Eradicate (Manipulate, Book 3)

Chapter 6

Basher looked a little confused. "Are they all called 'Faal?' I thought that was his name."

"Faal is a title. Other faals have kept their names," the librarian explained, "but in distancing himself from his rather more than illegal past, Faal has repressed his real name and only goes by his title."

Claire nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds like him. He likes to control everything; he lets no one stand on the same footing as himself. Letting people throw around his personal name would be totally unacceptable. What is his name?"

"I don't know," the librarian answered frankly. "I wasn't joking when I said he had suppressed it. I've heard speculation, but I'm not a privy to high Merith society. No doubt they know, but most would not use it."

"How many other faals are there?" Basher asked.

"Only four more that need concern us. The others are too small or too occupied with planetary disasters to involve themselves in an external conflict."

Claire took a sip of her coffee, which Basher was again sharing with her. "I wonder what it would take to turn the Pontifex against Faal? That's one option, isn't it? We can't get Akemi away from Faal at the moment, but if the Pontifex turned on him..."

The librarian shook his head sadly. "Faal is one of the Pontifex's favorites. He is a trusted visitor at the court, and the Pontifex frequently visits Faal's estate on Merith II when he wants to get away. They are 'buds' to use one of Basher's terms."

"How can that be?" Basher said. "If Faal is as powerful as you think, the Pontifex should be wary of him. If there's not a deep vein of distrust there, then I know nothing about human nature." He paused, and laughed ruefully as he realized what he'd said. "Not human nature, I guess, but the Merith are even more paranoid and ruthless than we are. The rule should still hold true."

Sam's bounce went wide, and they all watched Nebby leap to the left to snatch the ball out of mid air.

The librarian flushed green. "But that's what I was trying to tell you. Faal doesn't want the Pontifex's position. He's happy to be the second most powerful Merith in the galaxy, with more freedom of movement and investment than he would have as the Pontifex."

"Well, if not the Pontifex, Faal's got to have other enemies," Basher said. "We may not have any leverage on him, but someone must..."

"Oh!" Claire said. "I know one of his enemies."

The Spo flushed lavender in surprise. "You do?"

"Yes, the Pontifex's wife - the Diarena. She hates Faal, doesn't she? She took me away from Merith II when I ran away from him." Claire turned to Basher, leaning forward to look around Shara, who'd somehow edged her way next to him. "Remember when you came to arrest me on Final Say? My crew boss wouldn't let either your or Faal search the ship. She said, 'If you think the Diarena would allow Faal to search a ship of her passage...' or something like that. Remember?"

Basher nodded. "I'd forgotten about that. Your dramatic arrival distracted me." He grinned tentatively at Claire.

She rolled her eyes. "You try escaping from an alien overlord and not being dramatic. It kinda comes with the territory. It's dramatic, cliché territory."

Sam and Basher laughed, and the Spo waited patiently for them to finish. "Claire's memory is correct, there has long been a feud between Faal and the Diarena. But I am not sure that it could help you... she holds no direct power, other than celebrity status. She is hugely popular, of course, and much indulged by the Pontifex – thus Faal does not antagonize her. But she has no power over him."