by S. H. Jucha
Renée signaled Alex that she would respond. Then she said, “I thought my response was clear, Member Pethoral. What part of it didn’t you understand?”
Several members near Bariya muffled their chuckles, and she glared at them.
Like Renée had done, Alex moved on before Bariya could fire more questions.
“Member Drummond of Jupiter’s Ganymede Domes One and Two,” Eric announced. “If we host the conclave and a union of sorts is formed, could we refuse the installation of a dome?”
“That would be up to this body to decide,” Alex replied. “It’s an option, but why would you?”
Eric started another question, but Alex held up a hand to halt him.
“Does this hall have poor acoustics?” Alex asked. He gazed around, searching the faces in front of him, and members and their staff laughed. Member Drummond had been so anxious to get his questions out that he’d failed to respond to Alex’s inquiry.
“I see you have an implant, Member Drummond,” Alex pursued. “Please review my response to your last question.”
While the entire hall waited, Julien sent privately,
“Let me help you, Member Drummond,” Alex said. “I wish to know why you wouldn’t want instantaneous transport of races to and from Sol.”
It was obvious that Eric Drummond wasn’t prepared to respond to queries from the dais. Uncomfortably, he glanced at colleagues for support. In reply, those in his clique swung their eyes toward Tanistok, who was seated in the gallery next to Lydia.
The young royal had sensed the hostility from the members’ harsh questioning of Alex. Lydia had shared the gist of their questions and Alex’s answers. Although, she did wonder if the SADE had filtered any of the exchanges. Briefly, she hesitated to take the stage with Alex, but then she chittered at her fears, rose, and made her way to the dais.
Tanistok realized that her time with Lydia and the other SADEs had prepared her for these types of encounters. She considered the thread that ran through the member’s questions, and she thought through how she would reply to the representatives who had spoken.
Alex watched Tanistok cross the stage.
“I take pleasure in introducing Her Highness Tanistok,” Alex said proudly. “She’s a Jatouche. Her race reached out and rescued the descendants of the Honora Belle, one of Earth’s colony ships. The Jatouche are members of the Resistance, which fights the dreaded Colony, the insectoid race.”
Alex nodded at Tanistok and stepped back.
Tanistok gazed across her audience. The hall held hundreds of Assembly members and many more staff.
Alex focused on the previous questioner, and he repeated Tanistok’s question.
Alex and Renée kept neutral expressions on their faces. They yearned to laugh out loud. Tanistok was confronting the heart of the matter — racial xenophobia.
The holo-vid lit and projected an image of the Sylian on Pim. It came from a favorite vid of Tacnock. She stood with Jess and Lucia. They were discussing tactics against the insectoid-held dome.
The display shifted, and Tanistok received an image from Alex. She glanced toward the holo-vid projection and chittered.
The audience was treated to a ghastly image of close-in fighting. A gray’s pincers had severed the arm of a Sylian male, and Sastisona’s weapon had spit a dart, which had just entered the gray’s body below the head.
Tanistok turned and strode from the dais. Behind her, Lydia, at Tanistok’s request, sent image after image of Tsargit members, whose images had been captured by visiting SADEs.
“None of the alien races whom you see represented ever created warships, unlike Sol,” Alex said to the members. “Within alliance space, only two species are known to have perpetrated attacks against other races. One race, having attacked the Jatouche, is gone. The other is the Colony, whose members seek to ravage every habitable world.”
Renée stepped forward to stand beside Alex. “There are dangers in the galaxy,” she said. “They come in the guise of biologicals and digital entities. A single system can’t stand against them, but an amalgam of races can.”
Before another question could be asked, Alex and Renée followed Tanistok off the dais. There was quiet in the hall. Then several members rose and clapped their hands. Many more followed. Those applauding didn’t include every member, but it was the vast majority.
Alex and his entourage didn’t wait for the Assembly’s proposal and subsequent vote as to whether to host the conclave.
Nikki was surprised that they weren’t willing to wait.
As Renée phrased their opinion, “The Assembly will either approve or disapprove, and the outcome will determine Sol’s future. There’s nothing to be gained by us waiting here. We have many more worlds to visit.”
Alex’s traveler landed aboard the Our People, and Hector’s fleet made for the rim. As the city-ship and the Tridents sailed outward, they received Nikki’s short message. She sent, “Our future looks grand. We’re hosting the conclave.”
