The Moon's Shadow (12 page)

Kaliga met Corbal’s questioning look. “It seems it will be longer than we thought until the dawn arrives.”

So the admiral’s people claimed they knew nothing. Corbal didn’t like it. “The dawn always arrives. Nothing can stop it.”

“Rest assured, Lord Xir, we will do everything possible to make that true.”

Corbal nodded. It wouldn’t help Sunrise for him to dash about like an untried youth, but he loathed just sitting here. Where was she? If someone harmed her, he would see that the perpetrator suffered, long and hard.

He narrowed his gaze at Kaliga. The admiral had the means and opportunity to arrange a kidnapping. He would be a fool to do it in his own home, and Xirad Kaliga was no fool. Even so. If Kaliga didn’t produce her soon, he could find himself embroiled in a legal tangle with the emperor’s cousin.

Kaliga pushed his hand across his buzz-cut hair. “It has been a long night.”

“A night of Rubies,” Corbal said.

“Rubies,” Kaliga muttered. “Thrones. Pharaohs.”

Hell and damnation. Dyhianna Selei, the Ruby Pharaoh, had died during the war. That was how ESComm had captured Eldrin, her consort; he had sacrificed himself so she and their son could escape. The ESComm commandos who made the capture reported that she committed suicide by jumping into one of the Locks, but no one really knew what would happen if a human being fell into an operational Lock, which was a singularity in spacetime.

“I wouldn’t have thought the Pharaoh had such resilience,” Corbal said. “She looked weak.”

“Perhaps.” Kaliga sounded tired. “The loss of the Kyle webs makes it difficult to gather information. My ships bring messages, but that takes time. One rumor says the Pharaoh is dead, another says she is missing, yet another says she lives.”

“Such stories show creativity.” Or so Corbal hoped.

Kaliga’s gaze hardened. “Another says Eldrin Valdoria, her consort, has been reunited with his Pharaoh wife.”

At the prospect of the Ruby Dynasty retrenching, Corbal silently went through his arsenal of profanity. Even worse, he was the one who had released Eldrin. “Xirad, your liqueurs are unsurpassed. Perhaps you have one that is even stronger.”

“Indeed.” Kaliga grimaced. “For both of us.”

This time, the admiral poured whiskey. As they drank, Corbal brooded. If Eldrin was reunited with his wife, it would lift morale among their people. The awe that the Skolians held for the Ruby Dynasty baffled Corbal. Weak and uncontrolled, the Ruby psions created havoc. They were
providers,
for saints’ sake. As long as they promulgated their notions of freedom for taskmakers and providers, they corrupted human life.

And Jaibriol?
The boy’s naiveté and inherent weakness as a psion should have made him malleable; instead, he caused no end of trouble. Corbal also had other concerns. Hightons reacted to providers. So far Jaibriol had hidden his telepath’s mind, but it would only take one mistake to reveal him. An unwelcome realization came to Corbal: Jaibriol’s well-being mattered to him. He didn’t want to care; it made him vulnerable. Nevertheless, apparently he did.

Then he had an even more disturbing thought, scandalous, preposterous. Yet there it was: given time and guidance, Jaibriol might make a better emperor than a true Highton.

Raziquon leaned over the girl manacled to his interrogation bench. “The procedure is simple. I ask questions. You answer. If you refuse, I will, shall we say, encourage you to speak.”

Sunrise shook her head, her eyes wide with fear.

“Oh, I understand,” Raziquon said. “You are loyal to Lord Xir. You have neural implants that prevent you from telling me about him, that may even erase your memories if I push too hard, hmmm?” A smile spread across his face. “But you see, no method is one hundred percent effective. You will tell me what I want to know. Eventually.” He touched her breast. She truly was a beauty; she must have cost Corbal millions. He hoped the old man had good insurance for her. “Yes, eventually you will reveal all his secrets.”

Raziquon had no personal animosity for Corbal, at least no more than he had for anyone else. His antipathy came from the danger Corbal posed to the Aristo way of life. Most considered the Xir lord’s behavior toward this provider no more than eccentricity, but Raziquon knew better. If Xir took a moderate hand with Sunrise, other providers might come to expect the same. What then? Providers agitating for change? It was absurd. Dangerous. Xir would probably argue that they were incapable of agitation, but he was a fool to take risks.

Eube was the largest empire created by humanity, its population almost two trillion strong, taskmakers mainly, governed by a few thousand Aristos. It didn’t take a genius to see that each Aristo held sway over far more people than he or she could individually control. Fear and punishment weren’t sufficient motivators to manage groups that large. However, a contented populace rarely agitated for change.

Those taskmakers who lived acceptable lives were rewarded; those who disobeyed were punished. If their defiance became serious, they were eliminated, on a planetwide scale if necessary. The slagged remains of several worlds served testament to that fact. But no sane Aristo wanted genocide. Taskmakers formed the backbone of civilization; keeping them happy was far preferable to killing them.

