Taking Tsen's hand, Justin shook it heartily. "Yes, Tsen, with the success of your assault, we will finally be in a position to take back what Hanse Davion has stolen from us."
Justin looked up from his desk as Alexi Malenkov came through the door. "Good, Alexi. I'm glad you could get here so quickly."
The tall blond man smiled. "I came as soon as I heard you needed me." Concern knitted his pale brows together. "What is it?"
Justin waved Alexi to a chair, then walked around and sat on the front corner of his desk. "I want to ask your advice about something, and I want you to be perfectly honest with me." The smaller man shrugged uneasily. "Seeing Tsen's plan, and knowing how near the end is for Hanse Davion, it got me to thinking about a lot of things."
Justin smiled grimly. "As you know, I have suffered gross humiliation at the hands of Hanse Davion and my father. Hanse engineered a sham trial that stripped me of my rank, my name, and my honor. My father testified against me—his own flesh and blood—in that trial, then later assigned one of his spies to seduce me and watch me on Solaris. Then Hanse Davion offered a warrior a world and a 'Mech regiment of his own if he would kill me. And then the wedding . .." Justin shook his head. "He declared war on us at his own wedding, making us the laughingstock of the Successor States!"
Alexi jumped when Justin's steel fist slammed down onto the corner of his desk and snapped a triangle of wood off. "Easy, Justin," he said. "We'll have the Fox soon enough."
Justin's dark eyes smoldered. "Not soon enough for me." He forced his expression to lighten. "But then, I don't think there ever was a time that wouldhave been soon enough, if you follow me?"
Alexi nodded. "I understand some of what you feel. With Tikonov gone, I can never go home again." Alexi smiled ruefully. "Hanse Davion has orphaned us both."
"Yes. He's caused us much pain—pain I wish to return as soon as possible." Justin reached back and plucked an unsealed envelope from his blotter. "I have created a verigraphI want to send to my father. In it, I tell him much of what I've wanted to say since he betrayed me. In very indirect terms, it will let him know that his downfall, and that of his Prince, is in the offing. I imagine they will believe I am boasting about the information we stole from Bethel, but when the raid hits Kathil, they will realize what I really meant."
Alexi winced. "That's shoving the dagger in and twisting it— which is nothing less than they deserve." His eyebrows sunk into a frown. "I think it would be a great idea to send it, but ComStar won't carry it through to your father because of the Interdiction, will they?"
Justin shrugged. "I spoke with an aide to Villius Tejh, the Precentor here on Sian, and he said it might be possible. I transferred an ungodly amount of money from my Solaris accounts to ComStar, and he said that increased my chances. But he thought the First Circuit might have to discuss it first."
Justin looked Alexi straight in the eyes. "Do you think I should indulge myself in this personal bit of revenge?"
Alexi thought for half a second, then nodded. "Go ahead. Do it. I won't tell anyone if you don't."
"Deal." Justin extended the envelope to Alexi. "Can you take it to the ComStar station for me? I've told them I was sending it along in your custody. Candace is still upset about today, and she's flown out to the Summer Palace." Justin glanced at his chronometer. "I've promised to meet her there, and I'm already late."
Alexi took the envelope. "They know I'm coming with it?"
Justin nodded. "It has all been arranged." He crossed his fingers and held up his right hand. "With any luck at all, my revenge begins now."
31
ComStar First Circuit Compound
Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra
4 August 3029
Myndo Waterly's laughter echoed lightly through the First Circuit chamber. She shook her head slowly as she stared at the small, dark-haired Precentor from Sian. "Did you honestly expect us to allow that message to pass through here without a fight, Villius? Justin Xiang's request should be refused for no other reason than he has tried to send a message to someone in an Interdicted place." She waved Villius's request away like a queen shooing a beggar. "Give him back his money, and tell him no."
Precentor Sian spitted her with a hellish stare, then shook his head in disbelief. "I would have thought you would be the last to oppose me on this subject, Precentor Dieron. You have read the text of this message, and you know that Xiang is full of himself as a result of the successful strike into the heart of the Capellan March. This message is nothing more than bragging about the effort and a hint at future problems for the Federated Suns. This should cause Hanse Davion and Quintus Allard some discomfiture—something I thought you would welcome."
Myndo looked around at the other Precentors' faces. They all wonder at this change on my part. Are they stupid, or are they just so used to opposing me that no argument I make seems logical to them?"You are correct, on a basic level, Precentor Sian. However, my desire to see Hanse Davion twist slowly in the wind does not blind me to the obvious problems with this missive. It is bound for an Interdicted nation-state."
Precentor Tharkad brushed his left hand through his blond hair. "You know as well as I that we can vote to make an exception." He glanced at the other Precentors. "In fact, as I recall, we need only a two-thirds majority to allow this message to pass. Your argument over the verigraph'slegality is invalid."
She bowed her head. "I understand our regulations, Precentor Tharkad, but I appreciate your reminder. I would like to point out that the message was given to our station chief by an Interdicted agent. Alexi Malenkov is a Davion agent. The verigraphpassed from him to us. It is tainted and, therefore, cannot be delivered."
The flesh around the Primus's eyes tightened. "Do not play these childish games, Precentor Dieron. The message came from Xiang."
"Oh?" Myndo met the Primus's hard stare openly. "And if I were to send a child to a store to purchase wine in my name, do you think the shopkeeper would oblige him? No. Of course not." She turned toward the Precentors. "We have no way of knowing if that message came from Xiang, or if it really is being sent by Alexi Malenkov to his master on New Avalon."
"This is outrageous!" Precentor Sian appealed to the Primus. "Honorable One, please remind Precentor Dieron that we are dealing with reality here, not some fantasy world. Justin Xiang created a verigraph,not a holovid, not a written message. He spoke with my aide via visiphone, and our trace verified the call. He said he was sending Alexi Malenkov down with a verigraph."
Before the Primus could grant Villius Tejh's request, Myndo spoke in a loud and clear voice. "Do not make your case on the basis of lies, Precentor Sian." Her accusation shocked the other Precentors, but she paid them no attention. "The transcript of the conversation, as you provided it, proves you incorrect. In the conversation, Xiang says, 'I've already sent Alexi Malenkov down with the verigraph.He should be there in half an hour.'"
Huthrin Vandel frowned deeply. "What earthly difference does that make? The important thing is that Xiang told our people Alexi Malenkov was carrying the message for him."
Myndo opened her hands. "That statement makes allthe difference, Precentor New Avalon. The transcript marks the time of that line in the conversation as occurring at 6:30 p.m., standard time. That means Malenkov should have arrived at our station at 7:00 or 7:15, at the latest. He arrived at 9:00 p.m. What was he doing for that hour and three-quarters?"