Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

couldn't even name. Finally she was gone, and a certain tension left the bridge.
    "Doesn't anyone stay dead anymore?" said Brett plaintively, appearing from behind Rose. "I really would like to be excused now, please. I can hear some clean underwear calling my name, and then I think I'd like to lie down for a while…"
    "Why doesn't anyone ever want to join my group?" said Lewis, as Brett and Rose left the bridge. "Oz, set a course for Shandrakor. It appears Haden will have to wait for a while, after all."

Chapter 4
    CHANGING TIDES
    It was late in the day, and far later than anyone realized. Parliament was in session, no one was saying anything important, and King Douglas was almost dozing on his uncomfortable throne. The House was hot and stuffy, the guards were yawning into their armor, and everything seemed to move at a crawl.
    Nearly all the MPs were present, because the House was the last place where anyone listened to them anymore. The section set aside for aliens was almost deserted, with only a dozen or so species represented. Because even the MPs didn't listen to aliens these days. The esper representative was gone, his place taken by a smugly smiling clone representative. No one said anything about this. Everyone could see which way the wind was blowing. A single blue steel robot watched everything for Shub. And Douglas, King and Speaker to Parliament, was there because… well, because he had nowhere else to go, really. His presence was never required anywhere. Anne Barclay didn't even bother to brief him on the day's business anymore. He had been abandoned by friends and enemies alike, because events had passed him by. Power, real power, lay in the hands of those strong enough to grasp and hold on to it.Douglas didn't even bother trying to get people's attention these days. He played the part of a broken man so successfully that some days he wasn't sure whether he was acting or not. But still, he waited and watched, and hoped for a chance to do… something. As it happened, he was currently resting his eyes, during a particularly dull and protacted debate over value-added tax in the outer worlds.
    Just another day, in what used to be the heart and conscience of the Empire.
    Everyone looked round sharply, includingDouglas , as a blare of recorded trumpets cut across the MP's droning speech. Everyone recognized that particular fanfare. Finn Durandal had had it written especially for him. The Imperial Champion strode out onto the floor of the House, accompanied by James Campbell, the man who should have been King. Finn was tall and resplendent in his black leather armor, and James had never looked more grave and noble. The MP who had been speaking slunk back to his seat, unnoticed. Everyone else was too busy murmuring urgently among themselves, and congealing into their various factions. If Finn and James had come to the House, it meant something important was about to be decided. Perhaps by the MPs, perhaps not. Finn took up a commanding stance beforeDouglas on his throne, and bowed a bow that held no obvious trace of mockery.Douglas gave him exactly the same kind of bow in return. Both of them ignored James.
    "My apologies for interrupting the business of this House," Finn said smoothly, "but a matter of some urgency has arisen. It is imperative that your brother James address the House. Do you give your permission, Your Majesty?"
    "Of course, Sir Champion," saidDouglas . Sure, let's pretend I have a choice in the matter… "Step forward, brother James, and tell us what brings you to this House, so urgently and unexpectedly."
    James looked solemnly about him, and struck a pose carefully calculated to suggest courage and determination in the face of adversity.Douglas felt like applauding.
    "Most honored members," James said ringingly, "I have no official standing here, I know that, but information has been made available to me of such importance that I must share it with the House. As I'm sure you're all aware, for some time now espers have been deserting their homeworlds to come here, to join with others of their kind in the separate city-state ofNew Hope ; home to that most secret organization, the oversoul." It was amazing how much hate and contempt James was able to cram into that last word, without actually spitting. "Humanity has, quite rightly, been suspicious of espers ever since they used their unnatural powers to suppress the perfectly legal demonstration by Neumen outside this House by,