Crown of Slaves

the loose and armed. Especially when-let's not even pretend otherwise, shall we?-those slaves will be largely led and organized by the Audubon Ballroom.'

Oversteegen held up a second finger. 'Moreover-and provided such a slave planet remained politically neutral-it could provide a very useful neutral port in the region.' Grimly: 'There's no tellin' what armed clashes might erupt in this region in the future, but so long as Congo remained neutral and in ex-slave hands, at least any new outbreak of hostilities wouldn't produce the usual rapid upsurge in piracy.'

Ruth was starting to look pleased, but Oversteegen's next words erased that.

'Which brings me t' my chief concern, Princess-and that's the role bein' played in all this by the Havenite secret agent, Victor Cachat.'

Berry saw Ruth start to speak, then hesitate. She had no doubt that the princess had been about to argue that Victor Cachat was not really a 'secret agent,' but…

Fortunately, Ruth had the good sense not to advance the proposition. Seeing as how, to anyone as obviously knowledgeable as Captain Oversteegen, it would have been absurd.

Instead, Ruth just said, a bit curtly: 'Elaborate, please.'

'I'd think it was obvious. Cachat is certainly tryin' t' use this episode t' advance the interests of the Republic of Haven in Erewhonese space. Interests which are just as certain t' be inimical t' those of the Star Kingdom.'

Ruth nodded. 'Yes. Of course he is. Specifically, I'm quite sure-and so are you, I imagine-that he hopes to use the episode as a lever to pry Erewhon loose from its alliance with us. Possibly even to work them into an alliance with the Republic of Haven. Which, as you say, would be very inimical to our own interests. If nothing else, even if the current truce leads to an actual peace treaty, Erewhon could provide the Havenites with a tech transfer of almost everything which now gives us a military edge over them.'

'Exactly.'

'And so what,Captain?' demanded Ruth. 'Whether or not Cachat can manage to pull it off, how do you think we could forestall him by not participating in his project? The problem we face, putting it crudely, is that Cachat has effectively boxed us in. He's got us trapped between two jaws of a vise.'

Her own jaws tightened for a moment. 'You're constrained by military protocol from saying it out loud, but I am not.'

It was Ruth's turn to hold up a forefinger. 'Jaw number one. Thanks to the idiocy of the High Ridge Government's foreign policies, Manticore's reputation here on Erewhon is now the equivalent of mud.'

Her thumb came up. 'Jaw number two. Regardless of its possible ramifications, Cachat's proposal with respect to Congo is something which we simply can't oppose on its own merits. If we do so-'

She brought her thumb and forefinger together, like a pincer. '-if we do so, we'll simply look even worse than we do at present. Once again, the Star Kingdom will demonstrate to the Erewhonese that we'll roll over their interests for the sake of our own-and our own interests, just to make it worse, are really the product of our own stupidity and arrogance.'

She dropped her hand and almost-not quite-glared at Oversteegen. 'In short, Captain, if we fail to assist the Erewhonese in Cachat's plan, we run the risk of making the political situation even worse. Whereas if we help Cachat…'

She let the thought trail off. After a moment, Oversteegen sighed.

'Yes, I understand. Whereas if we help Cachat, we might at least minimize the damage.'

Du Havel interjected himself into the discussion for the first time. 'More than that, really. Don't forget the need to think in the long term, Captain. Manticore's governments come and go, but what remains is the dynasty. It will be no small thing, I believe, if nothing else, if you demonstrate here and now that the honor of the House of Winton is not made of the same tissue as the unprincipled schemes of Baron High Ridge. That might mean nothing today-or next year-but history is properly measured in decades and centuries. Like prime ministers, alliances come and go as well.'

Oversteegen cocked his head, then squinted at Ruth. 'Ah. Do I take it, Princess, that you have some proposal for a member of the dynasty t' become directly involved in the affair? In the line of fire, as it were?'

Ruth did her best to look innocent, but…

Good as she was, Berry thought, she was still only twenty-three years old. Oversteegen wasn't fooled for a moment.

'As I thought,' he gruffed, sitting up straight. Any trace of aristocratic languor was quite gone. 'Whatever else, Princess Ruth, I can't possibly agree t' allowin' a member of the royal house t' put herself at risk. The idea's positively absurd. T' begin with-'

Berry resigned herself to a long evening.

* * *

When Ginny entered the suite, Thandi trailing behind her, Victor was sitting in a chair by a table, staring at the suite's display screen. The screen, filling most of the far wall, showed nothing more than a view of the stellar neighborhood looking outward from Erewhon-a view which was grand enough, but as bleak as it was cold.

He didn't turn his head when they entered. Indeed, for all Thandi could tell he was oblivious to the sound of the door opening and closing.

'Figures,' muttered Ginny. 'Leave it to Victor Cachat to sit in the most uncomfortable chair in a luxury suite.'

Still, he didn't look their way. 'And why are we in this damn thing, anyway? I didn't ask for it.'

'I did,' stated Ginny forcefully. 'And you've got a guest, so stop grousing.'

Thandi realized Victor had had no idea anyone had entered with Ginny. Given the man's usual sensitivity to his environment, that alone was enough to make clear that he was immersed in a black depression.

He turned slightly. When his eyes fell on Thandi, they opened a bit. Then, narrowed. And then, within a second, he was staring back at the display.

'What is she doing here?' The words were spoken in a tone of voice just about as cold as the interstellar void shown on the screen.

Thandi felt herself shrivel, and started to turn away. But Ginny slapped her arm, as a mother might slap a child, stopping her in mid-turn. And then-to Thandi's utter amazement-marched over to Victor and gave him a gen-u-ine, down home, motherly box on the ears. No affectionate pat, either. This was a real whap!

Victor jerked with surprise, his hand flying up to the side of his face.

'Don't act the asshole around me,' Ginny growled, her face tight and angry. 'She's your guest because I told her she was. Make me a liar, Victor, and you can figure on using your ears for cauliflower soup.'

She turned to Thandi and, in that lightning manner which Thandi still found hard to follow, was all sunshine and good cheer.

'Do come in,' she cooed. 'Victor is delighted to see you. Aren't you, Victor?' The last sentence was spoken through the same cheerful smile, but the temperature in the words plunged to somewhere not far above zero degrees Kelvin.

'Uh. Yeah, sure. Come in-uh, Lieutenant Palane.'

Ginny raised her hand for another box on the ear. Victor hastily amended: 'Thandi, I mean.'

Hesitantly, Thandi took a few steps forward.

What the hell am I doing here? This is crazy! The man is furious with me-can't say I really blame him-and I ought to just-

'I'll be going then,' announced Ginny brightly. 'Now that the two of you are off to such a good start.'

Matching deed to word, she walked past Thandi and was through the door-closing it behind her-before Thandi could think to protest.

She stared at Victor. He was staring back. After two or three seconds of that, Thandi jerked herself together.

To hell with it. To hell with him, for that matter. Pride and dignity, girl. Well… dignity, anyway.