The Lost Swarm

by Vaughn Heppner

  She kept herself from glancing back at the security men, finally nodded and said, “Well, let’s get going then, shall we?”

  -13-

  The shuttle took them to the Sargon, a Conqueror-class Battleship with up-to-date disrupter cannons and high-energy shields. These cannons and shields had received augmenting from new heavy metal parts from the new mine in the Alpha Centauri planet taken from the androids after the last and rather short war.

  The security men did not get off the shuttle. Space Marines now guarded her, or Cook, she supposed. They marched through the corridors and took two different lifts, finally entering a spacious chamber with couches built into the bulkheads. In the center of the chamber was a wet bar and snacks.

  “Care for anything?” Cook asked.

  Mary noted that the two of them were alone, as the Space Marines had failed to enter. She went to a couch and sat down, glad to be off her feet. “Nothing for me,” she answered.

  “I need a whiskey on the rocks,” Cook said. He poured himself a shot over several ice cubes and threw it back, waiting and sighing afterward. He added another ice cube and poured himself another shot, taking it with him as he sat near her.

  “You’re going to talk to me?” Mary asked.

  “I’m seeking advice.”

  “From a tainted source, right?”

  “Right,” he said.

  “Oh. Well… why bother talking to me then?”

  He eyed her as he rolled the glass between his big hands. Finally, he took the glass and threw back the cooled whiskey. The big old man closed his eyes. “That’s so good,” he murmured.

  When he opened his eyes, he smiled. It seemed like a whiskey-fueled smile.

  “Drinking on the job, Admiral?”

  “It’s good to hear your reproof, Brigadier. I miss it. You’re one of the few people who tell me what they really think to my face. I mean when they think I have a bad idea. Ever since the complications with the former Prime Minister, no one in the government or in Star Watch cares to contradict me.”

  “No one?” Mary asked, with a sparkle in her eyes.

  “You and Maddox,” Cook said grumpily.

  “Then you’ve spoken to him?”

  “I have.”

  Mary’s stomach seethed with anticipation. She wanted to know everything. Instead, as an act of training or re-training, she forced herself to wait.

  Cook nodded with approval, and he began to speak, telling her what Maddox had told him.

  “He’s injured then?” she asked halfway through.

  “It appears so.”

  “Oh, I don’t like that. Did you tell him to hurry to this alien sculpture?”

  “Certainly not,” Cook said, sounding indignant. “I think it’s a terrible idea.”

  “Well, I don’t,” she said. “I hope he disregards your wishes in this.”

  “Why?” asked Cook.

  Mary noticed him learn toward her, and there was earnestness in the question. What did the admiral seek from her?

  “Well,” she said, choosing her words with care. “Maddox has always been a loose cannon. He is uncommonly clever, sees and acts decisively. How many times has he pulled our irons out of the fire?”

  Cook said nothing, and he didn’t look convinced.

  “Why are the New Men such difficult opponents?” she asked. “It isn’t only because they act decisively. They…I’m not sure how to put this. They seethe with energy, think faster, harder, and no doubt more deeply. That must be a subset of their great energy. Maddox, he has much of that in him. It’s one of his secrets, I believe. It isn’t just his intelligence, but the zest with which he attacks life. He must be at his best to give us his greatness.”

  “What the Spacers refer to as di-far?”

  “In my opinion, yes,” Mary said.

  “The alien sculpture as a supposedly spiritual healing device seems so…looney, farfetched.”

  “Why?”

  “It doesn’t seem that way to you?” he asked.

  “Of course, it does, but why is that?”

  “I have no earthly idea, Brigadier.”

  “Galyan and Maddox have performed impossible tasks. What is the old saying? Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Let’s let these two do their thing.”

  “That’s not an answer,” he said, “but you make a good point. What about Ludendorff? The Methuselah Man strikes me as mad.”

  “According to Maddox, Ludendorff is out of the picture right now. I’m more interested in your response to Maddox’s idea about how to counter Drakos and Thrax. Are you going to call the Emperor as he suggested?”

