Ep.#14 - The Weak and the Innocent (The Frontiers Saga)

by Ryk Brown

  “Are you President Kanor?” Commander Telles yelled.

  “Yes…yes… Please, do not hurt me!” he begged, shouting to be heard above the cacophony of shuttle engines.

  “You are to come with us!” Commander Telles ordered.

  “But…”

  “You may remain, and explain to the Jung what happened here, if you prefer!”

  “No…no! I will come with you!”

  “Perimeter secure!”

  “Jahal!” the commander barked. “Time to go!”

  Master Sergeant Jahal grabbed the president by the arm and pulled him to his feet, shoving him through the door and down the corridor.

  Commander Telles turned toward Naralena, reaching down to help her up. “Miss Avakian, are you ready to return to the Aurora?”

  Naralena said nothing, only nodding.

  “Lieutenant?” Commander Telles said, addressing Gerard as he pulled Naralena to her feet. “I assume you are coming as well?”

  Gerard stumbled to his feet, still in shock as he glanced about at the precision and devastation he had just witnessed. “Hell yes!”

  * * *

  President Kanor sat at the conference table, attempting to look as dignified as tattered clothing would allow. His business jacket was torn and covered with dust, as were his pants and his shoes. Try as he might to maintain his composure, it was obvious he had just been through an ordeal.

  Admiral Dumar walked into the room and sat down in the chair next to him. “Mister President. I am Admiral Dumar. I apologize for all that has happened, and I truly wish that our meeting could have been under…more pleasant circumstances. But you, sir, threatened the well-being of my operatives, people who risked their very lives in their attempts to reduce the number of innocent lives lost during our attacks. I cannot abide such treatment. Not even by the leader of an entire world.”

  “Of course,” President Kanor replied, his voice still a bit unsteady.

  Admiral Dumar leaned back in his seat. “You wanted to talk, Mister President? What is it you wish to know?”

  The president looked around the room, unsure of what to say. Finally, one word came out. “Why?”

  “I assume by ‘why’ you mean, why did the Alliance attack the Jung forces in the Tau Ceti system?”

  President Kanor nodded.

  “The Earth has suffered incredible devastation over the last year at the hands of the Jung. Millions upon millions of innocent people, just like the ones that died needlessly on your world, were slaughtered simply because it is Jung policy to so punish a world that they cannot control. The Earth needs, at least a year, preferably many more, to get back on her feet and survive, let alone be prepared to defend herself. We are attempting to give her the time she needs by getting rid of all Jung forces within a twenty light year radius of Sol. Once successful, we intend to push further outward, extending that perimeter to thirty light years, then forty… Well, you get my meaning. In the process, we had planned to liberate each world from Jung rule.”

  “And what do you do with such worlds?” the president asked, “after you have liberated them. Subjugate them as your own, just as you claim the Jung would do?”

  “Not at all. The Alliance has no interest in being conquerors. Each world is left to govern themselves as they see fit. However, they are invited to join the Alliance in our fight against the Jung, just as your worlds will be invited.”

  “But the Jung have done so much for our worlds,” the president told him. “I doubt the people will be so willing to forsake them.”

  “Even once they know the truth about them?” the admiral wondered.

  President Kanor sighed heavily. “The truth can be quite subjective, admiral. It is altered by the filters of personal opinion and prejudices. Through such filters, the truth can be difficult to see with clarity.”

  “Very true, Mister President,” the admiral agreed. “That is why we must shine a light…the light of truth…in order to show them the way.”

  President Kanor looked confused. “What is this light?”

  Admiral Dumar picked up the remote from the table and turned on one of the many large view screens on the wall. Unedited footage, shot by Kata Mun and her porta-cam operator during their interviews, began to play. “See for yourself,” the admiral told him. “We will speak further when you are ready.”

  * * *

  “Kata Mun,” President Kanor greeted. He picked up the remote as she walked toward him, pressing the mute button to silence the video still playing on the view screen. “You were the last person I expected to see. Everyone on Kohara believes you were killed by your captors.”

  “Anything but, Mister President,” she replied, taking a seat next to him.

  “Is all of this true?” he asked.

  “Every bit of it.”

  “And they did not control where you went, who you spoke with, what they said?”

  “To the best of my knowledge, no. I was allowed to go wherever I wished, speak with whomever I wished. Yes, there were places I was not allowed to go, either because of the extreme danger, or because they were top-secret areas, but I was basically given complete freedom.”

  “Did they censor anything, anything at all?” he pressed.

  “Of course they did, but only when necessary to maintain security. We were not allowed to reveal which worlds had been liberated, or where any of their facilities were located. But they allowed all opinions to be shared, all things to be shown. They even allowed the dissenting opinions of those from worlds they have liberated. I have hours and hours of this, sir.”

