“I do not believe that Paladins are so easily intimidated,” Drummond said curtly. “I am as interested in choosing a worthy Exarch as anyone. I do not think efficiency in my activities should be counted against me.”

“Does anyone have a suspicion of how Tyrina intends to vote?” interjected Meraj Jorgensson. Several Paladins started to speak, but fell silent. “Me neither. I think that alone makes her a good candidate for facilitator.”

“Tyrina Drummond has been nominated and seconded as balloting facilitator,” said Redburn. “All in favor?”

“Aye,” said at least a dozen of the Paladins in a ragged chorus, including Jonah.

“Any nay votes?”

A few voices responded. Drummond showed remarkable restraint in not glaring at each individual opponent.

Redburn nodded. “The ayes have it. Paladin Drummond, I turn the discussion over to you.”

Redburn turned and left through the same door by which he had entered. Tyrina waited until it had closed behind him, then left her seat and walked up to the lectern. She looked out at all of them with a sharp, penetrating expression—and Jonah remembered that the members of Clan Nova Cat had a reputation for seeing powerful visions.

“In the name of the dream of Devlin Stone,” she said, “and to honor his memory as we wait for his return: Let us cast our first trial ballot.”

“What about discussion?” Kessel immediately interjected.

“Let us see where we stand first,” Drummond said serenely. “I believe that Paladin GioAvanti’s delay will provide ample opportunity for discussion.”

Jonah nodded with the rest of the council. He’d say what he had planned after this ballot, and he was sure there would be an awful lot of discussion when he was done.

Damien Redburn entered his small, private office adjoining the chamber. His guest was waiting.

“Well,” said the Ghost Paladin. “At least they’re started.”

Redburn sat down at his desk and heaved a tired sigh. “There’s no telling how long it will take them to finish, though. They’re still one Paladin short.”

“Ah, yes. Heather GioAvanti is away chasing rioters, or potential rioters.”

“Do your people have anything new on that?”

“My people?” The Ghost Paladin shrugged. “We’ve pulled in two suspected agents of House Liao with what looked like plans to set off a biochemical device in the voting chamber, a squad of Dragon’s Fury commandos intending to seize the main Genevan tri-vid news station and force the personnel to broadcast House Kurita propaganda, and a warrior from Clan Jade Falcon who died fighting before we could get a clear idea of what the hell she was after. Oh, and there’s approximately fifteen organizations named after Devlin Stone fighting each other in front of the Hall of Government. But I’m not worried about any of those.”

“No?”

“No. What I’m worried about are the people out there whose plans we didn’t manage to catch.”

Chamber of Paladins, Geneva

Terra, Prefecture X

20 December 3134

Jonah Levin looked at the display on the tally board. Sixteen Paladins were currently present in the Chamber, and thirteen votes had been cast so far in the first trial ballot. He would not have been surprised to see thirteen different colors on the board.

The board displayed no names, only an array of colored lights. That anonymity had been another of the Founder’s political notions, according to Tyrina Drummond. A Paladin wanting to work out who was ahead and who was falling behind in the trial ballots would have to consult with his or her fellow Paladins and gather the information from them directly.

The absence of posted names was supposed—again, according to Tyrina Drummond—to foster cooperation and communication among the Paladins during the voting process. Jonah was far more inclined to agree with David McKinnon’s earlier assessment of the Founder’s personality, and to couple with it a suspicion that Stone had been unduly optimistic about human nature.

So far, no one was talking to anyone about anything—but Jonah knew that would change soon enough. He was the one who would change it.

There were seven colors currently up on the board, a rainbow of six with two dots each, plus one deep violet singleton. As he watched, the single violet dot changed to a double and a turquoise singleton popped up, representing two more votes cast.

Jonah regarded the collection of lights for a few minutes longer, then cast his vote for Maya Avellar. He had known and respected Avellar ever since the end of the Kurragin campaign, and if she was perhaps a bit less aggressive than the ideal warrior, her courage and integrity had never been called into question.

As soon as he registered his vote, another singleton light winked on, this time chartreuse.

The lights on the board stopped blinking and glowed steadily. All of the Paladins currently present in the Chamber and signed in on the system had voted. Tyrina Drummond rose and went to the podium in order to announce what everybody already knew:

“My fellow Paladins—the trial ballot is concluded. The floor is open for discussion.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonah saw Anders Kessel make a move to stand, but he stilled as soon as Jonah moved. An air of anticipation rose.

“Paladin Levin is recognized,” Drummond said.

Jonah’s left knee trembled slightly, and it annoyed him no end. He had led a suicide charge on Kurragin. He had destroyed another ’Mech on Kyrkbacken when his was reduced to a single functioning leg. On Elnath, he had been dropped from the sky while artillery blazed past him. And now, in a large ceremonial chamber, surrounded by fifteen people who didn’t (he hoped) want him dead, his knee wobbled because he had to make a speech. Ridiculous.

“My fellow Paladins,” he said in a creaky voice that sounded like his grandfather, “I have some information I’d like to share.”

He could feel the eyes watching him, and there wasn’t a single audible keyboard click. No one was going to send messages back and forth as he spoke; he had their full attention. Oddly enough, that calmed him.

“As some of you know, the Exarch asked me to look into the death of Victor Steiner-Davion. I’m pleased to announce we have made an arrest.” A murmur ran through the room. Jonah had them in the palm of his hand.

His voice grew stronger. “Before I tell you the who, let me tell you the why. Victor was killed because he uncovered a conspiracy of a rather unique nature. It was not a conspiracy to attempt a coup, or plan a military attack on a specific target. Rather, it was a conspiracy to control thought.

“For well over a decade, a group of Senators, working within the bounds of the government, have opened a series of academies and training programs across The Republic. They select the students for these academies carefully, and they approve the graduates even more aggressively. Those graduates they believed to have the most potential to help their cause, they attempted to shepherd into influential positions. In the early stages, this shepherding mainly took the form of making polite suggestions. In recent years, though, their tactics have veered strongly toward bribery, blackmail and intimidation to achieve their goals.

“Victor—Paladin Steiner-Davion—worked long and hard to get information about this conspiracy. He had it, and he was going to tell us about it. It cost him his life.”

For what seemed to be the first time in several minutes, Jonah took a breath. “Last night, Senator Geoffrey Mallowes of Prefecture IX was arrested for conspiring to assassinate Victor Steiner-Davion.” He paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, “He will be charged with attempting to have me killed, as well.