This Day All Gods Die (46 page)

Abrim Len, or Fane himself—

thought it was time for the UMC and the UMCP to stand together. The Dragon's FEA also had no terminal, and didn't need one: like Koina's, his people were all communications techs laden with gear—

dedicated relays, encryption boxes,

transceivers. Cleatus himself had a PCR jacked into one ear and a throat pickup patched beside his larynx. He may have been listening to the downlink, or to instructions from HO: Koina had no way of knowing.

She still reeled inwardly at the most recent news from Center—

the news of Warden's departure for Calm Horizons.

And the idea of sitting near Fane made her skin crawl. He was her most dangerous opponent; more her enemy than Maxim Igensard. To postpone the moment when she would have to endure his proximity, she paused inside the doors to take stock of the chamber.

Because she wanted to see a friendly face, she looked first for Captain Vertigus, the United Western Bloc Senior Member. He didn't appear to be present, however. His Junior Member, Sigurd Carsin, sat shuffling a sheaf of hardcopy between Vest Martingale, the Com-Mine Station Member, and Sen Abdullah, Senior Member for the Eastern Union. In their lesser ways, they were also Koina's opponents. Sigurd Carsin seemed to attack the UMCP for the same reasons that Sixten Vertigus distrusted Holt Fasner. Vest Martingale was responsible for Maxim Igensard's appointment as Special Counsel to investigate the Angus Thermopyle case: her constituency's reputation depended on her efforts to tarnish the UMCP's integrity. And Sen Abdullah—

lean, hawk-faced, and fanatical,

with a perpetual sneer between his dark cheeks and his sharp, silver beard—

appeared to be on a personal crusade against Warden Dios out of religious fervor or prejudice. However, rumor suggested that his hatred had more to do with money than religion: his constituency had lost staggering sums when Warden had helped "arrange" Holt Fasner's takeover of Sagittarius Exploration years ago.

Then Koina spotted Sixten. She'd missed him because he was obscured by the Special Counsel. Although Maxim sat in front of Captain Vertigus, his public posture was typically so condensed and deferential that no one would have been hidden by it. However, Sixten had slumped down in his seat until he was almost invisible. His eyes were closed, and his mouth hung open: he was clearly asleep.

Koina shrugged ruefully and continued scanning the room.

She'd only been the UMCP's PR director for a short time, but she recognized all the Members by name and reputation.

Punjat Silat, the Senior Member for the Combined Asian Islands and Peninsulas, was one of the few she believed would make decisions rationally, despite the incipient panic around him. Blaine Manse, the Member for Betelgeuse Primary, was another. Her reputation suggested that she was more interested in sex than politics. But according to Hashi's reports—

inher-

ently more accurate than Godsen's—

Blaine's countless pec-

cadilloes camouflaged a keen mind with a clear sense of purpose.

Tel Burnish, the Member from Valdor Industrial, usually held himself apart from debates about the UMC and the UMCP. However, now that his Station had been threatened by Calm Horizons he might begin to take sides.

Most of the other Members kept lower profiles, especially those with any history of resistance to the UMC. The fear which poured steadily into the chamber from the UMCPHQ

downlink caused them to rally around the only obvious, tangible locus of power: Cleatus Fane. This was patently more comfortable for the "votes" Holt Fasner "owned" outright: New Outreach, Terminus, Sagittarius Unlimited, SpaceLab Annexe, and both Members for the Pacific Rim Conglomerate. Men and women who'd occasionally voted against the Dragon, or who'd made efforts to disguise their loyalties, had a more awkward time approaching the only reassurance any of them could imagine.

The UMCP belonged to Holt Fasner. He possessed virtually all the effective muscle in human space. If he couldn't save the Members—

who were, after all, trapped on Suka Bator because Warden Dios had sealed the island after the most recent kaze attack—

no one could.

Koina Hannish had been sent here to cause even more panic. And the mood of the Council was already against her.

Many of the Members were arrayed in opposition. That tightened her own fear to a pitch she wasn't sure she could stand.

Did she really believe that she would be able to carry out Warden's orders? What if undermining him now proved to be the worst mistake she could possibly make? What then?

