Текст книги "Coupe"
Автор книги: Michael A. Stackpole
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Текущая страница: 22 (всего у книги 26 страниц)
James shook off his disappointment and set to work. From his left-thigh pocket, he pulled a thin packet of mylar fabric. He unfolded it into an oval just slightly larger than the astech hatchway, then carefully pulled away a protective strip from around the adhesive-treated edge and pressed the canopy against the hull. He checked the seal, carefully twisting himself around to keep from rupturing the membrane that trapped him between it and the hatchway.
Confident he'd gotten a good seal, James opened an oxygen canister on his belt. The hissing sound grew as released gas filled the cocoon. When the digital readout on his bracer reported one atmosphere worth of pressure, he shut off the oxygen and turned his attention to the hatch's lock mechanism.
The Loki agent pulled a silver cylinder from his breast pocket and shoved it into the round keyhole. He pressed a button on it and watched a red light pulse as the skeleton key played out one digital combination of codes after another. Finally, a green light shone on the key and was quickly mirrored by the atmospheric pressure sensor on the lockplate. Satisfied that pressure had been equalized on both sides of the hatch, he opened it with a click.
James slipped through the hatchway quickly and shut it behind him. He doffed the jetpack and mirrored helmet he'd worn during his trip over. In the muted yellow glow of the docking arm's safety lights, he caught a reflection of his own face. His right hand rose involuntarily to touch the corner of his eye. Despite having worn this surgically altered face for a month, he was still not used to the almond eyes, black hair, and bronzed skin.
It never occurred to him that he would have preferred to die wearing his own face. As an orphan raised by and for Loki, his conception of self had been inexorably linked with the fate of the Lyran Commonwealth. He thought of himself as nothing more than a white blood cell whose mission was to do whatever was necessary to protect the health of the state. His success—and he harbored no doubts of it—would save the Commonwealth. That he would have to die to succeed meant nothing because the Commonwealth had given him everything. How could he refuse to return to it all that he was?
Stripping off his gloves and discarding them, James pushed off the hull and floated through the arm toward the second atmospheric bulkhead. Reaching it, he again used his key to open the small hatch built into the giant airlock's bulkhead. Slipping through that hatch, James closed it, then straightened up. He made sure his uniform hung right, then surveyed the interior of the ship's drive section.
Like a long, slender balloon twisted into sausage-like segments, seven helium tanks surrounded the length of the Kearny-Fuchida drive. This discovery caused James a moment of annoyance because intelligence had reported that the Samayou Hitohad not been refitted with sequenced tanks but still had one long, all-encompassing helium system. As his mission called for him to blow the helium tanks—crippling the JumpShip without destroying the irreplaceable K-F drive—this refitting made things difficult.
Operating on the principle that people do not question those who know what they are doing, he kicked off the hull and floated directly toward and under the nearest helium tank. He located the welded seam running the length of the tank and pulled a lump of gray explosive from the tool pouch on his belt. Into the center of it, he pressed a titanium shoe. Taking special care that the hollowed bottom of the shoe was filled with plastique, he molded the whole packet of explosive to the tank's steel flesh. Then he drew a small digital triggering device from his left breast pocket and pressed it into the gray lump. He set the timer for a hour and locked it so it could only be overridden by the control module built into his belt buckle.
James completed the same operation with three more tanks before they found him. A guard demanded that he come out from beneath the tank and present his identification papers. In reply, James set the timer on the lump of explosive in his hand to eight seconds, wadded it all up into a ball, and bounced it off the hull toward the guard.
The explosion sent a sharp Shockwave through the zero-gravity atmosphere, slamming James down into the hull. Through the red haze and scraps of cloth that had been the guard, James saw two more security officers right themselves and dive toward him.
James smiled and slapped his belt buckle. Explosions filled the engine chamber with fire and whirling shards of hot metal. Thick gouts of white fog flooded the atmosphere as liquid helium gushed through the gaping holes in the tanks. The Kurita astechs and guards screamed as an icy wave swept over them and immortalized the terrors of their last moments.
