Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold Read Free Book Online Page B

resources and personnel, Sergyar command has always been third in line for everything.”
    Haines sighed. “I’ve figured that out.”
    “Komarr command always gets first pick, on the theory that they’ll be the hot seat if there is one, and Home Fleet is a close second. They arm-wrestle all the time over the best men. We get what’s left. What’s left, it turns out, are a lot of the best women . Send us more, I’d say.” He added after a prudent moment, “No, you can’t filch this one.”
    Haines snorted, but gave up mentally filling his vacant org chart. Jole gave him a cordial nod and moved off, stalking-horse fashion, to give anyone who wanted a shot at him their chance. It was frequently the fastest way to find what he was looking for, provided that he was looking for trouble.
    “Ah, Admiral Jole!” a voice hailed him. Jole fixed an affable smile on his face and turned.
    The incumbent civilian mayor of Kareenburg and one of his councilman stirrup-riders approached him. Observing this, his two front-running opponents in the upcoming civic elections also closed in. They all gave each other wary, familiar nods.
    “So glad to have caught you,” said Mayor Yerkes. “Tell me, is the rumor true that you plan to close the base next year?”
    “Certainly not, sir,” said Jole. “I don’t know how these stories get started—do you?”
    Yerkes ignored this slight conversational speed bump. “The activity among the civilian contractors must indicate something .”
    “It’s no secret that His Imperial Majesty has granted permission to open a second base,” said Jole smoothly, thinking, Now that the General Staff has finally fought the appropriation through the Council of Counts . Possibly the closest most of them had come to a shooting war in Vorbarr Sultana for some years. “A single downside base has always been insufficient for defensive depth, not only in case of attack, but in the event of a natural disaster. The late Viceroy Vorkosigan had urged this expansion practically from the moment he set foot on Sergyar. You may be certain his widow will see his vision realized.”
    “Yes, but where?” put in Madame Moreau.
    “That issue is still being discussed.” Actually, it was down to a coin toss between Gridgrad or New Hassadar. Personally, Jole hankered for both, but he wasn’t going to get them—certainly not simultaneously. The choice of final site was still a secret closely held, to limit the burst of financial speculation that would inevitably follow its disclosure.
    “You must know more.”
    “I wouldn’t say that, ma’am.”
    Mayor Yerkes gave him a look of amused frustration. Moreau and her co-challenger, Kuznetsov, just looked frustrated. In assorted ways, Kareenburg’s downside military base was still the largest economic entity in the area, though now being edged out by the expanding government offices and the busy civilian shuttleport acting as entrepôt for the steady stream of new colonists. In any case, after a few more probing questions, the trio coasted off to test their luck with Haines. A futile effort, but Jole couldn’t blame them for trying.
    Lieutenant Vorinnis, who had spotted him just before he’d been surrounded by the anxious mayoral candidates, angled over to him. “Sir. General Haines said I should accompany him, sir…?”
    “Quite right, Lieutenant.”
    The girl visibly relaxed. Jole inquired lightly, “So, what did you think of the Vicereine, now you’ve had a chance to exchange a few more words?”
    “She wasn’t as scary as I thought.” Though Vorinnis said this as if she were still unsure. “I know she’s a grandmother, but she doesn’t seem very…grandmotherish. As if she’s ignoring the categories.”
    Jole smiled. “She’s always done that,” he conceded. “But you should have met her before…” Before half her light was extinguished.
    “Not much chance of that, sir.”
    “No, I suppose not.” He glanced out over the top of her dress