Justin nodded. "Interesting. Tsen?"

Shang nodded stiffly, as though hearing only distant echoes of Malenkov's words. "The motivation runs true. Elizabeth Liao has lately been caught in the crossfire of Candace and Romano's battling. Romano has hinted that her stepmother has taken lovers before to spite the Chancellor, but Maximilian either knows nothing of the affairs or he simply does not care. His preoccupation with forging a new Star League makes him oblivious to many things."

Alexi nodded in agreement with Tsen's assessment. "Now what else has happened?"

Anger smoldered in Justin's eyes. "Romano used one of her Thugee assassins to try to kill my father this evening!"

"What!" Alexei stepped closer and looked hard at Justin. "Believe me, Justin. I had no idea. I continued to check on Romano's dealings with the cultists, as you asked, but I heard nothing about this..."

Tsen angrily turned to face Justin. "You've been checking on Romano Liao?"

Justin's face hardened. "I check on all threats to Liao security."

Tsen glowered at him. "I suppose that includes me."

Justin shook his head curtly. "Not yet. You're not a problem."

Muscles bunched at Tsen's jaws. "Why do I sense some sort of hidden agenda here, Justin? Do you work for House Liao, or just one member of it?"

Justin's eyes narrowed to thin black slits. "I work to preserve House Liao in spite of itself. Imagine, Tsen, what would happen if we were not here to act as control rods in an old fission reactor! ComStar would cut House Liao off. Maximilian would try to kill Ridzik, which, in the best case, would leave him minus his most competent military commander and, in the worst case, would start an outright revolt in the Tikonov Commonality. Romano would provoke a war between the Federated Suns and the St. Ives Commonality just to spite her sister, then she'd use her influence with the Chancellor to get him to attack the Free Worlds League again."

"You are correct to characterize it as a nuclear meltdown," Tsen said.

Justin's face darkened. "And you are correct in noting I have a hidden agenda. I need a healthy and strong Capellan Confederation so that I can exact my revenge upon Hanse Davion and my father. In the coming months, I will locate their hidden research base and use the fruits of their labors against them. I would hope my success would be House Liao's success as well. Until that time, I will do anything I can to hold this insane band of rulers together."

35

ComStar First Circuit Compound

Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra

20 August 3028

Unabated fury blazed in Myndo Waterly's blue eyes. "I cannot understand this, Primus. How can you call a near assassination of a Davion Minister a 'minor incident?' " Golden hair washed across the shoulders of her red robe as she shook her head in dismay. "By now, most of the guests have heard the tale. What action will you take against House Liao?"

Julian Tiepolo looked around at the First Circuit. "Why, Precentor Dieron, we will take no action against House Liao for this disturbance. It's true the assassin managed to slip between our ROM patrols, but we killed him before he could spill anyone's blood."

That ploy will not work, Primus.Myndo narrowed her eyes. "I was unaware we had issued laser rifles to our patrols. That would denote the existence of a Stage Three emergency in our Compound."

Precentor Tharkad threw his head back, barking a harsh laugh. "This is truly absurd, Precentor Dieron. Not two days ago, you rebuked the Primus for not taking enough security precautions because Jaime Wolf arrived here armed with two swords. Now, it seems, you complain when we hear and comply with your own urgent demands."

Myndo's stare silenced Precentor Tharkad. "What I wish to know, Ulthar Everson, is whether the laser rifles were issued before three ROM agents died Thursday night, before the assassin attacked Quintus Allard and his son, or after both of those most serious incidents."

Ulthar stiffened, turning mechanically to face the Primus. "Three ROM agents dead?"

Myndo smiled slyly. Yes, Ulthar, your mentor has deemed you unworthy of trust in that matter."Well, Primus, what is the answer?"

Anger smoldered in Julian Tiepolo's slender frame, filling it out with almost palpable energy. Yet when he rebuked her, it was in a voice that he managed to keep calm through near superhuman effort. "I gave the order, Precentor Dieron, when I felt it prudent to do so. The deaths of three ROM agents were put down to misadventure. You know as well as I that the preservation of Blake's Will forces us to employ many unsavory individuals. Disputes among them break out and sometimes prove fatal, as in this case. The investigation revealed no breach of security."

Myndo smiled as she surveyed the faces of the other First Circuit members. None of you believe that story, though some of you will support the Primus just because of his office."Let us accept that answer, for now. What has prevented you from placing House Liao under total interdiction? We know the assassin belonged to a cult associated with Romano Liao. Our course seems clear."

Villius Tejh spoke in a sibilant whisper that still seemed too powerful for his small frame. "Forgive me, Precentor Dieron, but I do not feel interdiction is advisable at this time." Precentor Sian's gaze flickered toward the Primus, then returned to Myndo. "While I agree with you that House Liao must be disciplined for this unconscionable breach of courtesy, interdiction would destroy the Capellans."

Myndo nodded slowly. "Ah, the theory that Hanse Davion would strike at the Capellan Confederation. It is a rather large state to swallow, Precentor Sian."

Tejh graced Precentor Dieron with a brief smile. "Under normal circumstances, Precentor, I would share your skepticism about House Davion's ability to take the Capellan Confederation, but you must recall that Liao's military strategy really relies upon communication and swift reaction. The Warrior House Regiments are provided with the means necessary to reinforce besieged worlds. Lacking the communication and coordination that our Order provides, Liao's ability to wage war is severely limited."

Villius gestured with his left hand. "I hasten to add that an interdiction would affect all Liao agents in the Federated Suns, but would not work against Davion agents in the Capellan Confederation. The intelligence supplied by Davion's spies would prove a crushing blow to the Confederation."

Myndo laughed throatily. "I believe you overestimate Alexi Malenkov's efficacy, Precentor Sian, because the information streaming in from Michael Hasek-Davion more than offsets Malenkov's anemic efforts. Besides which, you know the easiest way for us to deal with that threat is to expose Malenkov to his masters. I am quite certain Justin Xiang Allard would take great delight in debriefing one of his father's agents!

"Still, your point is well taken. How, then, shall we punish this rash action by Romano Liao?"

The Primus folded his arms across his chest. "We will demand that the Capellan government supply the materials and labor to upgrade several of our stations on their worlds. We will also select from among the best and brightest of their citizens as inductees into our service."

Villius smiled openly. "We may even suggest that the Chancellor turn over to us his son Tormana for reeducation. It would remove a thorn from his side, and give us the kind of opportunity ComStar enjoys in the Free Worlds League."