Chapter Three
Tom
Ryder is leaning over a computer screen, deep in conversation with their half-brother Val, when he enters the depot. Both men are wearing heavy frowns and as he nears, he catches the tail end of their conversation.
“What’s impossible?”
His brothers look up sharply, only just noticing his presence and Val smiles in greeting.
“So you’re back, Tom?”
“This morning.”
“How did it go?”
“It didn’t.”
Ryder’s worried frown becomes more pronounced.
“They didn’t listen to you?”
“Oh, they listened,” returns Tom, “but that was all they did.”
“How bad is it?”
Tom shakes his head and, leaning down, casts a critical eye over the assessment sheets scattered over the surface of the table.
“The Johnsons are completely in the wrong, they’ve been interrupting trade between the Dangras and the rest of the tribes. The trouble is that we can’t do anything to stop them.”
“We can punish them for breaching the terms of the truce,” answers Val.
“You really want to do that?” asks Tom lifting an eyebrow. “The Andak are already hated, if we take it upon ourselves to enforce the Truce, the little trust we’ve managed to build up with the other tribes will be completely destroyed and we’ll go back to being the big, bad, bullies oppressing everyone.”
For a moment they were all silent as they mulled over the truth of Tom’s words.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“What makes you think I’ve got a plan?”
Ryder smiles.
“Because you always have a plan, Tommy. And a plan B and C just in case plan A fails.”
Tom shrugs a shoulder noncommittally.
“I have an idea, it’s yet to be seen if it’s any good though. I want to run it past Orin first, then maybe the Andak council, before suggesting it to the tribes.”
“What is it?”
Tom pauses thoughtfully.
“If the Truce is to survive, it has to be enforced, but that power can’t fall to one tribe. We need to organize a council made up of Elders from each of the different tribes. That way when one tribe steps out of line, it will be the joint responsibility of all the tribes to decide what to do when problems arise.”
Val whistles softly.
“Heck, Tom! You really want to start that kind of a power struggle between the tribes?”
“Not really, but it can’t go on like it is. A joint council will give an illusion of equality, but the truth is that we are the only ones with the power to enforce anything.”
“Meaning that the joint council would just be a gesture, to make our interference easier to swallow?”
“Can you think of a better plan?” returns Tom.
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Broken Truce (Broken City, #2)
Science FictionLife isn't turning out the way that Deeta thought it would. With the Lewises defeated and peace between the tribes, she'd believed that the dark times were in the past. However troubles between the tribes continue and the Andak council has selected...
