"Don't be underestimating the strength of hate, Ms. Illyushina." Ladislaus' answering smile was bleak. "But that's not all we're to be having. I'm thinking we're to have a better understanding of what the Federation is supposed to be than the Rump has. We're agreed in that."
"True." Magda's cold voice raised eyebrows, but she leashed her rage and leaned back. Then she laughed. "Has it occurred to anyone else that we're not the radicals? We're the conservatives-they're the ones who've played fast and loose with the Constitution for over a century!"
"Aye, so Fionna had the saying, often enough," Ladislaus nodded. "And we've no hope of building something really new-not in the time we're to have. So it's something old we must be building on."
"So that's why you brought this along," Li Kai-lun mused, tapping the sheets of facsimile on the table and nodding slowly. His reaction pleased Ladislaus. Hangchow's diminutive chief convention delegate was not only her planetary president but a retired admiral, as well. His support-political and military-would be literally priceless in the weeks ahead.
"Aye." Ladislaus ran a fingertip over the ancient lettering. "It's a federal system we're needing, Kai-lun. Centralization was the Corporate Worlds real error. It's to give the government the most power, but it's to concentrate too much authority in one place-and even with relays, slow communications are to make it clumsy in responding to crises . . . or people."
"Agreed," Li said, then smiled. "And at least this constitution's got a good track record. If I remember my history, the United States did quite well for itself before the Great Eastern War."
". . . and if fight we must, let it be under a common standard! I move to appoint a committee to select a suitable device for our battle flags."
The stocky delegate from Lancelot swirled the brilliant cloak of his hereditary rank and sat, and Magda sighed. She found the barons and earls of Durandel rather wearing, but he might have a point-even if he was inclined towards purple prose.
"Very well. It has been moved that we appoint a committee to design a flag for our new star nation," she said. "Is there a second?"
"I second the motion, Ms. Chairman." Magda blinked as Li Kai-lun spoke up. Now why was he supporting a motion which could only waste precious time and energy? She shrugged mentally. Undoubtedly he had a reason.
"Very well. It has been moved and seconded that we appoint a committee to design a flag. All those in favor?" A rumble of "Ayes" answered. "Opposed?" There was not a sound. "The motion is carried. Mister Li, would you be so kind as to take charge of the matter?"
"Of course, Ms. Chairman."
"Good. Now, to return to our agenda. . . ."
"But why, Ladislaus?" Tatiana demanded. "We have so many other things to do, why waste time designing a flag, of all things?"
"Well," Ladislaus rumbled, "you might be noticing who Kai-lun had the recruiting of for his committee."
"What? Who?" Tatiana asked, but Magda laughed suddenly.
"Now I understand! Very neat, Lad! And how did you put Baron de Bertholet up to it?"
"Jean de Bertholet isn't after being the worst sort, Magda. It's on our side he is, and he understands entirely."
"Well I don't," Tatiana said.
"You would if you'd seen the membership of that committee," Magda chuckled. "Between them, Lad and Kai-lun have shunted most of the 'noblemen' in the Convention off to a harmless flag-designing mission."
"Aye," Ladislaus nodded. "Not that I really think they're after creating a new hereditary aristocracy for us all, but it's not to be hurting a thing to be certain of it when the Constitution's debated, now is it?"
"Ladislaus," Tatiana said sternly, "you're an underhanded, devious man."
"Aye," Ladislaus agreed calmly. "That I am."
"Ladislaus," Magda said, "I'd like you to meet Rupert M'tana."
Ladislaus looked up from his paperwork and frowned at the dark-skinned officer. M'tana returned an equally measuring look, and Ladislaus propped one elbow on a chair arm.
"Captain M'tana," he rumbled thoughtfully, "you're to be the senior prisoner, I'm thinking?"
"Yes, sir. I was Admiral Waldeck's flag captain."
"I see." Ladislaus' lips twisted in distaste despite himself.
"Just a moment, Lad," Magda said quietly. "I think, perhaps, you don't entirely understand. At the time of Pieter's execution, Waldeck had placed Captain M'tana under close arrest."
"Aye?" Ladislaus' blue eyes returned to M'tana's face, even more thoughtful now. "And why might that have been, Captain?"
"I . . . disagreed with his decision, Mister Skjorning."
"I see," Ladislaus said in an entirely different tone. He waved at two chairs and M'tana and Magda sank into them. "I've memory enough of my time in the Fleet to be understanding how far you must have pushed him, Captain. But, if I may have the asking, what's to be bringing you here?"
"The captain has a suggestion, Lad-a good one, I think," Magda said. "He approached me with it because we're both Navy or ex-Navy and we've come to know one another pretty well."
"Ah?" Ladislaus cocked a bushy eyebrow. "And just what is it you and the captain are after cooking up here, Magda?"
"It's like this, Lad. Like Beaufort, we had a number of . . . friends in various places in the Innerworlds. We spent years cultivating that network, but now that actual fighting's begun, we're cut off from it."
"Aye," Ladislaus nodded. "We're to have the same problem at Beaufort."
"Right. Well, Captain M'tana may have come up with a way to put part of our network back on line."
"Have you, now?" Ladislaus bent a hard look on M'tana. The captain shifted slightly in his chair but met it unflinchingly.
"Yes, sir. Understand something, Mister Skjorning. I'm an Innerworlder-a Heart Worlder-but when my people settled Xhosa, they didn't exactly do so completely voluntarily. I think we knew something about oppression, then, but we've forgotten since. We should have remembered, and that means we have a responsibility here. I don't want to see the Federation torn apart; in that respect, at least, you and I will never agree. But what I want and what's going to happen are two different things. There's no way to paper over the cracks this time-too much blood's already been shed.
"So as I see it, I can either join my fellow prisoners in refusing to give you any aid while we wait hopefully for repatriation and-with luck-another chance to contribute to the killing, or I can help you people. Not because I love your rebellion-I don't-but because the sooner the Federation realizes it can't win even if it defeats you militarily, the better."
"I see." Ladislaus grinned slowly. "Captain, I've the thinking I'm to like you-and I'm betting that's not to matter a solitary damn to you. But you've the right. It has gone too far for healing. So how is it you're to be helping?"
"What Captain M'tana suggested to me," Magda said, "ties in with our plans to allow correspondence between prisoners and their families. We'll give him the codes and address of our contact on Xhosa and his 'letters home' will reopen our best conduit."
Ladislaus studied M'tana's face, seeking some sign of treachery, any intent to betray. He saw exactly nothing.
"You're to have the knowing, Captain," he said quietly, "of the penalty if the Federation is ever to be finding out about this?"
"I do," M'tana said flatly. "But I know-now-what the Assembly's done to you people, and my oath is to the Federation, not just its government. If I can help shorten the war and reduce the killing, I have to do it. Besides-" he looked uncomfortable "-I don't enjoy killing Terrans, Mister Skjorning, not even ones who are technically traitors."
"I see," Ladislaus said yet again. Then he added slowly. "Let's have the discussing of the details, then, Captain. . . ."