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." Hefingers his unshaven jaw and considers."Please give my compliments toMinister Belckon," Constantine says, "and suggest to him this: perhaps heshould hint that if the government of Lanbola should choose to disarm thesemercenaries who have so inconvenienced them by landing at their aerodrome, thearms would find a ready buyer in Caraqui or perhaps the weapons could be addedto Lanboli stocks instead.Either way, Lanbola will enrich itself at theexpense of the rebels. Sorya laughs, and bobs Constantine a compliment with a little tug of her chin."I will suggest it to Mr.Belckon," she says."In fact, I will suggest asmuch as I can, in hopes of keeping him sufficiently busy that he fails torealize that he is the senior minister here. Constantine lifts his eyebrows."He is senior? "State is superior to Resources, yes.Technically he may place himself incommand." Her lip curls, and she gives a disdainful glance at the commandcenter staff."If anyone will obey his orders, that is. Constantine gives her a serious look."I think we should avoid any suggestionthat he make the experiment. Sorya's green eyes glitter from beneath the shiny brim of her cap."There isan easy way to prevent these little disputes." She glances around the commandcenter, at the people standing ready, waiting for orders, at soldiers bentover maps and pressing headsets to their ears.She leans close toConstantine's ear."You are in command here," she says."Declare yourselftriumvir.Or better yet, Metropolitan.No one will stop you. "No." Constantine's response is instant, and Aiah's heart gives a jump at itsvehemence.His teeth flash in an angry snarl, and then he visibly exertscommand over himself, and repeats himself more calmly, "No." He adds, "I am aforeigner here.I would find no support among the population. Aiah looks at Constantine, and wonders if this is true."Pfah." Sorya snaps her fingers to dispose of this argument."Drumbeth heldoffice because it was believed he controlled the army but he was deluded, andnow the army's killed him.The loyal half of the army will tear itself tobits subduing the disloyal half.The police are in a state ofinsurrection they cannot keep civil order.The only way anyone can holdCaraqui now is with mercenaries, both soldiers and military police; and if youare the soldiers' paymaster, the metropolis is yours, and the people will singyour praises to the Shield for restoring order and beating down these littlematchstick military men who would trample them. Constantine listens, but resentment still burns in his half-closed eyes."No," he says."I will not. And then Sorya's own anger flares her spine stiffens as color flames in herface, and Aiah takes an involuntary step back at the savagery of her look, atthe memory, all truces are temporary.But then Sorya swallows her fury asvisibly as Constantine had swallowed his, and after a moment of thought shegives a shrug, and her tinkling laugh rings out."As you wish," she says, "but you had best start thinking about Drumbeth'sreplacement in the triumvirate, because if you believe Hilthi and Parq canhold this place together, you are as deluded in your thinking as Drumbeth andRadeen." She laughs again, the sound a little shrill, and then draws herselfup and salutes, fingertips touching the brim of her cap, and with a moment'smocking smile strides away.Page 120 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAiah looks at Constantine, at the hidden calculations flickering through hisface.She realizes she has been holding her breath, and lets it out.What exactly just happened? What is going on? The words fly through her mind,and she wants to repeat them to Constantine, but an aide approaches, and shenever has the chance to speak."Sir?" the aide says."May I interrupt? We have reports of enemy movement atthe aerodrome. Constantine's reaction is immediate, but there remains an abstracted look inhis glittering eyes that demonstrates his mind is elsewhere, still appraisingthis last moment with Sorya."Do we know their axis of movement?" he asks."Not yet.But they're requisitioning transport and getting ready to moveout." There is a moment's uncomfortable pause, and then the aide offers, "Ourmages could harass them as they load up. Constantine's head snaps suddenly toward the aide clearly he has decided todismiss Sorya from his mind and to deal with the current problem first."Ourplasm reserves aren't sufficient," he says."Wait till they start to movethey're more vulnerable on the march anyway.And if they wish to abandon theaerodrome, I am willing to hand each one of them a pneuma ticket personally,so