by M. D. Cooper
“Diving from here into Roma certainly would be interesting,” Adrienne commented. “I imagine they’ll need to be shot toward the planet first, right?”
Sanderson nodded. “That’s my understanding. My daughter is more than eager to be here when that finally opens up.”
“A daughter!” Sera exclaimed. “I distinctly recall you saying that you were too old for more children.”
“Yes, well, when you meet the right woman…” Sanderson replied as he ushered them onto a large lift platform.
Sera looked up and saw that the lift had no ceiling; it would rise up directly into the floor of the observation platform. If she squinted, she could see right through its observation platform’s clear ceiling and into space.
Once all the guards and aides were aboard, the lift began to ascend, and Sanderson continued. “I met Veronica at the landfall party, of all places. She was one of the colonists to win the lottery and was on the second shuttle down. We hit it off, and the rest, including our dear Petra and her two brothers, is history.”
“I’m glad to hear that your colony is filled with children’s hopes and dreams,” the president chimed in. “It’s one of the most rewarding things in the galaxy—to see your own grow and take up their mantles.”
Sera saw Sanderson cast a curious look at the president before replying. “Well, not too many heavy mantles around here. Just our little attempt at a better life.”
“Yet, there is your I2, as you call it. Is that a part of your better life?” Secretary Adrienne asked.
“That’s just the thing,” Sanderson replied with a raised eyebrow. “When you’re in our position, someone is always out to cash in on your success.”
The response killed the conversation, and the lift climbed the rest of the distance in silence. Sera wanted to reach out and hit Adrienne. Here she was breaking the ice and re-establishing her relationship with the admiral and her father’s trusted advisor had to screw it up.
She glanced at Admiral Sanderson, and couldn’t tell by his implacable gaze whether he was upset by Adrienne’s comment or not. The lift reached the observation deck before she had time to consider Adrienne’s verbal sabotage further.
It was a wide space, several hundred meters across, with small alcoves filled with artful seating arrangements and long tables for larger gatherings. Several bars also dotted the area, servitors at the ready to provide customers with whatever they wished.
Above, a single crystal dome stretched over the circular space, providing a stunning view of Roma’s red and purple colored bands. Even without leveraging her augmented vision, Sera could see the TSF fleet at the L1 point between Normandy and Roma. Closer, having circled around the Transcend ships, lay the I2, its features easily discernible where it orbited sixty kilometers above the observation deck.
Other than a few additional ISF Marines, the observation platform was empty, and Admiral Sanderson led them to a nearby table, which was nestled between two rows of hedges.
“Very tasteful,” President Tomlinson commented as he sat on one side of the table and gestured for a servitor to come and pour him a glass of water. “I especially like how the dome above is a single piece. I can’t make out any seams at all.”
Sanderson nodded. “Yes, that is pretty impressive. My daughter told me that it was grown in place right here, so it didn’t have to be transported.”
“Interesting. I may have to get something similar for my office.”
“On Airtha, I assume,” Tanis’s voice came from the far side of the hedge before she strode into view. “We recovered visuals of your capital from that derelict freighter. It must be something to behold.”
“It is,” Tomlinson nodded. “Perhaps someday, after we iron out some of these issues, you can come and see it for yourself.”
“I would like that,” Tanis replied as she sat across the table from the Transcend delegation.
Sera smiled and nodded to Joe, who sat to Tanis’s right, while Admiral Sanderson was on her left. Terrance Enfield, and Amanda, one of their AI’s avatars, were the last to sit at the table.
“Admiral Sanderson you’ve met, and Sera knows my husband, Admiral Evans. I would also like to introduce Amanda, who represents our AI contingent, along with Angela who is with me. Last, but not least, is Terrance Enfield, our original colony sponsor.”
Greetings were exchanged around the table, and while they were occurring, Tanis reached across the table and clasped Sera’s hand.
“I’m glad you are well. I honestly did not expect it to be so long before we met again.”
Sera nodded. “Me either. It would seem that both of us have taken on more responsibility than we thought. Are those chairs on a porch still in our future?”
Tanis chuckled. “I have the porch and the chairs—though I don’t use them as much as I’d like. Perhaps you can come sit in them for a bit before you go.”
Sera felt a prompt in her mind and realized that Tanis had granted her access to a non-public net.
Sera’s tone was eager, and Tanis knew that her friend was hopeful that the ship had flown directly to New Canaan.
