Triumphant (Genesis Fleet, The)

by Jack Campbell

  Jayne Redman inhaled sharply before replying. “How dare you threaten me.”

  “You think that was a threat?” Carmen leaned in a little closer, her eyes fixed on Redman’s. “This is a threat. If I decide you’re a danger to the future of Kosatka, that you’re harming our efforts to defend this world and keep it free and safe, I will deal with you.”

  “You’re nothing but a Red!” Redman spat the last word, giving it all the force of the ugly insult it was back on Old Earth.

  “That’s right,” Carmen said. She smiled, seeing how that rattled Redman. “I love Kosatka, but I grew up on Mars. Deep down inside, I’ll always be a Red. You should remember that if ever you get the urge to once again threaten me.”

  Redman turned and walked out, her back stiff.

  “Always nice to see you,” Palmer said as Carmen walked past his desk. “Don’t be a stranger.”

  “I’ve been sort of busy,” Carmen said.

  “Yes.” Palmer cast a speculative eye in the direction that Redman had gone. “Does she realize that you saved the life of the First Minister soon after you arrived on Kosatka?”

  “I imagine she bothered to find out about that before this meeting, yes.”

  “I wonder why she still tried to undercut you so blatantly.”

  Carmen smiled, though the expression held no humor. “Jayne Redman came here from Old Earth, where people from Mars are looked down upon. To her, I’m a Red, and that’s all I am. Anything I accomplish is luck, or should be credited to someone else, or is part of a small-time plot to further my own petty criminal desires.”

  “I see.” Palmer nodded. “I’ve always thought that the oddest thing about prejudice is that it causes those who adhere to it to underestimate the abilities of the people they fear.”

  “That doesn’t seem very smart, does it?” Carmen said. “I wonder how many times in history that sort of thing has bitten people in the butt? Oh, do you know if there’s an official file on Brigit Kelly?”

  “I’m sure there is,” Palmer said. “Since she’s the representative of another star system.”

  “Any chance I can get a copy?”

  “For what purpose?”

  “You know perfectly well for what purpose! Lochan and I have been looking out for each other since before we even got to Kosatka. I just want to make sure this Brigit person can be trusted with him. Lochan is . . . important to Kosatka.”

  Palmer looked as if he were thinking it over. “As long as the purpose is related to the security of Kosatka—”

  “Yes. That. Absolutely.”

  “And not some sisterly-like interest in protecting Nakamura—”

  “How could you think such a thing?”

  “Then I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.” As she left the building, Carmen looked up, wondering how Lochan Nakamura was doing.

  * * *

  • • •

  Lochan pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to block a headache that kept threatening to turn into a migraine. “Why are we arguing over trivia when lives are on the line? My home is under attack! It’s as if a neighbor’s house is burning down, and instead of rushing to put out the fire we’re all debating what to call the person who’s going to hold the hose.”

  “I’m tempted to just say Catalan agrees to everything so we can get moving,” Freya said. “Except that I know Catalan would reject that out of hand. No one trusts anyone.”

  They were sitting in two chairs at a circular table in a secure conference room whose walls, bare but for a star chart of this region of space, spoke to its serious purpose. Four other chairs at the table sat empty at the moment as the other star system representatives took a break. Lochan looked over at Freya and saw the lines on her face born of weariness and worry. “Even if we both said we agreed to everything, Eire, Benten, and Adowa would probably start arguing about what ‘agree’ means.” Lochan shook his head, looking at the chairs the others would once more soon occupy. “It’s like when I was talking to a lawyer once. We were speaking the exact same language, I thought. But then I suddenly realized that while we were using the same words, I thought the words meant different things than the lawyer did. Using the same words just concealed the fact that the language was in many ways different.”

  “Maybe that’s an idea,” Freya said. “Let the different star systems use the words they want, and footnote every one to say the meaning of the words or phrases will be subject to future clarification.”

  Lochan paused, thinking. “Could we do that?”

  “You mean, for serious?” Freya hesitated. “Maybe we could. I think Eire and Benten are itching for reasons to get going, and Adowa wants to have reasons to be part of it but doesn’t trust what the rest of us might be trying to get them to agree to. If we say this is just a preliminary agreement whose exact terms are, um, subject to future refinement, maybe that’ll give everyone the cover they need to say yes right now.”

  “Would your father buy that?”

  “Of course he would. It gives him a chance to mess with everybody else for a long time over the exact meaning of something like debhrioch.”

  “Devf-ree-ah?”

  “It means ambiguous,” Freya explained with a grin.

  “Okay.” Lochan looked upward, his thoughts far beyond the ceiling. “How soon do you think one of those warships could go help if Eire agrees?”

  “If I know my father, he’s got one ready to go, just so he can jump whichever way he wants when he wants.” Freya sighed as the other negotiators returned. “Let’s try again to convince these others to act now while there’s still a chance to help your world, and play with the meanings of words later.”

  Half an hour later, though, the others were still balking. “The problem is,” Lawrence Sato remarked, “that while those of you representing Catalan, Kosatka, and Glenlyon were sent to reach some sort of military assistance agreement, we from Benten were not. You see how that limits what we can agree to.”