long as they leave." He smiles at his own joke."But where are they going?" he wonders."Reinforcing Radeen at GovernmentHarbor, perhaps.I will tell Arviro to shift his mobile forces to preventit." He turns to Aiah and gives a satisfied smile."They are showing moreinitiative than I expected, but I think this will not change things to anygreat degree.If the mercenaries truly expose themselves in a move of thisnature, our mages will tear them apart." He puts a hand on Aiah's shoulder."I will speak to you later. "Good luck, Minister," Aiah says.He flashes a smile, then heads toward the table and his waiting aides."He is very confident," Ethemark says.Aiah's nerves give a little leap shehad forgotten the tiny man at her elbow.She sits down.The scene between Sorya and Constantine replays itself throughher mind.Declare yourself triumvir.Or better yet, Metropolitan.AndConstantine declined."I think he was right," Ethemark says, as if he were reading her mind."If hetook power now, he could keep it only with force. Aiah's mouth is dry."I think I'll get some coffee," she says.Aiah gets her coffee and waits, watching the map, as Arviro slides part of theMarine Brigade into the gap between the aerodrome and Government Harbor andwaits for Radeen's mercenaries to walk into his trap.But there are suddenreports that Radeen's Second Brigade is not waiting for reinforcements, butpiling into their vehicles.Arviro now stands in danger of being caughtbetween two enemy forces.Constantine's reaction is fast: he launches Geymard's mercenaries straight atGovernment Harbor, hoping to pin the Second Brigade before they can move.Geymard's men encounter only a rear guard, but it's a rear guard that's wellfortified and takes some digging out.Mages burn plasm as they battle backand forth overhead.Columns of smoke stand above the Popular Assembly.But the invading mercenaries, when they move, don't head south toward Radeen,but instead race east; and Radeen doesn't head toward the aerodrome, butnortheast.Aiah tracks their course on the map, and sees the paths willeventually cross: Radeen should meet his mercenaries just south of LorkhinIsland.And beyond Lorkhin Island is the Metropolis of Lanbola, whereKerehorn waits with the rest of the Provisional Government [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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." Hefingers his unshaven jaw and considers."Please give my compliments toMinister Belckon," Constantine says, "and suggest to him this: perhaps heshould hint that if the government of Lanbola should choose to disarm thesemercenaries who have so inconvenienced them by landing at their aerodrome, thearms would find a ready buyer in Caraqui or perhaps the weapons could be addedto Lanboli stocks instead.Either way, Lanbola will enrich itself at theexpense of the rebels. Sorya laughs, and bobs Constantine a compliment with a little tug of her chin."I will suggest it to Mr.Belckon," she says."In fact, I will suggest asmuch as I can, in hopes of keeping him sufficiently busy that he fails torealize that he is the senior minister here. Constantine lifts his eyebrows."He is senior? "State is superior to Resources, yes.Technically he may place himself incommand." Her lip curls, and she gives a disdainful glance at the commandcenter staff."If anyone will obey his orders, that is. Constantine gives her a serious look."I think we should avoid any suggestionthat he make the experiment. Sorya's green eyes glitter from beneath the shiny brim of her cap."There isan easy way to prevent these little disputes." She glances around the commandcenter, at the people standing ready, waiting for orders, at soldiers bentover maps and pressing headsets to their ears.She leans close toConstantine's ear."You are in command here," she says."Declare yourselftriumvir.Or better yet, Metropolitan.No one will stop you. "No." Constantine's response is instant, and Aiah's heart gives a jump at itsvehemence.His teeth flash in an angry snarl, and then he visibly exertscommand over himself, and repeats himself more calmly, "No." He adds, "I am aforeigner here.I would find no support among the population. Aiah looks at Constantine, and wonders if this is true."Pfah." Sorya snaps her fingers to dispose of this argument."Drumbeth heldoffice because it was believed he controlled the army but he was deluded, andnow the army's killed him.The loyal half of the army will tear itself tobits subduing the disloyal half.The police are in a state ofinsurrection they cannot keep civil order.The only way anyone can holdCaraqui now is with mercenaries, both soldiers and military police; and