This Day All Gods Die (98 page)

Apparently he, too, felt the need for a better answer.

When he'd finished stating his position, he asked for preliminary reports from Acting Director Donner and Chief of Security Mandich. Stiffly, Min discussed the disposition of Earth's forces and the defense of human space in case the Amnion attempted a preemptive strike of their own. She also described the charges against the Home Security guards who had escaped UMCHO. Mandich talked about how the UMCP

meant to handle the rest of HO's survivors. He detailed the failure of security which had allowed Holt Fasner to send out kazes with legitimate id and credentials, and suggested procedural changes to protect against similar problems in the future.

With those issues out of the way, the Council turned its attention to the events which had brought Calm Horizons to Earth—

and to the people who had saved the planet from both the Amnion and Holt Fasner.

In a tone that brooked no objection, Min explained Morn's absence. Then President Len asked Davies to address the Members.

He was the logical choice to speak for Trumpet's people.

He had all of Morn's memories up to the moment of his birth.

And after that he'd participated in most of what she and Angus and Trumpet had done. But he was also the logical choice in another, more personal sense.

During the past two days, Morn had seen that he was changed. His confrontation with the Amnion and his own fear in order to rescue Warden Dios had transformed him in some way. She had the impression that he'd inherited a part of Angus she didn't understand and couldn't measure. He'd faced an even more global version of the fear she'd felt when Nick had delivered her to the Amnion. He'd committed himself absolutely to the fight for Warden's humanity—

and his

own. And he'd succeeded. In that way he was directly responsible for Holt Fasner's final defeat; for the destruction of HO, and for Angus' presence aboard Motherlode.

A fundamental doubt had been burned out of him. Despite Morn's memories, he'd begun to believe in who he was.

For that reason he could face the Council with more certainty

—

and clarity—

than she would have been able to muster.

Standing before the assembled Members, he told her story again; but it was also his own story, and Trumpet's. He went into more detail than she had two days ago: he emphasized different aspects; arranged his explanations in a different order. But it was essentially the same story, extended to include her indirect dealings with Marc Vestabule and the rescue of Warden Dios. When he was done, her only regret was that he seemed to confuse shame and courage. He'd made her sound braver than she was.

She may have helped topple the Dragon's empire; but she wasn't yet brave enough to leave her rooms.

The ovation which greeted Davies' tale nearly cost Morn her tenuous self-command. Surging to their feet, the Members thundered applause around him until her eyes burned and a thick heat filled her throat. He was her son. The voices which had questioned and challenged her when she'd spoken to the Council were nowhere to be heard. Everyone in the hall clapped and clapped as if they had no other language for their gratitude.

Swallowing tears, Morn left the screen; went to the san for a drink of water. She didn't return until the applause had subsided.

Once the Members and their staffs had resumed their seats, President Len asked Mikka if she wanted to add anything.

Mikka shook her head. She didn't rise. "I'm just a witness," she answered gruffly. "I don't have anything to say.

I'm only here to make sure you don't believe any lies about Ciro or Vector. Or Sib Mackern. Or Morn Hyland.

"I'll speak up if I hear something that isn't true."

She may have been an illegal; but she seemed to sit in judgment on the Council itself. Her part in saving the planet—

and her bereavement—

gave her an unimpeachable authority.

The President cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Are you satisfied so far?"

Mikka snorted, apparently at the idea that anything here could satisfy her. Instead of answering, she countered,

"What's going to happen to us? Applause is nice. I would rather have something more tangible."

Min leaned forward, whispered to Mikka. But Mikka didn't stop.

"I'm an illegal. Morn broke the law. Davies would make an interesting research subject. Director Donner helped Warden Dios commit his crimes. And Captain Ubikwe let him go blow up a station, when it was obviously the captain's duty to arrest him.

"There's nothing you can do to Angus. I'm glad of that.

But the rest of us have been sitting on our hands for two days, wondering what we'll have to suffer. I would like to know how you propose to treat us."

