That was the truth.
“So Markan is worried,” Abram said.
Vilhjalmsson glanced at Ean as he considered his answer. “You know as well as we do the ramifications of Redmond’s choosing to go it alone. They’re only ten worlds, but they have all the line technology for the foreseeable future. And if they’re actively recruiting worlds—as appears the case with this business of the Worlds of the Lesser Gods—it won’t take long for them to become a formidable foe. Especially not if they manage to steal a line ship, which I presume was their plan.”
“I think you were worried about more than that,” Abram said. “You knew Redmond was building ships based on alien technology.”
A tiny spurt of surprise from Vilhjalmsson. Should Ean tell Abram Vilhjalmsson hadn’t known that?
There was none of the blue flash of instant decisions as Abram spoke. He must have thought hard about what he would say to the Gate Union man. Calculated dropping of important information that Vilhjalmsson had to take back to Markan was probably part of the plan.
“You also knew they were building weapons based on alien technology. The destruction of the Kari Wang proved just how far they were prepared to go.”
Vilhjalmsson raised a brow, but that was all the reaction that showed. Underneath, the lines amplified the quickening of his pulse. “Is there a point to this?”
“We want a truce.”
Vilhjalmsson tried to laugh, didn’t fool anyone.
“A temporary truce,” Abram said. “Three months. Time enough for Gate Union to work out what they’re going to do. Time enough for them to decide what to do about Redmond. We both know Gate Union is as vulnerable as the New Alliance is if they can’t get access to new lines.”
Orsaya and Katida were silent. Ean glanced their way. Neither showed any emotion.
“As part of that truce, Gate Union lifts the ban on jumps for three months. Unrestricted jumps for all New Alliance ships. No delays.”
Vilhjalmsson laughed. “You offer three months to think about things we’re already thinking about. Why would we agree?”
“I can also offer you access to Commodore Bach. He’s been working with Redmond for months. He knows who the ringleaders are. He knows the whole plan.”
If Vilhjalmsson said he wasn’t interested, he’d be lying. Ean didn’t need the lines to tell him that. He was more worried about the hum of concern that had come from Katida’s line eight. He wanted to tell her to trust Abram but knew it wasn’t the time.
“And that’s your sweetener?”
Abram nodded. “But I’ll add another. We’ll tell you why we’re looking for failed linesmen.”
That wasn’t going to be a secret for long, anyway. Plus, they needed to know that. Otherwise, they’d take Quinn’s experiments and start destroying more single-level linesmen.
“Offer it to Markan,” Abram said. “See what he says. We have all been caught out by Redmond’s machinations. We both need time to regroup.”
“So you’re more desperate for jumps than even we realize, or there’s something I don’t know.”
“Take our offer to Markan, Vilhjalmsson. See what he says.”
“I do get out of here, then? I thought I was a prisoner.”
Abram smiled. “Organize a jump for me. I’ll take you myself, on the Lancastrian Princess. Somewhere close to Lancia because I need to take Commodore Bach home. And I need a jump back to Haladea III afterward.”
Ean hid his smile. It was clever, and it solved their initial problem. What would Vilhjalmsson say when he found he’d been used to transport Michelle to Lancia to take over as Empress?
“You’ve a nerve, Galenos. Using me to transport your prisoners for you. Not to mention handing me off in enemy territory.”
“Tell me you can’t get passage off Lancia if you need it.”
“Why should I trust you?”
Vilhjalmsson looked at Ean rather than Abram. Ean stared back and tried to look as trustworthy as he could. And as expressionless as Radko.
Vilhjalmsson considered a while. “I’m tired, I’m sore, and I need to report to Markan. I know there’s something I’m missing, but I’ll take the opportunity, anyway. I trust I will get there safely.”
“You will,” Abram said. “I’ll leave you to arrange the jumps then. We’ll give you a secure line.”
Ean nodded. He knew what he had to do.
“Lancastrian Princess,” Orsaya said, frostily, after her guards had escorted Vilhjalmsson away. “That’s quite presumptuous, given all that’s happened these last few days. And taking Bach back to Lancia sounds eerily reminiscent of a recent traitor sent back to the Worlds of the Lesser Gods. We know how well that turned out.”
Abram blew out his breath again. “Personally, I don’t care whether Bach goes or stays. Michelle must go to Lancia.”
The pause after that felt as long as a ship’s passing through the void, and to Ean it seemed he had the same void time to check the other ships.
Governor Jade had arrived on board the Lancastrian Princess. Michelle went down to the shuttle bay to meet her personally. “Annette, I appreciate your coming, especially at such short notice.”
“My own brand of support,” Governor Jade said. “You’re under immense pressure at the moment, Michelle. It’s the least I can do.”
“Thank you. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. Before I announce this to the council. But we’ll both need a drink.”
Ean watched Governor Jade’s face as they walked to Michelle’s formal office, the one she seldom used. Jade was bracing herself for bad news.
“Emperor Yu is dead,” Abram said. “He, and Lancia’s military, were working with Redmond and the Worlds of the Lesser Gods.”
Orsaya and Katida stared at him.
“Dead,” Katida said. “Are you sure, Galenos?”
“Very sure. I killed him myself.”
Another void-long silence.
On the Lancastrian Princess, Michelle was telling Governor Jade, “My father is dead. He betrayed the New Alliance, and we had to—” She couldn’t continue.
Jade moved in close and hugged her. “Oh, Michelle.”
Ean could hear Katida’s lines. He expected shock and betrayal. Instead, he heard a wild, singing hope.
“Yu planned to take the alien ships with him,” Abram said. “We had given him enough information to know that if one ship jumped, the others would follow when we didn’t have a seven singing them apart.” He glanced at Ean, and there were smile creases around the corners of his eyes, “Unfortunately for them, they underestimated the impact of line twelve.”
“So Lady Lyan is Empress now,” Katida said.
“If we can get back to Lancia to consolidate it.”
Both admirals finally smiled. The toothy smiles Ean was used to from both of them.
Orsaya’s smile was wider. “Vilhjalmsson won’t be pleased at being your pawn.”
“I think I can offer him enough. If we can negotiate a three-month armistice, we might have a chance at genuine peace between Gate Union and the New Alliance. Our biggest problem right now is the damage Michelle’s father did to Lancia’s credibility within the New Alliance. Do we have any power left to negotiate these things?”
“The old Lancia doesn’t,” Katida said. “The new Empress might.”
“We’ll notify the council,” Abram said. “We also need to inform Lancia. It’s better to do that there rather than from here.”
The buzz of Orsaya’s comms made them all jump. One of the guards stationed at Vilhjalmsson’s door.
“Captain Vilhjalmsson, Admiral.”
Orsaya put it onto speaker.