“So you’re telling me that alerting our commanders and reinforcing Third Fleet are politically unacceptable options?”

“In essence, yes,” Janacek said unflinchingly, and White Haven gazed at him for several silent seconds. It was obvious that the First Lord had no intention of being swayed, and finally, the earl shook his head.

“Do you know,” he said in a conversational, almost pleasant tone, “if I hadn’t heard it with my own ears I wouldn’t have believed it was possible for you to get even stupider.”

Janacek’s already rage-darkened face turned an alarming shade of purple and his jaw worked, as if his mouth were independently trying to get out the words his infuriated brain couldn’t quite wrap itself around. White Haven simply looked at him for two or three breaths, then shook his head again.

“Obviously, there’s no point trying to talk sense into you,” he said, his voice flat with cold contempt. “Good day.”

And he strode out the office door before Janacek ever managed to find his voice once more.

· · • · ·

“Edward, I think we need to seriously consider further reinforcing Sidemore.”

“Out of the question!” Janacek snapped, and glowered at Admiral Chakrabarti, wondering just what the First Space Lord had heard about his “interview” with White Haven.

Chakrabarti only looked back at him levelly, and Janacek threw his hands up.

“Just where do you propose we find those reinforcements?” he demanded. “Especially after the note we just sent off to Pritchart? If she and Theisman are stupid enough to break off negotiations after they get it, we’re going to need every hull we’ve got a lot closer to home than Silesia!”

“In that case,” Chakrabarti said, “I think we need to draft new instructions for Duchess Harrington.”

“What sort of ‘new instructions’?” Janacek growled.

“Instructions to give the Andermani whatever the hell they want!” Chakrabarti shot back with highly unusual asperity.

“What?” Janacek stared at him in disbelief.

“I’ve been rereading Sternhafen’s version of what happened in Zoraster,” Chakrabarti told him. “It’s obvious that it’s a total fabrication. And his official rejection of Harrington’s offer of the joint investigation is more of the same. In my opinion, the Empire’s clearly setting the stage for it to demand major territorial concessions in Silesia. I believe the Emperor is prepared to go so far as risking open conflict with the Star Kingdom in order to get those concessions and that he’s using this incident to bludgeon us into acquiescing rather than risk still further escalations in the level of confrontation. In fact, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the rising tensions between us and the Republic are leading him to deduce—correctly, as it happens—that we’re not in a position to reinforce Sidemore.”

“But according to everything Francis has been able to dig up, the Andies are still redeploying,” Janacek protested.

“With all due respect for Francis,” Chakrabarti said in a not particularly respectful tone, “I think he’s wrong. Or, rather, I think the Andies are probably a lot further along in their redeployment than he’s been assuming. It’s the only explanation I can see for the way Sternhafen jumped on this Zoraster Incident. And then there’s this entire Hecate affair. I know,” he waved a hand in the air. “Francis believes the whole thing was intended as a diversionary effort. Maybe it was, but maybe it wasn’t, either. Whatever the Republic might be up to, however, doesn’t change the situation where the Andies are concerned. Except, of course, that if Harrington’s right, and there is a Havenite fleet screwing around out there, then the threat situation is even worse.