Morn smiled wanly at the screen. There were times when she admired Mikka more than she could say. Nick's former command second didn't hesitate to put the Governing Council for Earth and Space to the test.

However, Len's expression and tone made it obvious that he took no offense. "Mikka Vasaczk," he responded, "you've already suffered more than we can imagine. We certainly don't intend to add to your distress by leaving you worried about your fate. But you can appreciate that the issues we face are complex. A number of select committees have been at work virtually around the clock since the crisis ended, studying various aspects of our situation. I won't impose on your patience by asking you to hear what they all have to say. For this session we'll only listen to recommendations from three of them."

Without delay the President introduced Captain Sixten Vertigus, the United Western Bloc Senior Member.

The old man rose unsteadily to his feet. His hands shook until he braced his arms on the table. But his voice was clear and firm, and his eyes shone as he spoke.

"My committee," he said directly to Mikka, "was charged to consider what we've been calling 'Trumpet's people'—

you and your brother, Davies and Morn Hyland, Dr.

Shaheed and Sib Mackern. And I have to tell you frankly that we've been given the benefit of Warden Dios' opinion on the subject. His last officially logged order was addressed to Min Donner. It reads: Full pardons for Mikka Vasaczk, Ciro Vasaczk, Vector Shaheed, Morn Hyland. They can have anything they want. Relocation, treatment, money, jobs, new id—

anything. All they have to do is name it. Apparently the director didn't mention Davies because there aren't any charges against him.

"But we don't need that kind of guidance. Our gratitude toward you all is greater than any words can suggest. Whatever mistakes you've made, whatever misdeeds you've committed, you've spilled your own blood and risked your own lives for humanity's sake. Cops are expected to do that. Illegals aren't.

The less reason you had to do it, the more we prize what you've done. You've humbled us all.

"My committee urges the Council to accept Warden Dios' recommendations." At once applause erupted again, filling the hall until the video pickup crackled. Captain Vertigus wasn't done, however. Somehow he made himself heard through the ovation. "But those recommendations aren't enough. You deserve more."

By the time he sat down, the Members had voted the Emblem of Valor, the planet's highest civilian honor, for Mikka Vasaczk and Davies Hyland; for Ciro Vasaczk, Vector Shaheed, and Sib Mackern posthumously; and for Morn Hyland in absentia.

Again Morn blinked at damp fire in her eyes, swallowed against the pressure in her throat. Bit by bit her restraint was being broken down. She feared what would happen when it failed, but there was little she could do to stop the process.

Perhaps its time had come. She hardly heard President Len explain that the Emblem of Valor carried a sizable pension—

as well as the moral equivalent of diplomatic immunity.

Gently he asked Mikka, "Does that help?"

With an effort she nodded. "Yes, it does." Like Morn, she may have been close to tears.

While Morn struggled to compose herself, Len called on Tel Burnish, the Member for Valdor Industrial. His committee had been assigned to consider the future leadership of the new Space Defense Police, with special attention to questions which had been or might be raised concerning Min Donner's conduct and Hashi Lebwohl's self-confessed dishonesty.

Burnish replied without hesitation. "We're unanimous, Mr. President," he reported crisply. "We recommend Min Donner's confirmation as Director of the SDP. We see no reason to challenge either her qualifications or her integrity. Her loyalty to Warden Dios served him well. It will serve us better."

Min bowed her head. Only the tightening in her shoulders betrayed what she felt.

"Further," Burnish continued, "we recommend Captain Dolph Ubikwe's appointment as Enforcement Division Director. His courage and dedication under all sorts of pressure is beyond question. And we respect his decision to let Warden Dios go to UMCHO. We think he should be honored for it."

Dolph muttered something the pickup missed. A huge grin stretched his dark face.

"Finally," the VI Member concluded, "we urge Hashi Lebwohl's reinstatement as Data Acquisition Director. However, we do so primarily at Min Donner's request. She observes that his skills and qualifications are irreplaceable.

