Read Online Between the Stars by John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani - Free Book Online
Authors: John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani
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limit of their capacity to suffer. I can teach them what those limits are."
He sat back and drained a wine glass, holding it out to a waiter to refill. The others stared at him in stunned silence. Such talk was simply not heard within the Palace. Hesitantly, conversation picked up and Larsen exerted his best skills to smooth over the breach. Shevket said no more for the rest of the meal.
After the luncheon broke up, Chalmers and Hua walked with Larsen on the terrace with its spectacular view of the lake.
"Bit of a shock, wasn't it?" said Chalmers, a thin man with perfect military bearing and an Oxford accent. "Shevket speaking out like that, I mean."
Inwardly, Larsen cursed the Turk's premature assertion of power. "I think the general had a bit too much to drink this afternoon. I am sure he would not—"
"Oh, not at all," Chalmers interrupted. "I think it's high time such talk was heard."
"Exactly my thought," Hua said. "It is time we curbed these petty potentates of worthless nations. We are all tired of this quagmire of sub-Saharan Africa. General Shevket is just the man to settle them."
"Oh, I don't think military action is really called for, old boy," Chalmers said. "Just cut them loose and let them starve."
"I agree," Hua said, as Larsen's mind worked furiously. "There are more important enemies to consider than the African primitives. Australia, for instance." The Australians had stubbornly resisted U.N. confiscation of their resources. The population was hard-working, independent and notoriously reluctant to part with their hard-earned wealth.
"Am I to assume, then, " said Larsen, "that you two would support the general, should he advocate, shall we say, a harder line with the member nations? Not just the rebel movements, but with the nations themselves?"
"You may," said Chalmers. "And we are not alone in this. Quite a few of us would like to see a bit of discipline thrashed into the surplus population of this planet. They've come to take too seriously all the rhetoric about freedom and equality."
"Yes," said Hua. "We have grown decadent. We need to return to the original principles of the Party. It is time for a long-needed purge as well. You may tell the general that."
Later, back in his office, Larsen thought over what he had heard. Chalmers and Hua must have been looking for an opportunity to speak as they had. Shevket's outburst had provided the excuse. They would never have spoken so, had there not been many others in the Party elite who were like-minded. Shevket was right. The time was growing ripe for a coup. If only it were not for the great unknown factor: the Rhea Object. Just what did it represent? He pounded a fist on his desk top in sheer frustration. Just what was the damned thing?
Vladyka decoded the microburst message in his ship, Ivo the Black . It had been months since he had been given an assignment, and his smile widened as he read this one. It was more than he could have hoped. And the implications were enormous. It meant, for one thing, that Shevket was ready to take power, and that his most valuable followers would rise with him.
It would be difficult, and by far the most deadly and dangerous operation he had ever undertaken. But, he thought with satisfaction, that was why he had been chosen for the job: Daniko Vladyka was the best. He would have to crack Aeaea's legendary security, and he would have to get close to the equally legendary Sieglinde Kornfeld-Taggart. His mind whirled with ideas. He would have to contact his various agents and team members, scattered as they were throughout the Belt. Fortunately, most of them were concentrated in the vicinity of Avalon.
He would set up a careful operation. The message had given him no time frame, so he was free to set his own schedule. From all reports, the Aeaeans were no closer to solving the puzzle of the Rhea Object than they had been when they had first seen the thing. As for the Kornfeld woman, she would not be far from the
He sat back and drained a wine glass, holding it out to a waiter to refill. The others stared at him in stunned silence. Such talk was simply not heard within the Palace. Hesitantly, conversation picked up and Larsen exerted his best skills to smooth over the breach. Shevket said no more for the rest of the meal.
After the luncheon broke up, Chalmers and Hua walked with Larsen on the terrace with its spectacular view of the lake.
"Bit of a shock, wasn't it?" said Chalmers, a thin man with perfect military bearing and an Oxford accent. "Shevket speaking out like that, I mean."
Inwardly, Larsen cursed the Turk's premature assertion of power. "I think the general had a bit too much to drink this afternoon. I am sure he would not—"
"Oh, not at all," Chalmers interrupted. "I think it's high time such talk was heard."
"Exactly my thought," Hua said. "It is time we curbed these petty potentates of worthless nations. We are all tired of this quagmire of sub-Saharan Africa. General Shevket is just the man to settle them."
"Oh, I don't think military action is really called for, old boy," Chalmers said. "Just cut them loose and let them starve."
"I agree," Hua said, as Larsen's mind worked furiously. "There are more important enemies to consider than the African primitives. Australia, for instance." The Australians had stubbornly resisted U.N. confiscation of their resources. The population was hard-working, independent and notoriously reluctant to part with their hard-earned wealth.
"Am I to assume, then, " said Larsen, "that you two would support the general, should he advocate, shall we say, a harder line with the member nations? Not just the rebel movements, but with the nations themselves?"
"You may," said Chalmers. "And we are not alone in this. Quite a few of us would like to see a bit of discipline thrashed into the surplus population of this planet. They've come to take too seriously all the rhetoric about freedom and equality."
"Yes," said Hua. "We have grown decadent. We need to return to the original principles of the Party. It is time for a long-needed purge as well. You may tell the general that."
Later, back in his office, Larsen thought over what he had heard. Chalmers and Hua must have been looking for an opportunity to speak as they had. Shevket's outburst had provided the excuse. They would never have spoken so, had there not been many others in the Party elite who were like-minded. Shevket was right. The time was growing ripe for a coup. If only it were not for the great unknown factor: the Rhea Object. Just what did it represent? He pounded a fist on his desk top in sheer frustration. Just what was the damned thing?
Vladyka decoded the microburst message in his ship, Ivo the Black . It had been months since he had been given an assignment, and his smile widened as he read this one. It was more than he could have hoped. And the implications were enormous. It meant, for one thing, that Shevket was ready to take power, and that his most valuable followers would rise with him.
It would be difficult, and by far the most deadly and dangerous operation he had ever undertaken. But, he thought with satisfaction, that was why he had been chosen for the job: Daniko Vladyka was the best. He would have to crack Aeaea's legendary security, and he would have to get close to the equally legendary Sieglinde Kornfeld-Taggart. His mind whirled with ideas. He would have to contact his various agents and team members, scattered as they were throughout the Belt. Fortunately, most of them were concentrated in the vicinity of Avalon.
He would set up a careful operation. The message had given him no time frame, so he was free to set his own schedule. From all reports, the Aeaeans were no closer to solving the puzzle of the Rhea Object than they had been when they had first seen the thing. As for the Kornfeld woman, she would not be far from the
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