Her Majesty's Western Service (53 page)

“
What the
hell
is going on there?” Governor Lloyd demanded.

“Lord Governor” –
the aide, Buff, had a pair of binoculars affixed to his eyes, following 4-106’s flasher as the line-class warship descended – “it sounds – Lord Governor? As though…”

“Go on,” the Governor snapped.

“Vice-Commodore Marcus Perry says he’s back.”

Fleming and Connery looked at one another.

“With his ship,” Buff went on. “And he wants an audience with the Deputy Director. Right now.”

“You heard my aide
,” the Governor snapped. “Get down there.”

The two spies were
already moving.

“That’s
Perry
!” Swarovski repeated to Specialist First Singh.

“Says he is, sir,”
replied the communications woman.

“It makes sense, Lieutenant” said Martindale. “Who else would have
shot down those puffed-up merc bastards?”

“He brought the ship back,” Swarovski muttered. “Holy fucking shit. I
told
you he was on covert assignment, Jules!”

“Who gives a
damn, Swav?” Martindale shot back. “Let’s go say hello to him, shall we?”

“You’re the boss, sir,” said Swarovski.
The two, followed by Singh, Vidkowski and a crowd from 4-106’s crew, ran to intercept the descending 4-106.

“Perry’s back,” Commander Ojibwa reported to Richardson, lowering her binoculars.

“I can read a flasher,” said the Flight Admiral tonelessly. “Tell him he did a good job, will you?”

“You’re not going to greet him yourself
, ma’am?”

“I don’t need to
bother him. It looks like he wants to talk to somebody else.”

From across the pads, Richardson could see
Deputy Director Fleming making haste toward the growing crowd of airshipmen waiting to greet the Vice-Commodore. Flanked by his pair of aides, Fleming was moving fast.

“
He flashed for
him
,” the Flight Admiral repeated. “Not me.”

But beneath the hag lady’s always-expressionless dem
eanor, Ojibwa thought she saw the ghost of a smile.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The cornerstones of the Restored Empire were laid on January 1
st
1901, the first year of the new Empire, when the Second Decree was passed unanimously by the Houses of Commons and of Lords.

Alongside the absolute rights to individual cross-border movement and group/regional self-determination granted by the Curzon Doctrine, the Decree made other elements foundational to Imperial law and identity going forwards, primarily a legal indifference to matters of ‘personal morality’ such as homosexuality and full House of Commons voting franchise to all literate adults of majority age within the Empire’s dominions.

“The greatest day in Imperial history,” Baron Oscar Wilde said on the floor of the House of Lords. “You will forgive me for not cracking the usual joke.”

From
A Young Person’s History of the World, Volume X.

“Looks like they want a speech,” remarked Ahle from the helm, as 4-106 landed. Meeting them at the bridge were a crowd of cheering airshipmen.

“
There’s seven Armadillos,” said Rafferty. “Vice, you only killed two of `em. Five more around somewhere.”

“And the others
won’t go down as easily,” Ahle added. “We had surprise this time. And luck.”

“But first,” said John Kennedy from the Weapons station, “you swore as an Imperial officer to make an introduction.”

Perry nodded at the pirate.

“I did, at that. And I will.
Looks like he’s coming to us. But give me a moment.”

Perry keyed the loudhailer mike.

“Crew of DN 4-106,” he said into it.

The words echoed, amplified, across the
bare concrete landing pads and through the mostly-abandoned Hugoton base.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” Perry went on. Why
had
these guys stuck around – some exigiency of evacuation logistics? Although it was obvious that a shipless crew would be last on the list to get out – “I look forward to taking you under my command once again.”

Another cheer rose at that statement.

“For now, we have urgent work to do. Prepare yourselves for action.”

“Looks like your MI-7 boss is here,” said Nolan.

“Drop the door,” Perry ordered. “Let him in.”

Ian Fleming looked John F. Kennedy in the face, on 4-106’s bridge, and smiled.

“Mr. Kennedy,” he said. “I won’t ask why you’re aboard our prodigal airship. I will apologize for not being able to offer you a drink.”

“Oh,
I can make up for that,” said a Specialist Third in his late thirties, offering a flask. “Drink with Mr. Fleming would
add
to the adventure.”

“Another time, Specialist,” said Fleming.

“You probably don’t have a lot of time,” said Kennedy. “So I’ll get to the point.”

“You wouldn’t have
put your head into my noose without one,” agreed Fleming. “So yes, please.”

“Colby’s information says your Governor is the type to remain around. Is he here?”

Fleming considered prevaricating, but only for a brief moment.

“He’s here.”

“I want to see him. Vice Perry?”

“Deputy Director,” said Perry, “I promised Mr. Kennedy an audience with you and – I know it’s not within my authority – with the Go
vernor if you could swing it.”

“I can probably swing it,” said Fleming. “Suppose you tell me why.”

“I’ll tell
him
why,” said Kennedy. “Fifty of my family’s men are here as hostages – manning this ship’s weapons and rig stations. I’ve returned your airship when I could have easily kept it for ourselves. I think that’s enough of a good-faith gesture to start the conversation.”

