The Moon's Shadow by Catherine Asaro Page B

stared at him. “Vital” hardly began to describe them. Tarquine Iquar had formidable authority among his advisers, and she used her power like a honed knife. Few dared cross her. Azar Taratus was one of ESComm’s renowned war leaders, or perhaps notorious was a better word. He had survived the Radiance War by breaking just about every law in the Halstaad Code, which was meant to define civilized behavior during wartime.
    With foreboding, Jai said, “Go on.”
    Corbal removed his glasses. “Minister Iquar claims Admiral Taratus cheated her.”
    “That’s it?”
    “That’s it.”
    Surely they didn’t expect the emperor to settle private arguments. “Why bring it to me?”
    “An apt question, Your Highness.”
    Jai waited. Then, exasperated, he said, “Perhaps you have an apt answer.”
    Corbal could have taken offense, but he chose otherwise. “Admiral Taratus sold Minister Iquar a provider. She paid fourteen million for the man.”
    Jai barely kept from choking. Fourteen million? That could feed the entire population of some planets.
    Watching him, Corbal added, “A large amount indeed.”
    Jai flushed. He had to learn better control over his face. “It sounds like a matter for the insurance bureaus.” He couldn’t believe the Aristos had an entire industry devoted to insuring providers.
    “Minister Iquar has contacted them,” Corbal said.
    “And?”
    Corbal’s eyes glinted. “Apparently Taratus neglected to tell her this provider was dying.”
    “What, he didn’t think she would notice ?”
    Corbal rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and steepled his fingers. “He probably expected her to make a deal with him. If she lied to the bureaus about how much she paid for the provider, reporting a much lower price, she wouldn’t have to pay much for the insurance.”
    Jai had seen the criminally exorbitant fee scale used by the insurance bureaus. “I understand the advantage to her if she lies. But why would Taratus?”
    “Then he wouldn’t have to pay much tax on the sale.”
    Jai could see where this was going. “So when she found out Taratus cheated her, she would have no recourse, because she had claimed she paid almost nothing for the provider. If she admitted she lied, she could be convicted of fraud.”
    “Exactly.”
    “But it didn’t work?”
    Amusement showed on Corbal’s face. “Minister Iquar reported the full fourteen million to the insurance bureau. Then she sued the holy hell out of Taratus.”
    Jai frowned. “And just when, in all this, did someone send the fellow to the doctor?”
    “I’m afraid that wasn’t possible.” Beneath his reserve, Corbal was positively gleeful.
    “Why not? Doesn’t Minister Iquar have doctors?”
    “Certainly.”
    “But?”
    “Well, you see, it seems the provider escaped.”
    Good for him. Jai didn’t see how the blazes the man had managed it, though. “Did Minister Iquar let him go?”
    “Of course not. He managed on his own.”
    “How?”
    “Apparently he was a Jagernaut.”
    That Jai understood; his mother had been a Jagernaut, a Skolian military officer in the elite corps of psions whose ability to link their minds to their ships gave them an immense advantage in battle. They also lived with the danger of what had befallen this man, that they might be captured and sold as providers. The thought made him ill.
    Jai strove to hide his disquiet. “Did ESComm question the Jagernaut before he escaped?”
    Corbal shrugged. “The fellow had been missing for nearly two decades. His knowledge and internal systems were too far out of date to provide useful data.” His amusement faded. “Still, it was sloppy of Admiral Taratus not to question him more thoroughly.”
    “Why didn’t he?” Although Jai was glad the Jagernaut had benefited from Taratus’s negligence, it surprised him the admiral had overlooked such a detail.
    “Taratus claims it wasn’t worth the trouble. He wanted the man in good shape for the auction.”
    “Do you