She gave a bittersweet smile. “I appreciate what you did for me at one time. Though I’m sure you’ll never accept it, I did love you. Maybe I still do in a way, but I can’t tolerate what you’ve become.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Whatever happens from now on is the result of your own actions. Goodbye, Basil.”

She switched off the recording and set the message transmission on a proximity timer. As soon as Basil returned to the Palace District, the automated system would upload the recording to his personal communication device.

By then, Sarein would be long gone, safely away.

130

King Peter

On theJupiter ’s command viewscreen, all eyes were on the Chairman’s diplomatic shuttle as it departed for the cluster of EDF ships. Admiral Willis paced the bridge with her hands linked behind her. She sniffed with undisguised distaste at the receding craft. “I can’t say I minded seeing him leave in a huff. But not so much as a goodbye? I thought he might leave me a gold watch for all my years of faithful service.” She turned to the King. “So, what did the blowhard really want?”

Peter pressed his lips together. So far he had told no one else the truth about Rory. Exposing those details would have forced him to reveal his own humble roots, that he too was fundamentally an imposter. “He was just throwing his weight around — unsuccessfully.”

As soon as Basil left the mess hall, Peter had felt the rush of adrenaline drain from his system. He had taken a few moments to compose himself before going to the bridge. Beside him, Estarra had expressed her concerns. “You can’t let the Chairman execute that poor boy out of spite, even if he isn’t your real brother.”

Peter wore a grim smile. “Oh, Basil won’t kill him now. It wouldn’t gain him anything. As an ace up his sleeve, Rory is worthless. The most he can do is continue to serve as a figurehead.”

“Are you really willing to take that risk, knowing the Chairman? He could murder him out of spite.”

Peter felt a lump in his throat, knowing she might be right. “Rory — or whatever his real name is — may be no more than a patsy, but he’s just like I was, probably nabbed from the streets and forced to play a role. Basil turns the thumbscrews, and it’s all a matter of how well the kid can act. I understand what he’s going through — don’t worry, I won’t let him get killed for my sake.”

“Actually, I’m more worried about Sarein,” she said.

“Me too.”

Now that they had arrived on the Juggernaut’s bridge, he watched Admiral Willis fume quietly at the retreating diplomatic shuttle. After a long moment of tense silence, she mused, “You know, a single jazer blast would solve a lot of our problems.”

“I can’t say that the thought hasn’t occurred to me, Admiral.” Peter knew that Basil himself would take the shot — andhad done it, both with Maureen Fitzpatrick and with the outspoken Archfather. “But if I regain my rule through assassination, then how am I different from Basil? I can’t simply kill someone because I don’t like them, or because they’re bad, or because they’re in my way.”

But, oh, it would be an easy, temporary solution.

The price he’d pay later for taking that road, though, could bring about his downfall as surely as it had corrupted Basil Wenceslas, transforming him from effective leader into monster. He let out a slow sigh. “As King, I’ve got to lead by example. I can’t just barge in and tell the people of Earth what’s good for them. They need to get rid of him themselves.”

Estarra said, “You know there’s a groundswell of protests. Patrick Fitzpatrick has stirred up a hornet’s nest of rebellion down there. What’s wrong with taking advantage of that?”

Peter had watched the demonstrations grow more intense in the newsnet coverage, even in the short time since he had come to the Earth system. He realized the people might be ready after all. “You may be right.”

Basil’s diplomatic shuttle continued to fly away. Admiral Willis made no comment about the King’s decision, except to say, “He’s out of range anyway.”

131

Patrick Fitzpatrick III

Once Deputy Cain released them from Hansa detention, the rational, logical, and safe thing would have been for Patrick and Zhett to steal a small spacecraft and fly to the Confederation battle group.

But Patrick was not in a rational, logical, or safe frame of mind.

Cain had told them how they could help bring down the Chairman once and for all, and that possibility was just too worthwhile to pass up. He still had the contacts his grandmother had left for him and a large portion of the funds. Now was the time to throw everything into the effort.

“I still can’t convince myself this isn’t a trick.” Zhett looked furtively at the streets behind them. “What does the deputy have to gain by doing this?”

“He’s a smart man. He can see that the Chairman is herding everyone over a cliff — and he doesn’t plan to be one of the lemmings.”

In the crowded streets and plazas, Freedom’s Sword was holding demonstrations. Observing that the protests had gotten wilder in the days since their arrest, Patrick could not help but view the groundswell with a certain level of satisfaction. “A lot of crap is hitting a lot of fans.”

When they walked in among the demonstrators and added their shouts to the rising tide of anger, he was surprised to hear someone call out, “Look — it’s Patrick Fitzpatrick! He’s free!”

“I heard they were executed.”

“They must have escaped.”

“He showed us the evidence against the Chairman!”

“The bastard Chairman murdered his grandmother.”

Patrick flinched, not sure he was ready to draw so much attention, but too many people had noticed him, so he decided to embrace it. He raised both hands as word rippled through the crowd. Some of the noise died down, though people at the outer fringes had no idea what was happening. “Yes, we’re out of prison, and we need to continue our work. All of you are part of the solution.”

“How can we help you?” someone yelled.

“We need a safe place,” Zhett said. With a devilish grin, she added, “And transmission equipment. It’s time to overthrow the Hansa and bring back King Peter. The Chairman’s away for the moment — so there’s no better time.”

Patrick felt giddy with the righteous knowledge of what he could help accomplish and what the old Battleaxe would have done if she had been around. And, yes, he felt a hint of satisfaction at being able to get even for her sake. “I’ve got a plan.”

The crowd swept them along. Even if Hansa guards had come after Patrick and Zhett, these demonstrators would have shielded them. That thought gave him a strange sense of empowerment.