Part 20 (2/2)
”A wrist-com, then, until we complete this mission.”
The screen was flickering blue even as they entered the human Ranger's cabin, then it cleared to show a sleepy-looking Davis. ”Morning, Jim.
What's up?”
”Sorry to wake you, sir, but for a change it's good news. We have another Ranger.”
Davis smiled. ”Losinj? That's the kind of news I don't mind getting out of bed for. How did you manage to convince her?”
”I didn't, sir, at least not in any conventional way. We had a training accident.” Medart briefly described the pattern rapport and memory exchange, then went on, ”I'm putting her in charge of this mission and going on backup.”
”Right,” the Emperor said. ”That's what I'd do; Thark's her problem anyway. I'll pa.s.s on the good news to Rick and the others.” He turned his attention to the young Irschchan. ”I'm glad to have you with us all the way, Ranger Losinj.”
”Thank you, sir.” Corina hadn't expected to be put in complete charge, but she wasn't totally surprised; it was logical, given the circ.u.mstances, and Jim's memories did indicate that Ranger training-- what there was of it--had a tendency to be rather abrupt.
”Before we get to serious planning,” the Emperor said, ”have you given any thought to the arms you want?”
”Arms? No, sir.” It was traditional, Corina knew, for a new Ranger to use the arms of one who had died--but that tradition had not even occurred to her.
”May I make a suggestion, then?”
”Of course, Your Majesty.”
”I think Steve Tarlac's would be appropriate. Hovan told me Clan Ch'kara's Speaker for the Lords said our next Ranger would be his spiritual heir--and now that we've found you, that seems reasonable.”
Corina bowed. ”I would be honored to bear the Peacelord's arms, sir, though I do not know if I can live up to his example.”
”It won't be easy, but then neither are any of our jobs.” Davis grew sober. ”Back to our present situation. So you can plan, Rick and I are in s.p.a.ce now, as you suggested, outside Sol System. Only the s.h.i.+p's captain and navigator know our location. I've ordered the defense satellites not to fire on any Irschchan s.h.i.+ps. Since you're sure Thark will be leading the attack, we'll be using Jim's plan: I want Thark to land and take action against the Palace itself, and to prevent unnecessary damage, I'm making it as easy for him as I can. As a ruling n.o.ble, he'll have no trouble getting through the Complex's weather dome, and he'll find the Palace's security screen has somehow been left off. The Guards have orders not to fire until he takes hostile action.”
”I understand, sir. I may not be able to take him alive for a Tribunal, though. I may not be able to take him at all.”
”It's not necessary to take him alive,” Davis replied after a moment's thought. ”A Tribunal isn't essential, it's the evidence that is. If you can't take him at all--” He was silent for a moment, then said, ”All right. How long will it take if you can handle him?”
”Less than half an hour, certainly; probably no more than fifteen minutes.”
”Considering the size of the Palace,” Davis pointed out, ”it could take you longer than that just to find him.” He thought for a moment.
”Signal Defsat Five when you land. They'll have their orders, and if they don't receive a second signal from you within an hour, they'll blast the Palace and everything for ten kilometers around it. I don't want that to happen--it'd mean losing four Rangers, as well as a couple of hundred thousand people, and probably destroy the Complex--but even that is better than a rebellion that would cost millions or billions of lives throughout the Empire.”
”I will do my best to avoid that, Your Majesty.”
”I know you will,” Davis said. ”Still, for the first time, I'm grateful that politics forced Chang to have the Palace built in Antarctica. A strike like that almost anywhere else would kill a h.e.l.l of a lot more people.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Don't hesitate to call me if you have to. But unless there's anything else, I'll sign off now and let you get back to work.”
”I have nothing more, sir,” Corina answered, and the screen went blue momentarily before it shut off.
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