The Stone Within

With difficulty he returned his attention to the matter in hand. "Put me through to Tracking. I want explanations."

There was a four-second delay, then a worried face replaced that of the Security man. "Gerhardt, Chieh Hsia. Head of Tracking, North-em Hemisphere."

Tsu Ma launched in at once. "What's happening, Gerhardt? I am told that you are missing half a day's transmissions. Is that possible?"

"No, Chieh Hsia."

"But true."

"Yes, Chieh Hsia."

"Then how do you explain it?"

Gerhardt swallowed, then spoke up. "It has been erased, Chieh Hsia. Someone here has removed it from the record."

"Someone?" Tsu Ma's voice was suddenly pitiless.

The official bowed his head submissively. "It is my responsibility, Chieh Hsia. I know my duty."

"Are you saying that you did it?"

Gerhardt hesitated, then shook his head.

Tsu Ma took a deep breath, then spoke again, his patience close to snapping. "This is no time for honor, man. I want to know who did it, and at whose instigation. And I want to know as soon as possible. Understand? We'll talk of duty then."

Gerhardt made to speak, then simply bowed. Tsu Ma cut the connection and sat there, staring blankly at the empty screen. Then, grunting, he stood up heavily and turned to face the doorway.

Wu Shih was standing there, looking in. Seeing the color of Tsu Ma's face, he took two steps into the room. "What in the gods' names is it?"

Tsu Ma licked at his dry lips, then, coming forward, took Wu Shih's arm and led him back through. There, on a couch on the left of the room, Li Yuan was sitting, a cup of dark wine in one hand. Tsu Ma looked to Wu Shih, then indicated that he should take a seat. Li Yuan, looking up, smiled, but his smile quickly faded.

"What has happened?"

"I have bad news," Tsu Ma answered him directly, knowing there was no way of softening what had to be said. "Yangjing is destroyed. There are no survivors."

Li Yuan opened his mouth, then looked down sharply. Carefully he put his wine cup down. Then, ashen-faced, his eyes avoiding theirs, he got up and left the room.

Wu Shih stared at Tsu Ma, his face a register of the horror he was feeling. "This is true?" he asked softly, then, shaking his head, he laughed bitterly. "Of course . . . You would not joke of such a thing." He took a breath, then, "Kuan Yin! How?"

Tsu Ma's voice trembled now. It had finally got to him. Seeing Li Yuan; having to tell him. "Yu terrorists. They got aboard somehow."

Wu Shih shook his head. "It is not possible."

"No?" Tsu Ma's voice was sharp. Too sharp. He waved a hand uncertainly at his fellow T'ang, then sat beside him. "I'm sorry ... but yes, it is possible."

"Wang Sau-leyan . . ." Wu Shih said quietly, looking past Tsu Ma at the empty doorway.

"Yes," Tsu Ma answered him. "It could be no other. It has his mark."

"Then what?"

Tsu Ma laughed, the full horror of the irony striking him. "Then we must do as Li Yuan said. Nothing. Until we have conclusive proof."

Wu Shih got up angrily. "But that was before!"

Tsu Ma looked down at his hands. "Nothing has changed. Not even the fall of Yangjing could justify us acting without proof. Even Li Yuan would say as much."

Wu Shih snorted. "It fits you ill to be so reasonable with other's hurts. He has lost a son."

"And wives . . ." Tsu Ma added, remembering sharply his own part in affairs. "But we are T'ang as well as men. We must act by law, not instinct."

"What law does Wang Sau-leyan follow that he can butcher us and we do nothing?" Wu Shih strode across the room, then came back. "I cannot simply do nothing, Tsu Ma. I would choke on my own bile were I not to act."

Tsu Ma looked up at him, his eyes wet with tears. "You think I do not feel the same, Wu Shih? Gods, I would break him with these hands were it so simple. But we must be certain. We must act with justice. No man must fault us."

Wu Shih huffed again. "And if we find nothing?"

Tsu Ma was silent a long while. Then, meeting Wu Shin's eyes again, he smiled bleakly. "Then I shall kill him anyway."

WANG SAU-LEYAN sat up irritably and tore the black velvet covers from his eyes.

"Well? What is it?"

The servant kneeling in the open doorway lifted his head marginally. "It is Chi Hsing, Chieh Hsia. He begs an audience."

Wang glanced at the bedside timer and shook his head. Then, as if suddenly more awake, he got up quickly and wrapped his silks about him, then made for his study.

Chi Hsing's angry face filled the big screen above the desk. He barely waited for Wang to come into the room before he began.

"What is the meaning of this, Wang Sau-leyan? M;y shuttle! You have used my shuttle!"

Wang Sau-leyari frowned, confused, then came closer to the screen, raising a hand. "Hold on, cousin. I don't know what you mean. What about your shuttle? What has happened?"

Chi Hsing laughed cynically. "No games, cousin. This is serious. It could mean war."

Wang Sau-leyan's puzzlement was genuine, and Chi Hsing, seeing it, frowned and seemed to lean back away from the screen.

"You mean you do not know?"

Wang shook his head, feeling a sudden tightness in his stomach. "No . . . Something has happened, then?"

Chi Hsing took a breath, then, more calmly, answered him. "I had the news only minutes ago. Li Yuan is dead. With all his family. Yangj ing has fallen. Blown from the skies."

Wang Sau-leyan felt a powerful surge of exultation pass through him, but kept his face a rigid mask. "Ah . . ." was all he said. But the news was like a sweet wind blowing after centuries of drought, sign of the refreshing rain to come.

Chi Hsing-spoke again. "Then you knew nothing of this?"

Wang shook his head mutely. But now that he had heard, he knew. Mach! Mach had gone in early! "Who knows of this apart from you?"

"My private servants. A few of my Security staff."

"Then there is no problem. The shuttle will have been destroyed in the explosion. No one could trace it back to you, surely?"

Even as he said it, he knew the steps to be taken. Who to bribe, what records to destroy. There would be traces. The movements of the shuttle would be recorded. But action could be taken—if taken now—to erase such things. "There were no survivors?"

"None."

Again he fought to hide the intense pleasure he felt at the news. He took a breath, then nodded. "Leave it to me, Chi Hsing. I shall ensure that no trace remains."

"You swear you had no knowledge of this, Sau-leyan?"

Wang let his anger show. "Do not insult me, cousin. I knew nothing. And though this news pleases me, it brings me no pleasure to leam of your own fears. I feel it my duty to help you, cousin."

Chi Hsing was silent a moment, then gave the slightest of nods. "I do not like this, Sau-leyan. Nor do I share your pleasure at the news. This strikes to the heart of us all. I know your hatred for Li Yuan, but think. It might have been you or I. Whoever did this struck out at the Seven—at us—not only at Li Yuan."

Wang dropped his head, as if chastened. "I am sorry. You are right, Chi Hsing. But I'll not weep when I feel joy."

Chi Hsing stared at him a moment, then looked away, presenting Wang Sau'leyan with a profile. "You realize the problems this will cause us?"

He did. And when Chi Hsing was gone from the screen, he sat there torn between anger and joy—joy at the news and anger at Mach's preempting the new proposals in the House. Mach's impatience would cause him problems—major problems. Still, if only each day would bring such problems! Quickly he tapped out a discreet code which, he knew, would worm its way to Mach, erasing all trace of its passage. It would ensure no contact between them in the delicate weeks to come.