They met in the same ruins as before, in the harsh light of the early morning, and Helmess marvelled at the discipline of it — all those men and women, brought here by their learning, their wealth, their power, and where were the divisions, where the mutterings, the heckling, the unseemly jokes? Where were those who merely came to snore through the speeches, or to conduct private business while matters of state were discussed? Every eye was upon him, rapt with attention.
Although, he had to admit, most eyes did tend to twitch to the three score Wasp soldiers that had dropped down to form a loose perimeter about the proceedings.
‘My friends,’ he addressed their silence. ‘Thank you for answering the call of your city in its time of need.’ He had a scroll in one hand, which was unfurled almost down to his knees, and, as he spoke, his eyes flicked over the Assemblers and he marked off name after name. ‘I had thought of taking roll call, as they do in the College,’ he explained with a self-deprecating smile, ‘but that would not be becoming of the dignity of our body. Still, no hiding at the back, there. It would be tragic if I was to overlook any of you, after all.’ He permitted himself a little frown, knowing that his audience was hanging on the very minutiae of his expression. ‘Still a few absentees, I see. Ah well.’
There was a slow building of murmured discontent, as he had expected. ‘Masters, the world around us has changed, but this our city — and our Assembly — do not need to change so much as you might think. The Empire, whose borders now encompass Collegium, need not be such a harsh master as you might imagine. After all, we have resisted them, fought them with all our misguided strength, and still they have agreed that our Assembly shall remain — properly supervised of course — and I think you will find that, with a little adjustment, our citizens will hardly notice that there is a black and gold flag where once there was none. I. . yes?’
For someone had stood up, a burly, heavy-set man that it took Helmess a moment to identify as one of the airship magnates. Helmess ticked his name off meticulously as the man clenched his fists and took a deep breath.
‘I don’t know where you yourself spent the evening, Master Broiler, but I think our citizens are well bloody aware that your Wasp friends are here, because they were surely helping themselves to every cursed thing in the city last night. Two of my clerks are gone this morning: one because the fool went out after this “curfew” and the other because she. . because one of your friends decided that she was. . that she was worth a moment of his time, and no more. And you say that everything’s just rolling along like normal, do you? You think our folk will just play along? If this Assembly still exists, then what is it going to do about it, eh?’
‘Why, Master Parrymill,’ Helmess snapped back, with a sideways glance towards the soldiers that nobody missed — and abruptly the airship magnate’s voice stuttered to a halt. Helmess smiled. ‘What a pertinent question,’ he added cordially. The soldiers did not descend on Parrymill and bundle him away there and then, but suddenly their loosely spaced cordon seemed like the walls of a prison, and the outspoken Assembler sat down heavily, his face turning grey.
‘I should take steps right now to correct what may be a fundamental misapprehension,’ Helmess went on. ‘This Assembly is convened not to complain or object. We are not here to plot against the Empire, or to work against its laws. We have a simple function, Masters. We are here to make the Empress’s will a reality as simply as possible. Because what the Empire wishes will happen, make no mistake, and how much better for Collegium that it happens through our own mediation? The Empire will have its commands carried out in the most efficient way, Masters, and if you wish to spare our citizens the rod, then you must ensure that any leniency also serves that same efficiency. I know that all of us will have to make adjustments. Some of you may find it difficult to grasp your new role. You may find it harsh, restricting, even oppressive.’ He gave them a moment to decide that this was indeed so. ‘But I put to you one inarguable point: last night was nothing. Last night was the soldiers of the Second and their allies being given their just rewards for all we put them through on the way to our city. Did you think we could kill their friends, bomb them, starve them, and they would act like genial College tutors once they closed our gates behind them? No, Masters, they are soldiers, and they were owed their due reward. But believe me, General Tynan has kept them on a tight rein. The sergeants of the Second have been on watch to ensure that indulgence has not become excess. Consider how few buildings burned, how few deaths there actually were, and even rape in moderation. Believe me, Masters, it could all have been so much worse. We truly are blessed in the enlightened attitudes of our conquerors.’
They stared at him, some still defiant, others simply appalled, or else bewildered as though they could not have heard him correctly. A fair proportion, though, would not meet his eyes, and he counted them as the ones who had already accepted the logic of his words.
‘And there will be benefits. We all recall the endless infighting, the factions, the timewasting speeches of our august body here. Yes, you all complained about it, just as much as you contributed to it. It’s amazing we accomplished anything at all. But now, Masters, if we want a crime punished, a law made iron, we need only submit our request to the Imperial governor, and it shall happen. Our government will be given the firm hand it has always lacked. We shall go forward in partnership with the Wasp-kinden, and they shall profit from our wisdom, we from their strength.’
And he gave them his best smile, and knew that some, at least, would already be thinking about how this situation could be used to personal advantage. And it would be they who prospered, whilst anyone trying to hold on to what the Assembly had once represented would fall, and probably sooner rather than later.
‘But to business,’ he urged them brightly. ‘The clerks have given you each a list of names, and I’m sure you all recognize them. These are those individuals who have proved such intractable enemies to the Empire that they cannot be allowed to retain their liberty within our new city. Masters, the Empire is currently considering our methods of selecting Assemblers. It goes without saying that anyone assisting the Empire at this crucial time will help to demonstrate to the Wasps the usefulness of our traditional institutions, as well as preserving their own position within our body.’ Unless they’re a halfbreed, of course, or a woman.‘Conversely, if any citizens are found to be sheltering someone on this list, then not only shall they find themselves a guest of the Empire’s interrogators, but that invitation will be extended to their family, friends and associates, because the Empire is very concerned that such dissent not be allowed to spread.’
He scanned the mass of them and made some more notes on his scroll, this time underlining the names — Parrymill’s amongst them — of those he believed would simply not fit in with the new times. If the gears are to mesh smoothly, we must remove any defective components. Also a few individuals that he simply did not like, but then that was a privilege of rank.
‘The curfew meanwhile remains in place, no movement out of doors after dark, until further notice. After all, who, save for dissidents and criminals, would be skulking about at such times anyway? Over the next few tendays, the Empire will be introducing its own overseers into various concerns — factories, the College and the like. I would suggest you avoid unofficial gatherings, as well, since it will take the Wasps a while to learn our ways, and they are likely to misinterpret such events. For now, as we are the leaders of our people, I suggest you use what influence you have to promote order and cooperation. And those who do not will be noted.’