40 Hollow Men by Una McCormack

Author:Una McCormack [McCormack, Una]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure
ISBN: 9781416506874
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2005-04-21T23:00:00+00:00

Sisko and Leyton talked for a little while, about inconsequentialities. The hour wore on. Sisko began to wonder whether this had been a good idea. Leyton had been shifting restlessly in his chair. He was clearly having the same thought. After the conversation ground to a halt for the third or fourth time, Leyton leaned back in his chair and regarded Sisko thoughtfully.

"Ben," he said, "why have you come here?"

"What makes you think I had a particular reason?"

"Well, we've talked about my health, your health, and the weather. We've even talked a bit about how the war is progressing in your part of the quadrant. But you must only be here on Earth for a few days, and you must have a very busy schedule while you're home." Leyton gave him an unfriendly smile. "I can't believe you took a whole heap of time out of your diary, just to spend an hour with your old commanding officer."

He had thought that Leyton was unchanged, but now there was a doubt-a thought that there was something different about him after all. Sisko suddenly wanted to look away from the other man in front of him. He began to search restlessly around the impersonal room, but there was nothing to take his attention. "I did want to see how you were doing," he said. "But you're right," he confessed, glancing at Leyton again, "that isn't the only reason I came today."

Leyton gave a short nod; his suspicions were confirmed. "So... are you going to tell me why you're here?"

Sisko stared down at the table. Anywhere other than at Leyton. Now that it came down to it, he found himself unsure of how or where to begin. So he picked the place that let him make the most sense of it all; the place that, at the time, had seemed to justify every decision that came afterwards. Sisko started with the casualty lists. And he went on from there. He found that it got easier as he went on; got easier to tell Leyton everything. To tell him all about biomimetic gel and optolythic datarods. All about a senator, and a forger. All about making a deal with the devil.

He got to the point where the Romulans declared war on the Dominion, and then stopped. He thought of going on to tell Leyton about his conversation the previous day with Ross and Batanides, but his voice died away. It was, Sisko realized, because he wanted to give Leyton the chance to say something. The chance to speak his piece. Leyton had bent the law-had broken it-to suit his ends. He had ordered officers to open fire on other officers; had been prepared to murder for his ends. Was it right, Sisko thought, that Leyton was locked up while he remained free?

Leyton had been listening to his account in silence, and with no reaction. Partway through, he had leaned his elbows on the table, and rested his chin in his hands. When Sisko finished, he stayed in that position, just looking at him.

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