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Hecht said little of substance.
"You're uncomfortable here."
"I've visited Krois only once before. Briefly. Sublime was almost completely irrational."
Mongoz, as Boniface VII, had shooed his hangers-on out, then had ordered his Captain-General to abandon ceremony.
"Almost? You're too generous. But let's get to it. My keepers won't leave me unchaperoned long. I'm sure you've heard rumors. A few I've set free myself. A lot more were their own mothers. Let me assure you directly, I do mean to cleanse the Co
Hecht's surprise was so obvious the old man chuckled. Mongoz said, "I am a different man indeed. And totally surprised to be here. In my younger days I considered myself too rational to be welcomed into the Collegium, too. So I mean to use my few hours as Patriarch to try to enforce reforms that will help my Church avoid extinction."
"That seems a little harsh."
The old man launched a protracted homily: He was engulfed by circle upon circle of functionaries possessed of the imaginations of pretty marble slabs. Their views sprang entirely from wishful thinking and "This is the way things have always been!" Never mind that the world was going through dramatic changes all round. Never mind that the faithful had lost their tolerance for bad behavior by their spiritual shepherds.
Mongoz touched on several points that had worried Hecht since first he became an agent of the Church. In a way that would make Boniface toxically unpopular with most of the clergy.
Amused, the new Patriarch said, "I have nothing to fear, Captain-General. I have nothing to lose. It won't be long before God calls me home. While I wait I'll cleanse His Church of the evil within and I'll make war on the renascent evil outside. And I'll beg our great, good God not to take me till I've finished."
Hecht shut out what he considered a righteous rant of little substance in the world where he had to work.
He pressed for specifics about what he was expected to accomplish. With what men and resources.
He heard little that had not been part of some rumor already reported by Titus Consent.
Hecht told his staff, "This one is just as loony as Sublime was. But his ambitions are less mean. He's honestly determined to make the world a better place. For everyone, not just for himself and his cronies. Hell, for as old as he is, he's ridiculously naive. He thinks all the evil accumulated over the last few years will clear off if we're just men of goodwill. Ready to invade the Co
The expressions he saw ranged from baffled to unbelieving. His officers were unable to comprehend. "Never mind. It signifies nothing. Just get ready to enter an environment where the Night is used to having its own way."
Hecht's companions gawked.
They did not understand.
Nor did he, really.
He said, "We're getting paid. Prosek. Take delivery on as much weaponry as possible. Get your new crews trained up."
"Yes, sir." Prosek gri
Coming off one of the bridges from the Castella, lost in thought, Hecht found himself suddenly seized and dragged backward. Lifeguards rushed past, responding to some threat he did not see. Then Madouc a
The bodyguards had pounced on two civilians, now shaking in terror. "Stay here, sir." Madouc went to ask why the two had gotten into the Captain-General's path.
Madouc returned. "They've been hanging around, waiting to take you to the Arnhander ambassador."
"Is it that time already?"
"It is."
"Damn. I was hoping to sneak into the Chiaro Palace and get some coffee from Delari's cook."
"I've never had that pleasure," Madouc informed him. "I have smelled it. Delicious."
"It smells better than it tastes. Tell them to lead on. And I hope it isn't far. Bechter has me loaded down all day."
"Sergeant Bechter took time into account when he filled your schedule."
Of course. Bechter would have consulted Madouc.
He needed to talk to Bechter about the lifeguard situation. Madouc was a good man. But he and Hecht had begun to resent one another simply because of the demands their relationship placed upon them. That was not good.
Hecht's face went stony the moment he saw the purported ambassador. He had not met the man before but recognized him by his hunchback. Rinpoche. One of those thoroughly corrupt priests that Sublime had so favored.
The man had a knack for surviving the disasters he authored, apparently. Morcant Farfog had had, too. For a time. Never really interested in Arnhand's efforts in the Co
Rinpoche smiled. "Thank you for seeing me, Captain-General."
The smile went unreturned. Hecht said, "You aren't the Arnhander legate. I was told I'd be seeing King Regard's man."
The hunchback smirked. "I may be closer to the heartbeat of Salpeno than the Count d'Perdlieu."
"I doubt it. I recognize you. I know your reputation. Neither the Church nor I have any business with you."
Rinpoche's expression hardened. "Remember who you're talking to. Remember whom I represent."
"I am. I'm not impressed. You should recall whom you're talking to and whom I represent. Sublime isn't Patriarch, now. His follies are being addressed. Incompetence and corruption are no longer tolerated. Any odor whatsoever out of Arnhand could cause this Patriarch to review his predecessor's decisions concerning the legitimacy of marriages."
A man in brown turned into being behind the gnome. He gri
The hunchback visibly controlled himself. He was unaccustomed to being thwarted. A
"Perhaps. But this Patriarch will not be with us long."
True. And Hecht had a few ideas he wanted to kick around with Principate Delari and Cloven Februaren. He liked having Hugo Mongoz in charge.
"As may be." No leading candidate to succeed Boniface VII said anything good about A
"The situation in Salpeno won't be your problem, Captain-General. I want to talk about things you will have to deal with."
Hecht felt obligated to give the man his say. "I'm listening." He might learn something.
"Boniface means to send you back into the End of Co
"I hear rumors to that effect. I have no orders yet."
"This Patriarch withdrew the charter of the Society. He's ordered its dissolution."
"Yes." Reserving his approval of that.
"He might expect you to enforce that."
Hecht nodded. It would be enforced. He meant to see Society members who defied Boniface VII returned to Brothe for ecclesiastical trial.
"We urge you to look the other way. Those brothers are doing the work of the Lord."
"In defiance of the Infallible Voice?"
Flash of irritation.