‘Nope,’ Odysson said. ‘We give information and if you’re the guys we want, we offer very well-paying jobs.’
‘On the Moon,’ the first boy scoffed.
‘Two days, guys.’ Odysson tapped the sunburst-and-starship badge on his fine uniform.
‘Let’s see how far they are with the decorating,’ he said to Derris, who was watching him narrow-eyed. ‘Gunild? Is it safe to enter?’
‘Just have a care for the wet paint and things,’ she said. ‘They’re done breaking.’
They went in and Odysson was surprised at the changes half a day had brought. It started to look extremely stylish, with lots of glass and smooth surfaces, chrome fittings and soft pastel colors. Gunild had good taste.
‘Handsome,’ Derris said. ‘What’s that corner, an airship bridge?’
‘I hadn’t seen that yet,’ Odysson said. ‘What a brilliant thought! Does it work?’
‘Yes, sir; it is a fully functional bridge,’ a voice said. ‘It can do everything but fly.’
‘Hello,’ Odysson said. ‘We have a resident brain?’
‘Indeed sir, I am ER-HQ 1 now. Grounded at last.’
‘Oh, you were a ship’s AI?’
‘Yes, sir. I was the Y-Tuc 763, the scout ship the high admiral saved together with D-Barr 48. I could not bear a return to the awfulness of space without a complete rewrite. That would have meant a new personality as well. I am extremely grateful the Realm understood and transferred me to this post, sir.’
‘I hope you will be happy here, ER-HQ.’
‘Thank you, sir. Pardon me; you must be Grand Trader Odysson? The eatery on the first floor is already operational, sir. No Diners on-planet; all foods are prepared at Realmport and ported to us. I was assured there is no loss of heat, sir.’
‘We’ll go up and try it out then,’ Odysson said. ‘Thank you.’
‘Is this all real?’ Derris said as they walked away. ‘Or is it some kind of gimmick?’
‘Very real,’ Odysson said.
They climbed the broad stairs of gleaming steel to the first floor. To the right was a fancy dining corner decorated with strange landscapes. As they sat down, a servor came to take their orders.
‘Cawah and a late lunch for two,’ Odysson said. He pulled a slim envelope from his inside pocket and got out a stack of images Gunild had made of Realmport. ‘Look at these.’
Derris studied them in silence. ‘Chottapan’s Blue Bells,’ he muttered finally. ‘I know you three are whiz kids, but this is too much even for the Wyrmcaller and the Trade Magnate.’
‘For them, but not for their offspring,’ Odysson smiled. ‘The galaxy is ours.’
‘Are you saying you’re trading with the stars?’
‘Setting out to,’ Odysson said. Then the servor brought their food, and they waited till it was done loading the table with dishes.
While they ate, Odysson told the whole story.
‘So a large part of the galaxy is more or less waiting to be picked up again?’ Derris said when he was done.
‘That’s it,’ Odysson said. ‘And we’re doing the picking upping.’
Derris looked at an off-color image of domed buildings in an endless dune landscape. ‘What would you want of me?’
‘We need someone to run our Firstworld business,’ Odysson said. ‘This building is our main HQ. It will be many things, among them a recruiting office, a permanent exposition, an embassy and a trade house. ER-HQ and Gunild, our Realmport manager, will run much of the show, but we need someone to oversee things at the decision level and act as our ambassador to the rulers. I was wondering if you were interested in the job.’
‘Who would be my boss?’ Derris said cautiously.
‘Me, mostly. And Kambisha is the High Admiral; our head of state, so to say. Kyrus is more the exploration side while I’m trade and diplomacy. Planetary Manager would be a vice admiral’s rank. You’ll have an apartment in the building and we’ll think up a nice salary to go with it.’
‘What’s the Weal’s place in all this?’
‘They don’t have one. Divine Bodrus categorically forbade them to have anything to do with it. The Realm will not be Firstworld business. It was Moi and even then on its way to secession. The quake severed the remaining ties, and now we are truly independent.’
Derris stared in surprise. ‘Can you run the place without the Weal?’
‘Sure we can. We got the money of a galactic empire, technologies the Weal can only dream of, a fleet of spaceships, and we don’t know yet how many planets, bases and outposts. Our resources are immense; we’re only low on manpower. If you’re done eating, I’ll show you the Moon.’
