“Honored Klatk.”
Their eyes locked for a long moment, and Klatk saw nothing at all in the mediator’s coal black pupils. Most species had a glint of something there, and the Altar could see it. After a thousand years of unmoving faces and facial tics characterized by clicking mandibles, the Altar had developed an uncanny ability to read the eyes. Things like anger or malice were easy to see, as were love and patience. There was no life in the Caroon’s eyes.
Taemin moved back to their stack of supplies, leaving her and the Peacemaker together for a moment. The young human’s eyes followed her mediator. The Caroon withdrew a communications set and tapped on it. Satisfied, Francis swept back a longish piece of red hair and looked up at Klatk’s face. “What do you want to do, Honored Klatk? You have a couple of options as I see them. You can fight, or you can go home. Without a mercenary unit, fighting isn’t the smartest choice and without transport home, you’ll have to ask the Guild for protection, and the Consortium will own everything you have. We call that a lose-lose on Earth.”
Klatk gaped. “Then what would you have us do, Peacemaker?”
Francis grinned. “What does your Council say? I’m sure you have an idea of their views.”
“They have requested that I ask you for protection so we can return home.”
Francis nodded, her grin swept away like dust on a breeze. “And what do you want to do, Honored Klatk?”
Klatk looked over the Peacemaker’s head at the colony. Many of her citizens went about their duties, but more than a few of the defenders, still at their posts along the walls, watched intently. Seven years before, the council came together and approached her to lead a colonization mission. All of them wanted nothing more than a fresh start in a new place. There would be challenges, they said, but they would always trust her leadership. The council wanted to leave, but her citizens would not be convinced as easily. Watching them work told her they would not be cowed into an evacuation. With two colonies against them, and a consortium that did not have their best interest at heart, Klatk wanted to run as much as she wanted to fight.
“I haven’t made up my mind, Peacemaker,” she said.
“Fair enough,” Francis said. “But you don’t have a lot of time to make a decision, Klatk.”
“I am aware of your predicament. 96 hours should be long enough to allow a decision to be made. That’s how long you have to reach peace? If the Selroth and the GenSha follow your wishes?”
“Let’s hope,” Francis said. “How soon can I meet with your council?”
Klatk blinked. “You would step foot in our colony after what my soldier tried to do?”
Francis took a sharp breath. “This is your opportunity to win my trust, Klatk. I think you want to fight, while your council wants to run.”
* * * * *
Chapter Ten
Jessica followed Klatk up the dusty hillside from the floodplain to the Altar’s colony walls. Nehra, Araf’s distant yellow sun, warmed her back as they trudged up the hill. The loose scrabble of rock slowed Jessica’s progress and sometimes caused her to slide backward. Klatk practically danced up the slope ahead of her. The colony’s walls were a good three meters tall and adorned with parapets and racks of defensive missiles. Looking over her shoulder, Jessica took in the terrain from a strategic perspective and approved. From the high ground, they could see a good distance in every direction save for west where the colony backed up against rough hills. Above her, the Tchrt One roared through the sky, turned over the colony and prepared to land by the river below.
You’ve been assuming a ground fight. What if the mercs have air support?
On the high desert ground, there wasn’t much in the way of natural protective cover or concealment she could see. Constructing cover would give them more protection, and hiding some of the weapons systems would help with that, but a dedicated air threat could be deadly. Ensuring the air avenues were defended was the first priority. Ground forces could be channelized and driven where the Altar wanted them to go. The river and the plains to the south were certainly expeditious avenues of approach, and the Altar at least had the presence of mind to mine the river near the Raknar to deter the Selroth. Tactically, the position met her expectations and could be improved upon should the Altar want to fight.
At a defended gate, two Altar stood with laser rifles across their chests. Both snapped to attention, Jessica surmised, as Klatk approached. The soldiers snapped their heads above Jessica’s, peering down the hill. After a moment, she heard a voice yelling and recognized it as that of Kenos.
