The Ruby Dice (39 page)

Everyone went silent. Kelric had little doubt he was the only one who wasn't surprised by her response.

"You support this idea?" Roca asked with astonishment.

"I trust Kelric's judgment," Dehya said.

"I don't hear you volunteering to meet Qox," Tikal countered.

"Only one of us should go," Kelric said.

"Why?" Chad asked. "Because it is safer than having both of you in the same place, yes?"

"That's right," Kelric said.

"It's even safer with neither of you there," Chad told him.

"One of us should go," Dehya said.

"Why?" Roca seemed bewildered. "And why Kelric?"

He couldn't reveal the truth, that he could only reach Qox's mind in person. As to why it had to be him, that was harder to explain. His son, who knew almost nothing of Skolia's tortuous politics with Eube, had interpreted Kelric's relationship with Qox as father and son. Kelric didn't understand why; as far as he knew, he had given Jimorla no reason to suspect he could be even the uncle of the Trader emperor, let alone his father. But that Quis session had convinced Kelric that if anyone went, it should be him. He was also the only one of them who had met the emperor in person. He couldn't put into words why he thought he had a bond with Qox, but nevertheless, the thought remained.

He could say none of that. So he spoke another truth. "Any mesh communication, no matter how well secured, can be monitored. Only if we meet in person can we be assured of confidentiality."

"And why do you need this confidentiality?" Tikal demanded. "What are you planning to discuss with the emperor that you want no one else to overhear?"

"An end to the wars," Kelric said. "We can never speak freely in front of our top people. Neither of us can show any sign the other side would interpret as weakness. But with just the two of us, we might find an accommodation."

"Or you might try to kill each other," Chad said. "You do realize that will be ESComm's first thought."

"I don't see why you think he would have any interest in finding an accommodation anyway," Tikal said.

"Jaibriol Qox was the one who suggested the peace talks ten years ago," Roca pointed out.

"Yes, well, look how successful those were," Ragnar said sourly. "His own military wouldn't support him."

Kelric scowled at him. "Neither would mine. It takes two sides to negotiate. Maybe if he and I meet, just the two of us, we can find common ground on our own."

The First Councilor shook his head. "When the Assembly voted to eliminate hereditary control over the Triad voting bloc, I knew it would increase your power base, even lead to military action against the Traders. It was my one hesitation in supporting the ballot. I did anyway, because I know someday we
will
face the Traders. We can't avoid it. Until one of our empires falls, we will remain set against each other. Our fundamental values and needs are too opposed. No common ground exists."

"We have to try," Kelric said, frustrated. "I need to do this, Barcala."

Tikal slapped the table. "The rest of humanity may view you as an Imperialate sovereign, but you don't rule here. You answer to me. And I say no."

"He answers to us both." Dehya said sharply. "I say yes."

"I won't give on this one," Tikal told her.

"My loyalty is always and firmly to ISC," Chad told Kelric. "But in this, I must agree with the First Councilor."

"I concur with Admiral Barzun," Ragnar said.

Damn. Kelric knew he could never sway them without the support of ISC. Technically, only Dehya and Tikal could make the decision. But with Tikal so adamant against the idea and no support anywhere else, he had little recourse.

Dehya met Tikal's gaze. "I won't give on this one, either."

"Then we're deadlocked," Tikal said. "We'll have to turn it over to the Assembly for a vote."

Kelric made an incredulous noise. "What the hell kind of secrecy is that? The whole point is that Qox and I would meet in private, unaffected by outside influences."

Tikal sat back and crossed his arms. "It's the only way to resolve a deadlock between Pharaoh Dyhianna and myself."

Even if Kelric had been willing to send it to the Assembly, he knew it would never pass. If Roca, the voice of the Moderate Party, refused to support him, he would never convince the more bellicose factions of that voting body.

Kelric spoke with difficulty. "Very well. I withdraw the proposal."

Tikal didn't look triumphant, only weary. No one else spoke. Kelric felt defeated on a much larger scale than with this one question.

Then he looked at Dehya.

