City on Fire by Walter Jon Williams

Author:Walter Jon Williams
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780061052132
Publisher: HarperPrism
Published: 1997-04-15T07:00:00+00:00

“I would like to hear her stories,” Constantine says. “I’ve spent years of my life at war, but I’ve always been a commander, relatively safe and comfortable. I try to visit the real victims, the refugees and the wounded, but it’s usually not safe to go out in public, unsafe not just for me but for the people I’m visiting, and now I share your situation—confined to the Palace—and move from one room to the next.”

Aiah remembers Constantine in her little apartment back in Jaspeer, the way he looked with such evident curiosity at the life of an ordinary person, and amusement tugs at her lips.

“And apropos of things Barkazil,” Constantine continues, “we have a brigade of Barkazil troops arriving at the aerodrome next week, and I’d be obliged if you will meet them and say a few words of welcome.”

Curiosity overcomes Aiah’s fear of speaking in public. “Barkazils? From

Barkazi?”

“No. The Timocracy is running out of troops to send us, and so I have contracted with an agent in Sayven—another metropolis famous for exporting its soldiers. They are called Karlo’s Brigade—and Karlo, I recollect, is the Barkazil immortal.”

“Barkazils in Sayven?” Aiah frowns. “That’s nowhere near Barkazi. And

Karlo’s Brigade—I wonder if that means they’re Holy League people.”

“Do those old factions still exist?”

“In Jaspeer the Holy League and the Fastani have become gangsters in Barkazil neighborhoods—they extort money from businessmen in the name of their old causes—but any actual veterans, unless they could afford life extension, would be ancient by now. They were always sitting in cafes when I was growing up, discussing the bad old days….”

“There are Barkazils on the Provisional Government’s side, too. Landro’s

Escaliers, specialists in urban vertical assault and sniper work, from the

Timocracy.”

Aiah gives a grimace. “I’m sorry to hear they’re on the wrong side. But whoever they are, I’ve never heard of them.”

Constantine shrugs. “I will send you to Karlo’s Brigade, and perhaps you can find out.”

“I will ask.” She considers. “I had a Barkazil apply to me today for a mage’s post. Came all the way from Jaspeer.”

“Will you give him the job?”

“He’s a young man—well, my age, actually. Wealthy family. He’s flying the nest in search of, oh, real meaning, or anyway the real something.” She shrugs. “I don’t know. Perhaps I won’t hire him. He’s getting scanned tomorrow; I’ll wait for the report.”

Constantine gives her a meaningful look. “I should think that any Barkazil in your division would be grateful to you for the job. Personal loyalty is not a small consideration, things being what they are.”

“He’s too rich and good-looking to have loyalties to a bureaucrat like me.”

Constantine’s laugh barks out. “He’s good-looking? You hadn’t mentioned that.

Send him home!”

Aiah offers him an ambiguous smile. “Well. Perhaps I’ll hire him, then. If he makes you nervous, he may have his uses.”

Constantine gives a mock scowl. “I think I may learn to dislike this young gentleman.”

She takes her wineglass, rises, and walks to the apartment’s floor-to-ceiling window. “Do you think it would be unsafe,” she says, “if we looked out? You must be tired of blacked-out windows, and so am I.

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