Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War

you are."
    "Possibly," said Valentine. "Can I interest you in a little something, General?"
    "You can not," said Beckett firmly. "I have no interest in clouding my mind with chemicals when there's work to be done."
    "Such a narrow attitude," Valentine said easily, delicately sniffing his rose and briefly worrying a petal with his teeth. "I've often found that the right substances, in the proper proportions and combinations, can be a positive boon to a man's thoughts, leading to greater clarity and comprehension. Many the insight I've been granted, while all around remained lost in darkness. If you could only see the things I've seen, dear General, and the wonders that have been revealed to me. I ride my expanded consciousness like an unbridled horse, trampling lesser souls beneath me. However, for the moment I am entirely at your service, and just dying to hear all about our mission here."
    "You'll have to wait for the others to arrive," said Beckett stolidly, not allowing himself to be baited. "The Empress's instructions were quite clear."

    "And God bless the Empress," said Valentine. He swung one long white-clad leg over the other, and let it swing quietly to and fro, the light gleaming on his highly polished boot. It occurred to Beckett that Valentine looked very like a pen-and-ink drawing, of the kind found in an instructional primer, probably with the word Debauchery written underneath. Beckett had to admire the Wolfe's calm, even if it did probably have its origins in a pill bottle. Ever since the debacle on Technos III, and the total destruction of his new stardrive factory.
    Valentine Wolfe's fortunes had taken a severe blow. Where once he had been head of the foremost Family in the Empire, with an automatic place at the Empress's side, he was now barely tolerated at Court, and then mostly for amusement value.
    Production of the new stardrive had been given over to Clan Chojiro, who were having to start again from scratch. This did not please Lionstone, who wanted the new drive installed in the Imperial Fleet yesterday, if not sooner.
    The two Wolfes responsible for the Technos III fiasco, Daniel and Stephanie, had disappeared, leaving Valentine to shoulder the blame, which he did with a shrug, a shake of the head, and a charming smile. These things happen. Anyone else would have been ruined and utterly disgraced, and quite possibly no longer as closely connected with his head as he used to be, but Valentine Wolfe was made of sterner stuff than that. He made good all the financial losses out of his own pocket with nary a wince, publicly disowned his missing brother and sister, and fought back with a trump card few had known he had. Valentine, it turned out, had access to a secret source of extremely advanced high tech, and that had bought him his place here today and a chance at redemption in Lionstone's eyes.
    Valentine hadn't told anyone that his source for the high tech was actually the rogue AIs of Shub, the official Enemies of Humanity. It would only upset people.
    The door chimed again, and opened at Beckett's command to reveal the Lord High
    Dram, Warrior Prime to the Empire, and official Consort to Lionstone herself.
    Also known, as far behind his back as possible, as the Widowmaker. Tall and lithely muscled, clad in his usual black robes and battle armor, Dram bowed to General Beckett and nodded curtly to Valentine. Beckett bowed in return. The Wolfe waggled his long white fingers in a friendly way. Dram pretended he hadn't seen that, sank comfortably into the chair farthest from the Wolfe, and stretched out his long legs before him. He was handsome, in an unspectacular way, but his dark eyes and constant slight smile were utterly cold. Like Valentine, Dram had kept pretty much to himself on the trip out, staying in his cabin and speaking only to his own people. Beckett curled a lip mentally.
    Presumably the Lord High Dram felt himself too grand to socialize with the lower orders. Not that Beckett was complaining. The last thing he needed was the Empress's Consort peering over his shoulder and making notes.
    Dram hadn't told anyone that he wasn't, in fact, the original Widowmaker, but instead a clone of the original, grown at the Empress's command. It would only upset people.
    "How long before operations begin, General?" said Dram calmly. "I've been informed my people are fully prepared and equipped, and ready for action."
    "Soon, my Lord Dram," said Beckett. "This will be your final briefing. We