Defiance, page 38
“I am listening, nadi.”
“I moved about on the railroad, and later with the railroad. But no place was that secure for me. I always wanted to have a next place, protected from searchers from the last one. So Jorida strongly interested me; and there was a time I was planning to come here. I gathered information from anyone willing to talk. I heard a story about a Dojisigi, a ship’s carpenter on a winter layover, who had gotten lost in the levels of this place, and found a room like a palace . . . of course it involves treasure.” A shrug. “But over time I got to the heart of the story, which is just a room on the second tier with a hidden access. There is no distinction to it. It may be on the same level as the wine cellar and the kitchen stores. So goes the story. I even drew plans of this place, with all its layers—as I had heard it. I was sixteen. But I never acted on it. I fell afoul of a man in Amarja and I found Machigi a much safer harbor. I did tell him, when a matter came up, regarding the resources the Master has.”
“It is no great trouble to look,” Bren said, looking at Banichi.
Nomari said quietly. “I am fairly good at moving about and finding things.”
“The Master may have defenses,” Banichi said.
“I have expected that,” Nomari said. And added: “I have thought about this place for years.”
Bren considered it doubtfully, glanced at Banichi, and Banichi frowned and looked at Nomari.
“Do not go alone, nadi,” Banichi said.
Nomari frowned for a moment. It was not how Nomari had tended to operate. But the expression changed and he glanced at his own guard, who stood to the side, waiting. “Nadiin,” he said, and gathered them with him when he left.
“We are meditating trusting him with a province,” Bren said. “This is a little less, is it not?”
• • •
It took an hour. Only that. There was a considerable commotion on the stairs that made itself heard, and continued across the upper gallery, with its broken windows. The Master was not pleased to be found; the Master was not pleased with the breakage. The Master was not pleased to find his office and his desk to be occupied by a relatively small human with a large Guild presence surrounding him.
The Master’s pleasure was irrelevant. For once, the Master had no choice in the matter.
It had taken some persuasion to get the Master up the stairs—though not violence. Bren had ordered care, the Master being, as word came from those who found him, a frail person. And indeed not a person of great stature or presence, either, as Bren discovered when the Master arrived in the doorway of his own office. Surprising, to say the least, in someone whose stubborn, greed-driven arrogance had generated so much death and terror.
“Hurshina-nadi.” That was deliberate, the plain, titleless salutation. Hurshina had had his chance, more than one, to be a lord of the aishidi’tat. “I am Bren, Lord of Najida.”
As if it was not fairly obvious.
Hurshina said not a thing. He looked, in fact, unwell as well as fragile. Bren refused to acknowledge that appearance. Whatever his state of health, this man had enabled a terrorist regime to gain and retain power for years. All they actually needed from him at the moment was permission to allow the Guild to complete the task of routing out the Shadow Guild. That was not the only concession Bren intended to pry out of him.
“I am speaking to you first,” Bren said, “not as an official of the aishidi’tat, but as neighbor to Lord Geigi of Kajiminda, and as your neighbor in Najida. I am speaking in this capacity so as not to engage the aishidi’tat or the Guild in this appeal to my neighbor, Ashidama, to formally reject the presence of outlaw Guild.”
“I will speak to the aiji-dowager!”
“That you will not, nadi. You will not want the attention of the aiji-dowager considering your reception of enemies who have assassinated members of the aishidi’tat and attacked the aiji and his family in attempt to overthrow the lawful government.”
“No such thing! We are utterly outside the aishidi’tat! We have done nothing of the kind!”
“You have sheltered and traded with the perpetrators, nadi, during all that period and as recently as this morning.” He paused, for effect. “—Unless, of course, you wish to claim unlawful invasion, formally renounce that historical association and request the help of the legitimate Guild to complete the removal of the renegade Guild from all of Ashidama Bay. Before you respond, be advised, their leader, Suratho, and the fugitive lord of Dojisigi have already been eliminated from power.”
Angry silence.
