worlds that acted as a buffer between the Azuren homeworlds called the Tri-Sphere and human space. They treated potential conflicts around the Human Core very seriously. Instability along the borders often led to increases in piracy and weapons smuggling and an increase in general discontent. She doubted they cared who was in charge just as long as they were able to limit the amount of conflict. That was always the Azuren goal, order and stability no matter the cost.

The conflict with the Dominion was considered only moderate-level and proceeded at the pace the Azuren dictated. They controlled the stargates which meant they controlled access to territory. The Dominion would invade Goteborg, not when the Dominion was ready, but when the Azuren were ready. When Peter died, the Azuren forced a ceasefire on the Dominion, ordering them to halt their attacks until the Commonwealth had a chance to recover. She knew the meeting with the Legate would determine the fate of the ceasefire. Salena knew that as long as the monarchy was stable, the war would continue. Wars in the Human Core were not to the death as they were in the Fringe, but rather matters of pride and honor amongst sovereigns to be settled in a civilized fashion. Fighting would continue until the aggressor felt honor had been satisfied. In this case, war had continued off and on for over a century.

With Damien on Magdeborg, a huge swath of territory was without his leadership. Though the regional dukes could keep order there, they did not stand united against the Dominion. Even though Damien was dangerous to her regime, he was the ranking Commonwealth general. Perhaps it would be better to keep Damien on Magdeborg, away from his army and his power. Defense of the border would fall to the local house lords and probably Sir Aaron Mercer-Sten, Damien's protege. She had never met the young man and had no idea if he was even capable of protecting anything let alone an entire border.
House Mercer holds a good bit of territory over there, but they've already lost a world and half their noble family to the Dominion. Would he be able to hold them off when the ceasefire ends?

She felt hands on her shoulders and tensed suddenly, her heart jumping.

“Easy, there. You looked lost,” Richard Teton said quietly.

She relaxed just slightly, recognizing the gentle touch of her husband.

Filipov had made her paranoid about possible retaliatory assassination either by the Sørensens, Damien or some other faction. She had no doubt that Peter's death was planned, whether Dietrich had admitted it or not. Many dukes and duchesses met their untimely demise simply by being on the wrong end of someone's political agenda. In today's climate, there was probably a line of would-be assassins simply waiting for her to falter. Top on that list: Lord General Damien Sten.

Am I really that jumpy? Peter wasn't safe in the palace and neither am I. Would Damien actually try something like that here and now?

“I know. It's just been a long day,” she replied.

Richard didn't respond, but she assumed he was nodding in agreement. While thankful for the attention, she couldn't help but be frustrated at him. She had not told him to greet Damien, in fact, she wanted the two to never exchange words. Richard was too unassuming. He'd grown up a Teton in the Danvers palace were things were much more calm. Sten politics on Magdeborg was a free for all. Richard liked to talk and Damien liked to listen. Had they been anything but Commonwealth royalty the brothers-in-law might have been good friends, a natural pair. But on Magdeborg, everyone had a political agenda and here, those agendas could destroy worlds, kill billions and dramatically change the balance of power. How much had Richard let slip?

On top of that, there was the attack on the convoy by
protestors,
though they were really nothing more than violent anarchists trying to undermine the regime. Magnus and Cassandra had been in danger. She felt her stomach bottom out again like it had when she fist heard of the attack. Magnus didn't have his destrier's thick armor to protect him this time. He'd been roughed up, but, thankfully, avoided serious injury.

“Did you have a nice ride with Damien?” She asked innocently enough.

“He's quiet like Peter. But he seemed casual, almost friendly if you can believe that. He promised me he would do whatever he could to, uh, how did he put it? 'Do what was best for the Commonwealth' or somesuch.”

Salena almost cringed. “Damien phrases things very precisely and says what he means. What is best for the Commonwealth might not be what is best for us.”

Richard stopped rubbing her shoulders and chuckled. “We are the Commonwealth, Sal. What you did was the right thing to do. When the Sørensens took power, you had to act. Damien was on the border, unaware of the coup here. You protected the sovereignty of House Sten and the people have accepted you as Archduchess just as you said they would except for a few extremists.”

Salena turned the chair toward her husband as he seated himself on the corner of the bed. “Like the ones you ran into. They will look to Damien for leadership. They assume he opposes me.”

“Does he?” Richard asked bluntly.

Salena half smiled at him. He was so up front, so honest. “Why shouldn't he? Everyone knows he wants the throne as much as I.”

“Have you asked him?”

“No. He's been here for a day or so, but I haven't spoken to him.”

