“Though everyone still calls me by my old title,” Stugardt said, “I can never again join active service. However, because I believe so strongly that you can bring a swift end to the Proxan conflict, I agreed to come along as a tactical advisor.”
Helena sensed the conflict in the man. He wanted to return home, but his duty to Terra still held him tight. Perhaps they weren’t so different, after all.
Stugardt introduced Helena to Humans from all manner of life – military, scientific, education and political. Helena stored each name, face and duty in her mental catalog. Then, she was left alone at the head table.
“I’ll be right over there if you need me,” Stugardt said, pointing to his table.
Helena sat and sipped her water as she scanned the room. The Humans carried on their conversations, looking at Helena from time to time. Some of them were bored or hungry. Nobody seemed too interested, except one individual. This Human had just arrived on Terra. He stared at Helena and she was careful not to catch his eye. People called him ‘Rowe’. She didn’t have a chance to probe further, however, as Councilor Durgess began to speak.
“Distinguished guests,” the councilor said, “we welcome you here today to announce the alliance between Terra and Antares.”
♦
The night dragged into the early morning hours and most of the guests had departed. Helena accepted a dance with Admiral Stugardt and noticed that Rowe was still watching her.
As she danced she found an opening into Rowe’s thoughts. He was an assassin. Though his mind was slippery, Helena learned that his orders were to shadow her and kill her if she exposed Human secrets.
Of course. The math came together in Helena’s mind and formulae without known variables suddenly clicked together. The Antarans enjoyed open lives. Reading a mind was just as acceptable as noticing another person’s hair color. To the Antarans, there was no invasion of privacy.
As a contrast, the Humans lead private lives. They would do things and then regret them. They kept secrets from their neighbors. Helena’s mere presence in the room exposed the Humans, as all their secrets lay unshielded from the alien mind reader. Scientific, military and political knowledge was there for the taking.
The math settled into one conclusion as her eyes wandered to the marines stationed at each exit – the Humans would never allow her to return home. That would be an awful risk for the Humans to take now that they allowed Helena into their midst. And they realized this fact.
Chapter 15
As Helena exited the banquet room, she sensed Rowe behind her. The Human assassin was aware of her abilities and he seemed amused that his current task was so simple – remain in plain sight and kill the Antaran Heir if she attempted to contact anyone.
Rejoined with her guards, Helena weaved through the abandoned chairs and tables of the banquet hall and ushered the praetorians into her room. Her heart pounded in her chest. An assassin? For her?
Speaking in code Helena said, “We are certainly being watched. I don’t think they intend to allow us to leave as we could compromise all their secrets. I can’t believe I overlooked this possibility.”
The praetorians waited, but Helena hadn’t calculated her solution yet. How could she have been so naïve? The sudden and unexpected realization of a seemingly self-evident truth was always bitter.
Should she tell Admiral Stugardt? Captain Connor? Were they strong enough allies to secure her passage home so she could speak with her family? Her mind abuzz with activity, Helena shook her head. A Human gesture Valeria would no doubt chide her for using.
“Okay,” Helena said, dropping out of code. “I just need a few moments to meditate.”
“Of course, My Lady,” Duronious said. “We’ll keep an eye on you from the other room.”
“Thank you, Centurion.”
Helena sat in the center of her room with her feet together. She attempted to clear her mind, but the clutter from the past few days refused to be swept away from her consciousness. Two days ago, when she was face to face with the Human Council, her lies were easy to build. She pledged, on behalf of her people, that the Antarans would offer their tactical services to the Human military in the war effort against the Proxans. After the Council, Helena was whisked from one place to another to meet with top scientists and political dignitaries. Then, the banquet served as a formal announcement of alliance. The press was there, but they weren’t allowed to question her. Admiral Stugardt’s family showed her such warmth – a hospitality that she planned to repay with blood. Captain Connor awakened emotions deep within her heart. Emotions that weren’t allowed. The assassin Rowe lurked beyond her door, in the hall. Would she ever see her home again? Why couldn’t she calm her mind?
Reciting the serenity chant always soothed her nerves, but she had never before been faced with challenges of this magnitude. This time, the serenity chant failed. And so did her meditation. The mind cannot function if the body is deprived, she told herself. So, she decided to take a short rest. Unfortunately, with her thoughts buzzing, rest didn’t come easy. She tossed around for what seemed like a few hours.
“Lady Helena?” Duronious whispered from his door.
Pushing aside the frustrating hazy cotton of her non-sleep Helena said, “What is it, Centurion?”
“I’m just reminding the lady that you are due at Human Central Command in a little under an hour.”
“What?” Helena shot upright in her bed. When did she get here? Moments ago, she was on the floor, attempting to sleep-meditate. Helena looked to the mirror on the wall and saw her Gima tattoos were as smeared and unkempt as her hair. What happened last night?
“I’ll tell the men you’ll be ready in fifteen minutes,” Duronious said as he closed the door to his adjoining room. Helena sensed a memory fresh on the surface of Duronious’s mind. He was the one who scooped her off the floor and placed her on the bed. He feared waking her, so he didn’t clean her face.
