Jan laughed.
Murphy commed down to the presidential residence and the residence switchboard set up a four-way connection between Turner on the Odin, his chief of staff in the residence, William Nichols, the Secretary of Defense, Jorge Hernandez, and the Secretary of State, Malcolm Aubrey.
"Hey, guys, I'm up in orbit on a Commonwealth ship. Admiral Childers is here for a visit. Jorge, you gotta come up here and see this ship. It's unbelievable. You, too, Malcolm. It's gonna have a big impact on you as well. We'll be gone for twenty-four hours. Show us some hyperspace stuff or something."
"I do have some things scheduled for tomorrow –" Aubrey began.
"Reschedule 'em. This is more important. Way more important. Some things I can't talk about on this channel. Trust me. Bill, give us an excuse. Twenty-four-hour bug? That work?"
"Yes, I can make that work, Sir. I'll coordinate with the Defense and State Departments," Nichols said.
"OK. Done. Pack an overnight bag and get your butts up here, you guys. You gotta see this. And Bill, pack me an overnight bag and send it on with them, OK?"
A little over an hour later, Fleet Admiral Jorge Hernandez, Earth Space Navy, now Secretary of Defense, and Malcolm Aubrey, Secretary of State, were shown into the flag ready room on board the Odin.
"Hi, Jan."
"Hi, Jorge. Good to see you again."
Jan got a hug from Jorge, a less overwhelming one than Turner's, and shook hands with Aubrey.
"Good to meet you, Mr. Secretary."
"Good to meet you as well, Admiral. Please, in this assembly of old friends, call me Malcolm."
"And you must call me Jan."
Turner was almost hopping with his impatience for the greetings to be over.
"Hey, guys. Guess what? We're going to Jablonka. And back. In a day. Whaddya think o' that shit?" Turner asked.
"Truly?" Aubrey asked.
"Yes, Malcolm. We're going to a meeting. We have a proposal for you," Jan answered.
Hernandez was standing, stunned, with a blank expression on his face, then shook his head as if to clear it.
"To Jablonka and back, in twenty-four hours?" Hernandez asked.
"It's about five hours each way, Jorge. There will also be meetings. And meals."
"That will be something to see."
"All right then. We'll get right to it. We have a guest cabin for each of you. There is a flotation bed, as our cruise is at 2.6g. There are also plumbing connections to be made, and a high-g pill to take. We have medical personnel standing by to help you with all that. The beds have full-immersive VR, and I've instructed the captain to make all ship's views available to you. I would suggest making the trip in your pajamas or skivvies, it's more comfortable. You can sleep if you wish. That's what I'll be doing.
"If you'll follow me, I'll take you to your cabins."
They met back up in the flag bridge ready room once the Odin was back in high orbit around Jablonka.
"All right, now that's a cute trick. This more of your work, Jan?" Turner asked.
"From about sixteen years ago, yes."
"Amazing," Hernandez said.
"You realize this changes everything from a foreign policy point of view," Aubrey said to Turner and Hernandez.
"No, Malcolm. It changes everything from every point of view," Turner said.
"Exactly," Jan said. "That's why we need the meeting. Let's get on the shuttle and transfer down to Sigurdsen."
The Briefing
The shuttle settled onto the roof of the Intelligence Division headquarters. Five people debarked. Waiting staff took their bags, and all went into the rooftop elevator lobby and disappeared into the building.
It was the second shuttle transfer to the Intelligence Division headquarters that morning.
Once everyone was on the elevator, the staffer holding the car pushed the button for the secure basements. His card in the control panel ensured it would make no stops.
"We picked the Intelligence Division building because everyone here is a little more thoroughly vetted, a little more security conscious," Jan said on the way down.
"They all know enough to not know what they know," Turner said.
Jan laughed.
"Exactly."
The elevator door opened and the staffer led them to the large Class 1 secure conference room on this level. Half a dozen or so other people were already there. Jan directed her group to take their seats, each of which had a small name placard.
When everyone was seated, Jan stood at the head of the table and addressed them all.
"I'm the only person here who already knows everyone, so let me make introductions.
"From the Earth, we have President Jacob Turner, Secretary of State Malcolm Aubrey, Secretary of War Jorge Hernandez, and Mr. Turner's aide, Mr. Fred Murphy.
"From the Commonwealth, we have the Chairman of the Commonwealth Council, Miriam Desai, the Foreign Minister, Sally Howell, and the Defense Minister, Richard Wong. Also for the Commonwealth, we have myself, the Chief of Naval Operations, the head of the Intelligence Division, Admiral Jacob Durand, and his chief of staff, Admiral William Campbell."
"With introductions out of the way, the floor is yours, Madam Chairman."
Jan walked to her place near the foot of the table and took her seat.
"Thank you, Admiral.
"Mr. Turner, Mr. Aubrey, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Murphy, welcome to Jablonka. We could as easily have had this meeting on Earth, but, in terms of this new technology, being told about it is not quite as illuminating as a demonstration, eh?"
"I'll say. Remarkable," Turner said.
