“Yes.”
“Another note. I don’t ever want my staff to feel lonely if I can help it.”
“Yes XO. I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll be in Molly’s room working on the plan.”
I decided to forgo the Control Room walk ‘round. Was that a sigh I heard in my mind? Telepathy at last.
Ships don’t really smoke when they finish a run but dock masters don’t like to allow anyone aboard real soon, figuring thereby they could slow hotshot pilots down, fat chance. So here Erlo and I stood waiting for the Captains ship to be declared officially ‘on board’.
I thought slight impatience would be permissible after a half hour. Erlo didn’t seem to care. Probably his senses had grasped some other impression. Then the doors opened and a gang plank came out, well that’s what we called them. Actually it was an airlock extension. We walked in and were directed to the main cabin where a stocky older man with a square face awaited us. He put his drink in his left hand and greeted us saying, “I’m Joshua Bilik, and of course you’re Ranger Fracule and that leaves XO Rafe Berger. He shook both our hands and asked, “Drink gentlemen?”
The steward in his white jacket appeared and took mine and Erlo’s orders. Three low overstuffed chairs had been arranged around a low circular table. I made a mental note that Joshua liked to be in control. The drinks came and we seated ourselves around the table. I noted that the lights were lower than usual; therefore I scrutinized Joshua’s face closer, definite signs of age. The steward handed me a folded note which I glanced at, 239 years old. I passed it to Erlo and he glanced at it and crumbled it and stuck it in his pocket.
I said, “Some details, which will wait. Always some detail.”
Joshua said, “I expect. You have a big city here. I’m told 80,000 plus, amazing.”
“It varies slightly. Depends if we’re on a Mission, then we add whoever we need for the task at hand.”
Erlo asked, “How has Wiltorne City survived my absence?”
Joshua joked, “You sow so much disinformation about your whereabouts no one believed that you were absent.” Erlo laughed. He continued, “I understand that Walter is on board and energetically arranging a new day for Wiltorme.”
I said, “That’s right. There is going to be a new day. We’ve came a long way across the galaxy to rectify a situation that should have never developed.”
Joshua finished his drink and motioned to the steward waiting nearby for a refill before he answered, “There are sides of Bern you do not know.”
I motioned for a refill too and when I got it, I had a sip and sat it down and answered him, “Let’s summarize what we know. Some geneticists, about 300 years ago were working backwards along the GE track and hit upon a race who had survived sub light travel between stars by being their own fathers and mothers. They isolated the gene and implanted it in the Brenesi. It didn’t kill them so they implanted it in themselves. You were, I’d guess second generation off of that experiment, which it seems, has had spectacular results. Did I miss anything?”
Joshua hugged his drink with both hands. It seemed like he didn’t know whether to throw it away or drink it straight down. He chose the straight down and the steward was there with another before he could motion. He let it sit on the table. When he had some control of himself he asked, “What is it going to cost to have you not spread this knowledge?”
Both Erlo and I had a good laugh over that.
Erlo said, “We invite you here to give you a seat in the ruling triumvirate of a new government and you ask us to take payoffs. Brighten up. You have no coin of worth to me and you certainly have no coin for Rafe who already controls spaces too vast to tell you about in a week. We asked you here to take a hand, be a partner, in a new day. We’re not interested in disclosing any secrets, though you’ll probably find that not believable.”
Joshua had a strange look on his face. I tried to remember where I had seen that look before. Yes, it had been on the face of an escaped slave whom I’d encountered in Southern Pennsylvania on a scout north. So much relief, not yet salvation, but relief. Erlo took note also and reached over and put his hand on Joshua’s shoulder and gripped it without saying anything. The steward placed some breads and cheeses on the table and finger bowls with small towels for each of us. I broke a small loaf of the fresh baked bread in half and handed half to Joshua. I put some butter on the other half. I wondered where the dairy farm was located. No, I didn’t want to know right now.
The steward returned with a jug of red wine and glasses and we did the ‘repast good stead’.
