Deathstalker War (66 page)

“Oh yes,” said BB Chojiro. “Only down the many years we slowly evolved into something more than was originally intended. Our loyalty now is to the protection and survival of all the Families, not just the Clans that birthed us. This came as something of a surprise to the heads of the various Clans, but they were quick to grasp the possibilities. Particularly when we proposed this plan to ensure the Families’ survival. There were those who took some convincing. Who were so sure they were impregnable in their ancient Towers. Your unexpected form of attack changed all that, Jack. As soon as your people started crashing through their defenses and smashing their way into the top floors of their precious Towers, it was amazing how fast the recalcitrant Families changed their tune, and told us to go ahead and make the deal. Isn’t that right, Gregor?”

“Get on with it,” growled the Shreck. “Just because a thing’s necessary, it doesn’t mean I like having to bow down to rebel scum. You haven’t won, Random, and we haven’t lost. It’s a stalemate. You could stick to your original plan and try to take us down, but I swear we’d fight to the last survivor of each Clan, and see most of your people dead in the process. You could still win; but you’d lose thousands of your people doing it. Well, Random? Is your need for revenge worth the deaths of so many of your followers? When you can save them and win the day, with just a word?”

“I don’t know,” said Random. “It might be. As long as people like you live and go unpunished, the rebellion will have been for nothing. All those who died to help us get this far will have died for nothing The system has to fall, and you’re part of the system.”

“If we go down, it won’t be just the system that falls,” said Gregor, grinning nastily. “You’ve had the carrot; now here’s the stick. You reject the deal, and we’ll use our financial power to destroy the Empire’s economic base. We can do it. We can use our computers to crash the banking system so thoroughly it would take centuries to recover. It’s already precarious after what your friend Deathstalker did to the Tax computers. We could push it over the edge with just a nudge here and there. Money would become worthless. Credit would disappear. Trade would become impossible. Planets would be cut off from each other. Millions would starve, and millions more would fight over the crumbs that remained. What of your glorious rebellion then, Random? Destroy us, and we’ll destroy the people you’ve been fighting to save.”

“Could they do that?” said Ruby to Random. “Could they really do that?”

“Oh yeah,” said Random. “That’s just the kind of thing the Families would do.”

“The order of things changes, but we go on,” said BB. “We have so much to offer a new regime.”

“The rebellion isn’t actually over yet,” said Storm thoughtfully. “The Empress could still make a comeback.”

“The Empress is mad,” said Gregor. “We can read the writing on the wall, especially when it’s written in blood. Now are we going to agree to the deal or not? As long as we’re standing here talking, people on both sides are dying needlessly. Not that I give a damn, but you’re supposed to care about such things. Decide, Random. We know the underground will abide by your decision.”

“Don’t listen to him, Jack,” said Ruby urgently. “We haven’t come this far to give up now. We can tear the Families down, just like you always wanted!”

“You heard the price,” said Random. “I always fought for the good of the people, not my own needs and wishes. What good is there in burning down an Empire, if all we have left to live in is ashes? The needs of the people come first. That’s why I became a rebel in the first place. If I put their future at risk for the sake of my own revenge, then everything I’ve ever fought for becomes a lie. Who knows; with the Families removed from political power, maybe we can . . . civilize them.”

“And what about the Chojiros?” said Ruby hotly. “All the vows you made to kill them all and piss on their graves? Do they mean nothing anymore?”

“I have more reason to hate the Chojiros than you’ll ever know,” Random said coldly. “I want them dead so badly I’d give up my life to destroy them all, root and branch. But I won’t, I can’t, give up innocent lives to my old hurts. And after all—maybe there’ll still be room for a little private revenge, after the rebellion is over.”

“Yes,” said BB, still smiling. “Clan Chojiro has always appreciated the honorable art of vendetta.”

“So we have a deal?” said Gregor.

“Yes, damn you,” said Jack Random. “We have a deal. Stand down your people, and I’ll halt the attack. Stay in your Towers till the rebellion’s over, and we’ll hammer out the details afterward. And no, I’m not going to shake your hands. I have to keep some self-respect.”

“I don’t believe this!” said Ruby, stepping back a pace so that her projectile weapon covered them all. “And I haven’t agreed to anything! You’re selling out the rebellion, Jack, selling out every promise you ever made. All the things you said to me, all the things you wanted me to believe, and now the day of judgment’s come, and you’re making deals!”

“It’s called politics, love,” said Random. “Sometimes the price of ideals can be too high. And if I can live with this, you can.”

“You were born an aristo,” said Ruby. “And you’re still one at heart after all. Make your deal, Jack. But I’ll never believe anything you tell me, ever again.”

