by Ryk Brown
“Of course, Captain,” Mister Briden agreed.
The Prime Minister stood, offering his hand to Nathan. For a moment Nathan thought he saw a look of satisfaction creeping into the old politician’s friendly smile. “Thank you, Captain Scott,” the Prime Minister struggled to say in Angla, the words nearly smothered by his heavy Corinairan accent.
“Good day, sir,” Nathan told him as he shook the Minister’s hand before turning and exiting the room.
Nathan and Tug walked down the corridor and out into the main lobby of the bustling capital building, all without speaking a word. Tug followed Nathan out the main doors into the afternoon sun.
“Well, that went well,” Nathan commented as he took in the fresh air and sunlight. The smell of rubble and burnt buildings still tinted the breeze in Aitkenna.
“I was not aware that you had a legal officer on board the Aurora, Captain,” Tug commented.
“We don’t,” Nathan admitted, “but we have Cameron, and that’s just as good.”
* * *
Sergeant Weatherly entered Commander Taylor’s hospital room, making a visual inspection to be sure it was clear of any threats before allowing the captain and Tug to enter the room. Cameron was sitting on her bed, dressed in a thick hospital robe and reading a data pad when the sergeant entered.
“Sergeant,” she commented with surprise as he slowly eyeballed the room, “can I help you with something?”
“No, ma’am, just checking the room,” the sergeant informed her. He turned and nodded to Captain Scott, who was still waiting outside the door in the corridor. “It’s all clear, sir,” he reported, stepping aside to assume a watchful position just inside the door.
“What the hell…” Cameron began.
“Security detail,” Nathan interrupted. “Lieutenant Commander Nash insisted,” he explained. “There’s four more outside in the corridor.” Nathan turned to the sergeant. “Thank you, Sergeant. You can wait outside.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and ask the Corinari to arrange a similar security detail for Commander Taylor as well,” Nathan added.
“Yes, sir,” the sergeant promised as he exited the room.
“Lieutenant Commander Nash?” Cameron inquired.
“Don’t worry, you still out rank her,” Nathan told her.
“Who else did you promote?”
“So far, just her and Vlad. But I’m thinking of adding Ensign Willard to our roster as well.”
“The guy from the Yamaro?”
“Yeah,” Nathan said.
“You want to put the mutineer on our crew?” she said with disbelief. “You really think that’s a good idea?”
“Sure. I was thinking of making him a lieutenant and putting him on comms and crypto.”
“What, are you XO now as well as captain?”
“You’re right,” Nathan agreed. “You decide where to put him.”
“Well thanks,” she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“Wait… how did you know about him already?”
Cameron held up the data pad she was holding. “Jessica transmitted a report to my data pad less than an hour ago, along with the intel from his debriefing.”
Nathan shrugged it off as unimportant. “Anyway, that’s not why I’m here,” he told her, changing the subject. “We have a bit of a dilemma.”
“The comm-drone,” Cameron surmised, having already read the report.
“Sort of,” Nathan said, scratching the side of his neck.
“Uh oh,” Cameron began, noticing his scratching. “What are you thinking of doing now?”
“What?”
“You always scratch your neck when you have to say something you don’t want to say, or when you’re unsure about something.”
“Really?” he said, surprised by the revelation. He immediately stopped scratching and took a seat next to her bed. “Remind me never to play cards with you.”
“Spit it out, Nathan,” she insisted.
“With our jump emitters down, we can’t jump. If we can’t jump, we can’t catch that drone, which means we have less time to fix the ship…”
“What do the Corinairans want?” she asked, interrupting him. Nathan looked at her quizzically. “The report,” she reminded him, again holding up the data pad. “She included the stuff about the Yamaro’s fabricators.”
Nathan took a deep breath before continuing. “They want our jump drive technology.” Nathan braced himself for her response, expecting a flurry of opposition.
“You do realize how incredibly classified that technology is?” she asked calmly.
“Yes, of course.”
“And you also realize that if you shared it with them, you’d probably end up being the first officer executed in the brief history of the Earth Defense Force.”
“The thought did cross my mind.”
“You already did it, didn’t you?” she accused, her tone becoming sharper.
“No,” Nathan defended, “of course not.”
“Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t already promise them you’d share it!” she insisted.
“I didn’t!” he said, making bug-eyes at her.
Cameron looked at Tug, who was still standing by the door.
“I promise you, Commander, he did not promise them anything. In fact, he told them that he did not believe he had the authority to do so. He told them he needed to consult his legal officer first.”
“Really?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes,” Tug assured her. “I believe you call it a ‘bluff’.”
“Wow,” Cameron said, stunned. “I guess you’re not as dumb as I thought you were.”
“Gee, thanks,” Nathan replied.
“So, I’m your legal officer now?”
“Close enough. I was hoping you might know something in the regs that would help.”
Cameron thought for a moment. “Well, I don’t know that they were thinking about something like this, but there is a section about alliances. It says that a duly appointed captain of an EDF ship may enter into an agreement or alliance with the government of an extrasolar system under certain conditions.”