  “Then it is true,” the president said, his head hanging down in defeat. “Not only have we been lied to all these years, but we have been duped into helping the Jung destroy other worlds, other peoples. We helped them nearly destroy the Earth.”

  “We did not know,” Kata reminded him, trying to ease his guilt. “I believed them as much as anyone.”

  The president shook his head. “What are we to do, Kata? What are we to do?”

  “We must convince our people to renounce the Jung and join the Alliance. We can right our wrongs by joining the fight.”

  “But we are not warriors. We are a peaceful people,” the president pleaded.

  “There are more warriors among us than you might realize,” Kata said. “Many of these images have made me want to pick up a weapon and join the fight myself. At the very least, we must show the Cetian people the truth and let them decide.”

  “Yes, yes. Of course.” The president looked at Kata. “Do you think they will forgive us?”

  “Yes, I do. They did not allow me to document everything without reason. I believe they need our help. I believe they need everyone’s help.”

  President Kanor pulled himself together. The last two hours had been difficult ones. “I would like to speak with the admiral again.”

  “One moment,” Kata told him. She rose and left the room, returning a few minutes later with Admiral Dumar.

  President Kanor stood, wanting to demonstrate respect for the admiral, something he had failed to do when they had first met. “Admiral Dumar. It seems that you are correct, that we have been mislead by the Jung. For that, I would like to offer an apology on behalf of the Cetian people. Still, as much as I think my people would like to do something to help, I’m not sure what help you think we can be.”

  “No one is asking your people to march into battle, Mister President. However, there is still much that you can do to help. The Earth needs sources of basic consumables, at least until she can get her industry up and running once again.”

  “The farms and ranches on Sorenson have been producing massive amounts of grains, meats, and produce to feed the Jung for decades,” Kata said. “More than half of it is shipped out every few months to Ju
ng ships elsewhere.”

  “Your people also have an orbital shipyard, with four assembly bays. We have only a single bay large enough to service this ship if badly damaged. In fact, she has had to fight without shields and other improvements for quite some time, while her sister ship has undergone repairs and upgrades. That shipyard of yours alone could turn the tide of this war, not to mention the two Jung frigates currently under construction within her. I assume your people are the primary source of technical labor for their construction?”

  “Indeed they are. I’m ashamed to admit that my people have built at least a dozen ships in that very shipyard. All of them for the Jung.”

  “And the propellant that fuels them?”

  “From refineries on Stennis.”

  “You see, Mister President, there is much that the people of Tau Ceti can do to help the Alliance stop the Jung. And in return, there is much the Alliance can do for the Cetian people.”

  “Such as?” the president wondered, sounding very much the politician again.

  “Protection against the Jung for one,” the admiral told him. “There is a Jung battle group not two weeks away, en route from 82 Eridani to Tau Ceti at this very moment. We intend to intercept that battle group and destroy it before it reaches your system.”

  “If we agree to join your Alliance?”

  “Regardless of whether or not your people decide to join the Alliance. Your protection became our responsibility the moment we destroyed the Jung forces in your system. However, your people can help us protect you. We can also provide you with advanced technology…”

  “…From that Data Ark?” the president realized. “The one that was nearly destroyed from orbit?”

  “From the Data Ark, as well as from the other members of the Alliance, several of whom are far more advanced than the Jung.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. My own people, for example.”

  The president looked surprised. “You are not from Earth?”

  “No, I am not. I am from the Pentaurus cluster.”

  “The one a thousand light years away?”

  “Indeed.”

  “And you came all the way to Sol to fight the Jung?”

  “We came all the way to Sol to help those that helped us escape a similar fate.”

  The president shook his head. “Incredible. However, I am afraid I cannot speak for all the Cetian people. I am only the de facto president, and only of Kohara. There are still two other worlds in our system. If the entire Tau Ceti system is to join your Alliance, they must choose to do so…by election.”

  “Of course,” the admiral agreed.

  “But how do we conduct such an election, when there are still nearly eight hundred Jung soldiers on Kohara? They are executing people in the streets based only on suspicion. How can any Koharan vote to join the Alliance with such a threat looming over them?”

  Admiral Dumar sighed. “Unfortunately, we suffered heavy losses during our initial attempt to remove the Jung from your world, and we cannot afford to lose many more.”

  “Can you not destroy them from orbit?” the president wondered.

  “The remaining Jung facility is embedded in the middle of one of Kohara’s most heavily populated cities,” the admiral explained. “In addition, it extends deep underground. It may even connect to other bunkers not yet detected. I fear destroying them all from orbit would result in thousands more Koharan deaths. Possibly hundreds of thousands.”

  “Then what are we to do?” the president wondered.

  “I do have an idea. It is risky, but it might work, with your help.”

  * * *

  Gerard entered the recovery ward in the Aurora’s medical department. He spotted Jessica talking to one of the medical staff at the desk and headed toward her.

  “Lieutenant,” Jessica greeted.

