But he represented Machigi. He had to representMachigi’s interests.
“May one infer, nand’ dowager, that you will persuade your grandson to view Lord Machigi’s moves as self-defense?”
Silence for a moment.
Daredone remotely suspect she was getting all the aishidi’tat’s enemies down to one vulnerable neck?
No. It wouldn’t work like that. Machigi might dominate the others, but every district would still have its lord. Kill him, and the whole structure went back to chaos.
“We have stated our position,” Ilisidi said. “What happens within the Marid will not greatly concern us, until it has issue.”
Us. Who was us? And what was she up to? He’d honestly triedto structure a peace deal. She hadn’t repudiated what he’d done—she’d just made a counterproposal.
She’d promised the Edi a lordship and a seat in the legislature. She’d declared Machigi should take over the Marid. Not a shred of reference to her grandson. Had he somehow gotten aheadof her next step? Ilisidi was finally, after half a century, making a serious bid to dictate a solution to the old issues that had dogged the aishidi’tat from its founding—things shehad backed God knew how long ago.
“ And how doyou fare, nand’ paidhi?”
Give me information, that was. He didn’t dare mistake it for sentiment.
“We are in Tanaja, comfortably housed in very fine hospitality. You will soon have a direct report of that, nand’ dowager. Lord Machigi found Barb-daja on Taisigi land, along with Veijico-nadi, and delivered both persons to my care in good health. I have just sent my bus back to Targai with them aboard, as well as the Guildsmen your grandson sent with me. I have asked the two be transported on from Targai to Najida, possibly arriving at your door late this evening.”
“ One is very glad to hear so, nand’ paidhi.”
That, at least, was warmer. “We have also had confirmed, nand’ dowager, that the aiji your son has rescinded the Filing against our host. This is welcome news in this quarter. Is there news on the other matter?”
“ The Guild Council, within this last hour, has tabled their discussion of outlawry, at our request. You may deliver that information to your host.”
Thank God. And thank Ilisidi. “I shall, aiji-ma.” Damn. He couldn’t blame that aiji-maon the pain pills. It was so automatic. He hadn’t the hard-wiring to feel it, at least not in the same way.
And since Taisigi agents were recording every word, he couldn’t mend it. The information had been relayed, in effect, and the dowager certainly knew that.
“For the rest, nandi,” he said, resuming his more objective stance, “we hope our access to phones will remain open.” He dared not report what else they knew, that his bodyguard was evidently in direct communication with Machigi’s bodyguard on issues only the respective bodyguards knew.
And there was one thing he ached to know. Toby’s welfare. But it had no place in official business.
“ Tell Lord Machigi,” Ilisidi said, “ that we shall be interested in his response to our small notions.”
“I shall tell him so, nand’ dowager.”
“ We have had word your brother is making good progress.”
Thatwas a personal kindness. A signal. She was not upset.
“One is veryglad to hear so, nand’ dowager.”
But, given the constraints of his position, he compromised himself if he expressed personal gratitude.
The dowager surely understood that. She said, coldly, “ Keep us informed, paidhi-aiji.” And hung up.
Well, it was a performance. And both sides would have heard it.
He had shamelessly complimented his host. He had indicated to the dowager and to Cenedi that they were not exactly freec that they had lost their armed escort, they were down to their own resources, but were not panickedc
And he had, he hoped, conveyed that it was not time yet to call Tabini and admit that the paidhi-aiji was being held hostage in Tanaja. Toby was getting better. He was beyond glad about that news.
And he had managed to advise the dowager that the bus shouldarrive and with whom. If it didn’t—well, shewould have no doubt they had a problem, whether or not he ever had a chance to know it.
The legislature had declined to make her aiji in her departed husband’s stead—partly because her proposals about the west coast had scared hell out of themc
So it was round two.
Or round threec she’d outlived her son and was down to her grandson.
And for one reason and another, her great-grandson had now spent more time in her hands than in Tabini’s.
Now she was kingmaking in the Marid.
Nowhe began to understand it. She’d been watching Machigi. She’d been calculating.
And she’d made her move.
Hadn’t Tabini warned him, when he’d first sent him off into Ilisidi’s domain—beware of my grandmother?
He felt just a little light-headed, and stood there a moment quietly and deliberately redistributing blood where it belonged.
He had great confidence in Ilisidi. He knew her. He understood her impatience with war and wastec and her utter contempt for special interests that had gotten their fingers into the legislative process. He knew her resources, and he had known he had to work within what she had, not what she could obtain.
So his creative lies on her behalf were not off the map. He’d stayed within possibility, and she was going to back him.
Whether or not she ultimately intended to follow through with the alliance in any way, shape, or form, or whether her aim was to create the possibility and paralyze the Marid in internal conflict—he was still alive. So were his people. There was a good chance the bus really was going to get through.
And even if all she currently intended was to create a mess in the Marid to ensure a time of tranquility on the west coast, she was an opportunist: if he presented something she wanted, she would listen.
So there was nothing for him to do now but sit down with a cup of tea and think through just what else he had to propose to Machigi. Once Machigi had heard the report of that conversation, with all the understanding another ateva could bring to the issues, he was going to have questions, objections, and points to raise.
And did Ilisidi know about the situation with the renegade Guild?
What Algini had learned from Machigi’s bodyguard was ominous, and there was no way he could have told Ilisidi what they had learned. That would have blown everything. But the Marid situation was possibly more worrisome than Ilisidi knew; possibly more than Tabini knewc
The entity that mightknow was the Guild leadership itself, who might or might not want to share that knowledge with members not under its administrative roof.
Maybe there was a reason the Guild had leaped at the chance to outlaw Machigi. And he had put himself in the middle of that situation.
Well, he had gotten it stopped.
But was the epicenter of the renegade problem here, in Tanaja, or was overthrowing Machigi the aim of renegades based elsewhere?
That left the Senji or the Dojisigi, or both, as the base of renegade operations.