  “And there is no greater matter than the sending of warships to fight,” Yukino Nakamura added.

  “This is my problem as well,” Ato Elias said. “Adowa empowered me to discuss trade matters, not matters of war.”

  “War has a major impact on trade,” Freya said. “I’ve shown you all how my home star system is being choked by what amounts to a blockade. The same will happen to your own star systems in time.”

  “We don’t dispute that,” Lawrence said. “But at this time we can’t commit Benten to matters beyond the authority we were given.”

  “At this time lives are being lost!”

  “I took a risk for you,” Lochan said. “Joining the fate of my mission to yours so you could be heard. Try to imagine my position. And Freya’s. Catalan is surrounded by hostile star systems. For all we know her home has also come under attack by now.”

  “If we make a commitment that we know Benten will not honor,” Lawrence said, “we would be doing nothing, only pretending to help!”

  Lochan sat back, grimacing. “Am I right that we all want to do something that will benefit us all? All that’s holding us back is . . . what to call it! An action that your worlds will see as in their interests as well as those of Kosatka, Glenlyon, and Catalan.”

  Colonel Patrick Ryan, appointed to be Eire’s representative to the discussions and not appearing the least bit happy about that, drummed the fingers of one hand on the table. “If it’s the right words you’re looking for, the term ‘self-defense’ covers a lot of ground, doesn’t it?”

  “Sending our only warship many light years to fight an enemy seems to stretch the definition of self-defense,” Yukino said.

  “A light year is a long way,” Ryan said. “Yet, strangely, war seems close when it’s hitting star systems light years away but not that far off in terms of travel time.” He leaned forward, gi
ving the others a stern look. “Like the rest of you, we’ve no wish to surrender a hint of sovereignty to anyone else. But the war is here. Eire has already been attacked. Low-level strikes such as the destruction of a shuttle, but the intent is clear. Which means war is not that far from your homes, either. Eire has already decided on what measures it will take. It’s up to the rest of you whether you’re playing as well or watching from the side.”

  “What measures are you speaking of, Pat?” Freya asked him. “Can you tell us? Has the old one already decided to send one of Eire’s destroyers to help others?”

  “To defend Eire,” Ryan said. “And to defend the trade interests of Eire. He’ll send both.”

  Momentary silence fell.

  “Both?” Lochan said, wondering why he wasn’t feeling elated at the news.

  “What is it?” Freya said. “Something’s bothering you, Lochan.”

  “Yes,” he said, trying to nail down that elusive feeling. Two warships from Eire arriving at Kosatka. Surely they’d be greeted joyously.

  Or would they?

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Elias said. “Because it’s what Adowa would think. Why are these so-called friends here? To drive off these other enemies perhaps. But what then? What prevents the liberators from becoming a new set of overlords when they control all space in your star system?”

  “Eire’s offer is meant generously,” Ryan said, looking affronted.

  “But you know what concern I speak of,” Elias said.

  Patrick Ryan paused a moment, before nodding. “Yes. All of us or our ancestors came from Old Earth, where history is full of wars in which countries simply traded one foreign master for another.”

  “That didn’t always happen, though,” Lochan said. “Sometimes the countries that freed others didn’t try to maintain control afterward.”

  “Sometimes,” Elias said, letting the single word carry a wealth of meaning.

  “And now that history threatens to bind our hands,” Lawrence said. “What rules our decisions? Fear of the worst that has happened, or hope for the best?”

  “We came out here for hope, didn’t we?” Lochan said, deciding that turning down Eire’s offer would be foolish. Donal Morgan was no saint, but Eire had nothing in common with the star systems that had attacked Kosatka. “So let’s commit to hope. Let’s say anything we agree to here is bound to a basic foundation that all star systems should be free, and any actions against any other star system in this . . . uh . . . alliance are prohibited unless that star system violates that principle.”

  “Would Kosatka take that as sufficient protection against conquest by supposed friends?” Elias asked.

  Lochan took a moment to answer, aware that his reply would carry a lot of weight. “Yes. There’s a basic reality we can’t escape. That I can’t escape. I’m representing Kosatka, and Glenlyon. They’re a test case, right? A test of trust. If forces are sent to aid Kosatka and Glenlyon, and then stay on to themselves try to conquer those star systems, from what I know neither Kosatka nor Glenlyon will have the means to resist. If I agree to your worlds sending assistance, I am risking that. The government of Kosatka that sent me here knew I’d have to take such a chance, and because of our extreme duress left that decision up to me.”

  He paused, thinking, looking at the surface of the table, the polished wood smooth and bright. “If I’m wrong, the best I can hope to be remembered as is a fool. At worst I’ll be labeled a traitor. But . . . Freya is somewhat aware of my past, before I came to Kosatka.” Lochan looked up at the others. “I failed at a lot of things. But I learned something very important from those failures. When you’re in great need of help and someone eagerly offers everything you could ask for, there’s a good chance they’re out to take advantage of your need. But if you need help, and those who can help seek to find ways to do it but also express real concerns and reluctance, they probably do want to help you, not themselves.”

  Freya nodded. “As those of us here are approaching this. We’re all reluctant to agree to what seems the best course of action.”

