Rodham looked over at Jamison in confusion and then slowly sat down, turning to look back at the holo.
'Your report on the false signal and the Kilrathi message regarding the antimatter warhead plant, does that fit into this?
'It fits right in, sir,' Grecko replied.
'Sir, you are looking at the beginning of a full scale offensive with an upgraded fleet,' Tolwyn said. 'In less than a month the Kilrathi will be above Earth demanding our surrender if we're lucky, though if past practices are any indication they'll flatten us with a full antimatter warhead bombardment and then come down to gloat over the wreckage and tear out the throats of the survivors with their claws when their next Sivar ceremony comes around.'
Rodham nodded slowly and closed his eyes for a moment. Jamison started to speak and the president held up his hand for silence. He finally turned and looked over at Tolwyn.
'You were the best fighting admiral in the fleet, Geoff. Banbridge told me more than once that he wanted you to replace him as commander of Third Fleet when he retired.'
Geoff lowered his head, saying nothing.
'Admiral Tolwyn, I am officially pardoning you for the incident at Munro. As of this moment I am reinstating you as a full admiral in command of Third Fleet, with the mission of organizing defenses against the anticipated Kilrathi invasion. General Grecko, I am appointing you the new head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in command of all Confederation forces.'
'Just what the hell is this?' Jamison roared.
'Secretary Jamison, I expect your resignation as Foreign Secretary effective immediately and also advise you that you will face an investigation. I have refused to believe the allegations made against you for too long. I think this matter has to be looked into.' Jamison's features flushed.
'Harry, you can't do this,' she said quietly, her voice full of menace.
'I am the President of the Confederation, and I can damn well appoint and fire my cabinet as I see fit.'
'And have me as the whipping boy for this situation? Like hell. Your charges against me are nothing but a smokescreen to shift blame. It was your decision to sign the armistice.'
'Based upon the information you provided to me regarding Kilrathi political intentions.'
'You're the president, Harry,' she snapped coldly. 'The buck stops here, remember.'
Rodham lowered his head, nodding sadly.
'Yes, it does. I fully realize that,' he whispered. 'And that is one of the reasons I demand your resignation. Admiral Richards presented me with a report more than six months ago, indicating that you might present a security risk since the capture of your son and that the Kilrathi might be in contact with you for a possible deal.'
'Are you calling me a traitor?' Jamison roared.
'Not yet,' Rodham said quietly.
'You want my resignation, well you can go to hell. Make it a public firing in front of the press, and believe me, my side of the story will be told as well.'
She looked around the room angrily.
'I'll see all of you in hell,' and she stormed out of the conference room.
Rodham watched her go and wearily he turned back to face Tolwyn and Grecko.
'I'm sorry, Duke, you and the other officers were right.'
'Even if we turn them back, Mr. President, a lot of good youngsters are going to die in the doing of it. We had them, sir, we had them on the ropes and we could have crippled them. Now it's the other way around.'
'You don't need to remind me, Duke.'
'I do need to remind you, sir, Grecko snapped back. 'It's always been this way. The civilians start to forget just how dangerous the world, or the universe really is. They start to believe their fantasies, and then in the end it's the kids on the front line who pay for it. Well, sir, on this little folly the human race might very well become extinct before it's done.'
Rodham started to speak and then stopped and looked away.
'After I take care of Jamison, I'm resigning as President,' he said quietly. 'Vice President Dave Quinson never did support this idea; he was as much as public about it. I think he could help rally our people better than me.'
'I think that's a good idea, sir,' Duke replied, his voice cold and even.
Rodham stood up and looked back at the holo display.
'You know, Jamison will make this an ugly fight. It might slow down our mobilization. I'm therefore issuing as my final executive order a full mobilization of the fleet, along with wartime governmental control of the economy. Jamison is most likely running to the press right now so I'd better act first. When I resign my cabinet will have to resign as well. Maybe it'll clear the deck for Quinson.'
'A smart move, sir.'
Rodham nodded again and extended his hand.
'I'm sorry, Duke. Sorry for everything.'
Wayne hesitated for a moment and then shook hands.
Harold Rodham, shoulders slumped in defeat, turned and walked out of the room, not even noticing the salute of the two officers behind him.
'I guess his heart was in the right place,' Geoff said quietly.
You know what they pave the road to hell with,' Duke replied, 'and frankly, Geoff, I think we're all on a greasy slope aimed straight into the fiery pit.'
The Emperor, in an unusual gesture, ordered the screen removed so that he was fully visible to those who sat before him. As the two Imperial Guards drew the screen back the clan leaders went down on their knees, foreheads touching the cool turquoise inlaid floor of the audience chamber.
'Raise up your heads, return to your feet,' he said, and they did as commanded.
'I wanted you to gaze upon me, to dispel any lingering doubts as to my continued existence.'
They stood silently, furtively looking from one to the other, but most of them finally turned their gaze upon Jukaga, who stood in the middle of the group, staring straight at the Emperor.
'You have heard the rumors, and they are true,' the Emperor said. 'Someone indeed attempted the most heinous of all crimes, a crime so loathsome that there is not even a word in our own tongue to describe it, so that we must borrow this word from corrupt and downcast races.'
He fell silent as if waiting, and the silence dragged into long uncomfortable minutes, as if he were waiting for one of them to throw himself upon the foot of the throne in supplication.
No one moved.
'He shall be found out,' the Emperor finally said coldly. 'Now let us discuss the war.'
The group visibly relaxed.
'The fleet made jump fourteen days ago from their base, within hours after being discovered, and is moving at flank speed to the front. It will arrive here at Kilrah later today.'
'Then it has begun,' Vak breathed, trembling with excitement and a low murmuring of growls filled the audience chamber.
The Emperor nodded.
'We have placed blame, both for the bomb in their headquarters, and for this other loathsome act, upon the humans.'
'Could it not be, Jukaga replied, his voice soft and even, 'that both bombs were indeed acts of humans?'
'I heard a report that you yourself said that the bombing of their headquarters could not have been done by them,' the Emperor retorted.
'It is a mere conjecture,' Jukaga replied, 'for I have not heard any admission that we planted the bomb in their headquarters and thus wrecked the peace.'
The Emperor smiled. Both he and the Baron knew the real truth, yet neither could admit it.
'I expect, Baron, that you will continue to keep them divided as long as possible. Even now they still argue,