Then she might find herself praying for Punisher to fire down ruin on the island. Death would be easier to face than her culpability for a disaster of such magnitude.

But Warden didn't consider it a mistake.

He'd had any number of opportunities to rescind his orders—

yet he'd left them in force. Nothing has changed. Go ahead. He'd taken himself to the Amnioni, knowing what Koina would do on Earth: what she might do, if she had the courage; and might succeed at, if Hashi Lebwohl or Chief of Security Mandich supplied her with evidence in time. Then the question became, not, Would she be able to obey him? but, Could she bear to let him down?

Across the room, Abrim Len caught her eye and gestured frantically toward the seats he'd reserved for her. At the same time Forrest Ing stepped to her side and touched her arm.

"You'd better take your place, Director," he said in her ear. "From the look of things, Len'll have a coronary if he doesn't get this session started soon."

She nodded. "Security has this room covered, I hope,"

she whispered. "A kaze here now—

"

A blast in this constricted space wouldn't leave any damage for the Amnion to do.

"We're using all our own people," Forrest answered softly. "We've screened them down to their genes. And the Members have vouched personally for everyone with them. I think you're safe." He paused to frown at the FEA, then added, "Unless Fane or one of his techs is full of explosives and wants to die."

Koina nodded again. No doubt Cleatus was full of explosives—

metaphorically speaking. But she was sure he had no intention of committing suicide. The Dragon didn't attract that kind of loyalty. If Hashi was right, the recent attacks hadn't been designed to destroy the GCES. Instead they were meant to strengthen Fasner's hold on the UMCP.

With the Deputy Chief at her side, she shifted through the crowd toward her assigned seat. When her techs were settled, and Forrest had taken a place at the wall behind her, she sat down.

Cleatus gave her an iron smile as she took her place.

Ordinarily he projected the benevolence of a Father Christmas: he had a talent for it. But he'd set aside his air of expansive generosity. His eyes held a lupine glitter, and his beard bristled like wire.

"Director Hannish." He inclined his head in a small bow.

"I'm here, as you requested." As Forrest Ing had urged on her behalf. "I must say, I'm eager to learn why you considered such a message necessary. Or appropriate. Perhaps we'll be able to discuss it later.

"You played your part well in the last session." His tone repaid the threat Forrest had implied for her. "But this time we aren't 'playing.' I hope you realize that. Your Warden Dios has refused to speak to the CEO since this crisis started.

Whether you know it or not, he's left you out on a limb. If I have to, I'll cut it off.

"If I have to," he promised quietly, "I'll reduce the whole damn tree to kindling."

Koina replied with a smile of her own—

a smooth, bland,

professional expression, immaculate and meaningless.

"You're kind to warn me." She kept her voice low. "May I ask you a question?"

Fane let her see his teeth. "Of course."

"I'm curious. How old are you?"

He closed his mouth. His eyes widened slightly, as if she'd suggested an insult. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Her smile brightened. "Nothing at all. As I say, it's mere curiosity. I was wondering whether CEO Fasner has shared any of his medical longevity with you."

She meant, How long do you think he'll keep you alive?

What do you really think you're worth to him?

The FEA appeared to understand her. He met her gaze without blinking. "As it happens, Director Hannish, I'm in exceptionally good health."

"I'm so glad." Behind her professional mask, she was secretly pleased—

and relieved—

that she could still hold her

own despite her fear. "There's already too much death in the air."

She didn't think he would heed her own warning. But his scowl showed that he'd heard it.

While she'd been speaking to Cleatus, President Len had at last made his way to the dais and picked up his ceremonial mace—

what Hashi called his "cudgel." Now he began to bang it on the podium.

"Order, please." He hefted the mace as if he might need it to ward off blows. "This is an emergency session of the Governing Council for Earth and Space. Come to order, please."

The tense exchanges of the Members and their aides were stilled almost immediately. Worry throbbed across the silence.

