Crown of Slaves

even, if you could step back and consider the planet's ecology as a whole. They not only kept the population of Ndebele's other sea life in balance, they also provided immediate sustenance for a multitude of symbiotes and scavengers.

None of which kept an encounter with one in the open sea from being a terrifying experience. And Thandi now knew-for a certainty-that whatever else she wanted from her life, being a scavenger or a predator's symbiote was not included.

She relaxed then, bringing up the image of her newly acquired 'little sister' to purge the vast frightening image of a sea beast swimming through the deeps. She held the image, as tightly as a drowning woman would clasp a lifevest.

I love this girl.

* * *

After Thandi left, there was silence in the compartment, for perhaps half a minute. Then Edie Habib's face grew tight.

'Dammit, somebody's going to have to come out and say it. I guess the XO always gets the really crappy assignments. So here it is: She knows too much.'

Rozsak glanced quickly at Huang, and then at Watanapongse. The Marine officer's face was stony. Watanapongse's… serene, oddly enough.

Huang's reaction was predictable. Understanding the importance of it-the last thing he could ever afford was losing the trust and loyalty of his combat leaders-Rozsak gave voice to the stone. 'I gave my word, Edie. To one of my own officers.'

But Habib was an excellent XO; which meant, among other things, that she was persistent in probing for error. 'Yes, Captain, that's true. And I will tell you what else is true-and everybody here, including Kao, knows it damn good and well. It's not going to be the last time you went back on your word, in the years ahead. Not where we're going, if we ever expect to get there.'

That, too, was the simple truth. But hearing it just made Huang's face grow stonier.

'Still,' Rozsak demurred, 'it's not a thing to do lightly. Having a name for having a word is worth… maybe not its weight in gold, but damn close. Which we will also need, where we're going. If there's any bigger pitfall in the path of ambition than being too clever for your own good, I don't know what it is.'

Watanapongse's expression had remained serene throughout. Rozsak found himself curious.

'Why are you so blase about the matter, Jiri?'

'Because it's a moot point, that's why. Unless everybody here suddenly develops the intelligence of a vegetable-no offense, XO, you're just doing your job-then it ought to be obvious why the idea of assassinating Thandi Palane is just plain dumb. Not even that. 'Insane' comes closer.'

'Why?' demanded Habib. But there was more relief than anything else in her tone. Edie hadn't proposed the idea because she liked it. She'd be as glad as Rozsak to be convinced otherwise.

Watanapongse levered himself up, from his relaxed slump. 'Let's start with the fact that trying to assassinate Palane is a bit like trying to assassinate a tiger. Easier said than done. Who, after all, would we normally have given the assignment?'

Huang rasped a little laugh. 'Thandi Palane.'

'Exactly. But leave that aside. The woman's not superhuman, after all. With our resources, I'm sure we could figure out a way to do it. Which… might even work. And then what?'

Watanapongse shook his head. 'Oh, yeah. A really bright idea. In order to protect ourselves-from a very remote threat, since Thandi Palane is almost certain to keep her mouth shut-we kill a woman who is simultaneously-'

He began counting off on his fingers. 'The girlfriend of the Republic of Haven's best secret agent; a man who is-I've seen him in action-one of the deadliest men you'll ever meet.

'The protector and close friend of Berry Zilwicki, whose father Anton would probably be Manticore's best spy if the idiots hadn't fired him-and, whether in or out of uniform, has demonstrated several times just how dangerous it is to cross him.

'And-oh, perfect!-we'd also be assassinating a woman one of whose close associates now is a certain individual by the name of Jeremy X. You have heard of him? If you want more character references, just check with Manpower. Ask for their body count department.'

He slumped back in his chair, the serene smile returning. 'Just forget it, Captain. This is one time when doing the right thing and the smart thing happen to coincide. There is absolutely nothing I can think of you doing in this situation which would be stupider than killing Thandi Palane. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life- probably a short one-looking over your shoulder.'

By the time Jiri had finished, Edie Habib was looking very rueful. 'Never mind,' she said, in a little voice. 'I never even raised the idea. Honest.'

Rozsak chuckled. 'Just doing your job, XO, as always. But I think Jiri's pretty well settled the issue. And I can't say I'm unhappy about it. Not at all. I can handle a bad taste, but that one would have been really foul.'

Rozsak expected that to be the end of it, but, to his surprise, Watanapongse spoke again.

'Besides, it's probably a moot point from another angle, anyway. I'm quite sure that, by now, some other people have figured out the truth about the Stein killing.'

'Who?' demanded Habib. 'Our security's been tight as a drum, I'm sure of it.'

'Victor Cachat, for one. About him, I'm positive.' Catching Habib's quick angry glance at the compartment door, Watanapongse shook his head. 'No, no, XO-he didn't get it from Thandi's pillow talk. He's smart, that's all. Better, being honest, at this kind of black ops than we'll ever be. And he was right in the middle of it, remember. He'll have figured it all out by now, don't think he hasn't.'

'Who else?' grunted Huang.

'Hard to say. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if that too-damn-smart Manticoran princess does-the real one, I mean, Ruth Winton. Anton Zilwicki certainly will. So will some of the Erewhonese. It's not as if it's all that hard to figure out. Not for someone who's good at this kind of work, and takes a look at the determination with which Thandi saw to it that no witnesses survived.'

Rozsak wasn't really surprised, nor was he upset. He'd calculated on this possibility from the beginning.

'Okay,' he said. 'It's fallback time, then. Speaking of which'-smiling, now-'I have good news from Smoking Frog. I had my meeting with the governor, and he was most deeply upset at what I had to tell him. Confess to him, rather. Oh, yes. Shocked and distressed, he was. But he also agreed that this Congo situation provides us with a perfect way to sweep the dirt under a shiny public rug.'

Everybody in the compartment was now looking cheerful. 'Indeed so,' said Jiri. 'There are always conspiracy theories floating around, whenever somebody gets assassinated. Who but a handful of malcontents is going to believe them-when they see the glorious role played by Captain Rozsak's flotilla in the liberation of Congo? Especially when the people in the know-all of them-have every reason to keep their mouth shut. Given that, to a considerable degree, the liberation's success depends on maintaining the good will of Maya Sector and its governor.'

Rozsak cleared his throat. It was a harsh sound. 'And given, as well-the governor made a point of this-that Cassetti will have to take the fall. Quietly, of course. But that should be enough to satisfy everyone who knows the truth and wants a sacrificial lamb. Goat, rather. Cassetti was too nakedly in love with power to have been a popular man. He'll do very nicely, and it clears him out of the way.'

He chuckled. 'Odd, isn't it? The way things sometimes work out. Thandi Palane's the one I would have given that assignment to. And I don't think it would have bothered her at all.'

Huang made a little noise, as if he'd started to say something and then choked it off. Rozsak glanced at him. Then, seeing the meaning in his eyes, looked away.

Oh, that's good, Kao. 'Black ops' with a vengeance. And the truth is, I really don't think Palane would mind doing us that last little service.

'Perhaps…' he mused aloud, '-he's still here, you know, staying at the Suds-Cassetti will want to accompany