Part 40 (1/2)

They were approaching the five-klick-high rim of Herschel.

'People have speculated for centuries how a giant s...o...b..ll could have survived so large an impact,' said the Doctor softly.

'So the whole thing is fake?'

'The whole crater,' said the Doctor. 'Possibly the whole moon.'

'Holy cow,' said Chris. And then, 'Christ!'

He fell back in his seat, hands jerking away from the controls.

His heart went into overdrive, his whole body jumping with the force of his pulse.

The Doctor was slumped in the co-pilot's seat, head lolling to one side. Chris tried to reach out to him, but the pounding in his head got louder and louder until he decided it would be a very good idea to faint.

Kibero 278.

Leabie's war room had been a ballroom two days ago. Now it was packed with computers and people. Everyone wore a comm headset. Huge screens had been hung from the ceiling, covered in messages and 3D schematics. Soft lighting, big shadows on the grey walls.

Leabie stood with her advisers on a balcony that ran around the room. When Roz came in she wasn't talking: she was just looking out over the room, her hands gripping the railing. Deep in thought. Roz decided not to bother her. Leabie didn't seem to notice her as she walked through the crowd below.

There was a small communications room off the war room.

Roz waited until the woman inside was done, racing back out with a printout in her hand. She went in and shut the door.

It was very dark in here. There was just a desk, a chair, a laptop. Roz sat down at the computer and started up the comm link.

It was going to take the communications software a few minutes to track down the person she wanted to speak to. In the meantime, she put her feet up on the desk and closed her eyes.

The room had been soundproofed, she realized. You could even imagine that none of it was happening, that the room outside was empty and Leabie was upstairs somewhere chattering with a champagne gla.s.s in her hand instead of trying to take over the galaxy.

She wondered what the Doctor was doing. She wondered what the Doctor would do, in her shoes. She opened her eyes.

Whatever was necessary.

The console pinged. Roz looked into it. After a moment, the Acting Pontifex Saecularis appeared on the screen.

He was a skinny pale-skinned guy with big bags under his eyes. 'Having a bad time, Malinowski?' she asked.

'Pontifex Saecularis!' he said. 'Yes, I am, as a matter of fact.

How can I help you, ma'am?'

'I want you to keep the Order out of this. I don't want the Adjudicators to take sides.'

Malinowski said nothing, but she saw his shoulders sag with relief.

279.

'Turn everyone out, get those riots under control. Civilians on Mars are going to need some relief once the fighting's over. Get some people up there too. Stick to civil matters, Malinowski.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'One other thing,' she said. 'I'll be resigning my appointment, effective in exactly four days from now. When that order comes into effect, you're going to be in charge of the Order. Think you can keep 'em under control?'

'Yes, ma'am!' said Malinowski. 'After all, by that time, every Adjudicator will have their hands full.'

'Exactly,' said Roz. 'I hope to be in contact with you again before the end of my time as Pontifex Saecularis.'

'Thank you, ma'am,' said Malinowski, sincerely.

She switched off the comm link and went back out into the war room.

Everyone was looking up. Roz followed the upturned faces until she saw the message, tall green letters unscrolling across one of the hanging screens as they decoded.

MARS 27TH-AUG-2982 06:00 Lc1Tm 10TH MH DROP IN NOCTIS LABRYINTHUS.

(20 DrpShps) (4 interface support) (Local Time=IST+4) 2nd Wave 1st Wave -HOUR 3rd Wave H+2HRS.

10/A, 10/B,.

Flitter TnkPlt (4) 10/C (12).

a.s.sets 10/CS (6).

SP Battery (4) Resupply bHQ (2) Stores (3) Unopposed drop in advance of the main deployment of the 2nd Heavy Infantry Brigade. 1st wave unopposed, 2nd wave attacked by ImLand ICS (3rd Gwdr) in upper atmosphere. 1 Drops.h.i.+p carrying RHQ lost with all on board including the Colonel. Major Vincenzi detailed to a.s.sume battalion command while Lt Col Balotnikov takes over as Commander 10 mH.

280.

Serious nods, even a smile or two. Colonel Ncube's loss was a d.a.m.ned shame, they were thinking, but otherwise everything was going just according to plan.

Roz walked up the staircase to where Leabie was sitting at a huge tilted screen, her advisers crowded around the edge.

'Roslyn!' she said, without looking up. 'What do you want?'

'A rank,' said Roz.

That got her attention. Her advisers didn't take their eyes off the screen, talking in quiet voices. 'Roz, you're a police officer, not a soldier.'

'I've done everything I can do here,' she said. 'I've sorted the Adjudicators for you.'

'And I may need you to sort them again,' she said. 'I want you here when the tidying up starts.'

'Leabie,' said Roz, 'give me a rank. I can't just sit here. I can't say yes to a war and then let it go on without me.'

'It won't go on without you,' said Leabie. 'I'll give you a strategic post. You've got some remarkable experience we can use that.'

'My experience is all hands-on experience,' said Roz. 'Give me a rank.'

Leabie sighed. 'You never could just sit still,' she said. 'Do you want to talk about this privately?'