After reading the major's debrief, the sultan had decided it would be politic to talk with him. Now his commset announced the young major's arrival. "Major Thoglakaveera to see you, Your Reverence."
"Have him brought in."
"Yes, sir."
Though the sultan didn't know it, the major was forty years old. But as six of those years had been spent in stasis, he was effectively only thirty-four. A handsome thirty-four, and tall for a Klestronit. Like all adult male Klestronu-like almost all adult male humans in the empire-he was dark, with a beard that, shaved, gave a blue tint to a face that was otherwise mahogany. His eyes looked aggressively intelligent. His thick, bristly brows were a straight line, his nose narrow, cheeks flat. His uniform was tailored to an athletic body, and pressed to razor creases. He stopped before the sultan's desk and saluted sharply. Rather exaggeratedly, the sultan thought.
"Sit," said the sultan, gesturing, and Thoglakaveera sat. "I've looked over your debrief, and Commodore Tarimenloku's report of the, um, disastrous night on which the marine base was assaulted. I've also questioned General Saadhrambacoora. So I won't require a great deal of your time.
"How, in your opinion, did the enemy troops penetrate the headquarters base? And the recreation compound?"
"By parachute, sir, without a doubt."
"Really? I read that parachutes were used to attack the two field bases. You authored the report, did you not?"
"Yes, sir."
"You didn't mention parachutes in the assaults on the headquarters base and the recreation compound."
"Sir, we didn't find any parachutes there. We did at the field bases."
"Why didn't you find parachutes at the headquarters base and the recreation compound if they were used there?"
"Sir, the enemy troops there were evacuated by floater. They took their parachutes with them. They had to fight their way out of the field bases, and left their parachutes behind."
"Hmm." The sultan regarded the officer quietly for a minute. The explanation had not convinced him. "We are disappointed in the paucity of information about the Confederation's armed forces. You were the brigade's intelligence officer. Why weren't enemy prisoners taken? I know what the debriefs say-yours and others. But I want to hear it from you."
"Sir, the enemy cadets and soldiers did not surrender. When shot, of course, they usually died quickly; we used beam weapons to a very large degree there. And whenever possible, their live wounded would arm a grenade, then let it explode when they were approached by our men, killing some of them. Our men responded by shooting all fallen enemies not conspicuously dead. Despite orders to the contrary."
"Ah. A single prisoner of war was captured and brought here to Klestron. One prisoner; a woman. I understand you were in charge of her transfer."
The major's eyes had widened for just a moment. "Yes, sir. I didn't know she was brought here though."
"She's said to have lost her memory. During an accident while being interrogated. One might hope she could regain it. She's thought to be noble or at least gentry, and might have valuable information. Did she say anything to you that might be useful?"
"No, sir, I'm afraid not. She spoke very little, and I had orders to deliver her unquestioned for interrogation aboard the flagship. Where sophisticated instrumentation was available."
"Hmm. I'm told that no other female troops were observed among the enemy, dead or alive. Comments?"
"Well, Your Reverence, in battle they'd be difficult to distinguish, given similar uniforms. Battle kit fits loosely." He shrugged. "If there were other female soldiers though, I suspect they were very few. Otherwise, given the state of the corpses, often with uniforms shredded or half blown off, if there'd been many females, they'd have been noticed and talked about."
"Umm. I suppose they would." The sultan looked the major over openly, if the man squirmed, he hid it well.
"Tell me, Major, what would you think of an office post, here in Khaloom?"
The major looked wary. "If Your Reverence wishes."
"I will not force it on you. But if you're willing-The post is Vice Minister of Armed Forces."
Thoglakaveera didn't fully conceal a flash of joy; apparently his ambitions ran higher than military command.
"For the time being," the sultan continued, "you'll be promoted to brevet colonel. Your pay will be that of a vice minister, however."
He gazed at the officer. "And, Major, it is quite all right with me if you smile."
The major smiled, not widely. "Thank you, Your Reverence!"
"The marine commandant's office will be informed today. Report there tomorrow morning at ten to sign your promotion form and receive your colonel's insignia. You'll then have a week free of duty. On next Oneday, report to the Minister of Armed Forces to begin your orientation.
"Any questions?"
The major's pleasure leaked through his eyes. "None, Your Reverence."
"Then you are dismissed."
The major saluted, about-faced, and left the sultan's office.
Full of himself, the sultan thought. Well, I suppose most of them are, when they're young and ambitious. He chuckled dryly. Perhaps I should have asked Venkat if he wants a vice minister. But the young rooster should be some good to him, at least. And it should make his daddy happy, and easier to get along with.
Six
Tain Faronya sat in her cell, listening to music from a small grid in one wall. It was different than anything she'd heard before, calm and soothing. And she hadn't tired of it, not yet anyway, not in her six days there. She'd discovered she could dance to it, too, a very limited dance in a very limited space-eight by twelve feet, containing a narrow, shelflike bunk, a tiny table, a stool, and in one corner a screened commode and washbowl. There was no window; the light came from the walls and ceiling.
There was also a small convex object above her door that somehow she knew was a spy camera. How she knew, she couldn't have said and didn't wonder about. In fact, she didn't have a word for it; it was one of the terms she'd lost in her own language and hadn't been taught in her new. But mentally she had the concept; she was watched here, or could be.
Despite the tranquilizing music, Tain had begun to wonder what was going to happen to her, to feel a sort of low-grade anxiety. Would she continue to be kept there alone? She hardly even had memories to occupy herself with-a few weeks' worth from before stasis.
There was a sound at her door, and it opened. Two men were there. The one who entered wore guard's clothing; the other, who stayed in the doorway, she recognized from his uniform as a marine officer. The security personnel aboard ship had been marines.
"Come!" ordered the guard. He motioned toward the door, then grabbed her arm as she passed, squeezing to hurt. The marine officer spoke sharply in a language she didn't know-it wasn't imperial-and the guard relaxed his grip, scowling resentfully.
Another marine, a corporal, stood outside the door. Together, the two marines and the young woman walked down a corridor, rode an open, cagelike elevator upward, then walked another corridor to an office. An official there signed her out, the marine officer signing after him. Then she left the building between the two marines, got into a hovercar, and rode with them through a park and a stand of marvelous trees to a wall with a palace on the other side. Marine guards let them in through a gate.
They crossed a formal garden, entered the palace, and followed a handsome hallway to an office. A man there spoke at a box, a commset, to someone he called "Your Reverence." After a moment the marine officer took her through an inner door.
Two men waited in the room they entered: a small man, old, with thin gray hair, and behind him the largest man she could remember seeing, whom somehow she knew must be his bodyguard. The old man wore a silver robe trimmed with gold thread, the bodyguard a red and blue uniform, and on his head a tall, glossy black kepi that made him seem even larger than he was. A pistol and saber rode on his belt.