Childe Cycle - 01 Dorsai by Gordon R Dickson

Author:Gordon R Dickson [Dickson, Gordon R]
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Military Science Fiction, Childe Cycle Series
ISBN: 9780812503982
Publisher: Tor Science Fiction
Published: 1959-02-24T09:00:00+00:00

WAR CHIEF

The heels of his black boots clicking against the gray floor of the wide

office of the Defense Headquarters on Harmony, the aide approached Donal's

desk, which had been his home for three years now.

"Special, urgent and private, sir." He placed a signal tape in the blue shell

of ordinary communications on the desk pad.

"Thank you," said Donal, and waved him off. He broke the seal on the tape,

placed it in his desk unit, and—waiting until the aide had left the room—

pressed the button that would start it.

His father's voice came from the speaker, deep-toned.

"Donal, my son—

"We were glad to get your last tape; and to hear of your successes. No one in

this family has done so

161 •

• Gordon R. Dickson

well in such a short time, in the last five generations. We are all happy -for

you here, and pray for you and wait to hear from you again.

"But I am speaking to you now on an unhappy occasion. Your uncle, Kensie, was

assassinated shortly over a month ago in the back streets of the city of

Blauvain, on St. Marie, by a local terrorist group in opposition to the

government there. lan, who was, of course, an officer in the same unit, later

somehow managed to discover the headquarters of the group in some alley or

other and killed the three men he found there with his hands. However, this

does not bring Kensie back. He was a favorite of us all; and we are all hard

hit, here at home, by his death.

"It is lan, however, who is presently the cause of our chief concern. He

brought Kensie's body home, refusing burial on St. Marie, and has been here

now several weeks. You know he was always the dark-natured of the twins, just

as it seemed that Kensie had twice the brightness and joy in life that is the

usual portion of the normal man. Your mother says it is now as if lan had lost

his good angel, and is abandoned to the forces of darkness which have always

had such a grip on him.

"She does not say it in just that way, of course. It is the woman and the

Maran in her, speaking—but I have not lived with her twenty-seven years

without realizing that she can see further into the soul of a man or woman

than I can. You have in some measure inherited this same gift, Donal; so maybe

you will understand better what she means. At any rate, it is at her urging

that I am sending you this signal; al• 162

DORSAI! •

though I would have been speaking to you about Kensie's death, in any case.

"As you know, it has always been my belief that members of the same immediate

family should not serve too closely together in field or garrison—in order mat

family feelings should not be tempted to influence military responsibilities.

But it is your mother's belief that lan should not now be allowed to sit in

his dark silence about the place, as he has been doing; but that he should be

once more in action. And she asks me to ask you if you could find a place for

him on your staff, where you can keep your eye on him.

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