Ashes of Worlds by Kevin J. Anderson

Author:Kevin J. Anderson [Anderson, Kevin J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
ISBN: 9781847399076
Google: JW1q2EIslnEC
Amazon: 0316007587
Goodreads: 2310896
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2008-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Instead, the General failed to complete either task,” Basil growled. “He turned one sure victory into two total failures.”

Brindle remained ramrod straight. “Yes, Mr. Chairman. Because of him, the EDF lost three Mantas, the Thunder Child, and a great many soldiers, including General Lanyan himself.”

“And the Confederation military remains unscathed. That idiot probably thought he was going to impress me.”

Cain finished with his notes, and kept his silence. He did not ask whether the assault had been a good idea in the first place, any more than the naïve plan to send Admiral Diente with an ancient translating device had been. While the Chairman searched doggedly for conspirators, Deputy Cain had attempted to be quieter and more unobtrusive than ever.

The Chairman had called up an intricate expanded grid of the command structure of the Earth Defense Forces. Many boxes in the upper tier remained empty, whole ranks decimated after the black robots’

original turnabout. Now the top rank of General was also vacant.

Basil stared at the display. “Pike and San Luis are our only remaining grid admirals, and I’m not overly impressed with either of them.” He barely paused before making an impulsive decision. “Brindle, you’ve demonstrated your capabilities and your loyalty — several times, in fact. I’m making you the new commander of the Earth Defense Forces.”

The older man was startled, as was Cain. “Sir?”

The Chairman made an amendment to the command grid, used his authorization, and posted it. “Your rank is hereby raised to General, the highest military officer in the Earth Defense Forces.” His face remained blank, his expression distant for a long moment before he seemed to remember to give a congratulatory smile. “Deputy Cain, arrange for an immediate ceremony. I want King Rory himself to pin on General Brindle’s stars.”

The next day, resplendent in spectacular robes and a crown that gleamed with gems, the young King confirmed Conrad Brindle as the new commander of the EDF.

Brindle knelt in front of the King in his crisp new uniform. The older man had served in the military all his life and now seemed amazed at his good fortune. Rory made additional pronouncements, praised Brindle’s brave and loyal actions, and applied new rank insignia to his shoulders. Natalie Brindle, his wife, sat in an honored position near the portable throne, also wearing her EDF uniform.

The crowds cheered, and the newsnets recorded every second of the strange event. Cain watched without comment. The scene looked for all the world like an ancient king dubbing one of his new knights.

. . .

The next evening Cain returned to his apartment suite in the heart of the Hansa pyramid, where he had no windows and no distractions. He spent more than an hour just sitting in solitary silence, contemplating his prized Velázquez paintings. He needed to center himself.

Even in his private sanctuary, though, Cain detected subtle indications that his possessions, furniture, and storage areas had been carefully searched. He felt a chill, suspecting that microscopic surveillance imagers must even now be trained on him.

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