Especially in person. Legate Ruskoff had obviously felt secure enough accepting the students’ guarantee of safe conduct.

“And your place in this, Major Michaelson?” He peered intently at the other man.

Michaelson broke his gaze away, turning the ruined side of his face toward Ruskoff. “Trying to save lives, Legate Ruskoff. I believe that’s still my sworn duty.”

“Damn strange way to show it,” Ruskoff offered.

“I was there when your man gunned down two students, Legate. Damn strange way to protect the people of Liao.”

Hahn Soom Gui had also remained standing. “The sooner you recognize The Republic shares in the blame for this incident, the sooner we can meet on equal ground to diffuse it.” He rested one hand on his side arm in a pose for strength. “Until then, we will hold the Conservatory as a refuge for any resident, citizen or soldier who wants to join us for a free Liao.”

“What does that mean,” Ruskoff asked, “a free Liao?”

Hahn rose flawlessly to the occasion. “We want a forum to address our grievances, with assurances from Governor Lu Pohl that we will not be saddled with pro-Republic judges. Anyone who wishes should have a say in the selection of such overseers… not just Republic citizens, but all residents of Liao. The discrimination may not end, but we’ll bring it into the open where it belongs. It is time to acknowledge that Liao is Capellan first, and Republic second.”

Worship spread over the faces of many assembled cadets. Ruskoff shook his head, and Evan heard the sound of the man’s mind closing. “I cannot approve of those demands,” he said flatly.

“You do not have to approve,” Michaelson said softly. “Only Governor Lu Pohl does.”

“Anna Lu Pohl must answer to Lord Governor Hidic. He is not going to allow terms to be dictated in this manner. What if other worlds took it upon themselves to challenge The Republic’s leadership this way. What would we have then?”

“Equality!” Evan said, surprising himself. Cheers and a smattering of applause greeted his outburst.

“There are other ways to accomplish this. Some of you have already earned your citizenship. Others are working in that direction. If you truly support the Governor’s example, you should work within the system.”

“Where you will continue to stack the deck against us,” another cadet said, her voice breaking.

Michaelson stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “Legate,” he spoke carefully, choosing each word with great care, “I have… suffered through a great deal in service to The Republic. I have fought and bled for it, and I’ve made my share of mistakes. I have also seen for myself the trials Liao has endured over the past twenty-two years. These people are frustrated. They are simply asking for a forum. How can this be a bad thing?”

Ruskoff visibly winced at the mention of mistakes made in service to The Republic. Perhaps the Legate was not so immune to the overbearing weight often brought against Liao. He recovered quickly. “Perhaps if Governor Lu Pohl were to introduce measures during the next world campaign…”

“No!” Evan banged his hand down on the table. Michaelson started to speak, but Evan silenced him with a gesture. The veteran’s calm words were not what they needed. “No more promises, no more delays. We’re tired of feeling afraid on our world, in our towns and around our campus.”

Everyone stared at him. After two years of working in the dark, attention was hard for him to bear. He took a calming breath.

“It is time for The Republic to step back and exercise a measure of the grand tolerance it preaches. Devlin Stone is watching us: that’s what the politicians throw in our faces. Do you realize how much that sounds like a threat? Well, Stone is gone. He left. It’s The Republic’s eye always on us to decide if we’ll toe the line. Well, we won’t. I won’t.” More cheers, many with a bright edge that could cut if he was not very, very careful.

“You don’t have a choice.” Ruskoff appealed to the assembled group. He found only Michaelson. “Major, help them understand. This solves nothing.”

“And walking away now?” Evan asked. “That’s in our best interest?” He shook his head. “We know that our military careers are over, Legate. We realized that the next day, and we accepted it. You’ll never trust us with troops. You’ll never give us a voice. And you know what? Most of us have embraced the idea, and so have troops from under your own command, who are on campus to support our position. We also have a fairly large and growing tent city of local civilians presenting themselves for service. Because this is our time. Now.”

Evan pulled his appointment of citizenship out of a pocket. “My citizenship, finally offered when The Republic is desperate enough to need me.” Evan held it up. Some cadets watched with admiration, some envy and then shock. Jenna stared at Evan with sadness welling in her eyes as he ripped the appointment in half, lengthwise, slowly, so that the sound of tearing paper filled the room for several long and painful heartbeats. “It’s too late, Legate. It was too late when I came to this school.”

He tore another stripe. “It was too late when I joined the Ijori Dè Guāng.”

Another. “It was too late the day I was born.”

He laid the scraps of his citizenship onto the table. “Take this back to Lord Governor Hidic, with my compliments.”

Ruskoff stood. He nodded to his lieutenant who moved for the door, opened it, and stood aside for the senior officer. The Legate leaned in toward Evan, speaking very calmly. “You are going to force me into doing something that I truly do not want to do, Evan Kurst. You and all of your comrades. This may be the only round of diplomacy you get. Eventually, I will have to come back. And if I have to pull this school apart again, stone by stone, I will. Who wins then, Evan?”

Ruskoff left on that, striding for the door and out into the hall. Michaelson followed, and Hahn. Others filed out after them with a few pausing to place a hand on Evan’s shoulder and giving him a reassuring squeeze. They left him there, alone with his thoughts and with their silent approval.

Jenna was last to leave.

“You did not have to do that,” she said.

“But I did, Jen Lynn Tang. I did. For me, if for no one else.” He stared at the shredded page, where Ruskoff had left it. “Either I believe in what we do here, or…” Or else he accepted that Liao would never be free. “Or, I do not.”

She bent down, and kissed him on the brow. His skin burned where her lips brushed him. Then she, too, left.

Evan glanced around the empty room. Some cadets and students would slip away tonight, he knew. More, he hoped, would steel themselves for the trials yet to come. How many would be left, he wondered, to be remembered as heroes or tried as traitors?

Who wins?

“The people,” he whispered to the departed Legate. “The people win.”

And he truly believed it.