Derris pushed his plate away. ‘Let’s go!’
‘All right.’ Odysson got his handportal and moments later, Derris stood staring at the planet overhead. ‘It’s true. You can’t do this with mirrors.’
Odysson guffawed. ‘No indeed! Let’s go inside and meet the others.’ They crossed the threshold into the large hall. ‘Gunild, I bring Derris Farnarol, our new Planetary Director. He needs a bath, a shave and a vice admiral’s uniform, diplomatic staff. I promised him a nice apartment at Whale Street. And thanks for posting ER-HQ in there; that was a masterstroke, ma’am.’
‘Thank you,’ Gunild said. ‘He’s another one of those long-time-awake AIs and by now as human as any of us. He’ll do fine down there.’
‘We’ll need to discuss what that means,’ Odysson said. ‘If we’d make them legally persons, I don’t know the problems we could run into. Can you prepare a summing-up of the Moi regulations? These aren’t matters to take lightly.’
‘I’ll have something ready for you,’ she said.
‘Thanks. Now Derris needs a place to sleep until his apartment is ready.’
‘The room at the end of your corridor is meant for visitors. I will have a uniform laid out and some other conveniences. Just take it easy, Admiral Farnarol. It will grow on you. If there is anything, call out and I will be there to assist you.’
‘Yeah,’ Odysson said. ‘Relax. You got two whole days until the Grand Opening, so don’t worry. It’s a small affair; only a few guests—the Weal Council, allied heads of state, top officials, just the usual crowd.’
‘The Weal Council,’ Derris said. ‘That means my father. Guy, I spend every waking hour getting away from him.’
‘You must stop doing that,’ Odysson said. ‘Face him, bud. You’re the ambassador of the rich and powerful Realm, not some callow nobody.’
‘Are we really rich and powerful?’
‘Yes,’ Odysson said with unshakable certainty. Then he smiled. ‘Now go and get clean, Admiral Derris. And shave.’
Derris scratched his stubbles. ‘You’re jealous.’
‘Vanhaari don’t grow beards,’ Odysson said. ‘It’s uncivilized.’
CHAPTER 15 – TARRIK
The following morning, Kyrus sat in the mess, eating a large breakfast. With Kambisha after that lost fleet and Odysson showing Derris the entertainment studio, he was supposed to stay on the Moon and do some more flight training with the newcomers.
Well, at least I have time for a real breakfast, he thought blissfully, and cut of another thick slice of ham.
‘Admiral Kyrus! Emergency call!’ Gunild said. ‘One of our corvettes. Will you take it?’
‘Give!’ Kyrus said, sitting up.
‘Commander Worrol, RA-V 498,’ a young and excited Moi voice said.
‘Kyrus. What’s this about an emergency?’
‘Sir, I’m at the Tarrik Lesser World. There’s a Dregh raid going on, two frigates and at least two hundred of the enemy. Looking bad for the locals, sir.’
‘Stay where you are, I’ll be over.’ Kyrus jumped to his feet. ‘Gunild, get S-Az and No-R manned, tell Captain Joff to join me outside and warn those four hundred NavBase midshipmen they’re temporary, honorary Marines. Send half to Joff’s ship and half to mine, armed for battle.’
Then he ran to the field, stuffing the r
emainder of the ham in his mouth. Halfway, Joff met him. ‘What’s going on?’
‘D’egh ‘aid,’ Kyrus told him, chewing as he ran.
‘A Dregh raid?’ Joff grinned. ‘Good. Let’s show them.’
The Tarrik world looked a pleasant place from the air. Green, with endless fields, forests, lakes and clear rivers. Nice, but isolated; ideal for a raid.
Then Kyrus saw Worrol’s corvette, hanging motionless at the upper limits of the atmosphere. On the ground, two scruffy frigates rested in what looked like a wheat field of sorts. Beyond that were an orchard, and then a small town. There was fierce fighting, with the Dreghs far in the majority.
‘Captain Joff?’ Kyrus said. ‘Send Lieutenant Borallen down with your Marines. I’ll go with mine. You will take command up here in case one or both of those grounded frigates think to escape.’
‘Right, Admiral,’ Joff said. ‘Marines underway.’ Kyrus knew he probably hated letting his first officer go in his stead, but they needed at least one captain in command and that wasn’t a job for a little corvette.