“Machigi of the Taisigin Marid, newly in association with Ilisidi of Malguri and Bregani of Senjin, also complains of your trade practices, particularly as they apply to the ships he sends to Cobo. Be advised, the Taisigin Marid will soon link with Koperna by rail. At that point, rail will become the primary means of trade transport. For the rest, the greater part of the Marid will receive favorable treatment in sea trade directly with Cobo—” Another pause. “—unless the Marid can receive reasonable agreement with Jorida.”
He let that sink in a moment. Then: “Speaking now as paidhi-aiji, this is the situation, which I neither propose nor affect. The aiji-dowager may be receptive to a request for benevolent intervention, even a connection by rail from Cobo to Ashidama—should the Townships desire it. Plans are currently underway to extend it down near Kajiminda and an additional extension, say to the back of Ashidama Bay, would put them, and you, on a more even footing with the Marid.”
“Impossible!”
“Hardly. May I point out to you that not only have you allied yourself with the Dojisigi and their rogue Guild, you have alienated the Taisigin, who are now allied with Senjin. The aiji-dowager is not well-disposed toward you. If you wish to continue trading in Cobo, you must negotiate with the aishidi’tat. It is my office as paidhi-aiji to mediate a fair arrangement, acceptable to all sides and interests, you, your neighbors, Najida, Kajiminda, the Edi, the Marid, and the aishidi’tat, and I can approach Tabini-aiji to initiate that process. I would think very carefully about your answer, nadi, most respectfully. It will not greatly disadvantage you. Nor disturb your industry, if I can manage it. Would you care for a glass of wine?”
“Mine!”
“Indeed. We do not deny it. We have tried not to damage the premises, and to protect shops and houses. Your Dojisigin allies were not as considerate. But I urge you take the time to think this through. We have no wish to impoverish our neighbor. It drags down the whole south. Done properly, the entire south will flourish and the likelihood is there will be more trade, more ships, as well as rail.”
Hurshina’s eyes flickered, a little spark of interest.
“Let us first assume you choose to not disavow any connection to the former lord of Dojisigin and her rogue Guild,” Bren said. “I can promise you that any trade that can be linked to those entities will be denied in Cobo. That avenue is lost to you. In addition, in the near future, the rail link with Taisigin will effectively replace the need for any sea trade at all. Without protective agreements, other than for Ashidama’s locally grown products, Jorida’s ships will have no cargo. Without agreements, Jorida could find itself effectively obsolesced.”
He waited to allow that to sink in. Hurshina had spent a lifetime on the assumption that he held all the cards. The fact now was, his hands were empty.
“That is not a future any of us wish to see. Therefore, let us examine the alternative. If Ashidama were to join the aishidi’tat, there would be an increase of markets, not a decrease. One suspects the Townships and even the people of Jorida would prefer that option. As part of the aishidi’tat, there would be a lordship available for the region. That lordship could go to Jorida . . . or to Separti. How much of that increased trade would be handled by Ashidama ships would rest in the hands of those making the negotiations, which would be that lord. Think of it, nadi. As lord of Ashidama, you could negotiate with your neighbors and with the rest of the aishidi’tat for trade and fair pricing, and the aishidi’tat would be here to see those terms upheld.”
“In writing.”
“With ribbons, cards, and wax, nadi. Absolutely, registered here and in Shejidan. Agreements as well with the various states of the Marid. Perhaps also with the East. A railway connection would open up that possibility. One is certain you can perceive the possibilities.”
Hurshina cleared his throat. “The wine,” he said. “Neighbor.”
“Indeed,” Bren said, and rose to go to the sideboard, to pour it himself.
Outside the window, afternoon sun—a view of the bay, a little haze of smoke, still, but dissipating. There were masts visible at dockside. Many.
“There is,” Banichi said, having moved to stand at Bren’s shoulder, “a Navy ship entering the bay.”
One could not see it yet. It was out by Talidi. There was no question at all it had come from the north, the third ship of the navy of the aishidi’tat, moved down from its eternal watch over Mospheira . . .
