Venus of Shadows (77 page)

Eva bowed her blond head. "I feared this," she said. "If the Habbers were still among us, the Mukhtar would have had to be more cautious. Maybe the Habbers even guessed that Earth might make this kind of move, and that's why they left so willingly. They knew Earth might be ready to fight them — that's why they left without even trying to hang on for a bit in the hope things might change."

"You sound," Matthew said, "as if you regret their departure."

"Oh, no." Eva looked up. "I can't be sorry about that. I can be grateful for their cowardice. At least it may have kept us from becoming their battleground with Earth. Alim must have seen this coming all along. He'd bow to Earth to keep what he has — maybe he's even dreaming of becoming the Mukhtar of this new Nomarchy."

"Alim has also been working for us," Boaz said. "You must believe that. He convinced Mukhtar Kaseko that his original plan was unwise."

"What plan was that?" Chimene asked.

"The Mukhtar was going to tell us he would meet with us on Island Two. After his ship landed here, shuttles were to carry a Guardian force to the Platform. We wouldn't have known that, of course — we'd have been thinking they were only the delegation bound for Island Two. Our people couldn't have prevented a well-trained force from taking control of the Platform, and you know what that would have meant. We'd be completely cut off from the outside, with no shuttles able to land on the Platform unless the Guardians allowed it. No airships would have been able to carry supplies from the Platform to the Islands or the surface, unless we gave in to all of the Mukhtar's demands."

Boaz did not have to explain that to her. The Islands and the domes would have been entirely dependent on the supplies they had now. They could survive for quite some time, but eventually an important installation for which they lacked replacement parts would fail, and threaten an entire community. The Cytherians would have had to surrender, or else wait for the slow and inevitable end.

She lifted her hand a little, surprised at how steady it was. "Alim," Boaz continued, "convinced the Mukhtar that such actions were both needlessly provocative and unnecessary. He said it was possible for Kaseko to achieve his aims peacefully, but for that, he needs us. Alim has persuaded him that we're reasonable people who know that we can gain nothing by taking a futile stand against him."

"Giving in to him can't serve the Spirit," Chimene said. "It makes a lie of everything I believe."

"It won't serve the Spirit to defy him," Matthew said, "and bring suffering and death to our brethren. Let him call Venus a Nomarchy, let him bring in his own people to serve on the Project Council and as Administrators. We'll still have the Project, and you'll be the Guide. Alim will see that you're consulted. Which is more important — preserving our pride, or keeping our people safe? Your brothers and sisters won't thank you if you defy the Mukhtar and put them all at risk."

"Ishtar will go on," Boaz murmured. "Our people will still be free to find the truth. We can live for the day when Earth will have no power over us, when we're strong enough to stand alone. Kaseko's grateful that we persuaded the Habbers to leave, and Alim has convinced him of the wisdom of working with us. You may see this as a defeat now, but we'll be victorious in the end."

His advice had led her to this, having to surrender her world to Earth. She had thought that the Spirit spoke through Boaz and Matthew; now it seemed as though their words had always been Earth's. Maybe they were only two men who had acquired a taste for power, or perhaps they had been Earth's minions all along.

She was grateful for her implant. Perhaps Boaz had thought it would keep her passive as well as calm. She would deal with the rage, shame, and despair that were likely to overwhelm her at another time, but at the moment she was free to consider what Boaz and Matthew had told her.

She did not believe that Mukhtar Kaseko had actually planned to seize the Platform, now that she could reflect on this threat. A siege of that sort would have cost Earth too much. The Mukhtar had probably only been trying to impress Alim with his ruthlessness before agreeing to what might have been his own plan all along — letting Alim's people and those closest to the Guide prepare the Cytherians for the new order. She would have to assess this Mukhtar when they met and try to see exactly what he might be willing to do.

She was sure of one thing. If the Mukhtar found reason to distrust her or felt that she was unwilling to cooperate, she would probably not live to betray him. A way could be found to explain her death; a more malleable Guide could take her place — perhaps Lakshmi, a young girl who could easily be guilded by Boaz. Many people already assumed that Chimene was training the girl as a possible successor.

