Paying the Price (Book 5 of The Empire of Bones Saga) (21 page)

“Do you know how many winners of the Lucien Prize felt the same way? Most of them, based on any number of biographies I’ve read over the years. Or they thought their work was too limited in scope to be worthy of the award. That feeling, my boy, is natural.”

Carl shook his head. “I don’t think I did enough unique work to be worthy of the honor. I’m certain that the committee has better candidates to consider.”

Warwick smiled. “Then you’d be wrong. I spoke with Doctor Paul Creedmoor this morning. He’s heading the selection committee for physics this year. When I sent him the classified briefing paper—for which I had permission!—he almost swooned. He’d already spoken briefly with the emperor, but the details of your work set his intellectual curiosity afire.

“You can rest assured that your work will be studied closely, even though the committee was only a few days from making a decision for this year. You’ve loosed a fox in the henhouse for certain.”

That didn’t make Carl feel any better, but it was beyond his control. Whatever they did, he’d have to accept it. One way or the other.

“In the meanwhile,” Warwick continued, “I’ve arranged for an apartment for you. We should make our determination before the Lucien Committee reaches theirs. Or I’ll be most cross with some people.”

Major Ellis cleared her throat. “I’ll need adjoining rooms for myself and my people.”

The chancellor frowned. “We hadn’t considered that when we reserved the apartment, Major. Student housing is full. We pride ourselves on bringing our students as close to their work as possible. There are two bedrooms, so I could turn one of them into a guardroom, I suppose. Perhaps having one of your men move in with him?”

She gave Carl a less than friendly look. “He’s my responsibility, so I’ll think of something.”

Great. One more thing for her to be mad about that wasn’t his fault.

“Before I see you there, Mister Owlet, I’d like to ask the question I’m sure will be on everyone’s mind. Is the new flip point also an outcome of your research?”

There it was.

“No. The origins of the flip point and the means of its creation are top secret and have nothing to do with my research. You’ll have to ask Fleet about it.”

The other man smiled, getting the anticipated wrong impression from Carl’s denial. “I see, though part of me isn’t sure I believe you. I’m sure you’ll be asked the same thing many times over the next few months, too.”

“And they’ll get the same answer,” Carl said tiredly. “When will I meet the team?”

“Tomorrow. They need time to study the information Fleet sent. You look tired, so I suggest you rest. This will be quite busy in the morning.”

“That works for me,” he said. “I have some equipment that needs to be secured at the lab. It’s related to the quantum pairs.”

“I’ll need to check the security there,” Major Ellis said. “We can’t have classified and important equipment and research just lying around. I’ll put part of my team on the lab right away.”

“I assure you that our lab is up to the task. We do classified research for Fleet there.”

That didn’t seem to impress the marine. “Then it’ll be even more secure. This isn’t negotiable, Chancellor.”

“Hrump,” the other man said. “I’ll cooperate, of course, but this is hardly necessary. And, forgive me, but it’s more than a bit insulting.”

“I’m sorry about that,” she said, not sounding sorry at all.

Carl finished his coffee quickly and set the cup down. “Perhaps I’d best see to settling in then. Who is in charge of the examination?”

“Professor Bedford.”

That wasn’t the best news. Andrew Bedford was old and cantankerous. He didn’t much care for young people, which was odd in a university professor. He’d taken an especial joy in grinding Carl down.

Well, perhaps things would be different this time. After all, the hard work was done. Right?

Chapter Nineteen

Kelsey stood in her room at the Imperial Palace, feeling like a stranger. It had only been a year since she’d last stood here, but it felt like a lifetime. She wasn’t the same girl who’d imagined adventure and excitement exploring the remains of the Old Empire with her despised half-brother anymore.

No, not even close.

Now Jared was as close to her as Ethan was. Maybe more. Her full brother had become less friendly when puberty hit. Overprotective. And she was sure that would make for one hell of a fight when he found her.

She’d managed to get Talbot off doing something else for a few hours by telling him she needed a little alone time. That would keep him from punching Ethan in the face when her brother did something that offended him.