For the first time since the War of the Landing, there were no ships standing guard between Mospheira and the aishidi’tat.
He poured the wine, a dark red, two glasses, and personally offered it to the old man. He stayed standing to take a sip, leaning back against the desk edge. Hurshina took his own sip, and a second, being, perhaps, a little dry-mouthed.
“I should like, nadi,” Bren said, “to be a good neighbor. As Lord Geigi has generally been. Things change. Situations change. The war the Shadow Guild was fighting has ceased to be relevant. There is far too much to gain for all of us, if we work together.”
The old man stared grimly into his glass, then lifted it in a toast. “Together.”
• • •
The bus had far fewer passengers toward the end of the bay—Machigi left them, with his rangers, to take their own way up to Taisigin territory, where their cross-country transport awaited.
“We shall see,” Machigi said in parting, “how well the old scoundrel keeps his word.”
“We will draft a very careful document,” Bren said, bidding him and his rangers farewell on the bus steps. “Extremely careful. The man maneuvers fast. And he is no fool.”
After that it was a jolting ride on road that had stalled the bus on the way out.
And with many fewer people, there was comfort on the bus. Cenedi’s eight sat on the left. Midagi was in charge, now, of the Guild force doing the assessment and cleanup on Jorida, the tally of expenses needed, the issuance of damage certificates—the adjudication of complaints, all the residual untidiness of a Guild action. Cenedi had officially surrendered command to him.
Reijiri and his aishid, Nomari and his four, Bren and his—outnumbering Cenedi’s—sat on the right, indulging in sleep, no few of them. Bren found it occasionally possible, no matter how the bus pitched and bounced.
Homura was missing. So was his partner Momichi. They had been seen on the lower levels of the citadel and then not seen at all. They were in no one’s command, but word had come that hostages had been found alive.
How was he not surprised?
Word had, meanwhile, come through from Lord Tatiseigi’s aishid, on the regular com, that everything was entirely satisfactory. He most carefully did not reference the dowager’s presence, but that was understood. And Bren had likewise contacted Ramaso, saying much the same—cautiously, in case there were stray elements of the Shadow Guild still wandering about. Without a head, that entity was little likely to cause trouble—but the Guild action in the Marid was likely to scatter a few pieces into the world at large. One never took good things for granted.
Bren had the com back. And there was the satisfaction of a good and detailed report to Tabini.
“You are well?” Tabini asked. It was rare, the concern. “I have had Midagi’s report. It is well and truly finished, down there?”
“At least in the west,” Bren said. “I shall be grateful, aiji-ma, if we can direct a flatbed truck down to Ashidama to pick up Lord Dur’s plane, from the grainfield nearest the cliffs and the market road—then bring it up to Cobo. It should be relatively safe to do that at this point.”
“I shall send it. And you? Are you well?”
“Remarkably,” he said, and rubbed his neck, where some stiffness remained. Landing on the floor under Tano’s weight had had some beneficial effect, at least, besides the bruises. “We will arrive in Kajiminda within the hour. I do not know how we shall survive the welcome—the aishidi’tat owes a great deal to Betan-nadi, of Geigi’s staff. And I hope we will have paid it, if we can get a treaty out of Jorida. Separti is rather pleased with the Edi at the moment—crediting them somewhat with the plane and the messages. And the Edi with Separti, for fighting off the enemy. I plan to start drafting the documents tomorrow. We will stay a couple of days, if I can prevail on the dowager . . . but I have to get to Cobo.”
A pause.
“The shuttle is already in descent.”
“With the refugees, aiji-ma?”
“There was no waiting. My son is already on his way to the spaceport—with his senior aishid as well as his younger. He assures us he can do this.”
One was appalled. But—
Cajeiri could.
He was fluent. There was that. He was a child in size—if the humans involved had the perception to realize that.
“I shall be there when I can. As soon as I can. Tonight if I have to.”
“Rest, paidhi. Rest. Best you have your wits about you. You have a document to write.”
