Dawnwind 1: Last Man Standing (9 page)

Lewij frowned.
 
“John . . . .”

“What effect would that have on Ambassador Zaquo’s position?”

“It would change everything,” she said, after a moment’s hesitation.
 
“But, John. . . .”

“You know people in the government, don’t you, Lewij?
 
People in the Diplomatic Authority?”

“Yes,” she said, hesitantly.
 

“I think,” said John, head resting on the back of the couch, studying the soft pink ceiling overhead, “that I need to have a . . . hypothetical discussion with one of them.”

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this, John.”

“I understand, but you said it yourself, Lewij.
 
If Zaquo loses his position, it could set back relations.
 
And, there’s also the fact that I’m not comfortable with the idea of Katis being prosecuted for poor judgment.”

“You don’t know that it was poor judgment.
 
He was there of his own free will, John.
 
Katis may have planned to participate in the crime, willingly and enthusiastically.”

“Maybe.
 
Maybe not.
 
But you and I both know that Zerraxi psychology is more pack oriented. A dominant, aggressive male could easily coerce or convince a submissive male into doing something against their better judgment.”

Lewij sighed.
 
“I certainly can’t deny that.
 
Their society is much more hierarchical than our own.”

“You’ve met Katis, haven’t you?”

“Yes, at some of the cultural functions I helped arrange.”

“Did he seem like a dominant male to you?”

“No,” admitted Lewij.
 
“He did not.”

“Well, then,” said John, “I think you and I have some comms to make.”

Still somewhat reluctant, Lewij nodded.

* * * * *

 
Isep Jivis was a youngish man, thin, with dark, coarse skin and short, pale blue hair. He lived and worked in Etin Dov, the capital of Juni.
 
According to Lewij, Jivis worked for the Diplomatic Authority as a kind of fixer.
 
It was seven hours earlier in Etin Dov, so when John and Lewij commed Jivis he had only been in his office an hour.

After Lewij made introductions, Jivis listened to John Epcott’s hypothetical solution to the Zerraxi ambassador’s diplomatic mess.
 
Jivis, of course, was aware of the stories pouring out of Ted Dov about the recent attacks.
 
He had been wondering if and when his section would have to intervene.
 
The whole situation was in danger of getting out of control, if something wasn’t done soon.  Now, here was this alien with a rather elegant solution to at least part of the problem.

“So, Jivis,” said Lewij, when Epcott had finished his spiel, “what’s your assessment?”

Jivis had to grin.
 
Even after all these years, Lewij still tended to sound like an instructor when she spoke to him.
 
“I think that Mr. Epcott’s idea has merit, at least from a diplomatic viewpoint.
 
The biggest variable would be the ambassador himself.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Jivis?” asked Epcott.

Jivis leaned back in his chair.
 
“Ambassador Zaquo may not approve of being the recipient of charity.”

“Do you think that’s how he’ll see this?” asked Lewij.

“Maybe,” said Jivis.
 
“Even if the ambassador didn’t resign, it’s going to be obvious to his government that this action is politically motivated. The Zerraxi may not appreciate it.”

“Can’t you spin it?” said Epcott.

Jivis frowned.
 
“I’m sorry? I don’t understand the reference.”

“Manipulate the perception of events,” said John.
 
“Make it clear to the ambassador that the reason this is being done is out of mutual self-interest.
 
His continued presence benefits both Zerrax and Juni.
 
Right?
 
That’s what everyone keeps telling me.”

“That is true,” said Jivis, thoughtfully.
 
“But if this is going to work, the ambassador and his son will both have to cooperate.
 
His son is going to have to provide an explanation as to why he was in the alley when the peacekeepers took him into custody.”

“Speaking of the peacekeepers, what about Katis’s statement to them?” asked Lewij.

“He hasn’t made one,” said Jivis.
 
“None of the Zerraxi have, upon advice of counsel.”

“Well, that works in our favor, doesn’t it?” said Epcott.

“Yes,” admitted Jivis.
 
He leaned forward in his chair and touched the interface screen on his desk.
 
His fingers danced across the icons, accessing various infonets.
 
 
He studied the information for a few moments.
 
“None of the other assault victims describe anyone matching Katis’s description.
 
As a matter of fact, most of them only identify this Vezex person.”

“Then all we need to do is get the ambassador to go along,” said Epcott.

“I don’t think that will be as easy as you believe, Mr. Epcott,” said Jivis.

Lewij grunted.
 
“Old Zaquo has a reputation for scrupulous honesty.
 
He may not be willing to compromise his integrity.”

“Not even to save the status of his son and tribe?” asked Epcott.

“Not even then,” said the instructor.

“I’ll make some comms,” said Jivis.
 
“Approach the ambassador through unofficial channels, see if he’s receptive.
 
If he is....”

“Should I contact the peacekeepers and change my statement?” asked Epcott.

