Ganymede drew all eyes to him with a tossing of his mane. “How much do you think Martin Guildbreaker has pieced together?”
“Much, but certainly not everything, Member President. Not yet. If Guildbreaker had proof they’d go to MASON. If they’ve turned to a sleuth-hound like Papadelias, it means they have the scent, not substance.”
Andō had no patience. “What action do you propose?”
“I don’t have enough data to propose action yet.”
“What data do you need? You know the direction of the investigation.”
Ockham paused to think. “I need to understand the degree to which we can or cannot trust Tribune J.E.D.D. Mason.”
For three dead seconds no one even breathed.
“I have to ask, Excellencies,” Ockham pressed. “I know Martin Guildbreaker works for Tribune Mason. You yourselves arranged to put this investigation in the Tribune’s hands, I thought because they are personally close to you and can be trusted. But then you yourself, Member President, gave Cardigan a very intense if incomplete warning to keep the Tribune away from our ‘weaker’ bash’members. I’ve heeded the warning, but I remain deeply confused, and that confusion is compromising my ability to make decisions, especially about how to handle Guildbreaker. What is Tribune J.E.D.D. Mason to us? Friend or foe? I need to understand.”
What are these glances that they trade, Andō, Ganymede, and pursed-lipped Perry? So many labels—fear, doubt, optimism, affection, shame—both fit and fail.
“I … am … aware that I know Tribune Mason less well than my colleagues…” It was Perry who began, looking from Andō to Ganymede and gaining momentum as he found both willing to let him answer first. “But, as I understand, personal duty, family duty, is more important to them than any Hive. Or at least, personal duty is the Tribune’s tiebreaker, when they have multiple Hives tugging at them. And they have strong personal ties to both of you, yes?” His eyes flicked between Andō and pensive Ganymede.
“Tai-kun honors me as a father,” Andō answered, darkness clearing from his face as he put it into words. “And Ganymede is one of Tai-kun’s bash’parents.”
The Duke President frowned. “Bash’sibling is closer, despite our age difference, but yes, we rise from the same bash’. Great pains have been taken to give us some privacy, much as with you and Sniper.”
Ockham nodded his semiunderstanding. “If personal relationships are Tribune Mason’s tiebreakers, might it not be best to break the truth to them directly? The moral calculus is on our side. We have reams of evidence that our strikes have been beneficial to everyone, tipping the world back from crisis time after time, helping not only our three allied Hives but everyone. And we can easily show how disastrous it would be in the present climate if our system and its history was revealed.”
Andō frowned for some reflective moments before shaking his head. “I don’t believe Tai-kun is capable of that kind of ethical compromise.”
Ockham frowned. “I thought Tribune Mason often helped you and others conceal secrets. I keep being told that’s what their investigating team is for, sensitive cases that are threats to Hive stability.”
Andō, who has known Him so well, so long, could only sigh. “Normally, yes, Tai-kun does precisely that for us, and is brilliant at working with all seven Hives while hiding from each what would hurt the whole if it came out. But deaths are different, for Tai-kun, absolutely and infinitely different.”
“Even though revealing our activities would certainly result in far more harm? The economic and political disaster aside, in the current climate riot deaths would dwarf the lives we take, hundreds to one or more.”
The Chief Director shook his head. “I don’t think Tai-kun’s capable of that kind of choice. We aren’t discussing a normal … person here.” What word almost slipped out in that gap, I wonder? “Tai-kun is psychologically unique, without precedent even in the annals of Brill’s Institute. You cannot predict their actions or reactions, not if you don’t know them. Words, ethics, the decisions where we every day see gray and compromise are to Tai-kun as rigid and precise as mathematics.”
“Math is on our side. Fewer deaths against more.”
“No. If we made it an equation, death is infinity by Tai-kun’s moral mathematics, so both ends of the balance are negative infinity, and equally unacceptable. The question itself would be crippling.”
Concentration tightened Ockham’s black brows, as he attempted to imagine such a mind. “Crippling in a useful way for us?”
Andō shook his head. “Tai-kun is not capable of concealing the outward signs of wrestling with such a question. It would be instantly obvious to Martin, to Dominic, to many others, including MASON themself.”
Frowning Ockham still turned hopeful eyes on Ganymede. “What about your persuasive influence as a ba’sib, Member President?”
After a moment’s hesitation, the Duke switched to Spanish, leaning forward as he spoke now Humanist to Humanist. “Understand this, Ockham: your own bash’ has a strict hierarchy, for a vital reason. So does mine. Sniper, for all their fame and worldwide power base, does not for an instant supersede your judgment or command.” He waited for a nod from Ockham to confirm that his points were clear so far. “I do not supersede Their Highness Prince Mason.”
The sound of Spanish had relaxed Ockham, like breeze in summer, but these last words stiffened him again. “?Then to say you have influence over Tribune Mason would be better reversed?”
“The influence is bidirectional, and strong, but not equal.” Ganymede made his syllables fast and deeply accented, to make extra certain Andō and Perry could not catch many words. “Yourself and Sniper are not poor comparisons. The titles ‘duke’ and ‘prince’ are real to us.”
“I see.” Ockham pursed his lips in thought. “You know my office does not recognize such titles. ‘Prince’ Mason is not a Humanist, and has no authority over O.S.”
“Nor have they authority over myself in matters of state. My oath of office as Humanist President trumps any ties of birth or aristocracy, just as when the King of Spain serves as Europe’s Prime Minister. I recognize that, as does Prince Mason, and rest of our bash’.”
“?Then you believe your ability to act as President is not compromised?”
“Absolutely not, when I am acting in my office as President. But if I step outside my office and approach Their Highness ba’sib to ba’sib to persuade them to keep silent, there I would be a petitioner rather than an equal, and there lies hazard. I would avoid that if I can.”
“Understood.” Ockham smiled, to show his restored confidence. “Thank you for making that clear, Member President.”
The Duke inclined his head.
“?What do you think Tribune Mason will do if they learn? ?Tell the Emperor?”
“They must not learn.” Ganymede switched back to English here. “Our hope in all this is that Martin has not yet informed Prince Mason of their … it is still just theory.”
Casimir Perry frowned as he scratched his fraying ponytail. “You think young Guildbreaker would go to an outsider like Papadelias before they’d go to their own boss?”
Andō breathed deep. “Martin knows how devastatingly painful Tai-kun would find all this. I believe they would want to be absolutely certain first.”
Ockham nodded. “Then we have time. It will not be easy for Guildbreaker to assemble real proof, even with the help of Papadelias.”