The Service of the Sword

point.

'I'm pretty worn out, Kevin,' he said softly.

Usher's sharp eyes studied him for a few seconds. 'Well, it's up to you. Your posting as provisional sector governor is rescinded, as of this moment. That was just an emergency stop-gap. You're not really the right type for it—as you and I both know good and well, heh—and we've got someone else in mind anyway. But I do need to appoint an FIA director for La Martine. I was going to offer the post to you, but . . . if you don't want it, you can return with me to Nouveau Paris. It's not like I don't have a thousand hot spots to squelch, and I do believe you've become one of my top firemen.'

'I want to go home, Kevin.' Cachat's voice seemed very thin. 'Wherever home is. It's not here. Nobody here—'

He broke off, shook his head, and continued more firmly. 'I'd rather return with you to Nouveau Paris and take on a different assignment. I'm tired of this one.'

Usher studied him for a few seconds more, with that shrewd gaze. 'Been rough, huh? I figured it might have been, from what I could tell at a distance. Okay, then. Name your replacement.'

Cachat didn't hesitate. Just turned his head and pointed a finger at Yuri. 'Him. He's—'

For the first time, Usher caught sight of Radamacher.

'Yuri!' he bellowed. 'Long time!'

The next thing Yuri knew he was being swept up into the same bear hug.

He'd also forgotten how strong Usher was. He couldn't breathe. But Yuri finally forgave Cachat for Sharon's beating. He didn't want to think what kind of punishment those huge hands had visited on the fanatic.

Usher plopped Yuri back on his feet. Then, one hand still on Yuri's shoulder, shook his head firmly.

'Not a chance. We've got another assignment for this one, if he wants it. We're putting our own people in as governors for most of the sectors, but La Martine's been so rock steady that we decided we'd just leave Yuri here in place running the show.'

Everyone in the La Martine delegation looked surprised. 'How'd you know—?' Chin asked.

Usher laughed. 'For Pete's sake, Admiral, rumor flies both ways. Must have been thirty merchant ships pass through Haven, all with the same story. Commissioner Radamacher's holding the fort in La Martine, steady as she goes and business is even good. That's why we've left you on your own so long. Sorry 'bout that, but we had way too many other problems on our hands to worry about a problem that didn't exist. Besides—'

The other big hand clapped down on Cachat's shoulder. 'I knew my number one boy Victor was out here, lending a hand. That was worth an hour's extra sleep for me every night, right there.'

To Victor: 'Name somebody else.'

Victor pointed at Sharon. 'Her, then. Captain Sharon Justice.'

Sharon was standing frozen. Radamacher likewise. In fact, everyone in the La Martine delegation had a strained look on their face.

Usher frowned. 'What's the matter?'

Cachat glanced around. Then, flushed a bit. 'Oh. Well. Bad memories, I imagine. I once asked people here to name their replacements and—well. It all turned out a bit, ah, unpleasant.'

Usher grinned. 'Ran you all through the ringer, did he? Ha!' The hand rose, fell, clapping Cachat's shoulder. 'A real piece of work, isn't he? Like I said, my number one boy.'

He focused the grin on Sharon. 'Not to worry, I'm just passing out lollipops. La Martine Sector is the provincial apple of Haven's eye right now, don't think it isn't.'

Now, to Yuri: 'And you, what do you say? You'll have to give up the 'commissioner' part of it, Yuri. The name, anyway. Can you live with 'governor'?'

Mutely, Yuri nodded. Usher immediately shifted the grin elsewhere. He seemed determined to complete his business immediately. Yuri had also forgotten how much energy Kevin Usher possessed.

'Okay, then. Admiral Chin, you're relieved of command and ordered to report back to the capital for a new assignment. It's ridiculous to keep an admiral of your talent and experience running a provincial task force. Tom— Admiral Theismann—no, he's the new Secretary of War—tells me he's got a Vice-Admiralty and a fleet waiting for you. Commodore Ogilve, you're promoted to Rear Admiral and will be taking over from Admiral Chin here. Don't get too comfy, though. I don't think you'll be here long. We can find somebody else to squelch pirates. We've got some rebellions to suppress—and who knows how long the truce with the Manties will last?'

Even somebody like Usher wasn't completely oblivious to such things as 'formalities' and 'proper chain of command.' His grin seemed to widen, though, as if he took great pleasure in tweaking them.

'Of course, you'll be getting the official word from Admiral Austell, not me. That's Midge Austell—she's says she knows you, Commodore. She should be coming over on the next pinnace, which—ah. I see it's arrived.'

Sure enough, the green light of a good seal flashed on the bay end of the boarding tube once more, and a woman swung herself from the tube's zero-gee into the bay. Piled through from the tube, rather, practically shoving Admiral Austell aside as she did so.

The woman was not wearing a uniform; was small; dark-skinned; gorgeous; and her face was tight with disapproval.

'Stupid red tape,' Yuri heard her mutter. 'Make me wait for the next pinnace!'

Then, loudly: 'Where's Victor?'

She didn't wait for an answer, though, because her eyes spotted the man she was looking for.

'Victor!'

'Ginny!'

An instant later, they were embracing like long-lost siblings. Or . . . something. A close relationship, whatever it was.

'My wife,' Usher announced proudly. 'Virginia, but we all call her Ginny. She and Victor are good friends.'

Yuri remembered various keywords and passwords. Ginny. Tongue. Hotelbed. Shakehertail.(True, ginrummy didn't seem to fit the pattern.)

Major Citizen happened to be standing right behind him. Diana leaned close and whispered into his ear: 'You really don't want to know, Yuri. I mean, you really really really really don't want to know.'

He nodded firmly.

Cachat and Usher's wife finally broke their embrace. Ginny held him out at arm's length and examined him.

'You look like shit,' she pronounced. 'What's the matter?'

Cachat seemed on the verge of tears. There was no trace left of the fanatic. Just a very young man, bruised by life.

'I'm tired, Ginny, that's all. It's been . . . real hard on me here. I don't have any friends, and—God, I've missed you a lot—and . . . I just want to leave.'

Yuri Radamacher had survived for ten years under the suspicious scrutiny of the Committee of Public Safety. It had been quite an odyssey, but it was over. He'd weathered all storms; escaped all reefs; even finally managed to make it safely to shore.

The experience, of course, had shaped his belief that there was precious little in the universe in the way of justice. But what happened next, confirmed his belief for all time.

Not even Oscar Saint-Just could have advanced such a completely, utterly, insanely unfair accusation.

'So that's it!' Ginny Usher's voice was shrill with fury, her hot eyes sweeping over the La Martine delegation.

'Victor Cachat is the sweetest kid in the world! And you—' She was practically spitting like a cat. 'You dirty rotten bastards! You were mean to him.'