The Ashes of Worlds

The flagship Juggernaut’s large hull doors swung apart to admit them, and Roberts masterfully guided the ship into an open hangar bay.

Sarein stepped out of theBlind Faith feeling stronger than she could remember feeling for a very long time. That was when she realized that she hadn’t left home, she wascoming home.

When she walked onto the bridge, Sarein’s eyes were immediately drawn to King Peter. and Queen Estarra.Estarra.

She and her sister were so different. Sarein had been ambitious, excited by the prospect of power and its trappings. Estarra had always been more motivated by love for her family — both before and after her marriage to Peter — than a desire for influence, authority, or wealth.

It had taken years for Estarra to convince her that Basil was not the man Sarein thought he was; she had tried to get Sarein to escape with them during the hydrogue attack on Earth.What would have happened, Sarein wondered,if I had changed my mind that night and gone back to Theroc? Would Basil have lost his desperate hold on power before he could do more damage?

How ironic it was that Estarra, who had never craved power, was no longer a mere puppet queen, but a real queen, because she wanted to help.Queen of the Confederation! And if Sarein had anything to say about it, her little sister and Peter would soon bring Earth into the fold.If she could convince them to act.If they would trust her.

Sarein’s lips formed a tentative smile. “Hello, little sister. ”

Estarra ran toward her, talking in a rush. “Have you finally left the Chairman? I knew you wanted to tell me something during the banquet! Are you here to stay? He threatened to do something to you if we didn’t cooperate — I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Peter was more cautious. “Basil was just here, and I didn’t fall for his tricks. Did he send you to make us change our minds?”

“No, he has no idea I’m here — and that’s the point,” Sarein said, squaring her shoulders. “I’m here to help you get your throne back. If you care about Earth, you need to actnow. Are you interested?”

135

Chairman Basil Wenceslas

Basil hadn’t stopped grinding his teeth since his extremely unsatisfying encounter with Peter. After briefly stopping at theGoliath, Basil was anxious to get back to Earth. He had wasted enough time on this fool’s errand, and he needed to plan his next move. As the diplomatic shuttle flew away from the EDF Juggernaut, heading back toward Earth, his heart hammered, his head throbbed. He didn’t trust himself to speak to anyone, not his pilot, not General Brindle. No one. He was going to have to take extreme actions to put everything back on track.

Peter had thwarted his ruse with King Rory. Basil had expected to wrap the young man around his finger and coerce him into submission, but that leverage was gone. A stolen piece of flatware — how stupid! But he knew that Peter no longer had any doubt in his mind. The DNA tests would have given conclusive results. Red and black spots danced in front of the Chairman’s eyes.

Now he would be forced to use Sarein as his bargaining chip. Estarra’s sister was the last advantage he had. A part of him didn’t like it, and he hoped he wouldn’t be forced to kill Sarein after all, but he had begun to believe that no good end would come of this.

The situation got worse, though, when he returned to Earth.

As the diplomatic shuttle approached the Palace District, his personal communicator chimed, transmitting a proximity-triggered message on his private channel. It was from Sarein.

Listening to it in private, he could barely breathe. “Your Hansa is corrupt,” she said. “I won’t be a part of it anymore.” Another traitor, another coward had abandoned him! “Whatever happens from now on is the result of your own actions.” The clamor of emotions in his head drowned all rational thought. “Goodbye, Basil.”

Caught up in a whirlwind of silence, he stepped out of the shuttle feeling disoriented, barely able to stand or breathe. He had done everything for Sarein — brought her back into his good graces, showed her how valuable she was to him. He had even overlooked her proven treason and asked her to join him in his safe underground bunker. She hadn’t had any inkling that he might need to use her as a hostage. Why would she turn against him, when he had given her so many chances? Under the right circumstances, she could have had the Hansa!

“Goodbye, Basil.”

Colonel Andez rushed up to meet him as soon as he disembarked. “Chairman Wenceslas, you’ve returned! There’s been a crisis while you were gone.”

More than one, he thought. His body locked up, as if all his muscles had tightened to their breaking points. He felt a need to lash out at someone, and he turned as quickly as a viper. Andez gave him a smart salute, and he froze again, glad to see someone behaving as expected. “What crisis now?”

She was visibly upset. “Did you give the order, Mr. Chairman? Did you authorize Deputy Cain to release Patrick Fitzpatrick and his wife from their holding cells? There’s no telling where those two are or what further sedition they might be spreading.”

That surprised him. He had been so focused on Peter’s intractability, and then Sarein’s betrayal. butCain, too? And Fitzpatrick on the loose? “What are you talking about?”

“Deputy Cain freed them. He claimed he had the authority. He also released the hostage families of Admirals Diente, Pike, and San Luis — and now they’re denouncing you on all the newsnets! The deputy is nowhere to be found.”

Basil could feel a flush creeping up his cheeks, but he clamped down on his temper. “Apparently, Deputy Cain and I have something to discuss.Find him. Bring him to my bunker.”

Andez looked smugly satisfied. “Shall I send out search parties for Fitzpatrick as well? If we move quickly, we could possibly round up — ”

“That is not for you to do anything about, Colonel Andez. Not my immediate priority.” He did not dare admit to yet another crack in his armor, a flaw in his own trusted inner circle. “I will take care of it. For now, escort me to my headquarters.” He needed to be away from the madness, somewhere he could think, where he could control every detail of his environment.

“Yes, sir.” She led him briskly toward the projectile-proof vehicle in which she would transport him from the landing area. Even though she chose a route that avoided the worst of the demonstrations, Basil was shocked to see the sheer number of frightened fools demanding his resignation and the return of King Peter. People with too much time and too little mental acuity would follow any charismatic charlatan who promised to change their lives for the better.

He turned away from the vehicle’s window, from the angry faces and shouting mouths, from themob. He wished he had tens of thousands more troops under Andez’s control so he could round up every one of these demonstrators. But it was futile to continue cracking down. The stunnings, beatings, and arrests had only inflamed them further.