"Hanse Davion purposely destroyed the Fusiliers. The Capellan March will back his call to avenge them, and the Fusiliers will no longer pose a threat to him."
Primus Julian Tiepolo rested his pointed chin on the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. "And striking at Sarna, for reasons already pointed out, is another stab at Maximilian Liao. Helping Pavel Ridzik and buying off the Northwind Highlanders are similar cuts at his foe."
Myndo watched as recognition seeped onto the other Precentors' faces. They begin to understand.She kept her voice soft, yet full of urgency. "That's right, my friends. The Word of Blake is full of directives on how we may blunt the advances and drives of nations and nationalism. Jerome Blake, in his wisdom, tells us how to manipulate economies and the demands of the populace for material goods. He points out to us the tools that can turn a minor, local protest into a cause that can unite worlds, and he has instructed us in ways to smother revolutions that work counter to our goal."
Her eyes glowed with the light of inspiration. "Jerome Blake foresaw everything we would face in pursuing the mission he laid out for us. He equipped us to deflect empires and turn nations in on themselves. He taught us to hobble that which did not conform to his ideals. He molded us in such a way that we are able to defeat all threats he foresaw, but Hanse Davion is outside anything in Jerome Blake's experience."
Precentor Tharkad bared his teeth as he hissed, "Blasphemy! You go too far, witch! Doubting the wisdom of Blake is sheer lunacy!"
Myndo smiled cruelly. "I am no initiate who must be inculcated with the mystical nonsense we use to cloak our motives and actions. Outside this room, we keep up the charade. But gathered here in council, we must base our discussions and decisions on what's real—the facts—not on the unrealistic fantasies of some other era. I do not doubt the wisdom of the Blessed Blake, for his words, as interpreted and modified through the years, have accurately predicted events. And Blake's foresight has often guided us in the correct course of action. In this instance, he simply did not envision someone with the audacity of a Hanse Davion, but that does not mean that weshould be so blind or foolish.
"Let there be no question that Hanse Davion is not a threat that Jerome Blake or any Primus since his time saw coming. We must not blame Blake for this, nor let such a lack dim his brilliance in our eyes. In Blake's era, a time of Civil War, the closest thing to a Hanse Davion was General Aleksandr Kerensky. But Kerensky took his troops and fled beyond the Periphery to save them from more war. Jerome Blake must have imagined that any other such powerful man would do the same."
Deflated, Precentor Tharkad hung his head in defeat. "Your point is well-made and well-taken. No one could have imagined one man igniting a war to salve his own ego."
Myndo raised herself to full height. "This is the reason Hanse Davion must be stopped now. We have seen his ability to carelessly discard a crack unit when its personnel are not loyal to him. We have seen his singleminded pursuit of one foe—first Kurita and then Liao. We know, just from his conduct of this war, that he will stop at nothing to destroy Maximilian Liao. We must interdict him now."
Precentor Sian, a gray pallor over his face, regarded Myndo darkly. "How will anything short of our intervention on behalf of House Liao stop Davion? The first part of his invasion was accomplished through sealed orders originating from New Avalon."
Precentor Dieron clasped her hands together. "Interdiction will slow his military advance because orders will not travel back and forth very quickly. In fact, for him to ensure any sort of timely communications, the Federated Suns will have to devote an inordinate number of JumpShips to these infernal 'command circuits' the Prince has devised. This will, in turn, totally disrupt the movement of goods within his realm. Let a mining colony run out of grain—grain that is more than plentiful on a world not fifteen light years away—and resistance will begin. We will not move messages in an official capacity, but will not hesitate to spread rumors of civil unrest to help make the home front a problem for the Prince."
The Primus stared blankly at the gold ComStar insignia worked into the polished floor. "If we interdict the Federated Suns, but keep our hands off the Lyran Commonwealth, the Lyrans will begin to question their link with Davion's pariah nation. Indeed, the evidence of a Davion attack on one of our facilities should disgust most people. The Interdiction will also cut off Davion funds from the liberation movements he's been sponsoring in the Free Worlds League. This might even permit House Marik to open a new front in support of their ally Liao and hurt the Prince's war effort."
Myndo abandoned all efforts to keep the pleasure from shining forth on her face. "We are agreed, then, that an Interdiction must be imposed immediately? For the good of mankind?"
The Primus nodded solemnly, but his tone was ironic and his flat, dark eyes twinkled with a rare show of humor. "For mankind, then, and the fulfillment of the Word of Blake."
Myndo glanced at the Primus and took secret delight at the fatigue revealed by his expression as the other Precentors unanimously agreed to impose an Interdiction on the Federated Suns. "It is decided, then. All ComStar traffic with the Federated Suns ends now. Blake's Will be done."
19
New Avalon
Cruris March, Federated Suns
1 June 3029
The image of Primus Julian Tiepolo's face faded from the holo-vision screen as the last of his message played out. Hanse Davion, standing at the head of the briefing table, used a remote control to shut off the viewer. Each time I listen to that message, I get the feeling the Primus is a reluctant puppet. He jerks our strings, but who jerks his?
The Prince stared at the four other people gathered around him. "Comments?"
Field Marshal Yvonne Davion, seated farthest from the Prince on the right side of the table, looked angry enough to spit fire. "Of course we didn't hit the substation their holovid shows us destroying. The 'Mechs that hit it have all the right insignia and serial numbers to be with the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers, but that particular unit was engaged in burning down a forest at the time of the attack." The gray-haired woman looked at the others around the table. "I daresay that if we hadhit that substation, no holovid camera operator would have escaped the perimeter with that recording."
Hanse smiled genuinely, then glanced at Quintus Allard. "Why did they decide to interdict us?"
Davion's Intelligence Chief leaned back in his chair. "ComStar is a pacifistic organization. They may see a refusal to move our messages as an act of civil disobedience."
The woman next to Quintus, a Marshal with the Third Crucis
Lancers, shook her head in disagreement. "Were that their motivation, they would have interdicted the Lyran Commonwealth."
Quintus smiled easily. "Quite true, Marshal Pedroza. That makes me think it's something else. To your knowledge, have our advances interfered with ComStar business?"