The Game of Empire

Chapter 7

After the warships had glided from orbit, starward bound, the effective ruler of the Patrician System was Lieutenant General Cesare Gatto, Imperial Marine Corps. The civil governor and bureaucrats carried their routines on as best they were able, but this had never amounted to much. Since Daedalus became sector headquarters, the Navy had taken over most functions, from planetary police to mediator between communities. Gatto reigned as Magnusson’s deputy, almost his viceroy.

It was thus somewhat of a surprise, as overworked as Gatto was, when he had the prisoner Diana Crowfeather brought to his office. Or perhaps not. A husband and father, he had never lost his taste for femininity. Besides, this was an unusual case, more so than he let on to his subordinates.

“Please be seated,” he said as the door closed behind her. She took a chair and regarded him across the desk. He was a small, well-knit man with a high forehead above a furrowed, hooknosed face and pale blue eyes. His uniform tunic had the collar open and was devoid of the many decorations he had earned. A cigarette smoldered between his fingers.

His look in return was appreciative, baggy though the coverall was that had been issued her. “I’m afraid this past pair of weeks has been wearisome for you,” he went on. “I hope the physical conditions, at least, were acceptable.”

“It wasn’t bad,” she answered. “Except for the questionin’ and, worse, the worry about my friends. Nobody would tell me a damn thing.” Her tone defied more than it complained.

“Separate interrogations are standard procedure, donna. Rest assured, the Wodenite has suffered no harm. I hear he’s spent most of his time screening books from the public database. Scholarly works and slushy novels.”

“But what about Targovi?”

“The Imhotepan—I wish I knew. He’s dropped from sight. Have you anything to add to your claim, and the Wodenite’s, that you two cannot tell why he fled? Has some new thought occurred to you?”

“No, sir.” Her chin jutted. “It might help if we had a better idea of why we were seized in the first place.”

Gatto stared at his cigarette, puffed, raised his glance to hers, and said: “Very well, I’ll be frank. You see, you and your companion have received clean bills of health. You yourself are known on Imhotep, of course, and a check by Security agents there verified the Wodenite’s story of being on a religious tour, eccentric but harmless. Nobody can imagine how either of you could be conspirators, nor did interrogation indicate it. At worst, you persist in trying to find excuses for the Tigery. You could both have been released earlier, if the urgencies of preparing for Emperor Olaf’s departure hadn’t caused everything else to be postponed.”

Diana bounced to her feet, radiant. “We can go? Terrific!”

“Sit back down,” he said. “We’re not quite done yet. Listen. I would probably never have known of your existence—I do have things to keep me busy—if it weren’t for the special circumstances. Captain Jerrold Ronan is our head of Naval Intelligence. He personally ordered that the datafile of this, ah, Targovi be flagged. Therefore, when Targovi came back to Daedalus, the order to hold him for investigation was automatic. Ordinarily Captain Ronan’s office would have disposed of the case as he saw fit. However, he has left with the Emperor, to handle similar duties during the campaign. Since the ‘hold’ order originated on such a high level, it was among those referred to me for review when I took charge here. Otherwise you’d doubtless have been released much sooner. As it was, nobody knew just what to do about you, and word took time to percolate up through channels, as frantic as the situation has been. I was struck by the report and decided to inquire further, personally. Something odd has been going on.”

Diana’s exuberance faded. “What? I’m as puzzled as you are. Oh, Targovi did drop hints about big game afoot, but nothin’ definite.”

“I know.”

She flushed angrily. A narcoquiz was an undignified procedure, though they had had the decency to detail a couple of women officers to carry it out on her. “Be glad you turned out to know no more,” Gatto said. “That would have called for a hypnoprobing, to extract everything. After all, we don’t have the drugs or the equipment to process a Wodenite.”

