Starfist: Lazarus Rising (39 page)

"Call signs: the general's is ‘Wholesaler’; the armored battalion commander's is

‘Shipper’; you, Ambassador Spears, will be ‘Middleman.’ Gunny, we'll call you

‘Customer.’ And Wayvelsberg is the ‘Store,’ while the barracks and airfield are the

‘Apartment.’ The signal to commence the attack will be ‘Home.’ Use those words in whatever combinations work. We know the Special Group monitors radio communications closely, so only use the radios when it's absolutely necessary."

"I can have the
Marne
jam all electronic communications on command," Spears offered.

"Not a good idea, sir," Lambsblood replied. "We'll need to be able to communicate with our forces to be sure nothing goes wrong, or to let each of the three attack elements know if anything does." He nodded at Devi to continue.

"Everyone will be in position to attack by 2345. We've rehearsed this over and over at the battalion. The streets will be free of traffic at that hour so we'll have a clear route to Wayvelsberg and be there before anyone realizes what's up. Any questions?"

"What if something does go wrong?" Bass asked. "What are the contingency plans?"

Major Devi shifted uneasily in his chair. "We've considered various contingencies, Gunny. Basically, we'll play it by ear. We're flexible. We'll be in constant touch with one another from now until the attack. Our armored battalion is the most potent military force in the city. Remember, the Special Group is spread out in garrisons all over Kingdom, and by the time any of those garrisons can reinforce the Lifeguards, the battle will be over.

"Remember also, we have the strategic initiative. Tactically, we're outnumbered, that's true, but the enemy is dispersed. We will mass our forces to concentrate our firepower to the best advantage. If the forces attacking the barracks do not completely destroy the garrison there, they'll prevent it from reinforcing Wayvelsberg, and the Wayvelsberg defenders will be outnumbered four-to-one."

"What about the city's population?" Carlisle asked. "You know how popular de Tomas is. What are you going to do to secure the channels of public information, so you can explain the revolution, win his supporters over?"

"We don't have the forces to do that," General Lambsblood answered. "We had to keep this operation secret. I could not even bring in my staff, much less civilian counterparts who might be with us. Besides, by two hours tomorrow de Tomas will be in our custody, and once he's out of power, we will fill the vacuum. There may be a short period of instability, but without de Tomas, his government will topple. We'll win the people over during his trial, when we can bring to light all his crimes. Until then, of course, we may have to deal with public demonstrations. But on the other hand, de Tomas has enemies, and once his oppression is at an end, they'll come out of the woodwork. Anyway, the army is with us."

Ambassador Spears spoke up. "Gunny Bass, as soon as the attack has succeeded, I'll issue a de facto recognition of the interim government to be headed by General Lambsblood. If there is any serious armed resistance that the general's forces can't handle, I'll call up the
Marne
. And Charlie, if your attack bogs down, I'm going to dispatch the landing party and put the
Marne
's batteries on call to support you. That's against all the rules the Diplomatic Corps lives by, but I'm going to do it anyway." What he did not say, and what Bass knew as well, was that if the
Marne
opened fire on Wayvelsberg Castle, it could not be a "surgical" strike, so nobody's survival would be guaranteed.

And as to that stormleader, Mugabe, Bass had already made up his mind that anyone who got in his way would die, regardless. But Bass nodded his agreement with the plan. He understood its weaknesses: Lambsblood had no air support and the Special Group did. What if the SG were successful in getting Avenging Angels, or even armed Hoppers, into the air? Even one aircraft could be a significant threat.

And any military operation inside a populated area like Haven could bog down instantly if the citizens got in the way. But in the time they had left, the plan was as good as it could be.

"When will your sister join us, and how do we get to Wayvelsberg?" Raipur asked Devi.

"I'll call her when we leave here. She'll meet us at the depot. You can use one of the recon vehicles. We'll load you up with enough weapons and explosives to blow the place to Hell."

"One more thing," General Lambsblood said. He reached into a drawer and took out a pair of shoulder straps, each with three silver pips on it, the insignia of a captain in the Army of the Lord. "Sergeant Raipur, Captain Dieter and the senior lieutenant in your company have been arrested. You know what that means. I'm giving you a field promotion to Captain. I'll follow that up with the proper written orders as soon as tonight's operation is over, but as of now, you are Captain Raipur."

