Crisis Of Empire - Crown Of Empire Part 15

It was difficult to tell who had fired first: there was silence, and then the hallway rang and buzzed with Kanovsky full-deterrent ammuni- tion and Bahkoyn high impact sh.e.l.ls. The ornamental friezes above the dropshafts splin- tered and sh.e.l.ls gouged long grooves in the floor.

Four Navy soldiers dropped at the first onslaught, three dead and one wounded. Treas- ury guards' repellent-field uniforms managed better, though two men were wounded.

The firing increased and there were screams and howls everywhere, from Navy soldiers, Treasury Guards, clerks, automatic alarm sys- tems. The noise was as frightening as the sh.e.l.ls being fired.

"We're getting out of here," Sergeant Mallas told Jessine, wriggling back and sideways from thefirefight.

The Treasury troops moved toward the Navy unit, clearly holding the advantage. The Navy soldiers retreated back toward the tomb-like

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cubicle offices, taking more time to aim and fire than they had done at first. Behind them at the far end of the hall clerks were screaming and running, many-with their arms full ofdataspools.

Sergeant Mallas inched his way closer to the dropshafts. "Just one floor up," he reminded Jessine. "You can do it easy. You slide back, stand up real carefully - you don't want to pinwheel."

"What about you?" she asked as she did her best to follow his instructions.

"I'm right behind you." He kept his railgun in position to fire, watching the guards drive the Navy out of the hall.

Jessine slipped into the dropshaft, steadying herself in the field, taking care to stay balanced and oriented properly. A bullet ricocheted off the floor and struck Sergeant Mallas square in the chest just as he was easing back into the dropshaft. He gave a single grunt, then his rail- gun dropped from his fingers. He fell sideways, slipping beyond the field's stability; his corpse began to turn slowly, then moved steadily faster in the dropshaft beside Jessine as she rose to the floor above. She heard shots behind her, but didn't dare look back as she stepped out. Prob- ably some other faction was attacking the Navy - Sclerida's men.

Jessine jogged along the corridor and swung

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around a comer into the Appointments Com- munications Center. It had been transformed into a command post for the defense of the Sec- retary's Palace and was as crowded as the corridor had been. Stopped, she saw that five railguns were aimed at her. Only the sudden shouts of two alien supervisors stopped the clerks manning the guns from firing.

A Magdarite with orange ruff fully extended around his vulpine face, rushed forward, bowing in recognition. "Madame Bouriere. How ... for- tunate to see you." He seemed confused but determined to behave correctly no matter how strange their circ.u.mstances.

Jessine took this as well as she could, but she felt at a marked disadvantage. "I don't know what's . . . developed. Its been so - " She stopped, gesturing her lack of words.

"Untypical." the Magdarite supplied, doing his best to look calm- "We're getting the situation in hand now, as you can see." He bowed to the sol- diers and clerks. "It is a great honor to defend you in this difficult hour."

"It is an honor to be defended by you." Jessine nodded regally. "Can I get on the other side of these guns now?"

Finally, he led her around the railguns and past a barricade of office furniture. A little

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giddily, Jessine wondered if double-decker desks were the daily operating standard. "You'll want to see Kitehiey," a.s.sumed the Magdarite.

"Yes, please."

"Bight this way, Madame Bouriere," the Mag- darite said as he started through a maze of cubicles.

"Is Kitehiey well?" asked Jessine.

"A little injured, but not severely," said the Magdarite, letting his ruff deflate a little. "He has been tended to, and should recover completely."

They were nearing Kitehieys office, and Jessine saw two communication-dispatchers now set up as gun emplacements with impressive bits of ar- tillery wired into them. "We are striving to give thorough protection here."

"Yes, it looks it," said Jessine, her face set in the ritual half-smile she habitually wore at public functions. She inclined her head to the clerks who recognized her.

"His Remarkableness the Appointment Clerk to the High Secretary," said the Magdarite, with a court bow.

Kitehiey was preoccupied with the displays on the huge wall screen, and so at first did not real- ize who had come into his large, cramped office, When he at last he turned, a great smile wreathed his face. "Madame Bouriere," he said warmly.

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"Kitehiey," she said, a little surprised at the relief she felt. She maintained a decent fort.i.tude and merely grasped his wrists as custom dic- tated. "I was afraid that you'd been harmed when - "

Kitehiey shook his head. 'They ignored me.

They really wanted you. I thought we'd lost you.

Come, sit, please. Do you need a medic?" He gestured at her b.l.o.o.d.y arm,

"No, thank you," said Jessine politely. She looked around the cramped office area and found a large sealed crate. Carefully removing a stack of papers, she sat down.

Kitehiey was at his comm board. 'Team X, this is Leader. The subject has returned safely. Please pick up soonest."

'Team X, will comply. ETA, five minutes,"

came the answer.

Jessine stared at Kitehiey for a second. "Oh.

Your escort."

Kitehiey gave her a rea.s.suring smile. "Yes, Madame. They'll be here shortly, and we can carry on getting you safely to my house." His smile disappeared. "We have the preliminary report on the autopsy."

The word gave the High Secretary's death a reality that Jessine had been holding off. Tears filled her eyes. "Yes?"

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"It appears he was poisoned. We are proceed- ing on the a.s.sumption that the a.s.sa.s.sination may well have been at the instigation of Senator Lomax. He has made it plain enough that he covets the post of High Secretary and is pre- pared to take steps to secure the position for himself. Therefore it is not unlikely that he par- tic.i.p.ated in these dreadful events." He watched the display critically: nine levels below, Cemians and Navy soldiers were locked in combat

"Why Lomax and not Sclerida?" asked Jessine.

She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand- She thought she remembered having this discussion before with Kitchley. She wondered if he knew something she didn't. "Sclerida's every bit as ambitious as Lomax and he has half the Navy at his command."