Hellhole Inferno (23 page)

 

30

Hurtling in on the Qiorfu line, Lord Riomini's haulers arrived at the main stringline hub over Sonjeera, overwhelming the gigantic transport facility. Thousands of fighter craft, destroyers, and immense battleships from the Black Lord's privately constructed fleet dropped out of docking clamps and fell into orbit, taking up positions around the Constellation's main world. Passenger pods and shuttles sped out and descended toward the capital city. They bypassed the ruins of the Sonjeera spaceport and headed for Heart Square, using the large parks in front of the government buildings as makeshift landing grounds.

He was coming not as a conquering invader, but as a savior, a rescuer for the Crown Jewels in a time of disastrous upheaval. He wanted to show strength, not intimidation.

Riomini rode in the largest transport, which was itself so heavily armed that it could destroy many frontline Constellation warships; it was also equipped as a mobile command center, where he could meet with his top officers and formulate attacks. He couldn't stop smiling. This was marvelous.

Originally, he had constructed his clandestine military force at Lubis Plain for the protection of his considerable assets. This private fleet was not part of the Army of the Constellation, and not subject to being commandeered by the Diadem for her own purposes. Riomini was well aware that no other noble family had the resources—or the will—to invest in such an undertaking. He had meant for these ships to be his insurance, not an offensive force to overthrow the Diadem.

But circumstances changed.

This was not an overthrow, not a civil war, but the imposition of strength and stability to remedy a dangerous leadership vacuum. At present, the Constellation had no leader, and Michella Duchenet had attacked her own planet, killing her own subjects, as a paranoid overreaction to an imagined alien threat. In obliterating the spaceport, she had destroyed a vital strategic asset for the Constellation—which was, after all, currently at war with General Adolphus. And then she had abandoned her throne.

Rescue and recovery operations continued round the clock on the perimeter of the kilometer-wide glassy crater left by the explosion; countless casualties were still being removed from wreckage on the outer circles. Tebias had also advised Riomini that as one of his first acts, he should endorse the recovery operations and add funding (at least by a marginal amount), to show how he was different from the old Diadem. One of the military ships was loaded with relief supplies; not enough to make much of a difference, but enough to look good.

The citizens were appalled by what Michella had done, and Riomini knew that by now they must hate her, feeling betrayed. In recent years, many of the nobles had already grown disgusted with the old woman's excesses and erratic behavior. Very few would mourn her departure.

No, this was not an overthrow. Selik Riomini saw himself as
the
person to save the Constellation, and fortunately, through his foresight, he had the resources to do so. He had always intended to become the next Diadem, although it was coming about in a different manner than he had anticipated. He would never have a better time, and so now when he saw his chance, he acted. For the good of the Constellation. After what Michella had done, everyone would welcome a strong leader, like him.

Riomini's preparations were not just military, as the rest of the Council was about to discover. Oh, some would complain about his obvious ambitions, as they always did, but the Crown Jewels had no other viable options. Previously, his closest competition in the succession had been Enva Tazaar, but she was disgraced and stripped of her position, vanished into the shadows somewhere. She was nothing.

He had been planning this for a long time, and he expected his assumption of the diademacy would go smoothly. The descending passenger pods and troop transports contained more than soldiers: He'd brought along an army of bureaucrats, diplomats, legal and constitutional scholars—enough functionaries to take over every detail of day-to-day government operations. His people would replace all managers, supervisors, and even some of the rank-and-file workers who had served Michella Duchenet. He even intended to set up his own court system, if necessary, which would process any challenges to his rule.

Yes, he had it all planned.

As his armored transport landed directly in front of Council Hall, people scattered in all directions, frightened. Additional escort flyers and troop carriers landed in the surrounding streets, while the rest of his massive fleet secured the perimeter of the city.

It was late morning, local time, and he'd timed his arrival to coincide with the emergency session of the interim Council. Surrounded by his elite guard force, Riomini marched toward the Hall. The Council was already in an uproar, leaderless and in turmoil after Michella abandoned the government. The interim committee spent more time raising measures and arguing about them than actually establishing law—business as usual, but Riomini would change that.

