In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling Read Free Book Online

very slightly, adopting postures of disassociation, implying that they were not present. The guards reacted in a more unambiguous fashion, touching weapons.
    “That is not the most appropriate of phrasing,” Sajir said gently.
    “Your Supremacy?”
    Sajir sa-Tomond fell into the Terran language called Russian; they had a ridiculous number of languages, and used them all simultaneously, but it was an ability he had thought sufficiently useful to cultivate. Communication beyond the basics required more than translation of words; modes of thought and perception embodied in the underlying syntax must be understood.
    “You implied a genetic relationship with myself, the Tollamune,” he explained gently. “This is a serious breach of protocol and may not be done even as a matter of metaphor. Further, you did not use the metaphorical mode.”
    “My apologies, Your Supremacy.”
    “While not forgotten, the offense is allowed to pass without repercussion, due to your ignorance of the Real World’s usages,” Sajir said formally.
    Unnoticed by the Terran diplomat, the Expediter of Painful Transitions lowered the grub-implanter.
    “Concerning the treaty—”
    Binkis giggled and uttered two command code words. Lin jerked and stood stock still. Just below where his spine met his skull something glistened for a moment as it moved.
    “Thank you, Your Supremacy,” Lin continued. “I request permission to return to my quarters. I . . . I have matters to consider.”
    “Permission is granted with formal expressions of amiable goodwill. Let harmony be sustained!”
    Binkis giggled again as the Terran walked away, shaking his head as if bothered by some annoying parasite . . . which, considering the ancestry of the implant, was not too far from the truth. Sajir sa-Tomond gestured in a manner that meant anticipated reaction . As Binkis was possibly possessed by the ancient entities, but was certainly a Terran with limited appreciation of the High Speech, he added aloud:
    “How long before they begin to suspect? Eventually the knowledge that a Terran who did not arrive by spaceship is at my court will reach them. Not all are suitably infected by the neural controller. The high rate of fatalities is an inconvenience; the new model is still prone to prompting severe allergic reactions.”
    “They already suspect something. It will not matter if we can interface your ancestors’ devices fully with the Terran power plant, their numerically driven controllers, and also with their weapons.”
    “Ah, yes, the explosives dependent on deconstruction of nuclei in a feedback cycle and the expanding-combustion-gas propulsive missiles,” Savir said. “I am still somewhat dubious. Reducing territory to toxic dust seems . . . excessive if one wishes to control it.”
    “A few examples will produce submission.”
    “A good point. Force is always more effectively employed as threat than actuality; the greater the raw strength, the more this is so.”
    “And they will give you leverage against the Eastbloc and against Terra as a whole. They were designed to counter possible USASF action; they have that capacity against Eastbloc ships as well. You will effectively dominate space near Mars.”
    “True. There remains the problem of the interface, though. New devices are required. Mere selective breeding, or even enzymatic recombinant splicing of the cellular mechanisms of existing machinery is not sufficient; my savants are definite and unanimous, and my own judgment is the same. The very mathematics are different, and require neural devices of novel types, incorporating the target algorithms. The theory needed to produce such is known; practical implementation of such ceased very long ago.”
    “You have the original cell-mechanism modification devices. The Tollamune genome will activate them.”
    Ah , Sajir thought, he still longs for the repair of his consort, who arrived with him .
    The Terran woman was quite mad; only a form of synthetic