Laren eased in and took a chair across from him. “We only get about two percent from Revenant worlds. I’d judge that we might get increases from some of the former border systems, especially those near the Argenti protectorate.”
“What aren’t you telling me? The Republic and Keltyr numbers?”
“The offices on Republic worlds only amount to ten percent of revenues, but we could lose all of those. Also, if the Republic starts to expand…”
“That won’t happen immediately,” Van said. “The RSF has most of its ships tied up in the Keltyr worlds. For now.”
“The Keltyr worlds…Let’s see.” Laren frowned, concentrating. “We only have five offices there, but in the independent systems surrounding them, we have eight.”
“You’re telling me that the Republic’s policies—over time—could cost us between, say, five and fifteen percent of total revenues?”
“We can’t project that…there are too many variables,” Laren pointed out. “But, yes, we will lose revenue. We’ll also lose access, and information.” She smiled politely. “Is there anything else?”
“Not for right now.” Van had thought he understood. For the moment, he didn’t need hard numbers, just an understanding of the overall picture. But before he made any hard decisions on operations, he would need those numbers.
Chapter 93
On fiveday, Van was in his office early again, as he seemed to be every day since he had arrived in Cambria. He’d called up a holo projection of the Arm, one that presented the areas of political control in color, and was studying it.
Incoming out-system for Director Albert. Sender, IIS office, Meroe.
Accept. Van wondered what Miryam Adullah had for him.
The face that appeared on the holo projection was not Miryam’s, but that of Emily Clifton, her blonde hair pulled back severely.
Van waited.
“I couldn’t let all this come without a personal message,” Emily’s image declared. “I used my personal leave as terminal leave so that I wouldn’t have to go back to the embassy. The ambassador understands. Miryam Adullah said it would be acceptable for me to give the Meroe office of IIS as a return, since I don’t have a commcode of my own yet.”
A somber look followed.
“I’ve enjoyed being with you, more than you could know…this is hard…Please don’t shoot the messenger, Van. I care, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
Without another word from Emily, the holo began to display what were clearly media images, stock scenes of locales, interspersed with talking heads.
With great regret Prime Minister Eamon announced that the unrest in Bannon has been resolved. In a written statement, he deplored the self-indulgence and treasonous behavior of those in Bannon and throughout Sulyn who had no understanding of the dangers that had faced and continued to confront the Republic…
…the use of heavy weapons by Republic Marines in house-to-house fighting turned more than ninety percent of the city of Bannon and the outlying residential areas into little more than rubble…The Ministry of Internal Security expressed regret that the rebels had not seen fit to accept the rule of law that governs all civilized societies…but had tried to take that law into their own hands…preliminary estimates indicate that more than ninety percent of all structures and dwellings have been destroyed…
Van swallowed. Sulyn had the highest percentage of black Tarans in the Republic, and Bannon had held most of the more distinguished figures—such as his fathers.
Emily’s face reappeared, and her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. “I managed to get some of the casualty figures…it appears as though over three thousand RSF Marines have been killed, and more than three million civilians. That could be low…there are twenty million people in the areas attacked, and independent media reports are claiming death rates of eighty to ninety percent…”
Emily’s image vanished and was replaced by a talking head, and then by a scene of smoking rubble, klick upon klick of it. Van recognized the badlands at the northern edge of the screen as those beyond where his fathers’ house had stood—as had Arturo’s. Had stood, because it was clear nothing had been left standing.
A report from the Argenti news service Verdad claims that the Taran Republic executed scores of media personnel during the crackdown on unrest on the planet of Sulyn. The executions centered on those reporting the high levels of casualties, now estimated to exceed five million…Among those executed was noted mediacaster Ashley Marson…
Ashley, too? Was that because Ashley had been unbiased? Or because he had been tied to the Albert family?
…Verdad states that unidentified sources have confirmed that the Ministry of Internal Security had held secret military trials for a number of media types, including Marson. Marson was allegedly convicted of treason on the grounds that he had incited civil unrest and rebellion in Bannon. The Ministry of Internal Security had declined to open the military trials to the media, citing Republic security, and has kept the verdicts sealed, despite widespread reports of executions of scores of mediacasters, advocates, and academics who had opposed the government’s actions to restore what it termed civil order…
…Verité reported yesterday in Marsay that virtually all Taran professionals of color or ‘external ethnicity’ had either fled the Republic of Tara, been placed in work camps, or executed under the pretext of treasonous activities. This report was immediately denounced as untrue and as inflammatory propaganda perpetuated by the enemies of the Republic by the Taran ambassador to the Frankan Comity…
Taran Prime Minister Eamon announced that elections will take place tomorrow…
Van calculated that with the time delays those elections had doubtless already taken place.
…and that the new parliament will be sworn in and be ready to take up the government’s agenda for social and economic reform, as well as the prime minister’s proposal for strengthening the Republic Space Force. High on the government agenda is a proposal to