"You all know why we're here." Len sounded weary to the point of exhaustion; reluctant; beaten. His stance behind the podium seemed oddly vulnerable. Neither his personality nor his experience fitted him to lead the Council in a time of war. "You've been listening to the downlink. But if you're as scared as I am"—

he sighed—

"you may find the whole crisis

a little confusing. Just to get us started, I'll ask UMCPPR

Director Koina Hannish to explain it. She may know something we don't."

He turned to Koina, gestured her toward the podium.

"Director Hannish?"

She stood so that she could see faces better; but she didn't leave her place; didn't waste time trying to dissociate herself from Cleatus Fane. She hadn't expected Abrim to call on her. Nevertheless she was ready—

at least for this.

"Thank you, Mr. President. For the moment I have nothing to tell you that you haven't already heard. In the interest of clarity, however, I'll summarize the situation.

"Because of the incursion of an Amnion warship into our space, Warden Dios has invoked the War Powers provisions of the UMCP charter. The alien vessel is a Behemoth-class defensive named Calm Horizons. As you've heard, she out-powers and outguns any of our ships. Only the recently commissioned battlewagon Sledgehammer comes close. More to the point, however, is the fact that she's armed with super-light proton cannon.

"That cannon is aimed at us.

"Director Dios has ordered a cordon of our ships to close around Calm Horizons. Already it's strong enough to ensure that the Amnioni dies if she fires on us. Soon it'll be strong enough to contain the damage we may suffer."

"What does that mean, Director Hannish?" Sen Abdullah interrupted rudely. He strove to convey command; but his voice had an unpleasant whine which made him sound petulant.

"In twelve hours," Koina answered firmly, "Sledgehammer will come into range. Then our cordon will have enough firepower to protect everything except Suka Bator and UMCPHQ.

"Unfortunately"—

she permitted herself a small shrug—

"unlike matter cannon, a super-light proton beam isn't hindered or weakened by atmosphere." And atmosphere was the island's only defense. "Calm Horizons can hit Suka Bator directly and often. She simply cannot be killed quickly enough to save us.

"For that reason," she finished as if she were offering her audience hope, "and because we have no way of knowing whether the Amnioni will hold fire for twelve more hours, Director Dios has gone aboard Calm Horizons alone in an attempt to negotiate for our survival."

At once questions burst at her from the clenched gathering.

"What does he think that will accomplish?"

"What does he have to negotiate with?"

"Why hasn't that ship opened fire yet?"

The Members were too alarmed to wait for Abrim to recognize them. And he seemed to lack the will to insist on order.

"Why aren't you already shooting at her?"

The last demand came from Sigurd Carsin. Koina answered it first because it led naturally to the others.

"Director Dios held fire because Calm Horizons did."

This was her job: she'd taken an oath to field questions like this. And it was easier than other things she'd sworn to do; duties she hadn't tackled yet.

"It has been obvious from the first," she explained, "that the Amnioni threatens Suka Bator. As soon as anyone starts shooting, all of us here are dead. But Calm Horizons hasn't fired. Clearly there's something she wants—

and she wants it

more than she wants to damage us.

"For all we know, she's here to defect. Or to prevent a defection." Koina suggested those unlikely possibilities in the hope that they might distract some of the dread around her.

"We have many reasons to think the Amnion fear a war.

"Director Dios has gone to Calm Horizons to find out what the Amnion do want. And, if he can, to discuss ways of satisfying them without compromising our safety in human space, or bringing down unimaginable destruction on our planet—

and ourselves."

Again Sen Abdullah disdained the courtesy of waiting for Len to call on him. "Does your Director Dios think he has the right to" make those kinds of decisions?"

Koina fixed her PR smile tightly in place. "Senior Member Abdullah, you have a terminal. If you wish, you can consult the exact wording of the War Powers provisions. Or you can trust me when I say that Director Dios is doing his sworn duty. Under conditions of war, the UMCP—

and the UMCP

alone—

is responsible for the safety of human space and the survival of humankind."

At last the President made an attempt to regain control of the proceedings. "Calm down, Sen, please," he said pleadingly. "We're all familiar with your opposition to Director Dios. I promise—

you'll get your chance to speak." For reasons Koina didn't understand, Abrim turned a quick glance in Maxim's direction. "In fact, I'll recognize you first. When I'm done.