4: Talus Envoy
“I think this is a job for Ellie,” Tatia said to Alex, as an intimate group sat in the owner’s suite and the fleet made its way through Sol’s outer belt. When the fleet cleared the asteroid dense belt, it would transit and head for New Terra.
Alex swung his eyes toward Hector.
“I would agree,” Hector replied. “Admiral Thompson had the most impact on the outcome at Talus. When she was on the ground, which was frequently, she was often in the company of President Sargut, Advisor Suntred, and Miriamette.”
“What about Toral’s stability in the absence of the president and his chief advisor?” Renée inquired. “They’ll be away for an annual.”
“Difficult to predict, Ser,” Lydia replied. “By the time we sailed, stability had returned, but federacy space continues to be volatile.”
“How can we ensure Sargut’s participation in the conclave?” Alex asked. “I want him there. This is an opportunity not to be missed.”
“Leave a couple of Trident squadrons with NNEMP weapons in the system,” Ellie stated, as she entered the suite. She accepted a mug of thé from Renée and sat next to Hector.
T
o Julien, Alex sent,
Alex sent. He hid his smile behind his thé mug, as he drank deeply.
Alex had deliberately left Ellie out of the meeting. The two friends had bet on how soon Ellie would arrive at Hector’s invitation. They knew that Hector would have linked to Ellie the moment that he found her missing from the meeting. As for Alex, he was happy to lose. Hector was demonstrating independent command even in the presence of Omnia Ships’ leaders.
“The federacy races would have spread the word about the destruction of a Syslerian battleship by our pulse weapon,” Ellie continued. “While the races might not want to believe the story, they’ll think twice about trying to bother Toral. That is, of course, if the sisters aren’t building NNEMP weapons already.”
Ellie had eyed Hector and Lydia over the top of her mug, as she sipped.
“The plans and adjustment requirements for various ship sizes might have been inadvertently transferred to Toral’s sisters,” Hector said, and he imitated Alex’s shrug and wry grin.
Alex laughed and slapped a thigh with a loud smack.
“I think we can assume that the Talusian fleet is ready to protect the system without our assistance,” Julien said. “That means the president’s concerns about leaving the Talus system for an extended amount of time might be minimized.”
“However, Ellie’s envoy mission is still critical,” Hector said. “Sargut trusts her.”
“I’ve a question,” Tanistok said, indicating her request with a raised delicate hand. When Alex nodded, she continued. “Omnia Ships and the outpost haven’t acquired the technology to install new domes, and according to Lydia, the sailing time of even your starships from Talus to the human colonies is expressed in half annuals.”
“All true,” Alex said, encouraging the young royal member to speak.
“Then why would President Sargut wish to participate in a conclave that is hosted in an area of space far removed from his own?” Tanistok inquired.
“I don’t know that Sargut will want to join us,” Alex replied.
“But you want him to participate,” Tanistok pointed out.
“Yes,” Alex agreed.
Tanistok’s brows knit, and she glanced across the audience for help to understand the conundrum.
“Your Highness, your confusion might stem from your consideration of the conclave as a near-term event,” Ellie said.
“But it is, Admiral,” Tanistok objected. “It’s no more than an annual or two away.” She expected Ellie to confirm her point, but the admiral stared quietly at her, as did the remaining audience.
Tanistok replayed Ellie’s statement from her implant. She was struck by how quickly she’d objected to the admiral’s point, and that she’d mistakenly assumed the conclave could only be considered a near-term event. An admonishment from Lydia wasn’t necessary. She had many of those to recall.
“It appears that you’re planning for the future,” Tanistok announced, and she received a nod from Ellie. “What is your long-range plan?”
“We start with one race,” Tatia replied simply.
“And expect others to follow?” Tanistok said. Her reply had the ring of a question, and a dubious one at that.
“Competition,” Julien said. “Think of the new gates within alliance space.”
Tanistok frowned again. She dealt in immediacies and substantive exchanges. Those weren’t evident here.
“You’re enticing the Talusian president to your conclave on the possibilities of future prospects … on, on, hope!” Tanistok declared. She expected objections. Instead, she received smiles and nods. Even Julien rewarded her with a head adornment. However, she didn’t comprehend the strange object, with its green translucent brim, that ringed his head.
