The Lost Stars 01-Tarnished Knight (19 page)

One of those jump points led to a star named Pele. That was the jump point the Alliance fleet had used not too long ago on its way to learn more about the alien enigma race. Except for occasional futile attempts to gain information about the enigmas, no Syndicate Worlds’ ships had made that jump for more than half a century. When the enigmas had attacked the Midway Star System, they had appeared at that jump point.

As she looked at the representation on her display of the jump point for Pele, Iceni remembered what Togo had told her concerning Colonel Morgan. Which star system had it been, she wondered, where Morgan had almost died? It struck Iceni then that Morgan’s life had been shadowed by terrible events, yet at the same time Morgan had repeatedly been so fortunate that luck alone didn’t seem enough to explain her survival until now, let alone her status with Drakon.

Have the living stars looked out for you, Colonel Morgan? But, then, why have they also been so cruel to you?

There were no answers to those questions—there were never any answers to questions like that—and Sub-CEO Marphissa was awaiting instructions. Iceni pretended to study her display for a moment, then waved in the general direction of two of the jump points, one of which led to Taroa and the other to Kane. “Head that way.”

The closest of those two jump points, that for Kane, was out past the orbit of the last planet in the star system, a frozen ball of gas and rock mockingly nicknamed Hotel for the abandoned research facility sitting vacant on it. That put it almost six and a half light-hours distant from where Iceni’s flotilla sat. At point one light, they could cover that distance in sixty-five hours, or almost three days. But charging toward the jump point at that velocity would attract attention. Was it riskier to attract that attention or to spend twice as long getting there at a more routine point zero five speed? Put that way, it didn’t seem wise to loiter on the way to the jump point. Every minute might count.

“All warships are at maximum fuel state?” Iceni asked. Her flotilla status readout showed that they were, but no one could trust those figures. Unit commanders routinely gun-decked the real numbers in order to look better. A good flotilla commander found ways to keep track of the actual data despite that.

“Yes. Ninety-eight to ninety-nine percent fuel status for all units,” Marphissa replied immediately.

“Then let’s see how well these units can sustain acceleration,” Iceni announced. “Bring formation velocity to point one light and hold it there.”

The small flotilla surged into motion as their main propulsion units lit off. Iceni watched them accelerate, her attention mainly for C-818. That heavy cruiser’s main propulsion units, badly damaged during the battle with Kolani, had just recently been declared fully repaired.

They weren’t.

“What’s the matter with C-818?” Iceni asked in a deceptively mild voice as the heavy cruiser lagged farther and farther behind the other warships.

Marphissa had already been checking the same thing. “C-818’s commander says the propulsion units are only putting out sixty percent of maximum. They were all supposedly tested at one hundred percent when repaired.”

At least they were still near the planet. Iceni called Togo. “Whoever certified the repairs on the main propulsion units on C-818 is either incompetent or corrupt. Find out who that individual was and make an example of that person.”

“How strong an example? Should I have them shot?”

She really hated finding out someone had failed totally in their responsibilities. “If it was a matter of corruption, yes. If it was incompetence, bust that person down to the lowest-level dirt sweeper.”

“Those speaking for the citizens have been agitating for the courts and legal system to become a functioning justice system,” Togo pointed out. “A summary execution might help them win wider support for that idea among the other citizens.”

Why did the simplest things have to be made difficult? “Fine. Incompetence is an internal disciplinary issue and not subject to the courts by Syndicate law, which we have yet to alter. If your investigation finds corruption instead, give the individual a quick trial,
then
have them shot.”

That took care of that aspect of the problem, but it didn’t help C-818. “Sub-CEO Marphissa, order C-818 to return to orbit about the planet and respond to orders from . . . General Drakon until I return.”

“General Drakon?” Spotting an already-annoyed Iceni’s reaction to the question, Marphissa quickly saluted. “I shall inform them of your orders immediately, Madam President.”

“And tell them to get those propulsion units fixed properly!”

“Yes, Madam President.”