And in the end, it was as simple as that. The word went out, the armada broke off its assault on the Towers, and both sides stood down. Many of the rebels still cried out for revenge, for those who had fallen this day as well as for all the many the Families had trampled underfoot down the centuries, but in the end the carrot and the stick convinced them. And as Random said, no one had ruled out the possibilities of some private revenges, afterward.

Some unexpected good came from the deal. Valentine Wolfe didn’t trust it to guarantee his safety, after all he’d done, and so he fled Tower Wolfe to take sanctuary in Lionstone’s Court. By leaving his Tower he broke the deal, and made himself a legitimate target for anyone who wanted to go after him. Ordinary people began to stream back into the city, sensing that the worst of the fighting was over. They cheered the rebels and called for the downfall of the Empress. They tore down her statues and spit on them, torched public buildings, and generally ran riot in the streets, drunk on the promise of freedom. The underground had to direct people away from the fighting to control the growing jubilation and prevent widespread looting, which put something of a dent in their general popularity. The underground had no choice but to ignore that. They had more important things to think about. They knew the war wasn’t over while Lionstone was still safe and secure in her steel bunker, deep below the surface, far away from the fighting.

Back in Tower Chojiro, Gregor Shreck and BB Chojiro had left to carry the good word back to their respective people, leaving Jack Random, Ruby Journey, and Alexander Storm alone. Random had already contacted the underground and apprised them of the deal, and was now thinking hard, trying to work out all the angles, desperate to be sure he hadn’t, after all, made a terrible mistake. Ruby was stomping up and down, fuming quietly, kicking the furniture and helping herself to any bright and shiny thing that took her fancy. Storm watched them both and for a time said nothing. Random finally looked around and caught the expression on Storm’s face.

“What is it, Alex? The rebellion’s all over now, bar the shouting.”

“No,” said Storm. “It isn’t over as long as the Empress still sits on the Iron Throne. She has access to all kinds of support. Weapons, people, secrets that the underground knows nothing about. She could still turn it all around, and the people in the streets would cheer her victory just as loudly as they’re now calling for her head. Lionstone always knew a day like this might come. Do you think the Families are the only ones who could made doomsday threats?”

“If she had any last nasty surprises, she’d have used them by now,” said Ruby.

“Is that what’s upsetting you?” said Random. “Forget it. Ruby’s right. Come on, cheer up. I haven’t seen you smile once since we got here.”

“They came to you to make the deal,” said Storm. “Not to me. Even though I represent the underground. They trusted your word, not mine. A small thing, perhaps, but the last of many.” He looked at Random almost helplessly. “But it’s still going to be harder than I thought.”

“What is?” said Random. “Look, if you’ve got something to say, spit it out. I haven’t got time to worry over your hurt feelings.”

“Time,” said Storm. “This has all been about time, really. Time steals our life away, day by day, and we don’t notice how much we’ve lost till it’s too late. We fought for years, you and I, and all for nothing. Gave up our youth, and all our chances for love and marriage and children and happiness, all for a dream that never came true. When we started, you promised me power and success, victory over our foes and justice for all, and I never saw any of it. Just hard fighting and harder living, cold food and bad liquor, and one lost battle after another. Running from world to world with nothing to show for it but more dead friends and a few new scars to nurse. And that was my life with Jack Random.”

“But that was then,” said Random. “We’ve moved on. Things have changed. We’ve changed . . .”

“Yes,” said Storm. “We got old. But you got young again. That was the last straw, really. I could have stood it if Time had cheated us both equally, but you got a new life again, and I didn’t. You were right, Jack; there’s always time for a little personal revenge. Thanks for helping me think this through. You’ve made this so much easier. Jack, Code Zero Zero Red Two.”

Jack Random convulsed, his back arching as though he’d been hit from behind. He sank to his knees, trying to force words out of a contorted mouth. Ruby was quickly at his side, kneeling down and holding his shaking hands in hers. “What is it, Jack? What?”

“He can’t hear you,” said Storm, almost regretfully. “You see, when the med techs had him in their nasty little hands, not all that long ago, they took the precaution of implanting certain control words in his head, just in case he ever got away from them. And they gave those words to me, when I agreed to become an Imperial spy, their agent in the heart of the underground. They always thought there was a chance we might meet again, eventually. And how right they were. Ever since then, it’s just been a question of waiting for the right moment. I kept putting it off and putting it off, hoping for a return of the old camaraderie we used to share. Hoping for a chance to be a hero again. But he wouldn’t even allow me that. So in the end, I am the Empress’s man. And now, so is he.”