I’m not sure it matters.”
Mike stared at him. “How can it not matter?”
Tarn’s eyes shifted from Mike to Ellie. “Because of another vision, Your Majesties.”
Krys sucked in a breath, then shrieked. “Your Majesties?” She stared at Tarn, then whirled to face Ellie. “You married your knight in shining armor, Mother?”
Despite the gravity of the situation, Ellie went to Krys and gathered her in her arms. “Did you expect anything less, my daughter? I wanted both of us to tell you, but your vision intervened. I’m sorry.”
“I’m so happy for you, both of you,” she said, turning to include Mike. “I wish I could have been there.”
“Well, it was quite the private affair,” Mike said with a tight smile. “The vision, Tarn?”
Tarn deferred to Krys, but she didn’t have all the pieces. “What about the hands?” she asked him, thinking of Buskin’s vision.
“They’re his,” he said, brooking no argument.
She nodded and turned back to Mike. “I had a vision of Admiral Buskin several months ago. Do you know him?”
“I know of him. We haven’t met.”
“You know he’s gathered a number of ships to himself?” Mike nodded grimly, and she continued. “In my vision of him, I was looking through his eyes. He was in the net, and he could see all around himself. Behind him, a blue and white planet with a single moon was receding. In front of him, what seemed like a thousand ships were coming his way. Tarn says they were Chessori ships because of their color and drive signatures.” Mike nodded again.
“With the vision came the following words for Admiral Buskin:
‘Follow or lead? Where once it was dirt, a king’s tears now fall through spread fingers. The battle is won, the war lost.’”
Silence filled the room as Ellie and Mike considered the words.
“Have we failed?” Elle asked.
“Have I failed?” Mike countered. He turned to Tarn. “Is it already too late?”
“Krys did not sense imminence with Buskin’s vision. I believe there is time yet. I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner. We could have gotten him started months ago.”
“Started on what?”
“He’s hiding out while he trains Great Cats to fly and fight his ships. It doesn’t matter where he hides. He’ll go wherever you send him. Why not let him do his waiting near Earth? He has a lot of ships, probably more than you have here.”
Mike smacked a fist into an open hand. “Get him in here.”
“Uh, Sire, Lieutenants don’t order Fleet Admirals around. Truth be told, I was just an ensign when all this started.”
Mike reconsidered his demand, then could only smile. A few minutes delay wouldn’t matter. He went over and put an arm around Tarn’s shoulders. “You might have just been an ensign, but I was a civilian. Rank isn’t the determining factor around here. Duty and ability are all I care about. You were right a little while ago when you pulled me aside. You said things were going to start hopping, and you were right then, too. I get the impression you’re right a lot of the time. What’s your official position in all of this?”
“I’m Krys’ aide, assigned by Admiral Chandrajuski.”
“Hmm. She’s a Knight now, and I’m First Knight, so she’s part of my team. That means you are, too. I only accept volunteers. Will you volunteer?”
“Of course, Sire.”
“Okay. We need a meeting, and I don’t know where anyone is. Can you round up Buskin, Trexler, and Jeffers for me, and do it in my name? Say one hour from now?”
Ellie took charge. “Make it two hours, Michael. We have some other business to attend to in the meantime.” She turned to Krys. “You can help him if you’d like.”
Krys smiled weakly. “I recognize a dismissal when I hear one.” She went to Ellie and kissed her on the cheek. “All this aside, I’m happy for you and your First Knight, Mother.”
Ellie kissed her back, on the mouth. “And I’m grateful. What you two have given us today might make the difference between success and failure. You’ve done well, and so has your man. Just don’t stop calling me Mother. Return here when you’ve finished setting up the meeting.”
Krys and Tarn left hand in hand, a Knight and a Friend of the Royal Family.
Ellie stood for a while in thought after the door slid shut behind them, then turned to Mike. “You really want him on your staff?”
“I do. Look at what he just did, and it’s not the first time. Krys has given us the visions, but he’s the one who’s figured them out. If his interpretations are right, he’s given us critical keys to defeating the Rebels, and he might just have saved a whole planet, my planet.”
“Your home, Michael.”
“No, my home is here with you, but it’s my homeland.” He smiled. “Did you see how he pulled me off to the side?”
“No. When?”
“You and Krys were being mother and daughter. He doesn’t take no for an answer, Ellie. In his own mind he’s an ensign, an officer of the lowest possible rank. Despite that, he made a decision he knew was right, and he acted upon it despite the fact that I’m First Knight. And he didn’t just ask for information, he demanded it. He reminds me a lot of Val.”
“I’m not surprised. He’s the Guide.”
“From your story about the leaf people?”
“The very same, only we had it wrong, all of us. Krys discovered that he wasn’t her guide, he was our guide. His purpose is to guide whomever the vision is about. He’s guided Chandrajuski, Korban, Seeton and Veswicki, Buskin, and now you and me.” She kissed him hard. “And now you’re leaving me again.”
“I’m afraid so. I must.”
“When?”
“Soon. We’ll know better after the meeting. I don’t want to rush off with a bad plan. Korban needs help, Seeton is counting on our help, the sectors and districts need us out there in the worst way, and we haven’t figured out how you’re going to deal with the senate. I wish Chandrajuski was here.”
“He’ll be back any day.”
“We’ll wait if we can. Let’s see what the others think. Trexler is going to go ballistic.”
“Does he have time to go with you? Can he afford to be away?”
“Can you imagine him not going?”
“I don’t know. He’s a big picture kind of guy. He’ll go where he’s most needed. I like him, and I’ll miss him if he goes. As usual, I’ll be here alone.”
“You’ll have Otis, and you really must get to know Josh. You’ll like him.”
“We’ll see. I might make some plans of my own.”
“Traveling plans?”
“Maybe. We’ll see how the meeting goes, then I’ll decide.”
He took her in his arms. “But you won’t decide on your own, will you.”
“No, my love. I’ve learned to listen to my counselors. And don’t worry. I have almost 600 Protectors to keep an eye on me.”
“I’d be happier if it was a thousand, ten thousand.”
She snuggled into his chest. “I’m getting low on Knights Pins, and I won’t have the means to add to my supply until we’re back on Triton.”
“Maybe you should just start giving out one Pin. Val and Reba would be happy to part with one, or maybe both of them if that’s what you need. The Pins are helpful, but they’re both strong enough to accomplish things without them.”
“We’ll see, but I won’t send a Knight out without at least one.”
“They’re not Knights because of the Pins, My Lady.”
She smiled. “You speak true, First Knight. I’ve chosen my Knights well, and I’m pleased with each of them, though I fear for them, as well.”