Providers were another story. Only a few thousand existed. Their sole purpose in life was to please their owners. Their happiness made no difference; in fact, it benefited Aristos for them to be unhappy. Besides, their suffering elevated them.

If providers began to demand contentment and self-determination, it would create chaos. From there, how far to the decadence of the Skolian Imperialate, where providers roamed uncontrolled, and even worse, presumed to positions of authority? An upsurge of immorality among Eubian providers could destabilize the social structure of Eube. And if providers aspired to freedom, would taskmakers be far behind? A specter lurked in every Aristo’s mind, the remote but not impossible chance that one day the taskmakers would rise against them, not a world, not a star system, but all of them, billions, trillions. Nothing could stop the fall of Eube then. Civilization would collapse.

Corbal Xir’s “eccentricity” threatened the very fabric of Eubian society. And Xir stood closest to the throne, far more astute in the ways of power than the emperor himself.

Raziquon leaned over the bench, his gaze hard on the girl.
Mines,
he thought.
Platinum mines.

Then he went to work, “encouraging” Sunrise to divulge the secrets of Lord Corbal Xir, arguably the most powerful man alive.

Y
ou’re taking Lord Xir into custody?” Bewildered, Jai stood in the entrance to the console room and looked from Kaliga to Corbal. None of Kaliga’s busy staff in the room had realized Jai had arrived.

“Why?” Jai asked Kaliga, his voice low. It was early morning, but neither the admiral nor Corbal looked as if they had slept.

“A good question.” Corbal’s anger was sharp enough to pierce Jai’s mental barriers.

Guards surrounded them. Four were Jai’s Razers, who had accompanied him as he wandered through the house, looking for breakfast, his heart content and his thoughts full of Silver, who was sleeping in his bed right now. Instead of food, he had stumbled into the console room and what felt like a surreal play, where he found himself on stage with no script.

Kaliga spoke coldly to Corbal. “I’ve just returned from meeting with my security chief. Apparently the dawn comes and goes of its own accord.”

Jai stared at the admiral. What the blazes did the dawn have to do with anything?

Corbal, however, obviously knew what Kaliga meant. His voice hardened. “And apparently preposterous ideas come and go of their own accord within ESComm now.”

At a nearby console, a major spoke, a man intent on his holoscreens. “Admiral Kaliga, we’ve another scout ship coming in. I’m getting a transmission.”

Kaliga went over to the console. “Any verification?”

The man scanned his screens. “It’s ESComm—been on reconnaissance—got it, sir!” He looked up, his face flushed. “We have verification. The Ruby Pharaoh was seen alive on Delos.”

Jai felt as if the ground dropped beneath him. Alive? His aunt was
alive
? Good Lord, how long had they suspected? That no one had bothered to notify the emperor gave him an all too clear idea of how they viewed his role.

“Hell and damnation,” Kaliga said.

Corbal stepped over to the console. “Where is she now?”

Kaliga spoke sharply. “Major, do not answer that. Until further notice, Lord Xir is in custody.”

Sweat broke out on Jai’s forehead. Why were they arresting Corbal? “What are—”

Corbal shook his head at Jai, cautioning silence. The major glanced coolly in Jai’s direction—and froze, his eyes widening. Immediately, he went down on one knee. People around him looked up, saw Jai, and followed suit, their reaction spreading like a wave. As Jai watched, dumbfounded, every taskmaker in the crowded room knelt to him.

As Hightons, Corbal and Kaliga remained standing, as did the guards, both Jai’s four Razers and Kaliga’s four men. The admiral motioned to his guards, and they fell into formation around Corbal.

“Wait.” Jai struggled to contain his alarm. They couldn’t take Corbal. Without his cousin, Jai would be lost.

Kaliga bowed to Jai. “Our good morn to Your Highness.”

“Admiral.” Confused by the out-of-place greeting, Jai barely managed a nod. The commotion in the room disoriented him, as consoles continued to spill out data and voices. While everyone knelt and Kaliga paid him courtesies, valuable facts, figures, and images scrolled by on consoles. But Jai had no clue how to tell everyone—without being direct—that they could return to work. Although technically he could speak plainly to ESComm officers who weren’t Aristos, the ones here had high enough rank to make it an insult. But if he spoke to someone of a lower rank instead of the top officers, that would also be an insult.

Jai fell back on Highton clichés. “A fine morn,” he told Kaliga. “Your staff does it great honor.”

Kaliga bowed. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

That hadn’t helped any. They all continued to kneel. Corbal was frowning, trying to communicate something. Jai concentrated on his mind. Something about moving his hand. Guessing, Jai waved his hand at the major who had first knelt. Although the man had his eyes downcast, he apparently saw, because he immediately stood and bowed to Jai. Then he returned to work, followed by everyone else.

