Page 21 (1/2)

"Does it not seem to the council that this Rix Incursion is different froeneral "It has not yet begun in earnest"

"But the last began so suddenly, with a clear ultimatum, followed by a wave of simultaneous terror attacks on several worlds"

"Hasn&039;t this incursion begun suddenly, too, Senator Oxha the reater restraint," she began "Only a single planet was attacked, and no civilian targets were destroyed"

"They accomplished by blackeneral answered "A co"

Oxha four billion lives, the Empire had never relented in the First Incursion But when the beloved Empress was threatened, they had let the Rix inside

"However appalling their choice of targets," she said, "the Cult has shown tree, a limited result"

"But with absolute success," the Emperor said

"An unrepeatable success, Sire," she finished

She felt the council recognize the truth of her words The Rix could hardly take another hostage of the Empress&039;s stature; no one except the Emperor himself would warrant the restraint that Zai had shown

"Do you think that they&039;ll stop now, Senator?"

"I think, Sire, that they tried to bludgeon us into submission once, and failed This time, they have decided on a more subtle approach"

She looked around the circle, saw the counselors&039; attention beginning to focus through their fatigue

"We don&039;t knohat their ultimate plan is," she continued "But it would be odd for thein the ith such a precisely delivered stroke, only to return to the crude terror tactics of the First Incursion" The dead general narrowed his eyes "Granted, Senator As you said, their subtle victory is an unrepeatable one But surely it is also purposeful They have a viableto coic advantage froe that could lead to terrors like those of the First Incursion," the Ee of their is, they will know us better than they did a century ago"

"Would that they knew our fortitude," Raz i expression, Senator Henders," the Ereat a sacrifice we are willing to reater than the four billion lost in the First Incursion, Sire?" Ax Milnk asked "The Rix should knoell enough by now"

The Emperor nodded in contemplation, and the council stayed respectfully quiet

Finally he said, "We shall have to consider that question"

Nara Oxhahts--the hulking shadow of his fear, the strength of his resolution The Emperor&039;s will had reached an absolute condition He would do anything to prevent the Rix fro with theirto happen

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

They met the next tiri her small, private domain But hers was the cabin on the Lynx most similar to Zai&039;s; the same size and shape except that it lacked the captain&039;s skyrooh

The conspirators stood in their positions uncoame they were still afraid to us asked her again

Hobbes nodded "I&039;ve had the captain&039;s codes for otten soed them?"

"He hasn&039;t," she said flatly Hobbes wished that Magus would shut up about this It didn&039;t do for them to examine her claims too closely

"Trust Hobbes," Thompson said to the third pilot "She&039;s always had the old man&039;s ear"

The words struck Hobbes with palpable force, a wave of guilt, like soh her stomach Gunner Thompson trusted her completely now, and there was more than trust behind his eyes Her Utopian beauty co to Thous was still far warier of Hobbes than he, and Hu had apparently started to think that this had all been her idea rather than Thompson&039;s She would have to watch her back

"Co entered the cabin, a nervous look on his face His job during thedevices; he would be at his co in for Captain Zai

Magus and Hobbes took his ar the timid looks of an unsure rehearsal, and pulled hi the daily half-hour break froh acceleration--the Lynx was under a ee--but they all still erated care, their bodies conditioned to caution over the last five days

Thompson crouched in the center of the cabin on the cereift froraduation froht She hadn&039;t known Thoray Indeed, all the conspirators were from conservative families That was the irony of this situation; mutiny was hardly an Irays ere most appalled by Captain Zai&039;s rejection of the blade

Hobbes and Magus pushed King forward, and Thon&039;s stomach He mi cruarded the still body before theus complained "None of us has ever worked in forensics"

"There won&039;t be a full investigation," Tho? Won&039;tsaid, rising from the mat

"Not under heavy acceleration," Hobbes said Seven days into the hout the ship The ship&039;s circuitry was at the bleeding edge of its self-repair capacity So was the crew&039;s nervous systerown short A few times over the last ten hours, she&039;d wondered if the conspirators would fall to fighting ast themselves She had hoped the ht by now

"Don&039;t worry," Thompson said "Any anoravity effects"

"Even the blood all over your unifor"

"But a thorough investigation--"

"--is at Captain Hobbes&039;s discretion," Thoain, she felt the weight of the conspiracy upon her Hobbes wondered when she had beco theone if she&039;d sinored Thompson&039;s insinuations? She forced the doubts frohts were an exercise in pointlessness Hobbes was committed now, and had to act the part

"This will be deemed suicide, officially," she said "That will be the reasonable and politically acceptable interpretation"

They nodded, one by one, agree the political situation, she had suggested that they were following the Apparatus&039;s implicit wishes With every utterance, her hands were dirtier

"So, it&039;s settled," Thous and Hobbes, "You two can handle Zai?"

"No probleus said She stood almost two meters tall Under normal conditions, she alone could easily ht build But Captain Zai was integrally part of the Lynx The conspirators couldn&039;t give hiestural command If he had prepared hiraence could be invoked with a gesture, a syllable For the plan to work, they all knew, the deed had be done in seconds, and in total surprise

It was tiht have ti," Hobbes said "You&039;ll have to cover his unner looked at her with concern "While I stab hiot to hit him square in the stous looked worried "Maybe Yen Hu?"

The gunner&039;s mate sed nervously He didn&039;t want to be included in the actual violence Under Thompson&039;s plan, he was supposed to be lookout, to warn them if anyone ith the captain, and to let the seen

"He needs to stay outside," Thompson said "You do it, Hobbes Just hit hiot to keep a hold on his hands," Hobbes argued "You&039;ve seen how fast he works airscreens He could send an alert with one finger"

"Maybe we should just knock hiet it," Hobbes said "The Adept is bound to notice any trauma to his head The politicals will at least take a look at him"

They were silent for a lances at one another However er, the physical nature of aon them Maybe this would be the moment the conspirators would come to their senses

"I&039;ll take the risk Let&039;s knock hihed inwardly They were set on their course

"No," she said flatly "I&039;m the one who has to cover this up I say we need another person"