Iceni glowered at her display, letting her bad mood settle around her like a dark halo. Without C-818, she had only three heavy cruisers left. There were also the four light cruisers and seven of the Hunter-Killers, but that made for a ridiculously small force to assault a battleship that might have substantial defenses and armaments already activated.

At least the HuKs sent to Taroa and Kahiki had returned in time to accompany her. If nothing else, they might provide targets for the battleship long enough for some of the other warships to get in damaging shots.

But the HuK she had sent to Lono hadn’t made it back yet, and it should have. What had happened at Lono? One more thing to worry about.

“Madam President?”

Iceni swiveled her head like a gun turret to focus on Sub-CEO Marphissa. “What?”

“Can I provide our units with an estimate for the duration of this activity?” Marphissa asked carefully.

“Is there any problem with supplies on any of the units?”

“No, Madam President. All units are prepared for extended operations.” Marphissa eyed her before adding one more thing. “All weapons are also at maximum.”

“Good.” In that respect, things were as good as they could be. And she had Marphissa to thank for keeping the warships in readiness. “You’ve done well. Effective immediately, you are confirmed as flotilla commander until further notice.”

“I—thank you, Madam President.”

Iceni found herself smiling thinly at Marphissa. “Don’t thank me until you learn what I’m going to expect of you in that position.”

* * *

MORGAN
strode into Drakon’s office, looking suspiciously cheerful. Before the door could close, Malin followed her. That caused Morgan’s jovial mood to dim for a moment, but then she turned a grin on Drakon. “Give the word and she’s dead.”

Drakon leaned back in his seat, taking his time replying. “President Iceni, you mean.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve got someone right next to her ready to move. We’ve even got deniability built into this. It’s sweet.”

Instead of answering her, Drakon looked at Malin.

“You need to ask yourself two questions, General,” Malin said. “First, do you trust the agent who claims to be ready to act on our behalf—”

“That agent has every reason to carry out the action!” Morgan interjected.

“—and, second but most importantly, do you want Iceni dead? What would you gain from that, and what would you lose?”

Morgan shook her head in disgust. “What would he gain? Anybody but you would already know the answer to that.”

Holding up one hand slightly to stop the arguing, Drakon shifted his gaze back to Morgan. “How certain are we of this agent?”

“I sent out feelers, the agent responded, and we did the usual dance around each other to see if our interests coincided. The agent can get right next to Iceni,” Morgan emphasized, “and if the agent was able to arrange things properly, the hit does not have to be in this star system.”

“The agent is new,” Malin said. “We don’t have much track record to go on.”

“How did you—?” Morgan glared at him. “If we wait for everything to be perfect, we’ll never move. But Iceni will. General, you know we can’t screw around indefinitely waiting for a one hundred percent chance of success.”

“That’s true,” Drakon agreed. “But the bigger question is whether I want to, and if I did want to, whether now would be the right time. I told both of you, and no one else, where Iceni is going and why. You know how important it is that the mission be successful.”

“That sub-CEO knows her job,” Morgan said. “She can do it without Iceni.”

“That is not a certainty, and Iceni has not targeted you, General,” Malin said.

“That we have determined,” Morgan snapped back at him.

“I have more confidence in you than that,” Malin told her with a cold smile. “If someone was trying to get at General Drakon, you would know.”

That compliment took Morgan aback for a moment, but she rallied quickly. “I’m not perfect. General Drakon knows better than to put total trust in
anyone
,” she added with a look that made it clear that the jab was aimed at Malin.

“Then why should he trust this agent? It’s an old ISS trick, General. Dangle an opportunity in front of someone, and when they take the bait, you have them. How do we know that President Iceni doesn’t want you to send that order? If you do, and this is a setup, you’ll be playing right into her hands.”

Morgan’s eyes blazed. “Are you implying that I’m working with Iceni?”

“I would not imply a charge like that. I’d make it outright if I had proof.”

“Only if my back was turned! General, I know my job. I know what the agent will do.”