Her enhanced hearing picked up the sound of his approach. The Imperial Guards let him into her room without argument and he was angry. Furious.

Big surprise. It was time to settle this once and for all.

“What the hell were you thinking, Kelsey? Dammit, you gave him everything he’s been craving. I thought you were smarter than that.”

She smiled sweetly at Ethan. “It’s good to see you, too! Yes, I really missed you. And I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

His expression grew even more thunderous. “Don’t toy with me. I demand to know why you helped Mertz build a platform to seize the throne.”

She allowed her false cheer to slip away. “This is old and tiresome, Ethan. He’s not after your job. Frankly, I doubt there is anything he’d rather avoid more. We were wrong about him and you need to see that before you make an ass of yourself.”

He stepped close to her, his expression more than a bit menacing. “Don’t tell me how to feel,” he said in a low voice. One that she’d have found threatening before her idea of threatening changed forever.

Now Ethan didn’t even register on her danger meter. She knew he couldn’t hurt her. He would never intimidate her again.

Kelsey stared into his eyes from only a few centimeters away. “You’re in my personal space. Move or I’ll move you.”

The surprise in his expression was gratifying, but he didn’t back down. “Not until you see sense.”

“Back up. In case you didn’t catch it, there’s an unspoken ‘or else’ attached to that.”

“You always think you know better than me,” he sneered. “You’ve been nothing but soft and weak. Now he’s twisted everything in your mind until you think he’s on your side. Well, I’m not going to allow you to throw away our birthright so easily.”

She put her hand on his chest and pushed gently. For her, that is. Ethan staggered back a few steps, shock written all over his face. She’d never had the physical strength to deter him before. Now she had enough to throw him through the wall if he made an ass of himself.

“I’m not going to stand here and let you froth on about something you know nothing about,” she said coolly. “I’ve been right by Jared’s side for over a year. A time in which some very terrible things happened. You should do yourself a favor and read up on it. As the heir, you need to know.

“One thing I can tell you without the slightest hint of doubt, though. Jared Mertz is an honorable man. One who has no designs on the Throne.”

“Unbelievable,” he swore. “He got to you, too. I don’t care how long you were there, or what you think you saw, but he is the greatest threat to our inheritance that could possibly exist. Mertz has Imperial blood in his veins and he thinks that he can displace us. I won’t allow that to happen because you’ve lost your mind.”

She laughed. “You think you know everything when all you really understand is this unreasoning hatred of yours. It’s worse than an obsession. You should see someone about it before other people—”

Ethan lunged forward and grabbed her by her blouse, slamming her back into the wall. To be fair, she saw him coming, but chose to let him in.

“You are not my equal,” he snarled. “You never wanted to rule and you don’t have the mettle for it anyway. So, don’t lecture me on strength. I’ll protect us and the Throne.”

She looked down at his hand. “I allowed this to happen to make a point. I suggest you learn from it.”

Kelsey barely had to bump her strength to get him moving. It was mostly skill she’d learned from Ned in his hand-to-hand training. In less than two seconds, she’d mashed Ethan’s face into the wall. She kept him there by jamming his arm up behind him.

It felt surprisingly good.

“This has gone too far, Ethan. You need to reassess this delusion. Jared isn’t after you or the Throne. If you keep making an ass of yourself, things will not end well.”

Kelsey leaned forward until she could whisper up toward his ear. “And if you think you can push me around, you’re wrong. Keep your hands to yourself and go do some thinking.” She let him go and stepped back.

He stared at her for a moment and then left without a single word.

She sat on the arm of her couch. That could’ve gone better. She hoped she’d gotten through to him. That his own self-interest would keep him from doing something stupid.

After all, what choice did he have? It wasn’t as if he could just order people to dispose of his problems.

* * * * *

Ethan almost staggered away from his sister’s room. Her physical changes shocked him, but not as much as her mental ones. Mertz had corrupted her. She was under his sway.

Before she’d left, he never would have believed anyone could come between him and his twin. They’d been close since they could remember anything at all. He loved her.

