Ridzik's nostrils flared as his voice dropped to a rime-touched whisper. "Indeed, Colonel." The red-haired man spread his arms expansively. "Please, speak your mind. I am certain I will find your opinion of me enlightening."
"I hope like hell you do, Colonel." Muscles bunched at Ardan's jaws. "You've been acting like a puffed-up dictator who believes he's the major partner in this little alliance. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but that's just not true. I'll not deny—hell, I'll be the first to agree—that you've got a good military mind, a great one even. Still, as Frederick Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth shows, that does not mean you are a political genius."
Ardan smiled as Ridzik's hands curled into fists. "Sure, get angry, but realize a few basic facts first. You know your worlds cannot hold us off it we decide to take them. You know you've got no basis to make demands on Hanse Davion, and no real reason to expect him to dance to the tune you call. Most important, you know you're a puppet and it's about time you remember who pulls your strings."
How dare you!Ridzik's dark eyes flashed with unbridled fury. Do you imagine your status as Davion's watchdog will protect you so far from home? Thisis hostile territory, Sortek. Many strange things can happen here.
Ridzik forced his anger down. "Very well, General Sortek. You have made your point. I shall acquiesce to Prince Hanse Davion's order and clear those worlds." He hesitated, groping for the right words. "As well I appreciate your frankness. Now I know where I truly stand, and I shall take steps to be sure I do not make attempts to slip my leash again."
Ardan Sortek bowed his head, then turned crisply on his heel and left the room. Ridzik fondled a crystal paperweight as Sortek departed, but resisted the temptation to hurl it in his enemy's direction. Instead, he set it down deliberately, then rose from his chair and paced his office.
Yes, General, you have told me precisely where I stand. In doing so, you narrow my choice of actions until there is but one.Ridzik paused at the map on the wall and studied the string of four worlds Hanse Davion had ordered cleared of defenders' ships at the jump points. They make such a pretty line across my territory, linking a path from Tharkad to New Avalon. Now who might be making use of that little route?
Ridzik laughed aloud to himself. "Are you that much of a sentimental fool, Hanse Davion? Do you so desire to have your wife with you on your first anniversary that you will place my star systems at risk to have her by your side? People do such foolish things when they're in love. That's why I've avoided such entanglements."
Ridzik tapped the small dot representing Terra Firma on the map. The ambush will have to be here. We will ensure a helium failure on the JumpShip waiting to carry Melissa toward her beloved. We will divert her ship to the planet. .. No, it would be better to transfer her to one of my ships at the jump point. The diplomats traveling with her will not want to risk an affront to my dignity by refusing my offer of aid. Then I will have her, and I will treat her very nicely. Once Hanse gives me what I want, once he returnes to me what is rightfully mine, I will return his wife to him.
Ridzik spun as someone knocked lightly on his door. "Yes, what is it?"
A Corporal opened the door to hand the Colonel a slender box tied with a string. "We've scanned it, sir. Nothing dangerous. It came to you, marked 'Personal.' "
Ridzik smiled and quickly read the soldier's name tag. "Thank you, Borosky." He accepted the slim parcel, but waited until the door had closed before he took the box to his desk and sat down. He smiled to himself as a giddy excitement bubbled up inside him. He had always loved surprises. Feeling like a child at Christmas, he slipped the string from the box and opened it.
His heart leaped to his throat. Oh, I must have been a very good boy this year.Lying on a bed of cotton was a pale green sheet of note paper that reflected rainbow lights from its glazed surface. Grasping it by the corners, he lifted it from the box. He recognized the handwriting immediately, and the shock of it made the presence of a hotel room magkey also in the box insignificant.
The verigraphednote trembled in his hands. Barely able to believe it, he read, "I have escaped him and now I will be with you for all time." Though he did not need verification, he let light play across the surface of the holographic seals encasing and fused with the paper. The beautiful, smiling face of a young woman with long black hair looked back at him.
Ridzik sank back in his chair. Incredible! This is perfect!He smiled like a cat with a belly full of milk. Elizabeth Jordan Liao leaves her husband and joins forces with me. That gives me even more political pull in Davion's occupied areas. I could easily force more concessions from him because Elizabeth's influence could make holding his worlds a nightmare.
Suspicion ripped a gash through his happiness, but he shook it off. Theverigraph proves she wrote the note. The holographic image is seared into the paper's coating while being processed.
Prying the layers apart to substitute messages destroys the original. You cannot forge one of these.He glanced at the image again. No matter how good a dummy or double, theverigraph would show it up to be false. I know those lips and that throat too well to be deceived. She is here. I will make her my consort, in one deft stroke stabbing deep into Maximilian's heart and causing Prince Hanse Davion serious consternation. Then I will kill Davion's friend and kidnap his wife.
Ridzik picked up the magkey and instantly recognized the hotel's logo. Elizabeth, you always did have extravagant tastes.He smiled and slipped the keycard into the inside pocket of his jacket. First one conquest, then another. It is a pity, Ardan Sortek, that you will not be around to watch the finale of this puppet's revenge.
* * *
Having changed from his uniform into civilian clothes, Ridzik stood in front of the Hotel Percheron. Even the drizzling could not dampen his spirits. He recalled their last time together, on Terra during Hanse and Melissa's wedding celebration, and his grin widened. If tonight is but half as passionate, it will be a very warm welcome.
Always conscious of security, Ridzik had managed to learn that the key belonged to Room 1145. The guest registered to that room was a Ms. Beth Geordana. Not only was it a close match to her maiden name, but Ridzik recalled that she once mentioned, during a tender interlude, that she had covertly written poetry under that name.
Ridzik moved toward the hotel's side entrance, avoiding the bright lights of the main entryway. She had told him that the State Poetry Review had rejected her poems as being too forced and commercial. When they had further suggested she write for greeting cards, Elizabeth had these editors sent to Brazen Heart. "My dear Pavel, it was the best thing I could have done for them," she'd said. He recalled how the flickering firelight had caressed her throat as she explained her logic. "How could they possibly release their artistic potential without having suffered in their lives?"
Ridzik knew better than to love a woman like that, for an emotional tie with her would hobble him. He did not deny the sexual attraction, and there might even be some affection for one another, but it was their lust for power that drove them together. She will discard me as soon as she has what she wants from me, and I her. I will just have to make sure I strike first.