  “Sir,” Gerard replied, offering a salute after noticing she outranked him. “Sorry, it took me a moment to realize. The uniforms are a bit different.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It is I who should be saluting you. Thanks for taking care of her.”

  “I did the best I could,” he replied. “I only wish I could have done better.”

  “Well, you got her back alive. That’s all that matters,” Jessica insisted.

  “She got herself back,” Gerard said. “She’s one tough lady.”

  “That she is.”

  The lieutenant looked around. “It’s really strange. Everything on board this ship… It feels familiar. I mean, we didn’t have ships like this when I left, but still…”

  “I think I understand.” Jessica looked over at one of the curtained-off beds in the far corner of the ward. “I think she’s still awake, if you want to talk to her.”

  “I don’t want to disturb her, or anything. But…well, I’m going back down soon, and I wanted to say goodbye.”

  Jessica looked for approval from the doctor sitting at the desk, who nodded. “Sure, Lieutenant, sure.”

  “Thank you.” Gerard nodded politely at the doctor and headed over to Naralena’s bed. He carefully pulled back the curtain to peek inside.

  Naralena was lying in a semi-sitting position, her leg propped up and bandages wrapped around it. Her eyes were closed and her head was turned away from him. She looked so different. Peaceful, happy, safe… So much so that he decided he didn’t want to disturb her. News that he was returning to the surface might upset her and he couldn’t have that, not after seeing her so relaxed. He would have to see her when he returned.

  If he returned.

  He let the curtain slowly close and turned to leave.

  “Gerard?” Naralena called out in a faint voice. “Is that you?”

  He froze for a moment, unsure of what to do.

  “Gerard?” she called again.

  Jesus, Gerard, you’re a grown man, he thought. He turned back around and pulled back the curtain just enough to slip inside. “Hello. I thought you were sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “It’s all right. I’ll have plenty of time to sleep while my leg heals,” she replied.

  “How bad is it?” he asked.

  “Doctor says it will be all healed in a few days.”

  “But, I thought it was much deeper… I mean…”

  “Nanites. We’ve got them too.”

  “Ah, yes. I forgot.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Fine, fine. I just finished my debrief. Told them everything I could think of that might help. I could probably tell them a lot more, but, there’s no time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They need me,” he told her. “They need me to go back down…to Kohara.”

  “What? Why?”

  “They think I can help them get rid of the Jung without anyone else dying.”

  Naralena’s head fell back against the pillow, her eyes looking up at the ceiling in frustration and disappointment.

  “It’s okay, Naralena, really…”

  “No, it’s not,” she disagreed, raising her head to look at him again. “You gave them more than twenty years of your life, Gerard. Isn’t that enough?”

  “I have to see this through to the end, Naralena.”

  “But why?”

  Gerard looked around, confused. “I don’t really know. Those people down there. They’re more my people than these people are. I mean, I was only twenty-five when I left Earth. Seems like I’ve lived on Kohara longer than I did on Earth, if that makes any sense.”

  Naralena sighed. “Actually, it does.”

  “It shouldn’t take more than a week…maybe less.” He looked down at the floor. “If everything goes well.”

  She knew what he meant. “And then you’ll come back
?”

  He stepped closer and took her hand, avoiding eye contact. “I can’t promise that.” He raised his eyes to meet hers. “I can only promise that if I am ever in a position to find you again…that I will find you. That much I promise.”

  Naralena said nothing, just staring sadly into his eyes.

  Gerard reached out and wiped away her tears, then leaned in to kiss her forehead ever so gently.

  “I’m going to hold you to that promise,” she whispered.

  * * *

  President Kanor walked briskly across the Aurora’s hangar deck, a man filled with new purpose. Ahead of him were Kata Mun and her porta-cam operator, Karahl, recording the president’s departure from the Aurora.

  “It is a bold plan, Admiral,” the president told Admiral Dumar as he escorted him to the jump shuttle that would take Gerard and the president back to Kohara. “Do you really think it will work?”

  “The advantage to bold plans, Mister President, is that the enemy rarely expects them.”

  “Those young women, they will be returned as well?”

  “Of course,” the admiral promised. “But it is best to wait until after the Jung have been removed.”

  The president stopped for a moment, turning toward the admiral. “If we time their return to the day of the broadcast, the night before the election, I believe it will have the greatest impact.”

  “Spoken like a true politician,” the admiral replied, smiling. “And I actually mean that as a compliment.”

  “Interesting,” the president commented, an inquisitive look on his face. “So politicians are disliked on all worlds?”

  “Not all worlds,” the admiral clarified, “and certainly not all politicians.”

  President Kanor smiled back at him. “You’d make a good one yourself, Admiral.” The president shook the admiral’s hand.

  “Good luck to you, Mister President.”

  “To us all, Admiral. To us all,” he replied as he turned and headed for the shuttle.

  “Admiral,” Gerard greeted as he approached.