“I was in the brig, but I believe they did, sir. If you’re a Rebel, and if the Chessori are on your side, what’s a little pain compared to a sure win? Do not ever let even one of them on your ships, sir.”
“I get the feeling you’ve been organizing something?” Chandrajuski asked later. “It’s time you brought us up- to-date.”
Veswicki spoke for himself and Seeton. “Before Krys’ visit, we were considering going rogue.” Mike’s eyebrows rose, but Veswicki didn’t apologize. “Sire, we knew the Chosen were all dead. Our choices were to cave into Struthers, or attempt to resurrect some kind of structure based on Empire standards. His way is wrong.”
He glanced at Chandrajuski, then back to Mike. “So was ours, Sire.”
Mike sat back and nodded. He and Chandrajuski had had this same conversation, though Veswicki didn’t know it.
“Our models showed both plans, his and ours, ultimately failing. Our plan at least had a chance. It would give us time, time to look for the right charismatic leader, or perhaps some other mechanism as yet unknown, that would provide acceptable leadership to the multitude of worlds and races throughout the Empire. None of us is that right leader. Our plan was to buy time.”
He looked to Chandrajuski. “Your plan to hold was just the right message to send. It has bought us time, time we’ll use to prepare. Struthers can never claim to have the Touch. Use of the Touch is universally recognized and accepted as the court of final appeal. No one has ever successfully argued against the political power of her Touch.”
Chandrajuski nodded, and Veswicki continued. “Of the 47 sectors, I believe I speak for seven, and several more will likely join with us if we can move before the sector commanders are forced to flee. If we combine our efforts with Krys’ efforts, I believe the number will be higher.”
“How many has she reached, and what is her success rate?” Chandrajuski asked.
“We were her ninth stop. Seven sectors were receptive and two were not. Her contacts there were dead. But it’s not just her, Admiral. She’s recruited others, including Buskin. When they last met, they both agreed that he should break up his two squadrons, sending ships out on individual missions. They, in turn, would network others. If they have been even marginally successful, her message might have reached all the sectors by now.”
Chandrajuski’s eyes gleamed. “Then she’s gone far beyond the assignment I gave her. Have you heard from Buskin?”
Veswicki shook his head. “Not a word. She gave us a location, but we haven’t followed up on it yet. He can’t fight the Chessori any more than we can, and we’re not planning to join him as recruits. We’re going to hold, and we’re going to resist.”
Veswicki paused, then added, “Struthers has to know what she’s up to by now. Secrets can’t survive when so many know. They’ll find Buskin eventually. We just have to act before the Rebels do.”
“He’ll find Krys, too. Struthers has known for a long time,” Val said softly. “You said she’s had some encounters with the Chessori. What they know, he knows. I’m certain of it.”
“We can’t move against the Chessori, Sire,” Veswicki said.
“We’re developing a plan to deal with them,” Mike informed him. “It’s my problem, not yours. You’ll have to wait a little longer, maybe as much as a year. Are you strong enough here to hold that long?”
“Sire, it might be all over by then. Certainly we won’t have more than two or three years. The Chessori are an immediate problem, but the Imperial Senate is the most pressing problem.”
“Why?”
“When Struthers next convenes the Imperial Senate, he will attempt to cement the legality of his government. He’ll present a motion stipulating that the Chosen are dead and that his government is the new government.”
Veswicki stared at his new First Knight for a time before saying, “If that motion is approved by the Senate, he’s won, Sire. His government will be the only legitimate government in control of the Empire. He would brand us as Rebels, and we could legitimately be prosecuted as such, including the Queen.”
Veswicki directed his gaze upon each of them in turn, his eyes burning with passion. ”Until learning from Krys that we have a Queen, I had seen no possible way to stop Struthers from succeeding with his motion. The few Imperial Senators within the sectors I am pulling together would not be enough to prevail against the rest of the Senate. But now! We have a Queen from the line of Chosen. Her very existence is the club we can wield before the Senate. I don’t know how we, or she, will do it, but she has to convince the Senate that she is a contender. There is not a more important task before us. We cannot allow Struthers and his Rebels to be legitimized.
“Admiral, Sires, our first priority is to prevent that motion from passing, or even from being introduced if possible. From a political standpoint, that first convocation of the Senate would be the perfect time to prove to the Senators that the Queen rules, even if it is in absentia. Senator Truax is attempting to organize the Senate against Struthers. His task is equally important to ours.”
“Krys was able to recruit him?” Chandrajuski asked.
“She was, and he’s off with a list of his own to recruit other senators. It was another masterful stroke, sir.”
“I wish I could take credit, but it was her idea. What resources have been provided to Truax?”
“I don’t know. Krys doesn’t know. I’ve been searching for him, but I have not found him yet. Krys dropped him off on Mitala I. All she knows is that his original plan was to use civilian cruise ships to get around.”
“That’s too slow,” Chandrajuski growled.
“But safer than military ships. His contacts will, if he’s successful, spread out to reach other senators. I, too, have dispatched messengers to Imperial Senators. His contacts and mine are small in number, but the numbers will increase and pick up momentum on their own as time goes by.”
Veswicki’s lips pursed and his eyes narrowed with excitement as he considered his next words. “Struthers’ motion will never pass if enough senators believe the Queen is alive and well. Truax and I are spreading the word, but it’s our word against Struthers. There will be some doubt. If we can find a way to prove to the Senate that the Queen rules, Struthers’ movement will lose all legitimacy. He’ll be finished. Is there a way?”
“You might be encouraged to know that the Queen has reached the same conclusion,” Mike replied. “We don’t have a plan yet, and quite frankly, it seems impossibly difficult at the moment, but that’s why we’re here. We’ll find a way, but first she needs an infrastructure to support her. What support can you provide?”
“If we can deal with the Chessori, I can have a core of perhaps ten sectors fully under control by the time Struthers calls the senate into convocation, at least in name,” Veswicki answered.
“What do you mean by ‘fully under control?’” Chandrajuski asked. “Sectors are barely under control even in the best of times.”
Veswicki’s expression hardened. “There will be clear separation of Rebel versus Empire control, that’s what I mean…”
Mike let the experts deal with resources. He had other things on his mind. Just listening to Veswicki and Seeton had widened his horizons immensely. He now truly understood what Otis had been telling him all along: their first job was to protect the Heir. Nothing else mattered if the Heir died. Just listening to the two admirals discuss issues with Chandrajuski clearly demonstrated what having a Queen meant to these men. It meant everything, as simple as that. Everything.
And this was just one sector. He could multiply this sense of rightness many times over as the message traveled from one end of the Empire to the other.
He suddenly understood the power of Chandrajuski’s plan for Krys. She wasn’t just spreading the word that there was a Queen. Her assignment was to weave threads through the Empire, threads that would be turned over to Ellie. When Ellie took over the weaving, the Rebels’ days would be limited.
Before leaving, Chandrajuski made some demands. “I have a temporary base that is adequate until you secure your sectors. Until then, I need ships, men, supplies, and support, as much as you can spare, and in the Queen’s name I ask that you send your best. How many ships can you spare?”
