Chapter 22
John entered into long-distance negotiations with the planetary president. He began by assuring her that he had no intention of destroying the system’s lifeblood – it’s space-going infrastructure. He actually had no written permission from either Admiral Grigorivich or that officer’s civilian superiors to negotiate surrender, but he was the man in control and he fully intended to take advantage of the situation to achieve an agreement that would not destroy the planet’s fragile economy. That act would ensure that the hatred continued for decades.
Three days after the battle, Orleans’s sent up a shuttle. He met their delegation on one of the flight decks of the Adams. The president was an elderly woman, one of the first to be born on the planet, and reportedly deeply revered by her people. She was also clearly furious and, John thought, grief-stricken. Standing alone, John greeted the woman, her two aides and two obvious bodyguards.
John looked briefly but very carefully at the two men and quietly said, “Madam president, I regret the circumstances under which we are meeting, as I know you do. Will you please guarantee that those who are accompanying you will honor our cease fire?” She glared at him and bit off what was probably an expletive. Oddly, his mood lightened – he thought he could deal with this very passionate woman.
She jerkily nodded her head and he asked, “Would the five of you please accompany me? I have some refreshments laid out, and a few of my officers will join us.” She gritted, “We are in no need of refreshments.” He nodded politely, as if she had said something actually pleasant, and turned to leave. He waited for her to move, but when she continued to stand stiffly, he began walking toward a distant hatch. She and her party were forced to follow. It was an inauspicious beginning.
At the hatch he passed a pair of armed Marines, who elegantly saluted him, and moments later, saluted President Minh, surprising her into an automatic nod. She flushed with mingled anger and embarrassment and continued into a passageway.
They went up several levels and came out in officer’s country, passed another sentry and entered a small meeting room. In the middle stood a large round conference table. Off to one side stood another table with an array of food and drinks. John pulled out a chair for the elderly woman, causing her to glare once again. She pointed to a different chair and one of her aides pulled it out for her.
John smiled blandly and went to the side table. He got a cup and turned, “Madam President, I find it difficult to think, much less negotiate without a cup of something. Would you like some tea or coffee?” She glared again. John filled his cup, added some sugar and walked back to sit down, facing her across the table. He settled and asked, “Madam President, I fully understand your feelings, and as you may expect, the personnel of this ship, and the others with her, feel much the same way toward rebels that you do toward us. I am certain that even before my arrival you and your people had suffered, lost a great deal. The past is not going away, and in fact I am greatly afraid that our future yet contains even more death and destruction. However, no matter the outcome, one day, hopefully soon, the war will be over, and the human family is going to have to learn how to live together again. For you, that day has arrived. I recognize that we cannot erase what has happened, but there are things that you and I can do to help you and your people to survive as well as possible the coming years.”
She looked at him with obsidian eyes, “Captain, yours is a lowly rank for such a responsibility. How can I be certain that whatever accord is reached here will not be summarily thrown aside by a more senior flunky?”
John grinned, startling her, “Madam president, I can offer you no such assurance. However, since I do not have explicit orders as to how to proceed, why not take the opportunity to craft the best agreement possible?”
Over the previous few minutes she had been carefully watching John, and her attitude had changed to one of careful watchfulness. She asked, speaking flatly, “You mean, best for the federals?” John sighed, took a sip of coffee and replied, equally flatly, “From the moment my forces entered your system, there ceased to be rebels and federals – there remains just you and I, and the ten million or so inhabitants of Orleans. I now ask you madam, are you prepared to discuss with me the near-term future of your planet and its people?” She asked, “And, if I choose to simply wait for the next, more senior negotiator?” John nodded thoughtfully, “If that is your decision, I shall escort you back to your shuttle.” He shut up. She could figure out for herself that any such decision might work to her disadvantage.
She turned to her aide and they spoke quietly. The young woman, petite and very attractive, handed her a single sheet of bright white paper. She asked, “Do you not have any aides?” John grinned, “Yes madam president, I do, but until you tell me yea or nay, I will not know if I shall require their services.” He shut up once again. His very short courtship with his new wife had taught him a great deal about dealing with women, which was fortunate indeed.
President Minh seemed somehow to grow a little smaller. She said, quietly, “What are your demands?” John said, “For the duration of the war, you may not trade with your, um, former trading partners. As that will create severe problems for your world, I suggest that we discuss what your system requires.”
She asked, carefully, “What else?” John said, “What else? Oh, you mean requirements? That’s pretty much it.” She looked thoughtfully at him, “Captain, for about four years our nations have been at war; just on this world, there have been thousands of young men and women who have been killed by the federals, many of those within the last few days. I do not think that our people are going to happily accept your occupation of our world, and I do not think your people will…behave as you seem to indicate.” John said, softly, “My wife lost her parents when a rebel attack destroyed the unarmed civilian passenger ship they were traveling on. I do not for a moment believe that the people of Orleans or Maya, or any other human world are just going to happily forget the last four years. You cannot bring my in-laws back to life, and I can do nothing for the dead of your world. What we can do is begin the process of healing. In the case of the majority of our worlds, we will hang together or surely, we will all hang separately.” She cocked her head at him, “I recognize that expression.” He nodded somberly, “John Chamberlin, professor of history, at your services.” She asked, “You were a professor?”
