Dreadnaught tlfbtf-1

by Jack Campbell

  “Not a problem,” Geary replied, waving the sailor past. “You’ve obviously got some urgent questions to ask.”

  “Nothing that urgent, sir.” The sailor smiled sheepishly. “Just me and . . . uh . . . a friend. Whether . . . you know. Personal things. I know the important stuff already, because you’re in command, and you’ll get us home. That’s what my parents asked, will you get home? And I said Admiral Geary’s in command, and they knew that meant the fleet would be all right.”

  “Thank you.” He stood there a moment while the sailor rushed onward. Maybe his ancestors had provided an answer. You’ll get us home. Regardless of what happened to him, what was most likely to get these ships and sailors home again?

  Back in his stateroom, Geary tried to project matter-of-fact confidence as he sent an answer to Iceni. “I agree to your proposal. I will not provide any specific commitment to defense of this star system from attack by anyone but the enigma race, but you have my word of honor that I will also avoid outright denying such a commitment. I cannot guarantee that this fleet or other Alliance assets will not be ordered by our government to assist the Syndicate Worlds’ central government in reestablishing control of this star system, but I will argue against allowing this fleet to be used in that way, and I will not command such a force.

  “In exchange, in addition to the mechanism you have promised to provide, I want a commitment from you that you will not attempt to claim the support of this fleet for your own actions, or declare any backing by me for your plans. If you publicly claim such backing, I will repudiate it. And if you commit atrocities against your own people or attack other star systems, I will regard this agreement as void.”

  One other thing. “I would appreciate being apprised of what happened to CEO Boyens after he was released. I await your agreement to my terms and the receipt of the plans for the collapse-prevention mechanism.”

  Less than ten minutes after the transmission, Geary’s hatch alert chimed. He allowed entry, surprised to see Lieutenant Iger there. What could have required the intelligence officer to personally visit Geary’s stateroom?

  “Admiral,” Iger said, visibly nervous, “there is a matter concerning a superior officer that I am required to take action on.”

  TEN

  “EXCUSE me?” Geary asked. Had intelligence been monitoring his own transmissions? Was this the sort of loyalty policing he had heard about but had trouble believing would actually take place in the Alliance fleet?

  Iger’s nervousness increased. The man was more uncomfortable than Geary had ever seen him. “A . . . a matter concerning a superior officer, Admiral. I am required to report it to you, sir.”

  “Report it to me?” It wasn’t about him, then. “Who are we talking about?”

  “One of the captains, Admiral. One of the battle cruiser commanders.”

  Geary went rigid, staring at Iger. “What is this? Nothing like Captain Kila, is it?”

  “No, sir!” Iger shook his head rapidly. “I’m sorry, sir. No. Nothing like that, but it is something I must report to you,” he said for the third time.

  It couldn’t be easy making what must be a negative report about a superior officer. Forcing himself to calm down, Geary nodded. “Let that be a lesson to you on how not to break news to me, Lieutenant. Which officer is this?”

  “Commander Bradamont, sir. Commanding officer of Dragon.”

  Bradamont? Someone whom Desjani herself now trusted? “What has Commander Bradamont done?”

  “Sir, Commander Bradamont has accessed the intelligence analysis we did regarding the Syndic military capabilities in this star system.”

  The same one that Geary had looked at a little while ago. “She . . . wanted to know about the military capabilities of a potential opponent? One of my battle cruiser commanders wanted to know about Syndic military forces in this star system?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Exactly why is that a problem, Lieutenant Iger?”

  Iger, who had been relaxing slightly in response to Geary’s attitude, now grew more uncomfortable again. “Even though her position authorizes Commander Bradamont to access the report, and she has an obvious need to know the information, there’s a security flag on Commander Bradamont’s record, Admiral. I don’t know if you’re aware—”

  “You mean when she was a prisoner of the Syndics?” He had accepted what Desjani had told him of the matter rather than dig into Bradamont’s record personally, but it wasn’t surprising to hear that security had kept a special watch on her. “I thought that was resolved.”