Lydia noticed Tanistok’s stare at Julien, and she sent,
Alex received Lydia’s signal that her communications with Tanistok were complete, and he focused on Ellie. “What’s your estimate of Sargut attending?” he asked her.
“Sargut will want to be there,” Ellie replied, “and Miriamette will advise it. However, recent events have shaken the planet.”
“You’re referring to the descending of those envoys on the planet and their arrival aboard battleships,” Tatia supposed.
“As protracted as those events were, I don’t think they’ll be uppermost in Sargut’s mind,” Ellie replied.
“The militarists,” Hector said. “The sisters were well aware of that sect’s opinions about biologicals, but, without implants, the Toralians were unaware of the depth of those sentiments.”
“But they’re gone,” Tatia pointed out. “Are you anticipating their return?” Her attention swung from Ellie to Hector, but they were focused on Lydia.
“While in Talusian space, I gathered that the militarists’ expulsion was final,” Lydia said. “Sargut and the other sisters wanted them gone, and the militarists were pleased to have gained substantial parting gifts.”
“I should say so,” Renée commented. “Three Tridents ... each carrying a traveler and crowded with supplies. I’m sure the militarists didn’t have time to acquire the credits to purchase those ships.”
“Smart decision on Sargut’s part,” Ellie said. “He realized his error in failing to adopt an implant earlier. It would have enabled him to communicate frequently with the Sisterhood.”
Alex quietly regarded Ellie. He saw his admirals and other commanders acquiring political acumen, which they added to their extensive combat experience, and he expanded his grand strategy to make use of their growing acumen.
“How do you wish to travel, Admiral?” Alex asked.
“With Hector’s and your permission, I’d like to take Commodore Descartes’s command. If Sargut is at all unsure of leaving his planet, the commodore’s ships might need to remain on station for the duration. In addition, I’ll need a single Trident for myself. We’ll make alterations to a couple of cabins to accommodate the Toralians.”
“An appropriate choice,” Hector commented.
“Launch your command, when you’re ready, Admiral,” Alex said. “Rendezvous with whatever city-ship is found at Sol or Outpost One.”
Ellie nodded, finished her thé in a single gulp, nodded at the individuals seated around the salon, and made her exit.
Renée gripped Alex’s hand and sent,
Alex gently squeezed Renée’s hand and sent,
* * * * *
Hector tasked a Trident to Ellie. The warship had been attached to a five-ship squadron in Admiral Alphons Jagielski’s command. Conveniently, that allowed the squadron’s senior captain to return to commanding the usual warship attachment.
Ellie’s traveler made an exchange with the Trid
ent dedicated to her. She brought three SADEs and a load of supplies from the city-ship.
“Admiral on deck,” a lieutenant announced, as Ellie exited her traveler into the bay.
Ellie was struck by the lieutenant’s youthfulness. She recalled the addition of several Tridents from New Terra before their fleet had launched for Talus, but events were too hectic to allow her time to review the nature of the crews.
Belatedly, Ellie recalled that she was near the age of the lieutenant, who nervously held his salute. She returned the salute and inquired, “Have the two cabins been designated?”
“Um … Admiral. I think the captain was waiting for clarification,” the lieutenant managed to utter.
Shades of Libre, Ellie thought. “To the bridge, Lieutenant,” she ordered. “Let’s get this sorted out.” She signaled the SADEs to unload and designated the cabins she would use.
On the bridge, Captain Henry Strider saluted sharply. “Welcome aboard, Admiral.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Ellie returned politely. “Let’s retire to your cabin to discuss the arrangements I require.”
Without waiting for Henry, Ellie turned and headed for the captain’s cabin.
When Henry stepped through the cabin’s door, Ellie signaled it closed behind him. Then she said, “Your lieutenant indicated you wished clarification, Captain. Were the fleet commander’s directives unclear?”
“No, Admiral,” Henry replied, “but I thought it prudent to hear them from you.”
“Why?” Ellie inquired.
“Well … well, I thought that you might add the nuances that might be missing,” Henry explained.
“Why would that be necessary?” Ellie pursued. She had an inkling of where the conversation was headed, and she worked to keep her temper under control.
When Henry seemed at a loss to reply, Ellie applied pressure. “I’m waiting for an answer, Captain, and I expect forthrightness.”