After the obligatory congratulations to newly minted Captain Raipur, the discussion over the plan went on for a few more minutes and then General Lambsblood stood. "Lady," he bowed toward Colleen, "gentlemen, it's nearly fourteen hours now, time to get ready. Eight more hours and the tyranny that has gripped this world for so long will be ended." He stepped out from behind his desk and shook each person's hand warmly. "We are on the verge of a historic moment,"

he said. "Generations yet unborn will look back on this day as the turning point in the history of this world. Friends, comrades, go now to your stations, and may our Lord and Savior be with you in the coming hours." There were tears in his eyes as he spoke these words. Silently, each person in the room saluted him before turning and leaving.

He stood alone at last. He'd been a foolish martinet all his career, he knew that now. But at last he was doing something to make up for that.

But God did not smile on General Lambsblood. Two hours later the Special Group arrested him.

The dinner things were still on the table where they'd left them. De Tomas was too preoccupied to bother calling a mess boy to have them taken away. Besides, he didn't want the mood interrupted. Now, a brandy snifter in one hand and an Anniversario in the other, he sat facing Comfort across a small coffee table. Comfort gingerly sampled her brandy. It was good! She'd finished about half the snifter already. The alcohol had brought a pleasant flush to her cheeks. "You have never looked more beautiful," de Tomas said, and he meant it.

Comfort stuttered, "I—I can't help thinking about all those people back at Castle Hurse—"

De Tomas inhaled and blew out a thick cloud of blue-white cigar smoke. He waved the Anniversario casually in the air. "Give me their names and I shall grant them a pardon. I am a merciful man, especially when my mercy pleases my consort-to-be."

"Thank you, sir! Their names are, um..." She frowned. "Ah, yes. Why there's old, er..." She wrinkled her brow. It must be the brandy, she realized. She wasn't accustomed to alcohol and it was fuzzing her mind. She laughed and immediately clapped a hand to her mouth. "Ex-Excuse me!" she giggled.

"Forget them for now, my dear. We'll arrange their release in the morning. Tonight, let us put our cares aside and relax." He looked carefully at Comfort as she wrinkled her brow, trying to get the names of her friends out. Good. The chlorpromazine-based tranquilizer—ancient and crude, but still an effective drug—was working. He'd take the bitch now, and when he was done, she wouldn't be of use to anyone else and she'd
have
to remain here, with him. He undressed her with his eyes and his passion rose. "Drink up," he urged.

"Whooo!" Comfort swallowed the remainder of the brandy. "Oh my." She gasped as it warmed its way into her stomach, where its tendrils crept pleasantly into every fiber of her body. She lolled in her comfortable armchair and stretched her legs out under the table. She wondered why she'd taken that fruit knife at dinner and put it into a pocket.
Aw, who gave a damn?
The room began to swim pleasantly. She sighed. She smiled. She could taste the brandy on her breath.

She did not protest when de Tomas picked her up and carried her to a couch in one corner of the room. She thought of the shed behind her father's house, and could smell the tangy odor of old wood, seed for the garden and feed for the livestock in burlap sacks, the oil on her father's tools, the sweat of the man she loved. The couch was big enough for two. Comfort grinned and rested her head on de Tomas's shoulder as he stretched her out gently. Then he carefully began removing her robe. "Charles," she sighed, and closed her eyes.

"Believe what you will," de Tomas snorted, fumbling with the fasteners, "but it's Dominic who's mounting the assault on your ramparts, my dear, and your defenses are down."

"My dear general," Heeps gurgled, "my fearless overstormer is away somewhere, obviously out arresting people all over town just now, so I have the privilege of conducting our little interview all on my own, heh heh. I would've seen you some time ago, but we are arresting a lot of people today and it took a while for them to get around to you. I haven't even had time to finish my talks with your other men.