James, whose frozen body fragmented when the wave carried it against the hull, could not have imagined dying happier, no matter whose face he wore.
* * *
Theodore Kurita lowered his sakebowl. "You know, Frederick, my only regret in this assault of yours is that it came after the Genyoshahad left the world. I'm sure you noticed their DropShips leaving the system as you burned in. I would have loved to see Yorinaga Kurita duel with you."
Frederick smiled slightly. "It would have not been much of a fight, and you know that as well as I do. From what I understand of reports concerning the January action on Northwind, Yorinaga Kurita has only one target in mind. I doubt you could have ordered him to fight against me, just as you could not order him to avoid combat with Morgan Kell."
Thinking of Morgan Kell, Frederick knew he had to respect the man, as much as he hated him for his steadfast support of Katrina. Something inside drives him and gives him an edge I will never know. On Mallory's World, he traded his life for the lives of his people, much as I have done here. The difference is that he survived. To willingly embrace death and survive gave him a strength I would have loved to touch just once in my life.
Theodore nodded as though agreeing with Frederick's comment, but the buzzing from the visiphone unit on the sideboard cut off further conversation. Theodore raised an earpiece to the side of his head and turned the phone so Frederick could not see the picture.
Even without hearing what the caller told the Prince, the questions Theodore barked and the rage turning his face scarlet told Frederick all he needed to know. Something had gone wrong, very wrong. Whatever it is, I'm glad I was here to see it,he thought.
Theodore swept the visiphone from the sideboard, sending it crashing to the floor amid sakebowls and crystal decanters of other potables. He whirled, his eyes molten with fury, stabbing his left index finger out toward the captive Lyran noble. "You bastard! How could you sit here and listen to me prattle on about honor and agree with me when you were planning such treachery?!"
Frederick stiffened as Theodore drew his pistol. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he said, meeting Theodore's stare defiantly.
Theodore watched him for a second, then nodded. "No, you would not have resorted to such trickery. Your cousin sent Loki agents to cripple the JumpShips of my fleet. Four have blown helium tanks. Two have had their solar recharging exchanges destroyed, and the last has lost its station-keeping engine. That vessel is currently falling toward the sixth planet, though other ships should be able to stabilize its orbit." Theodore snorted with disgust. "What you fail to do honorably in combat, she accomplishes by trickery."
Frederick's stare, like the barrel of the gun in Theodore's hand, never wavered. "Get used to it, Theodore. It is the way of things. Politicians will forever betray warriors because what we observe as the conventions of war they exploit as our weakness." Frederick smiled, a sense of completion filling him as Theodore's finger tightened on the trigger.
44
Sian
Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation
19 October 3029
With his chopsticks, Justin Xiang plucked one last piece of kung pao beef from the platter and popped it into his mouth. The tidbit crunched between his molars as the thick sauce added its spice. I've stuffed myself, but this food is so good that my mouth hungers for more.
He looked over at Alexi Malenkov as the slender analyst finished off the last of the tangerine beef. Alexi closed his eyes and chewed slowly, a smile growing on his face. He swallowed, then chased the meat down with some green tea. He looked at both Justin and Candace Liao. "Thank you for inviting me to dine this evening. Not only is the food superior, but this is probably the first chance I've had to sit down for a meal in the last two months."
Candace, pleased that Alexi had enjoyed the meal, bowed her head in his direction. "Under normal circumstances, Alexi, you would not be able to get a seat here in the Szechuan Inn. With good reason, as you have discovered. It is the most popular restaurant in the capital." She looked around at the utterly empty dining room. "The necessities of security are sometimes a blessing."
Justin nodded, recalling making the reservation for their dinner. The owner only asked for an hour to clear out the customers, as if a visit by the heir to the Capellan throne was nothing out of the ordinary. When the sweeper team hit the building, the owner had his people feed all of them as well as us. If past practice remains true, he'll only bill us for what the three of us have eaten, and in return, I will tip generously.
