It was a gamble on Drust’s part, to be sure. But big rewards usually required big risks. Drust Chazhul was ready to take one here.

Standing on the bridge of the Arishaig, watching the towers and walls of the Federation capital city begin to diminish as the fleet eased into formation in preparation for sailing north, he paused a moment in his thinking to study the man who was now the chief obstacle to his efforts at holding on to his office.

Like Edinja Orle, Lehan Arodian came from a powerful family of politicians and army commanders dating back three centuries. He was a soldier first and foremost, but after years of service he had gone on to become a member of the Coalition Council. A dual role of this sort was allowed under Federation law, and he was a logical choice to act as Minister of Defense. Because of his family history and oratorical skills and because he was respected and liked by the soldiers he commanded, he had risen fast in political circles to become the obvious choice as successor to the old Prime Minister. He would have been so named if not for the campaign mounted by Edinja and the secretive efforts of Drust to position himself as an acceptable compromise to either.

Failure to gain the position of Prime Minister had done little to diminish Arodian’s ambitions; of that, Drust Chazhul was certain. In fact, there was every reason to think that Arodian himself had been responsible for Edinja Orle’s death. With Edinja out of the way, any real threat to his ambition to be appointed Prime Minister was eliminated. It would not take much for him to persuade the Coalition Council to reconsider their choice; and if that happened, Drust was out of a job. After all, he had been a compromise choice in the first place, and there was no longer any reason for compromise. Thus the decision to name Arodian commander of this expedition. It gave the Minister of Defense the impression that Drust was deferring to him, and at the same time it took him outside the city walls, away from the comparative safety of his family, and put him in a place where he could be disposed of. Lehan Arodian might be going out on this expedition, but he was most definitely not coming back.

Drust walked over to the commander and stood next to him. “Fine day for flying, isn’t it?” he offered.

“Not as fine as you might think.” Arodian didn’t look at him, his eyes directed forward. “Clouds to the west? Storm coming on, maybe two, three hours off. We won’t be past the Prekkendorran by then. Be right out in the open when she strikes us.” He glanced over, smiling. “Hope you remember to lean over the side if you get queasy, Drust. This is new stuff for an office dweller like yourself.”