“A company of jade soldiers,” Hilo said. “Mercenaries.”
Sunto frowned, but stood his ground against the increasingly dangerous look in Hilo’s eyes. “I don’t agree with that term. This wouldn’t be a band of hired guns. I want to create a professional organization, one that adheres to high standards and Truthbearing ideals.”
“Truthbearing ideals. Foreign ideals.” Hilo’s posture was subtly changing; his shoulders came forward, his fingers curled, his chin tilted down.
“I wouldn’t expect the Pillar of a Green Bone clan to understand or approve.”
“You’re right about that at least,” Hilo snarled. The flare of the Pillar’s jade aura made the estate’s guards look over in alarm. “Jade belongs on warriors who take oaths to their clan. Not on corporate soldiers.”
Sunto bristled defensively, his posture subtly coiling. “Your antiquated attitudes aren’t shared by everyone. I have contacts in the ROE War Department who’re supportive. And the wealthy entrepreneur Art Wyles has signed on as our first major investor.”
The guards came toward them, looking questioningly at Hilo for direction. The Pillar held them in place with a glance, but took a single step toward Sunto. “I handed you a career. I trained with you. I treated you as a friend.” He spoke as if slowly drawing a weapon. “Think carefully about what you’re doing, Lieutenant Sunto.”
Sunto took a step back and opened the door to his car, not taking his eyes off Hilo. “I was afraid you’d react this way, but there’s nothing personal going on here, Kaul. When we first met, I told you I was here to mind my own business and make some money. That hasn’t changed.” Sunto looked pointedly at the guards and the closed gates, knowing he was at the Pillar’s mercy, but unafraid. “This may be hard for you to accept, but there’s room in the world for more than one type of jade warrior. I’m not founding a rival Green Bone clan that’s out to get you. The company will be headquartered in Espenia, with a secondary office on Euman Island, under Espenian military jurisdiction, with jade supplied by the Espenian government. You’ll lead your clan according to your principles, and I’ll run my company based on mine. There’s no reason for us to be at odds.”
“You’re blindingly naive if you think that’s true.” With a sharp gesture, Hilo motioned for the gates to be opened. When Sunto got into the car, Hilo came over and put his hands on the door frame, leaning in and speaking through the open window. “This should be obvious, but I’m going to say it so that there’s no doubt between us: Don’t involve your military company and its foreign mercenaries here in Kekon. Ever.”
Sunto started the car. “The company’s called Ganlu Solutions International,” he said, calmly but with rare anger swirling through his jade aura like dark ink spreading through water. “The name comes from a prince of Kekon who left the island and was forgotten by his people, but who changed the world.”
“Get off my property,” Hilo said. “Before I kill you.” He turned and stalked back to the house, not bothering to watch as Sunto’s car rolled out of the gates of the Kaul estate.
CHAPTER
21
The Meaning of Green
the fourteenth year, second month
Shae’s doctor had cleared her to fly, and she was comfortably seated in business class, but nevertheless, the eleven-and-a-half-hour flight to Port Massy was not enjoyable at the best of times and was even less so when one was pregnant. There was no avoiding it, however. In a few months, she wouldn’t be able to make the transamaric flight at all, and she had matters to deal with before then. She kept hydrated and got up every hour to go to the bathroom and stretch her legs by walking around the plane. Thank the gods that at least she was past the nausea and exhaustion of the first trimester. She envied Hami Tumashon in the seat next to her. The clan’s Rainmaker was accustomed to this flight and didn’t seem to mind it at all. He spent the first two hours working productively, reading correspondence and writing memos, then perused the Port Massy Post before falling asleep easily for the rest of the trip.
When they arrived in Port Massy, Shae was amazed by the cold and the sight of dirty snow drifts lining every street. The white winter light stung her eyes as she and Hami exited the airport bundled in coats and scarves. Terun Bin, the clan’s Master Luckbringer in Espenia, met them personally with a car and driver. He saluted them and exclaimed, “Kaul-jen, why didn’t you bring some Janloon weather with you?”