XX - Deal

The bullet went awry, slamming into the wall, badly missing Moellering's intended target. Kamon's quick action had saved someone's life.

Kamon scooted onto the table, reaching for Moellering even as the sound of the shot roared in the room. With his right hand he hoisted the aide while his left hand grabbed Moellering's wrist. The smaller man swooped upward, firmly in Kamon's grasp. The councilman slammed him down on the table with such fierceness that Moellering was nearly knocked unconscious, but the would-be assassin still grasped the gun. Kamon savagely smashed Moellering's gun hand onto the table. The man shrieked in pain; his hand was broken. The gun slid harmlessly away.

Kamon slid off the table, pulling Moellering with him. The big man shoved the table against the door, pinning it shut. At most, a few seconds had passed since the gun had sounded. Kamon had acted swiftly and with clear purpose -- disarm the gunman and secure the room.

Banging on the door commenced accompanied by excited voices. Kamon leaned into the table. No one would gain entry for the moment. "How many of your compatriots are out there?!" Kamon demanded of Moellering. He still had the man sprawled on the table.

Moellering was dazed. "N-No one!"

"Don't lie to me!!" Kamon roared.

"I'm not lying!" Moellering was practically in a state of shock. It would be safe to say that in considering the possibilities before entering the room, this had not entered his mind.

The banging on the door intensified. The leader of the state of Kefar could be in danger or even injured. Security forces within the Senate building would soon find a way to force their way into this room. Kamon estimated he had a few more seconds at best. "General!! What's your assessment?! Is he lying?!"

So little time had elapsed, the other three people in the room had had little time to react. They had jumped from their chairs at the second table but done little else. Kamon was clearly in command of the gunman; there was no need to do anything.

"Moellering!" General Miscus demanded in a harsh tone. "Is anyone else outside who has planned this with you?!"

"No, General," Moellering whimpered. "No one else."

A heavy instrument hit the door. Security was attempting to break in by destroying the door. Kamon stood firm. "General, I'm not going to be able to hold them out much longer! Would you reassure them?!"

"This is First General Miscus!" she shouted to those outside the room. "Everything is under control in here! Who is out there?!"

"Saurus, General!" a voice shouted back. "We thought we heard a shot!"

"You did!" Miscus answered. "But the situation is under control! We're going to open the door now! Okay?!"

"Yes, General!"

"Okay, Councilman," Miscus advised with a nod.

Kamon glanced at Destinatus. The rebel leader was understandably unsettled. He was in hostile territory. "Destinatus, a number of individuals will be rushing in, probably bearing arms. Stay calm."

"Is this what you call protection?!" Destinatus demanded of General Miscus. "I came to you in peace!"

"Quiet for the moment!" Jasmine snapped. "Obviously, no one expected this!" She looked at Miscus. "General, if we could have Moellering removed and then have the four of us talk in private again, that would be very helpful. This has been a shock for everyone."

"Of course," Miscus answered.

"Here goes," Kamon announced. He pulled the table back swiftly.

The door flew open. Two women and one man burst into the room. All had their weapons drawn. They trained them on everyone but General Miscus. Kamon drew most of their attention.

"Put your guns down," Miscus ordered with calm authority. The weapons were lowered slightly, cautiously. "Place Moellering under arrest."

"Moellering, General?" The woman named Saurus could not hide her surprise.

"Yes. Moellering!"

"On what charge?" Saurus asked.

"Attempted murder for now," Miscus answered. Saurus and another security officer had already taken custody of Moellering from Kamon and stood him on his feet. Miscus stepped before his disgraced aide. "Why, Moellering?" It was a poignant question. The general had been betrayed. She was personally hurt.

"Because you would bargain with our enemy!" he snapped. Moellering was still in pain from his broken hand, but his spirit had returned. "I thought I knew you, but no more!"

General Miscus stared at his aide in stone-faced silence for a moment. Then he spoke. "Nor I, you. Saurus," she commanded with unblinking eyes, "add the charge of treason."

"Yes, General," Saurus answered solemnly. The security guards removed Moellering from the room. "Anyone else, General?" Sauras asked, glancing meaningfully at Kamon. She still viewed Kamon with suspicion. He was a stranger in a room from which a gunshot had emanated, and Kamon had seemed to be the aggressor upon their entrance.

"No, Sauras," the general answered.

"You're sure?" Sauras asked. She still did not trust the situation.

"Very sure, Sauras," Miscus assured her.

"Very well, general," Sauras said. "I'll personally stand guard outside the door. No one will be allowed in." Sauras shot a warning glance at Kamon. "I can be back inside in an instant if you need me, General."

"Thank you," General Miscus said. "We won't need you."

The door closed. The four were alone again.

"That man could have killed me!" Destinatus charged. "I would not have come if I had known security would be so lax!"

"He did not intend to kill you," Miscus said quietly.

"How do you know?" Destinatus grumbled.

"Because he meant to kill me," Miscus answered.

Kamon had suspected this. Moellering's eyes had been on General Miscus just before he pulled the gun. "I'm sorry, General." Kamon was genuinely sympathetic.

Miscus looked at the councilman. "Thank you." In that second, Miscus and Kamon forged a bond. Each identified with the other's feelings.

"General," Jasmine spoke, "perhaps you need some time alone..."

