Free Empery by Michael P. Kube-McDowell Page A

register on his audience. “If the device penetrates to the surface, even some of the mountains are at risk. No artificial structure, whether on the surface or below, will be left intact. The planet will ring with Force 8 aftershocks for weeks. The Danfield Device won’t destroy the planet, but it almost certainly will eliminate any Mizari occupying it. It would even be effective against a species based on a gaseous world similar to Jupiter.”
    Berberon noted Sujata blanching at Wells’s description. A horrible weapon , Berberon agreed silently. Horrible enough in itself—more horrible to see the invention that gave us the stars and each other subverted this way .
    “And the ships that deliver this device—how will they survive? Or will this be a mission for volunteers’ honor?” asked Elder Hollis, reclaiming a moment of his commentary time.
    Berberon’s face twisted into a grimace. The reference was to what Berberon considered a particularly distasteful concept of martyrdom drawn from the pattern of armed conflict that had dominated even recent Renan history.
    Wells shook his head. “Even with the best available shielding, the Danfield Device will have to decelerate to less than ten cee to penetrate the atmosphere,” he said. “The Triad ships will have enough time to move safely into the blast shadow of the target planet itself.”
    Berberon requested and quickly was passed the token. “On what far horizon does this hopeful mirage lie, Comité?” he asked with studied innocence, though he knew the answer before asking. “How many miracles must your scientists work to bring it into existence?”
    Wells nodded slightly. “A fair question, Mr. Berberon. I’m happy to say that due to advances over the last year, and the last three months in particular, the problems involved in building the Danfield Device are now solely engineering ones. There are no fundamental theoretical hurdles.”
    “That is welcome news indeed, Comité,” Berberon said pleasantly.
    But the tone of the meeting changed dramatically a few minutes later, when control of the token passed to Denzell.“We of Liam-Won are pleased that these powerful ships have proven such a wise investment,” Denzell began, his expression showing anything but pleasure. “We would be more pleased if one were defending our world.
    “Would you explain again to me, please, why the sixty-one million people of Liam-Won are not worthy of protection?Must I give you all a lesson in astrography? We are just thirteen cees from the Perimeter. Does the Comité expect the Mizari to pass over us and come looking for a more challenging target?”
    “If Observer Denzell wants answers, he will have to grant my request-to-speak—” Wells attempted to interject.
    “You have choreographed enough of this already, you and your grinning accomplice there,” Denzell said, pointing at Berberon. “We know the answers. You leave us out there as bait, undefended, tempting, to dangle before the Mizari and coax them into the attack that will give you the war you want so badly.”
    The charge was preposterous on its face, yet Berberon felt obliged to come to Wells’s defense. “If the learned Observer were still capable of reason, I am sure he would realize that Triad will do more to assure Liam-Won’s safety than any number of Defenders could,” he said with a politeness that was in itself an insult.
    “How easily that comes to your lips, with not one but three Defenders orbiting overhead,” Denzell shouted. “Yet we are the ones at risk—”
    “You forget that the Mizari know the way here,” Berberon said, the chill in his voice authentic. “It was our world they scorched, our ancestors they exterminated.”
    “Were the Weichsel not our ancestors as well?” Denzell demanded angrily. “Were they not the Founders of all the Worlds—”
    “Break!” Erickson said sharply, and both men fell abruptly silent. “Observer Denzell, you have challenged Comité Wells on a