House of Reeds

"Forty-five minutes to intercept," the pilot reported cheerfully, letting her boat cut loose. Hadeishi could see the planet begin to swell ahead. The Tepoztecatl was in a lower orbit than the Fleet warship on overwatch. Scattered satellites and a lone merchantman sparked on the navigational plot. Most of the face of Jagan was wreathed in cloud. A huge storm system was gathering in the southern ocean.

The Chu-sa listened to Hayes with one ear, keeping track of the Cornuelle's maneuvering burn. After he was satisfied nothing had gone wrong aboard and the cruiser was on the proper heading, he cleared his display of the Navplot and tapped up a communications relay interface.

Now, he thought, steeling himself, we will see if a little truth can be sifted from all this deception.

His earbug went silent and Hadeishi keyed the traffic control cha

The cha

This is Chimalpahin.

"Hadeishi of the Cornuelle here, I am inbound to match your orbit. We have some matters to discuss face-to-face."

The man's expression twisted into intense a

"I am on my way now," Hadeishi said. "You will allow me aboard your ship and you will explain to me exactly what you and your fellow priests are doing here."

We are about the Emperor's business, Chimalpahin said in a patient tone, as I'm sure you guess. So – shouldn't you be with your command? There will be work for you soon.

"Yes, I expect there will be 'work' for us within the day, or at most the week." The Chu-sa's tone cooled. "And Imperial starmen and soldiers will die because you've arranged a 'live training exercise' for them – without informing Yacatolli, the Resident or myself of your presence or your purpose."

The corners of Chimalpahin's small mouth twitched in amusement. Go back to your ship, Hadeishi. Yours is an honorable role, do not dishonor the Fleet by taking our business personally. Just do your duty.

"My duty," the Chu-sa bit out, "is to secure the common peace, police mercantile traffic and enforce the will of the Emperor. At present, I have every reason to believe you and your companions are actively seeking to destabilize the situation on Jagan and place every single Imperial citizen on the planet in danger – citizens I am oath-bound to protect."

Asale reached over and tapped Hadeishi's display. A time-to-intercept counter was ticking relentlessly, showing ten minutes to deceleration. At the same time, the freighter captain's nose crinkled up in a mocking sneer.

Are you intending to arrest us? Impound our ship? Clap us in chains?

"In approximately fifty minutes," Hadeishi said, fighting to remain calm, "you will be showing me your identification, Imperial writ and other authorities proving you are, in fact, executing the Emperor's Will in this matter. If I am satisfied -"

Satisfied? Chimalpahin interrupted, face blushing coppery red. We are not beholden to Fleet! Our authority far exceeds yours, particularly in these matters! The Admiralty will severely reprimand you for interfering, Hadeishi, and your career -

"If I am not satisfied, Captain," the Chu-sa snapped, "then my Marines will storm and seize your vessel and you will be put in shock restraints until this matter is sorted out! As for your authority, I have yet to see any proof you are more than saboteurs, agitators and insurrectionists." He paused, trying to remain impassive. "Fleet reaction protocol to revolt is quite clear. How am I to know – despite your noble face – you are not a pack of HKV operatives, or a Danish volkscommando conspiring with native elements?"

The comm cha

"What was that?" Hadeishi growled. "Are you showing a secure comm co

Yes… The freighter captain stared at his panel in alarm. Then he looked up, his expression ashen. Return to your ship immediately, Captain. We can meet socially on another day.

The cha

"Five minutes to deceleration. Forty minutes to intercept," Asale said quietly, watching her commander's stonelike face with concern. "Should I turn around?"

"No…" Hadeishi switched comm to the bridge cha

No, sir. Everything here shows green. Should we run a system check?

The Chu-sa tapped one knuckle thoughtfully against the faceplate of his helmet. "Something odd is happening with comm. If Isoroku has a moment, have him check the relays and master nodes for interference, degraded comp function, anything at all."

Hayes signed off and Hadeishi nodded to the pilot. "Proceed."

I'm going to need something solid out of this priest, he thought, fighting imminent melancholy. The faces of Kosho and Hayes and Isoroku and even midshipman Smith were clear in his mind's eye. To save their careers. Otherwise, every indication will point to incompetence on my part and complicity on theirs. And they will be dragged down with me.

Hadeishi felt certain Fleet Command had been apprised of his slow return to Imperial space. A black mark has been set beside my name, against the Cornuelle 's record, an admonitory note for every officer serving with me. And with no patrons to offset my…refusal…to obey orders, my old ship becomes expendable. An honorable sacrifice to cover some political game played out by the xochiyaotinime. Her brave heart spared the wrecking yard…

He started to feel very bitter and forced himself to think of something else, something beyond the faceless hand which placed his ship and crew in danger of disgrace. The first words which popped into his consciousness were very old, a fragment he'd seen on a moss-covered tombstone in the old temple grounds at Joriku, on the western side of Shinedo city, overlooking the Chumash Sound.

A noteless tune fills the void:

spring sun, snow whiteness, bright clouds…

clear wind.

He grunted, feeling entirely helpless, trapped in a tight, confining suit in a tiny bubble of air, light and power speeding through limitless darkness towards an uncertain welcome. A death poem. But whose? Mine?

Heicho Felix grunted, feeling the strain in her upper back, and heaved a packing crate onto the back of the groundtruck her squad had commandeered. Helsdon and one of his technicians grabbed hold on the other side and shoved the heavy package against the sidewall.

"That's the next to last," a man in an Imperial Development Board jumper yelled, scrambling up onto the truck. Felix turned, jammed ink-black hair back behind her ears, and saw two of her troopers struggling to carry the last crate out of the warehouse.

"Leave it," she snarled, listening to a steadily increasing level of panicky chatter on the all-hands cha