Kaine's Sanction

by D. M. Pruden

“WHAT’S WRONG, HAYDEN?”

  The meeting over, Stella and Hayden left Pavlovich’s quarters. As they walked the corridor in silence, he felt her eyes on him.

  “It’s nothing.”

  She touched his arm, and they stopped walking. “What is it?”

  “Just something the captain said, about my diplomacy...”

  “He’s a grumpy old man who has a great deal on his mind. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it. You’re the only person who could speak for us, and I think you did a marvellous job.”

  “Thanks, but it got me thinking. The diplomatic corps was to be my ticket to political office, but that was in a world without the Malliac or the Glenatat. With this new danger brewing, relations between squabbling planetary governments may be the least of humankind’s worries.”

  He looked into her eyes and blushed. “I’m sorry. I’m self-absorbed, worrying about my career path when everyone’s life here is uncertain.”

  “You are, but the fact that you are bothered by what my opinion is says a lot for your progress.” She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. “You succeeded in getting a group of xenophobic aliens to take us in, patch up our wounds, and offer us sanctuary. That’s pretty good for a neophyte captain or diplomat, in my books. I suspect your career prospects are still good.”

  He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I suppose I should focus on the task of getting us back to our part of the galaxy.”

  “You are on your shift break. You should get some rest.” She wrapped her arms about his waist and pulled him close. “Besides, is there a rush to get started on sweet-talking the Glenatat?”

  “Well, no. Not if you can think of a better idea.”

  With a sly smile, she disengaged herself and led him by the hand to her quarters.

  A few hours later, they lay entangled in the sheets together. Stella snored softly while Hayden gently caressed her bare shoulder.

  She stirred. He hugged her warm body to him.

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  He checked his chronometer. A “watch” was what Pavlovich called the antique when he gave it to him.

  “This isn’t a gift, Kaine.” the captain had told him. “With your LINK out of commission, I don’t want any excuses for you being late.”

  “It’s 0300,” Hayden told Stella. “I’m not on duty for another three hours.”

  “Mm,” she purred as she snuggled into him.

  Stella shot upright, her eyes wide. He was about to ask her what was wrong when he heard the voice inside his head too.

  The Glenatat had summoned them both.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  A Change of Heart

  HAYDEN AND STELLA stood before the tank. Joining them was Ishmael Gabriel.

  The Glenatat had granted the scientist’s request for the sentinel to remove his LINK so he could communicate with them. Pavlovich agreed to the procedure, but the man’s presence at this meeting still irritated Hayden.

  “You’re letting us return home?” he said to the creatures. “What changed your minds?”

  Our sentinel’s analysis of your ship’s jump engines revealed a danger that must be addressed.

  Hayden’s mouth went dry. His concern grew that a tactical blunder was made in permitting Cora to give Alcon free access to their systems. Though the decision was made by Pavlovich while Hayden was occupied elsewhere, whatever happened while he was still in command was his responsibility. The fact that the captain momentarily forgot his place when he gave permission would be immaterial at Kaine’s court martial.

  “What has your analysis revealed?”

  While your understanding of the physics of transdimensional transport is primitive, the technique employed by you is innovative.

  Confused by the compliment, he replied, “Thank you. Our ship’s design is not a current example of...”

  The manner by which you generate a stable portal is elegant and simple, and therein lies a danger.

  “What is it?”

  The Malliac have the technical ability to exploit a flaw in your technology. They will soon gain access to your transdimensional network.

  “How is that possible? Our jump-gates have been secure for almost three centuries.”

  The mathematics is beyond—

  “Is beyond my species’ capacity to understand. Yes, I know. Would you please indulge me?”

  He felt Stella’s hand on his arm and glanced to her. Her eyes warned him to be cautious.

  Your engines are designed to use a captured singularity to facilitate transit across the transdimensional barrier.

  “Yes, each engine is coded with a specifically balanced artificial micro-black hole, tuned to the mass and quantum sum of the ship.”

  As said, the method is primitive. The nature of your gate design makes it vulnerable to a forced breach if an assemblage of singularities is employed.

  Hayden racked his brain, attempting to recall his transdimensional physics. “A tuned array of that proportion should be physically impossible to control.”

  Using your species’ primitive understanding of mathematics, that is a reasonable assumption.

  “Of course!” Gabriel smacked his forehead with his palm.

  “Doctor?”

  “I didn’t take into account the Hancock variables, because they don’t apply to normal matter.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m afraid I wasn’t entirely truthful with you about why I was harvesting singularities. I am aware of this vulnerability. I was working on a means to create a modified tuned assembly of them to facilitate our escape from Mu Arae. I abandoned the work when I encountered a problem in my equations.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Isn’t it obvious? The mathematics only apply to dark matter. In fact, everything is much simpler.”

  “You mean they are telling the truth? The Malliac can hack our jump-gates?”

  “Yes, they can use their assemblage of singularities as a substitute portal to move directly into transdimensional space.”

