—Mark Twain

35

New Avalon

Cruris March, Federated Suns

15 August 3029

The frustrated look on Riva Allard's face melted as Kym Sorenson entered the office. "Kym, can I use you as a character reference?"

Kym set a small stack of disks down on her desk, then turned to look suspiciously at Riva. "What do you need references for?" She grinned and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You're not going to take that job with Biotron Industries, are you?"

Riva glanced at the data terminal in her desk. "No, no. Nothing like that. I just need to get an increase in my security clearance to be able to look at that Star League library memory core. The MHO investigators have to hear it from you that I'm not going to sell what I learn to the Draconis Combine."

Kym raised an eyebrow. "You tend to eat lots of sushiwhen we order lunch out. .."

Riva's shoulders slumped. "Don't even joke about that, Kym. This Star League library data is the hottest find in the past two hundred years. A mercenary company, the Gray Death Legion, apparently recovered it from an old Star League depot in the Free Worlds League two years ago. Copies have been slowly working their way through the Successor States and finally made it here to the NAIS."

Kym shrugged nonchalantly. "Probably just a romantic literature storehouse."

Riva shook her head resolutely. "That's not the word down in Advanced Research. They think it's chock-full of technical data on scientific discoveries and experiments. I've even heard a rumor that it has 750 kilobytes on Kearny-Fuchida drive theory alone." She smiled hopefully. "It could have all sorts of stuff that would help with my doctoral thesis."

"Hmmm, that's interesting." Kym pulled out her chair to sit down at her desk. "Why do you need to fill out a security report form? I mean, with your father being the Minister, can't he just clear you?"

Riva looked down. "Look, with Justin going over to the Maskirovka, I'm considered a worse risk than a Kurita prisoner of war." She tugged the sleeves of her blue sweater up to her elbows, then held her hands out, wrists next to each other. "Maybe I should just have them cuff me and cart me off to detention."

"Can't let that happen," Kim said mock-seriously. "Prison grays are just not your color." She laughed as Riva smiled. "Sure, put me down. Have you asked Dr. Banzai for a recommendation yet?"

Riva hesitated. "I was going to wait. .."

"For what? He's agreed to teach next trimester, and he's expressed interest in your thesis." Kym looked mystified. "There are times I don't understand you at all, Riva Allard. Dr. Banzai has been nothing but helpful and encouraging with your studies, yet you shy way from him as though he's got the plague."

Riva stood and came around to the side of Kym's desk. Leaning heavily against the wall, she crossed her arms. "I find him scary, Kym. He's so brilliant he makes me feel like a child again. And he knows all sorts of diverse things. I never know when he's going to offer a non sequitur that will throw me for a loop."

Kym sat back in her chair, light flashing from the silver neckpiece she wore. "For example?"

Riva shrugged, wracking her brain for an example, then a spark flashed through her eyes. "Well, he was in a coma when they brought him from Northwind to the NAIS. I assisted with the myomer quadricep replacement on his left thigh. When he came out of it, I went up to see him. He took one look at my name tag and said, 'Don't worry about your brother Dan. He's in a good machine.'"

"What!" Kym's blue eyes grew wide with amazement. "He told you about your brother's 'Mech?"

Riva nodded in exasperation. "His mind works so fast. He placed me as Quintus Allard's daughter, knew Quintus had a son Dan who was with the Kell Hounds, and he knew Morgan Kell had given my brother a Wolfhound."Riva opened her hands and shrugged. "That's the simplest of his deductive chains, and the only one I understand fully. Banzai has done everything, from fighting in 'Mechs to helping heal those who've been hurt by the wars. He's just a bit scary."

Kym nodded thoughtfully. "I know how you feel." She smiled weakly as she remembered. "I recall Morgan watching news reports about the war and predicting how things would work out in any particular battle. At first, I thought he already knew the outcome, and accused him of tricking me. He denied it and took me by the hand to his computer. He quickly ran up a simulation of the battle in question and showed how it would go. At the same time, he noted what variations he would have thrown at the Liao commanders. Whenever the computer ran his variants, the battle always turned out worse for Liao than it did in real life."

Riva reached out and squeezed Kym's shoulder. "Have you heard from him since he left?"

Kym's hand strayed to the neckpiece. "Yes and no." She forced herself to smile bravely. "Morgan told me he'd be running under complete silence for this mission, so 'no news is good news.' On the other hand, he had this neckpiece delivered to me yesterday. It's the ceremonial gorget he wore at the Prince's wedding."

Riva kept a reassuring smile on her lips as her mind raced. Morgan must be mixed up in whatever has my father worried. Morgan leaves the morning after my father gets as jumpy as a cat at the dog pound. Something big is going on. I know it.She glanced out the window toward the darkening evening sky. I'm just glad it's out there. The last thing I want to see is the war coming to New Avalon . . .

36

ComStar First Circuit Compound

Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra

19 August 3029

ComStar Primus Julian Tiepolo half-closed his eyes as Precentor Myndo Waterly stepped to the center of the circle. She planted her feet defiantly in the middle of the gold ComStar insignia worked into the floor. The wood-paneled chamber's recessed lights flashed from her long, golden hair and burned highlights into her scarlet robe. The look in her dark eyes pierced his heart like a dagger.

"I, Myndo Waterly, Precentor Dieron for these past ten years, call for a Vote of Expulsion against you, Primus."

So this is it, eh, Myndo? You believe you have me?Tiepolo folded his hands into the voluminous sleeves of his tan robe, relishing the roughness of the simple woolen fabric. "Such a call need not be seconded, Precentor Dieron."

The Primus looked around at the other Precentors and read shock on half their faces. You've not laid enough groundwork, Myndo. You always were overconfident.He nodded patronizingly. "I see that no one challenges your right to speak first on this subject."

Myndo's eager smile irritated the Primus, but he set it aside as she began to speak. "I realize, fellow Precentors, that my action may seem rash, ill-mannered, and poorly timed. We are, I acknowledge, in the midst of a great crisis, yet I feel that unless ComStar gets a new pilot at the helm, we will no longer be the flagship of human destiny."

The Primus watched her move elegantly within the circle of podia. You always were an excellent orator, Myndo. I saw that long ago, which is why I made you my protege. Not only did you understand the Word of Blake, but you expressed it so eloquently. If only you had accepted the true wisdom I tried to share with you. Instead of embracing the new philosophy and greatness, you have consigned yourself to fight a reactionary war. It will destroy you.