“Maybe you should stop avoiding your brother and talk to him,” Richard offered. “Stop sending others to do it for you.”

Salena felt herself blush. “So you're on to me, too?”

“It's the right thing to do,” he said.

Salena could hear their voices as children, arguing as they did about one stupid thing or another. She and Peter had gotten along reasonably well, but Damien, the eldest, was the problem. He was the leader of the children, the most senior, therefore his word was always the rule. Salena cared little for Damien's insistence on his own superiority and challenged him frequently, even when Peter advised against it. It was always their little boys club, Peter and Damien. She was not included and after a while, she took a certain pride from it. She discovered that finding new ways to annoy them amused her greatly. She even managed to pin the blame on Damien for a smashed vase that had clearly been the fault of some servant. Maybe it was being in her old chambers again, but she felt the pleasure return in such deviousness.

“Not yet,” she said suddenly. “Let him feel relaxed, comfortable. I want him watched closely, day and night. Filipov is already keeping an eye on him, but it might not be enough. I want to know who he talks to, what he does, where he goes. He will not waste his time on Magdeborg.”

“You think he is fueling the insurgency?” Richard asked, taking her hand. Gently he started to rub her fingers and her palms.

“There has been an increase in the number of insurgent attacks since Damien arrived, probably led by the remnants of House Sørensen. Did you hear about that POW convoy out on the plains? Twenty men-at-arms dead, one knight severely wounded and they made off with high ranking Sørensen officials.”

“So we boost security in the patrols, mounted knights and more armor. Why not send Magnus?” He suggested. “He's still furious after the attack on the convoy with Damien. It'll give him something to do besides grumble.”

Salena nodded. “He'll be glad to have something to sink his teeth into. It shouldn't take him long to break the spine of the resistance. I'm sure Erik Sørensen will be able to supply us with the depots and caches hidden around the planet.” Salena grunted loudly. “But there is still Conrad to worry about. He's ignored all our attempts at contact. If I order him to report to the palace and he refuses we'll look weak. The people will expect a military response and I'd prefer not to have to chase him all the way into his mountain fief.”

Richard scoffed. “Your uncle is just being stubborn. Peter was the favorite nephew, we knew that. He needs time to grieve. When your father went missing, he did the same thing. Peter, even as Archduke, was without the Guard for a month. He will come around.”

Salena sighed and shook her head.

Richard cocked a smile. “What?”

“You're always so damn optimistic. What is it with you Tetons? You and Magnus stroll around here like Commonwealth princes and Cassandra can't stop herself from personally inspecting every curtain in the palace. Forget the Commonwealth, I have to spend the whole day herding you lot about. Isarla is the only one of us with any sense at all.”

“You watch out for that one,” Richard said pointing at the ceiling. “She'll be claiming she's an Amrahn acolyte before long.”

“Her acceptance into their ranks will make an ally of the Azuren. Make sure that she keeps to her responsibilities. The last thing I need are more Azuren Legates snooping around looking for trouble. We need an alliance with them and we them to turn a blind eye to what we have to do to keep power,” Salena said crossing her arms.

“What about that one who was coming here?” Richard probed.

“His name is Alos, the longtime Supreme Legate to Magdeborg, wants to discuss the stability of the Commonwealth. He's worried about the insurgency which might spill over into Unclaimed Space and then into the Azuren Tri-Sphere.”

“The only insurgency is the Sørensens on Magdeborg. Magnus nearly wiped them out in the invasion and they don't have the ability to cause us any real harm. Besides, there is far worse fighting on the border. The Azuren need to hold the Dominion to their treaty. And need I point out Dashamar in their own space? That place has been under genocide watches for decades,” Richard protested.

Salena held up a hand. “I know. Save it for the Legate. I want Magnus to end the insurgency quickly so he won't find a need to stay cooped up in the palace. I don't know how much longer the Azuren will hold the treaty with the Dominion. If they determine everything is stable on the capital, they might allow the invasion to continue. Goteborg's defenses are in the hands of the Mercer child who, as far as I know, is not up to the job.”

“Perhaps we ought to send Magnus to Goteborg to replace him and keep Damien here if you're so worried about him,” Richard offered.

Salena felt her pulse quicken.
Not my child.
“No. Magnus has no experience with that kind of warfare yet,” she said quickly. It wasn't remotely true, she realized. She needed her son safe, not dying on the battlefield. Why risk Magnus' life when Damien and Aaron Mercer-Sten were willing to do it for her. “Taking the Sørensens by surprise was one thing, taking on Dominion armies is quite another. I'd rather him stay close to home to finish off the insurgency. Besides there is another problem-”