Now he would arrive as the obvious new leader, a hero to solve all their problems. Selik Riomini was the Diadem's clear successor anyway, so it was just a matter of stepping forward and assuming the throne that was rightfully his. Given the emergency situation, Riomini didn't have time for subtle manipulations, gradual coalition-building, votes and revotes.

The scale of Riomini's unexpected military force, however, astonished the nobles. Previously, they had assumed that all viable warships in the Crown Jewels had been given to Commodore Hallholme to fight the rebels, and they were shocked by the sudden arrival of a huge and unexpected fleet at the main stringline hub.

“This is a crisis,” Riomini announced as he strode into the large chamber. “And I am here to ensure order and safety.”

Numerous nobles lurched to their feet and shouted protests. His female guards surrounded him protectively, but made no threatening moves. Behind Riomini, more of his black-uniformed soldiers filed into the chamber and took positions around the perimeter, and down the center aisle.

Lord Horatio Dodds, the ruler of Barassa, had been addressing the Council and now looked befuddled by the interruption. The tall, mustachioed man remained at the podium, perturbed and then indignant as Riomini's guards moved him aside so that the Black Lord could take his place.

“It is my turn to speak,” Riomini said calmly. “Time to get the Constellation back on track.”

Dodds retreated, mumbling in displeasure as he left the central stage. The other nobles scrambled to resume their seats, uneasy but eager to hear what the new arrival had to say. Messengers rushed in and out of the hall, whispering to particular representatives, explaining the extent of the military force Riomini had brought with him from Qiorfu.

As he gazed around the chamber, he paused to study various faces, scowling at some and smiling warmly at others who had previously expressed support for him. After a dramatic moment of silence, he said, “Michella Duchenet committed a devastating, treasonous act against her own people. She showed herself to be an enemy of the Constellation, attacking our capital and fleeing to the Deep Zone—enemy territory! By her actions, she has abdicated her role. In such an emergency, the Constellation needs strong leadership, an immediate replacement. As the presumptive successor to the Star Throne, I offer myself as the next Diadem. I anticipate your immediate and unanimous support in installing me to the role, for the good of the Constellation.” He looked out at the faces. “My forces have restored order to the orbital hub and the capital city, and they are prepared to protect us against any attack from General Adolphus.”

He let the words sink in, saw the expressions of surprise, shock, and uneasiness, although a few saw the inevitability of the succession.

A silver-haired woman rose to her feet in one of the center rows. “I propose that we accept Lord Riomini as the acting Diadem, until such time as the matter can be fully debated and decided.” Elegantly dressed, Lady Arlene Marubi was known as a moderate, sometimes voting in support of positions that Riomini espoused, and sometimes against them. She had come to the obvious conclusion and did not want to waste any further time.

“
Until
such time as the crisis is over,” added a middle-aged man, one of those Riomini had consulted, and bribed, ahead of time. Riomini knew that, given proper manipulation of events and reports, the “crisis” would never be deemed over.

Riomini looked at them all sternly. This was his opportunity, and he needed to deal with the situation immediately. “
Acting
Diadem? We must be unified, and General Adolphus is not an ‘acting' enemy. I hope this—” He paused for effect. “—this august body formally recognizes my authority with all due speed. That is what the Constellation needs.” He squared his shoulders. “
I
am what the Constellation needs.”

Lady Marubi rose back to her feet, with more to say. “Point of order: This cannot be a legal decision unless and until Diadem Michella has formally abdicated.”

“Or until we formally remove her,” said a minor noble, Lord Hikon Rikter, another of Riomini's supporters. “I submit that she formally abandoned her role when she attacked Sonjeera and fled.” Angry mutters rippled through the audience. Few people could stomach supporting Michella Duchenet after what she had done.

But a weak-voiced older man, Lord Ilvar Crais—father of Major Bolton Crais—did speak up. “The Diadem transmitted a statement explaining her actions. She announced that she had stopped an insidious alien plot and that she prevented the release of deadly contamination that would have destroyed us.”