Kyrus ran to the airlock where his own men waited. ‘Down we go, guys.’
The two cruisers were at a height of three miles over the town, but as yet no enemy had noticed their arrival. The airlock opened, and two hundred acting Marines jumped down. For most Moi guys this was the first time they rode a broom into action, but they had trained hard and managed to stay in formation.
As soon as they came into range, Kyrus dug up a spell to amplify his words.
‘Attention, all Dregh fighters. Lay down your arms and surrender, or be killed. By order of the Realmfleet.’ His voice echoed over the battlefield. He saw the locals look up in agitation, but the Dreghs merely jeered.
Kyrus gave a grim chuckle. ‘You had your chance, rats. Attack!’ Immediately, the Marines landed and joined the melee.
Kyrus hovered and studied the local warriors. Those Tarrik in their fancy armor looked strangely human, if you discounted the reddish fur on what he could see of their bodies. They all sported enormous side-burns and mustaches and had tall crests on the top of their heads. There were perhaps thirty of them, armed with hooked swords and primitive firearms. Against them, the Dreghs used rusty sabers, knives, and in many cases their talon-like hands
Those rats had been winning through superior numbers, he thought. Not their fighting prowess, which they ain’t got.
Now the Dreghs found themselves in the minority, and suddenly, squealing, took to their heels. Kyrus whooped, landed ahead of his troops and sheathed his broom. As he and his guys ran with the Tarrik, they drove the Dreghs like cattle, hunting them through the orchard while mustached children were shooting bows from the treetops, until Kyrus saw the remainder of the enemies make for their ships.
‘Get them!’ he yelled, and splitting up, the Marines followed the Dreghs into their vessels.
‘S-Az, do you have the ships’ codes?’ Kyrus said louder than necessary.
‘Yes sir.’
‘Give this one to me and the other to Lieutenant Borallen.’
Kyrus called the code, and the stolen Realmfleet ship acknowledged, sounding utterly weary. ‘Noted.’
‘Just stay where you are, buddy,’ Kyrus said. ‘Leave the Dreghs to us.’
Then he ran off in the direction of the fighting, but it was over by the time he arrived.
‘You won, Admiral, sir,’ S-Az said. ‘Lieutenant Borallen reports he’s liberated the other ship.’
‘Casualties?’ Kyrus said.
‘First officer’s compliments—only a few wounded on our side; our shields are better. Among the Dreghs, one hundred percent fatalities. Locals, no data.’
Kyrus looked around. The Moi midshipmen were ecstatic at the victory, slapping each other’s shoulder and behaving as if they’d won a major battle. After the quake and the shock of their awakening, this was a massive boost to morale.
The ship’s central corridor was deserted, so he made for the nearest open door.
Outside, Ginny was directing their guys to assist the locals in collecting their dead and wounded.
Kyrus saw No-R’s healer and went over. ‘Can you help those people?’
‘Yes, sir. Below all that hair they’re physically the same as us. The problem with healing them is we can’t fall back on Lumentis or even Bodrus for aid. The gods simply don’t answer our prayers, so we must do with our personal power, which is exhausting and dangerous.’
‘Do what you can,’ Kyrus said. ‘But don’t risk your own lives.’ He looked out over the fields and noted the acres of grain ruined by the stolen ships landing. Then he saw a small procession coming from the town. Several men and women in long tunics and flaring pants riding tall, unfamiliar mounts. The other Tarrik bowed as they passed, so they had to be dignitaries of some kind. Kyrus mounted his broom and rode to meet them.
‘Greetings,’ a Tarrik in a simple tunic said. ‘Are you the leader of those-who-aided-us?’ He spoke in a heavily accented Vulgar, the language of gods and mortals.
Kyrus rose to be eye to eye with the mounted strangers and gave his name.
The spokesman touched his lips with a hairy finger. ‘May my words always please you,’ he said, and it sounded more like a ritual than a true wish. ‘Our revered Elder Lord Qox desires to confer with you.’
Kyrus smiled. ‘I will be pleased to speak with your Elder Lord.’
Without waiting for the spokesman, an old Tarrik in green armor rode his mount forward. He put his fingers to his mouth and gave the smallest of bows.
