Part 30 (2/2)

”Last night men wearing the Hound Badge invaded Lord Chin's domains. You challenged the Council to prove you in error. Today the Council insists that you produce proof of Lord Chin's perfidy.”

O s.h.i.+ng didn't respond till he had obtained absolute control of his emotions. He had authorized no action against Chin.

He didn't dare be intimidated. ”Those were no men of mine. Were they once, I repudiate them now. I said before, I bear Lord Chin no malice. Till he gives me cause otherwise, his enemies will be mine. I'll find these bandits and punish them.” He doubted that that would mollify the Council, though.

”They have been punished. Lord,” Chin replied. ”They're dead. All but one.” He gestured.

Soldiers dragged a chained Lang into the presence. The bravado of the night rider had fled him. He was scared sick, and more terrified of Tam than of his captors.

O s.h.i.+ng stared, tormented. ”I'll issue orders. Henceforth any who raid, anywhere, any time, will be outlawed. They'll be my enemies as well as the enemies of my enemies.”

Tran misbehaving he would have believed more readily than Lang. ”The Terror ends.

Henceforth, the Hounds will course outlaws only. Lord Chin, rest.i.tution will be made.”

”And this one?”

”His actions convict him. I gave my word. The Hounds would strike only where the proof was absolute.” He didn't flinch from the Tervola's gaze. He wanted Chin to know he dared make no mistake.

Lang, Chin, and Wu all seemed astonished because he didn't ask for the gift of a life.

It hurt, but he meant it. To bend these people to his will he was going to have to stop being indecisive and vacillatory. The future demanded a demonstration. Lang had convicted himself.

Tam could ache with temptation, but O s.h.i.+ng dared reveal no weakness. The vulture wings of chaos shadowed his empire. He had to take control.

”Lang. Do you have something to say?”

His brother shook his head.

Tam was glad Tran was absent. The hunter's accusatory stare might have withered his resolve. He needed time to develop the habits of autocracy. ”Your judgment, Lord Chin. You're the injured party.”Ruby eye-crystals tracked brother and brother. Then one gloved hand removed the cat-gargoyle mask. ”It ends here, my Lord. I yield him to you. There's been enough unhappiness between us.”

”A good thought, Lord Chin.” You guileful snake. ”Thank you. Is there anything else?”

”When do we avenge the Imperial Standard?” Feng snarled.

Wu took Feng's elbow. Chin said, ”Nothing, Lord. Good day.”

The door closed behind Chin. Lang whined, ”Were you really going to ...?”

”Yes.” Tam limped to his communications devices. ”I won't tolerate disobedience from anyone. Not even you. I didn't ask to be emperor. I didn't want to be. But here I am. And emperor I'll be. Despite all of you. Understand?”

The following week he ordered the deaths of seventy Hounds. His revolution had to end.

This was the inevitable blood purge of the professional rebels, men for whom the raiding, the fighting, was cause enough. Now the insurrectionists had to give way to the administrators. All s.h.i.+nsan. he vowed, would become as steady and responsive as it had been during Tuan Hoa's reign. If he could just remain decisive....

Lang's indiscretion precipitated the Change, the Day, the Final, Absolute Decision.

Henceforth Tam would be O s.h.i.+ng. Completely, in the manner pioneered by s.h.i.+nsan's founding tyrant. He would yield, minimally, only to absolute political necessity.

s.h.i.+nsan's First Nine met in extraordinary session. Every member made sure he could attend. The Nines themselves were imperiled.

The last was still in the doorway when the cat-gargoyle said, ”O s.h.i.+ng suspects. His Hounds weren't indulging in random violence. There was a pattern. He was trying to get a fix on who we are and what we're doing. He's suddenly a liability instead of an a.s.set. Tally against him, too, his unremitting resistance to western operations. And his popular support. Question: Has he outlived his usefulness?”

The man in a fanged turtle mask (Lord Wu's current Nine disguise) countered, ”I disagree. He's young. Still malleable. He's been subjected to too much pressure in too little time. Remember, he's risen to emperor from slavery in a few short years, without benefit of Tervola time-perspective. We're being too hasty. Ease the pressure. He'll mellow. Don't discard this tool before it's finish-forged. We're close to him.

Eliminate his companions so he becomes dependent on our guidance.”

Wu argued from the heart, from the identical weak streak that had earned him the sobriquet ”The Compa.s.sionate.” He felt more for O s.h.i.+ng than the youth had ever suspected.

Wu had no sons of his own.

He also argued from ignorance. He didn't know that Lord Chin had to conform to the timetable of a higher Nine.

Chin knew Wu's blind spots.

”I shouldn't have to admonish our brother about security discipline. Yet what he says deserves consideration. I propose a week's recess for reflection before we redefine our policies and goals. Remain available. In the name of the Nine.”One by one they departed, till only Chin and a companion remained. ”Do we need another promotion?” the companion asked.

”Not this time, Feng. He spoke from his heart, but he won't desert the Nine. I know him that well.”

Chin couldn't say that Wu, probably, couldn't be killed anyway. Mist had failed.

And Chin himself, fearing future confrontations, had made several more serious attempts, in Mist's behalf, than his Ehelebe role had demanded. Wu could be slippery, and a terrible, determined enemy.

”As you will.”

The bent man appeared after Feng left. ”Delay action,” he ordered. ”But lay the groundwork. O s.h.i.+ng will have to go sometime. He'll resist when the Pracchia's hour arises.”

Chin nodded. He needed no orders to do what he planned anyway. Hadn't he sniffed the breeze with Select Chuoung already? The cretin had m.u.f.fed everything.... ”And his replacement? He has no heir, and the Pracchia dares not operate openly.”

”Shall we say someone with direct responsibility to the Pracchia? Someone seated with the High Nine?”

Chin bowed. He hoped he put enough subservience into what, really, was a restrained gesture of victory. Soon, s.h.i.+nsan. Later, perhaps, Ehelebe.

”Step up your western operations. The hour of Ehelebe approaches.”

This time Chin bowed with more feeling. He enjoyed the intrigues he was running out there. They presented real challenges, and provided genuine results. ”I'm handling it personally. It proceeds with absolute precision.”

The bent man smiled thinly. ”Take care. Lord Chin. You're the Pracchia's most valuable member.”

The man in the cat-gargoyle didn't respond. But his mind darted, examining possibilities, rolling the old man's words around to see how much meaning dared be attached. They were playing a subtle, perilous game.

The armies had begun gathering. The storm was about to break upon an unsuspecting west. O s.h.i.+ng had exhausted the tactics of delay. His excuses had perished like roses in the implacable advance of a tornado. The legions had healed. s.h.i.+nsan was at peace with itself. The Tervola were strong and numerous.

Liaontung bulged with Tervola and their staffs. O s.h.i.+ng had chosen Lord Wu to command the expedition. Wu was putting it together quickly and skillfully, abetted by hungry, eager, cooperative Tervola. Their obsession was about to be fulfilled.

O s.h.i.+ng could no longer back down.

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