Jerry Pournelle & S. M. Stirling The Prince of Sparta

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tight. Put automatic weapons teams behind the crowds. Fire on anyone who
retreats. Set the fires in the center of Minetown, big ones. They'll charge
the barricades if you get them too crazy-scared of what's behind them to
stop."
The technoninja nodded-
"Do it. Now. Also, detach two companies for the
EncQosung attack on Fort Plataia."
PRINCE OF SPARTA 341
The Helot hesitated. "Sir "
"It is essential."
Orders crackled out.
" " "
^ � �
"Glad to see you. Comet Talldns," Owensford said.
"Highness, I present Cornet Margreta Talldns. She holds commissions in both
the Legion and the Royal
Intelligence Corps. Talldns, Crown Prince Lysander."
"I'm proud to meet you. Highness," Margreta said-
She looked down at her ill fitting clothing with embar-
rassment. "They didn't tell me I was to meet you "
Lysander took her hand and kissed her fingers. "I'm very pleased to meet you.
We'll repeat the introduc-
tion at a more pleasant event," Lysander said. He turned to her companion. "I
can't say I'm pleased to see you, Miles. Frankly, I'd rather talk to a snake."
"I wish I could resent that," Geoffrey Niles said.
"But unfortunately I understand all too well."
"Were you at Stora?" Lysander demanded.
"At Stora, yes, Highness. But I had nothing to do with the attack on the
Armory. I would have pre-
vented it if I could."
"You knew it was to take place?"
"I knew we had an earth penetrator missile. I did not know its target until
less than five minutes before the launch. I protested the targeting, and was
told that if I continued to protest I would be shot. I did not order that
target, nor did I pass along any orders concerning that missile."
"Sergeant Bielskis?" Owensford asked.
"No hesitations, and no doubts," Andy Bielslds said.
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"If he's faking that, he's the best I ever saw. I'd say genuine, sir."
"If you like I'll submit to any questioning technique you want to employ,"
Niles said. The only violation of the Laws of War that I have been involved in
or
342 Jerry Poumelle ^ S.M. Stirling condoned was the gas attack in the Dales,
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and that was against military targets only. There weren't even any civilians
in the area."
"All right, we'll hold that one in abeyance," Owens-
ford said. "Comet, what was promised to Mr. Niles?"
"Free passage out if he didn't talk us into a better deal, and a reasonable
head start before pursuit."
"Talldns, you sound exhausted. I suppose its best you're here as long as we're
talking to Grand Senator
Bronson's nephew, but as soon as we're done I want you to go check into St.
Thomas's," Owensford said.
"Thanks, sir, but I reckon I can still fight."
There's no need," Lysander said.
"Every need," Margreta said. "Highness, I intend to accept Citizenship just as
soon as I'm discharged. This is my home, and I'll sure feel better when we've
got these scum cleaned out of it." She touched her bruised cheeks and black
eye. "And I reckon I have some personal reasons, too."
"Well, I can't argue that," Owensford said. "All right, Niles, you hinted that
you want a better deal than a safe conduct out of here. What do you want and
what will you trade?"
"What I want is a free pardon," Niles said-
"Not a ticket off-planet?"
"If I have to take that I'll do it, but I'd rather earn me right to stay
here," Geoff said. "Stay here, help rebuild.
Help undo some of the damage I've caused." He looked significantly at
Margreta. "Marry, work for Citizenship."
"Why this change of heart?"
"It would take a long time to explain, and we don't have a long time,'* Geoff
said. "You leam a lot about a society from fighting it. And about its leaders.
And what I learned was to admire you people."
"And what do you have to bargain with?" Owens-
ford demanded.
PRINCE OF SPARTA 343
"Information. I'll give it all to you, and you deter-
mine what it's worth- I'll accept your valuation."
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Lysander look coldly at him for a while. "All right.
Spill it."
Geoff told them of the conversation he had heard between Skilly and Murasald.
"I didn't actually hear the word 'nuke,' " he said, "but I can't think what
else it could be. Murasald has one, but only one, nuclear weapon, and he
intends to deploy it either to destroy the Palace, or Legion Headquarters at
Fort Plataia, If it was left to Skilly it would be the Palace, but my guess is
that Murasald prefers Plataia."
"But you don't know it's a nuke," Lysander said, "and in any event you don't
know where it is. Where it is now, or where it is going to be. Who would
know?"
"Skilly, and Murasald," Geoff said. "And maybe not
Skilly. Murasald is crazy. Apparently Grand Uncle gave him the assignment of
undermining Sparta, and the secondary but almost equally important goal of
pun-
ishing Falkenberg's Legion."
"Sounds a bit odd," Owensford said. "The Legion's on
New Washington. We're just some odd bits and pieces."
"Including the families," Niles said. "Murasald would delight in the anguish
it would cause
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Falkenberg and his people on New Washington if they heard their famihes were
killed- Or captured by
Bronson people."
"That must take real hate," Owensford said. "Is
Bronson that crazy?"
Niles shook his head slowly. "General, I don't know.
I used to think he was crazy like a fox. That's still the way to bet it."
"All right," Lysander said. "General, your evalu-
ation? Is his information worth what he asks?"
"It's close. Talkins, have you a recommendation re-
garding this man?" Owensford said.
344 Jerry PoumeUe ^ S.M. Stirling
"He saved my life," she said- "And he was very much a gentleman."
"Well, you have a large favor coming from the
Crown," Lysander said.
"Oh. Well, if it's large enough to cover his pardon, I'll ask for it,"
Margreta said.
Lysander nodded. "So be it. Geoffrey Niles, you have a free pardon for all
acts committed since you arrived on Sparta to this moment. Comet Talkins,
you've still got a favor coming, you didn't use more than half your credit on
this."
"So," Owensford said. "Sergeant, take Mr. Niles to a conference room and see
if he remembers anything
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M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%20Sparta%20UC.txt else worth knowing. Particularly
clues about where this Gotterdammerung is going to go off."
Lysander stood. "I don't suppose I can be much help with that. Cornet Talldns,
please go to St.
Thomas's. It won't be any picnic. I'm afraid the hospi-
tal is going to end up as part of the defense system."
"
�
"The next push with their armor may get through,"
Lysander said bluntly, to the officers grouped around them. "We're sopping up
their infantry, us and the
Citizens, but we've got to get. more antitank teams out there "
It had been only five hours since the attack began. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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