  The admiral faced the wet bar. It seemed as if he longed for another shot of whiskey. His big fingers twitched, but he didn’t get up.

  “The Great Council is divided regarding the right course of action,” Cook finally said.

  “You went all the way to the top with this?”

  “I’m not in charge of the Commonwealth. I just run the military arm.”

  “What did the Prime Minister say?”

  “Your call, Admiral.”

  “That’s it?” Mary asked.

  Cook nodded.

  “Okay,” she said. “Make the call.”

  “What?”

  “The Prime Minister as good as told you to call. He said it’s your call. So, get on the Builder com device and talk to the Emperor.”

  “You know the Prime Minister didn’t mean that.”

  “Do I?”

  Cook grunted as he heaved up to his feet. He moved to the wet bar and poured himself a whiskey, neat. He looked at the amber liquid and finally sipped it, coughed, and sipped it again.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Cook said, as he stared at the wet bar. “If you were back in the saddle, I would probably just accept your advice. How I wish you were still running Intelligence.”

  “But I’m not,” Mary said.

  He nodded.

  “I don’t think I’m compromised like that, though. I think I could give away secrets to the wrong person. But in this, a strategic decision, I trust myself.”

  He faced her. “If I call, and we’re wrong, the Commonwealth is doomed.”

  “All the signs point to the hardliner-softliner division. Admiral, the New Men and Star Watch fought the Swarm together. One small part of the Swarm got away. Now, we have a chance to stamp it out. Take that chance and rid the Commonwealth of Drakos and Thrax. Besides, if we kill Drakos and many of the hardliners, that will weaken the Throne World.”

  “Or strengthen it because they move again with one mind.”

  “I suppose…” Mary said.

  With a dramatic surging move, Cook swept the bottles and glasses from the wet bar. Some broke on the floor.

  The hatch opened, and three Space Marines with drawn weapons jumped into the room.

  “You three,” Cook said. “Escort the brigadier. She’s coming with us.”

  “Where are we going?” Mary asked.

  “Bring her,” Cook told the marines.

  They hustled to her as Mary climbed to her feet.

  The admiral stared up at the ceiling, seeming to refuse to look at the broken bottles or notice the whiskey odor. Like a stricken man, he marched for the hatch.

  One of the marines grabbed one of her elbows, propelling her toward the admiral. For once, Mary did not protest. She had never seen the admiral like this. What did the old man intend to do to her?

  -14-

  The marines had left, no doubt standing guard outside the hatch. This was a smaller room, holding a long-range Builder com device. It was a replica in most ways of Maddox’s device aboard Victory.

  The Lord High Admiral sat behind a large desk holding the bulky item. Mary sat on a chair brought in for the occasion.

  “Why am I here, Admiral? This seems…odd, given my recent treatment.”

  The old man snorted sourly. “I’m surrounded by people but am quite alone, Brigadier. I run Star Watch, they say. The political authority
has dumped this hot potato into my hands. Now, I must decide for the human race. I do not like such responsibility laid on my shoulders. I feel like Hercules tricked by Atlas.”

  Mary shook her head, not understanding the allusion.

  Cook noticed, saying, “In the Greek myths, the Titan Atlas held the heavens on his shoulders. One day, Hercules needed a favor that only Atlas could give him. Thus, Hercules agreed to hold up the heavens while Atlas performed this favor. On his return, Atlas told Hercules that he liked his freedom. He wasn’t going to take the heavens back on his shoulders.”

  “Ah,” Mary said. “I see.”

  “Luckily for Hercules, he was quick-witted. He agreed that it was a fine thing to be free. But Atlas of all people knew the heavy load of holding up the heavens. He thus asked Atlas to hold the heavens for just a moment as he put a cloak over his shoulders to soften the long duty. Atlas agreed, and once Hercules put the heavens back on the Titan’s shoulders, he waved goodbye and took his leave.”

  “Is that what you’re doing by having me here?” Mary asked.