Her face showed only disappointment. Nor did her mood hint at any other response. But she was the most nuanced empath alive; if anyone could hide from even the psions at this table, it was Dehya. Kelric understood her as no one else, because he had worked with her in a Dyad for ten years—and the moment he looked at her, he knew. She wanted to go through with this without Tikal's consent.

She wanted him to commit treason.

The Emperor of Eube sought refuge in the night, out on the sparkling dark beach. The waves roared and crashed, rising to the size of houses and hurling their fury against twisted black outcroppings along the shore. Their spray leapt into the sky, coruscating against a night washed with moonlight in gold, white, and red. Driven by the satellites of Glory, the violent tides battered the coast.

Jaibriol knelt in the sand with no company except Hidaka and three other Razers. They were like a wall separating him from the rest of the universe, one monolith with four parts. Hidaka had discussed names with them and they all had them now, but they hadn't responded to his oblique inquiries about what to call them. They lived in their own universe, intersecting humanity yet never truly like humans. But they never wavered in their protection.

Jaibriol was fragmenting.

He couldn't control the Triad power coursing through his mind. He didn't understand it. He had no context, no preparation, no training, no advisors.
Nothing.
He had only the incontrovertible knowledge that he had to hide what had happened, push it into a recess so deep, no one could ever detect it, neither the Aristos who would prey on his pain nor the providers who would recognize him. He didn't know how to suppress the forces raging within him like the tides driven against this tortured shore. Nor could he escape. Colonel Muze had destroyed the Lock, and no one knew how to rebuild it. To survive, he had to stop being a member of the Triad. And he couldn't.

Jaibriol pressed the heels of his hands against his temples and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't do this. He couldn't keep the secret. His life and mind were unraveling. If he continued as emperor, he would fall apart in front of everyone, the Hightons, his advisors, his aides, and his enemies.

"Sire." The deep voice rumbled.

Jaibriol lifted his head and stared through the veil of his pain at Hidaka. "I cannot," he whispered. He wasn't even certain what he was telling his Razer.

The captain spoke with atypical softness. "Shouldn't we return to the palace? Your absence will soon be remarked."

Jaibriol struggled to his feet. "You can protect my person," he said dully. "But what about my thoughts?"

Hidaka regarded him uncertainly. "You will recover."

Not this time.
Wearily Jaibriol pulled himself upright. "Let us return."

He headed to the path that wound up the cliffs to the palace. The Razers fell in around him, and lights flashed on their biomech arms. Hidaka acted as a conduit, interpreting Jaibriol's actions for them. Jaibriol had no idea how deep a network among them could go, for to his knowledge no other Aristos had let their bodyguards develop such extensive links. When given the freedom to act as their own beings, they became neither machine nor human, but something else. Yet still they served him with deadly versatility. The best defenses on the planet guarded his person and his palace.

But nothing could protect him against his own mind.

"I trusted you." Ixpar's low voice pulled Kelric awake. Startled, he sat bolt upright, his pulse surging as his mind caught up with his reflexes.

Ixpar was kneeling next to him, wearing the silky shift he loved to take off her. But no invitation showed in her posture tonight. Starlight flooded the Orbiter, reflected through panels that had opened after the Sun Lamp set, and it poured through windows of the bedroom, silvering her body. She knelt by him with one clenched fist resting on her thigh.

"You should trust me," Kelric said groggily, trying to wake up the rest of the way.

"You knew you would contaminate his Quis if you sat at dice with him," Ixpar said. "It was bad enough you agreed. But to pour so much Skolian and Eubian politics into your first game? It is unconscionable."

"I'm not sure how it happened," he admitted. Caught by the luminous genius of Jimorla's Quis, he had instinctively sought his son's input.

"It's obvious how," Ixpar said. "He asked you to play Quis. You said yes. You should have said no."

"He is my son." He met her gaze. "I will not refuse him."

"So you make all Coba pay the price?"

"It was one session."

