“So leave.”
“Mr. Tillington. I am not here to oppose you. You’ve served through a difficult period . . .”
“Of your making!”
“Sir. I ask you—I ask you, I do not demand—that you cooperate in this situation. I don’t know what you’ve theorized the kyo are, but knowledge of these people resides in me, in Sabin, and in the team that dealt with them last. I believe we can get us all out of this safely, given cooperation—”
“You have no authority!”
Disappointing. Extremely. He could order the man arrested. Detained.
Shot, for that matter. The Guild would oblige without hesitation.
But it wasn’t a choice.
“If it’s your choice to take that position, Mr. Tillington, I am exceedingly sorry. I have alternatives I don’t want to invoke. And you’re leaving me no choice.”
Tillington’s stare went past him, instantly, to Banichi and Jago.
“You’re out of office as of this moment, sir, and you’re removed from all authority on this station. You’ll be returning to Earth on the next shuttle. I’d like not to make that evident to your staff at this point. I’d like not to have any embarrassment to you. I’d like you to walk quietly with me out of Central, and then let’s call Phoenix security, so you can go talk to Captain Ogun about this, as I’m sure you’ll want to. Tell him I’ll talk to him about it at his convenience.”
“Damn you!”
“Nadiin-ji, contact Jase. We need ship security to come here. The gentleman apparently declines to go with us, and I have no wish to have a machimi in view of his staff.”
“Nandi,” Banichi said, and Jago took up her pocket com and made a call, in Ragi, to Jase.
Bren just stood there.
Tillington clenched his jaw. “My own security’s coming.”
Button under the desk edge, one was quite sure.
“That will be fine, sir. Unfortunately nobody out there speaks Mosphei’.” He changed to Ragi. “Jago-ji, trade with Tano. Tillington-nadi has called his security. Advise Nawari and communicate peacefully with Mospheiran security, if they come in before ship security does. Advise Jase-aiji to contact their command and warn them.”
“Yes,” Jago said, and went out into Central. Tano immediately came in.
Tillington’s look was anger and extreme unease. His eyes followed the movements.
“If you should have a firearm in that desk,” Bren said, “I very strongly caution you not to use it. I think a conversation with Captain Ogun would be far more helpful to you. Please don’t make a spectacle for staff out there. Let’s just take a walk outside. Shall we?”
“I’ll protest this clear to the legislature.”
“I’m sure you will. I’m even sure you’ll find support. Please live to get there.”
Tillington’s chin wobbled.
“Take a walk, sir?” Bren asked quietly.
Tillington got up slowly.
Bren made an inviting gesture toward the door.
Tillington walked, slowly, out into the middle of operations. Stopped.
Turned. Clamped his jaw, sucked in a breath and said, loudly:
“You’re being taken over. We’re being taken over. They’re setting us up!”
Bren rolled his eyes. Caught a senior tech’s shocked look and held it.
“No,” he said, and shook his head slowly as Tillington went on yelling about takeovers and conspiracies. He turned to catch stare after stare. Shocked, worried techs sat, some with chairs turned about, some looking at him, some looking at Tillington. One tech got up, and thought better of it, freezing in place.
“Please,” Bren said, as that tech looked his way. He made a small gesture for the man to sit down. The man felt back for his chair, and sank into it.
Tillington made a sudden move toward the boards.
Jago stepped into his path. And if Tillington didn’t know it, that was the most dangerous person he could have challenged. Tillington stopped. Cold.
“Stop,” Bren said sharply, in a sudden silence. “Stop right there, sir. Everybody stop.” He took an easier stance and said, to the room at large. “Mr. Tillington has called Mospheiran security. These are atevi security. We’ve called ship security and they’re coming. We’re up to our elbows in security. Everybody please just stay seated and we’ll sort this out. Understand what’s going on. The President has instructed Mr. Tillington to defer to a Presidential envoy, who’s arriving on tomorrow’s shuttle.”
“Some bureaucrat who’s got no idea what goes on up here!” Tillington shouted.
Bren raised his voice, swept a wide gesture. “We have a ship out there that’s capable of destroying us where we sit! I suggest that we all calm down and consider what we’re going to do.”
“Do?” Tillington shouted. “Do? Maybe you should go out there and talk to them!”
“As I will, at need! But you’ve done enough to complicate this situation, Mr. Tillington.”
Mospheiran security showed up in the doorway. Guild immediately shifted, Tano, Algini, Nawari, Geigi’s man, and the four Guild Observers all facing them, while Jago held her arm still outstretched, still barring Tillington from a move toward the boards. Banichi alone stood watching the techs in stony, forbidding silence.
“Arrest him!” Tillington shouted. “Get him out of here!”
Mospheiran security, three in number, with two already in the room, didn’t look supremely confident in that order.
“Security!” Bren said sharply in Mosphei’. “Stand your ground! Mr. Tillington is removed from command by order of the President.”
“He has no authority!” Tillington shouted.
Mospheiran security didn’t move. Guild didn’t move. And quick footfalls in the hall said another force was on its way.
Kaplan and Polano, in blue fatigues, entered the room, armed with rifles and focused on the five Mospheirans. Immediately behind them, Jase Graham arrived in the doorway, ship’s officer, with two more blue-uniformed ship’s security behind him.
“Captain Graham,” Bren said quietly, in great relief. “Will ship’s security take custody of Mr. Tillington? I suggested that he take his complaints to the senior captain. I think the offer should still stand. He can wait in custody until the senior captain comes on-shift.”
“That can be arranged,” Jase said. “Sir. This way.”
Tillington hesitated, eyes darting.
“Sir?” Jase repeated.
Tillington found the power of movement. Walked toward the door, then snapped at Mospheiran security. “Don’t leave! Witness what goes on here! I want a record!”
Jase accompanied Tillington out the door, and gave quiet orders to security outside.
Then came into the standoff again.
“Mr. Cameron. I understand Lord Geigi retains the handoff.”
“Yes. He does. And will.” Bren swept a look around the boards, where shaken, upset techs sat backed by dead screens, boards that wouldn’t work until Geigi pushed a button in his section. He raised his voice. “Gentlemen. Ladies. We have absolutely no fault to find with you as a team. Please understand that. We need you to stay just a little longer. Please. Is there a way to communicate with Lord Geigi’s office?”
Silence for a moment. Then one of the techs centermost nodded.
“Is there a way to bring a few of these boards live?”
“There’s the handoff mode,” that man said. “Theirs and ours.”
“So I understand,” Bren said. “Good.” He looked around, as Guild, Mospheiran security, and Jase’s bodyguard stood a little easier, but still watching each other, watching him, watching Jase.
“I came in here,” Bren said in a low voice, as Jase joined him, “to try to make peace with Tillington. Clearly it didn’t work.”