by Saxon Andrew
Jingle told the Assembly about the sailor who confessed while under sedation that he was planning to take a Union Warship and destroy the Union’s fleets after the wars. She then told them she intercepted a shuttle leaving Overland with new recruits and she questioned them about the plot. She then began playing the confessions, all of them. The Overland Representative jumped to his feet numerous times and the President shut him down. Finally, Jingle played the video of the Overland President going over his orders with one of the leaders of the plot. Jingle then turned to the President and said, “We got the names of every Overland recruit that has infiltrated our Navy and they are currently under arrest. Those names came from the communicator that belonged to the leader talking with the President of Overland.”
The President glared at Jingle and then turned to the Overland Representative, “You now have the floor.”
The Overland Representative turned and faced the Assembly, “THIS IS ALL LIES! CAN YOU NOT SEE THOSE SUPPOSED CONFESSIONS WERE TAKEN UNDER DURESS!!” He paused and said in a calmer voice, “Everyone of those confessions was taken at the point of a blaster and those poor men believed they would die if they didn’t say something that wasn’t true. They saw this monster before us kill several of them…”
“Point of order Mr. President.” Jingle interrupted.
“What is that, Admiral.”
“No one was killed during those confessions.”
The Overland Rep sneered, “But you made them believe they were killed didn’t you!?!”
“Yes, I did.”
The Overland Rep turned back to the Assembly, “If they can do this to us, they can do it to all of you! Even that video of our beloved President making plans was fabricated by the Union. None of this is true?”
“What about the recruit that willingly confessed to the plot?” the President asked.
“He was a secret agent being manipulated by the Union. It’s all a sham and if you fall for this, none of us are safe!”
Jingle looked out at the Assembly and saw many, if not most, of the Representatives were siding with the Overland Representative. The President turned to Jingle, “The Overland Representative makes a good case, Admiral. Why would one planet attempt to do this? You clearly put those recruits under terrible duress to tell you what you wanted to hear, and the video of the Overland President could have easily been fabricated.”
Jingle pointed the remote at the monitor and Gerald appeared on it. It played to the end and Jingle turned to the Assembly, “The Representative from Overland says that this confession came from a Union agent.” She turned to the Overland Rep, “Is it also a lie about Overland hiding more than eight-hundred warships in the outer planets of its star system?”
“Yes it is! And any evidence you have of them is also fabricated!”
The Assembly started yelling at Jingle and the President allowed them to vent for a minute before sounding the tone. The room slowly silenced and the President turned to Jingle, “Admiral, you really don’t have any real proof that any of this is true.” The thunderous roar from the Assembly agreed with the President.
They were silenced again, and Jingle looked out at the Assembly, “I’ve been standing here watching you during the presentations and I see distrust and outright hatred on some of your faces. I brought this to your attention because it’s not only the Union in jeopardy here.”
“IT’S ALL LIES!!” the Overland Representative shouted.
Jingle turned to him, “Is it?”
“You know it is!”
Jingle looked out at the Assembly again and smiled.
Chapter Eight
“What do you find amusing, Admiral?”
“Mr. President, a week ago, my husband, Admiral Alexander Berringer, invited the Wilds’ combined fleets to participate in joint maneuvers. Admiral Callaway agreed that it was a good idea and would assist us in working together in any future combat operations.” The entire Assembly grew deathly silent. Jingle smiled, “This morning, my husband took the Combined Fleets just outside the Overland Star System and gave Admiral Callaway the coordinates of where those eight-hundred warships are hiding and requested that he go in and confirm their location.” Even the Overland Representative was silent. “Admiral Callaway was told to standby to receive a communication from you, Mister President.”
Jingle pointed the remote at the wall monitor and Admiral Callaway appeared. “Mr. President, Admiral Berringer gave me the coordinates of large numbers of Overland Warships hiding in the outer reaches of their star system and I sent my fleets in to investigate.”
The President glanced at Jingle before asking, “What did you find, Admiral.”
“Sir, there are eight-hundred and forty-six warships at the coordinates we were given by Admiral Berringer.”
Jingle looked at the Overland Representative, “Do you still say it’s a fabrication.” The Overland Representative opened his mouth and then closed it. Jingle looked out at the Assembly, “If any part of this is true, then consider that all of it is probably true. The Representative from Overland has told you that the confessions were coerced from those recruits but failed to point out something critical.” Jingle paused and then continued, “We only interviewed them two at a time and didn’t allow them to communicate with those we hadn’t interviewed. How is it that all of them confessed to the same thing over and over. All the facts were the same and the plan they confessed to was identical. You refused to see it because you didn’t want to see it. You allowed your distrust and hatred of the Union to color your reasoning. And if those confessions were true, what about the video of the Overland President issuing orders?”
