The seconds were crawling by for Beka, Harper was cheerfully needling a new pair of guards--only slightly less merrily taking a few blows--and Captain Rhade was imagining the worst. A week had passed since the Archduke's first message, and the sole notice he'd paid them was a brief, unbearably smug vid of him apologizing for his failure to communicate yet with Gaheris, citing urgent business with his guests as his excuse. Rubbing salt into the wound.
Rhade sat across from his best friend, deceased but as adept at Go as ever. Come to think of it, he was better.
"Charlemagne's proving more difficult that you had anticipated?"
The Nietzschean nodded tersely, then set a small black stone on the second board. He couldn't cheat either, now that Dylan was a hologram. "Much. I never presumed him to lack his wits, but… this is ridiculous. We should have discovered something by now."
Dylan nodded. "If this were any other abduction by any other Nietzschean, I would agree. Remember Gaheris, he's been planning this since you rejected his request for Commonwealth membership. Probably before, as a contingency."
Of course. He had told his crew the same, though it had hardly been necessary. In the days of the old Commonwealth, Rhade would've had an intergalactic database, informants, and special agents at his disposal.
The little voice that told him it still would be there if not for him had died almost immediately by now.
"But you know all this. You know how he thinks, and he thinks he knows how you think." The hologram seemed to set down a white stone. In reality, a holographic chip transferred from his holographic palm to the Go board. "What does he know of you, Gaheris? On… what is he basing your profile?"
Rhade looked up, puzzled, from the tri-level game. "I don't believe I follow you."
Dylan chuckled a little. "I'm not surprised."
His friend smiled. "But you do mean to enlighten me?" He set down another piece.
"Naturally. Charlemagne knows this: you killed your captain to bring down what you saw as an ineffective and decadent government, you're currently attempting to form a new Systems Commonwealth, and you're not letting him join the club. So what conclusion does he draw? You're a man of principle, of honor, even." He shrugged, a tiny grin dancing at the corners of his holographic lips. "Hey, Ijust call'em as he sees 'em."
Andromeda's current captain nodded slowly. He needed someone else to reveal the first part--he certainly didn't think of himself as a man of honor--but he could take it from here. His mood was doubly lifted by a glance at the board. One more black piece and… "Twelve moves until I win."
Rhade sat across from his best friend, deceased but as adept at Go as ever. Come to think of it, he was better.
"Charlemagne's proving more difficult that you had anticipated?"
The Nietzschean nodded tersely, then set a small black stone on the second board. He couldn't cheat either, now that Dylan was a hologram. "Much. I never presumed him to lack his wits, but… this is ridiculous. We should have discovered something by now."
Dylan nodded. "If this were any other abduction by any other Nietzschean, I would agree. Remember Gaheris, he's been planning this since you rejected his request for Commonwealth membership. Probably before, as a contingency."
Of course. He had told his crew the same, though it had hardly been necessary. In the days of the old Commonwealth, Rhade would've had an intergalactic database, informants, and special agents at his disposal.
The little voice that told him it still would be there if not for him had died almost immediately by now.
"But you know all this. You know how he thinks, and he thinks he knows how you think." The hologram seemed to set down a white stone. In reality, a holographic chip transferred from his holographic palm to the Go board. "What does he know of you, Gaheris? On… what is he basing your profile?"
Rhade looked up, puzzled, from the tri-level game. "I don't believe I follow you."
Dylan chuckled a little. "I'm not surprised."
His friend smiled. "But you do mean to enlighten me?" He set down another piece.
"Naturally. Charlemagne knows this: you killed your captain to bring down what you saw as an ineffective and decadent government, you're currently attempting to form a new Systems Commonwealth, and you're not letting him join the club. So what conclusion does he draw? You're a man of principle, of honor, even." He shrugged, a tiny grin dancing at the corners of his holographic lips. "Hey, Ijust call'em as he sees 'em."
Andromeda's current captain nodded slowly. He needed someone else to reveal the first part--he certainly didn't think of himself as a man of honor--but he could take it from here. His mood was doubly lifted by a glance at the board. One more black piece and… "Twelve moves until I win."