Casting a glance to his left, Kinnison frowned at a framed map of the archipelago, the ancient paper brittle and yellow. The two bore so little in common that the predark map was almost useless. How many new islands had risen during the nukestorm of skydark, while so many more disappeared beneath the boiling waters? There were no indications of any active volcanoes on the old map, yet now the volcanoes were the secret source of his power. The only known source of sulfur in the entire chain of islands.
“My world,” the baron said softly.
“The whole world,” Brandon corrected him. He felt allowed to speak such now that they were alone in the war room.
“Brandon, I have four wars going on in the western and southern islands,” Kinnison said, tracing the areas on the wall with a bandaged finger. Flecks of dried blood marked the painted surface. “And the sea muties are rising early to the east. We lose those villes, and it’s no beef and fewer slaves until we find some more fools to go live there again.”
“We need more flash,” the lieutenant suggested. “And aside from Cold Harbor, the only other source is Forbidden Island.”
The baron stared at the small crescent island to the south of his domain. On the old map, it bore another name, but that meant nothing to him here in the present. “You volunteering to go there?” he asked, slightly amused.
“Fuck no,” the lieutenant replied curtly. Then hastily he added, “Sir.”
The baron allowed the discourtesy because he felt the same way. Nothing imaginable could ever force him to set foot on that rad-blasted hellhole.
“Didn’t think you were that stupe,” he admonished. “I have enough flash for a while, but the mills must have more, and soon.”
“Can’t risk using any of our own stores,” Brandon said, thinking aloud. “It would weaken our defenses too much, and the pirates are getting bolder every day. At least we don’t have any muties to fight on our home island.”
“Not since my father slaughtered them twenty seasons ago,” Kinnison agreed. The hairless giants with forked tongues were immune to fire and possessed inhuman strength. Incredible fighters, the last to die had sent his father on the last train west and made him the ruler of the world.
“I don’t like this,” Kinnison muttered. “Cold Harbor loses a ship just when we need their flash the most. This could be a trick of some kind. Weaken us, catch us off guard.”
Reluctantly Brandon was forced to agree. “We could send a single ship to Cold Harbor and report to their baron that we found the wreckage of their cargo ship. We chilled the pirates who sank it, and now want our original shipment. Plus a bounty for the pirates.”
“They can’t refuse that,” Kinnison stated, moving to the only chair in the room and gratefully sitting down. His leg was hurting again. “Yes, very good. We’ll go with your plan.”
“I’ll need reinforcements,” Brandon stated. “In case they refuse to pay or outright resist. One ship, far from home, and some coldhearts could night-creep us and steal the entire vessel.”
Kinnison stopped massaging his sore leg. “Refuse!” he roared, his face contorting into a feral mask. “Refuse one of my sec men?”
“Or they could plead poverty,” Brandon suggested hastily. The baron was becoming more and more violent. Perhaps the rot was spreading to his brain. That wouldn’t be good. “You know the same old stories, that shipment was all they could spare, blah, blah, starving children, boo-hoo. Might even be true, but what do we care? Pay or die. That’s the law.”
“Blasted people might even be working with the pirates. They have a base somewhere, why not Cold Harbor?”
“That’s true, sir.”
“All right, take a couple of the windjammers and—” The baron scowled. “No, can’t take any chances. Better take an armada, ten of the PT boats, fully armed with rapidfires, torps and Firebirds. Hide the fleet on a nearby island, and then go in alone to ask about the tribute. If they apologize and pay, take the flash and come home.”
“If not?”
Kinnison sneered. “Then level the ville and put everybody in chains to work the mines. Afterward, ace the men and bring me the rest alive. The brats will become slaves, and I’ll choose a new bitch to fuck.”