Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

private room in the warren of offices at the rear of the House, Joseph Wallace talked with Finn Durandal. Wallace was still flushed with his success, and wanted to boast and strut and recount his triumph, but he was finding it hard going under the Durandal's cold, ironic gaze. Finn sat slumped loosely in his chair, and listened while Wallace strode up and down before him, and the more Finn listened the less Wallace felt like talking. He finally broke off in mid gloat and glared at Finn, gathering his anger to give him strength and pulling old resentments around him like armor. He was a member in high standing in Pure Humanity, after all, and for all his undoubted influence, the Durandal was still only Imperial Champion.
    "With the King's precious committee swept away, I run the Transmutation Board. My word is law now, and no one can say me nay. Planets live or die at my whim. I answer to Pure Humanity and no one else.
    So you can wipe that look off your face, and forget whatever threats you've been rehearsing. Any hold you might have had over me vanished when Rose Constantine ran off and left you high and dry. You can't bully me anymore. I'm protected."
    Finn smiled easily. "They all say that."
    Wallace drew himself up to his full height and puffed out his chest. "You can't threaten Pure Humanity.
    We are the way of the future!"
    "Perhaps," said Finn. "You're not the only player in the game." He rose gracefully to his feet, and Wallace fell back a step in spite of himself. Finn strolled over to the window, and beckoned for Wallace to join him. Wallace did so, reluctantly, and looked down at the street scene below. Everything seemed quiet. People came and went about their business, paying no attention to two of the most important men in the Empire looking down on them. Finn languidly indicated a man standing beside a vid phone booth.
    "Do you recognize that gentleman in the rather tacky green cloak, Joseph?"
    "Yes," Wallace said, uncertainly. "That's Brion Page. My immediate superior in Pure Humanity. I wasn't aware he had any business at the House today."
    "He doesn't," said Finn. "He's here because I required it of him. Poor Brion proved even more intransigent than you, and he was very rude to me. So now he's come here, just to provide you with an object lesson."
    He waved cheerfully to the man down in the street, and Brion Page, his mind possessed and controlled by an ELF, smiled cheerfully back and cut his throat with his own dagger. He waved to Wallace as the blood gushed down his chest and he stood there smiling and waving until all the strength had gone out of his body, and then the ELF finally let go of him, and he fell down dead in the street. People were screaming all around him, and already there was the wail of an approaching peacekeeper vehicle.
    Wallace fell back from the window, clutching at his tight collar, fighting to get his breath. He could feel sweat running down his face, and pins and needles in his suddenly numb hands. Finn took him companionably by the arm, and steered him into a chair.
    "Don't faint, Joseph," said Finn. "I haven't finished with you yet."
    "How did you do that?" said Wallace hoarsely. "What in God's name are you?"
    "I am a man with many friends, or at least allies. What you just watched is real power, Joseph. Not political influence, or philosophical rhetoric to sway a crowd or inflame a mob. My power is the only power that matters: control over life and death. No one is safe from me, no matter how highly placed they may think they are. So, do as you're told, Joseph. Or I'll replace you with someone who will."
    "What is it you want?" said Wallace. He met Finn's gaze squarely. He had that much pride left.
    "Nothing that should upset you too much, Joseph. Just spread a little dread and suffering, wherever I direct. You touched on it yourself, in your little speech in the House. I want to use the Transmutation Board as a weapon, not just against alien planets, but against any world that dares to stand against us.
    We can stamp out rebellion at the root, by wiping clean any planet that defies us. I think your first action as head of the board should be to send the transmutation engines to Virimonde. No need to actually do anything, just yet. Just the presence of those huge engines in orbit should be enough to… influence their thinking along the right paths. And after Virimonde… well, I'll make you a list of all those worlds whose honorable members seem to be a bit slow to grasp