And she’d betrayed him. She’d become a threat to him and the Throne. She’d become an enemy to be dealt with.

Oh, he wished he could change her mind, but now that she’d switched sides once, he could never trust that she wasn’t working against him again.

He leaned his head against the wall and wept. It would break his heart, but he needed to neutralize her. Perhaps he didn’t have to kill her, though. If he could neutralize her as second in line to the Throne, then he could allow her to live. He owed her that much.

Ethan straightened and headed for his rooms. He needed to calm down and then go speak with his father. Surely, he would see the truth this time.

Mertz was the true threat to the Throne. Without him, Kelsey would fall in line.

If not, he could reevaluate. If it became necessary, he would mourn, but the security of the Throne was more important than even his closest family.

* * * * *

Jared stepped into the conference room and nodded at the senior officers sitting around the table. He’d been dreading this board of inquiry for the last year. At least this would finally end his torture. One way or another.

He recognized most of the officers, but not the man at the head of the table. A check of his implant memory told him it was Admiral Jack Lancaster, head of the Judge Advocate General’s office. The senior jurist in Fleet.

Well, he supposed that at least meant they were taking this seriously. He was happy he’d taken the time to load the public profiles of all Fleet personnel. Otherwise, he’d know nothing about the man.

“Admiral Mertz,” Lancaster said. “Please have a seat.” He gestured to the chair on the other side of the table from the senior officers. All either Vice Admirals or Admirals, he noted.

Jared took his place. “Admirals.”

“I’m Admiral Jack Lancaster, head of the Judge Advocate General Corps. Allow me to introduce my associates.” He went down the line confirming Jared’s records.

“Now,” Lancaster continued. “Let’s be clear about the purpose of this board of inquiry. There were a number of serious incidents during your expedition and we’re going to review them all. We need to examine every aspect of what occurred.

“We’ll be conducting this board under oath, so be advised that anything you say here might be used against you in a court martial, should one be convened. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Jared knew there would be a court martial. That was a foregone conclusion. He’d lost his ship.
Athena
would never fly again.
Ginnie Dare
was destroyed under his authority. And more than half his personnel had died in the last year.

That didn’t even begin to count the decisions he’d made that these men and women would be second-guessing. They had the perfect vantage point to judge everything he’d decided without any of the pressure.

Yes. There’d be a court martial.

The hatch behind Jared slid open. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Captain Alice Quinn stride into the room. The slender black woman nodded to everyone at the table.

“Admirals. Apologies for my tardiness. Captain Alice Quinn. I’m serving as Admiral Mertz’s counsel in this matter.”

Lancaster frowned. “This isn’t a court martial, Captain. We’re only gathering to hear Admiral Mertz’s summary of the events in question.”

Quinn smiled. “I understand, but under Fleet regulations, Admiral Mertz is entitled to have an officer stand as his defense counsel during a board of inquiry, too. As you well know, I served in JAG before I transferred to the command track. I’m still licensed.”

“This is very irregular,” Lancaster said. “It doesn’t sound as though Admiral Mertz engaged your services. You can’t just show up and declare yourself his counsel.”

She turned to Jared. “Admiral Yeats sent me. Do you feel the need for counsel, Admiral? If I’m not an acceptable candidate, or you feel that I’m chasing down the work, I can suggest a number of very competent people to represent you.”

Jared shook his head. “You’re perfectly fine with me, Captain Quinn. You’re hired.”

She returned her attention to the board. “I believe that settles all the requirements, sir. I’d like to request a brief recess while I consult with my client. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

Lancaster didn’t look pleased, but he nodded. “The conference room adjacent to this one is free, I believe. We’ll wait here.”

“We’ll be back very shortly. I’d like to thank the board for their indulgence.”

Jared followed her into the other conference room. “This is a pleasant surprise, Captain Quinn. Thank you.”

“I’m glad the admiral called me. That was an ambush. I’m surprised someone as savvy as you missed it. They should’ve insisted you have counsel.”