Hadfield leaned back in his chair. “Stand at ease, Corporal, and talk frankly,” he ordered. “Why?”
Percy took a breath. “Sir, with all due respect, I am one of the few people on this ship who speaks Russian,” he said. “There isn't time to teach the Vesy English, even if we were inclined to do it. And there will have to be a number of Marines assigned to the settlement anyway, sir. I am the most qualified Marine to remain behind.”
“That is true,” Hadfield agreed. He paused. “You may not have realised this, Percy, but you’ve effectively requested an independent command.”
“Sir?”
Hadfield smiled, rather ruefully. “I cannot desert my post,” he said. “If I put you down on Vesy, with a handful of Marines, you would be the senior Marine. It wouldn't last.”
“No, sir,” Percy said. “I imagine it won’t be long before a full company of Marines - or squaddies - is assigned to Vesy. However, I don’t think we can afford to leave the Vesy without British contact even for a few short months.”
“And it would do your career a power of good,” Hadfield said, slowly. “Or are you going to try to convince me you never thought of that?”
“No, sir,” Percy said.
“Very wise,” Hadfield said. He met Percy’s eyes for a long moment. “The Captain will have to be consulted, of course. I believe he will wish to leave a number of other personnel on the ground, at least for a few weeks. If he agrees, you will be left here until formal contact is opened and a proper garrison is dispatched. After that ... you may be sent back to Earth and reassigned to the personnel pool. It could put a hitch in your career.”
“I know, sir,” Percy said.
“And I advise you to be very careful,” Hadfield added. “These are not humans, Percy, even though they are humanoid. They may have moments when they are completely unpredictable. You would be wise to bear that in mind at all times.”
“Yes, sir,” Percy said.
“Dismissed,” Hadfield said. “You may want to write a new will.”
Percy somehow managed to keep his smile off his face until he left the makeshift office. It wouldn’t be pleasant, remaining on the planet once the ship had departed, but someone would have to remain ... and why not him? Hadfield was right; if he established himself as one of the leading translators, as well as an expert in the alien culture, it would give his career a colossal boost. Yes, it would be risky. But if he hadn't wanted a risky life, he would have gone into accounting and spent his days helping wealthy businessmen to escape paying taxes.
Penny would be surprised, he knew, and so would his girlfriend. They’d expect to see him back on Earth, when Warspite returned. But he knew Penny, at least, would understand ...
... And besides, she would probably be one of the first reporters demanding a pass to visit Vesy. He’d see her again soon.
***
“So you do want to return to Cromwell,” John said.
“Yes, Captain,” Gillian McDougal said. She sat in John’s office, sipping a mug of tea. “My husband is there, waiting for me.”
Your husband is in some trouble, John thought. It hadn't taken him long to realise that Gillian McDougal’s husband was Hamish McDougal, one of the rebels from Cromwell. But at least he’s alive.
“Then we will take you back, once we have a transport,” John said. He knew there would be complaints - a doctor would be invaluable on Vesy - but he didn't want to hold her against her will. “What about the others?”
Gillian frowned. “Most of them want to go to Cromwell too,” she said. “But some ... some are scared of what they will face, soon.”
John nodded, slowly. There had been a campaign, in the latter half of the war, targeting partners who cheated while their other halves were at the front. It had been a persistent problem, he knew; officers and crewmen received ‘dear john’ letters while they were serving, which tended to destroy their morale. Husbands and wives who did cheat had been hounded by the mob, some even being tarred and feathered. The war might be over, but its legacy remained.
And most of the settlers waited for years for their wives, John thought. He knew how he would have felt, if he had waited so long only to be disappointed, and he doubted it was any different for straight men. They won’t react well when some of their wives return, pregnant with another man’s child.
He cursed, inwardly. On Earth, the whole ghastly affair could be sorted out without violence; on Cromwell, it might not be so easy.
“We can take messages from the women to their husbands,” he said. “And then ... well, maybe they can see what sort of reaction they get.”
“It might work,” Gillian said. “But none of them had much of a choice.”
“I know,” John said.
He sighed. A man could accept an adopted child, either by marrying a widow or adopting a new child, because he knew the child was adopted. But it was harder to accept a cuckoo in the nest, even if the woman hadn't had a choice. There would be suspicion, which would rapidly harden into paranoia, about just what had happened ... and nagging from well-meaning people would only make it worse.
We won, he thought. And now we have to clear up the mess.
“We will see,” he said. “I ...”
His intercom bleeped. “Captain, this is Armstrong,” Armstrong said. “Can I report to you?”
John’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, you can,” he said. He gave Gillian an apologetic look, then keyed a switch. “Midshipwoman, please escort Doctor McDougal to the shuttlebay.”
