House of Reeds

violence, can the local authorities handle matters, or should the Army?'

Itzpalicue's lips twisted into a grin, a soft green glow shining on her teeth.

What should we do, then? The Fleet captain's troubled voice fled across the datastream. If there is more anti-Imperial violence, can the local authorities handle matters?

'This is Imperial business!' Yacatolli stiffened in his seat and glared openly at Hadeishi. 'Our treaties with the lords of the Phison are very clear – attacks on Imperial citizens will be handled by Imperial courts under Imperial law!'

'True…' Hadeishi started to reply, and Itzpalicue stalled the feed – only for a second or two – drawing the Army colonel naturally into the pause. Unbidden, Lachlan – who was watching the conversation on his own relay – kicked up facial manipulation on the Fleet captain's appearance, making the Nisei officer look slightly worried.

'I understand,' Yacatolli said in a stiff voice, 'Chu-sa Hadeishi fears for the ability of Fleet to protect Imperial interests on Jagan – he's made clear his ship's readiness is far below par. But the 416th has more than enough fire power to police the entire valley of the Phison if need be.'

Hadeishi's physiological index crept up a point. Itzpalicue released the delay.

'True,' said the captain. 'Yet – Legate, are there Imperial courts in operation on Jagan?'

Petrel shook his head. 'Not enough to deal with this level of brigandage. There is a circuit court here in Parus and small claims at the spaceport in Sobipurй.' He smiled wryly. 'Mostly to deal with crew from merchant ships in port.'

Hadeishi heard…crew from Fleet ships on leave.

Yacatolli heard…off-duty soldiers from the cantonment.

Both indexes jumped a point and a half while the Legate continued to speak. Itzpalicue felt a singing rush of adrenaline replace the stretched-tight feeling induced by the morning glory extract melting under her tongue. Everything slowed – even the voices of the men arguing – and infinite silences swelled between their words. Plenty of time for her to shift and shade and replace meaning and intent as needed.

'…so we've little choice,' Petrel said in a considering tone, 'but to use the local constabulary and judiciary to apprehend and try any Jehanan citizens who attack Imperial businesses.'

'And if they attack Imperial citizens directly? If they murder someone?' The Army colonel fought to keep his temper on a short rein. 'What then?'

Petrel raised a hand, his voice sharp. 'Then we will need to try them ourselves – with the assistance and cooperation of the local authorities!'

'That won't work,' Yacatolli said flatly. 'You can't trust the slicks to turn one of their own over to our courts. That never works! You'll need my men to make the arrests.' He glanced briefly at Hadeishi. 'And we'll handle groundside transport ourselves.'

Hadeishi saw a contemptuous sneer on his v-feed and stiffened at the insult.

'My shuttles can render any prisoner transport you might need,' the Chu-sa replied icily. 'Is there a suitable holding facility at Sobipurй?'

…are you sure you can keep them penned up at Sobipurй?

'Are you sure?' Yacatolli replied, not bothering to mask his irritation. 'Aren't all of your shuttles behind schedule for maintenance and overhaul? I wouldn't want to risk the lives of any prisoners…'

'Enough!' Petrel's voice rose sharply. 'Colonel, I am well aware of the reduced capacity of the Cornuelle at this time, but Fleet will do their duty and provide all the fire support and air cover you might need. This dispute is pointless. In any case, the 416th outmatches any force the local princes can put into the field, much less whatever thugs or brigands the local merchant guilds can hire. We are not faced with open war. We have a law-enforcement problem. We will treat itas such.'

Both military commanders nodded, but both seemed resentful to Petrel. The Legate tried not to sigh openly at their stubbornness. 'Colonel – you've already forwarded me an operations plan in case of a general uprising in the cities along the Phison. I would like you to work up – in cooperation with Fleet – an alternative deployment for your forces, so they can respond rapidly and effectively to these isolated attacks, should they escalate.'

Both Hadeishi and Yacatolli heard: prepare a distributed deployment for the 416th, to respond rapidly and effectively to these isolated attacks, should they escalate.

'Petrel-tzin!' Hadeishi was alarmed. 'Shouldn't part of the regiment be held in reserve at Sobipurй? What if there is a general uprising?'

But the Legate and Yacatolli heard only, shouldn't the regiment be held at Sobipurй against a general uprising?

'Such an event is quite unlikely, Chu-sa Hadeishi,' Petrel started to say, but Yacatolli's response drowned his out.

'We needn't hide! A single arrow of my men could smash an entire division of slick cavalry – riding lizards, lances and all – much less these mobs of spearmen in quilted armor. We'll hold a proper reserve in case they spring something surprising on us – but otherwise, I can have ready-reaction teams in every provincial center within the week.'

But the Chu-sa heard nothing of a reserve, only ready-reaction teams in every provincial center within the week. Yacatolli's intransigence was clear and easy to read in his face.

Hadeishi hid a grimace and raised his hands in acceptance. 'Very well.'

'Good.' Petrel made a quiet, personal decision not to talk to both military commanders at the same time again. 'It's settled. Good day, gentlemen.'

The three v-panes flickered dark. Itzpalicue felt something like a physical shock, coming out of the elevated state of awareness induced by carefully applied pain and the oliohuiqui coursing through her system. A trembling hand brushed across the displays and the whole system began to shut down.

Beneath the bed, her two comps returned their attention to scanning and filtering the wireless voice traffic flooding the air over Parus. The old Mйxica woman had set them to winnowing the chatter for hints and signs of her hidden enemy.

She slumped back on the bed, staring at the shadowy ceiling, exhausted and spent.

Her back teeth were humming.

For a moment, she felt young again.

Up-River

The Parus-Takshila Rail Line

A jarring bump woke Gretchen from a heat-induced doze and she looked around, momentarily disoriented, feeling the usual swaying motion of the train replaced by a clattering roar. The compartment shook, grit spilling from the lacquered ceiling, and across from her, Maggie hissed in annoyance. The Hesht shook her latest paperback in the air, shedding a cloud of dust to sparkle in the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the passageway door. Parker, his shoulder jammed in between the window-frame and the leather-backed seat, continued to snore.

Yawning, Anderssen stretched and peered out through a grimy, soot-stained pane of glass. The daily express train from Parus to the northern cities was rattling across a wooden trestle bridge under a placid cerulean sky. A vast brown flood rolled past under the girders and ceramic rails – at this point, the Yellow Phison was nearly a mile wide – curling around ancient stone buttresses. She could see debris caught in the current below; brush, something like a dead cow with six horns – a molk according to the flora and fauna booklet – cellophane bags, drifts of river weed.

The train passed unexpectedly into shadow and Gretchen looked up. For a moment, her eyes had trouble focusing on the size of the edifice blocking out the sky and then she gasped aloud.

'Hunt-sister?' Magdalena put down her malinche and leaned across Parker. A glossy black paw swiped at the window, clearing away a decade's accumulation of sweat-oil and scale-shell. 'What…