Read Online Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro - Free Book Online Page B

plausible. Except I didn’t believe it. I had no justification for my doubt, but it persisted just the same.
           Rex leaned over the console. “Why such a low probability for his being a spy?”
           “It is considered beneath a Highton to engage in covert operations,” Comtrace said. “Unless those operations relate directly to the acquisition of power. However, given the close proximity of Delos to Tams Station and the current crisis on Tams, it is conceivable that a Highton might come here to discover if the Allieds have any connection to the situation.”
           So. It was ironic that Tams, a small mining station, had come to prominence. Six hundred million people lived there, descendents of an ancient Raylican colony that had doggedly struggled to keep their independence from all of us, Skolian, Trader, and Allied alike. Fifteen years ago the Traders had claimed the planet. They managed to manipulate the political situation so any response on our part would put us in violation of our tenuous treaties with them. At least, any overt response.
           “Comtrace, what is your latest information on Tams?” I asked.
           “IMIN reports indicate the rebels have captured the planet’s ground based defenses.”
           It didn’t surprise me. Although we couldn’t offer aid openly, we had other means. It wasn’t luck that the civilian leaders of the Tams rebellion had captured and held the sophisticated Eubian military installations on their planet.
           “How have the Aristos responded?” I asked.
           “Their saboteurs destroyed the Red Hills factories,” Comtrace said. “Also the warehouses in the Sandrise, Docker, and Metalworks districts. They gutted the stardrives and Evolving Intelligence pilots of all space worthy ships in both Tams starports.”
           Rex swore under his breath. “That’s too damn effective.”
           “Why?” Taas asked. “What are the Red Hills factories?”
           “They were the only factories on the planet equipped to build replacement parts for starship drives,” I said. “The warehouses are where completed parts were stored.”
           “If the rebels control the planetary defenses,” Helda said, “they can bring in ships with new EI’s and engine parts.”
           “Not if the Traders control the orbital defenses,” Rex said. “They and the rebels may be at a standoff.”
           “Comtrace,” I said, “what is the official Trader position on the situation?”
           “That the uprising no longer exists,” Comtrace said.
           Helda spoke dryly. “Why do I have no surprise at this?”
           “A recording of Ur Qox’s last speech is available,” Comtrace said. “Shall I display?”
           I had no desire to see the Trader Emperor give a speech. His name was actually U’jjr Qox, but we pronounced it Ur Cox. The apostrophe indicated he was a Highton. The highest Highton. Regardless of how I felt about the him, though, we needed to know what he had to say.
           “Yes,” I said. “Display the recording.”
           The mystery Aristo disappeared, replaced by a lean man at a crystal podium. He was in his late forties, with shimmering black hair and red eyes. His Highton accent chilled. Tarque had also been Highton, with that same unremitting arrogance in his voice, that same look of it in his too-perfect face.
           Qox spent most of the speech lauding the Trader army. He painted the rebels as less than human and the Trader soldiers as heroes. The speech didn’t contain a whit of useful information. He went on and on, invoking the glory of his empire and the Aristos and himself and his father’s purportedly esteemed name.
           “At least his father’s dead,” Rex muttered.
           At least. The previous Emperor had been even worse. J’briol Qox, the man we called Jaibriol, had