"Have a nice trip?" Will asked without looking from his desk. As usual, he had at least seven folders open at the same time. He was busy on a computer and his com.
"Not really," Roland answered truthfully.
Will finished whatever he was typing and disconnected his com line. He leaned back in his chair, watching Roland. The whisper of air was the only noise in the office. Roland crossed it, feet soundless on the thick carpeting. He stood in front of a large viewscreen. It showed stars, millions of them, hard and cold in the vacuum of space.
"We were turned back at the border," Roland said. "The Empire is still not recognizing us."
"Or still blaming us." Will signed a paper and closed a folder, setting it aside. "Any word on the Empress?"
"Not really," Roland said. "She's young, almost too young, but not stupid. She's got some smart people advising her. She sent a personal message regretting that we would not be allowed to attend the coronation." He turned away from the viewscreen, his hands clasped behind his back. "What do your merchants say?"
"They're just happy someone is back in charge. Things seem to be settling down."
"And the pirate raids?"
"Still happening. The convoys are helping somewhat. We haven't lost nearly as many ships since we started doing it, but costs are almost too high. Jasyn is still furious with both of us. She refuses to meet with me, sending me poison pen messages instead."
Roland laughed. "She'll forgive you eventually. We'll find someone to replace her as soon as you think it's wise."
Will rubbed his eyes tiredly. "She's the only one the captains will still listen to. You heard about the Gypsy Council?"
"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me."
"After the raids, they took off in all directions. Last I heard, the clans were all officially back to fighting old blood feuds and new ones. The captains' council seems to be working, though. Most of them are more scared of losing their ships than they are of being ostracized by the Council. They listen to Jasyn, even if the Council declared her a nonperson."
"They're just upset that she let anyone and everyone join her trade pact," Roland said.
"I've got an enormous pile of litigation saying we took trade routes away from Gypsy ships, giving preference to non-Gypsies. I've been mostly ignoring it. We've got other, bigger problems."
"Such as a certain mercenary fleet on the loose, terrorizing law abiding crime syndicates?"
It was Will's turn to laugh. "Tayvis may be stirring up trouble, but he knows what he's doing. At least I hope he does. And before you ask, no, there isn't any new information."
"I think you may be mistaken," Roland said. "I heard over the com that a certain lawyer was on his way up to the ship, and protesting loudly to anyone who would listen."
"You have to stop eavesdropping."
"It was an open line. I was just listening to the chatter. You wouldn't believe the amount of useful information you can pick up that way."
"Yes, I would."
Roland grinned. "You've done it yourself."
Will signed off on another folder, pretending not to be embarrassed.
"So why have you summoned Leon Gravis up here?" Roland asked.
"Because he's holding out on us. He's got information we need."
"Why not to go to Tebros?"
Will leaned back, shifting the folder to one side. "You haven't heard?"
"Heard what? I came straight here. If it wasn't on the open com channel, no, I haven't heard." Roland took a seat, perching on it with his feet drawn up under him.
"Stay on the ship, Roland."
"Explain yourself, Will. I'm too tired to play guessing games with you."
The door to their office slid open. They both looked towards it.
Leon strutted in, wearing an orange suit with pink zigzags. He swaggered up to the desk and leaned on it, glaring at Will. "This is a violation of my rights."
"Then why didn't you stay on Tebros and file a complaint?" Will asked.
"Because, unlike a lot of people, I still respect my government and the law."
Roland laughed. Will rolled his eyes. Leon pretended not to notice. He dusted off a chair with a bright fuschia hankie then sat.
"You can stop posturing now," Leon said. "You got all your listening bugs turned off?"
"What bugs?" Will gave Leon a bland look.
"We have listening bugs?" Roland asked.
"I take it we can talk freely and nothing I say will actually be held against me," Leon said. "Because if you say I told you any of it, I'll deny it."
Will tapped a folder on his desk. Roland watched him, curious what the confrontation was about. It was still friendly, so maybe it wasn't so bad.
"I've got a criminal report here," Will said. "Five people were murdered."
"Criminal lowlifes. Didn't you catch the names?"
"I didn't miss the connection, Leon. What I also didn't miss is the DNA and fingerprint evidence all over the ship." Will leaned across the desk. "Tell me you aren't involved, that you didn't know, and make me believe it."
Leon fussed with his hankie, folding it neatly before tucking it in his pocket. The room grew very quiet. Will and Leon had a staring match.
Roland waited until he couldn't stand it any longer. "What evidence? What are you talking about, Will?"
Will slid the folder towards Roland. "The summary is the top page," he said, still locking stares with Leon.
"I'm still her lawyer," Leon said.
"Aiding and abetting a fugitive isn't protected, under anyone's laws."
Roland skimmed the page. "Dace was here? On Tebros?"
"At least on that ship. What was she doing, Leon? Her fingerprints were on the murder weapon. She left bloody prints all over the life support unit."
Leon leaned forward and tapped the folder. "Take another look at who was on that ship."