She felt a queer, disembodied fear; it hovered above her, unable to grip her yet with its icy talons but ready to pounce. She was thinking of how Boaz had brought Lakshmi to their house, of all the discussions with Alim that Boaz had mentioned to her only afterward, of all the duties he had so willingly taken upon himself so that she would not be troubled. Perhaps he had been preparing for a time when she was no longer necessary.

She gazed into Boaz's eyes. He was an obstacle now, but she could not let him see that she viewed him that way. "You've loved me," she said. He would expect her to seem grieved and despairing. "You've advised me when I was unable to see what might bring our people closer to the right way. You've told me things I had to know but didn't want to hear, and then you've consoled me and given me back my strength. But I don't know if I can face what you've just told me." Her reluctance was something else he would expect. "The Spirit is silent in me now. I cannot know Her will. I am trying to see how what you've told me will lead to the perfect state that awaits all Cytherians, and I don't know if I can."

He took her hand. "Let me help you now," he said. "This is as hard for me to bear as it is for you — perhaps harder because I feel I may have failed you. I knew some of Alim's fears about what the Mukhtar's visit might indicate, and I didn't share them with you — I kept telling myself he was mistaken. I think I sense what the Spirit would have us do now. We must preserve our world however we can. We will be stronger later."

"When our people learn what the Mukhtar intends," Eva said, "they may take this matter into their own hands. They'll feel betrayed, and they may resist even if they know they can't win. They may turn against us."

"That's why they mustn't know of this yet," Matthew replied. "All they'll hear for now is that Earth will be aiding us more, and that Mukhtar Kaseko is concerned about the Project's progress. We'll have time to prepare them by pointing out the possible benefits of closer ties to Earth so that hearing they're going to be part of a new Nomarchy won't come as too great a shock."

"We'll also root out any potential troublemakers," Boaz added. "The patrol has questioned some in a few of the settlements, people who enjoy gathering in secret to murmur against us. Our patrol hasn't learned much, but others are clearly directing those malcontents and looking for ways to strike out at us. We'll find the ones behind it all, and they will regret their lack of faith with those others in Turing."

"I see," Eva said. "I suppose there's nothing else to be done. We can't stand against Earth alone. We can quiet any grumbling by removing the most troublesome — the others would fall into line then. If our sisters and brothers know that Earth will allow us to practice our faith and keep our dream of being freer in the future, they'll see that their Guide acted wisely. And perhaps the Mukhtars' representatives here will be so moved by our faith and by Chimene's future efforts on our behalf, that we'll win some of them to the right way. After all, we can be free inside ourselves. It doesn't matter if Earth calls us their world." The blond woman's face was composed. Chimene could not tell if Eva's words were sincere, or if her friend was also cloaking fear and anger.

"Leave me," Chimene said. "I want to be alone with Boaz now." Matthew got up, reached for his spear and helped Eva to her feet. Chimene caught a glimpse of a Guardian in the hall before the door slid shut behind them.

"Hold me," she said to Boaz. He would expect her to seek his comfort now, to cling to him, question him, and then allow him to persuade her that she had to give in. By depending on him, by sharing her doubts and fears with him, she had let him see her as weak and easily led. She had needed him after Kichi's death; she should have freed herself of him long ago.

His arms were around her. She would let him make love to her before she told him she would heed his advice. Strangely enough, she felt more love for him now that she understood how deeply he had fallen into error. She was still his Guide; she would find a way to bring him back to her truth.

*  *  *

Two Guardians stepped aside; the door to the meeting room opened. Chimene was wearing her dagger under her sash; she was expecting this meeting to be somewhat anti-climactic, now that she knew why the Mukhtar was here.

At the far end of the room, several Linkers, all clad in their formal white robes, sat on red cushions. The men wore their headdresses; the women had covered their hair with long white scarves. Kaseko Wugabe was sitting in a chair in the middle of the group; his broad face was nearly as dark as the black uniform he wore under his open white robe. Two uniformed Guardians stood at his sides; a slim golden-haired woman, also wearing a Guardian's uniform, sat in a chair near his. Behind them, a wide screen displayed an image of Venus's Parasol. The planet was hidden; the umbrella's vast panels reflected the light of the sun.

