“What are you looking for?” Martinez asked.
She told them, described the disastrous ambush and their frantic escape. Other sights visible from the elevated highway triggered additional memories, and she described the Bogo Boys’ ambush of the Naxid flying squads, her visit to the illegal hospital set up for the victims of the Remba bombing, the way she’d visited a Judge of Interrogation in her Green Park home and threatened her into releasing an imprisoned comrade.
She looked at Martinez as she finished this anecdote, and saw a deep, appreciative awareness kindle in his eyes.
It seems she’d impressed him.
Well, she thought.That was good.
“Will you be seeing old members of your army while you’re on planet?” Michi asked.
“Yes,” she said, “absolutely. Though I’m starting with a courtesy call on the lord governor tomorrow, to assure him I’m not here to overthrow him. After that I’m just going to be living quietly for a few days, get over the trip and the time change.”
Another few details added to the map, to let Martinez know that she had no activities planned for the next few days and might be available for a rendezvous.
She’d already sent messages to Julien and Patel, and they were planning a raucous Bogo Boys reunion in four days’ time. She’d visit Sidney when she could, and invite Fer Tuga, the Axtattle sniper, to pay her a visit. She’d also send greetings to Sergius Bakshi, though she wouldn’t see him unless invited.
She wondered what Martinez would think of the more raffish element among her friends. She wondered what they would think of Martinez.
She was looking forward to finding out.
The Axtattle Parkway broke into several avenues as it approached the High City, and the driver chose a route that swept around the north flank of the cliff face and up the switchback road. The ruins of the Naxid bunkers at the base of the acropolis had been cleared, and the unsightly gun turrets at the Gates of the Exalted had been removed.
“Where shall we take you, Lady Sula?” Michi asked.
“Oh. I’m not staying on the High City. I’ve got a place on the Petty Mount.”
Michi looked at her in surprise.
“I’ll take the car back down, if I may,” Sula said. “But I still have to deliver the data foils, and while I was here I thought I’d look around the High City, see what they’ve done with it.”
“Certainly. Take the car if you like.”
Parts of the High City still looked as if a battle had been fought there, and the empty cave where the New Destiny had stood had not yet been filled. But all of the parks and many of the palaces were bright with summer flowers, and dozens of new businesses had opened, none of them aimed entirely at the Naxid trade.
The limousine drew up to the Commandery, and Daimong guards snapped to the salute as they stepped out. The officers paid their ritual visit to the Fleet Records Office, where they deposited the data foils that contained their logs and the official records of their commands, and then returned to the car.
A few minutes later the Victory pulled up before the Chen Palace, where Martinez would be staying as Michi’s guest, a temporary—Sula hoped—prisoner of his in-laws. The doors rolled in silence into the roof. Martinez stepped onto the sidewalk, and bent to take Michi’s hand and help her out of the vehicle. Sula stepped out the other side, into the street.
“My lord!”
Sula looked up at the sound of the new voice, and saw a handsome, assured man of middle years walking forward from the Chen Palace front door. He wore the wine-red tunic of the lords convocate and was leading a party forward to meet the newcomers at the curb. Most of the party were servants, to carry the luggage.
But Sula paid no attention either to Lord Chen and the servants. She looked instead at the tall beautiful black-haired woman who walked by her father’s side, her path a graceful glide despite the infant she carried in her arms.
Sudden bitterness stung her throat. Apparently the Chens had planned a little romantic surprise, not letting their son-in-law know that his wife and child had come to Zanshaa to meet him.
Of coursethe Fleet Control Board would return to Zanshaa as soon as it was safe—ahead of the Convocation, who had farther to travel.Of course the members would bring their families.Of course the new mother would want to show her husband their new child. It was foolish of her not to have anticipated it.
A domestic ambush. And from the secret little smile that Sula saw on Michi Chen’s face, it was clear the squadcom had been a part of the plot.
Sula’s eyes flashed to Martinez, who stood in complete astonishment, his big hands by his sides.
Terza Chen neared, her eyes glittering with profound, triumphant pleasure. Sula had never seen emotion so close to the surface of her face.
Sula could see Martinez only in profile, and she watched the rapid play of feeling that crossed his face, the shock and surprise, the dawning comprehension followed by the frantic sense that he had been trapped.
And then his eyes turned to the child, and they softened in growing wonder. His face began to glow with awe and adoration. He reached out a hand. Terza stepped close and kissed him on the cheek, but his eyes were still on the child.
Sula knew she had lost. She had created a map that Martinez would never follow.
She had rolled the dice, and lost.
She lowered herself back into the car and pressed the stud to roll the doors down. She touched the pad that would open a comm channel to the driver.
“Drive on,” she said.