Diana gulped, mastered rage and anguish, became able to say: “Then you realize I’m aware Targovi was—is an undercover agent for Intelligence. Axor hasn’t heard that, by the way. He’d only be sad about the, uh, duplicity. But why the flamin’ hell did Targovi’s own chief, uh, Ronan, want him checked out?”

“That is not in the database,” Gatto replied. “Still, it seems obvious. Not everybody supports Emperor Olaf. Captain Ronan must have had reasons to suppose Targovi favored the Gerhart regime and was somehow in a position to make trouble. The fact that he eluded arrest and fled fairly well bears this idea out.” He narrowed his eyes. “Your interrogation revealed that his action was not a complete surprise to you.”

“Well, no Tigery ever took kindly to bein’ caged. And I sympathize!”

“What is your attitude toward the succession crisis?”

Diana picked her words with care. “The quizzin’ must’ve brought that up. But prob’ly not very clearly, because it’s not very clear to me. Maybe Magnusson would do better by the Empire. I’m just a woods colt; I don’t savvy politics.” Her head and her voice lifted. “I am horrified at the prospect of civil war, and I’ll be damned if I’ll stand in a crowd shoutin’ hooraw for anybody!”

Gatto smiled. “I like your outspokeness. Better curb it in public … Well, you and Axor will be free to go as soon as I’ve issued the order. I’ll also give you two a requisition on the first available passage back to Imhotep, though you may have to wait a while for that. Keep in touch with the provost’s office, and you’ll be notified.”

She shook her head. “Thanks. But we came here to look for Foredweller remains, and I don’t want to let Axor down.”

“Ha, I suspect mainly you want an adventure. Have a care. Air traffic is strictly limited and controlled. Ground transportation is apt to be slow and precarious.” His tone harshened. “If you are hoping to make contact with the renegade, out of some mistaken sense of loyalty to him, forget it. If it should happen, call the patrol immediately. Anything else will be treason, and punished accordingly.”

Diana sighed. “I don’t see how poor Targovi could manage that.”

“No, the chances are that he is already dead. Else he would have been seen by now. I’m sorry, donna Crowfeather. I realize you were fond of him. Bear in mind how he hoodwinked and used you.”

She made a faint noise and started to rise. “Well, I’ll be on my way.”

“No, wait. I feel a certain responsibility. You’re a young and attractive lady, unused to cosmopolitan environments. And much of Daedalus is becoming unruly. With most Navy personnel off to fight for his Majesty, the patrols are stretched thin. We have to concentrate on guarding vital areas. You propose to take off for the yonderlands. I think that would be most unwise.”

Diana settled back. “Why? Don’t the folk support your glorious leader?”

Gatto frowned. “I’m thinking about ordinary civil disorder and crime. Any counterrevolutionary activity will be smashed, promptly and totally.”

“You really have given him your heart, haven’t you?” she asked low.

He reddened and ignited a fresh cigarette. “Donna, I am an officer of the Imperial Navy. As such, I follow the orders of my superiors. But my allegiance is to the Empire itself, to the civilization that is ours. I do sincerely believe Sir Olaf will provide the kind of government we’ve been sorely in need of.”

“Whether it’s worth the price, you aren’t say in’.”

“It is not my business to express political opinions.” Gatto made a chopping gesture. “Enough.” He smiled. “What I want to talk about a few minutes longer is you. I am concerned. Targovi’s ship and planetside vehicle are impounded. You and Axor will only be allowed to reclaim money and personal possessions from them. The inventory says that the cash isn’t much. It can support the two of you for a while, but the Wodenite’s food requirements are large, and any travel you undertake will soon exhaust the purse. Do give up your folly. I’ll see to it that you both get safe, pleasant housing till you can return to Imhotep. And you might enjoy sightseeing with a, ah, a native guide, when I have some spare time.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ve promises to keep, though. Don’t worry about my safety, when I’m with Axor. Actually, he wouldn’t swat a buzzbug, but people needn’t know that, hm?”

Despite impatience to be off, she invested half an hour in being charming to the general.