"That would appear to be the situation, Ovjetah. We can only hope that Hissied 'do Timan views the situation in the same manner." Nicole pulled her cover up to her neck.
"And now I must sleep. May the many mornings find you well, Tora Soam."
There was an uncomfortable silence. "And you, Joanne Nicole."
She listened as the Ovjetah walked slowly from the compartment. After the door had hissed shut, Nicole whispered to the empty room:
"And God bless us every one."
NINETEEN
"Aydan." spoke Niagat. "I would serve Heraak; I would see an end to war; I would be one of your warmasters."
"Would you kill to achieve this. Niagat?"
"I would kill."
"Would you kill Heraak to achieve this?"
"Kill Heraak, my master?" Niagat paused and considered the question. "If I cannot have both I would see Heraak dead to see an end to war."
"That is not what I asked."
"And, Aydan. I would do the killing."
"And, now, would you die to achieve this?"
"I would risk death as does any warrior."
"Again, Niagat, that is not my question. If an end to war can only be purchased at the certain cost of your own life, would you die by your own hand to achieve peace?"
Niagat studied upon the thing that Aydan asked. "I am willing to take the gamble of battle. In this gamble there is the chance of seeing my goal. But my certain death, and by my own hand-there would be no chance of seeing my goal. No, I would not take my own life for this. That would be foolish. Have I passed your test?"
"You have failed. Niagat. Your goal is not peace; your goal is to live in peace. Return when your goal is peace alone and you hold a willing knife at your own throat to achieve it. That is the price of a warmaster’s blade."
The next few days saw Nicole’s theory concerning Heliot Vant’s death confirmed. Heliot had died by conceiving. During the autopsy in Sindievu, traces of the poison were found, but it had not invaded the body tissues. The poison had been added later. Londu Peg was questioned and cleared.
Outside the orbiter a USE military police detail found a dead suited Timan, an employee of Timan Nisak. Cause of death: a rip in the right leg of the protective suit, exposing the Timan to space’s vacuum. Timan Nisak did not ask for an investigation.
On Amadeen’s surface, Hita Zhan declared endless horror upon the Front as it replaced the recently murdered Akaam Jaada as First Warmaster of the Mavedah. At the same time, Charlotte Raza was leading units of the Amadeen Front in a massive assault upon the eastern Shorda continent. On the orbiter, a new conference was called.
Hissied 'do Timan studied the screen. The image showed a small compartment in the orbiter occupied only by a rectangular table and four chairs. A chair was at either end of the table, and the remaining two chairs were on the opposite side of the table from his point of view. The Timan turned from the screen. The being standing against the bulkhead wore a protective suit.
"You are a strange person, Leonid Mitzak."
"What seems strange to you, Hissied 'do Timan?"
The Timan turned back to the screen. "A human, in the employ of the Dracon Chamber, now my personal informant. How many ends are there to play against the middle?"
"Strange sentiments from a Timan. My information has been accurate, hasn’t it?"
"Yes, but you have not answered my question. Why are you here-with me-Leonid Mitzak?"
"I follow my interests."
"I pay you nothing. If you believe what you have said, then you must believe that aiding me will take the race that you admire and the race that birthed you to destruction. What other interest do you follow?"
"I think it should be obvious to a Timan."
"Explain it to me."
"Hissied 'do Timan, are you familiar with the human game of chess?"
"Of course. It is quite popular among the younger children of my planet. You would use this to illustrate something?"
"Imagine a chess board set up between us. Now the human who plays is an expert on a set of rules and strategies based on that set. However, the Drac who plays the human will win, because the Drac is an expert on standing outside fixed sets of rules. The Drac’s first move would be to sweep its opponents pieces off the board."
"And, Mitzak; the Timan player? What would his first move be?"
"The Timan’s first move would be to switch games."
Hissied 'do Timan looked up at Mitzak. "And?"
"My interests are served by throwing in my lot with winners."
The Timan looked back at the screen and nodded thoughtfully until the screen’s image showed beings entering the compartment. The screen showed Ambassador Rafiki taking her seat at the right end of the table, Jetah Indeva taking its seat at the left end of the table, and the blind human. Nicole, seating herself in one of the center chairs, facing Hissied 'do Timan’s point of view. Her shoulder was encased in a white cast. In a few moments, Tora Soam entered and lowered itself into the seat to Nicole’s left.
Hissied 'do Timan leaned back in his couch. "Mitzak, they have left no room at the table for the Front or the Mavedah. You said that they understood that they are bound to the problem of Amadeen."
"I also said that they understood that Amadeen is not a problem open to solution. They know they are rulebound, and how.
The screen showed Tora Soam standing. The Ovjetah bent over, touched the table’s communications link, and then spoke.
"Hissied 'do Timan?"
The Timan keyed his own link. "Yes."
The Ovjetah’s image straightened up. "We shall begin."
"Tora Soam, why am I the only Ninth Quadrant observer at this meeting?"
"It is a special meeting; and you are the only official of the Ninth Quadrant who has an interest." Tora Soam reached out a hand and touched Nicole’s shoulder. The blind woman stood as Tora Soam resumed its seat. The blind woman spoke:
"An agreement between the Dracon Chamber and the United States of Earth has been reached. We are here to sign an amended version of the Heliot Vant-Ana Rafiki Treaty."
Hissied 'do Timan nodded. "Excellent, excellent.-But what does the amendment involve?"
"All Drac and USE regular forces will be withdrawn from Amadeen. There will be no more demilitarized zone. Amadeen will be quarantined and left to settle its own problems." Nicole smiled. "We are no longer locked into the fight on Amadeen."
The Timan examined the face of the USE ambassador. "Ambassador Rafiki, the United States of Earth has sworn to defend the humans upon Amadeen. There are promises."
Rafiki nodded, then looked into the camera. "The promises have been broken."
"Broken?" The Timan looked at another face. "Jetah Indevah!" The Timan sat forward. "What of the pledges made by the Dracon Fleet to the Mavedah?"
The Drac shook its head as it continued to look at the tabletop. "The pledges have been withdrawn. Amadeen is on its own."
"I find this… hard to understand-" Hissied 'do Timan studied the blind woman for a moment. "Nicole, everything appears to be decided already. What is this meeting’s purpose?"
"To inform you, Hissied 'do Timan."
"Jetah Indeva, Ambassador Rafiki… you both must be aware that this treaty-abandoning your peoples upon Amadeen-will outrage both of your races."