We've seen evidence of that in his efforts to expose Holt Fasner's kazes. But in addition she's shown us a transmission which she received from Warden Dios immediately before HO's destruction. The director's final message defends Director Lebwohl's complete probity, and takes full personal responsibility for any actions which might cast doubt on DA.

Warden Dios—

and Min Donner—

believe that no man can or

will serve SDPDA better than Hashi Lebwohl."

Some of the Members appeared surprised by this; but no one objected. When President Len asked the Council to respond, all three appointments were accepted by acclamation.

Disguised by his smudged glasses, Hashi's face revealed nothing.

Morn approved dimly. She didn't trust Hashi Lebwohl; but she owed both Min and Dolph a debt she would never be able to repay. Under the pressure of her mounting grief, however, she felt too fragile to let their vindication touch her strongly.

She moved to key off the video screen. The session had become more poignant than she could bear. She wasn't ready to let go of her defenses yet. But she stopped with her fingers on the keypad when she heard President Len announce that Punjat Silat would speak next. He was the Senior Member for the Combined Asian Islands and Peninsulas; and his committee had been formed to pass judgment on Warden Dios.

She didn't want to hear this—

yet she was transfixed by it.

She'd hardly known Warden Dios the man. But Warden Dios the icon, the symbol and embodiment of the ideals and service of the UMCP, was one of the central figures of her life; perhaps the central figure. Her whole family had revolved around his ideas, his beliefs; his power of conviction.

Instead of blanking her screen, she sat down to listen as if she believed that any judgment of Warden Dios would be a judgment of her as well.

The scholarly Senior Member spoke in the slow, dignified tones of a eulogy. Nevertheless his presentation was admirably concise and coherent. For two days, he reported, he and his committee had gathered and studied all the information available on the actions—

and intentions—

of the former UMCP di-

rector. The committee had questioned Min Donner, Hashi Lebwohl, and Koina Hannish at length, asking them to place their personal knowledge in the context of both Koina Hannish's and Morn Hyland's testimony before the Council. In addition, the Members had examined the most readily accessible of Warden Dios' private records—

a scrutiny which Hashi

Lebwohl had made possible by supplying some of the former director's codes.

"Beyond question," Punjat Silat stated, "Warden Dios violated his oath of office, as well as his own professed ideals, in profound and fundamental ways. That he did so knowingly, with full awareness of the implications of his actions, is made plain by his personal records. However, his records also indicate that he committed his crimes for the clear, unwavering, and single purpose of breaking Holt Fasner's grip on humanity's future.

"This is confirmed—

albeit often inferentially—

by the

most trusted of his subordinates. And it is given circumstantial support by Morn Hyland's remarkable evidence.

"Does that excuse him? Certainly not. His actions tainted the entire structure of humankind's defense against the Amnion. They inspired an act of war. Millions upon millions of lives might have been lost, incalculable damage done. By that measure, his conduct was unconscionable in the extreme."

For a moment Morn couldn't see the screen through her tears. Now more than ever she missed her zone implant control; wanted to be able to stifle and manage her own reactions.

But Vector had cursed her—

or saved her—

by breaking it. She

had no artificial defense against herself; no induced strength.

Perhaps she didn't need it. Somewhere inside her there had to be a better answer than self-destruct.

"However," Silat was saying, "my fellow Members and I found that we could not ignore a question which Warden Dios himself often raised in his private records.

"What else could he have done?

"The path of his duty was sufficiently plain. From the moment when he first recognized Holt Fasner's crimes, he should have worked to expose them. At the least he should have resigned his position. But he should have done more. He should have arrested CEO Fasner and charged him before this Council."

The Senior Member didn't raise his voice. His dignity and gravity sufficed to fill his words with passion.

"Do any of you believe that he would have succeeded? At that time the GCES—

and all humanity—

were dependent on

the UMC. Holt Fasner owned the UMCP. Both personally and publicly, our lives hung on his decisions. A man willing to send out kazes might have cheerfully murdered Warden Dios and defied the Council to hold him accountable. Or he could have simply threatened enough of us with ruin to block any investigation.