The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds Page A

fusion exhausts formed the talons of a gripping three-clawed hand, closing around Dravidian’s ship with swift predatory eagerness.
    The three nuclear explosions blurred together into a single inseparable flash. When the radiation and debris had dissipated, nothing remained of the killing ship, nor of its captain.
    Dreyfus turned from the hull window with a cold, hard feeling that he still had work to do.

CHAPTER 7
    In the cloistered cool of his private security annexe, Senior Prefect Sheridan Gaffney found himself looking at the face of Aurora. She was coming through on an untraceable channel, their mutual communication disguised as an exchange of routine housekeeping data. He’d been expecting her; he’d composed his thoughts and marshalled a set of likely questions and responses, and yet still she made him feel flustered and ill-prepared, simply by the withering force of her regard. This, he thought, and not for the first time, was how it must feel to be interrogated by a goddess.
    â€˜It’s been a while, Sheridan,’ she said.
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ he replied, wiping a sleeve across his brow. ‘Things have been complicated around here. But everything’s under control.’
    â€˜Everything, Sheridan? Then you’re confident that there’ll be no untoward ramifications concerning the Ruskin-Sartorious incident?’
    â€˜I don’t think so.’
    He was looking at a child-woman, a girl of indeterminate age, sitting on a simple wooden throne. She wore a gold-trimmed brocaded gown of dark green over a brocaded dress of fiery red, patterned again in gold. Her fingers curled around the edges of the armrests, toying with them in a manner that suggested mild restlessness more than actual boredom or impatience. Her auburn hair was parted in the middle and fell to her shoulders in perfect symmetry, framing a face of startling, ravishing serenity. Behind her head, suggesting a halo, was a shining gold motif worked into bas-relief panelling. Her eyes were liquid blue, brimming with puzzled intelligence. He knew he would do anything for those eyes, that face.
    â€˜You don’t think so?’ she asked.
    â€˜Dreyfus is on the case, unfortunately. I could do without him nosing around in the whole business, but there was no way I could get him off the investigation without drawing attention to myself.’
    â€˜You’re head of security, Sheridan. Couldn’t you have been more creative?’
    â€˜I’ve had my hands full preparing the ground for Thalia Ng. That’s required more than enough creativity, I assure you.’
    â€˜Nonetheless, this man - this Dreyfus - is a rogue element. He must be brought under control.’
    â€˜Not that easy,’ Gaffney said, feeling as if they’d had this discussion a thousand times already. ‘He’s Jane Aumonier’s pet field prefect. She’s even given him Pangolin clearance, despite my protestations. If I interfere too much, I’ll have Jane on my back, metaphorically speaking.’ He tested Aurora with a smile. ‘Right now that would not be a good idea.’
    â€˜Jane is a problem,’ Aurora said, signally failing to acknowledge his smile. ‘We can’t put off dealing with her for ever, either. Once the Thalia situation is stable, I’d like you to direct some energy into removing Aumonier.’
    Gaffney dredged up some outrage. ‘I hope you’re not asking me to kill her.’
    â€˜We’re not murderers,’ Aurora said, looking suitably shocked at the suggestion.
    â€˜We just took out nine hundred and sixty people. If that’s not murder, it’s a hell of a way to make friends.’
    â€˜They were the unavoidable victims of a war that has already begun, Sheridan. I grieve for those people. If I could have spared one of them, I would have. But we must think of the millions we shall save, not the hundreds we must sacrifice.’
    â€˜Not that