Before he could answer, James and four other officers entered the room. John promptly stood and introduced them to his guests, who, with the exception of the president, he didn’t have names to go with their faces. She was now forced to introduce her two aides, and at John’s polite look, she grudgingly gave the names of her two ‘additional aides’.
James, their ship captain and two other CAG’s sat down at the table and he quickly brought everyone up to speed. It took possibly ten seconds. James looked back and forth between John and the elderly president of the planet of Orleans. He tried and failed to look surprised, an expression she noted. She turned to face him and raised her eyebrows. John simply smiled faintly, and James was forced to speak. He flicked a glance at John, who continued to smile blandly, and he shrugged, “Captain Chamberlin is an expert on history, making him a good judge of what not to do today, when we are creating tomorrow’s history.”
She asked, “Your last name is the same as that of Captain Chamberlin. Are you related?” He said, “Yes Madam president, and if our mother was present, she would scold us both if we failed to treat you with the courtesy and respect your person and office deserve.”
She sat back and looked at James for a moment before replying, “This has been a most unexpected experience. May we get to the urgent trading needs of my people?”
It took an hour to arrange for the federal government to guarantee the delivery of some urgently needed supplies, equipment and seeds and other agricultural products that the planet required.
As the meeting was winding down, she carefully inquired about ‘housing requirements’. John had ex
pected such a question, and said, “Madam president, I believe it would not be advisable for federal officials, troops or bureaucrats to descend on your planet in any numbers. I suppose that there will be a few, but I don’t expect, and will request, that their number be strictly limited. There will be a federal presence on your orbitals, and while I’m certain you do not like the idea, you will understand that our one prime requirement is the cessation of all commerce between Orleans and any and all secessionist worlds. Additionally, there will be some federal combat vessels located in your system; they will require the normal services of any vessel, and your planet will of course be compensated at going rates. Do you have any additional questions, doubts, demands or, I don’t know, recipe’s?” She actually smiled, “No Captain, I believe we have covered all the main areas. I shall return, present this to our parliament and comm you within, say, twenty four hours?” John stood and said, “The sooner we can begin the peace, the sooner I can return to my bride.”
By then everyone was standing. She asked, “Oh, you have recently married?” John grinned hugely, “Yes Madam president, very recently.” James muttered, although deliberately loud enough to be heard, “…and very quickly.” She glanced at James and cocked a delicate eyebrow at John, who added, “We went home on leave, maybe six months ago, and I married on the morning of our last day.”
She nodded again and said, “May I offer to you and your wife my congratulations. I pray that your marriage is half as good as mine has been.” John grinned again and held out his hand. She reached out a delicate hand and they shook. John said, “If it isn’t, my wife will kill me.” She smiled, although only a trace of that could charitably be termed happy, “And rightly so, Captain.”
John escorted his ‘guests’ back to their shuttle, saluted smartly as they boarded and quickly vacated the space, just ahead of the air.
Back in his quarters, John met with his CAG’s and arranged for a schedule of regular patrols of the system. The CAG in charge of the search for survivors of the brutal missile exchange said, “Captain we’ve picked up a total of nineteen survivors from their fighters. None of the missile boat crews survived, but we’ve got thirty nine personnel from their destroyers.” John asked, “Have they been seen by our medical personnel?” Kim, his name, said, “Yes sir. Three remain under observation, and the rest have already been shuttled to their primary base.” John nodded, “I’d like to visit them. They were really stupid, but I respect that a lot more than some of the…um, perhaps I should not finish that sentence.”
Kim nodded with an over-the-top expression of subservience, “Yes sir. Absolutely.” John laughed, “How would you like to be reassigned to the DeKlerk? I understand they are in need of a new CAG.” Kim raised his hand, “Sir! Have you no honor?” James laughed, “Captain Chamberlin is the very model of honor and upright living – his wife insists on it.” John laughed, looking now at his brother, “CAG? DeKlerk?” James muttered, “How soon they turn on you.” John nodded somberly, “So I have noticed.”
Chapter 23
It took three weeks for a federal flotilla to arrive. During that time John worked tirelessly with the president’s staff to get their highly unusual treaty up and running. Her people presented numerous obstacles, but she knew that the future of her planet depended largely on how smoothly they could make the process work. As a result, she appeared at countless public meetings, and fired any number of people - both civilians and military - who tried to torpedo the agreement. She could see that for her planet the war was over, and it was time to begin the peace.
Not all her people agreed. She made it extremely clear that she would not allow anyone to force the federals to put troops on the planet surface. Unfortunately, there were some people who wanted exactly that, knowing it would create more problems. The elderly president had been in public service for over forty years, and knew where every single body was buried, some, quite possibly, by her very own delicate hand.