"I know who was there. A small time thug named Lucas Verence who wanted to be something bigger. Tell me why it explains anything."
"You don't know?"
"Know what? And by the way, where is Lowell?"
"Didn't Suella tell you? They eloped. Lowell said not to tell anyone for at least a week or two."
"Don't lie to me!" Will slapped the folder on the desk.
"I talked to Suella less than five days ago," Roland said. "She didn't say anything about being married."
"That's my official story and I'm sticking to it."
"Leon, don't tempt me to have you shot."
"Arrest me, throw me in a cell. If you've got any on this boat."
"Just tell me what I want to know."
"You know, it might be safer if you did arrest me. What about it? Does it include free food and a nice comfy cabin?"
"Tell you what, Leon, I'll arrest you if you tell me everything you know about the case."
"Dace has history with Lucas. Only she knew him as Luke Verity. His murder and the others were what you'd call justified homicide. She can plead insanity, by the way. She was drugged out of her head on dreamdust. So, arrest me now."
"Where is she, Leon?" Will leaned back in his chair.
"Uh uh, you aren't getting that out of me. Not for anything. I will tell you this much, Lowell is with her. He's trying to keep her sane long enough to get her back off dreamdust."
"Leon, we can protect her," Roland said.
"You can't even protect yourselves much longer."
"What do you mean?"
Leon extracted a datacube from his pocket and set it on the desk. "Everything Lowell thought you needed to know. He also said to tell you that he and Dace will resurface when she's ready. He wants you to get that to Tayvis."
"We don't have any way to reach him right now."
Leon cocked his head. "That's right, you've got at least sixty worlds threatening to leave the Federation over your supposed treachery. You sent the assassin to the Emperor's palace. Only it wasn't Dace."
"We know that," Will said. He eyed the datacube as if it were a poisonous serpent, but a very useful and needed one.
"It doesn't help that Tayvis has almost more of a Fleet than I do," Roland added. "He's trying to find the crew of the Phoenix, the ones that went missing on Efraim."
"Ah," Leon said. "That's the cover story, maybe. He's really looking for the woman behind everything. The Ice Queen, the lady, whatever she calls herself. Her real name is Sonja Medallis."
Will just stared at him.
Roland sat up straight, his feet dropping to the floor. "But they just crowned her Empress."
"Brilliant, ain't it?" Leon said.
"And you got this from where?"
"Dace told me. She was there, when Sonja shot everyone. Including Scholar. She was more than a little upset about all of it. And the bit afterwards, where Sonja used her for payment. Seems Luke Verity was more than willing to accept a drugged Dace in lieu of payment for transportation services."
"If Dace was drugged, no one is going to accept her word. They're praising Sonja Medallis for restoring order in the Empire. She's the hero right now."
Leon shook his head. "She's the villain. Now you see why Dace had to disappear for a while? You get that to Tayvis," he tapped the datacube, "and let him find you enough evidence to hang her with her own good deeds."
The door to the office slid open. Will's secretary stood outside, hesitant about disturbing them.
"What is it, Terril?" Will asked.
"Priority message just arrived, tagged in by a merchant ship," Terril answered. "I've got it downloaded, I can print it if you want."
"Just forward it to me," Will said.
Terril nodded and backed out, letting the door close.
"You have any other bombshells, Leon?"
"I think that about covers it," Leon said. "Where's my cell? I prefer something on deck four or higher. The lower deck cabins are too small."
Will tapped his comp and brought up the message. He stared down at the screen as the message scrolled across it.
"Will? Something wrong?" Roland asked.
"Another ransom demand. They sent Twyla back to us. The ship that picked up the emergency pod didn't have much of a medunit. She's at Hyperion, in the hospital there." He scrolled farther down. "She's lost her leg and might still die if they can't keep the infection under control. They attached the medic's report. And the ransom demand."
"Which is?" Roland prompted.
Will shot a measuring look at Leon. He sighed and gave in. Leon knew more than he did at this point. "They want Dace. We give her to them and they return Beryn and Ginni."
"They won't, not really," Leon said. "Who are they, by the way?"
"According to you, Sonja Medallis."
Leon frowned. "That doesn't make sense. She's been on Linas-Drias, right?"
"For the last few weeks," Roland confirmed. "Before that, she was in seclusion on Lushay, for several years."
"Something's screwy with all this," Leon said.
"Whoever they are, they've got people we want back. There's no way to send a message, no address, nothing. The escape pod can't be traced. They give us another two weeks and then they say they'll send one of the hostages, only next time there won't be any air in the escape pod." Will tapped the message, wishing he could do something, anything. He felt as if his hands were tied.
"Then we'd better pray that Tayvis can find them before then," Roland said.
"Amen to that," Leon added.
"Go pick out your cabin and consider yourself under arrest," Will said absently as he stared down at the message. "And if you think of anything else that might help, please feel free to call me."
"You still got room for a cat in your hotel? Dace would kill me if I let anything happen to Ghost." Leon grinned. But his heart wasn't in it.