  “It was, sir, but we’re still required to report under certain circumstances, and . . . sir, have you had the opportunity to review the analysis we did of Syndic military forces in this star system?”

  He almost smiled at the extremely careful way in which Iger had asked if Geary had actually read the report yet. “Yes. I just reviewed it again a few minutes ago. What about it generates concern in the case of Commander Bradamont?”

  “One of the Syndic military officers in this star system, Admiral,” Iger explained. “A sub-CEO fourth grade. His name is Donal Rogero. We believe that’s the same Syndicate Worlds’ officer with whom Commander Bradamont . . . uh . . . became . . . uh . . . involved while in captivity.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  “I’m required to report the matter to you,” Lieutenant Iger continued apologetically. “Even though it involves a superior officer.”

  “I understand.” He did as far as Iger’s actions went. But what was Bradamont up to? “Is there any reason I can’t ask Commander Bradamont about this directly?”

  “No, sir. I’m not authorized to pursue the matter without approval, but there’s no restriction on your actions aside from the normal rules and regulations. Nothing classified is involved of which Commander Bradamont isn’t already aware.”

  “All right. Thank you. I appreciate your informing me of the matter, and doing so in an appropriate manner. I don’t see any need for you to pursue it further.” He had to say it that way to let Iger know that reporting adversely on a senior officer was indeed an unpleasant duty but that Iger had handled it properly.

  The relieved lieutenant left for the sanctuary of the intelligence compartments, and as the hatch sealed again, Geary made another call, to Dragon. “I require a private meeting with Commander Bradamont. Have her call me as soon as she’s ready.”

  Barely five minutes later, Bradamont’s image appeared in Geary’s stateroom. She saluted, giving no indication of anything but curiosity. “Yes, Admiral? A private meeting? Is it concerning Dragon?”

  “No, Commander.” Geary stayed standing, and so did she. Until he knew more, anything less formal didn’t feel right. “It concerns a personal matter that also bears on your professional duties.”

  She didn’t blink an eye though the curiosity faded. “Rogero.”

  “That’s right. Are you trying to determine whether the Sub-CEO Rogero in this star system is the same man you had a relationship with while a prisoner of the Syndics?”

  “I am fairly certain that he is that man, Admiral. The last I heard, he was under a CEO named Drakon, who was transferred to this side of Syndic space as punishment for getting on the wrong side of some very powerful Syndic CEOs.”

  Geary paused. Bradamont knew more about Drakon’s status than the intelligence report that he had just read? What did that mean? “Commander, are you just curious? Or do you intend doing something about it if this is the same Rogero?”

  Bradamont paused before replying. “I don’t know, sir.”

  “Are you still in love with him?”

  Another pause. “Yes, sir.” She eyed him defiantly. “We’re not at war with them anymore.”

  “No,” Geary agreed. “But we’re not exactly one big, happy family.”

  “Admiral, I’ll swear by anything you want that I will not do anything contrary to my duties as an officer of the fleet, and that I will never fail in any aspect of my responsibilities as commandi
ng officer of an Alliance warship. I will be happy to repeat that oath inside an interrogation compartment so there can be no doubt of my sincerity.”

  She certainly looked sincere, and if there had been any doubt on either of those counts, Bradamont never would have been passed by security to return to the fleet. “I don’t think use of an interrogation compartment will be necessary, Commander. Can I ask you a personal question? Another one, I mean. We’ve fought the Syndics with you on Dragon. Did it ever worry you that Rogero might be on one of the Syndic warships we were engaging?”

  “I could not afford to think about that, sir.” Bradamont met his eyes. “I had my duty to do, and I knew he would understand that.”

  “Understand being killed by you in combat? Not every man would be that understanding, Commander Bradamont.”

