out what it was.
«You realize that if this is a waste of my time, there will be unpleasant consequences,' he said softly.
Etan Orek's eyes snapped up to meet his, suddenly bold. «I am hoping that a reward will be more in order than a punishment, Prime Minister.»
Dunsidan smiled in spite of himself. The little man was greedy, a quality he appreciated in those who sought his favor. Fair enough. He would give him his chance at fame and fortune. «Lead the way, Engineer. Let us see what you have discovered.»
They went out the door of the bedchamber and into the hallway beyond. Instantly, Sen Dunsidan's personal guard fell into step behind them, warding his back against attack, lending him fresh confidence just by their presence. There had never been an assassination attempt against him, although he had uncovered a few plots that might have led to one. Each time, those involved had been made to disappear, always with an explanation passed quietly by word of mouth. The message to everyone was made clear: Even talk of removing the Prime Minister from office would be regarded as treason and dealt with accordingly.
Still, Sen Dunsidan was not so complacent as to think that an attempt would not be made eventually. He would be a fool to think otherwise, given the restless state of his government and the discontent of his people. If an assassination attempt were successful, those responsible would not be condemned for their acts. Those who took his place would reward them.
It was a narrow, twisting path he trod, and he was aware of the dangers it held. A healthy measure of caution was always advisable.
Yet that night he did not feel such caution necessary. He couldn't explain his conclusion, other than to tell himself that his instincts did not require it, and his instincts were almost always correct. This little man he followed, this Etan Orek, was after something other than the removal of the Prime Minister. He had come forward very deliberately when few others would have dared to do so, and for him to do that, he had to have very specific plans and, in all likelihood, a very specific goal. It would be interesting to discover both, even if it proved necessary to kill him afterwards.
They passed through the Prime Minister's residential halls to the front entry, where another set of black– cloaked guards stood waiting, backs straight, pikes gleaming in the torchlight.
«Bring the coach around,' Sen Dunsidan ordered.
He stood waiting just inside the door with Etan Orek, watching as the other shifted anxiously from foot to foot and cast his eyes everywhere but on his host. Every so often, it appeared he might speak, but then he apparently thought better of it. Just as well. What would they talk about, after all? It wasn't as if they were friends. After tonight, they would probably never speak again. One of them might even be dead.
By the time the coach rolled into the courtyard beyond the iron–bound entry doors, Sen Dunsidan was growing impatient with the entire business. It was taking a lot of effort to do what his engineer had asked, and there was no reason in the world to think the trouble would be worthwhile. But he had come this far, and there was no point in dismissing the matter until he knew for certain that it merited dismissal. Stranger things had happened over the years. He would wait before passing final judgment.
They boarded the coach, his guards taking up positions on the running board to either side and on the front and rear seats outside the cab. The horses snorted in response to the driver's commands, and the coach lurched ahead through the darkness. The compound was quiet, and only the lights that burned in a scattering of windows indicated the presence of the other ministers of the Coalition Council and their families. Outside the compound walls, the streets roughened, smells sharpened, and sounds rose as a result of the greater numbers housed there. Overhead, the moon was a bright, unclouded orb in the firmament, shining down on Arishaig with such intensity that the city lay clearly revealed.
On nights like this, the Prime Minister thought darkly, magic often happened. The trick was in recognizing if such magic was good or bad.
At the airship field, on the north edge of the city, Etan Orek directed them to one of the smaller buildings, a block–shaped affair that sat beyond the others and clearly was not used to house anything so grand as a flying vessel. A sentry on watch came out to greet them. Clearly confused and intimidated by the unexpected appearance of the Prime Minister, he nevertheless hastened ahead of the entourage to unlock the doors to the building.
Once there, the engineer led the way, indicating a long corridor barely lit by lamps at each end, the spaces between dark stains and shadowed indentations. Two of Sen Dunsidan's guards moved ahead, taking note of each place in which an assassin might hide, close on the heels of an impatient Etan Orek.
Halfway down a second corridor, the engineer stopped before a small door and gestured. «In here, Prime Minister.»
He opened the door and let the guards enter first, their bulky forms disappearing at once into shadow. Inside, they fired torches set in wall brackets, and by the time Sen Dunsidan entered, the room was brightly lit.
The Prime Minister looked around doubtfully. The room was a maze of tables and workbenches piled high with pieces of equipment and materials. Racks of tools hung from the walls, and shards of metal of all sizes and shapes littered the floor. He saw several crates of diapson crystals, the lids pried open, the crystals' faceted surfaces winking in the flicker of the torchlight. Everything in the room seemed to have been scattered about in haphazard fashion and with little concern for what it might take to find it later.
Sen Dunsidan looked at Etan Orek. «Well, Engineer Orek?»
«My lord,' the other replied, bowing his way forward until he stood very close—too close for the Prime Minister's comfort. «It would be better if you saw this alone,' he whispered.
Sen Dunsidan leaned forward slightly. «Send my guards away, you mean? Isn't that asking a little bit more than you should?»
The little man nodded. «I swear to you, Prime Minister, you will be perfectly safe.» The sharp eyes glanced up quickly. «I swear.»
Sen Dunsidan said nothing.
«Keep them with you, if you feel the need,' the other continued quickly, then paused. «But you may have to kill them later, if you do.»
Dunsidan stared at him. «Nothing you could show me would merit such treatment of the men in whose hands I daily place my life. You presume too much, Engineer.»
Again, the little man nodded. «I implore you. Send them away. Just outside the door will do. Just so they don't see what I have to show you.» His breathing had quickened. «You will still have them within call. They can be at your side in a moment, should you feel you need them. But they will also be safely away, should you decide you don't.»
For a long moment, Sen Dunsidan held the other's gaze without speaking, then nodded. «As you wish, little man. But don't be fooled into thinking I have no way to defend myself should you try to play me false. If I even think you are trying to betray me, I will strike you dead before you can blink.»
Etan Orek nodded. An unmistakable mix of fear and anticipation glittered in his eyes. Whatever it was, this business was important to him. He was willing to risk everything to see it through. Such passion worried Sen Dunsidan, but he refused to let it rule him. «Guards,' he called. «Leave us. Close the door. Wait just outside, where you can hear me if I summon you.»
The guards did as they were told. Once, there would have been hesitation at such a request. Now, after having survived a handful of unpleasant examples resulting from such hesitation, they obeyed without question. It was the way Sen Dunsidan preferred them.
When the door was closed, he turned again to Etan Orek. 'This had best be worth my time, Engineer. My patience is growing short.»
The little man nodded vigorously, running his hand through his dark hair as he led the way to the far end of the room and a long table piled high with debris. Grinning conspiratorially, he began to clean away the debris, revealing a long black box sectioned into three pieces.
«I have been careful to keep my work hidden from everyone,' he explained quickly. «I was afraid they might steal it. Or worse, sell it to the enemy. You never know.»
He finished clearing the table of everything but the box, then faced Sen Dunsidan once more. «My assigned task for the past three years has been to seek new and better ways in which to convert ambient light into energy. The purpose, as I am sure you are aware, is to increase the thrust of the vessels in combat conditions, so that they
