Transmission Lost

by Stefan Mazzara

  All in all, living on Arbaros wasn't the worst thing ever. Jack actually started to feel like that if this was life from now on, it wouldn't be so bad. Of course, life was about to get a lot more interesting, as usual.

  ******

  -Everyone, thank you for being able to meet here,- Governess Amani said. She looked around the room at all of the assembled people. -It has now been five days since the homeworld was taken, and now that all our forces are gathering we need to decide how to proceed.-

  Jack looked about the meeting room as well. He felt very out of place in the room, and not just for the normal reasons. As usual, he was the only human in the room, but for once, there were more than Ailians present. Governess Amani was sitting at the head of the long table, leading the meeting, as befitted her station. The space was set up like a real war room, with monitors on the wall and a communications unit placed in the center of the table. Seated to the governess' left, recently arrived on one of the last ships retreating from Lirna, was Chief Admiral Jin Te'rou. Also present, on her right, was something that Jack had never seen before. Shorter than the typical Ailian but still tall compared to a human, with white hair and green-and-blue skin, the curious alien was something called a Nuretan, a species he had heard very little about. They had been little more than a rumor when Jack was in the military, and he'd been out of the loop for so long that he didn't he know much about them at all. The Nuretan seated near the head of the table was a woman, and Aria had told him that she was called General Kalma Soumaren, an important figure in her species' military. They were apparently an aquatic species, something Jack probably would have figured out on his own just based on her appearance. Several other Nuretans, some in military uniform and some in regular clothes, sat at the table, and there were other Ailians as well, both military and diplomats. Aria, of course, was present, with several of the Royal Guards posted at the doors leading into the room. Li'ren was there as well, looking much better, in Jack's opinion. She was seated with Jack and Aria, halfway down the table. As she had in the past, she was graciously translating for Jack what everyone else was saying.

  It was only by both Aria's and Li'ren's insistence that Jack was even in the room for this meeting. Aria wanted him there because she was tired of having to feel guilty about him being left in the dark about what was going on, and Li'ren wanted him there because she felt he could provide some insight. A sizable portion of the rebellion's forces were human, after all, and she was hoping Jack would be willing to provide some advice. He wasn't so sure about that, but he definitely wasn't going to pass up the chance to listen in.

  The governess looked to Admiral Te'rou. -First, what can you tell us about our losses in the battle at Lirna?- she asked.

  Admiral Te'rou was looking decidedly disheveled. He'd barely had time to disembark from his ship before this meeting had been called. His fur was a mess, and he looked like he hadn't slept in a day at least. -They were severe,- he growled, squeezing his hands into tight fists. -We barely had any notice before the enemy fleets were on us. They came straight in, didn't bother with probing ships or scouts, and they hit hard. We lost ten percent of our ships in the initial attack.- He smacked the table, still clearly frustrated by his failure. -By the time we were able to regroup, they were already dropping troop ships on the planet, and more ships jumped into the system. We were outnumbered, and after a few hours our forces were down to fifty percent strength. When we heard the palace was lost, I decided we needed to cut our losses, so I ordered the retreat. They didn't pursue.-

  Taking a deep breath, Miri let it out slowly. -Worse than I had assumed. So, where does that leave us as far as combat strength?- She looked up and down the table at the military officers seated at the table.

  One of them, another admiral, leaned forward and spoke up. -The First Fleet, of course, has been nearly wiped out, at less than thirty percent strength. The Fourth Fleet, which was sent to Lirna to bolster defenses before the attack, fared better.-

  Admiral Te'rou nodded. -That's correct. The Second, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets are nearly untouched; they haven't seen much combat yet. The Third, Eighth, and Eleventh Fleets are each at around seventy percent strength. The Ninth Fleet is completely gone, destroyed in the rebel campaign in the Inner Colonies, and the Tenth Fleet is occupied defending our lines with human space. I can't pull them off to assist without compromising our defenses even more.- He gritted his teeth. -Overall, we're looking at sixty, maybe sixty-five percent of our former fighting strength. Of course, our losses are made up for somewhat by the reinforcements we're getting from the Nuretan Empire.-

  -Speaking of the humans,- said General Soumaren, the Nuretan commander, -what news do we have? The last I heard, the Empress had ordered the diplomatic corps to make overtures for a ceasefire to their United Nations on Cerelis.- She looked towards Li'ren and the rest of the diplomats at the table, as did everyone else.