"Salaam, Mukhtar Kaseko," Administrator Alim said, then bowed, touching his forehead; Chimene and her companions did the same. The Mukhtar touched the Linker's jewel on his own forehead but did not speak. "It is my hope, God willing, that your stay will be most pleasant. It is a great honor for us to have you here, and we hope that you will take pleasure in being so near the world that is, after all, the fruit of an Earthman's dream."

"Salaam." Kaseko waved one hand languidly. "Come forward."

Alim led the group toward the empty cushions in front of the Mukhtar, then bowed again as Chimene and the others seated themselves. "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful," the Administrator murmured, "Whose Hand guides us all." He lowered his plump body to one of the scarlet cushions. "May He guide us now."

"I invoke the Spirit," Chimene said then, "Whose love encompasses all who dwell on Her world, Who reflects their dreams and is Herself a reflection of them."

"God's will be done," Kaseko said. He stared down at her coldly with his dark brown eyes. "We shall dispense with more formalities." He gestured at the people closest to him. "I won't introduce the new members of the Project Council here — you'll be learning their names soon enough." He held out a hand to the uniformed blond woman. "This is Commander Johanna Wulf, my aide, my companion, and my closest adviser. She is also in command of the Guardians who have accompanied us — I trust her patience will not be tested. I've viewed the records of these people, Administrator Alim, so you needn't introduce them either. I'll be speaking for my people. Much as I would prefer the subtleties of Arabic, Anglaic is more useful for precision, and I do not want to be misunderstood. I should also use a language your companions can understand."

Chimene tried to ignore the comment, which seemed intended to mock their lack of learning. "The Guide has some familiarity with Arabic," Alim said.

"Learned from her father, no doubt, disgraced scholar that he was." Another insult; the man seemed intent on belittling her. Kaseko smiled. "But his daughter, I am sure, will erase any memory of his shame." He leaned forward. "Very well, Chimene Liang-Haddad. You know why I'm here. When I joined the Guardians, and learned the true reasons Earth had backed away from a battle here, I knew that my mission was to restore our honor. I did not come here to heap further humiliation on Earth and its people by telling you this world will be yours. But Alim has told me that you are a reasonable woman, and that your people have great love for you. If God wills, it is my hope that we can work together. I remain grateful that your influence with your people led the Habbers to depart, even though you were thinking of your ends and not mine. I do not intend to interfere with your duties as Guide of your cult or with the spiritual life of your followers — that is, if you are actually as reasonable as Alim claims." His deep voice was so resonant that he might have been using an amplifier.

"I must be honest," Chimene replied. "I was sorrowful when I learned your true reasons for coming here. I had believed that the Spirit —" She paused deliberately, forcing herself to keep her eyes on his face. "But I won't speak of the Spirit. As real as Her presence is to me, you do not share my faith. I'll speak of my people. We need your aid even more, now that the Habbers are gone, and must accept your conditions for giving it. Those closest to me have convinced me that we must bow to you, much as I struggled against that. I'll do what I can, but —" She waited.

Kaseko tapped his fingers against the arms of his chair. "But what?" he said at last.

"My people may not give in easily. Many will want to fight this, even if they know they must lose, and it will cost you much to subdue them."

The Mukhtar leaned back. "You're constantly bombarding them with your inspirational little talks. You supposedly have a patrol that answers to you. You have ways to bring them around to an acceptance of the new order."

"Even many on the patrol would object to this."

"Then you had better see that they don't. If you can't serve my interests, I'll be forced to find someone who can." He folded his arms. "Let me tell you what lies in store for your people if they resist — it will give you an additional incentive to do my bidding. If they resist, we'll disable or destroy the Platform. That will be the end of anything your people can do against us."

"You'd be condemning a whole world," Chimene whispered. "You'd just be throwing the Project away. That would gain you nothing."