"Indeed. It represents a fundamental advancement in war-fighting capability over existing technology. Which is fortunate. We are aware the Outer Colonies are preparing for war, either with the Earth, or, more likely, with the Commonwealth. With ships of this new type coming into service, we expect this war to go badly for them, and to be over quickly. One goal of this meeting is our intention to commit to you the defense of the Earth if the Outer Colonies' war plans are directed at you rather than at us.
"The problem then is what do we do about the Outer Colonies longer term. They have been belligerent in the past, and we expect them to continue to be so in the future. They are not, by and large, free planets, and most of their governments exist for their own aggrandizement rather than for the good of their own people. War for their leaders is a policy tool to further their personal goals. Their belligerence, combined with their larger numbers and their increasing tendency to work together, presents security concerns for both of us.
"Mr. President, we are aware of your own attitude toward war from our participation in the War That Didn't Happen. Despite your skill at the execution of war in the defense of your home planet, you were pleased the War That Didn't Happen went as it did. Let me assure you everyone on our side of this table shares that view.
"But the Outer Colonies present an ongoing threat to us both. Even if we defeat them now, we have no desire to occupy them to ensure they do not try again, and we have no confidence in our ability to foster on them a free democracy absent the institutions and culture on which it must rest. Their elites will once again assert control, and we will be right back where we started. And they will keep trying, keep attacking us, until they succeed.
"Further, this new technology will inevitably leak or be reproduced. It will not be that hard, once we have disclosed its existence through use, for someone with the resources of the Earth or the Outer Colonies to replicate the technology in the ten to twenty year timeframe. And we will once again be faced with a belligerent and united Outer Colony threat, one with technological parity.
"It is our intention to take actions now to prevent that from occurring.
"At the same time, this new technology represents so much more than purely military advantage. You saw how remarkably fast the Odin was able to bring you here from Earth. Sixty light years in five hours, rather than thirty days. But consider this. With enough supp
lies for the thirty-day crossing we all have become accustomed to, the Odin could cross the Milky Way galaxy, from one side to the other, one hundred thousand light years, in a month.
"This represents a tremendous opportunity for humanity as a whole. We can find and colonize the most suitable planets, the most hospitable planets, wherever they are in the galaxy. Such a proliferation of colonies would be to the benefit of the Commonwealth and of Earth, but not to the Outer Colonies, at least not in the short to medium term. Further, if, having defeated the Outer Colonies, we were to offer large numbers of their best and brightest a way off planet to a new colony, out from under despotism, we would reduce the Outer Colonies' ability to make trouble in the future.
"It is therefore the Commonwealth's intention to make an agreement with Earth. What we want Earth to do is to use your manufacturing capacity to build and sustain a few dozen squadrons of colony ships to each establish a new colony every two to three months during the window of our technology advantage. We could establish one to two thousand new colonies in that time, composed of Outer Colony escapees and out-migrants from both Earth and the Commonwealth, and charter them as free planets from the get-go.
"As our part of the bargain, we will provide Earth with the new hyperspace technology. The science, the engineering, the plans, technical support personnel to get it all started. Everything.
"You will be able to build your own warships like the one you rode here on. However, we hope you will concentrate on building the colony ships. We propose that we divert some of our warships coming on-line to Earth, in return for some of the colony ships, so we can each specialize in one type and build them more efficiently.
"Earth and the Commonwealth have become, finally, friends, and we both face a belligerent and more numerous foe in the Outer Colonies. Both of us being strong is better than the Commonwealth maintaining a monopoly on this new technology for the short period that monopoly can last.
"And so, while this is an unorthodox approach, I believe it is the best hope for both the Earth and the Commonwealth, as well as for humanity as a whole. Which is why I have authorized this approach to our mutual defensive problem and called this meeting."
At that, Desai, who had been leaning forward over her hands, clasped before her on the table, sat back in her chair and waved a hand to Turner.
"That, Madam Chairman, is a remarkable offer. You have certainly piqued my interest, and I look forward to the other presentations here today, as well as some private time to confer with my colleagues as we learn the details.
"We, too, have noted the Outer Colonies' preparations for war. And we, too, have concern for the long-term prospects for peace in the light of the growing threat represented by their ongoing efforts to join forces. The Earth has its own experience with despotic elites, and the citizens I have sworn oath to defend have no desire to return to such a system.
"Having had their planet given back to them in the generous peace treaty we signed four years ago, the people of Earth consider the Commonwealth to be one of the heroes of humanity's long history. Working together to defend ourselves from such a despotic system makes sense to me, and it will to my citizens as well.
"There are also those among Earth's population who, having woken from their VR dreams, seek more adventure, seek new beginnings. The colonization effort you have discussed presents an opportunity there as well.
"Therefore, Madam Chairman, I hope we can conclude an agreement along the lines you have outlined, and look forward to today's meetings."
Having made his opening statement, Turner sat back in his chair. Jan stood up at the end of the table.
"Having completed introductions and opening statements, Madam Chairman, Mr. President, I am informed we have breakfast waiting in the room next door."
At that, staffers opened the double doors opposite the door they entered by, into an inner room with a table set for breakfast. There were no name tags on these places.
As they filed into the other room, Turner came up alongside Jan.
