An Inch of Ashes by David Wingrove Read Free Book Online

quickly made the introduction.
    ‘Forgive me. First Advocate Kung, this is Marshal Tolonen, Head of the Council of Generals.’
    Tolonen accepted the Advocate’s bow with a tight smile. He knew this game too well to be caught in the web of obligation.
    ‘I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Marshal Tolonen,’ Kung said, bowing again. Then he turned and clicked his fingers. At once his valet approached, handing him a small case. ‘However, it was you, Major Karr, whom I wanted to see. I was most grateful for your hospitality on board ship, and wanted to offer you a small token of my appreciation.’
    Tolonen smiled inwardly. He would have to brief Karr afterwards on how to escape from this situation, otherwise First Advocate Kung would be calling upon him for favours from here until doomsday, playing upon the Major’s need not to lose face.
    ‘Thank you, Advocate, but—’
    Karr saw the case falling away, Kung raising the handgun, both hands clasping the handle, and reacted at once, straight-arming Tolonen so that the old man went down. It was not a moment too soon. The explosion from the big old-fashioned gun was deafening. But he was already swinging the case at the Advocate’s head. He felt it connect and followed through with a kick to the stomach. Kung fell and lay still.
    There was shouting all about them. The valet had gone down on his knees, his head pressed to the floor, his whole body visibly shaking. It was clear he’d had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. Karr turned, looking for further assassins, then, satisfied there were none, looked down at Tolonen. The Marshal was sitting up, gasping, one hand pressed to his ribs.
    Karr went down on one knee. ‘Forgive me, Marshal, I...’
    Tolonen waved aside his apology, the words coming from him wheezingly. ‘You... saved my... life.’
    ‘I wouldn’t have believed it. He was Senior Advocate on Mars. A highly respected man.’
    ‘Major!’ The call came from behind Karr. He turned. It was one of the spaceport’s Security captains.
    ‘What is it?’ he answered, standing, looking across to where the captain was kneeling over the fallen man.
    ‘There’s no pulse.’
    Karr went across and knelt beside Kung, examining the body for himself. It was true. Advocate Kung was dead. Yet the wounds to the head and stomach were minimal. If he had
meant
to kill the man...
    ‘Shit!’ he said, turning to look at Tolonen, then frowned. ‘What is it, sir?’
    Tolonen’s eyes were wide, staring at the corpse. As Karr watched him, the old man shuddered. ‘Gods...’ he said softly. ‘It’s one of them.’
    Karr stared back at him a moment, then his eyes widened, understanding. ‘A copy...’ He turned and looked across at the valet. The man had been forced to his feet and was being held between two Security men, his head bowed in shame, his hands trembling with fear.
    ‘
You!
’ Karr barked at him, getting up and going across to him. ‘Tell me, and tell me fast, did you notice anything different about your master? Anything unusual?’
    The man shook his head abjectly. ‘Nothing, honoured sir. Believe me. I knew nothing of his intentions.’
    Karr studied the man a moment longer, then waved the guards away. ‘Take him away and interrogate him. Whatever it takes. I want the truth from him.’ He turned back. Tolonen was getting to his feet, one of the guards giving him a hand.
    Tolonen turned, smiling his thanks, then put out his hand. ‘Give me your knife, Sergeant.’
    The guard did as he was told, then stood back, watching as Tolonen limped slowly across to the corpse.
    He met Karr’s eyes. ‘If it’s like the others...’ Karr nodded. They both remembered that day when Han Ch’in had been assassinated. Recalled the team of copy humans who had come in from Mars to kill him. And now here they were again. A second wave, perhaps. Tolonen knelt by the body, setting the knife down at his side.
    ‘Here,’ Karr said, coming round to the other