Emperor in Exile (Central Imperium Book 2) by Jan Kotouč

Author:Jan Kotouč [Kotouč, Jan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arbiter Press
Published: 2020-03-04T22:00:00+00:00

***

“You have literally worked miracles with that fleet, Baron Samedi.”

Wissien was standing in the conference room aboard the Dominance, watching a group of brand-new Kalingan frigates with brand-new crews as it flew off to the asteroid belt for exercises that would be completed under the experienced supervision of some of the New Protectorate’s officers.

“I am Baron Samedi. Of course I can work miracles.”

Wissien looked at the newest member of the Council of Eight. They were standing side by side at the window. Samedi was almost leaning against the glass.

A large purplish swelling had appeared on his right cheek, stretching as far as his nose and mouth. Samedi’s superordinate sign had appeared soon after he had received the symbiont. Kalinga’s ruler had evidently not looked for a solution – he was already mad. As with most of his statements like this, Wissien had no idea whether Samedi was serious or not.

Actually, that wasn’t entirely accurate. He was almost certain that Samedi was always serious.

“So we can start out against Barrondo according to plan.”

“I was counting on that. Do you have any news of our... Imperial friends?”

“Hankerson – rather, the Hankersons, Daniel and his sister Radana – are on Barrondo and will probably stay there for some time. Some of their ships flew through the gate to recon the Folna Sector.”

“Will they be able to get that far?”

“They won’t get further than the Folna System. Not unless they have considerably more ships. And even if they do, we will catch up.”

“Um hmm. But don’t forget, my objective is Barrondo.”

“Our objective is Barrondo,” Wissien corrected him. “And our objective is destroying both the Hermes and the Hankersons. We have common interests now.”

“But of course,” Samedi assured him consolingly, moving away from the window and back to the big conference table. Behind him, Wissien turned around. Maybe Samedi could brush aside the fact that they were on the same side, but all the same, it was not inappropriate to remind him. Especially when...

The buzzer interrupted the flow of his thoughts. Wissien strode to the table, but Samedi had already hit the button himself.

“Yes?”

“Bridge,” said the voice of Commodore Nadenn. “Ehm... Prince Samedi, is Prince Wissien there?”

“Are we not all equals in the Council of Eight? And I am Baron Samedi.”

Wissien extended his stride. He could imagine Nadenn sweating on the bridge. Falling out with a Chosen did not have health benefits. Moreover, Samedi confused people used to the New Protectorate’s strict hierarchy, because he continued to insist that he was still “Baron Samedi”, even though, as a member of the Council of Eight, he should be a prince. Wissien had tactfully indicated to the crew that Samedi should be addressed as Baron, because that was a part of his name, even if he was a prince. Correctly, then, they should speak of him as “Prince Baron Samedi”, but Baron Samedi was usually enough.

Nadenn was not exactly flexible about all this.

“Of course you are, Baron Samedi, but this is something expressly reserved for Prince Wissien.”

Wissien was finally at the microphone.

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