Part 43 (1/2)

”They're designed for a high-radiation environment, sir, not combat,” Pirbazari reminded him. ”Pax lasers and plasma jets might not bother them, but I wouldn't bet on their chances against high explosives.”

”Nonsense,” Forsythe said firmly. ”Explosives are nothing but high energy in a compact package. Anything that can survive Angelma.s.s's energy output shouldn't have trouble with a few warheads. Put some weapons aboard and we'll have another layer of defense.”

Akhmed and Pirbazari exchanged glances. ”Sir...” Pirbazari said hesitantly.

”What?” Forsythe demanded, looking back and forth between them. ”You don't like the idea of being prepared?”

”It's not that, sir,” Pirbazari said. ”It's just... I think we're both wondering if you might be overreacting a little.”

Forsythe took a deep breath, a blistering retort dropping into place in his mind like a missile in its launch tube.

And then he took another look at the expression on Akhmed's face... and suddenly felt his blood freeze.

He'd forgotten he was supposed to be wearing an angel.

His retort and frustrated anger vanished together in a sudden flash of panic as his eyes dropped to the angel pendant around Akhmed's neck. It had been a bad slip. Possibly even a fatal slip. Angel-wearing politicians weren't supposed to be so quick to advocate violence, not even in self-defense. They were quiet and placid and confident, three qualities Forsythe was definitely not manifesting at the moment. If Akhmed suspected-if he demanded the High Senator turn over his own pendant for examination-then Forsythe was finished. It would mean scandal and removal, probably even prosecution.

And in the midst of it, the Pax would sweep into the Empyrean and destroy it. ”What do you mean?”

he asked between stiff lips.

”All I mean is that we know how the Pax sees things,” Pirbazari said. ”Everything is either profit or loss to them. Even if they somehow get past the defenders and the catapult s.h.i.+ps, they're hardly going to lay waste to Seraph.”

”That means that whatever happens, we've got time,” Akhmed added. ”Time for negotiation or political maneuvering.” His eyes flicked down to Forsythe's angel pendant. ”Or for combat, if it comes to that.”

”I suppose,” Forsythe murmured, watching the other closely. But if Akhmed had figured it out, it didn't show in his face. ”I'll leave it in your hands, then, shall I?”

”I think that would be best, High Senator,” Akhmed agreed, sounding relieved. Even for an EmDef general, apparently, going head to head with a High Senator was an unwelcome fight.

Which meant that perhaps Forsythe had overreacted after all. Not about the Pax invasion, certainly, but about the possibility of Akhmed realizing he wasn't wearing an angel. The state of mind created by the general's own angel might even be working in Forsythe's favor, making such suspicions unlikely.

Still, the momentary uncertainty had served a useful purpose. Even as he tried to single-handedly whip the Empyrean into battle readiness, Forsythe needed to remember there was a mask he had to wear. It was a lesson he would take care to remember.

”I'd best leave you to it, then,” Forsythe said, stepping away from the display and offering Akhmed his hand. ”Let me know immediately if there's any new information.”

”I will, High Senator,” Akhmed promised. ”Don't worry, sir. We're a considerably harder nut to crack than the Pax might think.”

I hope so, Forsythe said to himself as he and Pirbazari left the building. I sincerely hope so.

”Almost done,” Gyasi announced, poking his head up over the box he was fastening. ”You?”

”Just about,” Kosta said, double-checking that all the foam padding was in place around the delicate spectrum sampler before putting the packing box lid in place. ”I can't believe we were actually able to get all this stuff together.”

”Shows what clean living will do,” Gyasi said dryly, setting the top of his box carefully into place and working the sealing levers. ”Okay. Finished.”

He collapsed into a chair beside the stack of boxes, waving a hand vigorously at his face as if fanning himself to cool off. It was an unusual gesture for Gyasi, one Kosta had never seen him make before.

And because it was unusual enough to catch Kosta's full attention, he also spotted the other's subtle, almost furtive glance at his other wrist.

At his watch.

Kosta turned back to his own packing box, a sudden surge of uncertainty running through him. It could have been a totally innocent act, of course; Gyasi simply wondering how long they had been working, or how long it had been since lunch.

But it could also be as un-innocent as a paranoiac's nightmares. Half of the stuff piled around them was in this room illegally, shamelessly borrowed or flat-out stolen from labs neither Kosta nor Gyasi had any business even being inside.

Gyasi hadn't objected to their private scavenger hunt. He'd been rather enthusiastic about it, actually, cheerfully and efficiently doing inventory searches to pinpoint the items on Kosta's list. So cheerfully and efficiently, in fact, that at times Kosta had thought he could even give Chandris's professional larceny some stiff compet.i.tion.

Problem was, this was the same Yaezon Gyasi who'd also spent a lot of time around angels.

So was Gyasi waiting for someone? The police, or an Empyrean Defense Force anti-espionage force? Helping Kosta neatly wrap up the evidence for them?

Or was Kosta simply fighting against the pangs of conscience? He'd spent a fair amount of time around angels, too.

He got the top onto the box and sealed it into place. ”Done,” he said. ”I guess we're ready to call a line truck and start moving it.”

”Yeah,” Gyasi said, making no move to leave his seat. ”How are the repairs on the s.h.i.+p coming?”

”Better than expected,” Kosta said, an unpleasant tingle starting to vibrate across his skin. Gyasi couldn't be that tired. He was waiting for something, all right. ”Chandris has a gift for getting people to do what she wants.”

”I can believe that,” Gyasi said. ”When is it supposed to be ready?”

”Sometime tomorrow,” Kosta said. ”She's supposed to pick up the credit chit this afternoon.”

”You never told me how she'd pulled that one off.”

”She never told me how she pulled it off,” Kosta countered. ”But Ornina checked up on this Stardust Metals group after Toomes called me. The business is legitimate, anyway, even if whatever Chandris has planned isn't. Come on, let's get this stuff out of here.”

Gyasi's face twisted. ”Well, actually...”

He didn't seem inclined to finish the sentence. As it turned out, he didn't have to.

Across the room the door swung open. Kosta turned toward it, his hand twitching reflexively toward his pocket before he remembered he'd surrendered his shocker to Hanan.

”h.e.l.lo, Mr. Kosta,” Director Podolak said, stepping into the room. ”I see you've been busy.”