With no time to dwell on the events of the past night, Helena transformed into a dervish of activity in the washroom. She accomplished a quick shower, a spray of perfume, a jump into a simple dress and a hasty Gima painting in under ten minutes. When she was finished, she gathered herself together again on the floor and attempted to meditate.
This time, she was able to calm her swirling emotions and subdue her fear. Yes, Rowe still waited for her if she attempted to betray Terra, but a peaceful mind was needed for the day’s tasks. Everything else would have to wait.
Helena and her guards were sped by aircar to another impressive building, this one in the shape of a pyramid.
“The Human Central Command,” Jarvis said from the cockpit area.
Pure white granite rose from the ground at perfect angles to form the massive shape. The building stood in stark contrast to the lush green of the surrounding area.
As Helena and her guards entered, Helena sensed Rowe in the vicinity. He followed in his own aircar and kept Helena in his sights. Her heart skipped when she sensed Rowe move closer so he could get a clearer shot at her head, if necessary.
Jarvis led Helena’s group inside and passed them off to a Human female named Commander Bethany Socian. After a few more waiting rooms, the Commander appeared through a side door and said, “Lady Helena, the admiral will see you now. Unfortunately, your guards must remain here.”
“I understand,” Helena said.
She followed the commander down a long hallway and through a set of secure doors. The room behind the doors was round with a low ceiling. A holographic image moved in the center of the room, throwing a blue glow across the faces of the assembled military men and women. Everyone was laden with medals and insignia.
“Thank you, Commander,” a Human man said as he stepped forward and offered his hand. “I’m Admiral Leighton. It is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Helena. Admiral Stugardt sent along his personal regards. He speaks very highly of you.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Helena said.
After meeting the other admirals,
vice-admirals, captains and commanders in the room, Helena sat with Admiral Leighton at the main console.
“Before we begin,” Leighton said, “I’d just like to remind you that everything you see here is classified information. You cannot speak of it to anyone else.”
Helena’s face remained still as a morning lake while she avoided committal and said, “Yes, I understand.”
“Good,” Leighton said. “I’m going to call-up a display of our current tactical situation. You can access data on all of our assets with the console to your left. I’ll give you a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the controls.”
“No need,” Helena said as she tapped into the collective knowledge in the room to give herself an understanding of the Human interface devices. In moments, she manipulated the scrolling information on several consoles and holographic panes. Supply lines, tactical orders, new constructions, technical readouts, and recent skirmishes blinked into view and yielded their data to her.
“I see,” Leighton said.
“I’m going to need a few more hours, at least,” Helena said. “Can someone please ensure my guards are tended to?”
“Of course,” Leighton said.
♦
After studying reams of military data, Helena pushed away from the console and rubbed her eyes. She covered the material in acceptable time, she thought. After chipping away at the numbers, she realized one truth.
“You are at a stalemate,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
“Yes,” Leighton said. “We have been for many months now.”
“I’m surprised,” Helena said. “We thought your interstellar communication had a longer range. With all the systems under your control, we just assumed it so.”
“We knock out their relay stations and they knock out ours,” Leighton said. “Without long-range communication, it’s difficult to coordinate massive invasions or respond quickly to attacks. We have both used this to our advantage.”
Helena turned back to her console and then to Leighton. “How do you detect each other’s communication relays?” she asked.
“Trans-light signals carry a certain wavelength,” Leighton said. “They are very ‘loud’ in the vacuum of space. Very easy to find and destroy.”
“I see,” Helena said, returning her attention to the screens of information.
“If you have an alternative, I’m listening,” Leighton said.
“No alternatives,” she said, “just a shift of priorities.”
“How do you mean?”
Helena stood and stretched her arms. “Well, if we cannot communicate, then how can we hope to defeat our enemy? You are blind and it is costing you.”
Leighton folded his arms across his chest and said, “We cannot protect every relay station. That would spread us too thin.”
“What will end this war?” Helena asked.
Leighton blinked. “Nothing short of putting a few battleships in orbit around Proxus.”
“Very well. You have eight battleships,” Helena said. “I have six sisters. I hope you are listening, because I’m about to tell you how to win this war.”
Everyone in the room stopped their tasks and looked at the admiral. This man wasn’t accustomed to viable competition. He was considered the most brilliant military mind on Terra. The only mark on his record was a chess match against Captain Nathan Connor. Helena risked probing his memory as her curiosity won over caution.
Through the admiral’s memory haze, Helena saw that Nathan was on the verge of victory when both of them served on the Mars, the oldest battleship. Then, an alert sounded and everyone rushed to their battle stations. The officers on the Mars spread the story of Leighton’s near defeat and, in response, Leighton almost ruined Nathan’s career. To save his reputation, the admiral assigned Nathan to a dead end command while publically questioning his ability to lead.
Helena decided to tread carefully.
“You have our attention,” Leighton said, his arms still locked over his chest.