“What conditions?” Nathan asked.
“Well, first the captain must be reasonably unable to make contact with fleet command, or with a superior officer of flag rank, or that making such contact would result in the loss of the opportunity. Second, the agreement or alliance must be of benefit to the Earth and must enhance the security of the Earth or improve its ability to defend itself against aggressors.”
“Any other conditions?” Nathan asked.
“Yes, it also has to be a balanced agreement. In other words we can’t be giving up more than we’re getting, or vice versa I suppose.”
“Then we’re good then,” he concluded.
“Whoa, not so fast there,” she warned. “I admit that it sounds like you’re covered, but you have two really big gray areas here. First, is the agreement balanced?”
“That’s pretty much a judgment call, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but you might want to run the terms past a few of your senior staff first, just for the record. Although admittedly, none of your staff is very senior so I don’t know how much weight any of our testimonies would carry in a court-martial.”
“And the other one?”
“The circumstances of your assumption of the role of captain may come into question—the whole ‘duly appointed’ part. Did anyone witness the captain handing over command to you before he died?”
“I don’t know. I could ask Doctor Chen. I know she was nearby as it only took her a moment to respond when he died.”
“It might be worth asking her,” Cameron suggested.
“You really think it would go that far?” Nathan asked. “A court-martial, I mean.”
“I don’t know, Nathan. I really don’t know. But as your executive officer, I have to advise you to take some time and think it over—a lot of time. Maybe there’s a way we ca
n fix the emitters ourselves, without having to share the jump drive with them.”
Nathan leaned back in his chair and sighed. Such decisions were exactly why he was never interested in command. “Unfortunately, I think this is one of those ‘loss of opportunity’ situations,” he confessed. Nathan looked Cameron in the eyes. “Are you going to back me if it comes to that?”
Cameron kept her eyes on Nathan as she thought about it. “I honestly do not know, Nathan. I’m sorry.”
“Fair enough,” Nathan said.
* * *
There was very little discussion on the way back to the Aitkenna spaceport. Nathan stared silently out the window of their airship as it streaked along over the tops of the buildings, occasionally altering course just enough to avoid the tallest buildings that were still standing. At least it wasn’t the wild ride they had experienced their first day on Corinair. Of course, the situation in Aitkenna had been far more volatile at the time.
Nathan’s instincts were telling him that making an alliance with the Corinairans was the right choice. But sharing the jump drive technology with them, or with anyone, was an incredible risk. Although he was certain that it would not have any immediate negative impacts, the long-term consequences seemed incalculable.
“What would you do?” Nathan finally said to Tug.
“I may be the wrong person to ask,” Tug admitted, “as I too have a stake in your decision. My people would benefit just as much as the people of Corinair, should you choose to share the jump drive technology.”
“Yeah, that occurred to me as well,” Nathan admitted. “In fact, no offense, but I think my superiors would be more upset if I shared it with the Karuzari than with the Corinairans.”
“No offense taken, of course, but the statement does surprise me. Surely you do not find the Karuzari a threat to Earth.”
“Not at all,” Nathan assured him. “But in the eyes of some, you could be seen as an illegal rebellion that is trying to overthrow an established multi-system government. An admittedly brutal one, yes, but to be honest I don’t really know enough about the Ta’Akar to make that call.”
“I understand your position, Captain, and I do not envy it. Perhaps it would be better for you to base your decision on what you do know, rather than what you do not.”
Nathan nodded his agreement, turning to look out the window once again. The Ta’Akar were definitely ruthless, and their leader, ‘Caius the Great’ as he liked to be called, was indeed a megalomaniac. If there ever were an empire that needed to be taken down it was the Ta’Akar, and as best he could tell, that was exactly what the Karuzari were trying to do.
“What will the Karuzari do if Caius is removed from power?” Nathan asked without preamble.
Tug appeared to be caught slightly off-guard by the question. “I suppose the logical thing to do would be to let each world within the empire decide its own fate.” A chuckle rolled out of his mouth. “To be honest, Captain, in over thirty years of fighting the Ta’Akar, I have never really given it much thought. The Karuzari have only ever sought freedom from his tyranny, nothing more.”
That was exactly what Nathan wanted to hear, and for a moment, he wondered if that was why Tug had said it.
“However,” Tug continued, “I do not believe that the goals of the Karuzari or the fate of the Corinairans are what is troubling you. If it were, your decision would be easy. You fear the possible repercussions of your actions.”
“Is that wrong?” Nathan asked.
“Not at all,” Tug assured him. “Stupid men have no fear. Brave men have fear, but they do not allow it to prevent them from doing what they feel is right.”
“But how do I know what the right thing is?”
Tug could see the angst in Nathan’s eyes. “Nathan, as a member of your military, what is your ultimate purpose?”
“To defend my world to the best of my abilities against any and all aggressors,” Nathan stated, quoting directly from the oath he had taken when he first enlisted in the Earth Defense Force.
Nathan stared at Tug as the old man began to grin. “You just answered your own question, Captain.”
