DIRECTOR
Chapter 50
Van triggered the lock closed behind him as he stepped into the Joyau, docked at C-two of Winokur orbit control.
Eri appeared before Van got another step farther toward either the galley or his stateroom.
“Were you successful?”
“They agreed, and the retainer is in the local branch of Cambrian Holdings. It’s not that much.” Van shrugged. “Winokur isn’t that well-off, but the planetary assembly had delegated authority to the bonding agency. They really want to strengthen local multis. If…if Krecor follows the plan, and if Bonifils and Chabre can keep their management on track, it ought to work.” Van eased into the galley, where he turned on the cafémaker.
Eri followed, clearly wanting more details.
Van didn’t blame her, since she’d been sitting the ship. “I promised the first set of formulator templates within a week of deposit. That we can do. Those are the ones we brought. They get the second set in two months, and I’ll have to torp that request off to IIS Cambria. We’ll have to pick those up somewhere—either meet Trystin or make a long jump to Perdya—in six weeks. But we’ll need to swing back by here about then anyway to see what Trans-Win Microtronics is up to…” He poured himself a mug of café. “Seems like every Rev front multi is Trans something or other.”
Eri nodded politely.
Van grinned. “There’s a down-shuttle to Wypres in an hour. I’ve got to catch up on some things. You want a day to look around, and whatever?”
“I could do that.”
“Would you like to?” Van countered.
“Would you like me to?” Eri replied politely.
Van sighed. “Go! I’ll see you tomorrow, no later than sixteen hundred ship time.”
“Yes, ser, Commander.” Eri spoiled the subservient words with an impish smile, before she slipped toward her cabin.
Van still didn’t quite understand how a woman ten years older than he was could look impish, but there were many things he still didn’t understand, even after working with Eri for more than two years, and that wasn’t one he was going to attempt.
He took the café and the small case he’d carried down to Wypres and back up, slightly lighter, into his stateroom, sliding the case behind a restrainer in the top bookshelf. Then he pulsed on the holo display, requesting the latest news update from the orbit control net.
After another sip of café, Van settled into the chair and looked at the first lines of the news summaries holo-stacked in the air above the flat surface before his stateroom console, representing page after page from the IIS office in Cambria. He still had to read the analyses that had come with them on the message torp. Even after passing two years in command of the Joyau, he was at times astounded at the volume and accuracy of the information that poured into the ship.
He glanced across the lead lines projected up in front of him, then scanned them quickly.
Keshmaran assembly accepts Coalition basing plan…
Revenant Quorum denies planned annexation of Kushite border system…
Echo-Tech Service accepts three new battle cruisers…
Keltyr executive claims missing cruiser destroyed by Revenant battle group…
Argenti Montaje debates out-system base expansion…
For the past several years, slowly, almost inexorably, the news had gotten worse and worse, although IIS business had improved. But then, it could be that it had improved because other matters were degenerating.
From the number of times Trystin had been summoned before some Coalition commission, board, committee, or government official, it was clear enough to Van that IIS wasn’t a Coalition black operation. At the same time, Van had the definite feeling that the Coalition wasn’t so much concerned about what IIS was doing as worried about not knowing.
Van took another sip of the already-too-cool café.
The reason behind that Coalition attitude seemed to be exactly what Trystin had said a year earlier. While the Eco-Techs worried about Rev expansion, they’d do almost anything to avoid another war with the Revs, including turning a blind eye on IIS activities, provided they enhanced or did not harm the Coalition.
The Revs also didn’t want an all-out armed conflict, but they didn’t seem averse to using any and all kinds of force and persuasion against anyone except the Coalition and the Argentis—and it was working. Still…there was little enough IIS could do, except offer its services to strengthen local multilaterals against outside onslaught. In attempting that there were always problems, more than he’d had a chance to look into. He took another sip of café and called up the message that had been forwarded from the IIS office in Cambria—just text, because full video and audio were still expensive over interstellar distances. He smiled as he read.
…enjoyed your last message. While many of our acquaintances find it hard to believe that you are senior director of an influential foundation and commander of a private interstellar ship, I cannot say that you do not deserve it, for you more than most have earned what you have gained. Nonetheless, because of your heritage, there will always be questions about ability, especially now in the Republic, and you must always comport yourself with dignity and caution.
Dad Cicero was as much as saying that matters were also continuing to degenerate in Bannon and on Tara, and that, if he did come home, he needed to watch his back and then some. The fact that Cicero had not mentioned that after the abortive RSF peacekeeping ploy also bothered Van, because that meant things were not at all good.
Sappho and Aelsya have discussed following your example, but, until that can be resolved, for the moment have decided to devote themselves to their work and children. Lesnym and Farah are indeed bright girls—and a joy to their grandfathers. Arturo continues in his pursuit of the law along the ancient traditions that have been making a resurgence in Sulyn and throughout the