  Li'ren folded her hands on the tabletop. -When Her Majesty dispatched the ambassadors, we had a much stronger footing than we do now,- she informed the gathering. -Now that the homeworld is lost, and the...- She paused, and turned her eyes down to the tabletop, gathering herself. -...And now that Her Majesty is gone, the humans see an opportunity. The United Nations has rejected any offer of a ceasefire. They see us as being at a time of weakness. They will exploit the division in the Ascendancy and try to turn it to their advantage.-

  -Can we not send another envoy?- one of the Ailian admirals asked. -We must try again. If the war with the humans continues, and the rebellion is not stopped, we will have nothing left.-

  -I am afraid that will not work,- Li'ren replied, shaking her head. -You must understand, we started this war. The humans see us as the aggressors, and they do not, or will not, see our perspective. As their expression goes, we have made our bed and now we must lie in it.- She looked down the table at General Soumaren. -We must hope that our forces and those of our allies will be enough.-

  Out of the blue, Jack raised a hand. “Um...Can I say something?” He turned a bit red as every single head turned to look at him, and he swallowed, but after all he was sitting at this table. Jack glanced over at Aria. She kept an impassive look on her face, but he saw her give a fractional nod. “It's just...haven't you been going about this all wrong?”

  -How do you mean?- This question came from Governess Amani, at the head of the table, as she frowned at him. The rest of the Ailians at the table, apart from Li'ren and a few of the diplomats, looked derisively at him, incensed that a human would dare to speak. General Soumaren, however, and the other Nuretans, leaned forward in interest. As Jack understood it, they were not as hostile to humans, if at all, as Ailians.

  After looking back at Aria, Jack pressed on. “I mean, you just went to the United Nations, right?” He waved a hand at Li'ren and the rest of the diplomats, and Li'ren nodded for all of them. “Well, you have to understand that the United Nations isn't the final word on humanity. It might not matter what their decision was.”

  -But they're the ruling council for humanity,- Admiral Te'rou objected.

  Jack shook his head. “You're thinking too much in Ailian terms,” he said. “In the Ascendancy, the Empress makes a decision, and that's the law. There's little means for appeal. Humans don't work that way. We rule by consensus through the United Nations, but the various nations retain a lot of their autonomy. For a lot of what the UN decides, nations can choose to follow or ignore based on their own beliefs or interests.”

  -And that doesn't lead to chaos?- Governess Amani asked.

  “Sometimes it does,” Jack acknowledged. “But the advantage is that if the UN makes a decision you don't agree with, you can gather enough friendly nations to render their decision pointless.”

  -It is not dissimilar from how the Empire functions,- General Soumaren observed, stroking her cheek with one finger, her neon eyes blinking thoughtfully.

  “So what are you telling us, Jack?” Li'ren asked. She leaned back in her seat, folding her hands in her lap
. Her ears were pricked forward; switching from English to Ailian and back again over and over was requiring all of her concentration.

  “Isn't it obvious?” Jack looked around at all of the Ailians seated around him. For being the most powerful race in the galaxy, he couldn't believe that they weren't getting it. “If the UN won't listen to you, go to the individual nations themselves and appeal to them directly.”

  His suggestion was met with silence around the meeting table. From the looks on their faces, Jack could tell that the thought had honestly never occurred to any of them. -Would that even work?- Admiral Te'rou asked.

  “It's worth trying,” Jack said. “Look, there are plenty of humans out there who are sick of the war, and some of them lead nations. Now a lot of nations will march in lockstep with the UN, but some of them will be willing to listen to what you're offering. And I think enough of them will see that it's a lot better in the long run than the alternative.”

  For a few long minutes, Li'ren and the other diplomats looked taken aback, but then the former consort leaned forward. “That makes a lot of sense,” she said. “Perhaps you are right...”

