The Accidental War Read online

  Dedication

  For Kathy Hedges

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Dramatis Personae

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  A Note on the Calendar

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Walter Jon Williams

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Dramatis Personae

  Martinez Family and Dependents

  Marcus, Lord Martinez: Terran, patriarch of Clan Martinez, patron to Laredo, Chee, and Parkhurst.

  Lady Martinez: Terran, wife to Lord Martinez.

  Lord Roland Martinez: Terran, Lord Martinez’s eldest son and heir. Convocate.

  Girasole Martinez: Terran, Roland’s daughter.

  Senior Captain Lord Gareth Martinez: Terran, second son of Lord Martinez, awarded the Golden Orb for conduct during the Naxid War.

  Lady Terza Chen: Terran, daughter and heir of Lord Chen, wife of Gareth Martinez.

  Gareth the Younger (“Chai-chai”): Terran, son of Gareth Martinez and Terza Chen.

  Yaling (“Mei-mei”): Terran, daughter of Gareth Martinez and Terza Chen.

  Lady Vipsania Martinez: Terran, daughter of Lord and Lady Martinez, married to Lord Convocate Oda Yoshitoshi and head of Imperial Broadcasting.

  Lady Walpurga Martinez: Terran, daughter of Lord and Lady Martinez, widow of PJ Ngeni.

  Lady Sempronia Martinez: Terran, daughter of Lord and Lady Martinez, estranged from her family. Married to Nikkul Shankaracharya.

  Khalid Alikhan: Terran, weaponer first class (retired). Orderly to Gareth Martinez.

  Doshtra: Daimong, butler to Gareth Martinez.

  Miss Saperstein: Vipsania’s assistant in video production.

  Fran: Lady Terza’s maidservant.

  Lady Sula, Her Dependents and Associates

  Senior Captain Caroline, Lady Sula: Terran, head of Clan Sula, Fleet officer and former head of the Secret Army. Former leader of Action Team 491.

  Constable First Class Gavin Macnamara: Terran, detailed as servant to Lady Sula, former member of the Secret Army and Action Team 491.

  Engineer First Class Shawna Spence: Terran, detailed as servant to Lady Sula, former member of the Secret Army and Action Team 491.

  Master Clerk Ty-fran: Lai-own, Fleet veteran detailed as Sula’s personal secretary.

  Fer Tuga: Daimong, “the Axtattle Sniper,” veteran of the Secret Army.

  Sidney: Terran, weapons designer and owner of Sidney’s Superior Firearms.

  Ming Lin: Terran, veteran of the Secret Army, graduate student in economics, and Sula’s economic adviser.

  Ashok Suresh: Terran, veteran of the Secret Army, law professor, and Sula’s legal adviser.

  Mahru Tiffinwala: Terran, a baker.

  The Fleet

  Lord Tork: Daimong, Supreme Commander of the Fleet.

  Fleet Commander Lord Ivan Snow: Terran, Inspector General of the Fleet, head of Investigative Service and military police.

  Fleet Commander Lord Pa Do-faq: Lai-own, commander of the Third Fleet at Felarus, Gareth Martinez’s former commander.

  Fleet Commander Pezzini: Terran, member of the Fleet Control Board.

  Junior Fleet Commander Lady Michi Chen: Terran, commanding Fleet ring station at Harzapid. Sister of Lord Chen, aunt to Terza Chen, and Gareth Martinez’s former commander.

  Junior Fleet Commander Lord Altasz: Torminel, commander of Altasz Force during the Naxid War.

  Senior Squadron Commander Nguyen: Terran, commanding a squadron under Do-faq at Felarus.

  Squadron Commander Lord Sori Orghoder: Torminel, commanding Force Orghoder. Veteran of the Naxid War, the Second Battle of Magaria, and the Battle of Naxas. Nephew of Lord Orghoder. A yachtsman.

  Junior Captain Lord Jeremy Foote: Terran, commanding light cruiser Vigilant and Light Squadron Eight. Veteran of the Naxid War, the First and Second Battles of Magaria, and racing pilot for the Apogee Club.

  Senior Captain Lord Oh Derinuus: Daimong, commanding cruiser Beacon.

  Senior Captain An-sol: Lai-own, commanding cruiser Conformance.