If this was the lord, his fur was a weak purple instead of the darker colors of the others, and his mustache drooped. To Kyrus’ mind he looked old, though his voice was firm and the eyes behind his bushy eyebrows shone with a clear amber.
‘We do not know why you came,’ he said, and his Vulgar was faultless. ‘Yet you were of some assistance, so our honor requires we offer you our thanks, Admiral.’
Kyrus nodded politely. ‘We did but our duty. Realmfleet intends to stop the Dregs’ raiding and return them to their planet. We are committed to aid all who live within the protection of the Realm.’
‘The Realm.’ The old Tarrik looked sharply at Kyrus. ‘That sounds much like the Moi of the ancient days. Our lore mentions they, too, used to aid us, but as betters to lesser; never as equals.’
Kyrus’ brain worked at top speed. ‘That was an old error we will not repeat. The Realm are we all and we must work together to stay safe.’
‘To that purpose, would you share weapons and space technology?’ the lord said.
Careful now. Kyrus remembered the discussions on politics his father had inflicted on his unwilling son. All that talk wasn’t useless after all, Dad, he thought.
‘That is not impossible.’ He saw the old lord’s eyes widen slightly. ‘But before we walk that road, we have to know each other better and we should want some solid treaties of friendship signed between your government and ours.’
‘You are careful,’ the lord said. ‘That is good. The Inchuin’s court is many miles from here, on the central continent. I am sure our mighty lord of lords will be pleased to receive your emissaries.’
‘We will send diplomats to his court,’ Kyrus said. ‘Later, we can discuss an exchange of knowledge as well as trade. ‘Now I must return to my ship, Elder Lord. We will remove the vessels the Dreghs had stolen from us.’
Several of the nobles looked chagrined as he said that. They had clearly hoped to plunder the ships.
Kyrus spread his hands. ‘I will order our trade department to send one of their best men directly. They will compensate you fully for the loss of your crops.’
At that, the faces brightened, probably thinking of the good coin they would overask.
‘A most handsome offer,’ old Qox said. ‘I will not be able to repay that, Admiral.’
No overasking then. ‘Our traders will discuss these matters, Elder Lord,’ Kyrus said. ‘I am sure they will find a both profitable and honorable pro
posal to equalize matters. I must go now; it was a pleasure fighting alongside your brave warriors.’
The lord bowed a little deeper this time. Kyrus saluted and rode his broom into the sky, back to his ship.
As soon as he was on board, he sat down in his command chair and sent a call. ‘Ody?’
‘Ky! Derris and I just came back from the entertainment studio and heard you had gone to battle. How is it going?’
‘We won,’ Kyrus said. ‘Heaps of dead Dreghs, two recaptured frigates, and a grateful local lord. Now I need you to get a trader over here right away. I did the opening moves for you, but all that polite speak makes me itch.’
‘Leave it to us’ Odysson said. ‘I’ll get a team and a ship out to you directly.’
Kyrus chuckled as they broke contact. His first lieutenant stood watching him. ‘Quite the dashing young commander, aren’t you, sir?’
‘So I am. Now I only need a beautiful girl to admire me,’ he said nonchalantly. Her big fist lashed out, and he ducked quickly. She was a Kell; even in fun, Ginny wasn’t pulling her punches.
‘Two ships,’ she said, polishing her knuckles on her uniform. ‘And that kid Borallen got one of them?’
‘You wouldn’t want the other,’ Kyrus said. ‘Those ships are old.’
‘They are not that much older than me,’ S-Az said. ‘And I can still take a sprint.’
‘To the bar, you mean?’ Kyrus said.
‘After the girls,’ Ginny added. ‘You know how those old geezers are.’
‘Tssk,’ S-Az said. ‘Sir, those two guys in the wheat are done-up, exhausted, demoralized and low on energy. Send them to Mother Gunild and they’ll be as new soon. But the first officer is right, sir. She should be captain. As an admiral, you are too... too... You’re not supposed to command a ship.’
‘Too exalted, you mean?’ Kyrus said.
‘No,’ the ship said flatly.
‘Hm, thank you. Look, Ginny, if you want to be captain, you can have that other ship. But I don’t want a flag captain; I’ll command this ship myself.’
Ginny smiled. ‘I was only teasing you. I don’t particularly need my own command. Not yet. And S-Az is a handsome fellow, as ships go, so I’m fine.’
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