Klatk looked at Jessica. “It appears the Administrator wants another audience, Peacemaker.”
Jessica bit the inside of her lip. “He does, it would seem. Would you call me Jessica?”
“Thank you, Jessica.”
“Peacemaker!” Kenos shouted. Clamoring up the slope, Kenos skidded and slid backward as he topped the rise and darted toward them waving a slate. “I must protest your action to determine neutral ground. One of these…Altar just tried to kill you! The Consortium has long appointed the key spaceports on our Dream Worlds as the sole place to conduct negotiations. I must insist you move there now.”
“You could have said something earlier, Kenos, but my decision is final.” Jessica turned to him. “While I appreciate your facilities, my choice is to set up negotiations here so that any future clandestine operations can be dealt with immediately and reported to my Guild as necessary.”
Kenos actually sputtered for a second. “But...you can’t...that is highly irregular!”
“This situation is irregular, Administrator.” Jessica tilted her head conspiratorially toward him. “You said it yourself that you do not trust the colonies to work this out. I cannot trust they will not continue their attacks on the Altar or force the Altar to defend themselves while we play nice around a conference table at D’nart. My negotiation site will be here at the Raknar.”
“It will take time to arrange a housing unit and—”
Klatk stepped forward. “The Altar would be happy to provide housing for the Peacemaker. We can modify and move a temporary structure in an hour’s time, if that would be satisfactory.”
Kenos’ mouth curled in a sneer. “Do you know what would be satisfactory, Klatk? If you and your colony gave up your resource claims and moved. The Peacemaker identified a nice spot on the Dorchak Plateau that would be a viable colony site. She wants you to move so she can be done with this negotiation and be granted her full Peacemaker’s commission. She’s going to find the easiest way so she can get back to Earth and start looking for her missing father.”
Jessica’s temper flared. “How dare you bring my father into this! My responsibility is to this negotiation, not the whereabouts of my father, Administrator Kenos. You are close to compromising any negotiation with your conduct, which I will report to the Guild immediately. I have not concluded anything about the Altar colony and its placement or needs. Yes, I scouted out a potential area, but that has no bearing on my judgment in this situation. Is that clear?”
Kenos grinned. “The only one compromising the negotiation is you, Peacemaker.” He stressed the last word enough that Jessica wanted to punch him in the throat. “Still, the Consortium and all of the parties to this negotiation will uphold your 96-hour information period. If you’re not ready to finalize this situation by then, I’m sure the Consortium will resolve it soon after. I’ll have a launch standing by to take you back to Earth.”
Jessica smiled thinly. Keep on assuming, asshole. Instead of saying what came to mind, she simply replied. “You do that, Administrator Kenos. I’ll make my report just the same. If you’ll excuse me? I have a meeting with the Altar Council. That is my first priority.”
Taemin scrambled up the hillside behind Kenos and stood. Out of breath from the effort, he stared at her impassively and slowly walked forward. “Peacemaker, I believe the Administrator would like to discuss initial terms for the Altar move.”
“He just tried.�
�� Jessica shook her head and raised an index finger. “No. I am about to speak with the Altar Council, Taemin. That is my first priority, and where I will begin my investigation. As such, I will hear the Administrator’s initial terms at the end of the next 48 hours. Is that clear?”
Taemin nodded and said nothing further. Kenos spun on a heel and stomped past Jessica’s mediator. For a moment, Taemin looked at her, and she wondered if he would stay for the meeting. He spoke slowly, “I believe you have angered the Administrator, Peacemaker Francis.”
Jessica nodded. “Good. Now we really know where he’s coming from, don’t we?”
Taemin flinched but a small smile appeared on his lips. “Indeed, Peacemaker. It would seem we do.”
