House of Reeds

doughty Tequihuah' – he nodded to Dawd – 'for the first time.'

The prince caught Dawd's eye, a bitter look marring his handsome features.

'But you are still wondering about the pistol and the rifle. An officer must shoot twelve of sixteen to pass. Perhaps…perhaps you are even wondering how a katana of superior manufacture – do not believe the teomicqui are provided with dross! – could break at my weak blow?' Tezozуmoc spread his hands and the expression on his face made Dawd's heart quail. 'Never have I seen those weapons – that magnificent pistol, exemplary rifle or shinken again. Never. They were taken away, where by tradition they should have been mine.

'But then,' he said, face turning sad, 'my father and my mother should have greeted me when I emerged from the dojo; a man at last, a warrior of the Empire. But they were not there. Nor were my brothers. No one was, only a palace driver waiting to take me away in an unmarked aerocar.'

Dawd stared at the prince, wondering what, if anything, he could say. Colmuir coughed politely, drawing Tezozуmoc's attention.

'Mi'lord, you'll not be wanting to try this gun out then, I expect?'

The prince shook his head, staring blankly at the sky. 'No. Come fetch me when it is time to leave. I will be upstairs.'

Dawd followed Tezozуmoc to the master suite, searched the room, bathroom and closets carefully before letting the prince enter, then closed the door quietly. After a few moments, he moved across the hallway and took up an overwatch position behind a massive marble bathtub the viscount had decided to use as an ornamental table, and clicked his comm thread alive.

'Master Sergeant?'

'Aye, lad. I hear you.' Colmuir sounded subdued. 'Lovely story t' brighten up a morning isn't it?'

'Had you heard it before?' Dawd didn't bother to suppress his curiosity. 'Did his father order him passed out of Chapultepec?'

'Ah, now lad, tha' is dangerous business, wanting to poke about in the lives of the Imperial Family. Some things are best left alone.' Colmuir clicked his teeth together, a pitying tone coming into his voice. 'But I've heard a bit, here and there. I asked around you know, when I was assigned to watch the wee lad. No one would say much, but still…you've seen him hold a gun; like a sack of apples and his eyes closed half th' time!'

'Master Sergeant, for the love of the Revealed Heart of Jesus, who gave up his life to sustain the world, will you tell me what happened?'

'He passed, is what happened,' Colmuir replied, a little put out. 'He shot his twelves of sixteen at range and killed that poor teomicqui and walked off th' dojo sand white as an Aberdeen-man in winter, he did.'

'What?' Dawd looked around in the hallway, startled by the sound of his own voice. 'What about the weapons? Were they rigged? Where did they come from? Why did his family stay away?'

'No idea, Sergeant, no idea. First I've ever heard of those details – but then only the lad would know those things, wouldn't he?' Colmuir's voice turned brisk. 'But back to business – this hunting trip will prove purely interesting if he won't carry a gun – one of us will have to carry it for him and then be bleedin' quick if one of these wasps jumps out at us.'

Dawd rubbed his face, feeling a little ill.

'Now I've given the matter some thought, my lad, and I'll walk with him in the high brush. You now, you will be piloting the aerocar with luncheon and drinks and what not and I'd be very appreciative if you'd bring along that bleedin' huge Whipsaw of yours. I have a most depressing feeling we will need its services.'

'Master Sergeant! I should walk point for him, not you! I'm the junior man -'

'My responsibility, Dawd, my responsibility. Nor will I shirk. You just be quick with that cannon when th' time comes.'

A Nondescript House

Parus

'I have a private comm call to the Cornuelle on intercept,' Lachlan announced. 'The Legation naval attachй is calling Chu-sa Hadeishi directly.'

'Show me,' the old Mйxica woman growled, sitting up from her bed. A v-pane ready to display voice analysis and a running transcript appeared on her panel. The hour felt late and cold, even in the humid Parusian night. Itzpalicue rubbed her eyes and pinched a maguey thorn from her sleeve. 'Where's the visual?'

'Voice-only call, mi'lady.' Lachlan didn't sound apologetic, he sounded exhausted. 'The call is on a cross-link from a native cell network.'

'Where are you intercepting? Can you get me a delay?'

Lachlan's image shook his head. 'We're tapping the call directly from the Cornuelle. We could override local comm on the ship, but their bridge crew is sure to notice.'

Itzpalicue grimaced, head cocked to one side, listening. The sound of aerocar fans was loud, and then the voice of a Fleet ensign said, 'Connecting now.'

Chu-sa Hadeishi? This is Thai-i Sagamish – I'm attached to Resident Petrel's staff -

Yes, the Naval attachй. Has something happened? Where are you?

Flying into Parus by aerocar. Kyo, have you seen the latest news reports? Is there fighting in the city?

Itzpalicue raised an eyebrow. The senior lieutenant sounded panicked. She tapped up his personnel record and started scanning through the entries, half an ear devoted to the two men talking.

Things were quiet when I went to bed, Hadeishi said in a very dry voice. Why the call, Thai-i ?

I live in the suburbs, Sagamish replied, still sounding on edge. Just after midnight my house was attacked – vandalized – graffiti on the walls warned me to leave Jagan before the old ways were restored and the Empire swept away.

Has this happened before in your district? The sound of the Chu- sa tapping up the latest situation reports was clear in Itzpalicue's left ear. He sounded very calm. Have you been attacked before?

Slicks throwing rocks at my car. Two of my servants quit – I believe they were threatened.

Do you know why? Hadeishi's voice changed tone, making Itzpalicue curse softly, wishing the transmission were carrying video as well. She opened another v-pane, showing the data sources from the Cornuelle, but a tap into the captain's workstation was not available.

I've heard…I'm sorry, Chu-sa, I shouldn't be bothering you with this. Legation comm section is shut down at this hour…I was hoping to reach your bridge watch officer for a situation report.

You're on the shortlist of groundside personnel to route directly to me, Hadeishi said wryly. What did you hear?

I've heard plenty, Sagamish said, now almost calm. It is said the Fleet is going to tear down all the old temples and put statues of the Emperor in their place; that the kujen is going to accept the quill as the official currency in Parus and its dependencies; that prince Tezozуmoc has been sent to be the new planetary viceroy; that the kujen has agreed to sell six hundred thousand Jehanan of the lowest caste to Legate Petrel for blood-sacrifice on AnГЎhuac. Those are the things I've heard – or my informants have heard – in the last three days.

The Emperor is very busy, it seems. Hadeishi's voice was tinged with dismay. Next there will be secret weather satellites causing famines and droughts to inflate the demand for imported grain.

The old Mйxica woman coughed in surprise, her lips twitching into a grim smile. 'That is for later,' she muttered