  Lieutenant Lady Benedicta Kelly: Terran, formerly of Martinez’s frigate Corona, yacht captain of Corona Club.

  Lieutenant-Captain Lord Naaz Vijana: Terran, commanding frigate stationed at Esley.

  Lieutenant-Captain Lady Elissa Dalkeith: Terran, former premiere lieutenant on Martinez’s command Corona.

  Lieutenant-Captain Ari Abacha: Terran, a friend of Gareth Martinez, and a sporting enthusiast.

  Lieutenant-Captain Lady Alana Haz: Terran, former premiere lieutenant on Sula’s frigate Confidence.

  Lieutenant Lady Rebecca Giove: Terran, formerly second lieutenant on Sula’s frigate Confidence.

  Lord Pavel Ikuhara: Terran, former third officer on Sula’s frigate Confidence.

  Lieutenant Lady Chandra Prasad: Terran, formerly of Martinez’s command Illustrious.

  Lieutenant Lord Sabir Mersenne: Terran, formerly of Martinez’s command Illustrious.

  Lieutenant Lord Ahmad Husayn: Terran, formerly of Martinez’s command Illustrious.

  Lieutenant Lady Kosch Altasz: Torminel, pilot in the Corona Club.

  Lieutenant Vonderheydte: Terran, formerly of Martinez’s command Corona.

  Lieutenant Garcia: Terran, former prisoner of the Naxids.

  Lieutenant Ratna: Terran, aide to Fleet Commander Ivan Snow.

  Lieutenant Sodak: Torminel, pilot in Corona Club.

  Warrant Officer First Class Maitland: Terran, former sensor specialist on Sula’s frigate Confidence.

  Engineer First Class Markios: Terran, formerly of Sula’s frigate Confidence.

  Exploration Service

  Captain Shushanik Severin (“Nikki”): Terran, captain of Expedition and puppeteer.

  Lieutenant Lord Chungsun Cleghorne: Terran, premiere lieutenant of Expedition.

  Lieutenant Cressida Toupal: Terran, second lieutenant of Expedition.

  Pilot First Class Liu: Terran, crew on Expedition.

  Warrant Officer Falyaz: Terran, crew on Expedition.

  Peers

  Maurice, Lord Chen: Terran. A convocate, member of the Fleet Control Board, and father-in-law of Gareth Martinez.

  Lord Saïd: Terran, Lord Senior of the Convocation and head of Clan Saïd.

  Lord Mehrang: Terran, patron to Esley, home planet of the Yormaks.

  Lady Koridun: Torminel, the young head of the Koridun clan.

  Lord Convocate Mondi: Torminel, former Fleet captain and member of Fleet Control Board.

  Lord Tchai Ridur: Torminel spokesman for Imperial Bank.

  Lady Kannitha Seang: Terran, head of the Imperial Bank.

  Lady Distchin: Torminel, absentee patron to Spannan.

  Lady Gruum: Daimong, patron to the newly settled world Rol-mar.

  Lady Tu-hon: Lai-own, presiding judge of the Court of Honor in the Convocation.

  Lord Orghoder: Torminel, president of the Yachting Association.

  Lord Gonihu: Daimong, a wealthy and respected Peer.

  Lord Pyte Gonihu: Daimong, Lord Gonihu’s grandson,
representing the Gonihu clan in the Convocation.

  Lord Minno: Cree, a banker.

  Lord Oda Yoshitoshi: Terran, heir to Yoshitoshi clan and husband of Vipsania Martinez.

  Lord Durward Li: Terran, former client of the Sulas, now client of the Chens.

  Captain Lord Richard Li: Terran, son of Lord Durward Li and Lady Amita. Terza Chen’s fiancé, killed at the First Battle of Magaria.

  Lady Amita: Terran, Lord Durward’s first wife.

  Lady Marietta: Terran, Lord Durward’s second wife.

  Lord Ngeni: Terran, member of the Convocation, former patron to the Martinez clan.

  Lord Pierre Ngeni: Terran, Lord Ngeni’s son, member of the Convocation.

  Lady Cassilda Zykov: Terran, former wife of Roland Martinez and mother of Girasole.

  Lord Zykov: Terran, Lady Cassilda’s father.