  “No,” Cook said. “I decided a day ago that if I have to make the momentous decision, I’m going to ask the person or persons I trust. That ended up being you, Brigadier.”

  “You flatter me, sir.”

  “No. I know who to ask. Now, for all the marbles, Brigadier, should I call the Emperor and possibly rekindle the Great War between the Commonwealth and the Throne World?”

  Mary looked down at her worn old hands. It was an honest and difficult question. Now that her words would influence what was about to happen…

  “You won’t say?” he asked.

  She looked at him, and noticed the weariness in his eyes. He’d been in the saddle for a long, long time and often been the one making the critical decision. It had clearly taken its toll.

  “Make the call,” she said, not wanting to drag this out. “We both know it’s the logical move. If the New Men are in this together, it probably doesn’t matter. We will lose this time if they have Swarm assistance. If they are split into two parties, we have a real fighting chance. Maddox is right. We have to hit Drakos and Thrax before they can choose their time and place to attack us.”

  “You think Thrax and Drakos can work together?”

  “I think Drakos wants power more than life itself. If anyone can convince Thrax, I would bet on Lord Drakos.”

  “Why him?” asked Cook, frowning. “You speak as if you know Drakos personally.”

  Mary hedged, saying, “He ran the Bosks, Admiral. In a way, I do know him.”

  Cook eyed her, and finally nodded. “Then, here we go, Brigadier. May God guide my words.”

  “Amen to that,” Mary said.

  The Lord High Admiral picked up the microphone, set the settings on the bulky device and made his call to the Emperor of the Throne World.

  ***

  The long-range Builder com device used its alien technology to send the call over one hundred light-years away. The signal sped faster than light because it bypassed that process.

  The signal reached the upper atmosphere of an Eden like planet, going down to the Emperor’s Palace. He was in residence, luckily, and he took the call himself. Perhaps his Intelligence people had become worried at Drakos’s absence here or in the Commonwealth.

  The golden-skinned superman clicked the microphone, answering the subman leader of Star Watch.

  ***

  Back in Earth orbit aboard Battleship Sargon, Cook glanced at Mary. She smiled with encouragement.

  “Emperor,” Cook said, “I would not have called, but I believe this is a critical moment for both of our societies.”

  The New Man did not answer right away. Finally, he said in a bored voice, “It’s always critical with you people. What has happened now?”

  Mary motioned to the admiral. The big old man frowned at her, finally nodding for her to proceed.

  “Make him talk to you politely,” she whispered. She didn’t need to, as the admiral hadn’t clicked the microphone trigger again.

  “Make him?” asked Cook.

  “You’re the Lord High Admiral of Star Watch. You actually have more power than he does. He should speak to you in a respectful tone and use your title.”

  “Is this the right time for insisting about that?”

  “Most certainly,” Mary said. “Now more than ever.”

  Cook hesitated. Did he wonder if this was Mary’s secret plan, to ignite a war with the Throne World by having him argue over rank and respect? Maybe he shouldn’t have brought her. Yet, whom else did he trust to know what they were talking about? Certainly not Stokes, her former underling.

  “I am not in the habit of waiting for submen to respond,” the Emperor said.

  “Yes, about that,” Cook said, avoiding looking at Mary. “One of your supermen is even now sabotaging both our societies.”

  “I expect a different tone from someone calling on me for aid,” the Emperor said.

  Mary started in surprise, and she waved for Cook’s attention.

  “Just a moment please, Emperor. What is it now?” he asked Mary.

  “Didn’t you catch it, sir?”

  “Apparently not,” Cook said.

  “Maybe it’s the alcohol dulling your senses,” she said.

  “If you could make your point, Brigadier?”

  “The Emperor just made a slip,” she said. “You’ve said nothing about asking for aid. Why then does he mention it?”

  Cook scowled at her. “Would the Emperor of the Throne World make such a slip accidently?”

  “Oh,” she said. “That’s clever, sir. You’re right. He wouldn’t. I think he’s prodding you. I think he may want this alliance just as badly as we do.”