  “He understands duty, Admiral. That’s one of the reasons why—” She gave him a straight look. “You want to ask another personal question, I know, how I came to fall in love with a Syndic officer.”

  “That’s not my business,” Geary said, though in truth he was curious.

  “I’ll tell you because I think you’re more willing to accept what I say than others are.” She looked to one side, not just as if gathering memories but also as if she was looking into the past. “A number of newly captured prisoners, myself among them, were being transported to the world holding the Syndic labor camp where we’d be held. The Syndic ship suffered a serious accident. We all very likely would have died. Rogero was in command of the Syndic ground forces also being transported on that ship. He ordered us freed from confinement to save us, then allowed us to work alongside the ship’s crew to save the ship and ourselves.” Bradamont gazed at Geary once more. “For this, he was punished with removal from command.”

  “He broke the rules.”

  “Yes. His superiors said he should have let us die. I know this because several of us were required to testify to events that day. Against our will, but in individual interrogation units we could hardly concoct consistent lies. For his punishment, Rogero not only lost his command of a ground forces unit but was also assigned to the labor camp as one of the Syndic officials there. That was a Syndic idea of a joke, Admiral. Since Rogero had cared enough about us to save us, he would be forced to be one of our jailers.”

  It made sense. “He was one of the senior Syndic officers at the camp, and you were one of the senior Alliance officers, so you had contact again on a regular basis.”

  “Yes, sir, and I knew something of his character from the actions that had resulted in his being there.” Bradamont paused. “You and . . . Captain Desjani . . . are probably best suited to understand how I felt when I realized my feelings. It was not . . . something that I sought or welcomed. When I discovered he felt the same about me . . . impossible. He is a decent, honorable man, Admiral, even though he was trained to act differently. But . . . we both remained true to our duty. I never betrayed my oath to the Alliance, I never dishonored my ancestors, no matter what some—” She broke off.

  “I see. The Syndics obviously took it poorly, too. You were sent to another prison camp, and he was exiled out here.”

  “Not initially. CEO Drakon had some pull back then and was eventually able to get Rogero back under his command, after I had left that labor camp. Admiral . . .” She hesitated longer this time. “There is a highly classified matter, involving Alliance intelligence and myself. I doubt that anyone in this fleet is aware of it, or was ever read into it. But I can’t in good conscience leave you as my fleet commander unaware of it. The Syndics were allowed to believe that my feelings for Rogero had turned my loyalties. I have been feeding them occasional reports for years, through Alliance intelligence, which always provided me with the supposed secrets and misleading information that I was purportedly leaking to Rogero.”

  Another surprise. “What did the Alliance get from this? Just a channel to send bogus secrets to the Syndics?”

  “And messages that occasionally came back from Rogero, supposedly providing intelligence on Syndic activities.” She shook her head. “I have long suspected the messages from Rogero weren’t really from him, and that if they were, they also contained no real secrets, just disinformation, both sides playing the same game so both could imagine success while neither actually benefited.”

  “Do you have any proof of what you’re telling me?”

  Bradamont shook her head again. “No, sir. Just the contact information for my Alliance intelligence handlers, back in Alliance space.”

  “That’s a dangerous game to play.” Geary finally sat down, eyeing her. “Is it possible that Lieutenant Iger has anything based on what Rogero reported? Do you know what Alliance intelligence reports called him?”

  “Red Wizard, Admiral.”

  “Do you have a cover name that was used in those reports?”

  “White Witch, sir.”

  Geary reached for his controls. “Lieutenant Iger. Do you have any intelligence reporting on file that was sourced to a Syndic source code-named Red Wizard?”

  Iger couldn’t prevent a baffled frown, but turned slightly to consult his database before turning a now-surprised look on Geary. “Yes, sir, but I have no record that you’ve ever been read into that program, sir. You would have been provided any information derived from it, but that source and code name is tightly restricted.”

  “Do you know the real name of that source?”

