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Jonny spread his hands. "Well, here's your chance."
D'arl sighed. "Governor, you still don't understand the political realities here. The Committee has taken a stand; we cannot back down without a damn good re...
"So make one up," Jonny snapped, his patience beginning to fray. "You're a consummate politician-surely you won't let a little matter of truth stand in the w...
"Jonny!" Jame snapped.
"It's all right, Moreau, I'll handle it," D'arl said. "Governor, I'll take your recommendation to the Committee tomorrow. That's the best that I can do."
"A Committi with your experience?" Jonny scoffed. "You can do better than just playing court reporter."
"I can push any solidly-based, politically plausible reason for closing the Corridor," D'arl bit back. "You've yet to give me anything that qualifies."
"You want a good political reason? Fine; I'll give you one right now." Jonny stood up, dimly aware that his anger was near to overwhelming all control over i...
"Jonny!" Jame jumped to his feet.
"Stay back, Jame." Jonny kept his eyes on D'arl. "Well, Committi? It would mean economic sanctions against the colonies, wouldn't it, which for all practical...
"It would." D'arl was glacially calm. "But you wouldn't shoot me down in cold blood just for that."
"Wouldn't I? The greatest good for the greatest number, remember? What does it matter that you and I would be sacrificed? And I've got more than just that, a...
The younger Moreau ignored the order. Quietly, he walked over to stand squarely between the other two men. For a long moment the brothers locked gazes. Then ...
D'arl didn't move. "Under threat to my life? No. And certainly not because of your unreasonable feelings about the Aventine Cobra project."
He said the last so casually that Jonny was taken aback. Fury threatened to drown him . . . but abruptly he understood. "You don't know, do you?" he said, mo...
"Know what?"
Jonny dug into his pocket for his medicine, tossed the two vials into D'arl's lap. The Committi frowned at the labels and keyed the names into his comboard. ...
"Yes," Jonny nodded, wondering at the oddly intense reaction. "Every one of the First Cobras in the colonies is coming down with those diseases, as a direct ...
D'arl stared down at the vials in his hand. "It's starting here, too, Governor. Reports of chronic Cobra illnesses have dribbled in for the past year or so. ...
Jame took a deep breath. "Committi . . . if what Jonny said about secret trade helping to keep the Corridor open is true, then it follows that the whole Aven...
"The Cobras will be needed now."
"No," Jonny shook his head. "We'll be maintaining the trade relationship with the Trofts, and with the Corridor closed we're no longer a military threat. The...
"My point, sir-" Jame cut off as D'arl raised a hand.
"Peace, Moreau," the Committi said quietly. "I never said I didn't want to help, just that I needed a stronger case. And now I've got it. Excuse me."
Standing, he brushed by Jonny and stepped to a small desk off to one side. "Starport," he said to the phone screen. " . . . This is Committi D'arl. Number on...
He keyed the phone off and turned to face the two Moreaus. "I'm heading back to Dome to get things started. Governor, you and your brother need to make a lis...
"Committi," Jonny called after him. "Thank you."
The other turned back, and Jonny was surprised to see an ironic smile tugging at his lips. "I'll stop the war, Governor. But save your thanks until you see h...
Jonny never saw him again.
* * *
It was the end of the road for them, and both men knew it. So for a long moment they stood beside the Menssana's entry ramp and just looked at each other. Jo...
Jame nodded. "It's going to get worse, too, I'm afraid. By the time we're finished with you, banning all trade or other contact with the colonies is going to...
"In other words, history's going to put the blame squarely on Aventine."
Jame sighed. "It was the only way-the only political way-to let the Committee back away from such a long-established stance. I'm sorry."
Jonny looked back across the city, his memory superimposing Adirondack's battered wartime appearance against what was there now. "It's not important,' he tol...
"I hope so. You haven't heard yet one of the more secret reasons the Committee accepted Committi D'arl's proposal."
Jonny cocked an eyebrow. "Which is . . . ?"
"A slightly edited version of your confrontation at the estate. He convinced them the Aventine Cobras might get angry enough to seek revenge against them in ...
"No one said politics was self-consistent," Jonny shrugged. "But it worked, and that's all that matters."
"So you heard the courier report already," Jame nodded. "The Troft response was very interesting to read-the experts say the phrasing indicated our capitulat...
"I'm not surprised," Jonny said. "But I wouldn't worry about this setting any precedents. Remember how hard it is for the demesnes to get together on any fut...
Jame followed his gaze and his thoughts. "I wouldn't count on seeing your friend before you have to go. She's probably up to her cloak and laser in the Joint...
"True, but we'll pick up the techniques fast enough, and with the Menssana to double our long-range fleet, we'll have reasonable capacity. Besides, we're not...
"I hope you're right. You haven't got much going for you out there."
Jonny shook his head. "You've been on Asgard too long to remember how it feels to be a frontier world. Horizon, Adirondack, and now Aventine-I've never lived...
"Governor Moreau?" a voice drifted down from the ship beside them. "Captain's compliments, sir. Control's given us permission to lift any time."
And it was time to say good-bye. "Take care of yourself, Jonny," Jame said as Jonny was still searching for words. "Say hello to everyone for me, okay?"
"Sure." Jonny stepped forward and wrapped his brother in a bear hug. Tears blurred his vision. "You take care of yourself, too. And . . . thanks for everythi...
Two minutes later he was on the Menssana's bridge. "Ah-Governor," the captain said, attempting with only partial success to hide his bubbling enthusiasm bene...
Jonny's eyes searched out a ground-view display, watched the tiny image of Jame just disappearing into the entrypoint building. "I'm ready any time," he told...