Read Online Cadmians Choice by L. E. Modesitt - Free Book Online

glass later. A half glass after the flight began, Kagayn noted
a green globe of light on a rocky peak to the south of the road, located at
vingt-post 37 from Scien. When he investigated, a flash of green light
surrounded him and his pteridon. Zuluya followed, and there was a second flash.
When the light faded, both pteridons and Myrmidons had dropped from the sky,
and two pyres burned on the ice. Majer Noryan ordered the remaining Myrmidons
from first squad and all Myrmidons from squad two to mount a concentrated
skylance attack on the peak and the globe of light. Under the concentrated
power of nine skylances, the green globe exploded into shards that appeared to
be frozen flame. These vanished before striking the ground. Third Company
encountered no further difficulties during the road sweep, but no sign of the
missing Cadmian company was discovered this day.
     
    That was all Noryan
had written, and there were no other references to the ancients or anything
like them.
    Dainyl frowned. He
was certain that the reports he had seen two seasons earlier had indicated the
pteridons had been lost in separate incidents. He continued to look through the
reports, but found nothing more.
    Finally, Dainyl
replaced the reports and stood, convinced that he had found all he would find.
Alcyna and Noryan had reported the incident, and the majer had reported what
appeared to be a proper response to an attack. From his own encounters in
Dramur, Dainyl was certain that Noryan was either mistaken or lying about the
ancient’s destruction. What bothered him more was that Alcyna had believed that
the ancient had been destroyed. His own problem was simple. To charge the two
with either incompetence or falsification of reports would prove nothing and
create an argument about precisely how the pteridons had been lost. In
addition, it might well require revealing the extent of his own Talent, and
capabilities he had concealed for years. Such a revelation would immediately
make him a greater and more immediate target for both Zelyert and Shastylt than
Alcyna ... and could well lead to having all three, as well as Brekylt, looking
to create an unfortunate accident for one Sub-marshal Dainyl.
    Before too long, he
would doubtless have to reveal such, but now was not the time, not when there
were two “official” reports—at least as he recalled. He saw no point in acting
immediately, not until he rechecked the records at headquarters. With a wry
smile, he left the majer’s study and walked toward the duty desk to meet
Undercaptain Veluara for his tour of the lower level of the eastern residence.
More properly, he supposed, he was a guest or visitor, since he had no real
authority except over the Myrmidons, and he would be seeing the administrative
areas of the east, dealing with five of the six branches of the Duarchy:
Finance, Transport, Engineering, Trade, and Education. The sixth branch, of
course, was Justice, and all functions associated with it in the east were
handled by Alcyna and her subordinates.
    The High Alectors of
Justice, Finance, and Transport were located in Elcien and reported directly to
Khelaryt, the Duarch of Elcien, while the other three were in Ludar and
reported to Samist, the Duarch there. Each branch had an eastern regional
alector, corresponding in position to Alcyna, and each reported on a day-to-day
basis to Brekylt, but any High Alector could override Brekylt if he felt it
necessary.
    Dainyl could not
remember that ever occurring and, from what he’d observed, doubted he ever
would. Either Brekylt or the high alector who disagreed would resign— or suffer
an accident. He snorted. The Duarches—and especially the Archon—valued the
appearance of consensus highly.
    Since the morning
remained somewhat chill, Dainyl had worn his flying jacket over his uniform.
The sky was a clear silver-green, but the wind out of the northwest was brisk,
more like late winter than spring.
    Undercaptain Veluara
stood waiting by the duty