Gervase snorted. 'No. But Sublime might see it that way.'
Paludan agreed. 'If the pirates do come, Sublime will just hole up on his island and wait them out.'
Else said, 'I won't live long enough to understand Brothen politics. That looks like a huge opportunity for Sublime's enemies.'
'It is. Uncle Divino and his cronies will take advantage if that happens.'
'So both parties might just let the rape happen? One out of cowardice and the other for political gain?'
'I don't know. I do want a soldier's professional opinion of the situation.'
'I'll see what I can find out. Ah. Madam Ristoti. Thank you. But I think I'm done here now, so I'll just eat in the kitchen.'
He looked to Paludan Bruglioni for permission to leave. After a dark scowl, Bruglioni nodded.
Else went out early. No one followed. He visited the Arniena compound first, where he managed a short audience with Rogoz Sayag and his father. Inigo Arniena joined them briefly.
Else moved on to Bronte Doneto's establishment Just Plain Joe was on duty at the gate. He whisked Else inside.
'They got some good food here, Pipe,' Joe reported. 'An' plenty of it. This's the best job I ever had. Except for having Ghort as my boss. He's a real asshole sometimes.'
'That's all us officers, Joe. When we have to get some use out of a guy like Bo, every day, after a while it turns you sour.'
Joe laughed. 'I got you.'
'How's Pig Iron?'
'Livin' in hog heaven, Pipe. He's got it twice as better than I do. This's it. Yo! Here's Captain Hecht.'
Pinkus Ghort was serious about being Doneto's number-one man. He had six professional soldiers brainstorming responses to a possible Calziran attack.
'Wow!' Else said. 'I have a hundred-year-old man named Vigo Caniglia and three other men, none trained and only one young enough to be of any use. Plus some kids, the oldest being sixteen.'
'Way I hear, Pipe, these Five Family types are so damned cheap, you're probably better off. Even though the poorest can afford a whole regiment if they want. We were fools when we thought we could make our fortunes here. Though some of us got lucky.'
'Any useful news?' Else asked. 'What I've got is, the pirates might be coming to Brothe. And nobody thinks there's much we can do about it. I'm supposed to tell the family what to do.'
'You know about as much as I do. The Principatй ain't my pal no more. He's all busy with schemes and conspiracies and not giving the guy who has to do the heavy lifting anything to work with.'
'He say what his cousin's going to do?'
'No. But I'd put my money on him hunkering down, waiting out the storm, then using it as an excuse to start a crusade. He wants a crusade, bad. He don't much care who against. Come over here. Check this map. If you were a half-ass mob of plunderers used to fishing for a living, where would you make your landing?' Ghort had a nice map of the city laid out.
'I wouldn't come all the way up here. I'd take fire from the bridges and fortified islands.'
'But if you unship down here you'll get hung up in the tenements. Where the streets are narrow and tangled and there's nothing worm stealing.'
'What's this here? I haven't been downriver from the Castella yet.'
'Monuments. Plazas. Memorials. Mostly over a thousand years old. More plazas. Lots of squatters because there isn't anybody to run them off. It's not a good place for fighting.'
'How about the north bank? Would they land there first?'
'Then cross the bridges? I might try that if I knew how feeble we are. It would make for an easy debarkation. But not much plunder. The big churches and family holdings are south of the river.'
'These Calzirans are mostly fishermen and coastal traders, right? So they'll just be a mob. They could be panicked.'
'We're looking at what might be some pretty big numbers, though. Got any ideas?'
'Sure. But we don't have the people. We'd need experienced soldiers. There's nobody out there but the Brotherhood.'
'That we can see, Pipe. Or that enemy spies can see. But how about all those squatters out there? A lot of those guys came to Brothe hoping to join the armies the Patriarch hasn't gotten around to putting together.'
'Ho! Pinkus, you aren't half as dumb as you put on. Why don't we take a walk? I know somebody over at the Castella.'
'Anybody I'd know?'
'Sure. Redfearn Bechter. He made it out of the Connec. I ran into him the other day. He might listen long enough to think you're on to something.'
'Grade Drocker is in charge over there, now. He's tight with Sublime. Sublime might not want the city to be able to defend itself.'
'Drocker, eh? I thought Hawley Quirke was number one.'
'Sublime got Quirke recalled to Runch. Quirke wouldn't kiss his ass.'
'I thought the Brotherhood was big on being its own boss.'
'They're big on crusades, too. Sublime says he's gonna give them some. The Special Office is all fired up.'
'There's a plan in place, now,'Else told Paludan, Divino Bruglioni, and Gervase Saluda. Divino Bruglioni was the man Else had seen with Gervase and Paludan before. Divino did not seem as old as an uncle ought to be. 'I spent all day running hither and yon, seeing men I knew from the Connec. We figured out how to handle a pirate attack. The Bruglioni would have to contribute four thousand, two hundred ducats and any skilled fighters who can work with the Brotherhood. Which would be me. The Madisetti, the Arniena, and Bronte Doneto's subclan of the Benedocto have all agreed already. I'm supposed to enlist the Bruglioni.'
Paludan had trouble breathing. The Principatй sat quietly, considering Else. Gervase gasped. 'Forty-two- hundred ducats?'
'Forty-two from each of the Five Families. Plus contributions from the Church, the Brotherhood, and the Deves.'
'Four thousand two hundred ducats,' Paludan murmured. 'Tell me the plan.'
'That's where it gets a little sticky. Drocker is convinced that the Calzirans have allies and spies here.'
Uncle Divino offered, 'They do. It was by spying on their spies that we learned that a sorcerer named Masant al-Seyhan controls the pirates. Go ahead, Captain Hecht.'
'Because of those spies Drocker doesn't want to discuss his plans. I know you don't like it but that's the way it's got to be. Principatй, he'll explain to you. But only if Paludan isn't willing to take my word that total secrecy is necessary.'
Gervase asked, 'They don't trust us?”
'No. Grade Drocker is the most cynical man I've ever met. He's sure that, fully informed, one of the Five Families would sell out the rest in exchange for not being plundered. Or some abused and underpaid servant might hear something and sell the information. Looking at the historical record, Drocker may be justified.'
Uncle Divino opined, 'It would be a huge risk just talking to the Collegium.'
'I'm sure he has that angle covered. I don't like him. Not even a little. But he's the man to deal with what might be headed our way.'
Paludan wriggled and whimpered for days before he financed his share of the Grand Strategy — once pressured sufficiently by his uncle Divino.
Only Sublime refused to contribute to the defense fund. He did not like the master plan. It did not sufficiently aggrandize him or the Patriarchy.
Else felt boyishly pleased when Grade Drocker announced, 'His Holiness will receive no protection since he refuses to participate in the common defense. Eis be blessed, even the heathen Deves are contributing.'
Else shivered in secret glee. Everything was going perfectly.