We didn’t speak further for about a half hour. When we were done and the crumbs cleared away I said, “You’re welcome to come see the Brenesi settled in their new home, or if you can’t spare the time you’re welcome to send a Vid Crew. Dinner’s planned in this ships reception hall tomorrow at 1900. We do hope you’ll attend. You can stay here on-board, or anything you like. Erlo has some details he’d like to discuss. Duties call. Until tomorrow.”
I stood and shook Joshua’s hand and left them to it. I hoped they weren’t piddling in their view of a possible future.
On the way back to my own ship I called General Niken and asked him to meet me there. He had taken up quarters in the First Officer’s ship which was a 3 mile long version of mine. He arrived slightly after me. I had charts of approaches and street maps of Wiltorne City on the dinning room table and was looking at them.
“Greetings XO. Haven’t seen much of you, but I trust the plan as laid out meets your approval?”
“I kept track, but it changed so much in the particulars, I decided to hear the final version from you.”
“Here it is. The 1st Military Intelligence Battalion, 625 strong, with 20 Essence Ensigns will drop into Wiltorme City aboard an LST, 12 hours before your arrival there. We’ve retrofitted the LST that we got on Bren and there is no problem speed wise. All the operatives have credentials signed by Lord Wiltorne. The Field Marshall has been advised and will answer any calls from local authorities as to authenticity. The mission of the operatives is to ascertain whether any obvious threat has developed against the Lord since his departure. If so report it to the Field Marshall. If the threat doesn’t get handled we are to handle it ourselves. If said threat is a Military uprising we are to neutralize as many of the ring leaders as possible. For this mission we’ve replaced the Marine Landing Craft with 80 Grouper Wagons who have 20 Regs in Improved Armor in them. That is 1,600 Regs in all. I consider that force adequate. Any questions?
“Not as far as tactics are concerned. You have much more experience than me. It’s just a matter of policy. If the situation isn’t black, don’t go. We’ll leave the gray areas to the locals. But if it is black, and you decide to go, don’t hesitate for a second. Your people are all backed up in Med Deck if we can’t do a pick up run with a Frigate. You personally will be in orbit, but stay outside of danger. We can’t afford to have you going through new body break in, time wise.”
“I understand the complexities. We’ll depart in an hour if there’s nothing else.”
“No, nothing, Godspeed.”
We shook hands and he left. I was confident a verbatim message would reach Thelma within a half hour, if she weren’t busy. She could change my call if she wanted to.
I talked with the steward of the Captains ship, to put my mind at ease. He did indeed know that Paula, Sally, Walter, Bernice, Erlo, Joshua, Gina, and Hortimer would be at the dinner. Arrangements had been made to get them there. From there out it was his problem and I put the Marion problem in the front of my mind. No matter how I pushed and pulled at it, I had caused the problem. That it was for good reason was an excuse. But the solution was up to me. Since she could not be Marion the Ranger, there being already one of them, off to Earth with Ranger Harkness and their terrible weapon, directly after Bren, I would offer her First Officer on this ship. That she would be interested in scientific questions, rather than a command functions was a plus. I could see no objections that Thelma
could have. So I called Sally and when she came in said, “Shorten my reasoning and send along my conclusions to Thelma and say I need an agreement or another solution before 0800 the 26th. Also ask her to establish some sort of unified ship time system for simplicities sake. Thank you.”
I looked for a brief moment at the likelihood Marion would want to be by my side constantly, just to have me handy, if she decided to kill me. Evidently she had reached a point in her life where she wanted some one to share with. I might become a stand in for Harkness. We would see come Thursday.”
The dining room was 50 feet by 50 feet. Sally and I walked in at 1900. Glancing around, I could see that everyone had arrived already. Aside from waves to show our arrival had been seen we did not disturb the ongoing conversations. That pleased me no end. We walked over to the bar and the bartender handed me my bourbon and branch. Sally indicated she would try the same. Hell, we didn’t have far to go to get to our beds. Erlo and Joshua were still discussing something. Sally said, “They’re at an impasse.”
