The Cause of Death (31 page)

"The second reason is that Georg could come
back
, despite being debarred, weeks or months or years or decades later. Our history is full of exiles who return, have people flock to their cause, and stir up no end of trouble for the Thelm of the day." He smiled. "I will deny it if you quote me publicly, but that more or less describes how
my
great-great-great-grandfather came to the Thelmship.

"And if Georg were exiled," the Thelm went on, "he would not even need to come back in order to become an automatic focus point for dissent against my rule, or that of my successor, whoever that might be. He would not even need to take an active part in the dissent. He could even publicly denounce the dissenters, and it might not matter. His mere existence would be a temptation to plotters and conspirators as long as he lived--perhaps longer. They would only need to say that he was secretly with them, or some such nonsense. Forgive me for even mentioning this, my dear Marta, but if Georg were exiled, and then died, you, or even his daughter, Moira, might become some sort of involuntary rallying point or bargaining chip."

Jamie nodded. "That all makes sense," he said. "But I think--I
think
--none of it presents any impediment to my not-very-pleasant or satisfactory solution. Am I correct in assuming that the political situation has now stabilized somewhat? The facts on the ground might not be greatly changed, but emotions are now not running as high?"

"A fair summing-up."

Jamie leaned forward toward the Thelm and spoke intently. "I assume you still feel it vital that the High Thelek not be your successor."

"Yes, that is essential."

"Very well. So, if I have it straight, the reason exile is no good is that Georg
might
come back. Someone could claim to be revolting in his name, clearing the way for his return--even if Georg had nothing to do with the revolt. But if Georg left the planet, under circumstances where it would be
impossible
for him to return, and that was made clear to the public--would it be possible for you to arrange an alternate successor? Perhaps by adopting a suitable young noble? Forgive me if that is a distasteful suggestion, but I do not know your ways well enough to know what is and is not proper."

The Thelm thought. "If Georg departed in such a way that he could
not
return--though I don't see how that can be assured--and if things were done quietly, carefully, slowly--then yes, it might be possible. The High Thelek would make no end of trouble, getting that near the prize, then being pushed away--but perhaps he could be bought off. Name him the Regent-Designate during the young heir's minority, if I picked someone young."

Jamie leaned farther forward, his voice eager, caution forgotten. "Then maybe, maybe, it is possible. My idea is Penitence."

Hannah cringed, and her insides tied up in knots.
Oh, Jamie Mendez, you bloody fool.

Everyone else in the passenger compartment, even Zahida, reacted with surprise, even alarm, but the Thelm merely frowned and looked puzzled. "I don't quite see how Georg's expressing sorrow and regret will solve the problem," he said.

Jamie was puzzled in turn for a moment, then understood the point of confusion. "What? Oh! No, no, forgive me, noble Thelm. I used the Lesser Trade word, when I should have used the English-language place name,
Penitence
. It is a place so well known--perhaps I should say notorious--among humans, or even anyone who has spent time with humans, that I forgot that you would not know of it."

"Penitence is a penal colony," said Hannah, her voice stiff and precise. "It is used instead of capital punishment by most human governments."

"Without going into a lot of detail, it has been designed so that it is difficult to get to--but impossible to leave," said Jamie.

"It is also a hellishly nasty and dangerous place," said Marta, speaking for the first time since they entered the car. "It might not technically be a death sentence to send Georg there, but you would almost certainly be sending him to an early and unpleasant death. That it is used
instead
of a death sentence should tell you a lot."

Hannah swore under her breath. Mendez was a fool twice over for having made the suggestion while Georg's wife was there to hear it. But too late now.

"It isn't a good place to be," said Jamie. "I won't pretend it is. I said my solution wasn't very good. But surely, noble Thelm, it is better than Georg's being executed, or his being forced to kill you. And, of course, it would have to be a voluntary exile. He would have to agree."

Zahida winced visibly, and Hannah cursed. How could he have so little sense that he spoke
that
bluntly of the Thelm's death in the Thelm's presence?

But the Thelm did not seem to notice, or care. He was thinking, considering. "What of his family?" the Thelm asked. "Do you propose sending them, as well? Or do you propose sundering husband from wife, father from daughter, for all time?"

"Noble Thelm, to be honest, I have not had the chance to think that far."

"It is even possible, permissible, to send the family there?" asked the Thelm.

Jamie shifted uncertainly, and glanced to his right, where Marta sat, speechless with fear, rage, doubt, anger.

And who could blame her?
Hannah asked herself. After all, just a few moments before, the Thelm had been pointing out that Marta or their daughter Moira might potentially become a focus of dissent if Georg were removed from the scene. Obviously, it was the Thelm of all Reqwar doing the talking and the thinking, not loving and indulgent Grampa Lantrall. And
was
he even wrong to consider exiling them, as well? If they went away and could never, ever, come back--then they would be as good as dead, insofar as serving as a rallying point for dissent.

Jamie's face grew pale as he spoke into the silence. "It is possible and permissible, under some circumstances, noble Thelm," he said. "I will not attempt to make things sound better than they are. Penitence is a rough and wild place, settled by murderers and worse. But there are fortified towns, defended places, where the settler-prisoners--and the descendants of settler-prisoners--struggle to make a decent home for themselves. If this thing was done, I am certain that arrangements could be made to land Georg Hertzmann, and, if it came to that, his family, in such a defended town. It would be a matter of landing enough materials, equipment, and supplies with each person in order to compensate for accommodating new mouths to feed, new backs to watch."