"A long-term plan to win structurally, rather than be involved in continuous war and struggle. I think I know where this plan originated," Turner said in a low voice.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jan said.
"Ha!"
Jan laughed and shook her head. Jake Turner was just, well, Jake Turner.
At breakfast, each of the delegates sat with their counterpart. Turner sat with Desai, Aubrey sat with Howell, and Hernandez sat with Wong. Jan sat with Durand, and noted Murphy was sitting with Bill. Something clicked in her head. Everybody seated with their counterpart....
"Murphy is intelligence," Jan said in a muttered aside to Durand.
"Yep. I think so, too. That's OK. Did you notice Turner's body language with regard to Murphy?"
"No."
"A lot of trust there. He's Turner's eyes and ears," Durand said.
"From my experience, President Turner has depths he works assiduously to hide."
"Good. Nothing worse than making an agreement with someone who doesn't have the savvy to know what he's doing or the power base to carry it through."
After breakfast, there was a half-hour break. Jan had had a note delivered by a staffer to each of the Earth delegation at the beginning of breakfast stating simply, "Now is a good time to take the antagonist for the high-g pill. Childers." Turner had looked down the table to catch her eye, and nodded. Jan and the Earth delegation all started breakfast with the antagonist pill they had been given before leaving the Odin. The bathroom break after breakfast accommodated the inevitable result.
When they reconvened, Jan gave the first briefing session, on the capabilities of the new cruiser destroyer class of ships, the drone weapons, and the drone couriers. Bill gave the second briefing, on the colony plans and the ships and supplies required. The Commonwealth representatives remained for the briefings, though they had heard them before, to answer questions. After the second briefing, they broke to confer privately.
The Earth delegation was shown into a smaller secure conference room across the hall.
"Do you think this room is bugged?" Hernandez asked.
"Almost certainly," Aubrey said.
Turner looked at Murphy, raised an eyebrow.
"I suspect not. I would be very surprised if it were," Murphy said.
"Really?" Aubrey asked.
"Really. First, it is not the way the CSF in general, and Jan Childers in particular, operates. Second, it is not in their best interest, because, if it was discovered, it would almost certainly scotch a deal they appear to earnestly want."
"As to that, do you think this thing's on the up and up? The whole offer? I guess the question is, Are they being honest with us? Or is this the sort of massive deception Admiral Childers is known for?" Aubrey asked.
"I think it's on the up and up," Turner said, "and I'll tell you why. Sure, Jan Childers is the most deceptive, conniving, and sneaky military commander I have ever seen. But that's against the enemy. So, are we the enemy in this circumstance? One thing I noted is she's wearing the miniature of the Earth Medal, right next to the miniature of the Commonwealth Charter Medallion, on her dress uniform. I wouldn't put it past her to swindle anybody as an enemy, but to swindle us while wearing the Earth Medal would be flying false colors, like attacking under a flag of truce. Dishonorable. There's no reported case of her ever doing that. I think she'd rather stand in front of a beam weapon, to be honest."
"Agreed. And her body language is all wrong. She's easy to read, where the polished politicians might not be. If there's trickery here, she's not in on it. For that matter, I don't pick up any indication of trickery from anyone," Murphy said.
"Given that, what do we think of their offer?" Aubrey asked.
"I probably shouldn't talk first, but you know I'm gonna. I like it. This solution to the Outer Colonies problem has Jan Childers' name written all over it. It's completely unexpected, runs against the common wisdom, is brilliant in its subtlety, and wil
l most likely work. They didn't say so, but it's her plan, and she didn't deny it to my direct accusation," Turner said.
"Well, I certainly like the idea of having those military capabilities," Hernandez said. "Not against the Commonwealth. They've never actually attacked us, and if they wanted Earth, or wanted to destroy our infrastructure, they had their golden opportunity four years ago and instead gave it all back to us intact. But the Outer Colonies are not just the Commonwealth's problem. If they ever did overrun the Commonwealth, we'd be next.
"But I don't want to agree unless we intend to carry through on the colonization part of it. Don't forget, she's wearing our colors, too, and I wouldn't want to welsh on the deal just to get the military goodies. That seems dishonorable to me, considering."
"And you, Malcolm? You've been asking the questions. Where are you at on all this?"
"Two things stick in my mind. One is the offer to defend Earth against the Outer Colonies until we get the technology deployed. After the War That Didn't Happen, the Outer Colonies know we're weaker than the Commonwealth, and we can't be sure who they're plotting against. With these new ships and their stand-off weapons, it's like bringing a gun to a fistfight. The Commonwealth right now can take out anybody.
"The other is those thousand to two thousand colonies. Sure, it's a financial and resource burden to fund them all and start them up gratis, but we're talking about ten times the current market for goods and services, with people who already should have a warm spot in their hearts for us. I like the sound of that.
"So I guess I'm on board with it if everyone else is."
Turner checked his watch.
"About time we head back to the party. And we're all agreed?"
Turner looked from one to the other in turn.
"Good. Let's go."
They met up back in the main conference room. Turner walked up to Jan.
"I think lunch is next on the schedule, Jan, but I'd like a brief word first, if I may."
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