“Not yet,” said Jivis.
 
“Hold off on that until we know whether or not the ambassador and his son will cooperate.
 
If they don’t, and you’ve changed your statement, we could have a bigger mess on our hands.”

“Fine,” said Epcott.
 
“I’ll wait to hear from you.”

“It’s probably best if we use Instructor Lewij as an intermediary,” said Jivis.
 
“That way there won’t be any direct communication between us.”

“Works for me.
 
Lewij?”

Lewij sighed.
 
“And once again I’m drawn into one of your schemes, Isep.”

Jivis couldn’t help chuckling.
 
“Need I remind you, my dear instructor, that you contacted me this time?”

“Yes,” said Lewis.
 
“You’ve obviously been a bad influence on me.”

* * * * *

 
Lewij closed the comm-channel and turned back to John, shaking her head.
 
“I thought I put all this political nonsense behind me when I became an instructor.”

John raised his eyebrows.
 
“You’ve done this kind of thing before?”

“Once or twice,” said Lewij.
 
She grimaced and tossed the empty bottle of
tiel
into a recycler port, concealed behind a wall panel.
 
“I wasn’t always a humble instructor.”

“You used to be in the Guard, didn’t you?”

“I served for eight years in the Guard, then another seven in the Diplomatic Authority.”

John studied Lewij.
 
“Were you a spy?”

She laughed.
 
“Hardly! Nothing so exciting.
 
I prepared diplomats for offworld assignments, instructing them in their host-culture.
 
Now I do the same thing with Guard cadets.”
 
Lewij sighed and picked up her PIN.
 
“Speaking of cadets, I should get back to work.
 
Essays don’t grade themselves.”

John laughed and stood.
 
He took Lewij’s hands and squeezed them.
 
“You sound a little less than enthused.
 
Want to join me and my friends for dinner?”

“I’m tempted, but I need to push through these assignments.”
 
She shook her head, and scowled.
 
“Honestly, I don’t think half the students I have now are going to pass this class!”

“Nonsense.
 
I’m sure you’ll pull them through just fine, Lewij.”

She snorted.
 
“Sweet boy.
 
You should be taking this class; you’d pass it as easily as winking.”

He grinned at her.
 
“To do that, I’d have to join the Guard, and somehow I don’t think they’d let me.”

“Why not?”

John wrapped a lock of dark hair around his finger.
 
“Not Junian. Remember?”

“Yes, as you so wickedly pointed out,” said the instructor.
 
She had her eyes squeezed shut and was making vague warding gestures in his direction.
 
“Is it safe to look or are you still torturing your hair?”

“It’s safe to look,” said John.
 

Tentatively, Lewij opened an eye, and then snorted.
 
“I wish you wouldn’t do that. It’s....”
 
She shuddered.
 

“And on that note,” said John, “I’d best be leaving.”

She sighed and patted his hand.
 
“And I had best get back to my grading.
 
I’ll comm you when I hear from Jivis.”

He nodded and left her, seated in her chair, glowering at her PIN.

* * * * *

Gomis University was a crescent-shaped collection of buildings, occupying a large tract of land that included several small lakes.
 
Surrounded by residential and commercial districts, Gomis University was the most prestigious institute of higher learning on Juni.

John took a deep breath and exhaled.
 
“This place always reminds me of SeaWorld.”

“What’s SeaWorld?” asked Olu.

“An aquarium park back on Earth.
 
My parents took me there when I was thirteen.”

“Where you interested in marine biology?”

“No, not really,” said John.
 
“My mom always used to try and make vacations educational.”

“That sounds like one of my old house-fathers,” said Olu.
 
“Whenever we would go on holiday, he would always take us children to visit some local temple or shrine.
 
I know he meant well, but. . .”

“It always seemed to defeat the purpose of the vacation?” suggested John.

“Exactly,” said Olu.

Chuckling, John glanced out the large circular window.
 
Olu’s office was on the top floor of a dark red, three-story building at the northernmost point of the university crescent.
 
As such, it had a lovely view of one of the lakes.
 
From the window, John could see bathers stripping down on the shore, and sliding into the cool, green water.

“How did things go with Lewij?”

John turned his back on the window.
 
“It went well.”

“Oh?” Olu raised her eyebrows.

Nodding, John settled onto her couch.
 
“She was able to answer a lot of my questions.”

“I’m glad,” said Olu.
 
She studied him for a moment.
 
“Now, what aren’t you telling me, John?”

He plastered a smile on his face.
 
“I don’t know what you mean.”

She leaned back in her chair, an overstuffed recliner, covered in dark green fabric.
 
“I can tell when you aren’t telling me everything.
 
We have been sharing a home for the last six months, after all.”

John let the smile fade a little. “Let’s just say that there are some options being considered.”

Olu frowned.
 
“What sort of options?”