"Would it have made any difference if you had?"
"Honestly? I don't know. I am not blind to my own faults, such as they are, but I said I would stay for a time and get to know the boy. And I'll make sure he has the best of everything."
"We can provide for him," said Pasteur. "I am a wealthy man, Arcturus."
"I know that, but Valerian is my son, and I will provide for him. I'll not be beholden to any man, Ailin, and I'll not be accepting charity. Even if this claim I've found is worth only a fraction of what I think it's worth, I'll never need to worry about money again. Therefore, neither will Valerian.”
"Very well," said Ailin. "That's good to hear."
Arcturus heard the simmering resentment in Pasteur's voice and said. "You can't hold me responsible for not being here. Juliana never told me of Valerian. "
"I know that, but whether she never told you or not, the simple fact remains that you weren't. You didn't see her raise Valerian on her own, you dldn't hear her cry in the night, and you missed everything a father is supposed to be part of. It's hard for me to look at you and not pity you for all you've missed."
"Don't pity me, Ailin," said Arcturus. "I'll not have your pity."
"Very well, not pity, but regret. Juliana should have had you next to her through all this, but she didn't. And it wasn't because she never told you about Valerian. It was because you shut her out to pursue your own dreams. We'll never know, but I suspect if Juliana had told you before now, you would have turned your back on her and the baby. Am I wrong?"
"Probably not," admitted Arcturus. "But I'm here now, aren't I?"
"Yes, and that's the only reason I'm maintaining a degree of civility to you. I know you, Arcturus Mengsk. You are a selfish man who I believe cares nothing for anyone else. I think you could be a very dangerous man, but you are the father of my grandson and I'm willing to give you another chance not to disappoint me."
"You're too kind."
"I'm serious," snapped Pasteur, and Arcturus was struck by the vehemence in the man's voice. "You have responsibilities now and if you fall to live up to them, I'll make sure you never see Valerian again."
"That sounds like a threat."
"It is."
"Well, at least we understand each other."
Further discussion was halted as Pasleur's servant reentered the room bearing a silver platter laden with a steaming pot of sweet tea and a plate of pastries, cheese, and cold meat. The man held the platter next to Arcturus's chair and slender metallic legs descended from the platter's base.
Pasteur thanked the man as he left the room.
"These are dangerous times, Arcturus," said Pasteur once the servant was gone. "Battle lines are changing—old wars are drawing to a close and new ones are beckoning."
"Are you talking about the Guild Wars?"
"The Guild Wars are over," said Pasteur. "The Confederacy knows it and the Kel-Morians know it, they just haven't accepted it yet. The Confederacy's too powerful, and if the last shots haven't been fired yet, rest assured they will be soon. And then the Confederacy will be looking for its next target."
"And what do you think that will be? Umoja?"
"Perhaps," said Pasteur, "but there are steps being taken to protect Umoja."
"What steps?"
"Steps I'd prefer not to talk about just yet," said Pasteur.
Arcturus wandered what Pasteur meant, but didn't press the point. If the man wanted to tell his secrets, he'd tell them in his own lime.
"Have you spoken to your family recently?" asked Pasteur.
Wondering at the abrupt change of topic, Arcturus said. "Not for a while, no, but that's one of the reasons I came. I saw the broadcast on the UNN about the declaration of martial law."
"Yes, things have become very dangerous on Korhal."
Arcturus poured some tea and helped himself to a cinnamon-topped pastry.
"So tell me what's been happening," he said. "I've watched the UNN reports of bombings, terrorist atrocities, and attacks on Confederate militia, bul I imagine they're either wildly exaggerated or half-truths. And every communication I've had from mother is so cryptic as to be unintelligible."
"She's being careful," said Pasteur, pouring himself a cup of tea. "Confederate Intelligence agents are monitoring everything that comes off Korhal, especially transmissions from someone in your family. The Skyspire and the summer villa are almost certainly under all-round surveillance."
"I know you and my father were behind most of the attacks against the Confederacy on Korhal, but are you really that dangerous to them?"
"More than you realize," said Pasteur. "Korhal is one of the most important worlds in the Confederacy, a model of what the earliest colonists hoped to build in this sector. For decades, the Old Families trumpeted Korhal as the jewel in their crown, an exemplar world that proudly displayed all they could achieve. They thought Korhal's example would be what would persuade Moria and Umoja to join the Confederacy, but they were wrong. All it did was show us the yoke of tyranny ever more strongly, and now that Korhal's in rebellion, they're terrified that if their most treasured colony could turn against them, others might be tempted to do the same."
"Do you think my family is in danger?"
"I know they are in danger," said Pasteur. "They've been in danger ever since your father's Close of Session speech at the Palatine Forum. But then you'd have known that it you had stayed long enough to hear it."
"Please, let's not go down this road again," said Arcturus. "It's old news and frankly I'm bored with your throwing it in my face. Tell me about my family."
Pasteur sat back in his chair, visibly composing himself menially. "You're right. I'm sorry, Arcturus, but I can still remember your mother's tears that day. It's not an easy thing to forgive."
"She's forgiven me."
"She's your mother," said Pasteur. "That's what mothers do."
Arcturus studied Pasteur's face as he spoke, seeing the deep lines around his eyes and the gleam on his pate, where his hair was little more substantial than thin wisps of gray smoke. The years of clandestine support for his father's rebel faction on Korhal had not been without its price.
"Achton Feld's a good man, but he doesn't have the resources of the Confederacy. He's worked wonders in protecting your family and he's been lucky as well as skilled, but your father's enemies only need to be lucky once and it's all over."
Arcturus was shocked. He had no idea things were so volatile on Korhal. The reports concerning his father had largely belittled his importance or depicted him as some kind of raving madman, which, he now realized, should have told him immediately how seriously the Confederacy viewed Angus.
"Do you think the Confederacy will try and kill him?"
"It's possible," said Pasteur. "Angus is such a valuable figurehead that they might attempt something that direct, but I think maybe his very visibility is what will protect him. If there’s anyone with a grain of sense in the Tarsonis Council they'll know that it may do more harm than good to target Angus."
Arcturus snorted in derision. "Yes, and having sense is a quality the Council's known for, after all."
"Hence why I believe things to be so dangerous. Your father and Achton Feld have amassed a popular army that numbers in the millions—tough, disciplined, and loyal men. And the momentum and support your father's built up among the civilian populace and neighboring worlds means it's only a matter of time until the Confederacy's forced off Korhal for good."