"The negotiations will continue," Miscus interrupted, "now. It is what a commander does -- she continues to lead her people in time of need. She has not the luxury of pausing to deal with personal matters. I believe when we were interrupted I was proposing that the result of our discussions be typed up so we could review it. Jasmine, you come with me. Perhaps Kamon and Destinatus can stay here while we get this done."

Kamon and Destinatus indicated their agreement. The peace process was under way again. However, a far more somber mood settled upon the discussions that followed. First General Miscus set the standard; she chose to ignore what had happened. But although they chose not to talk about the assassination attempt, it lingered among them, hovering, like an invisible presence. Even if Destinatus and Miscus reached a settlement, discord lay ahead. It would a challenge for both of them; Moellering's act had made that clear. For now, though, the two leaders rose to meet it.

The revised document was reviewed thoroughly. Additional revisions were made. Miscus sent his aide Foros out of the room to have them retyped. More negotiations followed. An agreement was near and everyone knew it. A final document was drafted by early evening. They were finished. They had spent hours on some details but the overall structure of the agreement had been set in the time preceding the assassination attempt. The Clemens would have control over their daily lives, they would have equality, but they would form a province, not an independent state. The Fraus would gain a pledge from the Clemens to renounce violence, to end their call for complete autonomy.

"We have an agreement then," Jasmine announced, placing her hand on the table. A smile was on her face.

"We do," General Miscus agreed. Her hand topped Jasmine's.

"Indeed!" Destinatus exclaimed. He placed his hand on top of both. The pact was sealed.

"When would you like to have the formal signing?" Jasmine asked.

"Immediately," Miscus said in a subdued voice. "News of Moellering's action will leak out. I want this to overshadow it."

"I'll need time to contact my lieutenants," Destinatus said. "They will not have expected these negotiations to move with such suddenness. They need to know before an announcement."

"Then contact them," the general said. "I'll see to it that any communication equipment you need is at your disposal -- telephone, short wave radio, whatever. You can contact them, can't you?"

"Of course," Destinatus answered.

"Will an hour be sufficient?" Miscus asked.

"I think so."

"Then make it so," the general said. She looked to her aide. "Foros, take Destinatus with you. Get him whatever he needs."

"Yes, General."

"Also, have a hearty supper made for all of us," Miscus further ordered. "Bring it to the Sternoll dining room."

"Yes, General," Foros nodded. "Sir?" She spoke to Destinatus. "Would you come with me please?"

"The atmosphere is much more pleasant in the Sternoll dining room," Miscus explained. "Destinatus, you can join us when you have finished contacting your people. We have all had a most trying day. I think you will enjoy it there."

"I'm sure I will, General," Destinatus said. Then he left the room with Foros.

"Jasmine," Miscus began with great earnestness, "I wish to speak with Kamon alone for a few minutes." She looked at Kamon. "If that is acceptable to you, Councilman."

"Absolutely," Kamon answered.

"I will go with Destinatus," Jasmine replied. "Take as long as you wish."

First General Venon Miscus and Kamon were thus left alone in the conference room. "You saved my life," Miscus said quietly.

"Not necessarily," Kamon said. "Moellering might have missed. Perhaps he only meant to scare you."

"No," the general disagreed. "He meant to kill me. And Moellering knows guns. He is an excellent shot. He would not have missed."

"In any case," Kamon said, "I'm grateful I was here. I was in the right place at the right time. I simply did what anyone else would have done."

Miscus smiled. "You do not accept a 'thank you' easily, do you?" Her smile faded. "You moved faster than any man or woman I have ever known. In this case, it was the difference between life and death, mine. I am not afraid of death. I thought I would be dead long before now. In battle I came away whole because I was sometimes lucky and sometimes wise -- more often lucky. But I preside over a state now, not an army.

My country would be traumatized by my untimely death. I am well aware that I am the only one who can negotiate a peace agreement with the Clemens. Given my renowned military background, my judgement in this matter is trusted by the Fraus people. I say this not in boast; I simply acknowledge that it is true. So you see, Kamon, my country owes you a great debt. I owe you a great debt because I love my country." General Miscus grasped Kamon's shoulders to emphasize her sincerity. "You will always be welcome in Kefar. You have made a fast friend today."

"I am honored, General." Kamon responded. "Truly honored."

Miscus removed her hands from Kamon's shoulders. "The Delphi will not be pleased by what we have done here today. I can keep your name out of it. It can be truthfully said that you had nothing to do with the substance of this agreement. But Jasmine is another matter. My colleagues as well as the press will want to know how this agreement came about. Jasmine was a key player; her name would surface even if I tried to avoid it."

Kamon had given little thought to the Delphi's reaction. "What could the Delphi do? This is your country, not hers."

"But neither you nor Jasmine live here," Miscus pointed out. "You live in Marmot. And the Delphi has a great deal to say about what happens there."

"You almost seem concerned about our welfare when Jasmine and I go home," Kamon said.

"I am," the general said. "And you should be, too! You should advise Jasmine to stay in Kefar for a few weeks. She might listen to you."

"I think you may be overreacting," Kamon commented. "I can't imagine anything happening to us in Marmot."

Miscus frowned. "I know it seems odd that I would claim to have more knowledge of your country than you would, but in this case I believe I am right. I have had private conversations with the Delphi on the subject of the conflict in my country. I assure you, she will not be pleased by what we have done!"

END OF CHAPTER