  “How many would they need?”

  Gabriel shook his head with a helpless expression. “To answer that I need to know the combined dark-mass equivalent they intend to transport.”

  “Shit!” Turning his attention back to the Glenatat, Hayden said, “What can be done to prevent them from doing this?”

  Preventing it is not possible. We will send you back to your domain. You must warn your people of the danger that is upon them.

  “But you said yourself, there is no way to stop them when they attack as a collective.”

  There is no way to resist their onslaught. There is only escape.

  “What the hell has changed your minds? When did we become important enough for you to care what happens to us?”

  The hum of the machines that maintained the tank was their only reply. Hayden stared at the floor, trying to take it all in.

  “Can you do anything to rescue any of the worlds in immediate danger? You managed to save thousands of your own threatened planets.”

  There is insufficient capacity to accommodate all the systems now under threat. With access to transdimensional space, the Malliac will not diminish, but flourish. Within five hundred thousand of your years they will overrun the galaxy.

  “So you’re just going to throw every civilization out there to those monsters until only you survive in your perfect little protected bubble. What will you do when they finally come for you?”

  Stella’s hand again grasped his arm, but he shook her off and shouted at them. “You are a band of cowards.”

  Your species need not perish. Warned, many can flee the onslaught.

  “And become a hunted diaspora, forever running.”

  Only until your natural extinction takes place.

  “Then why bother with us at all?”

  The Malliac are only interested in resources. Our projections suggest that there is a small probability you can evolve into somethin
g significant. We must preserve that possible outcome, no matter how small.

  “Tell that to those of my crew who they killed. We’ve seen first-hand the level of disinterest they show my kind.”

  We will transport your ship to your home system, where you can warn your people. We regret there is little else we can do.

  Abruptly, the lights in the tank went out and the Glenatat brain structures stopped moving.

  “I guess the interview is over.”

  Stella approached him and wrapped her arms around him. “I know you feel bad, but none of this is your fault.”

  He broke the embrace. “Why do I feel that there is more I could do? They are washing their hands of any involvement.”

  “They can’t be shamed by you, Mister Kaine,” said Gabriel. “What you see as a moral responsibility is a foreign concept to them. Their only interest is in preserving the possibility that we might one day become a peer to them.”

  “I know. I just feel helpless. If we knew about all this when we arrived at Mu Arae, we could have destroyed the jump-gate.”

  “Oh, you wouldn’t want to do that. It would be almost as disastrous as permitting the Malliac to exploit it.”

  “How is that?”

  “Well, the only way to destroy it is to sever its link with transdimensional space. One would have to remove the gateway itself from our space-time. Doing so would theoretically loop the connecting string structures back on themselves.”

  “Would dropping it into a black hole accomplish the same thing?”

  “In theory, it is possible. But you would never want to do that.”

  “Why not, if it could prevent the Malliac from accessing it?”

  “Because in the act of destroying it, you would collapse the entire network as well. You would effectively destroy the means of travel between connected star systems. It would isolate every world within the confederacy.”

  Hayden furrowed his brow as he considered what he just heard.

  Stella watched him with concern. “What are you thinking?”

  “There may be a way to stop them.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  A Call to Arms

  THE IMPATIENT CREW was gathered in the mess hall for the arrival of Captain Pavlovich. Rumours ran through the ship like a wildfire, and everyone anticipated an announcement about their return home.

  People’s disposition toward Hayden had been mollified considerably. They now greeted him with a friendly smile or a nod, rather than sullen deference to the man they held responsible for their situation. With the prospect of returning to Earth at hand, his brief time as captain was regarded in a new, favourable light.

  He sat in the first row, staring at the deck and wringing his sweaty hands. Stella was beside him, seemingly basking in the collective feelings of happy anticipation.

  On his other side was Cora. With all systems running like new, she was the picture of contentment. As the freshly appointed chief engineer, she was aware of the proposed plan. If she had reservations about it, she kept them to herself.

  “Aten-hut!” called Atan, who stood rigidly at attention near the hatchway. As Pavlovich entered, the crew rose to their feet and offered him enthusiastic applause.

  Taking his position at the front of the room, he waved for silence. “At ease. Sit down and relax, people. I didn’t exactly come back from the dead.”

  After everyone settled into their chairs, he took stock of the room. Beneath his black beard the hint of a smile grew. “First, I want to commend your XO for his exemplary performance as acting captain. You saved all our asses, Lieutenant. There will be a commendation on your record when we return home.” He looked down at his notes and swallowed hard.

  “Since it is impossible to keep anything secret on this ship, you are all aware, the Glenatat offered to send us back to Earth—”

  A round of applause rose up. Pavlovich grimaced and allowed the noise to die down. “What you do not know are the circumstances behind this offer.”

  He went on to outline the situation and the danger to the Confederacy.

  “They are giving us the opportunity to sound the warning bell, but the event it forewarns will be catastrophic for humanity.”