I walked over to Gina who was talking with Paula and Bernice and said, “Excuse me. Gina, I would like to introduce you to Joshua. He has access to detailed records that may help our understanding.”
Making my excuses to the other two, I steered her over to Joshua and Erlo, then said, “Could you two put what ever it is on hold long enough for you, Joshua to meet a charming Ensign, Gina is our research librarian. I told her that you have libraries also and with that I leave it up to you two to figure out how many secrets you are going to keep from each other. Could I have a word Erlo, on a business matter?”
We walked a short ways off and I said, “General Niken is halfway to Wiltorme City already. Anything you care to add to yesterdays briefing?”
“Nothing substantial has changed. He said he was 8 on the phone. I’ll call him if I get word of anything.”
“Hopefully Walter will get back into his saddle with no waves.”
“I don’t see any reason to worry. Oh, looks like were being gathered for dinner. You told them to put out the good wine, didn’t you?”
“Certainly. We’re having a produce of the gardens dinner, everything is from our farms.”
I lost count of the different dishes we were served. Nothing was too much and the desert was a tart berry with a sweetener. If we could do this why were people starving. Maybe they were spending too much time and resources killing each other. Gina sat near Joshua and they were doing fine with each other. Hortimer was talking with Paula. I missed my time with her; things had been so much simpler then.
WEREN’T THEY?
I smiled at her. I wish this telepathy thing would hurry up.
CAUTION, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT.
Yes I might not, oh well. I tried to see some worry in Bernice about her return tomorrow. I couldn’t see a bit. She knew her city and folk better than me. Just me being paranoid again. I listened to what I could hear of the other conversations. No one was broaching problem areas. Perhaps that’s why nothing gets solved, or maybe we all deserved a pause now and then.
The pleasantness pause broke up about 2200, but not before Bernice insisted that the cooks and servers share some wine with the guests. I didn’t know what she did at home, but why not. They were all interesting fluent people. Maybe they should open a restaurant?
THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE, MOST SUCCESSFUL.
Who knew? I was getting that a lot. I made a resolution to look around. I could see from Sally’s face that she was already making trip maps.
We hugged and shook hands all around and went our ways. Sally didn’t want to be lonely. Our time was a relaxed extension of the evening.
Chapter 37
Rafe
At 1000 I went to the Bridge and talked with the DO. I said, “Let’s make this return like no other in Wiltorme City’s history. I want the Captain’s ship crewed for a 1200 descent, with Walter and Bernice aboard. Erlo will depart before them. I want the ship to go down while making a slow revolution. I know that’s Standard Operational Procedure, but slower. Call the Field Marshall and arrange an Air Stop from 1130 to 1230. At 5,000 feet have ten Grouper Wagons come up and dock and the principals are to get on one and go down to their Security Force. Remain in place until 1230 to allow the Grouper Wagons to rejoin the LST and lift off. Maintain high position until 30 miles up and then break formation to dock. Did I leave anything out? Oh, I’ll see them aboard at 1100. Coordinate with General Nikon who will be high cover in the first officers ship. Clear?”
“I’ll transmit those orders XO. We can always adjust if need be.”
“Thank you. Also the deportees would like to say something before boarding, so have some A/V person standing by, ship wide distribution. Thank You.”
I left to go to the Captain’s ship. He could fill in the blanks if need be.
I was standing by the ship waiting when my phone rang. It was Erlo, “I’m going to depart early and stand off. My sensors are more sensitive than yours so I’ll see something coming sooner. It was a once in a moon trip. Save my table by the pool.”
“I’ll put a plaque on it saying, ‘use it until Erlo returns, it’s his’.”
“I think you actually will. I got your phone. Call anytime. Out.”
Joshua was going on and would come back with Tilda when ever. Seems like I caused vacation fever. Baggage came and went onboard. Then Walter and Bernice. They stopped at the air lock. The A/V person handed them a microphone. Bernice spoke first, a nice heartfelt, I thought, thank you. Walter went on a bit but the sincerity came across also.