Drakon closed his eyes, trying to sort out options.
The bottom line is, I don’t want to kill her. Not unless I’m forced to. She’s doing a good job running her half of things and hasn’t been working to undermine me in any obvious ways. Whether she’s working in less obvious ways is another question.
“No,” he finally said. “I don’t think this is the right time, the solution isn’t one I want to pursue unless it is clearly required, and I would like to have a better track record on the agent before I entrust that person with such a critical move.”

Malin tried not to look triumphant while Morgan suppressed a scowl. “But the option isn’t off the table?” she asked.

“It doesn’t hurt to have someone in that position ready to act if necessary. The capability might be very important at some point.” The identity of that individual might also prove useful if Drakon ever had to sacrifice anyone to keep Iceni convinced he was working with her. “But I’ll make the decision on whether and when it’s necessary.”

* * *

HER
stateroom on the heavy cruiser was far from spacious or luxurious. Iceni sat looking around its confines, remembering her own days as a junior executive, living in quarters much smaller and more Spartan than this.
You’ve become spoiled, Gwen.

Having ensured that the defenses and antisurveillance equipment built into her outfit were all working properly, Iceni called Sub-CEO Marphissa. “I need to see you.”

Marphissa arrived with gratifying haste. “Yes, Madam President?”

“Close the hatch and sit down.” Iceni waited, watching Marphissa intently, her equipment remotely analyzing the sub-CEO’s physiological status for signs of not just nervousness but also fear or outright deception. The tiny, portable equipment wasn’t nearly as effective as that inside an interrogation cell, but it provided helpful inputs to regular observations of someone. “Have you heard from General Drakon?”

The signs of nervousness shot up, but no clear signs of deception registered as Marphissa answered. “Not since we left orbit.”

“You heard from him before then?”

“Not from him. Just expanded instructions from whoever is in contact with me. I already had a code phrase that would order me to kill you at the first good opportunity. The expanded instructions added a second phrase, which would order me to wait to kill you until we were outside the star system.”

“I see.”

“I take it,” Marphissa said cautiously, “that means our current trip toward the jump points means we will actually jump for another star.”

Iceni made a noncommittal sound in reply. “But you haven’t received either code phrase?”

“No.”

Did Drakon want to kill her or not? Using Marphissa as a double agent had seemed a good way to establish Drakon’s intent, but perhaps he was just waiting for a better time. The addition of a code for killing Iceni outside the star system was particularly disturbing in light of one of Drakon’s arguments when she had spoken with him about this mission. At least the use of Marphissa ensured that Iceni would gain advance notice if an assassination was ordered while she was on a warship.

Assuming that Marphissa, who had been told to respond to the feelers from someone very close to Drakon, and to pretend to be ready to assassinate Iceni, had not turned a third time and decided to actually try to follow orders to kill. Eliminating Iceni would leave a very large vacancy in a position vastly more senior than the one Marphissa now had and would leave Marphissa in control of the mobile forces that could give her the power to claim that position. This was a delicate business, a tricky business, a confusing business. She would hate to have to order Marphissa killed. The woman had proven to be a very capable subordinate. Having to deal with such issues gave Iceni headaches at times. “Notify me immediately if you hear from General Drakon’s contact again.”

“Yes, Madam President.”

“What about Colonel Rogero? Any problems?” Rogero would make an excellent backup for Drakon if Iceni’s assassination was ordered and Marphissa didn’t succeed. An experienced soldier, loyal to Drakon, with a squad of special forces at his back. And Drakon had the perfect blackmail to use against Rogero as well.

“No problems,” Marphissa said. “He’s in one of the staterooms formerly used by the snakes, and he’s keeping to himself, but I’ve told my officers to monitor him and the ship’s systems keep me informed of his location. He’s been fairly stiff with me every time we’ve talked. I don’t think he likes mobile forces unit commanders.”

Iceni managed not to look amused.
The problem is that he likes one mobile forces unit commander far too much, and she’s an
enemy
mobile forces unit commander. Would you kill me, Colonel Rogero, if Drakon ordered it and threatened to tell everyone about that if you didn’t?
“Keep a very close eye on Colonel Rogero.”