Sacrus blocked one of our main lines, said the preservationist. All of Spyre is in danger unless we can get a counterbalance running through their land. Beyond that, we dont give a damn who they conquer.
It was Veneras turn to nod. The preservationists were dedicated to keeping the giant wheel together. Most of their decisions were therefore pragmatic and dealt with engineering issues.
Are you saying they could buy your loyalty by just giving you a siding? she asked.
They could, said the bearded man. There were protests up and down the table, but Venera smiled.
I applaud your honesty, she said. Your problem is that youd need to give them a reason before they did that. Theyve never had any use for you and youve never been a threat to them. So youve come here to buy that leverage?
He shrugged. Or see them destroyed. Its all the same to us.
Bryce leaned out to look at the man. And the fact that they used poison gas to kill twenty-five of your workers a generation ago ..?
Gives us a certain bias in the destroy direction. Who are you? added the bearded man, who had been briefed on the identities of the other players.
With obvious distaste, Bryce said what theyd decided he would say: Bryce. Chief of Intelligence for Buridan, and he nodded at Venera.
Youve a spy network? The preservationist grinned at her ironically.
I do, Mister?
Thinblood. It could have been a name or a title.
I do, Mister Thinbloodand youve got a secret warehouse full of artillery at junction sixteen, she said with a return smile. Thinblood turned red; out of the corner of her eye Venera saw Princess Corinne stifle a laugh.
We are all to be taken seriously, Venera went on. As is Sacrus. Lets return to discussing them.
Hang on, said Thinblood. What are we discussing? War?
She shook her head. Not yet. But clearly, Sacrus needs its wings clipped.
The lean, cadaverous general from Carasthant made a violent shushing gesture that made everyone turn to stare at him. What can little guppies like us do? he said in a buzzing voice that seemed to emanate from his bobbing Adams apple. Begging your pardon, Madam Buridan, Mister Preservationist sir. Do you propose we take down a shark by worrying at its gills?
His compatriot from Scoman waggled his head in agreement. The thousand and one tiny clocks built into his armor all clicked ahead a second. Sacrus is bounded by high walls and barbed wire, he said over the quiet snicking of his clothing, and they have sniper towers and machine-gun positions. Even if we fought our way in, what would we do? Piss on their lawn?
That was an expression Venera had never heard before.
Venera had thought long and hard about what to say when this question came up. These men and women were gathered here because their homes had all been injured or insulted by Sacrusbut were they here merely to vent their indignation? Would they back down in the face of actual action?
She didnt want to tell them that she knew what Sacrus was up to. The key to Candesce was a prize worth betraying old friends for. If they knew Sacrus had it, half these people would defect to Sacruss side immediately, and the other half would proceed to plan how to get it themselves. It might turn into a night of long knives inside Buridan Tower.
Sacruss primary assets lie inside the Gray Infirmary, she said. Whatever it is that they manufacture and sell, that is its origin. At the very least, we need to know what were up against, what theyre planning to do. I propose that we invade the Gray Infirmary.
There was a momentary, stunned silence from the new arrivals. Princess Corinnes broad sunburnt face was squinched up in a failed attempt to hide a smile. Then Thinblood, the Carasthant general, and two of the minor house representatives all started talking at once.
Impossible! she heard, and suicide! through the general babble. Venera let it run on for a minute or so, then held up her hand.
Consider
the benefits if it could be done, she said. We could rescue my man Flance, assuming hes there. We could find out what Sacrus trades inthough I think we all knowbut in any case find out what its tools and devices are. We might be able to seize their records. Certainly we can find out what it is theyre doing.
If we want, we can blow up the tower.
And it can be done, she said. I admit I was pretty hopeless myself until last night. Wed talked through all sorts of plans, from sneaking over the walls to shimmying down ropes from Lesser Spyre. All our scenarios ended up with us being machine-gunned, either on the way in or on the way out. Then I had a long talk with Princess Corinne, here.
Corinne nodded violently; her hair followed her heads motion a fraction of a second late. We can get into the Gray Infirmary, she brayed. And out again safely.
There was another chorus of protests and again Venera held up her hand. I could tell you, she said, but it might be more convincing to show you. Come. And she headed for the doors.
Well, come on, she said. If Im brave enough to come down here, you can be too.