  -But that still leaves us with another crisis,- Governess Amani said ruefully. She glanced down the table at her daughter. -With the Empress dead, we have a power vacuum. There is already struggle within the Ascendancy to fill the void. Without a clear leader, we will not last long.- The Ailian governess stood up from her chair, pacing back and forth at the front of the room. -The laws of ascension state that the closest living female relative gains the throne.-

  Aria's ears lowered slightly. -But all of Her Majesty's family are in the Outer Colonies, aren't they? They're allied with my mother. You can't be suggesting that one of them will become the Empress.-

  The governess shook her head firmly. -That is not an option. But Empress Solan had no children. We are short on alternatives.- She swept her eyes over the assembly. -I must admit that I am at a loss. If we do not come up with a solution soon...-

  The meeting room fell silent. Everyone was looking at everyone else, as though they were waiting to see who would be the first to make a suggestion. The mood seemed absolutely hopeless, and Jack could see things pretty clearly from their perspective. The Ascendancy was in danger of breaking apart from the inside at the same time it was being crushed from the outside, and they were all staring their doom in the face. Nobody in the room looked more miserable than Li'ren, with her personal grief being compounded by the grief brought on by the imminent defeat of her people. And then, while looking at her, he had an idea.

  “What about Li'ren?”

  Li'ren jerked her head up, her eyes widening as she stared at Jack. Everyone else stared at him, too. Those of them that could understand English had their mouths open, while the rest had understood Li'ren's name and little else. He felt his stomach wrench with anxiety, seeing all the attention turned his way yet again. Even now, he still couldn't quite get over his ingrained apprehension at having that many Ailian eyes on him at once.

  “What you say?” Aria asked, putting a hand on Jack's leg under the table.

  “You just said that the closest female relative ascends to the throne,” Jack said. He stood up, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. “The Empress doesn't have any eligible blood relatives, but what about Li'ren? She was the Empress' mate. How much closer can you get?”

  They all looked to Li'ren, whose eyes were huge by now. “It...Well...It would be unprecedented...,” she stammered, staring at Jack. “No Empress in the history of the Ascendancy has ever taken a female mate, not before Kri'a. I...I couldn't...”

  -Why not?- Governess Amani was sitting back in her chair again, her expression very thoughtful and intrigued, almost excited. -It would be an elegant solution. Our leadership problem would be solved, and the Ascendancy, I believe, would be in capable hands.- Heads began nodding around the table, even from some of the military officers.

  -I...I don't know about capable,- Li'ren said, sounding panicky. She was breathing very rapidly, the fur on her neck standing on end. -And what about the people? What will they think?-

  Her mother stood up once more, walking around the table and standing behind Li'ren. -Child, you are much more capable than you realize. Nobody anticipated that this would happen, but you were made for this. You have been training for this for your whole life, without knowing it. You were closer to Her Majesty than anyone for a decade. You know what an Empress is, you know how an Empress must act, and you know what an Empress must do.- She placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. -You have admirers among the subjects of the Ascendancy. Many of them do not know you as the Empress' mate, but they do know you as an important figure in the government. Once they see you acting as an Empress should, they will accept you. And that is the most important part. The Empress is a symbol just as much as she is a leader.-

  -But...,- Li'ren said, continuing to protest. She stopped as the communication unit in the center of the table began to chirp. It was the first sound that had come through it since the meeting began. A light was blinking on the unit as well, indicating an incoming call.

  The governess was mildly annoyed by the interruption. -Captain Me'lia, I thought I gave instructions that we were not to be disturbed. Was that order not passed along?-

  -I passed that order along, m'lady,- Aria confirmed. She glanced over the display on the device, reading the notations scrolling along the small diagnostic screen. Jack saw her frown, her eyes narrowing. -It is noted as an emergency message, but I don't recognize the frequency. There isn't any return identifier attached to it. I can't tell who it is, but it's full sound and picture.-

  Admiral Te'rou gestured to the device. -Answer it. It could be important. There may still be a few stragglers from other theaters of combat, and their comm identifier could be damaged.-

  -Very well, Admiral.- Aria reached for the communicator and switched it on. The flashing light changed from red to green, and a projector activated on the top of the unit. After a short warm up period, the display flickered and a hologram projected above the surface of the table. As soon as she saw it, Aria shot up from her chair, baring her teeth as she snarled at the image.

