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."Then I'll work with whom do you want to act as Speaker while you're gone?""Could you?""I doubt it, not without starting a row.Your best bet would be a Cavendish, a de Marktos, or aBarraclough.I can certainly stay as legal advisor, and hold the carnage to a minimum.But you'rethe only one everyone trusts right now.Almost everyone.""Your transportation is here, sir." Poisson again."I'll come with you this far," Kevil said.It was not a question."Thank you." Thornbuckle did not entirely trust his voice."I'll.just wash up, I think." Hegathered up the flatpics and the data cube, stuffing them back into the striped package.Kevilnodded and went on toward the side entrance.Thornbuckle looked at his face in the mirror after splashing cold water on it.He looked.surprisingly normal.Pale, tired, angry.well, that he was.After the shock, the pain, camethe anger.deep, and burning hotter every moment.Without his quite realizing how, it spreadfile:///F|/rah/Elizabeth%20Moon/Moon,%20Eliz.egacy%2005%20-%20Rules%20Of%20Engagement.txt (96 of 230) [5/20/03 11:37:29 PM]file:///F|/rah/Elizabeth%20Moon/Moon,%20Elizabeth%20-%20The%20Serrano%20Legacy%2005%20-%20Rules%20Of%20Engagement.txtfrom the thugs who had perpetrated this most recent abomination to everyone who had contributed toit.the blaze spreading back down the trail Brun had taken, outlining in flame every personwho had influenced her on that path.When he left the dining room he was still in shock.by the time he arrived at the Admiralty,he was already beginning to think whom else to blame.Kevil, sitting beside him in the groundcar,said nothing to interfere with the inexorable progress of his rage.At the Admiralty's planetside headquarters, a commander awaited him.someone he rememberedfrom the briefings of the past week, when the replacement of ships from the Xavier action had beenunder discussion.He realized with a shock that Poisson had not told them what this was about andthen that Poisson had been right.He nodded to the commander, and as soon as they were inside said, "This is not about the budget; Ineed to speak to the highest ranking officer present.""Yes, sir; Admiral Glaslin is waiting.Secretary Poisson said it was confidential and urgent.Butsince I had met you before, he thought I should be your escort."Admiral Glaslin tall and angular, with a heronlike droop of neck met him in the anteroom and ledthem into the inner office."Lord Thornbuckle how may we help you?"Thornbuckle threw the package on the desk."You can find these.persons.and mydaughter.""Sir?""Look inside," Kevil said quietly."Lord Thornbuckle's daughter has been abducted and mutilated "The admiral's mouth opened, then he shut it firmly and emptied the contents of the package ontohis desk.At the sight of the flatpics, his face paled from its normal bronze to an unattractivemud color."When did you get this?""Just now," Thornbuckle said."It was delivered sixty-four minutes ago, at the palace, as part of the normal Hymail Expressdaily delivery; Secretary Poisson opened it because it was labelled Personal, and when he realizedits nature, brought it immediately to Lord Thornbuckle." Kevil paused in his recitation until theadmiral nodded."We were eating lunch, at the time.We have also viewed the data cube.""Same as the flatpics?""The data cube contains both a video record of the capture and an apparent surgical procedure, andaudio threats against the government of the Familias Regnant.""Lord Thornbuckle?" The admiral looked at him."I didn't hear most of the words.Kevil will be correct, however.I want a copy, when you've madeone "The admiral looked at Kevil."Do you think that's wise ?""Dammit, man! I'm the Speaker; I know what I need!""Certainly.But I must tell you this will have to go to the Grand Admiral ""Of course.The sooner the better.You have to find her " Thornbuckle forced himself to stand, toshake the admiral's hand, to turn and walk out of the office, down the polished corridors, to theentrance where his car waited.* * ** * *Twelve hours later, Thornbuckle woke from a fitful doze at the approach of the Grand Admiral'saide.file:///F|/rah/Elizabeth%20Moon/Moon,%20Eliz.egacy%2005%20-%20Rules%20Of%20Engagement.txt (97 of 230) [5/20/03 11:37:29 PM]file:///F|/rah/Elizabeth%20Moon/Moon,%20Elizabeth%20-%20The%20Serrano%20Legacy%2005%20-%20Rules%20Of%20Engagement.txt"They're here now, milord."The conference room, as secure as any room could be, was crammed with officers.Thornbucklereminded himself that the blue shoulder-flashes were Intelligence, and the green were Technical.At one end of the long black table, Grand Admiral Savanche leaned forward, and at the other wasthe only empty seat in the room, waiting for the government's senior civilian representative:himself.He edged past the others to his place, and stood there facing Savanche."You've seen the recording," Lord Thornbuckle said."What I want to know is, what kind of forceare you committing to getting her back?""There's not a damn thing we can do," Grand Admiral Savanche said.After a brief pause, heappended, "Sir.""There has to be." Thornbuckle's voice was flat, even, and unyielding."We can search," Savanche said."Which we're doing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]