THE GRAND ADMIRAL’S shoulders squared as the image of the sandy-haired woman appeared in the screen. “I thought you’d like to know that you were right, Marcella. The Senate Pro-Consul departed a short time ago. We have been requested to pull back the fleets.”
“Fact…mere fact, that wasn’t sufficient, was it? Pages and pages of documentation, they weren’t adequate, either. It only took the total conversion of the single largest military installation in the Galaxy to total energy and ten million deaths on Tinhorn.” Marcella’s voice was cold.
“They weren’t Imperial citizens, and we didn’t do it.” A chilly smile crossed the Admiral’s lips, one that did not extend to her eyes. “For that, the Pro-Consul was grateful, somewhat belatedly.”
“And Accord?”
“The Imperial Senate has welcomed, if not with entirely open arms, Accord’s offer to send scientific teams to Heraculon and the other affected planets, along with ships full of resistant bean plants and seeds. They made that offer along with their declaration against the Conglomerate. They also said they wouldn’t hesitate to repeat the act against the next most-inhabited system in the Conglomerate…orany system contemplating commencing hostilities at this time. The message from their Prime was about as direct as I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.”
Marcella shook her head. “I learned that Accord doesn’t bluff from one envoy.”
“Marcella, recall the jest about senators…five are always denser than one. There are three hundred of them.”
“There isn’t anything left of Tempte, and a lot of molten rock seared Tinhorn. How did they do it?”
“How? Our analysts estimate that someone drove a shielded battlecruiser, armored to the teeth, straight into Tempte at about a half-light velocity. Do you have any idea what kind of energy that represents? They did something similar with a needleboat—several of them—except they went first and took down all the lasers and defense systems. The Conglomerate thought Tempte was impregnable. We thought so, too.”
“Nothing’s safe from them.”
“Right now, most of the Galaxy’s in shock. If it had been any other system besides Tinhorn, or any other attacker beside the Coordinate, we’d all be arming against Accord. Nowhere is safe against them. They’ve made their point, something like: By the way, would you please respect us and leave us alone?” A faint chime sounded, and the Admiral glanced to the side. “I’ll have to leave in a moment for my briefing of the Emperor.”
“That really isn’t the point,” the special assistant replied.
The Admiral waited.
“The point is that there is nothing so dangerous as directed and unrestrained action in service of principle. The Institute serves principle.”
“You think we should eliminate the Institute?”
“How?”
“Your point, Marcella. Besides, we might need them again. Unfortunately.”
“Why did it take so much to convince you?” asked the special assistant.
“I was convinced a long time ago. I never doubted you.” The Grand Admiral shrugged. “But…I doubt if anyone else could have restrained the war dogs as long as they were.”
Marcella nodded. “And you hoped…”
“Even I hoped, daughter, even I.”