Blood In the Water Read Online Free PDF Page B

had been made for only one legislative body, for example, but its numbers would be determined by the populations of the states, or “Homes” they represented. Some interesting, possibly temporary concessions had been made to the seagoing homes and other smaller population centers, most of which would eventually join larger Homes as semi-independent jurisdictions,their High Chiefs becoming like mayors or county commissioners. Factionalism was inevitable; it already existed. But with members free to leave one state or Home to join another that they agreed with more strongly, and leaders still subject to popular vote, or acclamation—and removal by the same means—it seemed workable. It would be chaotic; democracies always were. But she certainly couldn’t think of a better way to get so many disparate groups to work together.
    She took a breath. “I guess I like it. It’ll be a mess, but maybe not as bad as we’ve already been dealing with.”
    â€œCap-i-taan Reddy feels that way?”
    Sandra nodded. “He does.”
    Adar smiled and blinked his gratitude. “Then it will be as Mr. Letts has formed it. I had already decided that, I suppose, but I wanted Cap-i-taan Reddy’s opinion.”
    â€œYou know why he couldn’t tell you straight up, right?” Sandra asked.
    â€œI do. And I honor him for his restraint. But he has helped form us in so many ways, Alan Letts in particular, how could we not share his opinions to some degree?” He glanced forward. “What remains then is a name. And a flag. Not all Homes will submit to the Banner of the Trees to represent them. They have symbols of their own.” He sighed. “It would be ironic if the Union were to fail over mere symbols.”
    â€œSymbols are more important than you know, Mr. Chairman,” Sandra said.
    â€œPerhaps. Ahd-mi-raal Keje-Fris-Ar believes so as well. The first time he saw your Amer-i-caan flag flying above a captured Grik ship, he had an epiphany that resulted in the Banner of the Trees! It is a . . . powerful symbol, and even I am not unaffected by it.” He sighed again. “We shall see,” he said.
    Sandra saw a small form approaching beyond Adar’s cape. “If you’ll excuse me? Come here, Diania,” she said softly, extending her hand for the tablet the woman bore.
    â€œBy all means,” Adar agreed. “The status of our wounded is far more important than our little chat.”
    â€œThe list,” the dark-skinned beauty offered, carefully enunciating her words. The version of English she’d once spoken was almost incoherent. Sandra looked at her. Diania was an “expat Impie gal” she found in Maa-ni-la, there to escape the system of virtual female slavery that hadprevailed in the Empire of the New Britain Isles at the time. Sandra immediately swept her into the Navy for a variety of reasons, but mostly because she liked her and because if female Lemurians could serve on
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, and ultimately all Allied ships, then female humans should be allowed to as well. Matt had not been pleased at the time, but the notion and the necessity grew on him. Things in the Empire had changed dramatically since the rise of Rebecca Anne McDonald to the position of Governor-Empress, and a few women even served on Imperial ships now. But Diania stayed with Sandra, essentially as her steward and bodyguard. In the latter, she’d been taught by and ultimately fallen in love with a man three times her age: Chief Bosun of the Navy Fitzhugh Gray. After his loss at the first Battle of Grik City, the light that had animated the young woman’s face had dwindled to a cinder and Sandra worried a great deal about her.
    She displayed the tablet to Adar. “The list of those deemed fit to return to light duty,” she explained. “Not that there is a lot for them to do aboard here, but each one is a victory.”
    â€œIndeed. Thank you for