“No one wants to head this expedition more than I do.” Kobol continued. “I think I’d do a good job of it, despite my limp. I’ve been Earthside before, I know what to expect. I’d be prepared to fight off any opposition we might meet—even if it was Doug Morgan and his barbarian army.”

A sigh of understanding went around the table.

“But I also know that for me to insist on heading the expedition could cause irreparable damage here: friend against friend, jealousy and hatred instead of harmony and cooperation.”

What’s he driving at? Alec ached to know.

“So I would like to withdraw my name from consideration as the expedition’s commander...”

The Councilors gave a collective gasp.

“...providing I can be named deputy commander, serving under Alec.”

Alec felt as if he’d been led up to a mountaintop and then pushed off. The whole Council seemed stunned, but soon enough they recovered and began to murmur, nod heads, look back and forth at one another. Kobol sat down while they chattered. Lisa called for order.

LaStrande asked to be recognized. “I’ve never seen such a generous, unselfish move in this chamber. I suggest that we name Alexander Morgan commander of the expedition and Martin Kobol deputy commander—by unanimous voice vote!”

Everyone cheered. The actual vote was a formality.

Smiling, relieved, happy that the impasse had been broken, the Councilors filed out of the chamber. Each one of them shook Alec’s hand—and Kobol’s. Alec stood by his chair, still in turmoil inside, until no one was left in the room except himself, his mother, and Kobol.

Lisa stood behind her chair. It struck Alec that she was using it like a shield, keeping it between herself and Kobol.

“Is that what you wanted?” she asked him, in a low voice.

Kobol grinned at her. “Not entirely. But it’s a step in the right direction.”

Alec started around the table for his mother.

She said to Kobol, “Martin, I want to... thank you. It took a considerable amount of sense and courage to suggest this compromise.”

“I’m always willing to settle for half a loaf, when it looks sure that I won’t get any if I don’t compromise.”

Alec reached her side, but she was still focused on Kobol, who had also come closer. Now he was only a pace or two away from Lisa, within arm’s reach.

“You’re still determined to rule the Council, aren’t you, Martin?”

“The Council—and everyone on it.”

She smiled at that. “And you believe you can use this expedition to enhance your position? Even as deputy commander?” Lisa put a subtle emphasis on the word deputy.

“Of course,” he answered. “Why do you want Alec to head the expedition so badly? He’ll be a Council candidate, won’t he, when he comes back? Someday you’ll try to maneuver him into the chairmanship, after you decide to step down.”

“Why not?” Lisa said.

“Because I’ll be chairman by then,” Kobol said, with iron certainty in his voice.

She laughed. “You’re dreaming, Martin.”

“Some dreams come true,” he replied, shrugging. “You’ve dreamed big dreams, god knows. And now one of them’s coming true. Your son’s going to avenge your husband’s treason. Clear the family name. Preserve your power on the Council.”

Lisa reached an arm out toward Alec. He took her outstretched hand, and she pulled him close to her.

“That’s right,” she whispered back to Kobol, in a low, breathless hiss. “Alec is going to achieve greatness. And you can’t stop him.”

“Stop him?” Kobol chuckled. “I’m going to help him. I’ve voluntarily placed myself under his command, remember?”

“Yes,” she said. “Of course you have.”

For a nerve-stretching moment the three of them stood there: Alec by his mother’s side, Kobol facing them both. Alec saw that his mother had locked her gaze on Kobol, whose eyes were hidden, unfathomable. But the fire in Lisa’s eyes was something Alec had never seen before, something beyond fear, beyond malice, much stronger even than hatred.

At last Kobol took a step backward. With a muttered, “If you’ll excuse me...” he headed for the door.

After the door slid shut behind him, Lisa turned to her son. “He’ll try to ruin you, subvert your authority, perhaps even wreck the expedition.”

“I know,” Alec said. “He’ll try to kill me.”

She shuddered and grasped his arm tightly. Alec pulled her to him and let her lean her head against his shoulder.

“No, no, he wouldn’t... Martin wouldn’t go that far.” But she looked up at him with real fear in her eyes. “I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. I shouldn’t have forced you...”

“You didn’t force me to do anything.”

Her eyes closed wearily for a moment. “Alec, you’re still a child. You don’t understand any of this. I can manipulate you, the Councilors, everyone...” She looked away, toward the closed door. “Almost everyone.”

“I can take care of Kobol,” he insisted.

“Can you? Will you know what to do, when the time comes?”

“Yes.” He was dead calm inside now. “When the time comes, I’ll kill him.”

“No! It mustn’t come to that! I don’t want you even to think that way. If it comes to violence, he’ll kill you. He’ll strike when you least expect it. He could be a thousand kilometers away and he’ll still be able to reach you. It mustn’t come to violence, Alec, or you’ll end up the dead one.”

Alec pulled away from her. “I can take care of myself. And him. And you, too.”

She gazed at him, the expression on her face slowly changing, shifting, as she appraised her son.

“And your father?” she asked. “What about him?”

The old sickening wave of hatred rose inside Alec again. “I can take care of him, as well.”

“He’ll come looking for you, as soon as he learns that we’ve landed an expedition on Earth.”

“Let him,” Alec said. “If he doesn’t, then I’ll go looking for him.”

“And when you two find each other…?”

Alec’s fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails were cutting into his palms. “When I find him, I’ll kill him.”