Armstrong stepped into the cabin as Gillian was escorted out. “Captain,” he said. “You know I have been studying the tramlines in this system.”
“Yes, I know,” John said, tartly.
Armstrong ignored his tone. “It's not so easy to predict the destination of an alien-grade tramline,” he said. “The gravity fluxes can be harder follow unless ...”
“Get to the point,” John ordered.
“Sir,” Armstrong said. “One of the tramlines leads to Pegasus.”
John stared at him. “Are you sure?”
“As sure as I can be without actually jumping down the tramline,” Armstrong said. “The computers give it a 90% chance of leading to Pegasus.”
John fought down the urge to bang his head against the table. If they'd known ... he could have whistled up an escort carrier, or a freighter, right away. But it was useful, at least; there would be a new way to reach Vesy, shaving several weeks off the journey. Pegasus was about to become considerably more important. And who knew what would happen then?
“We’ll test it,” he said. If Armstrong was right, they could get a transport from Pegasus, then move the women and children to Cromwell directly. “And then we will finally head home.”
Chapter Forty
“This is a very interesting report, Captain.”
“Yes, sir,” John said. It had taken a month to get back to Earth, after shipping the colonists to Cromwell and having an urgent discussion with Governor Baxter. At least Gamble had remained in the brig until they finally reached Earth. “It changes everything.”
“That is an understatement,” the First Space Lord said. He’d come to Nelson Base to meet John personally, something that worried John more than he cared to admit. “You do realise that it has already leaked out?”
“Yes, sir,” John said.
“It’s hard to tell what the media is most agitated about,” Admiral Finnegan said. “The problems faced by Cromwell, the Indians and Turks expanding their influence, the Russian pirates, the existence of a whole new alien race, you ... bending the Non-Interference Edict ... there will have to be a Board of Inquiry, you know.”
“Yes, sir,” John said again.
“The Russians are outraged, of course,” Admiral Finnegan continued. “I believe the early reports didn't manage to quite get across the concept of Russian renegades, so the Russians got a great deal of stick for violating the Edict themselves. By now, things have cooled down a little, but the Russians are s
till demanding an inquiry. They may want to blame you and your crew personally.”
John frowned. “For what?”
“The Russians are in a delicate place at the moment,” Admiral Finnegan said. “They may have good reason to be pissed at you.”
He shrugged. “The World Court will debate the issue of just who gets custody of the remaining prisoners in the next few months,” he added. “They’ll be held in custody until then, Captain. The Russians have already filed a motion to have them handed over to Moscow as deserters, in line with the EDO Treaty, but I don’t think that will get them anywhere.”
“Yes, sir,” John said.
He frowned. “Sir, can I ask a question?”
The First Space Lord lifted his eyebrows, but said nothing.
“Why ... why are the Russians playing games?” John asked. “This situation wasn't Moscow’s fault.”
“Tell me, Captain,” Admiral Finnegan said. “Do you know what a super secret is?”
“No, sir,” John said.
“Most government secrets are boring or useless,” Admiral Finnegan said. “A great many classified files have merely been classified out of habit. Or hidden away to keep embarrassing truths buried under a mountain of bullshit. But a super secret, Captain, is one that could have the most horrific effects if it got out. A super secret could bring down a government or start a war.”
He met John’s eyes. “The answer to the question you asked is a super secret, Captain,” he warned. “I believe that only a handful of people know just what’s driving the Russians, but it cannot be allowed to become public knowledge. The results would not be pleasant.”
“Yes, sir,” John said. He knew there was no point in probing further. “I understand.”
“Good,” Admiral Finnegan said. He pressed his fingers together as he sat back in his chair. “News of another alien race has already excited everyone, as you know. There are dozens of plans being put together to send diplomatic or trading missions to the Vesy. We won't be the only ones, I’m afraid; there isn't anyone who can legally claim their system, not even the Russians. But then, that too would start a war.”
“Because Moscow would be accepting responsibility for the pirates,” John said.
“Precisely,” Admiral Finnegan said. “I think there will also be some additional colonists heading to Cromwell, which may help to smooth out matters in that direction. The CDC has reluctantly agreed to uphold the deal you made, helped by some arm-twisting from the Admiralty. And Pegasus, too, will get extra support. I predict a bright future for the system.”
“Yes, sir,” John said.
“You will probably get a medal, once the Board of Inquiry has finished tearing you to shreds,” Admiral Finnegan said. “I don't think everyone is happy with you leaving a small garrison on the planet.”
“I know, sir,” John said. “But it had to be done.”
“It raises political implications,” Admiral Finnegan said. “The World Court has already stressed that we cannot claim the system.”
“I wasn't trying to claim the system,” John reminded him.
“I know,” Admiral Finnegan said. “But not everyone believes it.”