That lieutenant of yours, why, he squealed like a baby before I was done with him, but I really don't think he knew very much. I am so pleased we can work together now, you and I. We shall achieve an understanding this evening, have an intimate chat, tell each other our most private secrets, bear our souls. Ready? Here I come, ready or not!"

Lambsblood knew he was referring to Dieter and Ben Loman, but they knew nothing of his own plans. He gazed in terror at Heeps. The electrodes attached to his body with clamps had drawn blood, they were so tight, but that did not bother him as much as that he knew what was about to come. Everyone knew about the torture chambers of Wayvelsberg Castle. He would talk, he knew he would, and the whole operation would be compromised! Oh, God, he thought desperately, why didn't I let my staff know? They would have warned me and I could have died like a man! But he hadn't let his staff in on his plans, and they did not resist the Special Group men when they came for him, and he'd been taken totally by surprise.

Lambsblood needed time. "I'll tell you everything," he pleaded, "every detail, just unhook me."

"Is that so, General? Well, let's see—"

"Aiiieee!"
Lambsblood screamed as the current ripped through him.

"That was forty M.A.'s." Heeps giggled. "Just a sample of what is to come, my dear, dear boy. You were saying?" Lambsblood screamed again as Heeps sent another jolt through him and then a third.

Lambsblood gasped and panted. He fought in vain against the straps holding him into the chair. "I'll—I'll talk, just,
Dios! Stop it!
Please stop it!" He was weeping now, and looked totally unmanned. Through his tears he saw Heeps smile and caress the switches, but he did not throw any of them.
If only I could keep him occupied!

But until midnight? Oh, God!
Maybe—just maybe—Devi would realize what had happened and launch the attack prematurely. "I'll tell you everything." Lambsblood wept, he sobbed, he begged. And he talked for an hour, making up things as he went along, trying desperately to remember the details of the false information that poured out of him. He knew Heeps would go over and over the story with him, and he prayed that would take hours and that he could remember enough of what he was saying to be consistent. Heeps just sat there impassively, nodding every now and then but saying nothing.

"That is enough, General," Heeps barked at last.

"I-do-not-believe-a-word-of-what-you-have-just-told-me!" he shouted. He punctuated each word with the toggle of a switch that sent sixty M.A.'s of electrical current into General Lambsblood's body. The general convulsed violently, in time to the jolts, jerking like a marionette under the control of a spastic puppeteer. He vomited and his bowels let loose and he screamed until he lost consciousness.

Lambsblood sat slumped in his chair, unconscious. The room reeked of his waste.

Heeps, a wild grin on his face, eyes staring, panted harshly in the still, fetid air of the interrogation chamber. Perspiration rolled off his cheeks. He giggled, hunched over, his own body convulsing with laughter. "Ah, my dear boy," he gasped at last, "let us take a break—this ordeal has been very tiring for me too! And then, well, then, my dear, we'll just have to start all over again!" He chortled and clapped his hands together happily.

They were at the depot going over the attack plan one more time when word came to them that General Lambsblood had been arrested. The shock of the news went through the small group of officers standing around the map board as if they'd suddenly been called to attention. Major Devi's face went white. The battalion commander, a laser pointer in one hand, looked at Devi, "What in the name of the Great Buddha do we do now?"

"We attack, right now," Bass said before anyone else could respond. He shouldered his way through the officers and stood next to the battalion commander.

"How long will the general hold out before he spills his guts?" he asked.

"Not very long," someone said.

"Then, gentlemen, we attack
now
!" Bass thumped the map board with a fist.

"It's still daylight! The streets will be filled with farmer's carts heading back out of the city, and tradesmen and merchants going home. The Lifeguards will all be up and alert!" one of the platoon commanders shouted. The news had put them on the verge of panic.

"They'll see us coming if they don't already know our plans," another officer said.

"No!" Bass said loudly enough to cut over the protests. "Here's how we'll do it."

He took the pointer out of the commander's limp hand and began to trace routes on the map. "You head out of the city, right now, soon as you can mount up. You get to this point here"—he indicated a highway on the outskirts of Haven—"and then you go hell for leather around this way, and attack Wayvelsberg from
this
direction instead of straight through the city."

"It'll take an hour to get there that way," Devi protested.