Hellhole: Awakening by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson Page A

there’s a certain historic symmetry to having the son of Commodore Percival Hallholme defeat the General for the second time. But I want you there to make sure nothing goes wrong.”
    “Do you have specific concerns, my Lord?”
    “About victory? Not really. Given the overwhelming strength of our forces, I have no doubt that the operation will succeed, but Escobar is cocky and impetuous. He may feel a need to prove his heroism or some such nonsense. You must prevent him from making any foolish decisions that are not in the best interests of the Riominis or the Diadem—in that order. I need you to see that he is not allowed to make bad decisions in an attempt to be a hero. Take any action you feel is necessary.”
    Her blue eyes were bright. “Anything, sir?”
    He never needed to mince words with Gail Carrington. “To be blunt, better for him to be a dead hero than a living disgrace. If he makes significant enough blunders, in your estimation, I grant you my blessing to eliminate him, so long as the mission succeeds and I succeed. I can deal with my grieving grandniece. We can say her husband died bravely in battle and decorate him posthumously. But that only works if the mission is a success.”
    She let out a long breath. “Understood, sir.”
    “General Adolphus is the greatest threat the Constellation has faced in modern times. If I can take credit for his defeat, no one will question my succession to the Star Throne. But if Escobar fails, the debacle would have the opposite effect on the Riomini family name. Worst case, we’ll use Escobar Hallholme as a scapegoat to shield me.”
    Gail did not seem concerned. “I’ll make sure nothing goes wrong in the first place, my Lord.”
    He smiled. “I know you will. And if you find where General Adolphus gets his iperion, then so much the better.”
    She stood at attention. “Your mission objectives are completely clear, sir. I will depart for Aeroc posthaste and join the fleet before the ships head off.”

 
    8
    When his spies returned from Sonjeera with their vital intelligence, General Adolphus took a fast flyer out to meet them at the expanded spaceport city at Ankor. The Kerris had just arrived from the Crown Jewels, and Turlo Urvancik transmitted the exhilarating news. “General, we have it.”
    Adolphus could finally set his trap.
    Diadem Michella knew nothing about Hellhole’s second spaceport city; the entire installation was another one of the General’s intricate secret operations. Official Constellation records listed Ankor as a distant mining outpost worked by the worst exiled convicts, a place where the rugged terrain and isolation provided more security than any number of guards. The Diadem’s nosy inspectors had never bothered to make the long, unpleasant trek to the other side of the continent just to look at a few mines and factories.
    So, the General managed to build his new spaceport there without the Constellation suspecting a thing.
    After revealing his new stringline network, though, he had cast aside all pretenses. As DZ operations expanded, Ankor would become a bustling commercial complex. The colonists merely had to prevent themselves from being obliterated in the meantime.…
    Adolphus arrived in a basin surrounded by stark brown-and-red mountains. Downboxes landed in large paved areas; launching gantries catapulted ships up to orbit. With a blast of white smoke and dancing orange flame, a carrier shuttle heaved itself upward and dwindled to a bright point in the sky.
    Groups of evacuees waited to board the next crowded passenger pod. In the three months since he had proclaimed DZ independence, many people had fled Hellhole, fearing a disastrous retaliation from the Crown Jewels. They piled aboard stringline ships and headed to other, supposedly safer Deep Zone planets. Ever-increasing quakes across the continent also made the settlers uneasy, and even more chose to evacuate. Many of the colonists, though, did not have the resources