Much to John’s surprise, immediately after arriving, Admiral Grigorivich shuttled over to the Adams, saluted the flag and was given permission to enter. John had expected to be summoned, possibly by MP’s. Fortunately, John was on hand to salute and shake, in that order. The admiral held his hand for a long moment, looked quickly around the crowded deck which up until his arrival had been extremely noisy, and said, loudly, “Captain Chamberlin, please allow me to congratulate you and all your personnel for a job well done. Amazing results! Not one federal casualty.”
In a more normal tone of voice he continued, “I’ve reviewed your reports, and have forwarded them to headquarters. Meanwhile, we need to sit down at your earliest convenience and go over your, um, highly unusual treaty with Orleans.” John knew an order when it hit him in the face, “Yes sir. My cabin is just a few steps away.” It was a big ship, and his cabin was in fact quite a distance. He hoped the admiral wouldn’t notice the discrepancy.
Ten minutes later, the two men sat down opposite each other. The admiral dismissed his two aides, and John found himself alone with one of the most powerful men in the federation. Admiral Grigorivich had a copy of the treaty, which constituted one page of single spaced type.
He glanced at it and said conversationally, “You know, if this works, you’re a genius – if not, your career is dead and buried. Any comments?”
John looked Admiral Grigorivich in the eye, thinking as he did so that this man was the first high-ranking military leader he’d ever met that he truly admired, and said, “Sir, I reviewed the conditions for the surrender of Nasser, and I felt they would lead to a seriously bad peace that would require thousands of federal occupation troops and a thoroughly trashed planetary economy that would consume huge amounts of federal aid for years to come. I felt, and continue to feel, sir, that this agreement gives the citizens of Orleans the opportunity to rejoin the federation under conditions that will be honorable, and lead in the quickest possible manner to the healing of the deep rifts that were the original cause of the war. It should also be far less expensive, both in terms of treasure and blood.”
The admiral looked at John for a long moment before smiling faintly, “As it happens, we have had to station ten thousand troops and MP’s on that misbegotten excuse for a planet we just recently defeated, and we are already experiencing what I would refer to as a serious case of passive-aggressive resistance to our efforts to assist the bastards in rejoining civilization. I can think of any number of things I might say to you, but since we’re in private, let me just shake your hand.”
John had already figured out that the admiral didn’t object to his arrangements, but the outstretched hand was still a good sign.
Admiral Grigorivich asked, “Did she seem a bit disquieted by the fact that you are a mere captain?” John grinned, “Oh hell yes.” He was taking a chance, but by now he thought he could get away with it. The admiral laughed in delight, “Captain, would you please comm the president and request – request mind you – an appointment at her earliest convenience, in her offices? I think it might ease her anxiety a bit to know that your superiors are on board.” John sighed in relief, “I think she would be greatly relieved sir – I know I am.” Admiral Grigorivich laughed again, “Captain, I think I can work with you. If not, I can disappear you, so kindly keep that in mind and continue your string of good fortune, most of which you have created for yourself, and for our beloved federation.”
John blinked and the admiral laughed again, “Captain, I think I know you, and I do not think you would last very long in a backwater military base.” John grinned, “Ah, disappear. Yes sir, or rather, no sir.”
John made the call, and was given an appointment for the following morning, planet time.
They shuttled down in the admiral’s craft, foregoing an armed escort, and landed on a concrete pad in the outskirts of the single city, also known as Orleans.
After the hatch lowered John stepped out into a brisk morning breeze. It smelled wonderful, as if orange trees were growing just around the corner
, which happened to be the case – it was not a particularly large city.
President Minh was accompanied by a clutch of perhaps ten people. In the intervening three weeks John had gotten to know her a little, and was almost surprised that she had that many people with her. The president of Orleans was small in stature – that probably explained the diminutive aide – but she was brilliant, and along with an infamous temper, she possessed a passionate love for her planet.
Behind John came the admiral, who had two aides tucked away in the shuttle, plus James, who had practically begged John to allow him to breath some fresh air.
John greeted the president with a small smile behind which hid an even larger one, something she noted. She nodded somberly and John turned to present the admiral.
Most of her cabinet was present, most of whom John hadn’t met. He thought he knew why – she feared one or more of them would have tried to shoot him.
Admiral Grigorivich greeted her with matching solemnity and shook everyone’s hand, ending by introducing his two aides, one a raven-haired woman in her late thirties, the other an athletic, slender, middle-aged woman who just happened to be a former fleet champion in both martial arts and firearms. Aide indeed.
John’s attitude changed the moment she was introduced to the president and her staff – according to Admiral Grigorivich she was also a well-known Planetary Economist, a doctrine that specialized in newly terraformed ecologies and their human economies, both of which tended to be very delicate. So, an aide who really knew how to negotiate.
Hawk Genesis: War (Flight of the Hawk) Page 22