Jai made a conscious effort to restrain his exhale of relief. His reprieve didn’t last long. Kaliga’s guards were escorting Corbal into the hall. Just as Jai opened his mouth to protest, Kaliga said, “Please accept my apologies, Your Highness, for the disorder.” At the same instant, an aide said, “Admiral Kaliga, we have an emerg—” She broke off when she realized he was addressing Jai.

Jai wanted to call
Stop!
Everything was happening too fast. He spoke to the guards taking Corbal out of the room. “Leave him here.”

The man froze, his gaze shifting from Jai to Kaliga.

Admiral Kaliga addressed Jai with a deference that had an edge despite the outward courtesy. “Would you care to take breakfast in my private dining room, Your Highness? We have delicacies imported from Taimarsia. It would be my honor to entertain your glorious presence.”

Jai barely held back his irate retort. How could Kaliga talk about breakfast while he was arresting Corbal and the console room hummed with activity that demanded attention? Jai was about to refuse when he caught Corbal’s glare. The older man shook his head. Pah. Corbal
wanted
him to go eat. Highton customs would never make sense to Jai.

Fuming, but hiding it, Jai nodded to Kaliga. “It would be my pleasure to join you for the morn’s repast.”

Kaliga bowed, formal and restrained. As he ushered Jai out of the room, guards took Corbal the other way, down the hall, out of sight.

The delicacies from Taimarsia were spiky sea creatures Jai could barely look at, let alone eat. They had tentacles. He sipped his wine, so Kaliga did the same, leaving his food untouched. Jai would have rather had juice for breakfast, but he understood Highton customs enough now to know he would look childish if he requested it. He had a sense that Kaliga actually liked the monstrosities on his plate. Jai knew the admiral wouldn’t eat unless the emperor did, but he just couldn’t bring himself to force down the creatures.

They talked in loops. Kaliga’s elliptical conversation gave Jai a headache. Nor did it help him find out why ESComm had imprisoned Corbal. Frustrated, he even tried to discover out what Kaliga knew about Jafe Maccar, the Skolian captain ESComm had imprisoned, the man Kelric wanted him to pardon. With a prodigious skill at misdirection, Kaliga avoided telling him anything at all, let alone something useful.

Finally Jai said, “Admiral Kaliga, I have appreciated your hospitality, but I find myself puzzled.”

Kaliga raised an eyebrow. “Indeed.”

Jai thought he would strangle the next person who said
Indeed.
“Yes. Also troubled.”

“It would honor the Line of Kaliga if Your Imperial Magnificence would allow us to ease any troubles you have encountered.”

Jai couldn’t tell if Kaliga was serious or mocking him with the “Imperial Magnificence” bit. “I have noticed that the Line of Kaliga has taken a security interest in the Line of Xir.”

Kaliga relaxed in his chair, appearing sociable. From his mind, though, Jai could tell he was irritated. “One might think the Line of Xir has taken liberties.”

Jai made a conscious effort not to grit his teeth. “One might also think I have no idea what that means.”

A muscle in Kaliga’s cheek jerked. “It means he committed treason.”

Jai froze. Treason? Impossible. Even through his barriers, he felt the admiral’s annoyance. Angered by Jai’s clumsy Highton discourse, Kaliga had deliberately given a direct answer, a great insult among Aristos, but he assumed Jai had neither the savvy nor intelligence to know.

Jai didn’t miss the irony; had he truly been a naive Highton boy from a sheltered background, he probably would have missed the gravity of Kaliga’s offense. But because he was exactly what Kaliga suggested with his direct speech—a psion—he recognized the admiral’s intent.

“Treason against Eube?” Jai asked coolly. “Or against the courtesy a Highton might expect at, say, breakfast?”

Shock jumped in Kaliga’s mind that Jai understood the insult. He spoke fast. “Your revered presence deserves the greatest courtesy, Your Glorious Highness.”

Jai pushed back his chair. “We appreciate your esteem. We are especially pleased at the opportunity to visit Lord Xir.”

Kaliga obviously wanted to deny him the visit. But he rose to his feet, apparently choosing to avoid the risk of compounding the offense he had given. “Certainly, Your Highness.”

It took an order from Jai to clear Kaliga’s guards out of Corbal’s study, where security had confined the Xir lord. Not that anyone believed sending them away would give Jai and Corbal privacy; with Corbal under arrest, Jai’s people could no longer scan the rooms for monitors.

“You mean Sunrise?” Jai stared at Corbal, certain he had misunderstood. Sunrise would never steal security files from Kaliga.

“She isn’t capable of betraying your trust.”

Corbal paced the room. “ESComm agrees with you.”

