The fact that he'd left Noketsuna to occupy Akuma and field his protests did not worry Minobu. His aide was clever and did not have shared history with Akuma that the man could use for bedevilment. Besides, after Natasha Kerensky's invective, not even Akuma's would seem as blistering. Noketsuna might find Akuma to be a trial, but it was one the young Captain should be able to handle.
There were traffic delays, and by the time Minobu arrived at the meeting, it had been underway for some time. He slipped into a chair near the door, apparently unnoticed by the Warlord. One of Samsonov's aides was narrating a film of recent action on Courasin. His words built a picture that was unflattering to Epsilon Regiment, with hints of incompetence scattered throughout his commentary. If the meeting was a typical Samsonov production, things were being orchestrated to a climactic point, when the Warlord himself would step in to make his point.
Wolf sat woodenly throughout the spiel. The senior men were also remarkably quiet, but some of the junior officers shuffled papers and looked decidedly uncomfortable. Minobu could feel tension emanating from the Dragoon side of the table, but the Warlord and his people seemed oblivious to it. When the aide finally finished, Samsonov stood up, taking advantage of his height to tower over the seated Dragoons.
“As you have seen and heard, Colonel Wolf, your officers have continually balked at the proper chain of command. In some cases, they have gone so far as to abrogate command responsibility to themselves.” The Warlord stalked about the room as he spoke, gesturing theatrically. “The worst offender has been this Korsht woman. How you could allow a woman so much responsibility beyond her place is baffling to me.”
When he got no reaction from Wolf, the General seemed to take it as agreement. Minobu wondered how the man could be so blind, but Samsonov drove on to his point. “I am here to allow you to place your units directly under my command, effective immediately.”
“Warlord Samsonov, that is in direct violation of the contract,” interrupted Minobu.
Samsonov looked up, clearly displeased at the interruption. When he saw the source, the muscles on his face tightened, tugging his features into a vicious scowl. Minobu felt the sudden wave of hatred. Had the man been a kimaster, the power of his emotion would have been dangerous.
“Chu-saTetsuhara is correct,” said Wolf. His voice was quiet, but it snapped the Warlord's attention back to him.
Samsonov's face contorted. He was not used to being contradicted by those he considered his inferiors. He slammed the papers in his hand violently onto the table. “I wanted this meeting to be amicable. The evidence is clear. Your hostility and resistance are unimportant. The Coordinator will order this when I ask him.”
“Then ask him,” Wolf said.
It was a dare.
“If you don't wish to have a discussion,” Wolf continued, “you won't mind if we send along a little evidence of our own.”
“Send what you will,” Samsonov replied to the challenge. Puffed with his own importance, he added, “I am a Warlord of the Draconis Combine and have the favor of Lord Kurita. You are a homeless hireling. My position is irrefutable.”
Wolf stood. From across the table, he looked up into Samsonov's eyes. “I will retain command.”
“You will not.”
Wolf's gaze never wavered. “Don't bet your life on it,” he said.
Interlude
Unity Palace, Imperial City, Luthien
Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine
16 December 3025
Takashi Kurita entered the maze of corridors that made up the lowest level of the Unity Palace. The proper turns engraved in his memory, he took each without hesitation. When the passage finally came to an end, it was crossed at a right angle by another corridor. Without stopping, Takashi proceeded directly ahead and passed through the far wall.
That wall was a hologram. Immediately behind the image was a flight of uneven steps, which Takashi took with an ease born of habit. Anyone not familiar with the way could easily be thrown off balance and fall to the bottom of the stairs, where two of the Coordinator's most loyal Otomostood guard at the entrance to the Black Room.
Of all places within the borders of the Draconis Combine, there was none so secure as this room. Its existence within the palace was hardly a secret, for every Successor Lord had his or her own version of it. The exact location of Takashi Kurita's was known only to the top leaders of the Combine and to select members of the Household Guard.
Access to the Black Room was limited and strictly monitored. The level of the palace on which it was located was accessible only by elevator. Getting to the level required a special code.
The obvious purpose of the room was secrecy. To that end, its five walls, ceilings, and floor were shrouded with technological barriers and sheathed with materials to foil the prying eyes and ears of spying devices. To foil microwave transmission, specially formulated black paint—which gave the room its name—covered all the interior surfaces. Chief among the defenses was a magma-pulse magnetic field that activated when the door was sealed.
Takashi reached the bottom of the stairs, where Chamasa and Potemkin, two of his trusted Household Guards, flanked the doorway. The red light, which allowed them to maintain their night vision in case of power failure, did not leak through the hologram masking the stairway. The ruddy illumination glittered off the high points of their breastplates and helmets, lending them the air of guardian Myoo spirits.
“Seal the room, Tai-iChamasa.”
“Hai,Coordinator!”
Takashi did not wait for the acknowledgement or even hear it when it came. Obedience was expected. He strode through the open doorway into the small room. Behind him, the door slid shut.
Awaiting him in the room were the Director of the Internal Security Forces and the Warlords of the Draconis Combine's five Military Districts. The only senior council member missing was Takashi's cousin, Marcus Kurita, nominal Chief of Strategies. It was unlike Marcus to be absent, Takashi thought. Ever since the Coordinator had removed him as Warlord of the Rasalhague Military District six years ago, Marcus had been faithful in attendance, even though it must be clear to him that he was not really chief of anything. Takashi still listened to his valuable advice, but Marcus showed signs of bitterness over the loss of his power base. Those signs told Takashi that he had done well in relieving Marcus as Warlord. To gratify dangerous ambitions, the younger Kurita might have stooped to treason.
Takashi took his place at the head of the table, greeting each Warlord in order of seniority. He concluded by welcoming Hirushi Shotugama, recently appointed Warlord of the Benjamin Military District, to the council. There was no mention, however, of the cloud under which his predecessor Yorioshi had been removed. After acknowledging the presence of Subhash Indrahar, the ISF Director, Takashi settled back in his chair and called for situation reports from each Military District.
Each of the Warlords presented a favorable report. Each also was questioned and corrected by his fellows. Takashi watched the byplay carefully. He played a dangerous game in balancing the rivalries of his Warlords. Always, he had to watch for changes in the equilibrium, shifts in the undercurrents.
After the District reports came a general discussion of the strategic situation. The Generals argued noisily about one another's performance and the priorities of the Combine, which seemed most often to lie with the priorities of each Warlord's district. As usual, Takashi gave the Generals leeway, listening carefully to sort out the nuggets of real concern from the dross of self-interest. When he was certain that he could gain no further enlightenment from their bickering, he called a halt to the debate. “Thank you, Warlords. General orders will be issued after I have meditated on your advice.”