The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight

Did Drakon want to kill her or not? Using Marphissa as a double agent had seemed a good way to establish Drakon’s intent, but perhaps he was just waiting for a better time. The addition of a code for killing Iceni outside the star system was particularly disturbing in light of one of Drakon’s arguments when she had spoken with him about this mission. At least the use of Marphissa ensured that Iceni would gain advance notice if an assassination was ordered while she was on a warship.

Assuming that Marphissa, who had been told to respond to the feelers from someone very close to Drakon, and to pretend to be ready to assassinate Iceni, had not turned a third time and decided to actually try to follow orders to kill. Eliminating Iceni would leave a very large vacancy in a position vastly more senior than the one Marphissa now had and would leave Marphissa in control of the mobile forces that could give her the power to claim that position. This was a delicate business, a tricky business, a confusing business. She would hate to have to order Marphissa killed. The woman had proven to be a very capable subordinate. Having to deal with such issues gave Iceni headaches at times. “Notify me immediately if you hear from General Drakon’s contact again.”

“Yes, Madam President.”

“What about Colonel Rogero? Any problems?” Rogero would make an excellent backup for Drakon if Iceni’s assassination was ordered and Marphissa didn’t succeed. An experienced soldier, loyal to Drakon, with a squad of special forces at his back. And Drakon had the perfect blackmail to use against Rogero as well.

“No problems,” Marphissa said. “He’s in one of the staterooms formerly used by the snakes, and he’s keeping to himself, but I’ve told my officers to monitor him and the ship’s systems keep me informed of his location. He’s been fairly stiff with me every time we’ve talked. I don’t think he likes mobile forces unit commanders.”

Iceni managed not to look amused. The problem is that he likes one mobile forces unit commander far too much, and she’s an enemy mobile forces unit commander. Would you kill me, Colonel Rogero, if Drakon ordered it and threatened to tell everyone about that if you didn’t? “Keep a very close eye on Colonel Rogero.”

“The ship’s systems will automatically alert you if Colonel Rogero comes within ten meters of you,” Marphissa said.

“Excellent.” On something as small as a heavy cruiser that might produce too many false alarms, but if so she could have the alert parameters changed. “Then there’s one other thing.” Iceni smiled to lower the tension. “General Drakon has suggested that I look at changing the rank titles within the mobile forces. That would make clear our break with the failed Syndicate system.”

Marphissa nodded. “No one has any love for the Syndicate command structure. We’re not working in business jobs. We’re mobile forces.”

“Exactly. I did not want to use the same titles that Drakon has adopted for his ground forces. You’re not ground forces.”

Marphissa nodded again, emphatically this time.

“I looked for a rank structure from earlier times, but not one that was the same as the Alliance now uses,” Iceni said. “I believe we need to avoid that as well.”

A third nod, very strong. “We are not a . . . minor subset of the Alliance.”

“I agree. Someday . . . well, here.” Iceni brought up a file and pivoted the display floating above her desk so that Marphissa could see it. “This is a rank structure that was once used in part of the Syndicate Worlds before all forces were unified under a single corporate system.”

Marphissa gazed at Iceni in disbelief. “The Syndicate Worlds once allowed local variations in how things were done?”