Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

holovid, so I could watch him execute everyone who’d sided with me, and a further one in ten, chosen at random, to
    punish his people for having dared oppose him. Men, women, and children died under his orders.
    Sometimes he went along and watched. And laughed.
    “His was one of the first arrest orders I signed after we overthrew Lionstone and her people. I made sure he got the same cell he gave me, for old time’s sake. I wanted him hanged too, but he had a real good lawyer and a lot of connections. His kind always do. Even so, I was able to make sure he got life imprisonment, in solitary. No parole, no luxuries, no time off for good behavior. But now here he is, back in charge of a planet again. And I want to know why.”
    “Please put the Councillor down, sir Random,” said Savage diffidently. “There are armed guards on their way, and I really don’t want to have to order them to take you down.”
    “That’s right,” Ruby said easily. “You really don’t want to do that. It wouldn’t be wise.”
    Savage considered the point. “Then may I at least point out that Councillor de Lisle can’t actually answer any questions while being strangled.” Random nodded reluctantly and dropped de Lisle onto the tabletop. Savage let out an audible sigh of relief. de Lisle lay on his back, massaging his bruised throat and gasping down air. Random jumped down from the table and turned to face the other Councillors.
    “I don’t know you, but I might just kill you all anyway for sitting with de Lisle. So sit tight and be quiet.
    Or I’ll have Ruby reason with you.” “Yeah,” said Ruby. “I can be very reasonable when I put my mind to it.” de Lisle resumed his seat behind the table. None of the other Councillors moved to help him. His face was very pale as he tried to pull the tatters of his dignity around him.
    “Now,” said Random almost calmly, “talk to me, de Lisle. Tell me everything. Explain how you came to be here in a position of power again. Bearing in mind that if your answer isn’t extremely convincing, I am going to hang you from the city walls. In pieces.”
    No one in the room thought he was joking. de Lisle cleared his throat painfully. “I was Pardoned,” he said flatly. “The Empire needed someone with mining experience to run this hellhole, and candidates were, understandably, somewhat hard to find. I was offered the post on the condition I never leave this planet. I accepted. I should have known better. This planet is just one big prison.” “My heard bleeds for you,” said Random. “I can’t believe they gave a scumbag like you a Pardon.”
    “In return for a lifetime’s service here,” said de Lisle. “What’s the matter, sir Random? Doesn’t the great rebel hero believe in redemption through atonement?”
    “Not in your case. But much as I hate to admit it, I’m going to need your local expertise. So, you’re going to be my second in command, arranging the things I need. I’ll take Peter Savage here as my liaison, if only because having to meet with you on a regular basis would undoubtedly turn my stomach. And don’t mess with me, de Lisle. I won’t be betrayed again.” de Lisle nodded jerkily. Random looked at the other Councillors. “Someone fill me in on the political situation here. Exactly who are the rebels, what are they rebelling against, and what in God’s good name led them to ally themselves with Shub?” “My name is Bentley,” said one of the Councillors, after they’d all spent some time waiting for someone else to start.
    Bentley was a tall, slender man with a shaved head and eyes so pale blue they were almost colorless.
    “I’m in charge of Security. Our situation here is really quite simple. The rebel leaders are the ex-Planetary Controller Matthew Tallon, and the ex-Mayor of this city, Terrence Jacks. They led the rebellion that overthrew the old order here under Lionstone. Your comrades in the great rebellion, sir Random. After throwing out or executing Lionstone’s people, they put themselves in charge. “However, they had no real experience in running a planetary economy, and were soon out of their depth, though they wouldn’t admit it. They gave the people of Loki the vote, and after a series of blunders and mismanagement that nearly
    bankrupted the economy, the people voted them out of office. Tallon and Jacks took this badly, blamed the whole thing on hidden elements of the old order. They retreated to the outer settlements