  “For good reason,” Lawrence said. “It was the same for all of us, wasn’t it? Leave Old Earth or one of the Old Colonies, and also leave behind the ills that have plagued us in the past. Why did we think we could? Has anywhere humanity been ever known only peace? No place has been immune to troubles. Back on Old Earth, Canada was hailed as one of the quietest, nicest places on the planet, and even Canada had the Clown Riots.”

  “Did you have to mention those?” Freya asked. “Now my dreams tonight will be troubled. But, I think there’s an important point there. Those who have sought to impose their will on others have often done so in the name of peace and law and order, arguing that freedom must be given up to accomplish those aims. We know that’s false. That’s why we balk at giving up even a little of our freedom even when we see danger at our doors. But perhaps we should be thinking of it as if all of us were in a fight, and standing back-to-back to protect each other. We’d have given up some freedom of movement, but nothing that matters compared to knowing we can’t be stabbed in the back.”

  “There is truth there,” Lawrence said. “Let me discuss this in private with my colleague.” He and Yukino Nakamura stood up, going to one side of the room to speak very quietly to each other.

  “Pat,” Freya said, beckoning to Eire’s representative. Patrick Ryan stood as well, coming over beside her. “I’ve an idea.”

  Ryan stopped by her seat. “Let’s hear it, then. If you want this one to hear it as well,” he added, gesturing toward Lochan.

  “I can move,” Lochan said, beginning to get up.

  “No,” Freya said. “I want you to know what I’m advising.” She glanced at Ato Elias, who was pretending to be unaware of what the others were doing as he checked data on his personal pad, before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Pat, I know what game my father is playing. He sees this happening, and if it does, he wants Eire to have bragging rights as the biggest wolf in the pack. That’s why he’s sending both of Eire’s warships.”

  “You’re only part right,” Ryan said. “I’m sure he also wants to be certain the effort succeeds. He wants Eire to get credit for being part of a victorious force, not tagged as having participated in a failure.”

  “Ah,” Freya said, nodding. “I’m sure you have the right of that. But as you see, Benten is balking. If the old one really wants this to happen, I know of a way to get Benten to agree.”

  “And what would that be?” Patrick Ryan asked with a skeptical glance at Lochan.

  “Offer to place Benten’s ship in command of the force. Put Eire’s two destroyers under the combat authority of Asahi’s captain.”

  Ryan frowned. “That’s a big step to take.”

  “A big step that speaks of confidence,” Freya said. “Of Eire having such a big heart and such a strong heart that it does not fear to place its forces under the command of another, trusted, friend. A trusted friend who will, naturally enough, feel obligated to repay that trust at some future time, and in the current circumstances feel a need to match the generosity of Eire. And how to match that generosity except by agreeing to send their ship to this fight?”

  “That’s so,” Ryan said, nodding. “Clever. You really are Donal Morgan’s daughter, aren’t you? Why’d you leave Eire, Freya?”

  “Because I’m his daughter. Eire couldn’t hold both of us.”

  This time Ryan laughed. “There’s truth. All right. I’ll ask the old one.” He hesitated, though, appearing uncertain. “Freya, why’d your brother leave? The same reason? Too much like his old man?”

  Freya looked away, her jaw tight, finally shaking her head. “No. Marcus never stopped thinking he was smarter by far than our father.”

  “Don’t we all go through that phase? Most outgrow that, though,” Ryan said.

  “Most do. Marcus didn’t.” Fre
ya shifted her gaze back to him, glancing at Lochan as well. “He always had to be the smartest. In his own eyes. Every failure was the fault of others. Never his own.”

  “That’s one flaw I eventually outgrew,” Lochan said.

  “Lucky you were smart enough to avoid a dire fate before then. When I warned my brother about taking employment with that colony group heading far into the dark to get away from what they called government interference, he boasted that he expected them not to live up to their promises, but that mattered not, because he would be on top of one of those corporations within a few years. Then he’d be the one able to do whatever he wanted, with no interference, and he’d finally show the hosts of humanity what he could do.”

  “That eejit.” Ryan shook his head slowly, like someone viewing the aftermath of an awful accident. “How’d he make it far enough in life to make that big a mistake?”

  “The old one bailed him out,” Freya said. “More than once. Marcus was his son and the baby of the family. If Mum had lived, I think she’d have laid down the law on him, but when we lost her, Marcus probably lost his chance to get hit upside the head hard enough for reality to intrude on his illusions.”

  “He’ll get that hit now, I’m guessing. And I suppose it’s one he earned, but I still feel sorry for him, wherever he ended up among the stars.”

  Freya looked over and up toward the ceiling. “Him and those with him. Some were doubtless desperate, seeking a way to make a life and a future. Others perhaps foolish, and still others greedy or true believers in everyone for himself. But what of their children? And their children’s children? They chose a fate for themselves, but their descendants will live with that choice. We increasingly praise our ancestors these days, but I wonder if someday those whose ancestors took the path like that of my brother will curse those who put them there.”

  “I’m determined that my descendants will have no cause to curse me for anything other than their looks,” Ryan said, nodding to her once more. “I’ll go talk to the prime minister.”