"What does Harald actually want?" Gneiss asked. It was another of those questions posed by him that seemed to contain too many perilous levels of meaning.
"You know the answer to that as well as I do," Yishna replied, deciding to give as good as she got.
"We are supposing that, like many in Fleet, Harald resents Orbital Combine's growing power?"
"So it would appear."
All surface…all ephemeral…
"He instigated recent unfortunate events so he could use them as an excuse to take away our control of our defence platforms. We are supposing, from his recent actions, that if he cannot attain this end through Parliament, he will resort to force."
Yishna shook her head. "I feel you're missing the point. If Harald cannot take control of the platforms through Parliament, he'll know that he cannot ultimately take control of them by force. His aim will be to take control of them out of our hands, so he'll attempt to destroy them."
"And having done that, he will cease?"
"Of course not. We built the platforms…" Yishna paused, realising that during this discussion she had come to properly understand Harald's aims. "I think that what Parliament decides has become irrelevant. Harald knows that, even with a parliamentary vote going against us, we'll not hand over the platforms."
"Conflict cannot be avoided, then?"
"I think not. I think it my brother's intention to smash Combine and then absorb its remnants into Fleet. I talked to Duras about this, who feared his next target might then be Sudoria itself. I doubted that then…now I am not so sure."
"Do you feel any sibling loyalty?"
"I am loyal to Combine because it allows me to do those things that most interest me, involving research of the Worm, and now to stand at the fulcrum of events concerning our contact with the Polity. During his petty games, my brother killed the Consul Assessor, and I can never forgive him for that."
"Your brother will attempt to seize the Worm for Fleet?"
"If possible. And if not, he'll destroy it." Even as she said the words, a sudden outfield thought occurred to her: It has prepared for this possibility. A simple containment breach, which would be almost inevitable if Corisanthe Main came under heavy attack, and her alteration of the protocols would result in the Ozark Cylinders all being ejected. Then she shook her head. Madness, surely?
After a long pause while he studied his screen, Gneiss said, "You should go now and draw yourself a spacesuit from stores."
"What do you want of me now?" Yishna asked, standing.
"There is much work to be done and you possess so much expertise."
"You might trust me, but will the Oversight Committee let me stay here?"
"I have always trusted you, Yishna, for I know what you hold most dear. As for the Committee, they heed my advice. You will now take charge of the research body and find useful employment for it, and you will also act as my troubleshooter, as problems are sure to arise from the new…installations."
"Thank you." She turned and headed towards the door.
"One other thing, Yishna," said Gneiss, and she paused and turned enquiringly. "It seems likely that the Consul Assessor is not dead, after all."
"What?"
"Though Fleet are now blocking all communication, analysis of some pictures earlier transmitted from our geosurvey satellite clearly shows him on the planet's surface, accompanied by some Brumallians, a short time after his escape-pod sank."
Yishna felt at first glad, then bitter. What difference did it make to her, to any of them, with what seemed now almost inevitable?
"That's good news, I guess," she said.
Gneiss waved a dismissive hand.
Harald
Harald sat back, headset placed to one side, smiling gently as he watched the feed arriving direct from Parliament to a screen here in the Haven, then frowning when the image hazed momentarily.
"What's causing that?" asked Franorl, sprawled in a comfortable chair.
"Overspill from the EM chaff, presently blocking com to and from Brumal," Harald replied.
"Can you do anything about it?"
"Not without ordering the com-block raised."
They returned their attention to the screen.
Already four delegates had been expelled for unruliness, but none of them represented either Fleet or Combine. Clearly the delegates on both opposing sides knew that the issues being discussed and soon to be put to vote were vitally important, and expulsion meant a loss of voting prerogative for this day's session.
"Whose idea was it for them all to wear their uniforms?" Harald asked.
"Julian felt that, despite the low opinion of Fleet in some quarters at present, the nostalgic attachment to what our uniform once meant would be helpful," replied Franorl.
"It could backfire on him—many might look upon it as a threat."
"True, but should we let that worry us?"
Harald glanced at him. "If Parliament does order Combine to hand the defence platforms over to us, that will ensure obedience amidst our own ranks to the orders I give, once Combine refuses to comply."
"You still feel your position insecure?"
Harald relaxed his jaw muscles, since it now felt as if a steel ball had been inserted into each, then smiled and nodded. "Let's say I am not going to make too many rash assumptions. Ah, here's Julian now…"
They sat back and watched while Lieutenant Julian, like so many delegates before him, stood to deliver a speech that began by decrying the cowardly Brumallian attack on the Fleet ship carrying the Consul Assessor. He then moved on with: "In the interests of Sudoria we have had to take a hard line with the Brumallians, and punished them for their—"
A Combine delegate interrupted, "Yeah, frying a Brumallian city is always the best option when—"
Fleet: "Under our restored prerogatives, the retaliatory strike—"
Combine: "Convenient that any evidence of Combine complicity got—"
Uproar ensued, and Harald directed his attention towards Chairman Duras, who was sitting with his chin in his hand, his other hand resting on the head of his cane. Finally the Chairman said, "I will have silence now or there will be further ejections." Though he spoke quietly, Combine and Fleet representatives quickly resumed their seats. He then pointed his cane at Julian. "Fleet claims Orbital Combine is complicit with the Brumallians in their attack upon the Consul Assessor's ship, this being an attempt to blacken Fleet and reduce its power. In support it presents evidence implicating Combine in the assassination of Admiral Carnasus, in the alleged attempt to sabotage Desert Wind and in the destruction of Blatant, and now demands that Combine hand over control of all its defence platforms. However, all of this evidence has been gathered and presented by Fleet itself. Orbital Combine claims these events have all been instigated by Fleet, and the evidence implicating Combine has been falsified, because Fleet is jealous of the growing power of Orbital Combine. Let us return to the point: we have no independent evidence of either of these claims." He lowered his cane and sat back and, almost as if being given permission, the delegates began shouting at each other again.
"He is still highly respected," said Franorl.
"He would not have been appointed Chairman otherwise," said Harald.
"We have already voted upon and agreed what seems to be the best course of action following recent events," said Duras, and quiet fell again. "A Fleet intersystem transport, crewed by Fleet but commanded by GDS wardens, will be sent first to the hilldigger Desert Wind, then on to Brumal. Whatever investigations might be required will be conducted by a team provided by GDS. There will also be Orbital Combine observers aboard."