Alexi stretched, plucking the napkin from his lap and setting it on the table. "I can understand your point of view, as it's nice to eat without having to listen to a howling child in the next booth or having somebody's cigar smoke ruin the meal. In some ways, though, I miss being able to watch people." Alexi smiled weakly. "I suppose it's because of the work I do, but I always like to imagine the secrets of the people around me."
A new voice injected itself into the conversation. Tsen Shang, flanked by two Maskirovka Security Officers, came around the corner from the kitchen and faced the open side of the horseshoe-shaped booth. Resplendent in a gold silk robe embroidered with red dragons, he folded his arms across his chest and hid his hands in the robe's voluminous sleeves. "It does not surprise me that you find secrets interesting, Citizen Malenkov."
Justin stiffened at Tsen's sinister tone. "What is it, Tsen?"
Shang's eyes narrowed to slits of shadow. "It, ShonsoXiang, is word of the task force sent to destroy Kathil. What is left of it arrived at Hexare and relayed a message through ComStar."
"What's left of it?" Justin asked uneasily. "They should have had no problem on Kathil. Your plan was flawless. What happened?"
Tsen paused for a second, as if weighing the surprise in Justin's voice. "The Death Commandos met resistance in the form of two hastily cobbled-together line units. The fighting was fierce, and the Commandos were destroyed. The Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers likewise failed in their mission to destroy the geothermal generators on Kathil, but they have redeemed themselves."
Candace's fist slammed into the table. "Enough riddles, Shang. Tell us what has happened."
Shang bowed his head in Candace's direction, but the gesture conveyed neither respect nor obedience. "As you wish, Duchess. The Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers managed to capture the enemy force's leader." Shang smiled broadly. "They are bringing us Morgan Hasek-Davion."
Justin's chopsticks clattered against his plate, and Alexi's face went ashen. Justin shook his head to clear it of shock, then smiled. "Morgan Hasek-Davion. Who would have imagined we would win such a valuable weapon to use against Hanse Davion?"
Shang unfolded his arms and inspected the long nails on the last three fingers of his right hand. Light glinted from the diamond chips encrusted there and shone dully from each nail's carbon fiber-reinforced razor edge. "Who, indeed? Certainly not the spy who communicated the information about the assault."
Even before Justin could demand information, Shang drew a folded sheet of paper from inside his robe and passed it to him. Justin unfolded it slowly, feeling the crisp bond paper stick to the fingers of his right hand. I know that watermark. This is the special stock used by ComStar Precentors.The letterhead inside confirmed the source of the missive. The message was short, but Justin read it over twice:
"Greetings, Chancellor Maximilian Liao. It is with deep regret that we at ComStar apologize for a violation of our own Interdiction against House Davion that may have caused you some inconvenience. Under false pretenses, a Davion agent managed to send a message to the Minister of Intelligence, Information, and Operations of the Federated Suns. We feel it might have compromised your operation on Kathil, and for this we are sorry. It will not happen again.
"The Peace of Blake be with you. Villius Tejh, Precentor Sian."
Justin returned the message to Shang, who accepted it, glanced at it once, then refolded it. He smiled. "I've checked the records. I know the identity of the spy in our midst."
Muscles bunched at Justin's jaws. "Do what you must, Citizen."
Shang turned to Alexi Malenkov. "I arrest you in the name of Chancellor Maximilian Liao for high treason and crimes against the state." The guards behind him drew their guns. "By order of the Chancellor, you are to be executed here and now for your crimes!"
BOOK V
COURAGE
One man with courage makes a majority.
–Andrew Jackson
45
Sian
Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation
20 October 3029
Romano Liao forcibly resisted the delicious temptation to smile triumphantly as Justin Xiang was ushered into her father's presence by two Maskirovka Security Officers. Though he held his head high and was unbound, Romano sensed a change in him. Glancing at her lover, she did allow herself the hint of a grin. Tsen senses it as well. Alexi's exposure as a spy has made Xiang vulnerable.