Jingle stared out at the silent assembly and sighed, “I understand why you hate the Union. It left your planets alone to fend for themselves against the Rage Kahn. But you also refuse to see the truth in that as well. The Union had been at peace for more than a thousand years and had no warships to send to assist you. The Union started building warships, but the technology had to be developed first before the first warship could be built. By the time the Union started building warships, the Rager War was at full boil and the Union didn’t intervene.” Jingle paused and shook her head before saying, “Not going in to defend you is something the Union sees as its greatest shame. If they could do it over, they would have sent in whatever warships they had…but they didn’t. You blame them for that and it’s understandable why you do. However, the Leadership of the Union has vowed that will never…ever… happen again. They fully intended to go in and attack Overland, not because of the danger this plot represented to the Union but because it placed the planets in the Wilds in danger. It took a lot to stop the President from sending a war fleet to Overland, but I persuaded him that you should be the ones to handle this issue. You wouldn’t understand the Union’s motives and just see it as the Union throwing its weight around.” Jingle looked out at the Assembly and saw a large number of guilty expressions.
“I know many people living in the Forbidden Wilds are jealous of the soft life and advanced technological planets the citizens in the Union inhabit. They are crazy to think that way!” Even the President was surprised by that comment. “I was born and raised in the Union and one day I fled to get away from it. If you live in the Union, you have to have a contract to get married and if one of the parties refuses to cancel it, neither of them will ever be allowed to marry. You must have a contract to live with someone and the expectations must be spelled out. You must have a contract to be employed and it will list all the things you can and can’t do. You even have to have a contract to purchase a pet and all your neighbors have to sign it. If anyone here decided to move to the Union to live, they’d run away screaming in less than six months.”
Jingle shook her head, “You have no reason to be jealous of the Union, the Union; however, has every reason to be jealous of you. You have more freedoms than any Union planet and you will decide how your planets are developed and what they will become. I can tell you that the Union will not si
t idly by and watch any of your planets threatened ever again. Your distrust and hatred is misplaced, and my being here today should prove that to you.”
Jingle stopped and the President watched her closely before turning to the Assembly, “The issue is whether or not the Union has a valid claim against Overland. You will vote on that now.” The Overland Representative stood up and the President said, “It’s clear you’ve been attempting to deceive the Assembly with your lies. You will remain silent.”
The votes were cast, and every Representative supported the Union’s claim except for four planets that abstained. Jingle noticed that all four were not far from Overland.
The President looked at the wall and said, “The Claim has been supported.” The President turned to Admiral Calloway, “Admiral destroy those warships.”
“MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE DON’T DO THAT!!” The President and Admiral Calloway on the monitor turned to her. “I don’t believe that many of the crews on those ships know what is going on.”
“And just how do you suggest we handle this issue, Admiral Jingle?”
Jingle looked at the monitor, “Admiral Calloway, do you have the general frequency being used by the Overland Warships?”
“I do.”
“Do you also have the confessions and video of the Overland President?”
“I do. Your husband sent them to me after I discovered those ships.”
“Then start playing the confessions over the frequency along with the video of the President of Overland.”
The President stared at Jingle and turned to Calloway, “Do as she requests.”
“Yes, Mr. President.” Calloway looked away from the monitor and nodded. After a few minutes, the Assembly heard transmissions from the Overland Warships,
“Can this be true?!”
“What in the hell is going on?!”
“I wondered why they had us out here?”
“Tell me that idiot isn’t really doing this!”
Suddenly they heard, “All ships will shutdown their communicators and go to silent mode immediately!”
“Who was that?” The President asked.
“It’s the Admiral Commanding the ships, Mr. President but none of them are following his orders. I’ve heard some blaster shots in the background, and it appears some of the crews are removing the officers attempting to shutdown communications.”
“Stop the recordings and call on those warships to surrender, Admiral.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Then they heard, “WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER. WE WILL KILL ALL OF YOU ONE DAY!”
“Admiral Calloway, arrest that Admiral and if he resists, destroy his ship.”
Calloway looked away and then turned back, “I’m sorry, Sir. I can’t comply with your orders.”
“Why not?”
“Four of the Overland Warships have attacked the Admiral’s ship and vaporized it.” Calloway looked away and then turned back, “Mr. President, all of their warships have surrendered and have made one request.”
“What is it?”
“They seek to go back to Overland to deal with the President there.”
Jingle shook her head, “Mr. President, you can’t do that?”
“Why not?”
“Because innocent people might be killed if the fleet bombards the planet. Have Admiral Calloway broadcast the confessions and the video to the planet. Have him hold off until he determines what happens.”
The President turned to Admiral Calloway, “Do it like Admiral Jingle suggests.”
“We’re moving to Overland, Sir.”
The monitor went dark and the Overland Representative stood up, “May I speak?”
“What do you have to say?!”
The Overland Representative turned to face the Assembly, “Everything the Union’s Admiral has said is true. The President see’s himself as a new Kahn and won’t listen to reason.” He turned back to the President, “I will submit willingly to whatever punishment you deem appropriate, but my family is being held hostage and if the Kahn learns our fleets are headed to Overland, he has promised that my family will be tortured slowly and painfully before they die. Please try to save them.”