  Lord Eldey: Torminel, a convocate and former governor of Zanshaa.

  Lady Fitzpatrick: Terran, steward of the Apogee Club.

  Lord Arrun Safista: Torminel, officer in the Legion of Diligence.

  Captain Ehrler Blitsharts: Legendary yacht captain who died with his dog, Orange, during the Vandrith Challenge Cup.

  Cliquemen

  Hector Braga (“Lamey”): Terran, sometime gangster from Spannan, now lobbyist.

  Julien Bakshi: Terran, head of the Riverside Clique, member of the Commission.

  Sergius Bakshi: Terran, Julien’s father, a retired gangster.

  Naveen Patel: Terran, a member of the Commission.

  Gredel (“Earthgirl”): Terran, a street girl from Spannan.

  Others

  Cosgrove: Terran, an entrepreneur.

  Tarn-na: Lai-own, Lord Chen’s elderly servant.

  Chesko: Daimong, clothes designer in Petty Mount.

  Ti-car: Lai-own, maître d’hotel of the Corona Club.

  Mock: Daimong, waitron at the Corona Club.

  Sekalog: Cree, bartender at the Corona Club.

  Captain Klarvash: Naxid, officer in the Urban Patrol.

  Nettruku: Daimong, sous-chef at the Corona Club.

  Captain Sor-tan: Lai-own, captain of the yacht carrier Corona.

  First Officer Anderson: Terran, Naxid War veteran, first officer of the yacht carrier Corona.

  Ko-don: Lai-own, a journalist.

  Prologue

  The wind coming down from the glacier seemed to cut right through Lord Mehrang’s Devajjo-fur coat. Ice crystals stung his cheek. He moved heavily across the tundra and gestured for Lieutenant-Captain Lord Naaz Vijana to follow. The young officer climbed out of the VTOL craft, and surprise showed on his face as he encountered the full force of the freezing wind. He pulled up the collar of his viridian-green Fleet greatcoat, then jammed his cap far down his forehead, partly for warmth, partly to keep the cap from flying away.

  Mehrang adjusted his hood to keep the ice crystals away from his face. A hot exhaust port on the aircraft gave a metallic ping as it cooled.

  When Vijana joined him, Lord Mehrang raised his mittened hand and gestured to the camp huddled next to the long lake below the glacier. “There they are,” he said. “The true lords of this world.”

  Hide tents seemed to crouch before the wind. Hundreds of shaggy brown cattle drank from the lake or grazed on the mosses and grasses. Humanoids, equally shaggy, walked among the tents and the cattle.

  “Extraordinary color,” said Vijana. The lake was teal green and laced with silver as the wind tore at its surface.

  “It’s rock flour from the glacier,” he said. “Changes the way the water refracts. You can look up the science later, if you’re interested.” Lord Mehrang had not brought Vijana here to discuss the color of lakes.

  “I will, my lord, thank you.”

  Vijana had a cunning, pointed face, caramel skin, bright, alert black eyes, and a pencil mustache that Mehrang considered unfortunate. Lord Mehrang knew that Vijana also had a gambling habit, little or no patronage in the Fleet, and no hope of promotion. Vijana had only managed a promotion to lieutenant-captain because of a need for officers during the war, but now the war was long over, and Vijana’s career had stalled. Not only was he in debt and with no chance of advancement, but his little frigate had been stationed here at Esley, a world as sad and pathetic as his own hopes.

  Lord Mehrang shifted his large, heavy body and began his trudge toward the camp. “Glaciers cover almost a quarter of the planet’s surface,” he said. “And nearly half of what’s left is reserved for the Yormaks.” He gestured toward the camp in disgust. “There are only a couple hundred thousand of them, and they get half a world!”

  And between the frigid, dry climate and the Yormak reserves, there wasn’t a lot of room left for settlers, or—more importantly—developing a proper economy. Only forty-six million people had settled the planet under Clan Mehrang’s patronage, and it was hard for the current lord to scrape his proper share from the scant profits. Of all those Peers who served as patrons to settled worlds, he was by far the poorest. His family could barely afford a third-rate palace in Zanshaa High City, and no Mehrang had ever been co-opted into the Convocation. It was a situation that filled him with fury.