* * *
The GenSha came down into the tunnel much faster than Bukk expected. Laser rifles firing from platforms attached to their wide backs, the bovine aliens charged into the tight Altar tunnel a minute after the detonation. Bukk and his soldiers weren’t there to meet them. The bulk of his group waited 500 meters down the tunnel to the north. Setting the collapsing mines could have been done by any of the lower ranking soldiers. Bukk chose to do it himself. Two hundred meters from the entrance, the detonation sounded muffled like a mid-summer storm on the horizon. As Bukk watched, a wave of smoke rolled down the tight tunnel and filled the air around him with thick, awful scents that pressed against his skin as it moved north.
Bukk moved to a prone position, lying flat on the tunnel floor with a laser rifle sighted into the dark tunnel. Holographic sights off, Bukk used his superior night vision instead. GenSha typically charged into dark spaces with lights and weapons blazing. The darkness was as much a weapon for Bukk as the rifle he cradled. In the distance, he heard the GenSha bellowing as they charged into the tunnel. Bukk waited and let the GenSha form up. He’d instructed his soldiers to dig the tunnel just wide enough for two Altar to pass easily in both directions. Two GenSha would not be able to fit as they made their way into the tunnel. Fifty meters from the blast site, the tunnel narrowed to a single width—an expedient chokepoint. Two GenSha appeared in the tunnel side-by-side, charging forward. They slowed, held up by the pinching rock walls and Bukk opened fire.
Neither GenSha fired back, and their bodies fell into the tunnel and blocked a sizable portion of the entrance. That wasn’t enough. As the GenSha bellowed and tried to lay down suppressive fire, Bukk fired five bolts at random into the tunnel to rile them up even further. He rolled to his feet and snatched a detonator from his bandolier, as he moved down the tunnel to the north, counting his steps. When he reached 600, more than 400 meters from where the GenSha found the tunnel’s bottleneck, Bukk snapped the trigger and collapsed the tunnel behind him. The closer, second explosion was more intense than the first, but Bukk hardly noticed. He sprinted down the tunnel as fast as his legs would carry him to the rendezvous point.
A thousand meters from the original target, the tunnel made a series of 90-degree turns. As Bukk approached the first, he turned on his slate and sent a low frequency radio transmission to his soldiers on the other side. Thirty seconds passed and he received a single chirp on the same frequency. They were in position. Bukk placed his rifle on safe and slung it over his back before making the first turn. At the second turn, he paused for 30 seconds according to plan, before making the next turn. Again, he sent a single chirp on the frequency and waited for a reply that came in seconds. This repeated twice more before Bukk paused at the last turn as a familiar voice hissed.
“Stop. Identify yourself.”
Bukk spoke slowly. “Bukk. I am alone with no one behind me in the tunnel.”
“Advance and be recognized.”
Bukk turned the corner with his clawed forehands raised. “Alone. No pursuit.”
A young engineer stood and slung his own rifle. “We heard the tunnel collapse. Easy, right?”
Bukk should his head. “Nothing is ever easy, Plec. We stopped them for now, but they’ll be coming. Have you set the additional charges?”
“Yes, sir. We have the tunnel mined above the turns, and we’ve mined about a thousand meters on this side. We’ll continue to collapse it on the way out.”
“Very well,” Bukk said. “Let’s get going.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Plec motioned down the tunnel. “After you. I’ve got rear security.”
Bukk moved down the tunnel quickly. The team continued to spread and detonate explosives every thousand meters. It was overkill, to be sure, but the intent was to avoid leaving the GenSha any high-speed avenue of approach. Sixteen charges and 10 kilometers later, Bukk and his team pushed into the light of the colony’s walls. Under the command center, he pushed through a series of hatches into the wide, clear passageway. Klatk was there along with a human who pressed a large weapon against the side of his head.
“And who might you be?”
Bukk looked at Klatk who nodded. “Bukk, this is Peacemaker Jessica Francis. Peacemaker, this is my chief scout and offensive force commander, Bukk.”
He turned his head after the pistol moved away and drew up on his hind legs. “Well met, Peacemaker.”
