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"Are you offering me a military alliance against the Solarian League? " Elizabeth asked very carefully.
"If McBryde was right, there isn't going to be much of a Solarian League very much longer," Pritchart replied grimly. "And given the fact that the same bunch of murderous bastards who shot up your home system are also directly responsible for you and I having killed a couple of million of our own people, I think we could say we have a certain commonality of interest where they're concerned. And it's not a case of selfless altruism on my part, you know. We're both on the Alignment's list. Don't you think it would be sort of stupid of either of us to let the other one go down and leave us all alone?"
Brown eyes and topaz met across a table littered with the remnants of breakfast, and it was very, very quiet.
"We're still going to have those problems, you know," Elizabeth said almost conversationally after a moment. "All those people on both sides who don't like each other. All that legacy of suspicion."
"Of course." Pritchart nodded.
"And then there's the little matter of figuring out where this Alignment's real headquarters is, and who else is fronting for it, and what other weapons it has, and where else it has programmed assassins tucked away, and exactly what it's got in mind for the Republic once the Star Empire's been polished off."
"True."
"And, now that I think about it, there's the question of how we're going to rebuild our capabilities here, and how much technology sharing—and how quickly—we can convince our separate navies and our allies to put up with. You know there's going to be heel-dragging and tantrum-throwing the minute I start suggesting anything like that!"
"I'm sure there will."
The two women looked at one another, and then, slowly, both of them began to smile.
"What the hell," Elizabeth Winton said. "I've always liked a good challenge."
She extended her hand across the table.
Pritchart took it.
Characters
Abercrombie, Sir Tyler
Home Secretary, Star Kingdom of Manticore.
Abrioux, Special Senior Inspector Danielle
one of Kevin Usher's top investigators, Federal Investigation Agency, Republic of Haven.
Adenauer, Commander Dominica Adenauer, Royal Manticoran Navy
operations officer, Tenth Fleet.
Adriopoulos, Commander Alexandros, Royal Manticoran Navy
commodore James Ta
Agnelli, Chief Steward Joa
Sir Aivars Terekhov's personal steward.
Alexander, The Honorable William
Baron Grantville, Prime Minister of the Star Empire of Manticore; Hamish Alexander-Harrington's younger brother.
Alexander-Harrington, Admiral Hamish
Earl of White Haven; First Lord of Admiralty; husband of Emily and Honor Alexander-Harrington.
Alexander-Harrington, Admiral Lady Dame Honor, Royal Manticoran Navy, Grayson Space Navy
Duchess and Steadholder Harrington; CO, Eighth Fleet. Life of Hamish and Emily Alexander-Harrington. Special envoy to the Republic of Haven.
Alexander-Harrington, Lady Emily
Countess of White Haven; wife of Hamish and Honor Alexander-Harrington.
Alquezar, Joachim
Prime Minister, Talbott Quadrant.
Anisimovna, Aldona
senior operative for Mesan Strategy Council and Mesan Alignment.
Armstrong, Captain Veronica ("Vicki"), Royal Manticoran Navy
CO, HMS Artemis; Admiral Michelle Henke's flag captain.
Atkins, Corporal Joshua, Harrington Steadholder's Guard
one of Honor Alexander-Harrington's personal armsmen.
Attunga, Marguerite
a reporter for Manticoran News Service, Incorporated.
Bardasano, Isabel
Jessyk Combine cadet board member and senior director Mesan Alignment security services.
Barloi, Henrietta
Secretary of Technology, Republic of Haven.
Bautista, Vice Admiral Pйpй, Solarian League Navy
Fleet Admiral Sandra Crandall's chief of staff.
Beauprй, Lieutenant (JG) Andre, Republic of Haven Navy
Admiral Thomas Theisman's personal shuttle pilot.
Belardinelli, Antoine
President Eloise Pritchart's senior secretary.
Berkeley, Lieutenant (SG) Anthony, Royal Manticoran Navy
assigned Manufacturing and Prototyping Command, HMSS Weyland.
Billingsley, Master Steward Chris, Royal Manticoran Navy
Michelle Henke's personal steward.
Blackett, Sergeant Luke, Harrington Steadholder's Guard
James Harrington's personal armsman.
Blaine, Vice Admiral Jessup, Royal Manticoran Navy
CO, Links Terminus Home Fleet detachment.
Boisvin, Lieutenant Йdouard, Royal Manticoran Navy
XO, HMS Stevedore.
Boltitz, Helga
Henri Krietzma
Borderwijk, Captain Alenka, Republic of Haven Navy
Admiral Thomas Theisman's senior aide.
Bouchard, Lieutenant Commander Jerod, Royal Manticoran Navy
astrogator, HMS Artemis.
Bourchier, Senator Ninon
Senator, Republic of Haven; Constitutional Progressive Party.
Brantley, Lieutenant Commander Harper, Royal Manticoran Navy
communications officer, Eighth Fleet.
Brigham, Commodore of Mercedes, Grayson Space Navy
Admiral Honor Alexander-Harrington's chief of staff, Eighth Fleet.
Browne, Commander Ishmael, Solarian League Navy
XO, SLNS Joseph Buckley.
Cabeзadas, Je
John and Laura Cabeзadas' older daughter.
Cabeзadas, John
a tourist passing through HMSS Hephaestus with his family.
Cabeзadas, Laura
John Cabeзadas' wife.
Cabeзadas, Miguel
John and Laura Cabeзadas' son.
Cabeзadas, Serafina
John and Laura Cabeзadas' infant daughter.
Cachat, Special Officer Victor
station chief, Erewhon Sector, Foreign Intelligence Service, Republic of Haven.
Caparelli, Admiral Sir Thomas, Royal Manticoran Navy
First Space Lord, Royal Manticoran Navy.
Carlson, Captain Frederick, Royal Manticoran Navy
CO, HMS Quentin Saint-James; Sir Aivars Terekhov's flag captain.
Carmichael, Sir Lyman
Admiral James Webster's replacement as Manticoran ambassador to the Solarian League.
Carus, Commander Michael, Royal Manticoran Navy
CO, Destroyer Division 265.2 ("The Silver Cepheids").
Casterlin, Commander Sterling, Royal Manticoran Navy
staff astrogator, Tenth Fleet.
Chamberlain, Vice Admiral Hansen, Solarian League Navy
Admiral Keeley O'Cleary's chief of staff.
Chandler, Commander Ambrose, Royal Manticoran Navy
Vice Admiral Khumalo's staff intelligence officer.
Chase, Lieutenant Commander Julie, Royal Manticoran Navy
CO, HMS Lodestone, Division 265.2.
Chatfield, Captain Darryl, Solarian League Navy
Fleet Admiral Sandra Crandall's communications officer.
Chernevsky, Anastasia
head of naval research and development for Mesan Alignment.
Chin, Captain Marjorie, Solarian League Navy
XO, SLNS Anton von Leeuwenhoek.
Coleman, Commander Theresa, Mesan Alignment Navy
Admiral Frederick Topolev's chief of staff.