Crown of Slaves

of the universe's unwanted and despised. There were certain inevitable results, one of which was a very stripped-down moral code and precious little in the way of 'fine sentiments.'

'He's not a 'murderer,' Ruth,' she said softly. 'That's neither fair nor accurate, and you know it as well as I do.'

'He could have stopped them! The lousy bastard!'

Berry said nothing. First, because there was nothing to say-Cachat could have prevented the horrendous loss of life. Most of it, anyway. He could have certainly given enough warning to keep the Queen's Own from dying.

But, mostly, she said nothing because she knew that wasn't what was really upsetting Ruth. The princess would weep over her dead, to be sure, and find a clean anger at the man who had allowed it to happen. But that wasn't what had left her so completely shaken. It was the fact that, with no hesitation, she had allied herself with Cachat afterward.

Berry saw Web's face clear up. Finally, he understood.

'Oh.'

Yeah, Web, she thought sourly. 'Oh.' Ruth may have her mother's genes, but she's been a princess all her life. How did you THINK she'd react, when it finally caught up with her?

'Oh,' Web repeated. He rubbed a hand over his short hair, sighing. 'Ruth…'

The princess raised bleary eyes toward him. Du Havel sighed again, more heavily. He gave Berry a glance of appeal, but Berry just shook her head. Let Du Havel handle this part of it. Berry's job, for the moment, was just to provide comfort.

'I really wouldn't beat myself too hard,' Web said softly. 'Given where you're coming from, Ruth, it's to your credit you're having this emotional reaction now. But it's also to your credit-at least from where I'm coming from, anyway-that you had the initial one. Right when it all happened.'

Now Ruth was the one confused. 'Huh?'

Web's normally kind face was set in hard lines. 'Look, Princess, I'll be blunt. I understand someone like Victor Cachat a lot better than you do. I had nothing at all against Lieutenant Griggs and his detachment-in fact, I was rather fond of Sergeant Hofschulte myself-but I had nothing for them, either.'

He gave Berry another glance. 'It's Berry's father's attitude toward the Crown. He doesn't blame the Queen of Manticore for the stupid things her ministers do in her name, but neither he nor Cathy Montaigne give her any credit for them, either.'

Ruth wiped tears from her eyes and raised her head from Berry's shoulder. Berry was almost amused, really. It was in the nature of Ruth Winton that any kind of challenge would get an immediate rise from her. Emotions, be damned-you can wait!

'Explain that,' the princess commanded, almost snapping the words. 'I heard Captain Zilwicki say the same thing to Berry the day we met, but I don't understand its bearing on what you're saying!'

Web shrugged. 'Why am I, or Victor Cachat, supposed to place the life of a Manticoran soldier-or the life of a wealthy Erewhonese tourist-above the life of a slave?'

His face was now hard as stone. 'And why, for that matter, should you?Do keep in mind that Lieutenant Griggs-and Sergeants Hofschulte and Bulanchik-were at least given the right to volunteer for their potentially dangerous assignment. Ask any of Manpower's slaves-like the thousands and thousands on Congo, whose work is almost guaranteedto take their lives within a few years-if anyone ever gave them that right.' He nodded toward Berry. 'Or ask her if, when she was born, anybody ever asked her to volunteer for a life in Terra's warrens. Or ask your mother if anyone ever asked her to volunteer for a life as a Masadan female chattel.'

He snorted derisively. 'God, I love the 'fine morality' of the wealthy and powerful. You'll spill tears over your own, in a heartbeat. And then never even look twice at people below you, whose lives are ground under every day, day after day, year after year. Such are beneath your contempt, aren't they?'

Ruth jerked herself out of Berry's embrace and sat up straight, wiping away the last of the tears with a quick, angry hand. 'That's not fair, Web!'

Du Havel gave her a level gaze. 'No, as a matter, it's not fair-applied to you. Very unfair, as a matter of fact. And I know that's true because of the way you reacted immediately, once you understood that Cachat was up to something.'

Ruth stared at him. Web's stony face suddenly creased into a little smile. 'Do keep that in mind, Princess of Manticore. The very same behavior that now has you flagellating yourself for being a 'traitor' is, in fact, the behavior that makes a former slave of Manpower find himself inclined to trust a princess. And it's not often I feel that way, I can assure you. I normally trust people in high places about as much as I'd trust a serpent. On that subject-slaves have long and bitter memories-I'm really not much different from Jeremy X, when you get right down to it.'

Ruth turned her head and stared at Berry. Berry smiled, and shrugged.

'What he said. And, when you get a chance, I really think you and your mother should have a talk about it.'

Ruth's lips quirked. 'My mother. Is that the same one my father's been known to refer to as the one member of the dynasty, in some five hundred years, who could teach the House of Winton what 'cold-blooded' really means?'

'Yup. Your mother, the murderess.'

'Pirate too, I believe,' said Du Havel cheerily.

Ruth looked back and forth from Web to Berry. 'I still don't feel good about it. And Cachat's still a bastard.'

'No one's asking you to feel 'good' about it, Princess,' pointed out Du Havel. 'As I said-given where you're coming from-the emotional reaction is inevitable. Um. Probably be a little scary if you didn't have it, in fact. But don't let that reaction blind you to the reality. Victor Cachat may or may not be a 'bastard.' I don't know the man well enough, frankly, to have an opinion of his personal character one way or the other.'

He leaned forward in his chair, hands on his knees. 'But here's what I do know. While everyone else has spent years pissing and moaning about the horrors of Congo-and doing precisely nothing about it-Cachat is willing to kick over the whole stinking mess. So I'm really not too concerned about whether his hands are clean. Seeing as how I'm not impressed at all by the fine velvety gloves everyone else has been wearing.'

'And you think this is all because of his fine, high principles and ideals?' Ruth challenged in return. 'The man's a Havenite agent, Professor. A Havenite agent. As in, an agent of a star nation with which Manticore happens to still be at war.' She met his eyes unflinchingly. 'He may very well be willing to 'kick over the whole stinking mess,' but I doubt that you're naive enough to believe that that's why he came to Erewhon in the first place!' She snorted bitterly. 'If you are that naive, I assure you that I'm not.'

'No, I don't suppose it is,' Du Havel conceded. 'But does that change the practical consequences of his arrival?'

'From my perspective, it certainly does,' Ruth said flatly. 'Don't get me wrong, Professor. I hate the notion of slavery about as much as anyone who was never a slave herself possibly could. As you say, my mother had a little experience with the institution, and she never pulled any punches when she described her experiences to me. And, yes, Cachat is willing to do something about Congo, which should be counted in his favor. But you heard what Oversteegen and I just finished arguing over. And what if the captain's right to have reservations? What if Cachat does succeed in detaching Erewhon from the Star Kingdom and actually swings it to Haven? And we end up back actively at war with Haven? And Erewhon hands over all the tech advantages which let us win the last round? Do you have any idea how many thousands-how many hundreds of thousands, or even millions-of Manticorans may be killed as a result? How many Graysons? While you're being so morally high and mighty, Professor, and telling me how right I was to support Cachat's crusade against Congo, remember that I have no special, individual responsibility to Congo. Or to you, for that matter.'

Her eyes were hard, now, and Du Havel reminded himself that whatever her origins, this was a princess of the