The human was a female, he saw with a start. Her red hair framed her face above the standard dark blue coveralls of a Peacemaker. Bukk focused on her eyes, though, and saw something he’d not seen in many humans. Experience, especially in a combat environment, left an impression in the lines at the corner of a human eye. The eyes told of hardship and loss, of joy and excitement. In the Peacemaker’s eyes were the experiences of combat, tinged with the loss of friends and an unknown deceit. Yet those signs did not trouble him. He saw confidence and competence in her eyes as well, but there was a tinge of anxiety as clear as the morning sky.
The human extended a hand, which he took lightly in his claw. “You’re responsible for the central paddock explosion?”
Bukk nodded and glanced at Klatk. “Mission accomplished, yes. They knowingly attacked our brood, Peacemaker. We had no choice but to attack them in the same manner.”
The Peacemaker shook her head. “There were more choices than that, Bukk. Your queen and I are about to meet with the Council to discuss those choices going forward. I believe you should be part of the conversation.”
Bukk stiffened. “Am I under complaint, Peacemaker? I have simply followed the orders I was given.”
“I don’t care what you’ve followed, Bukk. I care about what you’ve done and what choices all of you make from here on out. You have no mercenaries to defend your colony, and from what I can see you’re hopelessly outmatched. While I can’t condone what you did to the GenSha, I understand why your leadership undertook the mission. I do not agree with it either, Bukk, but that’s a part of my being human.” The Peacemaker looked at Klatk then back at him. Her eyes studied him for a moment. “You delayed the explosion to minimize casualties, didn’t you?”
Bukk tried to cover his surprise. “We were delayed in the tunnel. The strata were—”
“You waited,” the Peacemaker said. “I can see that you did. You did not want to disappoint your queen, but you wanted to complete the mission as ordered, am I right?”
He looked at Klatk and whispered. “That’s correct.”
Klatk’s mandibles twitched. “We will speak of this later, Bukk.”
The Peacemaker motioned down the passageway with her head. “Let’s go speak with the council. I’m curious just how far they’ll want to go, and if they’ll balk like you did, Bukk.”
“I had my reasons, Peacemaker.”
“You showed restraint. That’s a good thing, but you may not have that luxury in the future,” the Peacemaker said over her shoulder as they walked. Ahead, at the entrance to the council’s chamber, a Caroon in a long crimson robe waited by the door. Draped around his neck was a ribbon reserved for special mediators. He nodded at Klatk and the Peacemaker solemnly. He looked at Bukk and the malice in his small, black eyes made Bukk turn away. He glanced back to see the Caroon smile just before he
ducked into the council chamber.
* * *
Kenos tapped furiously on the slate until the appropriate channels opened. The screen was blank for secrecy, but he soon heard a distinct click in his ears as the connection propagated. He waited the arranged five seconds before speaking. “Are Alpha and Bravo on this call?”
There was a crackle in the connection before a soft, clipped voice responded. “Alpha is here.”
Five seconds later, a distinctive voice replied. “Bravo is present.” The “s” sound trailed like a hiss.
“You are both here, and you know who I am. We will start there.” Kenos paused. “The Peacemaker engaged a waiting period approximately two hours ago under the articles of colonization. As proxy actors, the articles deem you in the command and control of your respective units and, therefore, you are technically under the Peacemaker’s authority. As such, all combat actions must halt during a waiting period for negotiation.”
Kenos paused again and fought a smile from curling his lips. The fun part was to come. “Under the auspices of the Consortium, a Dream World has no particular case or precedent for mercenary operations. Further, a Consortium planet does not technically fall under Union law or the Peacemaker Guild’s enforcement until such time as the governing authority, in this case the Consortium, applies for recognition. Araf is an unrecognized planet. Due to technicalities, the application was denied, but you get the idea. As far as the Consortium is concerned, any action that takes place in such a waiting period is, like the rest of your contracts, outside our influence. I’ll need an hour to clear the area and ensure any collection assets are disabled for the duration. I expect that will be acceptable to you?”
The crackle returned, and he heard that line terminate on one end. The other hissed, “Thank you,” and ended with a click.
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