“Okay,” Helena said as she expanded the holographic display to show star charts. “Your strategy to keep communication alive is a good one. So with that in mind, and considering your goal to end this conflict, here is what I propose. Rebuild the relay stations starting now. However, leave them dormant until you start your offensive.”
“Offensive?” Leighton asked.
“Yes,” Helena said as she marked the map with a laser pointer. “Rebuild the stations so you can fall back and defend as needed. Then, of course, drop new stations as you advance into Proxan space. Activate all stations once you begin your attack. If one goes out, you know where to send defense forces. Once the location is defended, rebuild or repair the relay and your communication web stays intact all the way to the front lines.”
“All of that sounds wonderful,” Leighton said, full of loathing. “But how do you propose to take the fight to their doorstep when they have nine battleships and we have eight? It is suicide.”
“Do you have the report from Admiral Stugardt?” Helena asked. “The one concerning the Proxan ambush?”
Commander Socian punched some keys on her console and said, “I pushed it through to you, Lady Helena.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Helena said as she pulled the report up for everyone to see. “You must know my abilities by now. I sensed both the trap and the asteroids. With my guidance, Captain Connor was able to defeat two Proxan frigates with the meager armaments of a freighter. Tell me, Admiral, is there any scenario where a freighter as lightly armed as the Venture could defeat one frigate? Two, even?”
“You improvised quite well given your surroundings,” Leighton said. “But, if that was open space, you would not be here today.”
“What if I could sense your enemy’s movements, firing solutions and strategy before they happened?” Helena asked. “Do you think that would even the odds at all?”
Leighton paused. “You can do that?”
“As easily as you can distinguish colors in a painting, Admiral.”
Leighton relaxed his arms and said, “Prove it.”
He moved to a console and called a tactical display on the screen. “This is a replay of a recent battle-”
Helena shook her head. “I need to be able to sense the Proxan’s minds. Plus, I’d have to be a whole lot closer to be able to act with the kind of speed necessary to counter the enemy.”
Leighton backed away from the console and studied Helena. “I’m not going to put you and your sisters on my battleships. You aren’t Human.”
“Is it not your responsibility to win this war?” Helena asked.
“It’s too risky. And you can’t even prove your claim.”
“Did the Council not tell you to utilize me and my abilities to assist with your task?” Helena said.
Leighton grumbled. “Politicians cannot tell me how to do my job.”
“Nobody is telling you how to perform your duties,” Helena said. “I’m just telling you how I can help. If you are unwilling to utilize my abilities, then this trip was a waste of my time. Yes, you are in a stalemate. No, you will never be free from it unless one side decides to push forward. Can Terra push forward? No. Not unless you start listening to me.”
“The plan is sound,” one of the vice-admirals said as he studied Helena’s solution. “If she can really read their minds and predict their actions, then we certainly gain a big upper hand.”
“I’m just not convinced,” Leighton said.
Why did the Humans need to see everything to believe in it? Did they not trust each other?
Helena sighed. Yet another Human quirk she had developed during her stay. “Admiral, you were about to tell me to leave for a few minutes so you could discuss things with your senior staff. Commander Socian is contemplating going out on a blind date tonight. Vice-Admiral Toby is wondering if his anniversary gift will be enough to please his wife of three years. Admiral Vincen is considering a bathroom break in the next few minutes. Commander Grier i
s agonizing over what he’s going to have for lunch, as the freeze-dried meal he brought with him today is not sounding good anymore. And Admiral Hert’s ex-wife is using his credit line at a jewelry store as we speak.”
After a moment of silence, the room erupted in laughter. With the tension broken, Helena said, “I know I didn’t cover everyone, but how’s that for predicting their next actions and reading what’s on their minds? How did I do, Admiral? Are we finished with these wasteful tests? Can we talk about how we are going to defeat the Proxans?”
The assembled Humans clapped, smiled and pointed at each other. Helena didn’t want to resort to parlor tricks, but stooping to their base level of understanding was strangely effective. Humans were so simple.
“Alright,” Leighton said, smiling for the first time. “If you can do something like that on the battlefield, this might work. Let’s take a look at this solution of yours and study the details.”
♦
Admiral Leighton walked Helena outside after their day long strategy session. In the end, Helena accomplished her goal. The daughters of Emperor Agreios would be allowed onto the bridges of the Human battleships.
Helena sensed tension from her guards and surprise from Leighton as the late evening breeze washed over her body. Too late, she realized what was going on. With her attention fixated on her other tasks, she neglected to keep aware of her surroundings. Human soldiers surrounded the building. An armored aircar and Ambassador Jarvis awaited her. This was what she feared. The Humans couldn’t let her roam free anymore, she was too dangerous.
“I’m very sorry, My Lady, but you are being moved to another residence for the time being,” Jarvis said as he fidgeted with one of his rings.
Admiral Leighton furrowed his brow and said, “What’s going on here?”
“The Council has decided that the Antarans prove too large a risk to national security,” Jarvis said. “She’s not under arrest, but she is to be watched.”
“Don’t you mean detained?” Helena said.
For Duty (Antaran Legacy Book 1) Page 11