  “And it doesn’t have to be like this! My family drew up plans generations ago,” he said. “Seed lampblack over the glaciers to reduce the planet’s albedo, as well as absorb heat to melt the ice. Giant mirrors put in space to reflect even more light and heat onto the planet to speed the process. The consultants say we’d have a green, warm world in under thirty years. Even if that’s too optimistic, we can still manage it in under fifty. But generation after generation, century after century, the government on Zanshaa has turned down our every application.”

  “That’s a shame, my lord,” said Vijana. He shivered as the wind blasted down his neck, and with a gloved hand he drew his collar closer around his throat. “This place could certainly be warmer.”

  “And it’s all because of them,” Mehrang said, pointing again at the camp. “It’s all because of the Yormaks.”

  Esley had been discovered eighteen hundred years before, along with the humanoid Yormaks, tool-using natives who followed their herds of cattle from one pastureland to the next. When the then Lady Mehrang was first appointed patron of the new world, she must have been skipping with joy. She would settle this world, adjust its climate, take a piece of every profitable enterprise, and raise the Yormaks to become full citizens of the empire, subject only to the will of the conquering Shaa. After all, races such as the Naxids and the Torminel had been advanced from a primitive state and were now obedient, productive citizens.

  Except it had all gone wrong. The Yormaks ignored Lady Mehrang and her settlers and would only pay attention if they were somehow compelled. They were disinclined to learn the language of the Shaa, and again used it only under compulsion. Further, they never tried to teach the newcomers their own language, and it was only learned by dedicated researchers who followed them over the frigid world, recorded their speech, and made educated guesses as to what the words meant. When provided with useful technology—wagons or sleds, modern stoves, simple tools—the Yormaks simply abandoned them on the tundra and continued using the crude implements they crafted themselves.

  Lady Mehrang tried to find the dominant personalities in each band, appointed them chieftains over each group, and tried to use these to control the native population, but the chieftains were uninterested in being in charge of anything, and they refused to participate in any of Lady Mehrang’s schemes for advancing them. When Lady Mehrang separated Yormaks from their families and herds in order to subject them to a concentrated education in modern civilization, they had simply lain down, stopped eating, wasted away, and died.

  Delegations of chieftains had been sent to the capital at Zanshaa so that the Shaa could explain to them their responsibilities under the Praxis, but the first group wasted away before the Great Masters could even see them. Subsequent delegations were better supervised and had a lower mortality rate, but all they did wa
s stand listlessly and ask to go home.

  Eventually even the Shaa were forced to concede defeat. They announced that they had granted the Yormaks’ petition to live on their home world, and they subsequently made arrangements for them to continue their traditional life. Enormous tracts of land were reserved for them along their established migration routes, and a branch of the Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries was dedicated to studying the Yormaks, protecting their way of life, and mitigating any conflict with Esley’s new settlers.

  “All because the Shaa could never admit they’d made a mistake,” said Lord Mehrang. “They misclassified the Yormaks as people, when in fact they’re just clever animals.”

  Vijana didn’t reply, as by this point they were walking through the herd of cattle, and he was eying them nervously. An adult bull or cow stood as high as Vijana at the shoulder, and its massive, shaggy head alone probably outweighed him. Vijana was treading cautiously past one of the animals, a vast gray-backed creature, and when the animal turned its head to view him with all its four eyes, Vijana nearly jumped out of his skin.

  “They’re harmless,” Lord Mehrang said. “They might step on you by accident, but they won’t deliberately do you harm.” One cow loomed up in front of him, walking on enormous spade-shaped feet that were used to dig through winter snow to find grasses. “Just prod them out of the way,” Mehrang said, and did exactly that. The cow moved without any sense of resentment.

  The animals’ smell was overpowering, and the scent seemed somehow to clot at the back of Lord Mehrang’s throat: he hawked and spat.

  They walked around the cow and came face-to-face with a Yormak. It was built like a short, stocky human, but with a leathery muzzle full of yellow teeth and four eyes distributed evenly around the circumference of its head. The Yormak was covered in long brown fur, and it wore a shaggy coat made from the pelt of one of the cattle. Over one shoulder was a leather strap from which dangled a furry leather bag. A handmade wooden tool was carried in one three-fingered hand.