confidence to keep the tide surging.
It was late in the afternoon before Demansk rose to speak. By then, it was clear, a majority of the Councillors leaned in favor of establishing a new Triumvirate to supercede-temporarily-the authority of the Speakership. Their motives varied, from personal greed and ambition to simply wanting to be on what they perceived as the winning side.
Their concerns varied as well. Many, of course, really didn't care in the least about the troubles ailing the Confederation. But many did, and those concerns ranged from the fear of a slave revolt, to further depredations from the pirates of the Isles and the Southron barbarians.
A handful even thought in terms of the more long-term health of the Confederacy. Not many, to be sure, but some. Demansk made a note to seek them out for private discussions in the weeks to come. He intended to break the power of the aristocracy, but he had no desire to shed more blood than was necessary-and knew as well that the political skills of the noblemen would be needed in the years ahead. Those of them, at least, who could be won over to supporting the new regime.
Still, although the tide was running heavily in favor of Jeschonyk's proposal, at least half of the Councillors were still wavering. Their fear, of course, was of the rise of a new Marcomann. And almost all of them had a single target for those fears: Demansk himself.
He alone, really, presented the possible danger. Jeschonyk was too old, and not enough of a military commander, to make a creditable dictator. As for Tomsien…
Ambitious enough, yes; wealthy enough, yes; and few doubted he was unscrupulous enough. But although Tomsien had a respectable record in terms of military experience and command, it was nothing compared to Demansk's. Among modern leaders of the Confederacy, only Demansk had the aura of Marcomann about him. Not simply the record of success in the field, but-what was even more dangerous-a proven capacity to gain the loyalty and allegiance of the ranks of the army.
So, late in the day, Demansk decided it was time to seize the greatbeast directly and wrestle it to the ground. He stood up, indicating his desire to address the Council. But then, unlike many of his predecessors that day, waited politely for Speaker Chollat to call upon him before speaking. The man who would be tyrant understood perfectly well that politeness and outward modesty were weapons as sharp-edged as any others.
'Justiciar Demansk has the floor,' said Chollat.
Demansk stepped into the center of the Chamber. Then, his left hand on hip and his right extended, as was accepted oratorical demeanor, he began his speech.
A very short speech, it would be. Taking a greatbeast by the horns and bringing it down could either be done quickly-or not at all.
'You fear another Marcomann!' he boomed.
Then, he waited. So far that day, no one had posed the fear openly. Circumlocution and euphemism had been the style of oratory and public debate for two decades now. That, too, was a legacy of Marcomann, under whose iron rule few had dared to speak clearly and openly.
Demansk had a reputation for bluntness. Almost to the point of crudeness. A simple soldier, whose skill on the battlefield and in campaign maneuvers was not matched by its political equivalent.
Over the years, Demansk had cultivated that reputation simply because it allowed him to avoid the tedium of endless babble. Now he found it useful for another purpose. Simplicity, like modesty and decorum, was another blade.
'And so do I,' he added, loudly enough to be heard throughout the Chamber, but not in the booming tone of his opening statement.
'And so do I.' Two strides forward, a half turn; right hand on hip; now the left extended dramatically. 'We all know I am the danger.'
A polite nod toward Jeschonyk. 'The Speaker Emeritus being famous for his prudence and sagacity.' A deeper nod, almost a bow, toward Tomsien. 'And Justiciar Tomsien for his steadiness.'
Steadiness, he thought to himself. Now there's a euphemism worthy of the best politician. Translation: Tomsien would cheerfully undermine the Confederacy and take the power, if he could. But his are the methods of a rising river, allowing time to levee the banks. Only I pose the danger of a tidal wave.
'And so did the three of us ponder the matter.'
Half turn, one stride; pause; quarter turn; left hand back on hip, right hand extended hip-high, index finger pointing dramatically at… not much of anything, except marble, but it was nicely done and in the customary style.
'Thus did we agree to allot the portions of power wisely. To Jeschonyk, whose age if nothing else will serve as a check to ambition, goes the direct authority over the state. An equal among three in name, he will exercise the power here in the capital.' Now he straightened his back, both hands on hips akimbo-the classic pose for announcing a surprising development.
'We furthermore agreed-and I hereby request that it be included as a provision in the establishment of the Triumvirate-that both Justiciar Tomsien and I be banned by law from entering the city so long as we retain our posts as junior Triumvirs.'
The crowd of Councillors was relaxing visibly. Jeschonyk was a familiar figure. Alone in the capital… he could be reasoned with, persuaded-bribed, if need be.
Demansk spread his hands wide and took a half step back-then leaned forward. A more surprising development still. Even the legendary orator Hyrthel, who was said to have perfected the stance, could not have done it better.
'Tomsien will then be given the army. Command over all forces except those assigned to naval duty-as well, of course, as household troops permitted to Councillors by law.'
He thought that was a nice touch, the last. Very few Councillors, Demansk himself being one of the exceptions, maintained a body of household troops as large as the law permitted. Doing so was extremely expensive, if nothing else. But by reminding them of their rights — whether they chose to exercise them or not-he was subtly reassuring the Councillors.
All eyes were now fixed on him. He turned about, took three strides, and resumed the standard pose: left hand on hip, right hand extended and raised slightly above his head. 'And I, you wonder? I ask one thing alone-that I be given command of the naval forces. All of them…' He paused for a moment, then added a bit slyly: 'except, of course, those which Justiciar Albrecht might need for his continued campaign against Preble.'
He let it sink in, for a moment. That latest would further confuse and demoralize Albrecht's now half-routed supporters. Obviously speaking on behalf of all three of the proposed new Triumvirs, Demansk was making it clear that there would be no reprisals against Albrecht-or, by implications, his supporters.
Not immediately, at least. In the longer term, who was to say? But all the men in the Council Hall were experienced maneuverers. 'The long run'… was later. Today they were looking at a major political defeat, and Demansk had just shown the rats the hole in the corner. He could see the benches stirring as men began whispering new offers and deals to each other.
It was time to drive home the spike. 'I repeat: a ll naval forces-as well as whatever auxiliary support is needed for them. Never before in Vanbert's history has this been done. And do it we must-if I am to lead the expedition which will finally rid us of the pirates of the Isles. For I propose to conquer the Western Isles, and make them a new province of our Confederation.'
That statement brought instant silence to the chamber. He could practically see the thoughts racing through the heads of the Councillors.
On the one hand:
Giving Demansk authority over all naval forces would give him considerable military might. The more so when all the possible implications of 'whatever auxiliary support is needed' was added onto the balance.
On the other hand:
The Councillors, like all Confederates, thought in terms of armies, nor navies. Navies were simply not capable of conquering half a continent. Not even though a Vanbert navy was really more of an army on ships than a 'navy' in the way that islanders thought of it.
It simply didn't matter. Every Councillor knew the basic arithmetic, if not the exact figures. Give Demansk every ship in the Confederate fleet, including the ones besieging Preble-even build as many new ones to add to it-