Sera realized her father was speaking, in the middle of some long, rambling speech about how the Transcend and the colonists of New Canaan shared mutual goals that bound them together, and how they were really one people, colony creators and colonizers.
Tanis appeared to be listening intently, despite the fact that they had just carried on a conversation. If she knew the woman at all, she was probably also talking to Angela, as well.
“… and I agree that we have more in common with each other than we do with many of the Inner Stars worlds and nations,” Tanis was saying as Sera shifted her attention back to the audible conversation. “But that’s not why you came here. Let’s just get to it, shall we, President Tomlinson? You want access to our picotech and stasis shields. That’s it, plain and simple. It’s the reason why we’re an interdicted system, and it’s the reason we’re here today.”
Sera felt a smile cross her lips and covered her mouth to hide it. It was not often anyone spoke to her father like he was an equal. It was refreshing to hear.
* * * * *
piece.
Tanis saw Sera cover her mouth with her hand to hide her amusement and almost had to do the same—if only she weren’t growing annoyed with Tomlinson’s neverending speech about nothing. The president, for his part, appeared nonplussed.
“In a nutshell, that is it, yes,” he replied evenly. “But that does not provide the why behind why I’ve come here to ask for your help. I know you hold dear the same ideals we do—a free humanity, able to spread across the stars and make our own destinies. That is something that the Orion Guard does not want, and they’ll corrupt the Inner Stars and undo all our work there.”
Tanis watched the president’s grey eyes as he spoke. She could not detect any lie in them—the man believed what he said, or was a consummate liar; however, it was possible that the two options were not mutually exclusive.
“From what I understand, you and the Guard are playing a game with the Inner Stars, you gently uplifting, while they do what…Ignore? Exploit? In the end, you both hide the facts from them. You’ve both been playing this game for millennia. What’s changed now?”
Tanis knew what had changed, she just wanted to hear Tomlinson say it, to justify his need by placing the blame on her. It would solidify her opinion of the man.
“I don’t expect that you would understand all of the nuances at play,” Tomlinson said after a brief pause. “Sometimes, I think that I only have the barest grasp myself. However, it was inevitable that something would happen to tip the balance that has existed for so long. It just so happens that it was you. If by some chance, you had slipped out of Kapteyn’s Streamer and evaded notice, this eventuality would still have come to pass.”
He stopped again and took a sip of the drink before him before continuing. “I can see how, from your perspective, there would be little difference between us and the Guard. In fact, with a few subtle twists, they could be the right side, and we the wrong. But know this: they split from us in anger, in fear, and have been the aggressors for these last few thousand years. They have destroyed entire worlds along the front—terraformed worlds that the FGT spent centuries creating. Millions of Transcend citizens have died at their hands.”
“And what of the proxy nations you have within the Inner Stars?” Tanis asked. “They do fight wars, sometimes on your behalf.”
“It is true, we have responded in kind, but only in an attempt to maintain a balance. But now, they control the Pleiades and have turned the Hegemony of Worlds to their cause. If we do not gain your technology, we will ultimately lose this conflict.”
The President of the Transcend Interstellar Alliance lowered his voice as he spoke, while continuing to hold Tanis’s eyes. He paused again and glanced around the room, before returning his gaze to her. “And then, when that happens, it will not be myself and Sera here before you but an Orion Guard fleet, burning your worlds and demanding your surrender.”
As he had spoken, Tanis recalled what she had been told of Saanvi’s family, of how they had settled a world closer to the front—one which had been destroyed by the Orion Guard.
She looked to Sera and saw that her friend, a woman she had spent many months with on Sabrina, and later the Intrepid, was nodding in agreement, affirming her father’s words.
Given Sera’s dislike for her father, Tanis had to believe that he was sincere.
“Things have grown more dire over recent months,” Sera added. “The Orion Guard led the AST to Ascella and attacked the watchpoint with a massive fleet. The Transcend Space Force was victorious in the end, but you know what this means.”
Tanis nodded. “That Orion fleet you spoke of could be here sooner than later.”
“Now do you believe us, do you understand our sense of urgency?” the Transcend’s president asked. “I had hoped to have more time—to let you settle in, to establish a real friendship between our peoples. But that timetable has been accelerated.”
Tanis steepled her fingers and stared over them at President Tomlinson, Sera, and his entourage
Tanis replied.
