Because Sakama Hideki had succeeded his father Sakama Iyoshi a few years previous, Daniel had a mental impression of Hideki being a young man; in fact he was in his late fifties: swarthy, thin-featured, and as alert as a hawk. The courtiers were a mixed bag. The civilians, two men and a woman in lace-embroidered robes, looked sharp. One of the men held a portable data unit that from where Daniel stood could’ve been a duplicate of Adele’s.
On the other hand, the three military officials, all male, weren’t prepossessing. Daniel noticed that their pistol holsters were empty, but a sub-machine gun of Cinnabar manufacture rested on the bench beside the Governor.
Daniel marched to within six feet of where the Sakama waited, halted, and from instinct—it wasn’t anything he’d planned—struck an Academy brace and saluted. “Sir!” he said. “Lieutenant Daniel Leary of Cinnabar, at your service.”
When his brain took time to analyze it, Daniel decided it’d been the proper thing to do as well as the right one. The Governor almost certainly had a high military rank as well as the civil title he went by, so a reserve officer of the RCN should salute him on meeting. But when there isn’t time for analysis, you have to go by instinct. Daniel’s instinct had taken him safe through several battles, and the present situation might not be far short of another one. You couldn’t tell with foreigners. . . .
“The Cluster is pleased at your visit, Captain Leary,” Sakama said. His voice rasped as though his vocal cords were scarred. “Perhaps you would care for some refreshment? I can summon a boy with wine or perhaps an assortment of nuts? Terran maranha nuts grown here in the soil of Todos Santos are a great delicacy on Cinnabar, I’m told.”
“Thank you, your excellency,” Daniel said, then went on to the lie, “but I’d just finished eating when your invitation arrived. Your planet appears a marvelous place, and I’m looking forward to sampling its delights as soon as I’ve accomplished my duties to the vessel I command.”
“Yes, it’s your duties that my advisors and I wanted to speak with you about, Captain Leary,” Sakama said. The female civilian and one of the military officers were staring at Daniel in a combination of rage and loathing, but the remainder of the courtiers kept their eyes averted.
The Governor drew on the long, amber stem of his pipe while he continued to smile at Daniel. “You are the son of Speaker Leary, are you not? It is perhaps not a coincidence that you’ve come to the Cluster at this time?”
Daniel pursed his lips. He dropped from his brace into Parade Rest, his hands crossed behind his back. The perfumed tobacco smoke tickled his nose, and he didn’t want to sneeze.
“My father is Corder Leary, yes, your excellency,” he said, keeping his tone mild and completely emotionless. “But my family relationships have nothing to do with my presence on Todos Santos at the moment. I’m in the private employ of two nobles from Novy Sverdlovsk who want to visit unfrequented corners of the Galactic North. I recommended we put into Todos Santos to refit the yacht after her run from Cinnabar.”
He didn’t mention their intention to put in at Radiance also, though it must be obvious to the Governor. Most of the Galactic North could be described as unfrequented, with few docks other than those of Todos Santos and Radiance capable of performing major repairs to a starship.
Sakama leaned forward. “You know that the Council of the Commonwealth is in league with the Alliance now, don’t you?” he said. “That’s a threat to the Cluster, certainly; but a threat to you in Cinnabar as well. Not so?”
“Your excellency . . . ,” Daniel said, speaking with the careful sincerity of truth. “I don’t know anything about such a league. If such a thing is true—”
“It is true!” said the official holding the data unit. “They have a base on Gehenna and will send a huge fleet there shortly. Battleships and many other ships!”
“Do you think we don’t know what goes on in Radiance?” the female official said harshly. “But how are we to stop it? This is your fault, your war with the Alliance, but we’re the ones who’ll pay for your failure to act!”