• • •
A message had reached the Cobo train—an official message with Father’s red seal, gotten aboard just as the train was leaving the Bujavid station. Eisi received it at the door at the very last moment, the train starting to roll as Cajeiri took the message from him at his seat. It was not a cylinder—it had come in haste, without a message cylinder—but a flat four-folded sheet, wax-sealed with Father’s imprint.
Heart pounding, Cajeiri unfolded it and read Father’s handwriting.
Good news. Cenedi, the paidhi, the lord of Dur, and the prospective lord of Ajuri have left Jorida and are safely on their way back to Kajiminda without incident, having dropped off Lord Machigi on the edge of the Taisigin. News of Lord Tiajo’s death has now reached the Dojisigin Marid, and celebration has broken out in the capital and into the countryside, which is causing some difficulty with forces attempting to locate Shadow Guild remnants. This is not unforeseen, but the information is now widespread in the Marid.
The Master of Jorida having issued an order to the Townships to cooperate with Guild forces, Jorida town streets as well as the citadel upper levels are in possession of the Guild under Midagi.
Suratho perished with Tiajo. Two others of that unit are also confirmed killed. One remains at large and is being sought. Bear this in mind, son of mine.
Your mother and I send wishes for your success. You will do well.
He read it twice . . . three times . . . and the knot in his stomach slowly relaxed.
He had stayed out of Father’s office this morning. Much as he had wanted to be there, he had had to pack for the spaceport, to meet the incoming refugees. He had gotten no sleep last night, with the news that nand’ Bren and Dur had not returned to Kajiminda—he had not had relief until Lord Geigi called to tell them that the plane had landed safely in the grainfields of Ashidama Peninsula, that there were two people walking toward the road, and that Cenedi would be looking for them.
But then Banichi had reported a short while later to say that nand’ Bren and Lord Reijiri and Machigi and a band of Taisigi were all on the bus, all headed to take on the Shadow Guild at Jorida, on a tight time schedule . . .
Banichi said they were not hurt, and that they could have walked back to Kajiminda, but it would have been a very long walk, and Banichi would not allow it, even had they been willing to do that. They could just have camped by the plane and waited for everything to be over and until there was a truck free to go get them, but there had been a danger that Shadow Guild leaving Jorida could come on them if they stayed by the plane.
So they had gone with the bus.
After that . . . he had refused to go to bed. He could not imagine nand’ Bren sitting on the bus, out there in the middle of grainfields, for any sort of trouble to come upon. Nand’ Bren would not pull Banichi and his aishid out of the operation to guard them; nor would Reijiri likely withdraw his. So they were, he had known, absolutely going where the Guild went—safe enough in the heart of the operation, but not armored.
Elsewhere the Guild force was going to cross the bay from Separti; Cenedi’s would enter Jorida across the causeway, catching the Shadow Guild between them.
Machigi’s rangers could be useful or a distraction. They were not Guild trained, but if they behaved themselves, if Machigi did not try to take over . . .
One had had to believe that extra fighters would be a good thing and Cenedi would assign them something—but one had hoped that something would be as far from nand’ Bren as possible. Granted, Machigi did have personal reasons for being involved—Ashidama being on his border, with old, old issues about trade, and the Shadow Guild having killed his father.
So in this, at least, and in the outcome—he was sure Machigi was going to get as much out of it as he could get, and double-crossing Cenedi and mani would not have been the way to get anything. Certainly he would not have been on the side of Jorida, and definitely, emphatically, not on the side of Lord Tiajo.
The Guild force, made aware by the new coms that Cenedi was running late, had delayed en route to keep their coordination with Cenedi’s group and not forewarn Jorida . . . but that had not gone entirely smoothly: a number of Separti citizens had joined themselves to the operation and complicated the transport issue, delaying them.
So that all had happened, which they had gotten from the Guild force commander, Midagi, not from Cenedi: for a long, upsetting time it had been clearer what was happening down on the Separti waterfront than in Cenedi’s operation entering Jorida.
