Leverage
“Prime.”
Cel’dara looked for the source of the voice but didn’t see it.
“I know your secret Prime.”
She scanned the area but didn’t spot anyone. She had more than normal sight though, she would find them then force them to speak then crush them! She looked around with Tachyon vision. It turned the solid buildings into ghosts and revealed everything inside them. She turned a full three hundred and sixty degrees and even remembered to look up but she couldn’t find him!
“You won’t find me that way Cel’dara.”
“Who are you? Show yourself.”
She had just graduated from the Imperial Academy months ago. This was her first assignment but there were rumors she’d heard aboard ship. She had dismissed them as nonsense then. Rumors about what happened on planets full of Diaboli.
“I am someone who knows things. Things you should know and things you wish nobody knew.”
She listened for breathing and heartbeat and she heard water rushing through pipes underground and the crackle of electronics but no respiration, no heartbeat. Her senses told her this area on the edge of town was deserted but still the voice went on.
“Let us negotiate,” the voice sounded oh so reasonable but it came from nowhere.
She leaped easily clearing a quarter mile with the strength in her mighty legs. She smiled briefly; the sheer power she experienced away from Aria was amazing. The smile faded quickly. Nothing else about this assignment was simple or easy. She scowled into the darkness and hoped she had left at least one complication behind.
“Prime.”
She tensed her legs for another jump then stopped. She doubted it would do any good.
“What do you want?”
“I want to help you and enlighten you.”
She hesitated; she knew any information would not be free.
“To’Masa likes you back.” The voice insinuated .
“What?”
“She likes you too and your boss suspects your feelings.”
“Why should I believe you?” She was briefly elated then suspicious.
“That is up to you but you could easily check the truth of my words. All it would take is a bit of courage and honesty. You obviously have the courage, do you have the honesty?”
Her eyes had flared deadly red briefly when she thought he was implying cowardice then went back to troubled blue.
“But if we got caught…I mean even if you are correct that would just lead us to be recalled in disgrace when Adam’ro found us out.”
“True enough, unless you took care of him first. That is what worries him.” The voice was even and confident.
“Are you suggesting we mutiny? That’s dishonorable!” Cel’dara was shocked at the very idea.
“I suggest nothing. However, the three of you are the only Primes in the system and of course To’Masa would be your witness. You could make up any story you wanted and she would agree. The High Command wouldn’t care as long as the planet is pacified on schedule and becomes productive. I’m sure you could rule the planet better than he; couldn’t you?”
“But the Betans, they would know.” She knew she shouldn’t listen but she could see it, almost taste it. The two of them in charge of the planet and free to do as they liked.
“What do they matter? They will do what you say or else and they know better than to anger Primes. It would their word against that of two Primes. If any even look dubious then kill them and the rest will get the message.”
She narrowed her eyes and again attempted to find out where the voice is coming from. She fails again and scowled, if it seems too good to be true then it probably is.
“I could do that but why would you tell me all this?”
“Well I was hoping you could do me a favor in return someday.” The voice was smooth and normal now and she nodded bitterly.
“For the sake of argument what if I refuse to help you?” She was sure there was a stick to go with the carrot.
“In that case your boss hears this,” and suddenly she heard a copy of her own voice saying ‘But if we got caught’ and ‘I can do that’. “I can replay this whole conversation for him and give him a copy on Imperial media. He could use it to have you recalled before you decide to get rid of him.”
“How do I know you won’t do that anyway?”
“I came to you first. I’d rather deal with you. You’d be a better ruler in my opinion.” She could hear a smile in the voice. “So what’s your decision?”
Cel’dara scowled mightily and swung at the nearest rock, shattering it completely.
“Alright. You have a deal.”
“Excellent. You will hear from me afterwards.” The voice chuckled, “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
To’masa was worried. The War Master had chosen her more as a concubine than a subordinate but that by itself didn’t worry her much. He would be busy too often to bother her much for decades and by then she could likely manage to get reassigned. She had before. They had a recent Academy graduate with them and most of them had ideals that could cause problems since out here not everything could be dealt with by the book. She likely didn’t even realize she had been brought along more for her looks than her standing on graduation. That was a bit worrying because Cel’dara, the new girl, was arguably the strongest Prime on the planet. That would have been the War Master’s worry not hers though except for one thing. The new girl had a crush on her and she; well she would have encouraged things if it was safe. On some worlds it would be ok; the new Planetary Governor would look the other way as long as you got results. The PGs got a share of all profits the planet made above a certain amount. If you made them rich they’d overlook irregularities as long as they weren’t too blatant.
This one however seemed to have a bit too much ego for that and also a bit of paranoia. If he thought that the two women allowed to see him without any guards present were in any fashion conspiring then he would get rid of them any way he could find. And since he was the law for all intents and purposes he could find several ways. Neither would be easy to kill but being recalled in disgrace was a possibility and one she didn’t want to have to deal with.
She frowned and the Betans she was supervising started working harder. She almost snorted in mirth but decided to make use of it to amuse herself. After a hard day of bossing frightened Betans and seeing how much she could boost productivity creatively her PersComp rang. It was a call from Cel’dara asking to meet in private.
‘Well that’s surprising. I’d have thought it would take her a few more months to admit her feelings for me.’ She agreed and named a place she had already scouted as being safe for meeting she didn’t want recorded. She headed home first to shower and make sure she was looking her best.