"Now," Phalastra said, "if I have done my job aright, you are all going to be disappointed, so please do not 15.

all speak at once. I will be the first to admit that the allocations are not perfectly logical, but that is because our past and our geography have little to do with logic.

Please try to look at the doc.u.ment from the viewpoint of the other Commissioners. We all know one another's positions well enough by now, so please spare us the obligatory national anthems." There was a touch of curtness in the voice.

There was silence, broken by an occasional cough and the squeak of a chair on the polished wood of the floor. Study it, Malum thought. There are years of notes and endless hours of arguments in that map. Given the current political climate, it was the most equitable di- vision possible. Surely they could see that.

Phalastra of Estragoth looked down the table and caught Jarrod Courtak's eye. He gave the faintest of shrugs and nodded quickly and discreetly. The Mage would be the first to speak.

"Excellence," he said, "since the Discipline is the only party without a territorial stake in the proceeding, do you go first."

"My thanks to the President," Jarrod replied. "For the record, the Discipline has never formally rescinded a claim to territory and reserves the right to challenge any decision based on the map as it is presently drawn.

My current question is, however, to the status of the Upper Causeway. You all know that I favor its disman- tling, but, failing that, 1 feel most strongly that it should be an international thoroughfare, maintained by the countries through which it pa.s.ses, but not subject to national control. I further suggest that uniform tolls be collected at each border and that the monies be used solely for the upkeep of the roadway. Trade throughout the world would benefit."

"Hear, hear," from the Oligarch Olivderval.

"A point to consider, Excellence," Phalastra said, and

16 wondered if there was a deal afoot between the Magi- cians and the Isphardis.

Otorin of Lissen looked up. "That would make a country's control of its own borders somewhat parlous, don't you think?" he asked lazily.

"Not necessarily," Jarrod said. "Individual countries can still control who enters their territory. Customs points are easily established at the foot of the wall."

Phalastra turned toward the Oligarch, expecting her to speak. She did not- She sat, small, plump and com- posed, hands folded in her lap, listening and waiting.

"Any other comments?" he asked.

"My Lord President." The voice was deep and rum- bling, the effect enhanced by the rolling r's typical of the Songean accent.

"By all means, my Lord Hodman."

Phalastra had antic.i.p.ated questions from the Son- gean delegation. The Hodman of the Territi, who had joined the Commission on the death of Siegitander, sel- dom spoke, but, when he did, he had the knack of cut- ting to the heart of things. His grasp of international politics was nil, but his hold on common sense was for- midable. Generally speaking, Estragoth considered all Songeans illiterate barbarians, but he had come to re- spect this one.

"The position of Fort Bandor, our capital, does not appear to be regularized on this map."

"We have left all place names off the map, my dear Forodan," the Elector said, using the man's given name- ".You will also note that there are no geographical de- tails, unless you care to count the Upper Causeway."

"Ah, Lord President," the Hodman replied genially, "you are making a joke no doubt. It is well known that Umbrian soldiers occupy the Fort. If it were upon this map it would be plain that it is far from the border.

17.

There is no reason, after fifteen years of peace, for your men to be there."

Phalastra produced a smile and sat forward slightly.

"As the Hodman knows," he said, with his voice lifting a little on "knows" to indicate a certain playfulness, "the Emperor is merely waiting for the implementation of the recommendations of this Commission before withdrawing his troops."

"So His Imperial Majesty has declared through your lips on numerous occasions, my Lord President, but I myself doubt it. Why is that, you ask?" A heavily jew- eled forefinger rose and wagged. "Because the Emperor hopes to control the Causeway with his new cannon and because, by denying us our capital, he hopes to , keep us from forming a true nation." The geniality was gone from the voice.

"Ah, Forodan"-Phalastra managed to put a world of injury into the two words-"you disappoint me. You know that His Imperial Majesty has no designs on Son- guard, indeed would rejoice to see a stable country upon his border."

He lies so well, Malum thought admiringly as he sanded one sheet of paper and moved to the next. The last thing that the Emperor wanted was an organized and cohesive Songuard. The only problem was that the occupation of Bandor had become a rallying point for the clans.

"Whoever controls Fort Bandor controls the valley and that is of interest to us. The more so should the final part.i.tion conform to the tines drawn on this map."

The new voice was deep and musical. It could have come from any of the men around the table, but Malum knew from experience that it belonged to the Oligarch Olivderval.

"You sound unhappy, madam," Estragoth said with the faintest tinge of sarcasm.

18 "Don't try to play games with me, Estragoth,"

Olivderval returned with asperity. "You knew perfectly well that I would be unhappy with this." She gestured dismissively at the map before her. "I have been at pains during the past several years to explain our position with clarity and consistency. . . ."

"And the Framing Committee, dear lady, was well aware of that position. There is, however, the small matter of geography."

"Accompanied by a certain smallness of vision,"

Olivderval retorted.

"And I suppose that you have a better alternative to offer. Perhaps we should move all the inhabitants of Songuard north of the Upper Causeway and give Is- phardel all their ancestral lands?" The sarcasm was pa- tent now.

"By no means." Olivderval was urbane in response to Phalastra's veiled hostility. "Your Lordship cannot have failed to notice that we of Isphardel are a trading and seafaring nation. I would suggest, therefore, that Umbria cede its coastal region in exchange for the piece of the Outland currently allocated to us."

There was silence, an almost tangible withholding of sound. Malum felt a thrill run through him. Quern was on the south coast. The idea was absurd. Never, in all the years of discussion, had such a possibility been voiced. It was unthinkable that a nation would give up sovereign territory. He glanced quickly at the Elector to gauge his reaction and saw, to his surprise, that the man was smiling.

"An original conception, madam, and not without a certain logic. Politically, however, it is entirely unac- ceptable." He sounded a note of quiet regret.

"Stuff and nonsense," the Oligarch said briskly.

"What you really mean is that Varodias is too dim to grasp the long-range advantages."

19.

The statement was greeted with little hisses of in- drawn breath. Eyes were wide and darting. There was no other movement. The only ones who seemed entirely at ease were the Oligarch and the Elector.

"That is unkind and unwarranted," Phalastra said in mild reproof. "You must be aware that any such move would be resisted by force of arms. Not the Imperial armies, you understand, but by the local people. Love of His Imperial Majesty and of the Empire of Umbria runs deep."

"As I said, you people think only in the short term."

Olivderval was relaxed and unrepentant. She sat back in her chair and looked slowly around the table, taking her time.

"There is one other alternative," she said at last. "It's far more dangerous in the long term, but I can see no other solution."

Phalastra steepled his fingers and looked over them at the Oligarch. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Perhaps if you explained we should be able to make that determination for ourselves," he suggested.

"We come back to geography. Isphardel must have permanent right of pa.s.sage through Songuard, old and new. Roads will have to be built, the Causeway will have to be pierced. Without that we cannot administer the proposed territory."

"But that would disrupt the grazing and watering patterns of the summer herds," the Hodman objected.

"Precisely," the Oligarch replied. "And of course"- she turned back toward the head of the table-"under those circ.u.mstances the continued occupation of Fort Bandor would be equally unacceptable to my govern- ment."

Malum's pen hand hovered over the parchment and his eyes flicked toward the Elector. Estragoth had a spot

20 of color on his cheek and his body was very still; nei- ther of them were good signs.