  The room was deathly quiet. Pavlovich dispassionately described the outcome of a Malliac invasion of human space.

  “Now, I don’t think anyone in this room relishes us being the harbingers of apocalyptic news. If I had even the smallest chance to stop the bastards, I would sooner die in the attempt than run from them in shame for the rest of my life.”

  A few people shouted assent, and some small pockets of short-lived clapping erupted.

  “Some of you may not feel the way I do. God knows we’ve paid a dear price with our own blood by taking on the Malliac. But this is a warship of the Confederation. We aren’t the most up-to-date ship in the fleet, and Central Command doesn’t hold some of this crew in high regard...” He stole a glance at Hayden and winked. “But we are all blooded warriors! We each took an oath to fight for, and if necessary, die to protect the empire. I think if it were possible, every one of you would honour your promise without hesitation.”

  The room erupted in cheers as people rose to their feet to affirm Pavlovich’s words. Hayden wondered how their enthusiasm would hold up when they learned the plan.

  “Well, as it happens, there is such an opportunity. I won’t sugar-coat things. This is risky, and many of us will not survive. While the price to be paid is dear, if we succeed, our loved ones and every citizen of the Confederacy will sleep soundly in their own bed at night and not run fleeing before the alien threat.”

  He briefly outlined their plan. Hayden looked behind him. Faces were grim, and jaws clenched tight as the captain described the risks.

  “If we do this, and succeed, the Malliac advance across the galaxy will be checked at Mu Arae. They won’t be a danger to anyone for at least another decade. Forewarned, with enough time, humanity will prepare for their eventual arrival. Now that we know what they are, there is a fighting chance to save our homes.

  “But the cost of this opportunity will be great. There will no longer be a United Confederation of Planets. All the colony worlds will become isolated. The only means of transit between them will be at subluminal velocity. We will be making the decision to cast humanity’s capacity for interstellar travel back by three hundred years. And we will be cursed for it. There is no doubt about that.”

  Deathly silence filled the hall. Hayden glanced at Stella. Tears ran down her cheeks as she suffered the confusion and anguish of every person in the room.

  “I understand if there are some of you who may not wish to take part in what we must do. Had we the time, I would take this proposal to the High Command, but we don’t. Every minute we discuss and debate the ethics and morality of this plan, the creatures draw closer to breaking through. Hell, for all we know, they already have, and we are too late.”

  Stella’s fingers dug into Hayden’s knee, and she winced.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Just a lot of strong emotions. I’ll be fine.”

  Pavlovich continued. “I will not order you to participate in this mission. You all will have to examine your conscience and decide for yourself. I won’t look unkindly on a person who objects to this action on moral or personal grounds. We’ve advised our hosts of our intentions, and the cowardly bastards agreed to let us take it on the chin for them. They will transport those who don’t want to join us back to your home world. You can be with your families and live a life, safe from the Malliac. I won’t think poorly of anyone who makes that choice. After that, they intend to shut down their own network to isolate themselves.”

  “For those of you who come with me, the Glenatat will send us back to Mu Arae. There, our mission will be to destroy the jump-gate and end the immediate threat.”

  Hayden found himself on his feet. “Count me in, Captain.”

  Soon he was followed by one, then three, then the rest
of the crew. All pledged their lives to the cause. He glanced at Stella, still sitting, who looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. She grasped his hand and shook her head before she also stood.

  “You and your father can return to Earth or wherever you want.”

  She sniffed. “I know. But my ability is something you will need if you are going to pull this off. And besides, I don’t want to be apart from you.” She kissed him on the cheek.

  He squeezed her hand and reluctantly joined in with the cheering.

  Scimitar was going to war.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Temptation

  RETREATING TO HIS cabin, Hayden collapsed on the bunk.

  As much as he wanted Stella to join him, he was glad she decided to spend the last few hours with her father. It was a wise move, since they would never see each other again. Gabriel intended to remain with the Glenatat. The odds were overwhelming that none of them would survive.

  The other reason he didn’t want her present was a selfish one.

  Immediately after his declaration of support for the mission, the consequences of his impetuous act flooded his mind and threatened to overwhelm him.

  He thought he did an admirable job of holding himself together while she was with him; he didn’t believe she detected the conflicting emotions he fought to control. If she had, she graciously ignored them, allowing him his privacy.

  What had he done?

  He should be opting for the safe thing: hop on one of the transport pods going home. Whether Scimitar was successful or not, people with first-hand experience of the Malliac would be needed to lead the defence against their eventual arrival.

  Even if Pavlovich beat the odds and succeeded in destroying the jump-gate, an isolated Sol would still be the most populated system in the galaxy. The one hundred billion people there would need real leadership, individuals who could take up the torch and lead them through the dark times of rebuilding. As a returning hero, his election to the council would be all but guaranteed. Everything he was meant to be was within his grasp, in one swooping action.

  Success or failure of the mission, his fate on Earth was a better one than if he remained on Scimitar.