1804 returned to its precalculated location near the fourth planet. It monitored the orbiting satellites, attempting to determine the function of each one. There were only six, a paltry number, and only two of them, the only ones in geostationary orbit, appeared dedicated to communications. It calculated their paths carefully, redoing its numbers several times. It had to have them exact. Speed was of the essence.
Stanley didn’t know how to respond to the Lord Admiral’s assertion that the same God had created humans and Hrwang in his own image. Like most scientists, he was an avowed atheist. Belief in God seemed foolish, especially in the age of space travel. He knew how the Universe was formed, knew how a supernova had triggered the development of the Solar System and the Earth, and knew how chance had led to the evolution of life. How could such an obviously superior race of aliens believe in a God? How were they without a basic understanding of science? It seemed so primitive. Stanley understood the cosmology of his existence, and they didn’t.
Perhaps he had something to teach them after all.
The Lord Admiral smiled. “We will have time for a talk about religion at another time.” His face turned serious. “There is something more important we must talk about now.”
Stanley relaxed a little. Diplomacy was about finding common ground, and obviously religion was not that common ground. He felt grateful the Lord Admiral wanted to discuss something else. He waited for him to continue.
The Hrwang clasped his hands together and looked at the deck. It appeared as if the next words he wanted to say pained him. He finally overcame some internal struggle and spoke.
“There has been a most unfortunate incident.” He looked up, sincerity in his eyes. “I am most sorry.”
“Does this have to do with why we haven’t been able to contact Earth?” Irina asked.
The Lord Admiral nodded. His face looked strained.
“We caused your world a grievous harm. We still don’t know what we did. Some diplomatic or ambassadorial offense. We don’t know. Our ambassador, the Admiral Commander, was attacked. Then our fleet was attacked.”
He paused, as if reliving a terrible memory.
“Incomprehensibly, several of your continents began launching missiles at each other. We were horrified to learn that they were atomic missiles.”
“Nuclear?” Irina cried. Stanley felt shock.
“Among my people, even the consideration of developing atomic weapons is considered a heinous crime.”
The Lord Admiral paused. His words sank into Stanley. There had been a nuclear war? The man must be mistaken. How could that have happened? Weren’t there safeguards? Wasn’t there common sense? How bad could it have been? Not total annihilation, surely?
“My people became innocent bystanders caught up in your world’s conflict,” the Lord Admiral continued. “Perhaps that is what led to the initial attacks. We are still investigating.”
“When did we, I mean, when did the Earth attack you?” Stanley asked. How could they have done it? The stupidity! Aliens come through interstellar space and all we can do is attack them?
“After the attack on each other, they turned their atomic weapons towards space and tried to destroy us.”
He looked at them like a parent about ready to scold his children.
“The forces in orbit didn’t take the attacks lightly, I am afraid to say,” the Lord Admiral said. “I was not here. The main part of the fleet was still traveling in the outer ring of planets. But our ambassador, the Admiral Commander, took upon himself the defense of our ships and our honor. He prosecuted the war with your world to its fullest extent. I’m afraid, for your sakes, that he did an excellent job. The war did not end until I arrived and stopped it.”
Stanley didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ask a million questions and he wanted to curl up into a hole and die. He couldn’t believe that the Earth had attacked the Hrwang. Why? Why would they do that? What was going on? He looked at Commander Samovitch, but Irina seemed just as stunned and helpless as he did. She stared at the Hrwang leader.
“Our military doctrine in the scenario of total war calls for the destruction of all leadership and communication. That is why you have been unable to communicate with your people.”
“How?” Stanley managed to ask.
“The enormity of this catastrophe that your people brought upon themselves precludes a discussion of how the war was fought at the moment. But there is another matter which we must discuss that affects you personally, Captain.”
Stanley stared into the man’s eyes. The sincerity, the pain, was real. What had happened? His wife? His family? Had they, too, been caught as innocent bystanders in the war, just like the Hrwang?
Stanley took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and looked at the ceiling.
“I’m ready, Lord Admiral,” he said.
“With the destruction of your world’s leadership due to the application of our long honored military doctrine of total war, we now have no one to negotiate with. We believe you are the highest ranking officer of your people left. You were also stationed at a different planet than the one which engaged us in war, which means you are not guilty of the war crimes committed by the leadership of your world. It is my sincerest desire, Captain, that you accept the position as the ambassador and leader of your people to my people. I will give you some time to consider this.”
The Lord Admiral stood.
“Captain and Commander, I have one request, which is only temporary. Just as you were inoculated against our diseases, we must be inoculated against yours. Not all of my crew have been inoculated yet, so you both must remain in this room until that has happened. The Lieutenant Grenadier will see to your needs. We shall meet together again when we dine. Again, please accept my apologies for this entire, unfortunate affair. I wish we had met under better circumstances.”
He turned to leave.
“Lord Admiral,” Irina said, awkwardly trying to rise from the bench she sat on. “I have a request.”
He turned back to her and cocked his head slightly.
She continued. “You said there are investigations into what happened that caused this war?”
He nodded. “Yes, there be investigations.” He shook his head. “There is a investigations.” He smiled partially at the correction.
“I want to be part of them, sir.”
“Why? And please, address me as Lord Admiral. I am not in your command.”
“You have mentioned military doctrine, Lord Admiral. We, too, have military doctrine. One of them is that the first casualty of war is the truth. I need to be on that investigation. To learn the truth for myself.”
The Lord Admiral considered her for a moment, then replied, “I must think on this. I will decide. Later. Farewell until we dine together. Please remember to stay in this room.” He turned and the hatch cycled open. He went through it and it closed.
“I need to stand up,” Irina said, pushing her way awkwardly past Stanley. He stood to allow her out from behind the table. She immediately went to the other side of the room and punched the wall, letting out a stream of invective that reminded Stanley she was a sailor.
She finally returned to the table where Stanley sat and slammed her hands on it. Stanley flinched.
“Sir, you don’t believe a word he said, do you?” Her eyes challenged him.
Stanley didn’t know how to reply. He did believe the Lord Admiral. Why wouldn’t he?
“I don’t know,” he finally said.
She stared at him, hard, then growled and returned to punching the wall on the other side of the room.
Stanley watched her tantrum, but only had one thought on his mind. He, Stanley Russell, was going to be the ambassador and leader of the Earth.
1804, in quiet orbit around the fourth planet, received an innocuous ping
from the Hrwang command vessel, indiscernible by any other listening ship. But it knew what the ping meant. It was time for the next phase of its mission.
Flight Page 14