  -Manners, now,- the projection of Ara'lana Me'lia said placidly, looking at her daughter with a cool air about her. The white-furred Ailian was visible from the waist up, dressed in her crimson version of an admiral's uniform. -The proper thing to do when someone calls is to say 'hello'.- She looked at the Ailian before her in some confusion, and then recognition presented itself. -Is that you, Aria? Goodness me, aren't you a bit old for dress-up? That black fur really isn't very becoming on you.- Her eyes landed on Jack, sitting next to Aria. -Ah, and your pet human. How nice. Is he an admiral now? That would certainly explain the ease with which I was able to seize Lirna.-

  -What do you want?- Li'ren growled. Her hands were balled into fists on the top of the table, her ears laid low as her muzzle wrinkled in a furious sneer. Jack thought that if Ara'lana had physically been there, the former consort would have leaped up and strangled her.

  Ara'lana clucked her tongue. -How rude, Li'ren. No interest in pleasantries? Well, no matter...- She placed her arms behind her back. -I was calling upon you all to offer my terms for your surrender. You must understand that you have lost the war. Your fleets are in disarray, and you are losing territory daily.- Her picture swiveled around to look at everyone at the table, especially General Soumaren. -Even the help of the Nuretan Empire will not be enough. My Pteryd allies will cut them down.-

  -Surrender?- Admiral Te'rou asked. He clenched his jaw. -I'd rather die than surrender to you.-

  -Be careful, Jin. You may get what you ask for.- The rebel leader smiled at them all. -You can save yourselves by joining me. There is little alternative for you. The homeworld is mine, and your Empress is dead.-

  Li'ren's eyes flared. -Don't you dare speak of her! You're not worthy to even mention her!- The blue-furred female stood, pointing a finger at Ara'lana. -You will
send Kri'a's body to Arbaros at once. I have the right to bury my mate!-

  Ara'lana blinked, seemingly taken aback by the request. -I am afraid that is impossible. Her body is no longer on Lirna. I sent her body back to her family, in the Outer Colonies. She will be buried on her mother's home planet.-

  As soon as she heard that, Li'ren deflated, sinking back into her chair. -You did what? Oh, gods...- She hung her head, her shoulders beginning to shake with renewed sorrow. Governess Amani squeezed her daughter's shoulder, and she glared at Ara'lana's image with unshielded hatred. The rest of the Ailians in the room looked just as shocked by Ara'lana's news.

  “That's pretty bad...,” Jack mumbled to Aria, who had just told him what her mother had said to Li'ren. She looked devastated, just as crushed as she had when the news of her mate's death had been received.

  -That was a cruel thing to do, mother,- Aria said, her voice eerily quiet. -Unnecessarily so. You had no right to do that.-

  Ara'lana's holographic face darkened as she stared down her daughter. -Take care, Aria. I can do as I wish; I am the one in power, now. And I will not legitimize that little deviant's relationship with the late Empress.- She raised her chin slightly. -If she wishes to pay respects to Kri'a, she may visit her family's home planet, if her family will allow it.- The hologram looked around the table once more. -If you surrender now, you may live. Your prison sentences will be lengthy, but that is to be expected for traitors to the new regime. Your soldiers will go unpunished. They were only doing their jobs.- Ara'lana glanced at Jack and Aria, then she reached one hand out of the view of the picture. -You have my request, but I will not wait long for an answer.-

  The image of Ara'lana switched off, and the comm unit went dark again. The meeting room fell as silent as a graveyard, with everyone looking around at each other as they tried to deal with what had just happened. Having a reminder of the seriousness of their situation seemed to have taken most of their energy. Jack looked at Li'ren. She had grown still, and if she had been crying before she didn't seem to be any longer. This was a far cry from the proud, emotionless, and ruthless people that Jack had always been taught Ailians were. He turned his attention to Aria, who was still staring at the deactivated communicator, her teeth clenched together hard enough that he could hear them grinding against each other. He put a hand out and laid it on her thigh, making her jump. After she gazed at him for a second, she clutched his arm in return.