“I can’t begin to guess why the Josephs’ obvious emissary would wish to speak with the Lord Governor,” said Fleming slowly.
“So I’m going to emphatically recommend that an audience be granted.”

“Thank you,” said Kennedy. “
I’m unarmed, although I expect you to verify that. I’m here to talk.”

“Once we’re inside,” Fleming said. “But Perry? Your ship already has a crew. Replace your pirates with them, will you – and join us.”

Kennedy reached for a mike on his console.

“All secondary crew,” he ordered, “surrender yourselves as planned.”

“Join you?” Perry asked.

“With the Governor,” said
Fleming. “You organized the introduction. He’s your problem.”

Heinrich Himmler smiled
broadly as his outriding tanks blew another oil well into a geyser of flames.

They were approaching suburban Dodge City.

Three hours, now, from Hugoton.

Perry followed
Connery, Fleming and – having been quite thoroughly searched by Fleming and his aide – Kennedy – through the stairwells of a mostly-abandoned Government Tower. Ahle tailed them, clearly itching to speak to Fleming herself.

He could guess why.

They reached the seventh floor. The Governor’s last remaining aide, an immaculately-dressed young aristocrat, stood outside his office.

In
twenty months stationed here, Perry had only been inside that office twice; once for his official welcome to the Lease, the second time for a personal commendation. Both had been formal audiences, not personal meetings.

“Holy
hell,” said the aide, “that’s John F. Kennedy.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” said Kennedy, extending a hand.

The aide shook it, clearly shocked.

“Mr.
Buff, this man requires an audience with your boss,” said Fleming. “Urgently.”

“He’s
still inside, Mr. Fleming,” said Buff. “I guess I can let you through.”

“Your
Empire may thank you,” said Kennedy, as they passed in.

The Governor’s
office had been stripped of everything that could easily be moved, but to Perry’s eyes that only gave it a stark simplicity fitting the man’s rank.

After all, Flight Admiral R
ichardson’s office was like this normally, wasn’t it?

“And who is this fine fellow I hear I’ve been urged to meet?” the Governor asked.

“John Kennedy,” said Fleming. “Joseph’s son. And younger brother.”

“The pirate kings? And
what would
they
want? To gloat?” demanded the Governor.

Perry
stifled an interruption. He
wanted
to be back with 4-106, prepping his crew for the desperate battle to come. But he was curious as to what would happen here. John Kennedy had gone well out of his way to put his head deep inside the lion’s mouth for a reason.

“No,” said Kennedy.
“I’m here to offer you a deal. We can save your Lease from destruction. If you grant us a few concessions.”

Governor Charles Lloyd couldn’t believe he was hearing this insanity.

Here comes pirate prince John F. Kennedy personally, known from Fleming’s briefings to be the family’s second son and chief of special operations, attempting to negotiate something?

Remember the fact
, the Governor told himself.
The SS is coming. Her Majesty will thank you for
any
actions you take to save the Lease in the face of this disaster.

Any.

That gave him room, didn’t it?

It depended.

“You’re pirates,” said Lloyd. “How in damnation do you claim you can save the Lease against what’s coming?”

“Trotsky’s man attempted to assassinate my family heads for a reason,” said Kennedy, as Perry looked on. “There are two
effective powers on the Plains; Imperials and the Kennedy family. Successfully killing the Josephs would have perhaps caused enough disruption as to render
us
powerless against what was to come.”

“The invasion was cancelled the minute we deployed along the border,” said
Lloyd. “Now all that’s left is the destruction of this denuded Lease.”

“Which I can prevent,” Kennedy repeated.

“How?” asked Fleming and the Governor simultaneously.

“My family went to full mobilization eighteen hours ago,” said
John Kennedy. “Every ship we have an interest in, every debt we’re owed, every pledge we’ve been given. And everything the Lakota can send. We can stop the SS.”

“I don’t believe it,” said Governor Lloyd. “Vice-Commodore, what do you think?”

Perry swallowed hard.

“Lord Governor?
I won’t outright contradict Mr. Kennedy on that statement, sir. His family commands resources.”

“Resources
here
?”

“
Mr. Lloyd,” said Kennedy, “I’ll make the deal plainer to you. You keep your part of the deal if, and only if, we save Hugoton.”

“Suppose we make a deal with your pirates,” said Lloyd. “What would you want?”

Kennedy’s mouth became a smile.

“
Legitimacy. We want Imperial law to recognize the Code.”

“You want piracy legalized?” said the Governor. “Like hell.”

Kennedy shook his head.

“We would be fine if piracy remained a crime. Just n
ot a capital one, or one with
too
long a prison sentence. Let’s say, five years minus the usual reductions for good behavior and whatnot. If the perpetrator is a known Code pirate.”

“I’m not going to abandon the law for the sake of saving my Lease. Rape and murder are crimes that deserve hanging, not wrist-slaps!”

“Rape and murder aren’t engaged in by Code pirates. We make sure of that. Crimes committed alongside piracy, you can punish as you see fit – we’ll even assist you. I’m referring to the act of piracy in and of itself. If the perpetrator is a Code pirate, you do not hang them solely for piracy. You can imprison them for up to five years. That’s it. Rapists and murderers have never, do not, and never will, come under our protection.”