“You make a convincing argument,” Tanis said aloud. “On the face of it, I believe you, and agree with your need. However, we need to discuss this. Also, any details you have on these advances by the Guard, and their assault on Ascella, would help us in our decision making.”
“Of course,” President Tomlinson said and nodded to Sera, who slid a data crystal across the table.
Tanis took the data crystal and passed it to Amanda before rising.
“Let’s adjourn for the day. You’ve given us a lot to think over. We’ll review this data and reconvene at the same time tomorrow.”
The Transcend contingent rose with their president, who nodded in agreement.
“That sounds excellent. I must say that I am pleased with how receptive you’ve been. Not everyone in your position would be so understanding,” President Tomlinson said with a warm smile. “I feel like tomorrow we’ll come to an agreement that will benefit us both and establish a peace for all humanity.”
“That is something I would like very much,” Tanis replied.
They walked around the table to shake hands once more, and the rest of their contingents followed suit. As President Tomlinson began to walk away, Tanis called out.
“Sera, a moment,” Tanis called after her friend.
Sera touched her father’s hand, and Tanis heard her say, “Wait for me in the shuttle.”
The president nodded, and Sera returned to the table.
“Walk with me,” Tanis said and placed a hand on Sera’s shoulder to guide her toward the edge of the viewing platform.
“You seem to think that we should trade the tech—something that you didn’t believe to be the correct course of action when last we spoke,” Tanis said once they were alone.
Sera nodded. “That’s true, but things have changed. The attack on Ascella—”
“Which you used antimatter weapons to defeat,” Tanis interjected.
“Heard about that, did you?” Sera asked with a sigh. “I guess I…I don’t know why I suggested that. It seemed like a good idea, but once the words left my mouth I began to regret them more with each passing moment.”
“In the end, they were empty hulls,” Tanis replied. “Though, still a war crime.”
Sera sighed and nodded. “Stars, I wish they had found Finaeus by now. He would know what to do. Now we may have lost them all…”
Tanis nodded somberly. “Elena said you managed to find them and gave them our coordinates here some years ago. I’m holding out hope that they ran into trouble but are still on their way—you haven’t found any evidence to the contrary, have you?”
Sera shook her head. “Not yet, no. Nothing either way.”
“I do wish Jessica were here,” Tanis sighed. “For someone who was never supposed to be on this mission, she certainly has become indispensable.”
“I know what you mean,” Sera replied as they reached the edge of the platform and gazed out on the moon below. “Were you telling the truth before? Is Elena on the I2, and not here?”
“I was. I can’t let her talk to you, or anyone else from the Transcend yet. She knows things I’m not ready to share,” Tanis said the words as gently as she could, but she knew Sera would not take them well.
“What do you mean?” Sera locked eyes with her. “
What is it that you can’t tell me? I told you a lot—a treasonous amount—about the Transcend while we were on the Intrepid. What is it that you can’t say now? Have you done something to Elena?”
“No!” Tanis replied emphatically. “Elena is fine. She just saw things that I can’t have her share. And she’s far more loyal to you than to me…and you…”
“You think I’m more loyal to my father?” Sera asked, her voice dripping with accusation. “I saved your life, you saved mine, and now you won’t let me see my lover just because of your paranoia?”
“Sera—” Tanis began.
“No, Tanis, take your excuses and go fuck yourself with them. Tomorrow, when we come back to make a deal with you and whatever secrets you have, Elena better be here…”
“Or else?” Tanis asked, feeling rage rise in herself at Sera’s irrational behavior. “Are you implying that I’m in the wrong as I treat with you and your invading fleet?”
“You haven’t seen an invading fleet yet. You’ll know when you do,” Sera spat and turned on her heel storming off in the direction of the lift.
* * * * *
Sera strode onto the pinnace and dropped into a seat, still fuming over her conversation with Tanis. That she should deny her even the sight of Elena, and hold back secrets…she stopped herself from that train of thought. The only thing that made it worse was that deep down she knew Tanis was right.
She was the one who was on the side that was attempting to use intimidation to get their way, and she had even sent Elena because of that—to warn Tanis. So why was she so upset about it now?
“What did she want to talk about?” her father said as he sat beside her. “It seems to have you upset.”
“It’s nothing, a personal matter between us from before I came back to Airtha,” Sera replied.