She studied the fierce resolution on Xiang's face as he marched down the scarlet carpet to where Maximilian Liao sat on his throne. Sitting in the massive stone seat with its circular back carved into a representation of the universe with Sian dead-center, the Chancellor dwarfed the steel-handed Maskirovka agent.
When Xiang spoke, his voice was free of fear or apprehension. "You have summoned me, Celestial Wisdom?" Xiang glanced back over his shoulder, throwing the guards a withering stare. They withdrew to the side of the carpet.
Maximilian Liao, long and gangling like an ancient spider, stirred on his high throne. His long-fingered hands gripped the throne's arms, his knuckles bulging and becoming white. "I ordered Tsen Shang to arrest and execute Alexi Malenkov immediately. You countermanded that order! This is not the first time you have usurped my right to command my subjects to do my bidding, but by the gods, it will be the last! What possessed you to defy me?"
Romano saw conflicting emotions flash over Justin's face. Do you acquiesce or do you meet your destruction head on?When she saw his chest expand and his eyes narrow, she thought, Good. A battle.
Justin answered coldly and calmly, but his tone was razor-sharp. "What possessed me last night was a desire to see the evidence against Alexi Malenkov myself. I have worked with him since joining your service two and a half years ago. I have counted on Malenkov to perform countless tasks for me, and not once has he or his work been deficient or suspect. My God! The man saved my life on Bethel. I hasten to add that Alexi Malenkov is a Mandrinn. By law, he cannot be executed without a trial. Furthermore, I am his overlord, with the right to appeal any such sentence of death to the Chancellor."
Xiang raised his metallic left hand to forestall the Chancellor's denial of that appeal. "As for times in the past when I have, as you claim, usurped your leadership prerogatives, it should be noted that my actions have paid off handsomely for us in the end. You will recall that I gave the order for McCarron's Armored Cavalry to take up a position on Sarna. There they broke the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers, handing Hanse Davion his first and only major defeat in this war."
Seeing the fire in her father's eyes waver beneath the logic of Justin's argument, Romano moved to stoke the blaze. "You forget, Citizen Xiang, that Morgan Hasek-Davion has been captured. This is Hanse Davion's greatest defeat in the war."
Justin looked at her with eyes full of scorn. "Is it really, Lady Romano?" He bowed his head toward Tsen Shang. "I do not deny that his capture is a boon to our cause, but I know first-hand how valuable people are to Hanse Davion. The same hands that pinned the Diamond Sunburst to my chest for bravery under fire were the hands that stripped my rank from me. The voice that congratulated me in the name of the Federated Suns was the same voice that exiled me from my home! As far as Hanse Davion is concerned, Morgan may now be only a failure, the fruit of traitorous seed. For all we know, Hanse offered Morgan up to be well rid of him."
"Enough!" Maximilian Liao stood tall, pointed down at Justin with his right index finger. "You will not deflect me. You have seen the evidence against Malenkov. How can you still be against his immediate execution?"
Justin shook his head slightly. "Is it not obvious? Alexi Malenkov is a valuable tool. If we can turn him against his former masters, we can use him to destroy them . . ."
Tsen Shang laughed harshly. "Just as your captured technology has been used against Hanse Davion?"
"That is not my choice, Shang," Justin said bitterly. "House Imarra's two battalions have both been refitted with the new myomer muscles. You have seen the reports .. . you know what those units can do. How is it that you, the master planner of our strategy, have not yet deployed the troops in places where they will be useful?"
Romano saw Xiang's remark hit home with Shang, and she spoke quickly to mitigate the damage. "House Imarra's 'Mech battalions remain here because I have demanded it. In the past, the Death Commandos were the unit who kept the Chancellor inviolate. Now this duty has fallen to House Imarra."
Justin turned to Maximilian Liao. "There, Highness, is much of your problem. How am I to act in your interests when your own daughter conspires to disrupt the most logical of plans? You have lauded her assassination of Pavel Ridzik, but never did she pause to consider the consequences of her action."
Romano frowned angrily. "I eliminated an enemy of the state!"