  Cook depressed the trigger switch. “Emperor,” he said. And he began telling the superman what Maddox had relayed to him. He went into detail, especially because the Emperor didn’t interrupt. Finally, Cook wound down.

  “Your Captain Maddox is correct,” the Emperor said. “This is a highly dangerous situation for both our societies. Drakos is ambitious, clever and willing to act courageously on his convictions. What could he offer Thrax that would induce the Swarm creature? I don’t know, but I suspect Drakos has thought this out carefully. He will have an offer, and likely that means the attack saucers will join his star cruisers. Can Star Watch withstand such a combined assault?”

  “The answer is yes,” Cook said.

  “Is that so?” the Emperor asked softly. “Your Commonwealth has fought many battles since the last time we faced each other. Drakos and others have sown dissention everywhere, including igniting several rebellious sectors, stretching your military resources to the limit. I know about the Android War and the Grand Fleet’s assault upon the Forbidden Planet. Star Watch has bled each time and is hurting. Your society has taken many rapid blows, and submen are not as resilient as we are on the Throne World. I can see how you fear the Swarm attack saucers guided by Drakos’s genius. Perhaps you could defeat them, but it might be the last great pressure that would shatter the Commonwealth into many warring pieces.”

  Cook gripped the microphone so hard that his knuckles whitened. He clicked the switch.

  Mary was up and had crossed to him, putting a hand on one of his wrists. Cook glared at her. She shook her head emphatically. Slowly, Cook’s trigger finger lessened its pressure until the microphone switched off.

  “You wish to add something?” the Emperor asked.

  Cook stared at Mary O’Hara, his pulse quickened and his breathing faster than earlier.

  “You remain silent,” the Emperor said. “I suspect hearing such harsh truths from me has offended you. I’d forgotten that you submen are touchy concerning your weaknesses. Perhaps you seethe with indignity that I could not only see such truths but utter them to you.”

  “Now see here,” Cook said. “I’m not going to listen to your false platitudes. We beat you so-called supermen when you invaded the Commonwealth. You fled from us in
stead of taking a drubbing. I am the Lord High Admiral and demand that you take a more respectful tone when talking about us.”

  “Demand?” asked the Emperor.

  Mary was shaking her head, pleading with her eyes. The admiral should not have taken those whiskey shots before making the call. He was demanding respect, but doing it in too harsh a manner for a New Man to accept.

  Cook breathed deeply, and there was something in his eyes as he spoke the Emperor again. “I’m sick and tired of your arrogant ways. It’s too much, far too much. Why can’t you try being civilized when I talk to you?”

  There was a pause. Then, the Emperor said, “Lord High Admiral Cook.”

  Mary’s eyes widened with astonishment as she stared at Cook.

  The admiral appeared just as surprised, although he stared at the speaker on the bulky com device as it he was staring at the Emperor.

  “I recognize that submen—Star Watch officers—have their pride and dignity,” the Emperor said. “I am not actively attempting to prick it. Perhaps even yammering dogs can bark accurately regarding danger. I accept your call in the spirit it was made. Star Watch has worthy warships. If this Swarm remnant cuts loose with Lord Drakos’s aid…yes, that could be a danger even to the Throne World.”

  “He’s thinking this through,” Mary whispered. “I bet he fears a successful Drakos gaining a greater following among the New Men. That might even topple an Emperor from his throne. Yet, if that’s true, just how many star cruisers can he afford to send with us?”

  “What do you mean?” asked Cook.

  “How many star cruiser crews are really softliners?” she asked. “Likely not as many as we could wish,” she added. “Likely, most New Men are in the middle. The Emperor must be a softliner, and he has power. But if the scales tip in Drakos’s favor…”

  Cook clicked the microphone trigger. “I suggest Star Watch and the Throne World join forces. Let us each send a fleet and unite against Commander Thrax and his possible New Men allies.”

  “I can send a flotilla, no more,” the Emperor said.

  “May I ask how many star cruisers that is?”

  “Fifteen,” the Emperor said crisply.