Nathan’s demeanor suddenly became more confident. “Tell the pilot to change course. We’re going back to see the Prime Minister again.”
Tug smiled wryly. “As you wish, Captain.”
* * *
“I apologize for returning unannounced,” Nathan told the Prime Minister, “but I believe every minute counts right now.”
“Have you already spoken with your legal officer?” Mister Briden asked.
Nathan was pretty sure that both Mister Briden and the Prime Minister knew exactly where they had been every moment since they last spoke, and that they were well aware that his only contact had been with his executive officer, Commander Cameron Taylor. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“And what news do you bring us, Captain?” Mister Briden asked smugly.
“In order for me to properly exercise my authority in this matter, I must propose a military and trade alliance between our people.”
“I see. And what does such an alliance entail?”
“First, all parties must agree to provide any and all military aid as is reasonably necessary to protect and defend the sovereignty of a member from any and all aggressors.” Nathan paused for a moment before continuing, allowing Mister Briden to make his translation for the Prime Minister. “Second, all parties will share all knowledge, history, and technology, both military and otherwise with any and all members.” Again, Nathan paused for translation. “Finally, all parties will provide reasonable humanitarian aid when needed to any and all members.”
Mister Briden finished his translation and then responded. “You spoke of ‘all’ parties, Captain. Other than your people and ours, to whom else do you refer?”
Nathan wasn’t surprised by the question. “I refer to the Karuzari, of course.”
Mister Briden was surprised, or at least he was doing a good job of appearing to be. “Captain, I find it hard to believe that your government would be willing to enter into an alliance with the Karuzari. After all, they are not even a legitimate government.”
“You are correct; they would not. However, that is easily solved. All you have to do is grant them sovereignty within the Darvano system.”
“You are not serious,” Mister Briden stated grimly.
“There are other sovereign worlds other than Corinair within the Darvano system, are there not?” Nathan said.
“They are more colonies than worlds, but at least they have physical worlds to which they lay claim. What world would the Karuzari lay claim to?”
Nathan realized that Mister Briden was not actually expecting an answer, which made it all the more enjoyable. “There is an asteroid within the belt of the Darvano system in which the Karuzari have already established a covert base of operations. All you have to do is grant them sovereign rights to that asteroid.” Nathan glanced at Tug. The old man had a face of stone, despite the fact that Nathan had just told the highest living government official within the Darvano system about the Karuzari’s secret base. He then looked back at Mister Briden who, despite his best efforts, was not hiding his outrage at this new revelation anywhere near as well.
“Captain,” Mister Briden began, his demeanor suddenly becoming deadly serious, “you do realize that I could have Mister Tugwell arrested on the spot based solely on your statements here. I could have you arrested as well, I might add.”
“And I am sure you also realize,” Nathan countered, “that doing so would surely doom your world to annihilation at the hands of the Ta’Akar.” Nathan was equally steely-eyed at the moment. “And I believe the pronoun you meant to use was ‘we’ or ‘he’, not ‘I’. After all, you are only a translator."
Mister Briden was silent for a moment, staring at Nathan as he considered his accusation. Before he could respond, the Prime Minister spoke to him. The two Corinairans exchanged words for several minutes, apparently debatin
g the issue, thereby confirming Nathan’s accusation that Mister Briden was more than just a translator. At the very least he was an aide or special consultant. It was even possible that he was a member of their security forces or even their intelligence services.
“The Prime Minister,” Mister Briden began, putting emphasis on the point that it was the Prime Minister’s statement and not his own, “is not sure that what you offer in trade is enough to sway the hearts and minds of all the people of the Darvano system. After all, other than your jump drive, we have not seen any other technology that is more advanced than what we currently have at our disposal. As well, it is our understanding that your world is in just as much peril as our own, perhaps even more so.”
“When I said that we would share all science, history, and technology, I was not only speaking of what we carry with us on the Aurora, which I admit is comparatively limited. I was also referring to all the information contained within the Data Ark back on Earth.”
That was enough to break Tug’s stone-cold expression, causing him to shoot a concerned glance Nathan’s way.
“Although I am not privy to all the information contained within the Ark,” Nathan told him, “I can tell you that what we carry with us now is only the tip of the iceberg. Our people have only scratched the surface of the knowledge contained therein.” Nathan could see that the Prime Minister was intrigued. “My world had only begun to industrialize once more a mere two hundred years ago. The Data Ark was discovered about a century ago, and in that short time span, we have advanced technologically nearly three hundred years. By our best estimates, we are still another two hundred years behind what the Ark has to offer, and that is a conservative estimate, I promise you.”
“That still may not be enough, Captain,” Mister Briden warned.
“Mister Prime Minister,” Nathan continued, “imagine the consequences of exposing the truth about the origins of humanity and how your people came to be in the Pentaurus cluster. Imagine the impact on your people when they discover their ancestry, their cultural roots, their original religions.” Nathan looked at Mister Briden, who was not translating what he was saying to the Prime Minister. “Tug, tell the Prime Minister what I said.”