‘You asked for my opinion. I think artfulness has its part. A carrot to entice the donkey.’

‘Carrots,’ the paladin sneered. ‘What about the rod?’

‘Don’t make the mistake of thinking me squeamish. My way, we’d isolate the ringleaders and make examples of them. Single them out for assassination even, as the Council for Internal Security does back home.’

‘Then we’re in accord. The clans believe in eliminating the agitators, too. It’s just that where you see a few rotten heads in a field of corn, we see them all as infected.’

‘And cut down the lot.’

‘If need be. But you’d do well to leave such considerations to us, Talgorian. You’re too much of a worrier.’

‘It’s what they pay me for.’

‘Like this warlord you’re so obsessed with,’ Bastorran ploughed on. ‘You fret about him unnecessarily, too.’

‘Nothing’s happened to make me believe Zerreiss is any less of a threat,’ the Ambassador returned indignantly. ‘Everything we hear suggests he’s continuing to make inroads.’

‘I don’t know why you get so worked up about it. If the barbarians want to make a sport of slaughtering each other, that’s their affair. They can never offer any danger to the empire.’

‘Again I hope your optimism proves well founded.’

‘You won’t have to rely on my opinion alone. The northern expedition should be reaching its destination soon. Then you’ll see this Zerreiss for what he is. Any word, by the way?’

‘None. And according to our agents, nothing’s been heard from the Rintarah expedition either.’

‘Communication’s always poor from the barbarous lands. Everything gets delayed coming that far.’

‘I suppose so.’

‘There you go again with the anxious face.’ He took a gulp of his drink. ‘Trust me, Ambassador; you’ll see that all this is just a rash of pinpricks.’

Talgorian’s attention was on the far side of the room. He nodded that way. ‘Talking of pinpricks…’

Bastorran looked, seemed uncertain for a second, then spotted the mark. ‘Ah. Dulian Karr.’ There was no warmth in the recognition.

Karr stood with his back to a wall. It bore the ubiquitous emblem of Gath Tampoorian rule: the dragon rampant, scales shimmering, belching gouts of glamoured flame. Karr was conversing with a small group, but it was obvious even from a distance that he wasn’t really engaged with them. He wore a simple black cloth eye-mask, contrasting with the elaborate facial decorations all around.

‘That speech he gave earlier,’ Talgorian recalled, ‘wasn’t far short of a disgrace. All that guff about sympathy for the so-called dispossessed…’

‘Close to seditious, if you ask me. Sentiments almost worthy of your own.’

The Envoy’s face darkened. ‘I do

not

appreciate that kind of comment. As I keep stressing, it’s only in methods that we-’

‘Yes, yes, I know. Take a jest, man. Your views are simply misplaced; Karr’s border on treachery.’

‘I’ll take that as a back-handed compliment,’ Talgorian replied coolly. ‘At least you appreciate the difference between my concerns about strategy and Karr’s flirting with anti-social elements.’

‘You know it’s more than flirting. We’ve suspected him for years, and so have your people. He’s a sympathiser, a fellow traveller. Maybe more than that.’

‘Suspicion’s one thing, proof’s another.’

‘Circumstances have changed. We have a freer hand, remember. And in a couple of weeks he’ll be stepping down from his patricianship. That office gave him a measure of protection. Once he goes, the restrictions go.’

‘He’s not a man to underestimate. It takes a certain cunning to sail so close to the wind all these years.’

‘He’ll be given every opportunity to stumble, believe me. If he has so much as a hair out of place-’

‘He’s seen us.’

Skirting the outlandish dancers, Karr made his way to them. They greeted him with sham smiles and hollow salutations.

‘Patrician,’ Talgorian drawled. ‘An excellent speech.’

‘Very enlightening,’ Bastorran echoed.

‘Thank you.’

Talgorian indicated the spare chair. ‘Please, take a seat.’

‘So,’ the diplomat said, ‘you’re finally retiring from public service. After…how many years is it?’

‘Too many, it sometimes seems.’

They gave expedient, empty laughs.

‘And how will you fill your days?’

‘I expect I’ll have plenty to occupy me, Clan High Chief.’

‘No doubt your passion for the downtrodden will continue to find expression,’ Talgorian suggested. ‘Perhaps in the form of charitable works?’

‘I hope I’ll always find time for the less fortunate.’

‘I see you’re showing solidarity with them tonight in your choice of dress,’ Bastorran commented, in reference to Karr’s plain, unglamoured mask.

The patrician smiled thinly. ‘I think it behoves the more privileged to set an example.’

‘By looking impoverished ourselves? You’re to take no offence from that yourself, of course.’

‘Of course, Ambassador. The example I had in mind was one of modest consumption.’ He saw their puzzled expressions. ‘Look about you.’

Bastorran sniffed. ‘I see men and women of substance. The example

they

hold out is the possibility of a better life for all.’

‘Prospering under the wing of the empire,’ Talgorian added, almost piously.

‘How many here have earned it?’ Karr wondered.

‘Ever the controversialist, eh, Karr? Public life will be the poorer for the lack of your witticisms.’

‘I don’t think the destitute are laughing too heartily.’

‘Your beloved downtrodden,’ the paladin leader came in irritably, ‘would be best employed improving their lot through honest hard work.’

‘Most would like nothing better. Assuming work existed, and they didn’t risk being arbitrarily rounded-up and brutalised every time they stepped onto the streets.’

‘If they’ve done no wrong they have nothing to fear.’

‘They’d say they’re treated as enemies of the state regardless.

Not all of them are necessarily insurgents, you know.’

Bastorran fixed him with a hard stare. ‘You’d be surprised who is, Patrician.’

‘I’m sure your sentiments are commendable, Karr,’ Talgorian interjected, ‘and we can all applaud your humanitarian instincts. Let’s charge our glasses and toast your retirement.’ He made to beckon a waiter.

‘No,’ Karr replied. ‘Thank you, but…it’s been a long day and I have others to see before I can leave.’

‘You are looking a little out of sorts, if you don’t mind me saying.’

‘It’s nothing. Overwork. You know, trying to clear everything before I retire.’

‘It wouldn’t do to jeopardise your health,’ Bastorran said, an unmistakably barbed edge to his words. ‘Retirement was a wise decision. Now you can lay down your burden and let others worry about the welfare of the people.’

‘Indeed.’ He gave each a small nod in turn. ‘High Chief. Ambassador Talgorian.’ Then he left.

As they watched him moving through the crowd, Talgorian breathed,

‘Scandalous.’

‘Wouldn’t so much as take a drink with us. As for his views…Free expression’s all very well, but-’

‘He looked ill, don’t you think?’

‘I’m a great believer in the inner man determining the outer. Nine times out of ten it’s a guilty conscience that brings about the appearance of poor health.’

‘At least he’s abandoned what little power his position gave him.’

‘Doesn’t mean he’ll stop fighting for lost causes. The man’s a born meddler.’

‘You’ll be keeping an eye on him, then?’

‘Oh, we will, Ambassador, we will. As no doubt you will yourself.’

Talgorian leaned closer. ‘You are aware that there have been attempts on his life?’

‘More than a few, I understand. And with all the hallmarks of being officially sanctioned.’

‘Not by my people. Or any of the other departments of state that I’m aware of.’ His voice dropped to a whisper. ‘I suspect they were the work of the CIS.’