While the arguing crescendoed, Jonah looked back at the vague threat still sitting on his screen. If it was any indicator, the rest of the day would be a long descent into the mud.
60
Teka-Net, Geneva
Terra, Prefecture X
20 December 3134
Cullen Roi looked at the overhead speaker, hardly able to believe the words from his blocking force: “Under attack, front and rear. Going to defensive perimeter.”
“Press them!” he ordered. “I want blood in the streets, people.”
“I’m on it,” Norah said. “We know where one group of troopers is. They seem to have two. Who knows how many more?”
“Looks like Redburn is trying our trick,” Cullen Roi said. “He wants his own Man in a White ’Mech to get voted in, and that buggering Spider–driver out there is the one on tap.”
“Do we call in our man now?” Norah asked.
“It’s still too early.”
“We don’t have a choice. They’ve forced our hand.”
Cullen scanned the feedback from recent skirmishes, encounters that his people were invariably losing. Norah was right. “Okay. Get a message into the Chamber of Paladins—use a Senate page, one of the sneakier ones—that there are riots in the streets, and that there’s a Mech Warrior run amok out there. Then make sure that there are riots in the streets by the time our man gets there.”
“I’m on it,” she said. “And after that?”
“After that it’s mayhem for everyone,” Cullen said. “It’s been years since I’ve thrown a Molotov cocktail through a shop window. I hope I haven’t gotten rusty.”
Norah asked, “Do we shut down HQ?”
“Shut it down, burn it down, doesn’t matter. We’re done here. Let’s go while we’re clear.”
“Too late,” she said, and the change in her voice made his blood go cold.
A moment later, and he felt what she had felt: the regular, ponderous vibration of the floor under his feet. A giant’s footsteps, coming down the street and into the square outside the data shop. The unmistakable approach of a BattleMech.
“Go out the back,” he said. “Use the secret exit. They’ll have it covered in another minute, but there’s still time for you to make it past them.”
“What about you?”
“My hand’s played out. But if they have me alive to work with, they may not think you’re important enough to waste resources on. Find Hansel, if he’s still alive, and keep the organization going.”
She bit her lip hard, but said nothing, and left as he had instructed. Cullen waited alone in the empty headquarters, listening as the ’Mech’s footsteps drew nearer and halted. If the shop’s proprietor were wise, he thought, the man would see the day’s tri-vid news and decide to extend his visit to Nova Scotia indefinitely.
A couple of minutes later, the noise of vehicle engines revved and died outside the building. Then he heard running footsteps, first advancing, then retreating, and was not surprised, a steady ten count later, when the front of the data shop collapsed in a roar of explosives.
When the smoke of the explosion had cleared, Cullen stood blinking, looking down the muzzles of a half squad’s worth of Gauss rifles. A Spider BattleMech stood across the square, its arms folded across its armored chest.
“Please come with me, sir,” said a corporal in the uniform of the Terran militia.
Cullen Roi bowed his head and went.
61
Chamber of Paladins, Geneva
Terra, Prefecture X
20 December 3134
The relaxing properties of food did nothing to improve the quality of messages Jonah received.
Detaining an individual without a warrant is not an arrest. It’s kidnapping.
Do not forget that this election is about lives, lives of people on the planets, in our homes, that we are sworn to defend. The more we join together, the stronger our unified defenses will be. Separation breeds solitude.—Kessel
That Kessel put his name on that last one made Jonah all but certain he wasn’t the anonymous poster, as it contained a pretty vile sentiment that Kessel apparently was not ashamed to claim for himself. It was written in politicianese, but, decoded, it meant that, should he win the election, Sorenson would make sure the home planets of his supporters were well defended, while the homes of his opposition might as well be up for grabs. Jonah knew Stone would have had no tolerance for such thoughts.
Look out, Jonah. Some people had their eye on you already, but your speech made you more of a target. People are gunning for you.—Mandela
Thanks, Otto, but I already knew that, Jonah thought sourly.
I’m not sure, but I think Kessel just threatened to beat me up if I don’t vote for Sorenson. Do you think I could take him?—Sinclair
Jonah almost laughed aloud. The fact that Sinclair, barely elevated to Paladin and, until recently, under suspicion for the murder of the man he replaced, could keep a sense of humor even now was a good sign. He’d be a good Paladin.
Don’t worry, Gareth. I’ve got your back.—Levin
Another new message arrived just as Jonah hit send.
When we’re done, Ezekiel Crow will look like a hero compared to you.
Who was this? He hadn’t suspected any of his fellow Paladins capable of this sort of venom. But then, anonymity always had an ability to pull vile words out of decent souls. Attempts at replying to the message just bounced the response to his own screen.
What do you know about Paladin GioAvanti’s whereabouts?—Drummond
Very little. I only knew about her investigation tangentially. Her activities this morning are a mystery.—Levin
Jonah could almost hear the chiding tone in the reply.
No need to be circumspect. I am not trying to gain an advantage in the voting. I only wish to know for scheduling purposes.—Drummond
I honestly do not know.—Levin
I wish I did, he thought. A delay of this length could mean her morning plans, whatever they had been, had run into serious trouble.
In this election we must make careful decisions about whom we trust. I do not believe you are choosing wisely.—Drummond
Wonderful. Tyrina Drummond, who’d praised his honor about an hour ago, now thought he was lying to her. This day was the best possible reminder of why he avoided politics.
At that moment, the doors of the Chamber of Paladins swung open and Heather GioAvanti strode in. The normally neat and well-groomed Paladin had clearly come to the chamber directly from her morning’s work. She was still wearing a MechWarrior’s shorts and singlet, dark with sweat, her helmet crooked in her right arm. She approached the front of the chamber, where Tyrina Drummond sat in the facilitator’s position.
“Please accept my apologies for the late arrival,” she said. “I was unavoidably detained on The Republic’s business.”
“There is no shame in that,” Tyrina Drummond replied. “We have taken five preliminary ballots and are in the middle of discussion on the sixth. At this point, with all Paladins present, we may move on to formal deliberations and final balloting, unless you wish to participate in preliminary balloting yourself.”
“Not particularly,” Heather said. “But by your leave, I’d like to report on my morning’s activities.”