Page 54 of Breaking Point
“Not everyone.Some people just..”Luciana sighed.“Well, they disliked you so much, they couldn’t see why the mutiny charges shouldn’t stick.I couldn’t do anything with those people.After a while, though, more and more people I spoke to had already been reading the Forum and talking to others who saw it the way I did and it…expanded, all on its own.”
“Good ideas do have legs,” Travers said.“You will have to do what you did all over again, Luciana.This time, you must sell everyone on the idea that this compromise I’ve worked out is just and fitting, that Devar will be better able to make full and appropriate amends if he is allowed to live and raise a child for the future of theEndurance.Do you think you can manage that?”
“This will help Devar.Of course I can do it,” Luciana said firmly.
“Oh, make no mistake about it, Luciana,” Travers said.“You won’t just be helping Devar.You will be saving this ship.”
She swallowed.
Devar sat back.“Is there anything else Brice Falcon arranged before he left office?”
Travers’ expression was curious.“What makes you think there was anything else?”
Devar shook his head.“Falcon isn’t stupid.He knew he had to go for broke, take the one last chance to arrange things the way he thought they should be, before stepping down.”He paused.“It’s what I would have done.I’m surprised he left it at just the one poke in Magro’s eye.”
“As it happens, therewasone other thing he finalized with the Bridge.He signed all the contracts yesterday before he went back to the office to resign.”
Luciana’s heart was hurting, from beating too fast.She leaned forward.
Traver’s mouth turned down a bit.“I wasn’t happy about it, only hehadcome up with the solution to the mutiny charges, so I owed him.The new arena will be built in the Palatine.”
Luciana could barely breathe.“Not the Capitol?”Her voice was strained.
Travers shook her head.“He owns five stalls in the area where we wanted to build the arena, and he refused to sell them.Said that if he didn’t agree to sell, then the Bridge had no reason to take any of the other stalls and the old Skinwalker’s Institute.He offered terms on the Association’s lease of a new arena that were considerably more attractive than the old lease, and promised to publish those terms if I didn’t agree.”Travers considered.“He drives a hard bargain.”
Luciana felt giddy.Weak with relief, and giddy.
“Damn,” Devar said softly.“Hesaidhe was just waiting for something to break.He wasn’t lying.”He laughed.It was a lovely sound, and Luciana realized that she would get to hear that laugh in the future, too.
Her eyes ached.Brice.He had orchestrated this.
“Is there something I have to sign?”Devar said.
“A great many things,” Travers assured him.“First, we must announce this to the ship, and then wait for some of the outrage to die down, while Luciana does her work.We’ll sort out details while that happens.You must stay in the cell for a while longer, Devar.”
“Knowing I get to leave it on my own two feet will make it bearable,” Devar said.“Thank you, Captain Travers.This is…” He swallowed.“Thank you.”His voice was hoarse.
Travers nodded.“Sometimes this job sucks.Then I have days like this.”
Luciana got to her feet.She couldn’t think beyond a single thought.“I have to…I must go.I have to…”
“Brice?”Devar asked, his tone gentle.
Luciana nodded, her eyes aching.
“Go,” Travers told her.
Luciana hurried to the door.
“I’ll be in touch!”Travers called.
Chapter Twenty
THE BRIDGE WAS AT THEfront of theEndurance, and the Palatine hub was all the way at the other end of the ship, five kilometers away.Luciana emerged from the Collinas Gate just as many people were finishing their work for the day and the platform for the train was crowded, even though the trains ran without stopping when it was busy.
She fretted and shifted on her feet, and considered walking to the hub.Only, she could see the next train making its way toward the platform already, and it would surely pass her if she started walking now.Yet standing here was driving her crazy.
Everyone crowded into the car.Luciana didn’t fight for a seat.She couldn’t possibly sit still.She gripped the overhead railing and tried to calm herself down.She was starting to hyperventilate.
