Chapter Fifty-Two
People change, and so do worlds. The universe remains constant.
—Saying of the Sirikan Hill People
Inside an oval chamber on the lowest level of EcoStation, Noah stood at the most powerful magnaviewer window aboard, providing him with a high-resolution picture of the planet below the geostationary orbiter. Once, Canopa had been his world. He had known it well, and especially his beloved Ecological Demonstration Project there.
Subi Danvar wanted him to leave the orbital platform and seek refuge on some distant planet. But that was against Noah’s nature. He didn’t like to run away from anything, no matter how much sense it made to do so. Earlier, when he’d been caught in the surprise attack on CorpOne headquarters, he’d only been accompanied by a small entourage, and it had seemed prudent to escape quickly and analyze the situation. Now he hesitated, searching for alternatives.
Having received telebeam reports from the ground, and having watched through his magnaviewer, he knew that his security force had fought valiantly, and still held tenuous control over the southwest corner of the compound. But they had been unable to defend the main buildings, which had fallen to superior Red Beret and CorpOne forces. Such a disturbing alliance between his own sister Francella and Doge Lorenzo, and Subi had intercepted reports that more of their forces were on the way. It was only a matter of time until the brave Guardian defenders lost what little ground they still held.
And EcoStation would be next. The orbital platform had armoring and other defensive features, but could never hold out against a full-scale onslaught.
Several days ago, Noah had relayed an urgent nehrcom message directly to the Palazzo Magnifico, demanding an explanation for the attack and an emergency meeting with the Doge. So far there had been no response, but he continued to hold out hope.
He had not anticipated his sister’s military aggression, nor her devious strategy of aligning herself with the man whom Noah had thought was no longer her lover. Those assumptions seemed to have been entirely wrong, and were costly mistakes. She might have stepped up the Lorenzo relationship with her lies and tricks, falsely accusing Noah of killing their father. Or perhaps she and the Doge had collaborated from the very beginning in the murder of Prince Saito, to take control of his business empire and blame the death on Noah.
He wanted to believe the best about Lorenzo del Velli, that the powerful leader had only been duped after the CorpOne attack, and that he and Francella had not collaborated in the murder. Lorenzo had been a patron to both Saito Watanabe and Jacopo Nehr, neither of whom had been noble born but whose careers had been advanced because of the support of the Doge.
Gazing down through the magnification window at his besieged compound, Noah felt rage and confusion, seeing the Doge’s elite Red Beret soldiers setting up their own military installations. Some of the Doge’s long-range artillery pieces were pointed up, aimed ominously at the orbiter. Nonetheless, Noah did not order an emergency change in the orbital path.
No matter the lies Francella told him, he couldn’t believe that Lorenzo would try to blow him out of space. Not after what the Watanabe family had done for the Merchant Prince Alliance, far beyond the munitions plants that were part of Prince Saito’s diverse corporate empire. Noah himself had contributed substantially to the war effort, restoring the ecology of the formerly worthless planet of Jaggem, so that it could be used as a key military outpost by the Alliance. The Doge had even visited Jaggem during the final stages of the reconstruction, to commend Noah and his Guardians for their excellent work. Noah always wanted to believe the best about people.
Suddenly, he saw a flash on the ground. One of the artillery pieces!
Then a flash from another gun, and an explosion in midair.
* * * * *
Having gotten into bed with Francella Watanabe in more ways than one, Doge Lorenzo del Velli had ordered the stationing of his elite Red Beret troops at her brother’s ecological demonstration compound. Military personnel worked all around him now, setting up a command center in Noah Watanabe’s former office. Lorenzo had stopped by to inspect the facility.
He had been frustrated by the holdouts in the southwest corner of the compound. Noah’s security forces still held onto the maintenance and warehouse building there, but they wouldn’t last long. He had more troops and weapons on the way.
As for EcoStation orbiting high overhead, the Doge had initially ordered its destruction, as Francella had demanded. She wanted him to “blast it out of orbit” with one of the big artillery pieces, and the final countdown had been initiated.
At the last possible moment, he had received an intelligence report that contained startling information. Lorenzo had shouted to stop the firing of the weapon, but he had been too late, and it had gone off. Thinking quickly, he had ordered an immediate intercepting shot, which followed in seconds, at an even higher velocity. The two projectiles had exploded in midair.
Now, breathing a heavy sigh of relief, the Doge reread the report. So perplexing. Supposedly his illegitimate son, Anton Glavine, was on board EcoStation … a son he didn’t even know he had, and Francella Watanabe was the mother. The report contained purported evidence of the parentage, which would still require confirmation. If accurate, though, Francella would have a lot of explaining to do.
Could it possibly be true? Lorenzo had been told by a doctor that he could not father any more children, and had given up hope. But somehow, miraculously.…
He caught himself, didn’t dare hope, not without confirmation. But if the young man really was the only male child sired by Lorenzo the Magnificent, that was not something to be destroyed easily.
The Doge would have to take other measures to kill Noah Watanabe, no matter what Francella wanted.