Hannah shook her head. What the devil else was Jamie going to commit the human race to? She had to speak. She knew better than to disagree with her partner in the midst of outsiders, in the presence of the Thelm, but she could at least point out the difficulties. "I must emphasize that the road to Penitence is strictly one-way," she said. "Going there would be a life sentence, a permanent exile, for whoever was sent. Leaving alone the question of what is and isn't physically possible, there is a moral element, an ethical element, that will have a strong effect. I can tell you for certain that the United Government of Humanity and the people of Earth and the human worlds will not like these ideas. It would be bad enough to send someone there as a punishment for
not
committing murder. It would be far worse to send someone there as punishment for being
related
to someone being punished for not committing murder. Speaking personally, I cannot advise sending a child there under any circumstances."

"Can you advise that a son be required to kill his father?" the Thelm demanded. "Can you advise that a father be forced to stand by and permit the execution of his son--for the crime of letting that father live? Can you advise that I require
all
the fathers and sons and mothers and daughters of Reqwar to live under the rule of an unprincipled, unthinking opportunist like the Thelm whom Caldon Saffeer would become, and be required to suffer his government, and the political upheavals and ecological collapse it will likely cause if he succeeds me?

"Shall I spare one or two or three individuals of the necessity of living in an unpleasant place, and instead allow starvation, food riots, planetary climate failure, and the death of Reqwar? You frame it as my choosing this or that for my family, for those that I love. But it is a choice between death and life for my people, my world, whatever the consequences for individuals. And if that is the case, then I will choose
life
--life for my people, life for my son who would otherwise die, life for his family, albeit life in a cruel place--and yes, my life as well."

There was silence in the passenger compartment of the Thelm's car as Thelm Lantrall thought through the new idea, the dangers and the possibilities. It was Marta who dared to break in on his thoughts. "Father Lantrall!" she said at last. "Please! Do not do this! Find some other way, some other place to send us."

The Thelm, lost in his thoughts, looked up sharply, an irritated expression on his face, quickly covered by a kindly smile that was not entirely real. "Stay calm, wife of my son. Of course we will pursue other possibilities. As Lawkeeper Mendez points out, even he has had next to no time at all to think this through. There may well be other ways, other places. But time is short." He looked back at Jamie, and his expression grew serious again. "If--
if
--we were to do this thing, many things would have to be accomplished first. Legal arrangements, announcements to the public--that side of the business--leave all that to me."

"Yes, noble Thelm," said Jamie.

Hannah frowned.
Don't worry, Jamie. The Thelm will also take care of browbeating Georg into saying yes, and then browbeating him into taking his family along. It will be harder--much harder--to bully Marta into going along with it, but I'll bet he can do that, too
.

"Very good," the Thelm was saying. "I promise there will still be work enough for you to do. I assume you would have to contact your government, make whatever arrangements are required at this Penitence place for new arrivals, get various approvals."

And now, somehow, suddenly, we aren't his allies anymore. We're his subordinates, his staff
, Hannah thought, then spoke out loud. "That would be the start of it." Maybe the paperwork angle would be the way to stop this thing. Emphasize those difficulties as well. "Frankly, honored Thelm, I doubt all the arrangements could be made in four days' time--especially if we have to work through QuickBeam messages, and all the time-zone changes between here and the various offices and departments that would be involved."

"No, I understand all that. But if we--if you--could make a
start
on all that, a good, substantial start, then I believe that would be enough to bring before the Court of High Crime and arrange a stay of execution. And, of course, Georg would have to be held in custody, once the remainder of the time period allowed for his killing me had expired . . ." The Thelm was lost in thought again for a moment. Hannah felt as if she were watching a master game player studying his board, considering how best to move his pieces--what to sacrifice and what to protect.

Then he came back to himself, just as the car was approaching the Keep. "Pardon me," he said. "There is suddenly a great deal to think about. I would be most appreciative, Lawkeeper Mendez, Lawkeeper Wolfson, if you could get started on making those arrangements--on a contingency basis, of course. And, needless to say, if you, Lawkeeper Mendez--if any of you--come up with a better solution, come to me, personally, with it--at any time of day or night."

But Hannah could see, clear as day, that his mind was made up. The contingency was already reality, as far as the Thelm was concerned. He would make it happen. In his mind, it had
already
happened. He was probably running through possible candidates for his designated heir.

The car drew to a halt in the courtyard of the Keep, and instantly a guard had the door open and the Thelm was out of the car and being escorted inside.

Hannah, Jamie, Marta, and Zahida got out of the car and watched the Thelm walk toward the main ceremonial entrance of his Keep.

"You shouldn't have given him that idea," said Zahida to Jamie. "Now he'll latch on to it, and never let go. I know exile. I know how hard it is, how little choice even a 'voluntary' exile really has. But now that the Thelm is focused on it, even if someone comes up with another idea, another solution--he'll want to stay with this one. No matter who gets hurt."

Hannah looked at Zahida, and was startled by the anger in her face as she watched her Thelm retreat into his Keep. "No matter who," she said again.

The ornate doors swung open ahead of the Thelm. He stepped through them, and they swung shut again, with a low, solid boom that echoed across the courtyard.

The Thelm was back in his Keep.

NINETEEN
DEATH

The two agents were alone. Hannah looked around their quarters in the Keep with the eye of a practiced traveler, seeing what sort of place she'd be calling home for the next little while. "Well," she said at last, "whatever else has gone wrong today, at least our accommodations have improved." Jamie didn't answer. He just slumped in a chair and stared at nothing at all.