Boundless

by Jack Campbell

  As much because of that fear as anything else, Geary forced himself to step into the Star Gallery. Wouldn’t it be nice to just be able to enjoy the awesome sight, and not have his experience in space screaming warnings in the back of his head?

  He’d taken several steps inside, slow stubborn steps driven by his need to confront his fears, when he realized that he wasn’t alone in the gallery.

  Dr. Jasmine Cresida stood with her back to him, gazing out at the heavens, countless stars glittering against infinite space. “What brings you here, Admiral?” she asked without looking.

  Not sure how to answer that, he settled on the easiest reply, one inspired by his earlier discussion with Dr. Kottur. “Curiosity. What about you, Dr. Cresida?”

  “I come here to think. People look at the large things, the stars and the dust clouds and the movements of galaxies, and they feel awe. But those things are too easily seen and understood. The fundamental structure of the universe is a beautiful and mysterious thing. It withholds some of its secrets from us and refuses to bend to the rules we want to impose on it. Humanity doesn’t only want to understand; we want to use that understanding to control. And the basic foundations of the universe mock our ambitions and our pride. They refuse to let us know everything. They change when we try to observe them. They let us play around the margins, as with the hypernet system, but only if we do not stray from the paths they allow.”

  She paused, but Geary sensed she had more to say, and so remained silent himself, wondering why she was confiding in him.

  “I could forgive my sister for joining the military,” Dr. Cresida said, abruptly changing the subject. “She told me that she was willing to give up some of her freedoms to defend the freedoms of all of us. Jaylen was always the practical one in the family, seeing herself as the part of the equation that balanced the whole. But I can never forgive her for perverting her skills to deliberately craft the means to turn hypernet gates into weapons. That went against everything our family believed, everything she said she believed. It was a crime against not just humanity, but against the universe itself.”

  Surprised to learn that Dr. Jasmine Cresida was driven not by human politics or scientific rigidity, but by an almost romantic form of idealism, it took him a moment to reply. “Dr. Cresida,” Geary said, “I don’t know where you heard that version of things, but I swear to you that your sister did not set out to find a means to weaponize hypernet gates. Her intentions, her goals, were the opposite of that.”

  Dr. Cresida’s voice held rigid control as she answered. “How can you know that?”

  “Because I discussed it with her,” Geary said. “The fleet was on its way to a Syndic star system with a hypernet gate. Because we had a Syndic hypernet key, we could use that gate to get much closer to home much faster. But we realized the Syndics might destroy the gate to prevent us from using it, and our people who had knowledge of the theory behind the hypernet, of which the foremost was your sister, were concerned about the theoretical possibility that the gate would emit an energy pulse when it collapsed. She went to work, with my agreement, to try to figure out how to collapse a hypernet gate in such a way that any energy output would be minimized. That way if the Syndics started to break their gate, we could control the collapse to prevent harm to our ships and everything and everyone else in the star system.”

  He paused, remembering those days that seemed so long ago already, even though they hadn’t been that far in the past. Remembering the ways in which Captain Jaylen Cresida had been like and unlike her sister. “But Jaylen discovered that figuring out how to control the collapse to minimize the energy output could be easily run in the other direction, instead maximizing the output and turning hypernet gates into nova-scale bombs menacing the star systems they were built to serve. She was horrified at the possibility that the gates could be used that way. I swear on my honor that is how she felt. Horrified. But she also knew if she could work out the way to do that, so could someone else. So she gave me the only copy of the means to maximize the destructive potential of the gates, so we could use it to develop programs that would ensure gates couldn’t collapse in ways that made them weapons.

  “Even before we made it back to Alliance space, safe-collapse programs had been created so they could eventually be installed in every hypernet gate. I won’t deny that some people suggested using the gates as weapons, but most were just as appalled at the idea as your sister had been.”

  He took a deep breath. “Your sister didn’t set out to weaponize the gates. She discovered the means to do that while trying to ensure their collapse didn’t cause harm. And when she did find out how it could be done, her thoughts were about how to prevent it from ever happening.”

  The stars looked on as Dr. Cresida stayed silent for a long time, her back still to Geary, before finally speaking, a ragged edge to her voice. “Why haven’t you told people this?”

  “I did,” Geary said. “It was in my official report, and I’ve spoken of it to those I worked with on the matter. But of course I couldn’t make public statements about it because officially the danger of hypernet gate collapse remains classified.”

  She laughed, a single brief, pained sound. “Information distribution systems are like hypernet gates in that respect. If you know how to use them to accomplish one end, a safe collapse of the gate or the effective distribution of information, you also know how to use them for the opposite purpose. There’s nothing better at filtering out information than a system designed to very efficiently preserve and deliver information.”