  “No, sir. That wouldn’t be in the files on any ship, to prevent it from being compromised in the unlikely event any of our files survived the ship being destroyed or captured.”

  “Has Commander Bradamont ever been read into that program?” Geary asked.

  “No, sir! With her . . . background that would be . . . very unusual. With a security flag on her record, it wouldn’t happen.”

  “Do you have anything on a source named White Witch?”

  Iger checked, looking uncomfortable again. “Admiral, I have to ask where you’re hearing these code names. These are highly restricted compartments.”

  “Is White Witch related in any way to Red Wizard?”

  “Yes . . . sir, though the identity of that source is also not available to me. Admiral, I really have to insist that I can’t talk about this any more unless you’re formally read into these programs and sign the necessary security agreements.”

  “That’s all right. Thank you.” Geary ended the call and waved Bradamont to a seat. “What you told me checks out. Now what, Commander? If Rogero was sending you information, contacting him directly now might create problems for him.”

  “I agree, sir.”

  But I need to know what’s happening in this star system. “I’ll be candid with you, Commander. If Rogero was willing to tell us about the situation in this star system, it would be worth a great deal. The senior CEO is up to something, and we have no idea what the positions of the other Syndic CEOs are.”

  Bradamont sat silent for a moment. “I don’t wish to use him, sir, but I suspect both he and I understand how we’ve already been used by our governments. If I send him a personal message, he can choose how to respond. If we end up in contact, perhaps a means of passing information can be established, if he so chooses and does not believe that would conflict with his own honor.”

  “His honor?” Geary questioned without thinking, then gritted his teeth.

  But Bradamont just smiled slightly. “I know the idea of a Syndic with a sense of honor is a difficult concept to grasp, sir. But he is just a sub-CEO, not a full-ranked CEO.”

  “My apologies, anyway. I feel obligated to point out that news of your message to Rogero might somehow get around the fleet.”

  Her smile grew wry. “What are they going to say about me that they haven’t already said?”

  He glanced to one side, where Bradamont’s record hung in a window next to him. She had served well in the past. Tulev’s evaluations of her were glowing, and when Geary had reviewed the battles in which Dragon had fought under Bradamont’s
command, he had found nothing to fault and much to admire. “Very well. Have your message sent to Dauntless. We’ll forward it to the Syndics, so there’s no question about your superiors being aware of it, with instructions to the Syndics to send the reply through us.”

  “I have no objections to that, Admiral. White Witch is a part of me that I would have happily seen retired long ago.”

  “Commander, if you hope to bring Rogero home with us when this fleet returns—”

  “I don’t think that’s realistic, sir.” Bradamont’s voice grew wistful for a moment before taking on a professional lack of feeling again. “But if the messages I received from Rogero are true, then this CEO Drakon is as good a commander as Rogero might find. He’s supposedly loyal to those under his command. That somehow led to his disgrace and transfer here.”

  “Do you know anything about Drakon’s relationship with Iceni?”

  “No, sir. I’ll see what I can find out.”

  DR. Setin had a querulous expression. “Admiral, how much longer until we encounter the enigma race?”

  “We’re heading for the jump point to a star controlled by them, Doctor,” Geary assured him.

  “Many of my colleagues are concerned about the violent nature of much of the human interaction with the enigma race to date.”

  “Believe me, Doctor, I’m concerned about it, too.”

  ICENI was smiling again. “I have no hesitation in promising to abide by your conditions, Admiral Geary.”

  No further bargaining, just an immediate promise. He was really starting to distrust politicians who quickly agreed to something. But he could always repudiate any claims beyond the terms of what he had agreed to, and Iceni’s words would not bind him if they weren’t true. Who would take the word of a Syndic CEO over his?

  “The information you requested is being transmitted separately,” Iceni continued. “That transmission identifies the gift of the design as a thanks for the services your forces have rendered to the defense of this star system. If your experts have any questions about the design or its operation, contact me using this same connection.