"One devastating session." The calm of her voice belied the anger in her gaze, which reflected the starlight. "Everything he took from you, he will bring to Coba. And his influence has no small effect on our Quis. He is a Calani like no other. You must know that after your session. His patterns of Skolia and Eube will flood Coba."

He knew it was true. "I'm sorry."

"And you would take my successor as well."

"Rohka talked to you?"

"She wishes to study at the school here."

"Will you say no?" he asked. Her anger was a fog around him.

"I cannot. By Coban law, she is an adult." She sounded worn out. "I hate the idea. It will contaminate her Quis past repair. But you spoke truly. She should know your people. To rule Coba well, in this era when we become part of your empire, she must understand Skolia."

"So must Jimorla," Kelric said. "Otherwise, he'll create distorted pictures, as he did with myself and Emperor Qox."

"It isn't the same." The heat faded from her voice. "I'm sorry, Kelric. But Jimorla wants to return home."

He had to nod, though it hurt. He couldn't fight this. He even agreed. Rohka would serve as the conduit from the Calanya to the Imperialate, filtering the input they gave the Calani. It would protect the Quis of Coba. But knowing that made it no easier to hear how his son felt.

"And you?" Kelric asked. "Will you also go back?"

"I cannot stay."

What could he say? She couldn't stop ruling Coba because he missed her. He thought of Jaibriol Qox, who symbolized everything he could never have. Qox ruled Eube. Period. No Assembly, no First Councilor, no one to interfere. Tarquine stood by his side, brilliant and unmatched, she who had never seen Kelric as anything more than a slave. She would give Jaibriol heirs, and they would honor their father as everyone esteemed the emperor. Kelric's son barely even acknowledged him.

You are a fool to envy Qox,
he thought. The man probably lived in hell, if what Kelric suspected were true.

"I'm sorry," Ixpar said, watching his face. "Would that I could tell you otherwise." She spoke softly. "I wish you could return with me, Kelric, live in my Calanya, be my husband." With pain, she added, "We both long for the impossible."

"We can visit each other." It was poor compensation, but it was better than nothing. He took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Jimorla is truly a genius."

Her face gentled into a smile. "He is his father's son."

"Perhaps someday he will accept that."

"Ah, Kelric." She lifted his hand and pressed her lips against his knuckles. "I can only tell you what I tell myself; never grieve for what could have been. We do what we can."

Never grieve. He wondered if she realized she asked the impossible.

"If I defy a veto from the First Councilor," Kelric said, "I'm breaking the law." He and Dehya were walking on the hill behind his house, high above the gorge with the river.

"We could tell the Inner Council we think Jaibriol Qox is a psion," Dehya said. She even sounded serious.

Kelric slanted a look at her. "Either they would think we were crazy, or even worse, they would believe us. The more people we tell, the more likely it will hurt Qox."

"He's already in danger." She stared down at the foaming river that rushed against the rocks. "We need to talk to him."

"It's not that easy." Kelric had no way to contact Jaibriol outside of formal channels, which required extensive procedures through both governments. He didn't see what he would achieve by trying, except to get arrested. He might secure his part of the communication, but not the Eubian side. It wouldn't be private.

"I'll support any decision you make," Dehya said.

Kelric crossed his arms. "I don't want your support."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because the penalty for treason is execution."

She pulled him to a stop. "What, they're going to execute both the Ruby Pharaoh and Imperator?"

"When you overthrew the Assembly, you made enemies," Kelric said. "Blending the government may have been genius or madness, but either way, it's divisive." He rubbed the aching muscles in his neck. "You saw the ballot on Roca's votes. It was almost even. Take a vote on whether or not the Ruby Dynasty should share the rule of Skolia with the Assembly, and it would be even less in our favor. They can't take that vote; we have the power to enforce your decree that neither side can disband the combined government. But that power comes from ISC. If I were to lose my title—say by committing treason—our power base among the military would crumble." He thought of the day she had announced the blended government. "If you had disbanded the Assembly and returned to the days of pure hereditary rule, you would have had to execute Tikal. I doubt he's ever forgotten how close he came to death. At your hands."

"I didn't execute him," Dehya said.