General Brindles response over the communicator interrupted his rant. Guillotine codes are confirmed, sir. As you ordered. He sounded stiff and displeased. The Confederation ships have been shut down, weapons and shields are inactive. Except for the Roamer vessels among them, all are dead in space. The mans voice wavered, distorted by static. I fail to see, however, what you intend to accomplish here. I still need their help to retrieve the escape pods from my wrecked fleet.
Basil lifted the communicator again. General Brindle, I issued an order for you to open fire on the Confederation ships. Have you destroyed the enemy fleet yet?
Peter spoke loudly enough to cut through the Chairmans words. General, this is your King. The Chairman has been deposed, and I command you not to listen to him. Queen Estarra is aboard theJupiter.
Actually, Brindle said dryly, she is in a small trader ship directly off my bow and directly in my line of fire. She and Ambassador Sarein have made quite a compelling case for me to switch my allegiance to the Confederation.
Basil clutched the communicator and shouted so loudly that flecks of spittle flew out of his mouth. Are you threatening a mutiny, General? Your entire lifetime of honorable service speaks against it. I gave you an order
Brindles response overlapped the Chairmans words in the brief transmission lag. I do not believe this attack is warranted. Circumstances have quite plainly changed.
I didnt ask your opinion, General. Destroy the Confederation ships!
The EDF commanders turmoil boiled up in his words. I cannot open fire on a sovereign leader.
Basil blinked as if he had never expected the General to defy him. Dont be ridiculous. The Confederation is not a legitimate government. They are a clear threat to the entire Hansa. Open fire!
After a hesitation longer than the time lag required, Brindle replied, I will not.
His eyes flared, and his voice was like acid. Your wife currently serves on an EDF base. I have had her watched, and now I will order her to be taken into custody. I never dreamed I would have to use strong-arm tactics to getyou to follow simple commands, General.
Conrads voice was brittle. And I never dreamed that a real leader would resort to taking innocent hostages or threatening loyal citizens. I have made a grave error in not realizing sooner that King Peter is my true commander-in-chief. I wont let you use Natalie as a pawn.
Basil turned as pale as curdled milk. He shouted, If you do not do as youre told, I will order you and your bridge crew executed as mutineers!
Only a crackle of static came from the communicator. The EDF commander had cut off the transmission.
Basil spun to Andez, whose four guards stood close together in the sealed room. They seemed deeply unsettled now that General Brindle had abandoned the Chairman. Several of them seemed ready to throw down their weapons.
Basil, somehow, didnt see it. Colonel Andez, it is time to end this. I order Peters execution. Shoot him down for usurping King Rorys throne.
He can have the throne! the boy cried.
You shut your mouth!
Foreseeing a threat to Peter, OX immediately placed himself in front of the throne, using his hard polymer-and-metal body as a barricade. I cannot allow you to harm the King. My programming prevents it. You will have to shoot through me.
Andezs hand twitched, but she did not draw her firearm from its holster. Too many of Peters guards pointed their weapons toward her; she and her handful of comrades were heavily outnumbered. But, Mr. Chairman, even the EDF
Basil grabbed her small sidearm from the holster at her hip and stalked toward the throne four steps away, as if he and Peter were the only two people in the room. All of the guards swung their firearms toward him, though Peter had given them orders not to fire.
Mr. Chairman, drop your weapon! Now!
Basil completely ignored them, as if they were inconsequential.
Stationed at the base of the dais steps, Cain did not hesitate. As the Chairman strode dismissively past him, he drew the ceremonial dagger that Captain McCammon had so proudly worn. Swinging the knife in a smooth arc, he threw his weight into the blow.
The blade slammed into Chairman Wenceslass back, piercing him below his left shoulder blade, slightly to one side of the spine. Cain drove the point between the ribs and directly into Basils heart.
The Chairman stopped as if he had walked into a wall. Cain gave the knife an extra thrust.
Everyone froze in shock. Peter pushed away from his throne and sidestepped the guardian compy.
Deputy Cain held the daggers hilt, keeping the Chairman upright for a paralyzed instant. Basils hands twitched and he released his grip on the handgun, which dropped with a clatter to the throne room floor. His knees buckled, making him too heavy for the deputy to hold him up. Cain released the hilt, and the Chairman slid to the floor. Blood started to seep through the fabric of his expensive business suit.
Basil let out a long rattling sigh and rolled slightly so that his gray eyes met Cains. One last breath gurgled from the Chairmans throat, as if he were trying mightily to utter some final expression of defiance, but he managed to find only one word before he died. Disappointed.
Cain looked coolly around the room, remembering how McCammon had bled across this very same floor. He spoke in a surprisingly loud voice.
As deputy chairman, I hereby assume control of the Hansa. He withdrew the dagger from the Chairmans back, wiped the knife clean, flipped it over, and extended it hilt-first toward King Peter. On behalf of the Confederation.
159
Tasia Tamblyn
By the time Tasia and her companions got back to Earth and learned what had happened, the whole war was over the Hansa and the Confederation, the black robots, the Ildiran Empire, the faeros, the wentals, the verdani. Everything. On their approach to Earth they intercepted numerous transmissions: Patrick Fitzpatricks exposes, Confederation reports, and newsnet stories.
Shizz, and we missed it!
Hud Steinman made a sour face. I cant complain about being left out of all that.
We did our part, Orli assured Tasia. And from the news stories, Id say it had a pretty significant effect on how things turned out.
Kotto was still floating with excitement that his Siren had worked so well. Moving from world to world, they had found and completely knocked out ten of the separated subhives. That had been enough to topple the One Breedex.