"Modesitt,.L.E.-.Ecolitian.Enigma.v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

V

Nathaniel Firstborne Whaler bowed as he stepped inside the door, ignoring the twinges that intermittently traveled the nerves of his left side. "Prime?"

"Come on in, Nathaniel." The silver-haired Prime Ecolitan stood by the wide table with the single drawer that served as his desk. As usual, the office was free of clutter. Two hard-copy files lay on the corner of the immaculate blond Ecolog-style desktable. The louvered shutters were open, and a cool breeze wafted through the office.

Nathaniel paused between the two carved and high-backed wooden chairs.

"Sit down." Gairloch Pittsways green eyes twinkled. "After your ordeal, I wouldn't keep you standing-not yet, anyway."

Nathaniel took the chair on the left side of the table and waited, his eyes on the older man. "Solid work you did on Old Earth." The Prime took the other carved chair in front of the desk. "Your return proved that."

"Thank you." When the Prime began with a compliment, trouble lay on the course ahead. Nathaniel also didn't like the idea that an attempt on his own life proved his value. That was almost like saying he wouldn't be appreciated until he was dead. That kind of appreciation he could do without.

"Your unvarnished description of Imperial politics was refreshing, if not unexpected. In view of your earlier efforts, you might be interested to know we took steps with regard to the elections on Hernando. The Popular Front had some setbacks in the balloting, and the Conservative Democrats have consolidated their government. They no longer need the Socialist Republicans." The Prime Ecolitan leaned back in his chair. "Would that our own citizens were as perceptive. Or our own honorable representatives."

"What did the House of Delegates do?" Two compliments, reflected Nathaniel, meant real trouble.

"At our prompting, indirectly, of course, they sent a communique to the Imperial Senate strongly suggesting it was in everyone's best interests if Hernando remained independent. The Imperial Secretary of External Affairs sent a reassuring response, and the Elders are patting themselves on the back, conveniently forgetting that the Institute carried everyone's oil. It works better that way." Pittsway grinned. "You did manage to terrify a few of the Imperials. That was obvious." The Prime glanced toward the green hills framed in the window. "I am not referring to the needle-gun attack."
"I hadn't thought so."

"We'll get to that in a moment. Even on Old Earth, you were obviously overtly formidable."

"The synde bean plague on Heraculon helped." Nathaniel raised his eyebrows and waited. "Probably a great deal."

"Nasty business, there. I've started a team on that." The Prime frowned momentarily. "I suppose you couldn't afford to disclaim it."

"I didn't claim or disclaim it. I didn't think so, but I didn't know."

"Matters would have to degrade considerably for us even to think about a return to ecological weapons with that broad an impact. You know how the Institute feels about ecologic warfare except as a last resort. One of the lesser benefits of the Secession. Besides, we'd have the entire galaxy up in arms if we did. It's perfectly all right to wage wars, manipulate trade and agriculture, and starve or kill millions, but ecological warfare . . . horror of horrors. That's another reason why the Charter and the Iron Rules were codified by the first Whaler. You're some sort of relation, aren't you?"

"You know the answer to that," said Nathaniel with a smile. "About as distant as one can get."

"You ought to read his papers, if you haven't. They're sealed, but the access is in your debrief file. I'd appreciate it if you would at least read through the entries I coded. You might also consider some of his exploits as a basis for revising your contingency plans. You managed the trade negotiations with minimal use of force. You may not have that option on your next assignment, I'm afraid the Fuards or the Federated Hegemony, or both, are setting up trouble."

Nathaniel refrained from swallowing. References to force and the first Whaler? The one who had a reputation for drastic action? For the Prime to suggest such was definitely a bad sign. "Could I ask why you think so?"

"There are three reasons, or perhaps they're the same. The next request for your services, the attack, and your friend. Or is she more than a friend?"

"I have hopes, but that has to be up to Sylvia. I think she'll be an asset, one way or another."

"I'm sure of that." Pittsway offered a wry grin. "After the way you bent both our system and the Imperials' to get her here, she must be quite a person."
"She is. I wouldn't have been able to do it without her."

"Is that true or a justification?"

"True," Nathaniel admitted. "She provided access and insight." He didn't want to admit out loud that Sylvia's ability to get him inside the Defense Tower on New Augusta had made possible his distribution of the Institute-modified Gersons disease that had forced Admiral Ku-Smythe to accept the trade negotiations. Besides, the details in his report should have told the Prime what he needed to know.

"Hmmm." The Prime nodded. "You have her in the intensive indoctrination courses already."