The passenger lounge serving Port Gagarin’s Landing Bay 2 was closed to the public and the rows of seating had been moved well back to make room for the Hegemony and Earthsphere entourages – one with nineteen members, the other with just two.
Harry, dressed in a long grey coat over a dark formal suit circa 1930s America, was smiling as he observed the High Monitor Kuros and his escort of four Ezgara commandos, twelve DVC soldiers and three attendants.
‘Robert, sometimes I don’t think the Diplomatic Service takes your safety seriously enough – hell, you don’t take it seriously enough. Yesterday, Sundstrom offered you your very own personal escort, just like Kuros, but you turned it down. Why?’
‘I’ve told you already,’ Robert said in a low murmur. ‘My secretary and his assistant are both armed – any more would be an unnecessary burden and would get in the way.’
‘Yes, well, I didn’t believe you yesterday and I don’t believe you now, so what’s the real reason?’
Robert glared at his AI companion, which elicited only a sunny smile in response. He sighed.
‘If you must know, an openly armed escort would make me feel as if I really was in danger. If this was a non-Human world, like when we were on Giskhn 4 a few years ago, I could see the point. But here… well, it would feel like an admission of defeat. These are our people – we can’t fail them so we must make sure that the special accord between Earthsphere and the Hegemony actually means something.’
‘I’m sure it means something to the exalted Kuros,’ Harry said. ‘Loyal dependability, for example.’
For a few moments they regarded the Hegemony envoy. The tall Sendrukan was attired in a more martial manner than on previous occasions, his sleeves and leggings resembling ancient metal armour, his headgear looking more like a helmet than a hat. Also, oblivious to his guards or Robert, he was clearly in conversation with his own AI companion, going by the lip movements and infrequent hand gestures. Robert realised that in the absence of reporters and their cams – banned from this event – Kuros felt more able to relax. Even the terminal security cams had been switched off by the express wish of Diakon-Commodore Reskothyr, the Brolturan ambassador to Darien.
The other main condition of Reskothyr’s visit was that President Sundstrom not be present, since the Brolturans insisted on dealing initially only with responsible authorities, i.e. Earthsphere. Inevitably Sundstrom was annoyed but he had quickly grasped the diplomatic realities and displayed considerable leadership qualities by the speed with which he reconciled himself to the situation.
‘I’ve met him, you know,’ Harry said. ‘Kuros’s companion.’
Robert stared at him. ‘You’ve met him? You can communicate with Hegemony AIs?’
Harry gave him a droll look. ‘It’s not such a hard concept to grasp, Robert – avenues for dialogue exist, according to stringent protocols laid down by both governments, and quite recently I chanced to encounter the High Monitor’s companion.’
‘I’m fascinated – what was he, or it, like?’
‘He’s an ogre. His persona is a detailed remap of one General Gratach, who was a Principal Abrogator during the Three Revolutions War, an especially gory episode in Hegemony history.’
‘I’ve seen some recordings from that period. Gory doesn’t begin to cover it.’
‘Well, old Gratach was up to his elbows in it, helped put the first Serrator Hegemon on the throne – both times. If he’s Kuros’s companion it might be worth going over some of his campaigns, just to get a feel for his strategic style.’
Robert nodded. ‘I wish I’d known about this a couple of days ago, Harry.’
‘Well, when I say quite recently it was really pretty recently. Like last night.’
Robert was about to reply when his comm beeped softly – it was Gagarin Terminal’s security chief, Porteous.
‘Mr Ambassador, I am to inform you that the Purifier’s shuttlecraft has landed and that the Brolturan delegation will be with you very shortly.’
‘Thank you, Mr Porteous. Please extend my sincere gratitude to all your staff for their efficient professionalism today.’
‘You’re very kind, sir – I shall do so at the earliest opportunity.’
‘Incidentally, any news on the comm network?’
‘Sorry, sir, we’re still restricted to a local service. I understand that engineers are working on the local hub now.’
Harry grinned as Robert put away his comm.
‘Relax, it’s probably just a blown fuse or melted circuit, given the backward state of the cell network here. I’ve seen the plans – it’s a wonder it works as well as it does.’
Robert shrugged. ‘It’s my job to worry. How else do I earn the fabulous salary they don’t pay me? But never mind – what about Kuros? With a brutal old Hegemony general for a companion, you’d think he would be rather less than even-tempered…’
He broke off, seeing figures descending a spiral staircase which lay beyond a tall glass wall at the other end of the passenger lounge. He turned and signalled to his secretary, Omar, who hurried over from the seats with the welcoming gift, a hand-carved chess set. Glancing over, he saw Kuros also receiving a package from one of his assisters.
‘Could be awkward if it’s another chess set,’ said Harry.
‘Kuros strikes me as more of a poker player,’ Robert said. ‘Keeping his cards close to his chest, that sort of thing.’
‘What about our new guest?’
‘His game of choice? Something with the ornate quality of chess and the brute directness of boxing, maybe.’
The Brolturan procession had reached the foot of the spiral stairs and turned towards the wide open double doors that led into the lounge. Reskothyr’s livery ran to blood-reds and silver-grey, as manifested in the attire of the four bodyguards and six officials, while he himself wore perfect black, a collarless, knee-length coat of austere cut: his head was bare and shaven, his hands covered by gleaming black gauntlets. Before them strode two standard-bearers dressed in plain crimson uniforms and grey metal helmets. As Robert made Omar stand a pace behind with the wrapped gift, ready to hand it forward, he realised that there was some kind of music coming from the approaching entourage, a deep vocal drone.
Then the procession came to a halt, except for the standard-bearers. They continued several paces further on then diverged, one carrying his standard over to the Hegemony envoy, the other to the Earthsphere ambassador. As the choral droning grew louder Robert realised that it was coming from a small black cube at the top of the standards. Then with the huge Sendrukan looming over him, Robert bowed to the standard, a long banner of thick, dark blue cloth fringed with jewelled honours and carrying the duty and family crests of Diakon-Commodore Reskothyr.
That was when the shooting began.