Jingle looked at the Representative, “You don’t believe it can be done, do you?”
He shook his head, “There are five guards at my house, and they’ll kill my family at the first hint of trouble. Please try to prevent their deaths.”
The President stared at him and said, “If we find this to be true, we will use it during your trial.”
“That means nothing to me without my family, Mr. President.”
Jingle pointed the remote at the monitor. Alex appeared and Jingle turned to the Representative, “What’s your address?”
“What?”
“WHAT’S YOUR ADDRESS?!” The Representative told her, and Jingle looked at Alex, “Got it?”
“I do.”
“You must beat the fleet to overland! There are five guards holding his family hostage. Take Ringie down and see if you and Gerald can save his family.”
“On our way.”
Jingle turned to the President and said, “This man has done no wrong!”
“He’s a threat to everyone, Jingle. Look at your own evidence!”
“Mr. President, if your wife and daughter were being held captive and threatened with torture and death, what would you do?”
The President glared at her and glanced at the Assembly, “I suspect I’d do what I was told.”
“Religion, family, and planet, in that order. He was forced to do this and doesn’t deserve to be tried for anything.” Jingle paused and asked, “What if he came to you and told you what was going on, what would you have done?” The President stared at Jingle without replying. “You wouldn’t believe him, and you might even think that he’s trying to take power on Overland.”
The President smiled slightly, “That thought did enter my mind.”
“So, he was trapped into doing this. He does not deserved to be tried for it. That Kahn is the one that should pay for the crimes he’s done against those he’s threatening.”
The President stared at Jingle and looked up, “The issue before the Assembly is whether or not the Representative from Overland should face charges of treason against humanity. Make your votes now.” Everyone looked at the wall tallying the votes and this time it was unanimous, the Representative was a free man. He looked at Jingle and said softly, “Thank you for understanding.”
Jingle went to him and hugged him, “Don’t give up hope on your family.”
“I just don’t see how you can possibly save them.”
“The odds are better than you think,” Jingle replied.
“I pray you are right.”
• • •
Ringie arrived above the address the Overland Rep gave them, and Alex asked, “Ringie, how many guards?”
“Just like he said Alex, five.”
“Where are they?”
“Three are sitting on the front porch and two are inside the house with the family.”
Can you fire a focused blaster beam and kill the guards inside without harming the family.”
“I don’t believe that is possible Alex. The heat from the beam would kill the family.”
“Crap!” Alex knew that if they used blasters to take out the guards on the front porch, the guards inside would hear it. Alex turned to Gerald, “I’ll handle the guards on the front porch. You be ready to go inside with me once that’s done.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Something I promised I never would, Gerald. Ringie take us down and we’re going down on the cords.” Alex and Gerald went to the port and attached an extremely clear cord with a grey colored hook to their belts. Ringie moved in so the port was on the opposite side of the small ship from the guards on the front porch. Alex took a small hand weapon out of his pouch and held it behind him. The port opened and they jumped out of the port and dropped silently into the str
eet in front of the house. There was no fence this time and they detached the cords from their belts. Alex had made Gerald practice dropping from Ringie over and over until they could do it silently. They walked quickly toward the porch and Alex pulled the hand weapon from behind him and swept it across the three guards. They immediately turned to vapor, as Alex rushed forward and grabbed one of the shoulder blasters before it hit the porch; Gerald caught another one. The third guard had leaned his against the chair he was sitting in and it remained in place.
Alex whispered to Gerald, “I’m going to open the door and make it look like the wind blew it open. Move in fast and pick a target.”
Alex gripped the door knob, turned it slowly and pushed it so it slowly moved open. Alex was inside the house in an instant and saw there was no way he could use his weapon against the guard standing directly behind the woman and three children sitting on a sofa. He turned toward the second guard leaning against a high-backed chair watching the entertainment monitor and fired at him. The guard turned to vapor, as he heard Gerald’s blaster discharge; he prayed Gerald had fired at the other guard. He turned around and saw the guard behind the family staring straight ahead with a hole smoking in the center of his forehead. Then he fell backwards and crashed to the floor. Alex tore off his head covering and heard the woman scream, “BE QUIET! WE’VE BEEN SENT HERE BY YOUR HUSBAND TO SAVE YOU!!”
The woman closed her mouth and then asked forcefully, “WHO ARE YOU?!”
“The Kahn’s plot has been uncovered and the Government’s fleets will be arriving in fifteen minutes. You must go with us now! You can take only one thing with you and you must get it now!” The woman and the children didn’t move. “Did you hear me!?!”
“The only thing important to us is my husband and their father.”
“Then get moving and follow me!!”
The woman was frightened but at least this man wasn’t threatening to kill her and her children. She nodded to them and they followed Alex to the door, “Ringie, get over here and open the port!” The woman saw a circular opening suddenly appear just outside the porch. Alex ordered, “Get in now!” The woman carried her three-year old through the port and the two teenagers went through on their own. Alex jumped in behind them followed by Gerald.