Kier knew she should take no pleasure in the act, but there was a grand difference between diplomatic precedent and welcoming a spy into your home.
Fortunately, both the Director at Ural and the Khan of Samara had agreed with her position that the Fribourg agent should be in custody, Red Admiral Keller or Khan Ul be damned. Kier had been forced to waste time going back and forth to get that official sanction. That would make it that much more pleasant when she was able to invoke censure on this pipsqueak Khan from the back of beyond for daring to thwart her.
The man on the screen staring back at her did not improve her humor.
“What do you mean, he left?” she demanded, feeling her fury grow another notch. “He’s the Khan of Trusski. Unless he was recalled by the Eldest, he had no business departing this planet.”
A small voice in the back of Kier’s head wondered if Ul had known what was coming and chosen to flee ahead of justice. She smiled at that. If the man had gone rogue, then he became a literal outlaw and she could deal with him any way she felt necessary.
“The Khan did not leave an explanation,” the man said. “Only a statement that he would be departing to make sure that Ambassador Bhattacharya was safely transported home, and that I should exercise his position until he returned or someone of sufficient authority interceded.”
Kier had dealt with this man, the Scholar Ve, on her previous visit. He had struck her then as a pompous, obsequious peon. She could see that nothing had changed since.
And she could tell that he would argue with her on precedence, if he were pushed. Her orders from both the Director and the Khan of Samara had been to compel Khan Ul to hand the barbarian over, into military custody. Kier therefore theoretically lacked the specific authority to order this replacement to do anything at all, if the woman were truly gone.
Still, it must be done correctly. Especially if she was going to make a point of destroying this rogue Khan and his career. And she wanted that. Badly.
“I have orders from the Khan of Samara,” she began in an angry, grinding voice. “You will produce the foreign agent immediately.”
Simple. Direct. Non-negotiable.
“Ambassador Bhattacharya is no longer on this planet,” Ve said in a supercilious voice. “She departed three days ago aboard an accredited transport. Khan Ul departed at the same time. I am unaware of their itinerary or intentions.”
The way he smiled, ever so slightly when he said it told Kier just how well the man understood. It would be a game with him, as it had been with his master.
“How else may I be of service, Director?” the man continued, slipping white-hot wires under her fingernails with his tone.
There was one other arrow in her quiver. She hadn’t planned on invoking it, but this fool and his former leader had managed to back her into a corner. She could lose face, or she could push the issue.
And she was never one to surrender any advantage.
“As the foreigner Keller has declared this an active warzone, we are compelled to defend it,” Kier said, smiling spitefully. “She has struck at several other systems already, destroying orbital platforms, but has only threatened Trusski. I hereby invoke the supremacy of Martial Law in this system. The civilian government will coordinate all activities through the military office until we can determine that the threat has been nullified.”
“Indeed, Director Xi,” the man agreed too readily. “Except that there exists no military office on the surface. You will need to establish one by sending down adequate representation.”
None? Stupid farmers.
Kier refused to scowl at the man, aware that she had just stepped into another trap laid by Ve or his master. Still, she could send down Nu Reutra Quilen Danl, the man known once as Imperial citizen Daniel St. Collins. It would be good enough for now.
Kier was aware that Ve was smirking at her.
“I will be in touch shortly,” she said curtly, cutting the channel.
She would be stuck here, but it would give Steadfast at Dawn’s crew a chance to build some proper defenses. She would deputize another freighter, as the escaped Khan had done, and send it to Samara for additional assistance, perhaps a small patrol squadron that could at least protect the region.
It would require a significant force to stop Keller, but she had been raiding with impunity, sending her little gunships hither and yon to blow things up, simply because most systems had never been defended. Fribourg had never before bothered to attack any system except Samara.
A Mako, or perhaps a squadron of Hammerheads, would put a quick end to that rash behavior.
And either Keller or Ul would be back soon.
She would enjoy greeting either of them when the time came.