Bernice came over to me and said, “There’s no words. It’s going to be a different life now.”
She kissed me on the cheek and stepped back so Walter could shake my hand, and hug me. He was misty eyed. I felt the determination about him. They entered and waved as the airlock closed.
I went to the Bridge to watch the decent on the 3D and then, after the Wagons had entered the ship; I switched to a 10 foot X 10 foot screen.
The wagons were at 1,000 feet and grouped around the principal when the rocket rose out of a group of seemingly abandoned buildings. It hit a Wagon with a large flash (flash = shields held). I said, “Don’t break formation.” Unnecessarily, while Paula said, BIG STRIKE POISED.
The DO did nothing as we were on multiple broadcasts. A swarm of Grouper Wagons circled the landing area, disgorged Regs with mortars over their shoulders. One step and the mortars were set up. Two commenced bombarding the coordinates the rocket had came from, more for practice than effect. About twenty Wagons started flying a widening circle. One after another would stop and direct a burst from their Plasma Cannons downward. Their cockpit vid feed showed tripod launchers and munitions nearby, but no people. After a dozen or so blasts there evidently were no further targets. The flying ring broadened to 10 miles.
The Bridge DO said, “Commence put down. Break ring for Wiltorne Security. Pass through upon clearance from an Ensign.
From then on all went smoothly. The Wagons flew air cover until the convoy entered the palace grounds, then they returned to patrol the landing site We still had to on load the Diplomatic Mission personnel using Grouper Wagons. That proceeded smoothly but slow as a snail. Enough Wagons but they couldn't get through the doors fast enough. Can’t civilians ever do anything faster then half-time cadence? It took over two hours until they were all aboard ARK IV. This mess was going to be the topic for many, many officer level discussions. Somebody pressed a note in my half clenched hand, ‘Sally, memo already sent’.
I relaxed a bit after that and reminded myself again that I was part of a team. The players would castigate themselves enough without me. Some self appointed head Diplomat would be searching me out to complain about something. Sally, you’re Diplomatic liaison, good training. Don’t spend more than fifteen minutes a day at it.
My phone rang, Erlo, “That little show is going to cost a lot of people dearly. They all volunteered for Erlo’s Army. First stop Bren, for Basic Training. I’m serio
us.”
“I believe you. Let me know how it goes.”
“Will do. Out.”
Then Walter came on, “Thanks for the cover. Erlo and I were talking. He says he needs recruits for his Army. Is he ever going to get them and they will never step foot upon Wiltorme again. Have to go, Bernice is talking shopping trip. Out.”
Hell, if it worked for Bernice, I might put it in my new book as a cure for everything.
I looked at the 3D. We were out of the system long since with no one behind us. Like anyone could catch us anyway.
I said, “DO, Can you ask the Reg commander and the MI commanding officer to join General Niken and me for lunch tomorrow 1200?”
“Will do.”
With that I left the Bridge before they harvested me for dinner, slow, slow, personal Civil War joke, you weren’t there.
Time for Marion to come out of the time drop, 0900, odd how I was reacting to this, anticipation, dread, odd combination, produced odd feelings in one’s body.
I expressed to the Maintenance dock in time to watch the Techs equalize the time fields. When the airlock door quit shimmering, they opened it and motioned me through. Directly inside Marion and Betty were sitting at a large table with sheaves of documents on it. To one side of the table was a long line of people with a Master Tech at the front of the line.
He asked, “Permission to disembark XO?”
I looked at Betty, no reaction except for a short nod. “Of course you can. Thank you for your services. Perhaps we can gather for a de-brief in two days. You’re all off schedule for a week. Please go enjoy.”
They all gave a cheer and happily, orderly, stampeded through the broad airlock door.
When they were gone, I gathered my courage, walked to the table, and sat in the only unoccupied chair. “Welcome back ladies. If this is what you’ve done you’ve had tremendous success.”
They both smiled, Betty happily, Marion evilly, or maybe that was my imagination.
Greener Green I: Where Does the Circle Begin Page 26