“Paranoid nonsense,” Riomini chuckled.

Crais did not back down. “Nevertheless, the claims of the Diadem deserve to be considered, not dismissed outright. What if she did save us?”

“Ask that of the hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens who were vaporized,” said Lord Rikter.

Grumbles, even mocking laughter, filled the hall, and Riomini knew he was winning. “Then let her come back and explain herself—at her trial as a war criminal. If Michella saved us all, why did she flee? If she has evidence to support her actions, I am sure the families of her victims would like to hear it.” That was greeted with loud agreement.

Riomini pressed further. “She may very well believe that she sterilized a dangerous threat, but by fleeing out to the Deep Zone, she wants to see if any of us becomes contaminated before she dares to return.” He looked around into the deepening, concerned silence. “Is that the sort of leader you want?”

A number of noblemen shouted out support for Riomini, but Lord Crais again broke in. “One slight problem remains. We do not have a quorum, due to transportation disruptions—along with the losses of Lord Klief and Lord Cherby in the spaceport explosion. A Diadem can only be voted into office by the unanimous consent of all twenty ruling families. Unfortunately, the successors to Lord Klief and Lord Cherby have not yet been appointed.”

Lord Tanik Hirdan, a loud and stern man who had not previously expressed consistent support for Riomini, now let out an impatient bellow. “Enough of this nonsense. We must not blind ourselves with red tape during an emergency. I propose we install Lord Riomini by acclamation.”

Surprised, Riomini gave Hirdan an appreciative nod. Following a moment's hesitation, the chamber erupted into a standing ovation, with boisterous shouts of support for the new Diadem. No, he had not underestimated their antipathy toward Michella Duchenet.

This part, at least, was done.

 

31

There was little time to implement the abduction of Diadem Michella and escape from Tehila before the Army of the Constellation launched, but Enva knew how to seize an opportunity.

Though she didn't like Ishop Heer, he was also a man of action and flexibility, as Enva was quickly discovering. Both of them happened to be in useful positions, with the resources and official connections they needed to kidnap the old Diadem.

The overall plan blossomed quickly in Enva's mind. Before being caught in the undertow of the sweeping purge here, she had already been pondering how she might restore herself to power. Working discreetly in her civil servant office, she monitored the military preparations, looking for an opening amid all that distraction.

In short order, Percival Hallholme had secured both stringline terminus rings, consolidated Tehila's defenses, and made the planet an armed camp. The Commodore was anxious to launch his assault on unsuspecting Hellhole. If Enva could warn General Adolphus of the imminent attack and deliver the Diadem as a hostage as well, the General would embrace her as an ally. Together they could turn the tables, sweep back to Sonjeera, and bring the Crown Jewels to their knees.

That had been Enva's plan all along. She would rule the Crown Jewels, and Tiber Adolphus would rule the Deep Zone in a commercial alliance to benefit all concerned. Except for old Michella, of course.…

And then there was Ishop Heer. Although he claimed to have turned against the Diadem, Enva didn't trust him. She could take care of him later—right now, she needed him. Time was extremely short; they had to pull off their scheme in a day, or their warning would come too late. Ishop also felt the urgency. He told her, “I cannot destroy the Diadem soon enough.”

While Enva continued to work in the government offices, Ishop pulled strings of his own, granting her increased access throughout the administrative mansion, including the Diadem's main offices. He also gave her passcodes to the most secure levels of Tehila's admin networks, then sent coded and self-erasing messages to let her know his plans and progress. Once Enva had access, alternatives would spread out before her; she just had to tie the different strands together.

She pretended to be bored as she worked on the inventory of impounded spacecraft, but Enva was actually rearranging the embargo, earmarking certain seized ships for special deployment as part of Commodore Hallholme's assault. Since those orders came directly from the main government offices, marked with the Diadem's personal signature code (forged) for confirmation, she was able to designate Ian Walfor's ship as cleared and ready for immediate departure.