He shrugged. “You did well, Captain,” he said. “And you handled it as well as it could be handled. But there is another issue that should be raised.”
John nodded. He knew what was coming.
“Commander Watson,” the First Space Lord said. “You do realise that relieving her of her position will have made you enemies?”
“Yes, sir,” John said.
“Good,” the First Space Lord said. “So tell me. Why did you do it?”
John took a long breath. “Sir, Commander Watson is a genius, but with all due respect to her and her patrons, she is not remotely suited to serve as an XO. Any inquiry into her conduct while serving on Warspite will lead to unpleasant conclusions, starting with dereliction of duty. For example, she tolerated junior officers handling tasks she should have handled herself. If I had had a completely free hand, I would have relieved her of duty long ago.
“I do not believe, sir, that she actually intended to avoid doing her job, but an inquest will assume the worst. She will have to prove her innocence, sir ... and it’s impossible to prove a negative. Her career will be blighted for nothing.”
“I will grant you that,” Admiral Finnegan said. “But why didn't you relieve her earlier?”
“I believed I could compensate for her,” John said. He resisted the temptation to point out that it had been Admiral Finnegan who had warned him about the political issues. “I had been an XO myself, sir, while Lieutenant-Commander Richards could be slotted into place to pick up her work. However, the formal position would still rest with her. If I had died on Cromwell, she would either have assumed command or been pushed aside by Richards and Howard. Both would have caused major problems when Warspite returned home.
“Those weren't the only issues. She was charged with supervising the crews, but she gave them so little supervision that one of them started to steal military-grade components, while falsifying the logs. This very nearly proved fatal to the entire ship, Admiral. It could have killed us all, including her.”
“And you had a man executed for it,” Admiral Finnegan observed. “The Board of Inquiry will dissect that decision too.”
“Yes, sir,” John said. “I expect as much.”
He frowned. “After Cromwell, I knew I could no longer take the risk of Commander Watson succeeding me,” he said. “As I noted in my log, she was excused from her rank to concentrate on her speciality.”
“Yes,” the First Space Lord said. “You covered that nicely, Captain.”
“Thank you, sir,” John said. “I believe she will come up with something that will revolutionise interstellar travel.”
“It would certainly make it harder for your new enemies to have a go at you,” Admiral Finnegan agreed. “For the moment, the decision is confirmed. It helps that Warspite shook down nicely and there is no longer an argument for keeping Commander Watson on the ship.”
He shrugged. “You and your crew will remain here for several months, I believe,” he said. “I’ve arranged matters for you to have a few days of leave before the inevitable inquest starts, Captain. I expect the World Court will wish you to testify as well. They may also wish to charge you with breaking the Edict yourself, although I have it on good authority that the Prime Minister has no intention of allowing the charges to stand. The media is on your side.”
John smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“It wasn't my fault,” Admiral Finnegan said. He shrugged. “Off the record, I would suggest you don’t go down to Earth. Whatever the media may be saying, there's no shortage of lunatics ready to accuse you of mass murder. Or of disturbing the noble savages with human ideas. I suspect revisionist historians may wind up painting you as the villain of the piece.”
“I see,” John said.
“The world is full of idiots,” Admiral Finnegan pointed out. “There are already people talking about plans to send shipments of teaching aids to the Vesy ... and plans to collect all the Russian technology from the natives, just to save them from being contaminated any further. I doubt it will calm down anytime soon.”
“Yes, sir,” John said. “If I may ask, what does the government have in mind?”
“His Majesty’s Government has yet to determine a policy,” Admiral Finnegan admitted. “I have a feeling you may be called to testify in front of the Parliamentary Committee on Human-Alien Relations. Dealing with the Tadpoles is hard enough, Captain, but at least we have a broad consensus among the spacefaring powers. Here ... it’s possible that each and every government will develop its own policy. Some will seek greater engagement and influence with the Vesy; others, I fear, will wish to leave them completely alone.”
“Yes, sir,” John said.
Admiral Finnegan studied him. “What would you suggest, if you had the ability to decide?”
John considered
it. “I don’t think we can prevent the knowledge the Russians introduced from spreading, sir,” he said. “Even if we pulled back and quarantined the entire star system, their society would still change. If we wanted to help, we should at least seek to guide them around the pitfalls we encountered when we were developing technology. But, at the same time, we and they might both wind up making new and horrific mistakes.”
“True,” Admiral Finnegan agreed. “What would you suggest?”
“Careful engagement,” John said. “Besides, the Russians might have been on to something, when they saw the Vesy as future allies.”
“And until then,” Admiral Finnegan said dryly, “we also need to keep them from being exploited. And what happens if they want to be exploited?”
[Ark Royal 04] - Warspite Page 41