Ah, hell.
No wonder they had arrested Corbal; they believed he had put Sunrise up to the theft. “I thought the monitors showed her in your room the whole night.”

His cousin stopped pacing and scowled at him. “Our most honored admiral believes my own people bestowed their skills on those monitors to ‘improve’ the recording.”

It sounded like they had accused Corbal of altering records to protect Sunrise while she stole from Kaliga. Jai wanted to question him, but he wasn’t certain how to proceed. Although Corbal often spoke more plainly with him without meaning insult, Jai didn’t have a good feel for when direct speech was or wasn’t appropriate among kin.

“Admiral Kaliga is a man of intelligence,” Jai said. “He can work wonders in many media.” It wasn’t the most subtle point, given how close it came to an accusation that Kaliga had forged the record, but it would do.

Corbal began to pace again. “I have been impressed by the elegant dinners set by the Kaliga Line. Many other Hightons share my admiration. Just look at the caliber of the guests who dined here last night.”

“A fine company.” In truth, Jai had thought them detestable. But Corbal was right. Kaliga wasn’t the only suspect.

Corbal stopped in front of Jai, thoughtful. “Our esteemed host has high connections. Few others have the intellect to achieve his accomplishments.”

Jai nodded. In other words, few of the dinner guests had the access and ability for such an audacious theft. Unfortunately, that helped implicate Corbal, who
did
have both. Admiral Kaliga had the best access, but he was too smart to plan such an outrage in his own home—unless he expected everyone to make exactly that assumption.

Jai didn’t think Corbal had done it; he sensed no deception in his cousin’s mind, and he knew Corbal would never endanger Sunrise. But if not him, then who? And why frame Corbal? Given his power and wealth, and his own son’s position as Intelligence Minister, it wasn’t likely ESComm could make a successful case against him.

Although Jai had heard of no conflict between the Kaliga and Xir Lines, that said little, given the incomprehensible tangle of Highton interactions. For all he knew, Corbal and Kaliga were mortal enemies. Perhaps Kaliga wanted to discredit Xir. But Jai found it hard to believe Kaliga would arrange such a crime; it was too extreme, especially given the current disaster with Minister Iquar and Admiral Taratus over Kelric’s disappearance.

Jai left Corbal’s rooms more uncertain than before. Surrounded by Razers, he went out to the gardens and paced down the paths. He would have to return to Glory without Corbal. As much as he had chafed at Corbal’s scrutiny, he had more independence now than he could handle. He
needed
his cousin; without him, he was lost.

As emperor, surely he could obtain Corbal’s release. The problem was, he didn’t know how, and if he stumbled in this, he could antagonize ESComm. He didn’t trust anyone enough to ask. Corbal had brought up his cousin, High Judge Calope Muze, several times, but Jai didn’t see why he should have confidence in her over any other Highton. He felt more inclined to seek out Corbal’s son, Azile.

Dispirited, he sat on a bench by a lake and stared into the water. Life glimmered in its depths, ribbons flickering here and there.

Jai looked up at one of his Razers, who stood under the overhang of a nearby droop-willow. The man bowed. “May I serve Your Highness?”

Jai motioned him over. As the Razer approached, Jai stood up, feeling vulnerable next to his towering bodyguard. “Is the silver girl still in my suite?”

“I will check, sir.” Using his gauntlet comm, the Razer conferred with guards in the house. Then he said, “She is in her own suite, Your Highness. Housekeeping took her back this morning.”

Housekeeping.
Jai hated it when they spoke that way, as if Silver were furniture to be dusted. She had been his first lover, sweet and sensual; in her arms, he had felt like a real emperor instead of a bumbling youth. He started to tell the Razer to show him to her suite, then realized it would be awkward, even scandalous, if the emperor attended a provider. So he said, “Please bring her here.”

His guard bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.” He headed to the house, leaving Jai with the other Razers.

Sitting on the bench again, Jai gazed across the lake to the far shore, where droop-willows were reflected in the water. He wished the tranquil scene could settle his troubled heart.

Silver soon appeared, walking along the lake with his Razer, her blue drapes fluttering around her body. When she saw him, her face suffused with pleasure. Jai rose to his feet and she came to him, her cheeks touched by a rosy blush.

Then, to Jai’s dismay, she knelt. He didn’t know which was worse; having them treat him this way or fearing he would someday come to expect it.

He touched her shoulder. “Please stand, Silver.”

She rose and smiled, her face aglow. “My pleasure at your presence, Most Honored Highness.”

“Jai,” he murmured.

“Jai.” She spoke so only he could hear.

He took her hands. “Thank you.”

Confusion washed across her face. “You are most welcome.”

Jai wanted to explain his gratitude, but what could he say?
Thank you for making my first time with a woman such a gift. Thank you for being an island of serenity in a turbulent ocean.