said.
The priest straightened himself. “Not all are so marked for easy advancement as you, Captain,” he said. “If our coming task indeed comes from the Speaker himself, there is no doubt that if it is successful you will reap the benefit and will leave command of this ship behind you.”
“If it is to be so,” Tephe said. “I am content to be the captain of the
Righteous
for a good while longer.”
“Indeed,” Andso said, and could not keep the lightest of sneers out of his voice. “There are others of us who would hope for a rather quicker path from her holds, and if I may be so bold, nor do I believe that some of us would be greatly missed. If all of this is accomplished while yet you remain in command, then how much better that all of Our Lord’s faithful on the
Righteous
might receive what they would wish: you remaining and me going.”
Tephe glanced at the Talent, considering.
“A few days, captain,” Andso said. “And in that time, not an argument or objection or raised eyebrow. A little time is all I ask, to make my fortune as your fortune is already made. In doing so, your fortunes can only rise. Perhaps they will rise so far they will let you keep the
Righteous
after all.” He placed his hand out to receive the Talent.
Tephe gave it to the priest. “A few days,” he said. “When I say it is to be destroyed, it will be. That is not a matter of debate.”
“No,” Andso said, gazing at the Talent. “No debate. A little time is all I need.”
“Keep it well away from the god,” Tephe said.
“Of course, Captain,” Andso said. “Thank you. My blessing upon you.” He walked away, toward the priest quarters.
Tephe headed to the bridge and at the last moment turned toward the Rookery. When he arrived he pounded upon the portal rather than keying the chime. Issa answered, saw the look on the captain’s face, and called for Shalle.
Shalle came to the door, face open and curious. Tephe brought his lips down before Shalle could utter words, pressing them both against the portal. Issa stood to the side, eyes wide; if anyone other than the captain were to engage a rook outside a nest, a lash of punishment would be the least of his problems.
“It’s nice to see you too,” Shalle said, when the captain broke his kiss.
“I need to be with you,” Tephe said.
Shalle listened, as much to the quality of his voice as the words he spoke, said, “Yes, I think you do,” and gently pulled the captain inside the rookery. Issa closed the portal behind them.
Chapter Seven
“You have command,” Captain Tephe said abruptly, to Neal Forn. He stood from his chair.
“Sir,” Forn said, impassively, but fixed his captain with the slightest of inquiring eyebrows. The
Righteous
was moments away from being brought to the unnamed planet. Forn had commanded at such times before, but always on his own watch. In any event it was not a convenient time for a captain to quit his station.
Tephe chose not to respond to his first mate’s unspoken inquiry. Forn would have to get used to doing things without him; if Tephe had any say in it, Forn would soon be captain of the
Righteous
. More than that, Tephe simply did not have an interest in explaining himself at the moment. He left the bridge without saying another word.
In the corridors of the
Righteous
were the hum and clatter of industry, as its crew—
his
crew, for what little time remained to him, Tephe thought—made its preparations for transport and landing. The crew had been informed that the
Righteous
had been chosen for a mission at the direct order of the Speaker, and the news had lifted their spirits and had grown their faith; the chatter and movement of the crew had regained the confidence that had been sapped by Ament Cour and by hard months onboard. Tephe warmed his own cold doubts in the new sureness of their work, nodding to the crew as they acknowledged his presence among them.
Tephe stopped at the portal of the god’s chamber, and
The priest straightened himself. “Not all are so marked for easy advancement as you, Captain,” he said. “If our coming task indeed comes from the Speaker himself, there is no doubt that if it is successful you will reap the benefit and will leave command of this ship behind you.”
“If it is to be so,” Tephe said. “I am content to be the captain of the
Righteous
for a good while longer.”
“Indeed,” Andso said, and could not keep the lightest of sneers out of his voice. “There are others of us who would hope for a rather quicker path from her holds, and if I may be so bold, nor do I believe that some of us would be greatly missed. If all of this is accomplished while yet you remain in command, then how much better that all of Our Lord’s faithful on the
Righteous
might receive what they would wish: you remaining and me going.”
Tephe glanced at the Talent, considering.
“A few days, captain,” Andso said. “And in that time, not an argument or objection or raised eyebrow. A little time is all I ask, to make my fortune as your fortune is already made. In doing so, your fortunes can only rise. Perhaps they will rise so far they will let you keep the
Righteous
after all.” He placed his hand out to receive the Talent.
Tephe gave it to the priest. “A few days,” he said. “When I say it is to be destroyed, it will be. That is not a matter of debate.”
“No,” Andso said, gazing at the Talent. “No debate. A little time is all I need.”
“Keep it well away from the god,” Tephe said.
“Of course, Captain,” Andso said. “Thank you. My blessing upon you.” He walked away, toward the priest quarters.
Tephe headed to the bridge and at the last moment turned toward the Rookery. When he arrived he pounded upon the portal rather than keying the chime. Issa answered, saw the look on the captain’s face, and called for Shalle.
Shalle came to the door, face open and curious. Tephe brought his lips down before Shalle could utter words, pressing them both against the portal. Issa stood to the side, eyes wide; if anyone other than the captain were to engage a rook outside a nest, a lash of punishment would be the least of his problems.
“It’s nice to see you too,” Shalle said, when the captain broke his kiss.
“I need to be with you,” Tephe said.
Shalle listened, as much to the quality of his voice as the words he spoke, said, “Yes, I think you do,” and gently pulled the captain inside the rookery. Issa closed the portal behind them.
Chapter Seven
“You have command,” Captain Tephe said abruptly, to Neal Forn. He stood from his chair.
“Sir,” Forn said, impassively, but fixed his captain with the slightest of inquiring eyebrows. The
Righteous
was moments away from being brought to the unnamed planet. Forn had commanded at such times before, but always on his own watch. In any event it was not a convenient time for a captain to quit his station.
Tephe chose not to respond to his first mate’s unspoken inquiry. Forn would have to get used to doing things without him; if Tephe had any say in it, Forn would soon be captain of the
Righteous
. More than that, Tephe simply did not have an interest in explaining himself at the moment. He left the bridge without saying another word.
In the corridors of the
Righteous
were the hum and clatter of industry, as its crew—
his
crew, for what little time remained to him, Tephe thought—made its preparations for transport and landing. The crew had been informed that the
Righteous
had been chosen for a mission at the direct order of the Speaker, and the news had lifted their spirits and had grown their faith; the chatter and movement of the crew had regained the confidence that had been sapped by Ament Cour and by hard months onboard. Tephe warmed his own cold doubts in the new sureness of their work, nodding to the crew as they acknowledged his presence among them.
Tephe stopped at the portal of the god’s chamber, and
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