Page 61 (2/2)

“Madahn said

“Yeah”

“Soh you should probably see”

“So to fill my life with joy?”

“No”

She sat up, waving one hand in a circle Get on with it

“There’s been a new transhn said “On the official feeds”

“More threats and posturing from Laconia? Or have they made the war official?”

“Neither one,” Vaughn said, and took the monitor focus A simple video feed of a podium in front of a few tiers of chairs Drummer was a little surprised by the simple blue curtains at the back She’d expected le The chairs were filled with people meant to look like journalists, whether they were or not

Carrie Fisk walked into the frao hard

“Thank you all for coathered herself Looked out, then down again “Since its creation, the Association of Worlds has been a staunch advocate of independence and planetary sovereignty As such, we have tracked issues of self-rule in the newly colonized systeemonic power of Sol systeain that those in power have valued the systems unequally Sol and the union have claih their actions, overnments”

“Oh, fuck you,” Dru bullshit”

“I have had the opportunity to meet several times with the representatives of the Laconian systeates and the nature of coovernance between the worlds And I am very happy to be able to say that the Association of Worlds has voted unanimously to accept Laconia’s offers of protection and the coordination of trade In exchange, High Consul Duarte has accepted the association’s requirements for self-rule and political autonomy With this—”

Drummer killed the feed Duarte had planned this too Not only theother than a blatant conquest He came back because he thinks he can win, and if he thinks that, you should prepare yourself for the idea that it’s true Carrie Fisk would be on the newsfeeds of thirteen hundred worlds—worlds that Drummer was cut off froh soil to take root

“Self-rule and political autonoun? How does that work?”