if youare the soldiers' paymaster, the metropolis is yours, and the people will singyour praises to the Shield for restoring order and beating down these littlematchstick military men who would trample them. Constantine listens, but resentment still burns in his half-closed eyes."No," he says."I will not. And then Sorya's own anger flares her spine stiffens as color flames in herface, and Aiah takes an involuntary step back at the savagery of her look, atthe memory, all truces are temporary.But then Sorya swallows her fury asvisibly as Constantine had swallowed his, and after a moment of thought shegives a shrug, and her tinkling laugh rings out."As you wish," she says, "but you had best start thinking about Drumbeth'sreplacement in the triumvirate, because if you believe Hilthi and Parq canhold this place together, you are as deluded in your thinking as Drumbeth andRadeen." She laughs again, the sound a little shrill, and then draws herselfup and salutes, fingertips touching the brim of her cap, and with a moment'smocking smile strides away.Page 120 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAiah looks at Constantine, at the hidden calculations flickering through hisface.She realizes she has been holding her breath, and lets it out.What exactly just happened? What is going on? The words fly through her mind,and she wants to repeat them to Constantine, but an aide approaches, and shenever has the chance to speak."Sir?" the aide says."May I interrupt? We have reports of enemy movement atthe aerodrome. Constantine's reaction is immediate, but there remains an abstracted look inhis glittering eyes that demonstrates his mind is elsewhere, still appraisingthis last moment with Sorya."Do we know their axis of movement?" he asks."Not yet.But they're requisitioning transport and getting ready to moveout." There is a moment's uncomfortable pause, and then the aide offers, "Ourmages could harass them as they load up. Constantine's head snaps suddenly toward the aide clearly he has decided todismiss Sorya from his mind and to deal with the current problem first."Ourplasm reserves aren't sufficient," he says."Wait till they start to movethey're more vulnerable on the march anyway.And if they wish to abandon theaerodrome, I am willing to hand each one of them a pneuma ticket personally,so long as they leave." He smiles at his own joke."But where are they going?" he wonders."Reinforcing Radeen at GovernmentHarbor, perhaps.I will tell Arviro to shift his mobile forces to preventit." He turns to Aiah and gives a satisfied smile."They are showing moreinitiative than I expected, but I think this will not change things to anygreat degree.If the mercenaries truly expose themselves in a move of thisnature, our mages will tear them apart." He puts a hand on Aiah's shoulder."I will speak to you later. "Good luck, Minister," Aiah says.He flashes a smile, then heads toward the table and his waiting aides."He is very confident," Ethemark says.Aiah's nerves give a little leap shehad forgotten the tiny man at her elbow.She sits down.The scene between Sorya and Constantine replays itself throughher mind.Declare yourself triumvir.Or better yet, Metropolitan.AndConstantine declined."I think he was right," Ethemark says, as if he were reading her mind."If hetook power now, he could keep it only with force. Aiah's mouth is dry."I think I'll get some coffee," she says.Aiah gets her coffee and waits, watching the map, as Arviro slides part of theMarine Brigade into the gap between the aerodrome and Government Harbor andwaits for Radeen's mercenaries to walk into his trap.But there are suddenreports that Radeen's Second Brigade is not waiting for reinforcements, butpiling into their vehicles.Arviro now stands in danger of being caughtbetween two enemy forces.Constantine's reaction is fast: he launches Geymard's mercenaries straight atGovernment Harbor, hoping to pin the Second Brigade before they can move.Geymard's men encounter only a rear guard, but it's a rear guard that's wellfortified and takes some digging out.Mages burn plasm as they battle backand forth overhead.Columns of smoke stand above the Popular Assembly.But the invading mercenaries, when they move, don't head south toward Radeen,but instead race east; and Radeen doesn't head toward the aerodrome, butnortheast.Aiah tracks their course on the map, and sees the paths willeventually cross: Radeen should meet his mercenaries just south of LorkhinIsland.And beyond Lorkhin Island is the Metropolis of Lanbola, whereKerehorn waits with the rest of the Provisional Government [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]