Justin nodded patronizingly. "Yes, you did. Unfortunately, that enemy of the state had just succeeded in taking a number of Marik worlds. This focused the attention of the Free Worlds League on him and his Tikonov Free Republic. But without the threat of a competent military leader on that front, House Marik is now licking its wounds and looking for easier fights. In the latest wave of Davion attack, seven of our worlds simply surrendered to the Federated Suns rather than suffer invasion from the Free Worlds League."
Justin raised his face to the Chancellor. "Face it. Janos Marik will come after us like a shark after blood if he thinks we can be chewed up. Alexi Malenkov and Morgan Hasek-Davion may be the tools we need to slow the Davion advance—perhaps even stop it cold—which will give us the time to shift our forces around to face a Marik threat."
Anger and fear flared through Romano. Memories of her first lover and the report of his death at the hands of Marik troops on Altorra brought burning bile into her throat. No. We will never allow the Free Worlds League to take any of our worlds. I will not allow it.
With that one thought, she felt an electric jolt race through her body. I will not allow it! I cannot permit my father's blind hatred of Hanse Davion to open the way for House Marik.She appraised Justin with restless green eyes. Likewise, I cannot let my animosity toward Justin Xiang color my evaluation of the wisdom of his words.She smiled. At least, not until I can afford to be rid of him.
Romano, reaching out to take Tsen Shang's arm, forestalled her father's denial of Xiang's analysis. "How do you see Morgan and Alexi being used against Hanse Davion?" she asked Justin. Confusion arced through his eyes momentarily, which brought a smile to Romano's lips. She gave Tsen's arm a squeeze to reassure him.
Xiang bowed his head to her. "Hanse Davion's Achilles' heel is public opinion. The Prince has been forced to rationalize an excuse for launching his unprovoked assault upon us. Using rumor and innuendo, he has claimed that he struck to forestall an attack that he knew was coming from us. He has claimed to be liberating our people, and in that way, has gained a moral high ground for his war."
Justin pressed the Fingertips of his hands together as he continued to speak. "We have had reports of unrest because of Com-Star's Interdiction. Our agents have successfully spread rumors of disasters on the front that Davion has had a hard time countering. The destruction of the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers did much to raise the level of discontent. The people were willing to accept his explanation of a pre-emptive strike while they were winning, but a stalemate or loss means warriors are dying for naught.
"I propose we do two things. The first is to put Alexi Malenkov on trial for espionage. We can point out how he worked in conjunction with Michael Hasek-Davion in planning the whole of Hanse Davion's treacherous war. We will have Alexi confirm that Hanse Davion sent Michael here, sacrificing him on Sian to eliminate a potential rival for power back home. In addition, we will welcome Morgan Hasek-Davion and treat him royally. Once the people of the Capellan March see how well we treat their nominal leader, they will begin to question the worth of Hanse Davion's war. We can get the Capellan March to withdraw support. If we can turn Morgan, we might even be able to incite a civil war within the Federated Suns."
Romano nodded slowly. "I see the merit in this plan, as I am sure you do, Father," she said, smiling up at him. "I believe it is worthy of consideration. We have Malenkov. We might as well get some use from him before we have him shot."
Maximilian hesitated, then slowly and thoughtfully sank back into his throne. His eyes focused distantly and his lower lip trembled. In an instant, he went from being the leader of a star-spanning realm disciplining an insubordinate vassal, to a man questioning his own judgment. He glanced down at Romano, uncertainty in his eyes, then nodded.
The sight of her father's transformation created a spark of regret in Romano, but her ambition smothered it before it could even begin to approximate sympathy. Xiang's plan could well divide the Federated Suns against itself. It is curious that the same freedoms that make our enemy strong are the freedoms that make it open to such a covert assault.She smiled at Justin. Likewise, only such an open society could breed an agent with the skill to recognize and exploit such a weakness.
Romano licked her full lips. "Very well, let us prepare a welcome for Morgan Hasek-Davion and a trial for Alexi Malenkov. We will take the moral high ground away from Hanse Davion, then leave him to drown in his own plots and deceptions."
