This Day All Gods Die by Stephen R. Donaldson Page B
Authors: Stephen R. Donaldson
more."
Abruptly Warden surged to his feet. Perhaps Mandich's assertion had released a spring of decision in him. It was more likely, however, that he had heard all he needed. He had been waiting, not for Hashi's explanation, but for the Chief's comprehension of it
and for Koina's. Now he could move his
subordinates to their places in his deep game.
His manner was all crisp authority as he replied, "Getting ready for a possible war is my job." Despite Min Donner's absence, warfare lay outside the Security Chief's province.
"Yours is to find evidence. Anything that counts as proof.
"You know what you're looking for now. Was Alt really fired six weeks ago? Who had access to his work? Did he ever leave HO? If he did, where did he go? Who did he see? What happened to Clay Imposs? You can think of other questions Security might be able to answer better than DA could."
"Yes, sir." The Chief snapped a salute, although Warden hadn't dismissed him.
Warden ignored the gesture. As a rule, he didn't respond to salutes. He acknowledged his people in other ways.
"Anything you find," he continued, "you'll report immediately to Director Lebwohl and Director Hannish as well as to me."
"Yes, sir," Chief Mandich repeated.
Warden turned to the DA director.
"Hashi, I want Lane's findings as soon as you get them.
Let Koina have them, too. If Lane isn't already doing it, tell her to backtrack that coenzyme. Somebody must have done some research on it. There must be a record of it somewhere.
She might be able to find it. Set up all the Red Priorities you need. That might lead us to whoever used Alt.''
Hashi assented with a nod. He was confident that Lane recognized the importance of her discovery, and knew how to pursue it.
"Other than that"
Warden indicated both Hashi and
Koina
"I want the two of you to get ready.
"Len is going to call an emergency session soon." So much was predictable. An Amnion incursion into human space would demand action from the GCES. "When he does, I want both of you there. I want the Council to hear you respond in person to"
he spread his hands
"whatever comes up.
"It's still tenuous," he added without transition. "Cir-cumstantial as hell. But it will help. By God, it will help.
"Koina, when the time comes, add Hashi's accusation against Holt to the list of things you tell Maxim Igensard.
"All right?" he asked rhetorically. "Then get out of here." His brusque dismissal made it clear that he didn't wish to hear any more questions. "I'm too busy for all this talk."
Too busy to grant me five minutes of honesty? Hashi asked with his eyes. Will you not share the truth, even with me?
Warden shook his head as if he understood the silent inquiry. Whatever happened to him, he meant to face it alone.
Hashi allowed himself a small grimace of pain as he rose to his feet.
Mandich reached the door first; headed away charged with his mission. Hashi bowed Koina out of the small office ahead of them. When the door had closed and sealed behind them, however, he walked with her a short distance along the corridor. He had no desire for her company. However, he had known her too long
and had profited too much from her for-
mer trust
to treat her as Warden had just treated him.
As soon as they were beyond earshot of the guards who watched over the director in his office, she put her hand on his arm. "Hashi
" For a moment she actually leaned on him as if she feared her knees might fail. She kept her voice low in an effort to conceal a tremor of distress.
"If I tell Igensard all this, it'll ruin Warden. He won't have anything left to stand on. Even his honor. Igensard will have him up on charges in a matter of hours. Dereliction. Malfeasance. Tr"
the word caught in her throat briefly
"trea-
son. He'll be lucky if he doesn't find himself facing execution.
"What does he think he's doing?"
Despite its softness, her tone betrayed her. She, too, was grieving.
Earlier she'd refused to tell him
Abruptly Warden surged to his feet. Perhaps Mandich's assertion had released a spring of decision in him. It was more likely, however, that he had heard all he needed. He had been waiting, not for Hashi's explanation, but for the Chief's comprehension of it
and for Koina's. Now he could move his
subordinates to their places in his deep game.
His manner was all crisp authority as he replied, "Getting ready for a possible war is my job." Despite Min Donner's absence, warfare lay outside the Security Chief's province.
"Yours is to find evidence. Anything that counts as proof.
"You know what you're looking for now. Was Alt really fired six weeks ago? Who had access to his work? Did he ever leave HO? If he did, where did he go? Who did he see? What happened to Clay Imposs? You can think of other questions Security might be able to answer better than DA could."
"Yes, sir." The Chief snapped a salute, although Warden hadn't dismissed him.
Warden ignored the gesture. As a rule, he didn't respond to salutes. He acknowledged his people in other ways.
"Anything you find," he continued, "you'll report immediately to Director Lebwohl and Director Hannish as well as to me."
"Yes, sir," Chief Mandich repeated.
Warden turned to the DA director.
"Hashi, I want Lane's findings as soon as you get them.
Let Koina have them, too. If Lane isn't already doing it, tell her to backtrack that coenzyme. Somebody must have done some research on it. There must be a record of it somewhere.
She might be able to find it. Set up all the Red Priorities you need. That might lead us to whoever used Alt.''
Hashi assented with a nod. He was confident that Lane recognized the importance of her discovery, and knew how to pursue it.
"Other than that"
Warden indicated both Hashi and
Koina
"I want the two of you to get ready.
"Len is going to call an emergency session soon." So much was predictable. An Amnion incursion into human space would demand action from the GCES. "When he does, I want both of you there. I want the Council to hear you respond in person to"
he spread his hands
"whatever comes up.
"It's still tenuous," he added without transition. "Cir-cumstantial as hell. But it will help. By God, it will help.
"Koina, when the time comes, add Hashi's accusation against Holt to the list of things you tell Maxim Igensard.
"All right?" he asked rhetorically. "Then get out of here." His brusque dismissal made it clear that he didn't wish to hear any more questions. "I'm too busy for all this talk."
Too busy to grant me five minutes of honesty? Hashi asked with his eyes. Will you not share the truth, even with me?
Warden shook his head as if he understood the silent inquiry. Whatever happened to him, he meant to face it alone.
Hashi allowed himself a small grimace of pain as he rose to his feet.
Mandich reached the door first; headed away charged with his mission. Hashi bowed Koina out of the small office ahead of them. When the door had closed and sealed behind them, however, he walked with her a short distance along the corridor. He had no desire for her company. However, he had known her too long
and had profited too much from her for-
mer trust
to treat her as Warden had just treated him.
As soon as they were beyond earshot of the guards who watched over the director in his office, she put her hand on his arm. "Hashi
" For a moment she actually leaned on him as if she feared her knees might fail. She kept her voice low in an effort to conceal a tremor of distress.
"If I tell Igensard all this, it'll ruin Warden. He won't have anything left to stand on. Even his honor. Igensard will have him up on charges in a matter of hours. Dereliction. Malfeasance. Tr"
the word caught in her throat briefly
"trea-
son. He'll be lucky if he doesn't find himself facing execution.
"What does he think he's doing?"
Despite its softness, her tone betrayed her. She, too, was grieving.
Earlier she'd refused to tell him
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