  He felt uncomfortable, knowing how Dr. Cresida must be feeling. “I’m sorry you weren’t made aware of the truth a long time ago. But that truth is that your sister didn’t betray your family’s ideals. Jaylen Cresida did her best to uphold them.”

  Another long period of silence before Jasmine Cresida spoke again. “I can never forgive you for ordering my sister to her death. But . . . I am very grateful for the knowledge that she didn’t want the gates to be used as weapons, and strove to prevent that. Th . . . ank . . . you.” The last two words came out as if they were being physically pulled from her resisting throat.

  Feeling that any words would be inadequate, Geary turned to go.

  “Admiral.”

  He paused.

  “How do you do it?” She still had her back to him, gazing into forever. “How do you give orders knowing that those who must obey them will die?” The question didn’t sound hostile, but rather both curious and sad.

  “I don’t know,” Geary said. “I don’t know how I can. Maybe I can because of why I do it. I don’t choose battles or wars. But if they come, do I accept a role and responsibility, or do I leave that to others? Others who may care less about those who die. Others who may not have my experience. It nearly broke me when I woke up from survival sleep and learned that everyone I’d ever known had died while I slept, that a war begun during my first battle was still going on, and that it had changed my own people in ways I had trouble dealing with. But they needed me. Well, they needed Black Jack. So I had to do my best to be him, in the way that he should be. But people still die. I still give orders that, even if everything goes perfectly, end with deaths of some of those entrusted to me. And I carry every death with me. Not just your sister’s, but all of them. That’s my responsibility, too. To remember each and every one of them, and to try to ensure their sacrifices mean something.”

  “I understand responsibility for our actions,” Dr. Cresida said. “Dr. Kottur seems to want to avoid it. He won’t even meet with those from Midway, as if unwilling to face them. But we have to think of others as just as human as ourselves. Otherwise we avoid accepting our responsibility for whatever happens to them.”

  “Do you think Dr. Kottur will try to prevent the modifications to the gate?”

  “He seems eager to proceed with doing that. I don’t know why the contradiction exists. Dr. Kottur is our own
Schrödinger case,” Dr. Cresida added. “He seems to exist simultaneously in a state of reluctance to proceed and of zeal to go forward.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “I don’t trust anyone, Admiral. People are even less predictable than quantum particles, and like those particles, we can never know all there is to know about them.”

  He waited, but she said nothing else, so Geary left, wondering as he did why he’d also confided in Jasmine Cresida. But she was Jaylen’s sister, so he’d owed her that much on those grounds alone.

  * * *

  TO his surprise, Geary was roused early for another meeting with Midway’s leaders. Wondering at the urgency, he hastened to Ambassador Rycerz’s office.

  President Iceni and General Drakon both had a wary insistence about them, as if they were in a card game with their Alliance counterparts and about to demand that everyone show their hands. “You doubtless noticed the recent arrival of a freighter at the jump point from Kane,” Iceni began without any polite exchange of greetings. “The freighter brought word that a Syndicate invasion force is attacking Kane.”

  Drakon picked up the story. “Before it jumped out of Kane, the freighter saw one Syndicate battle cruiser, two heavy cruisers, and seven Hunter-Killers, along with a dozen troop transports or freighters modified to carry people instead of cargo.”

  “We are still concerned about another Syndicate strike here,” Iceni said, “as well as a retaliatory strike by the enigmas after our repulse of their attack at Iwa. Our mobile forces are also still repairing damage sustained during the fighting there.”

  “You committed to the defense of Midway and our associated star systems,” Drakon said, looking at Geary. “Can we count on that, Admiral?”

  Geary glanced at Rycerz before replying. “You’re asking us to send ships to defend Kane against the Syndicate Worlds?”

  “In keeping with your commitment,” Iceni said.

  Ambassador Rycerz looked stunned, her eyes going to Geary. This could be a make-or-break decision for whether Midway would agree to the hypernet gate modification. But it would also drastically expand the Alliance’s role in the fighting on this side of Syndicate Worlds space.

  Any decision they made would potentially be a bad one, but the attitudes of President Iceni and General Drakon made it clear that not making any decision—and not making it right now—wasn’t an option.

  SIXTEEN

  AMBASSADOR Rycerz made an attempt to dodge the issue anyway. “The Alliance Senate confirmed the commitment made by Admiral Geary to Midway Star System. But the defense of . . . associated star systems was not specifically covered by that commitment.”

  “If you don’t send warships,” President Iceni said, still addressing Geary, “we’ll have to, and that will weaken our defenses. It will also cause us to doubt current and future promises made to us, and reevaluate current discussions.”

  “May we speak privately for a moment?” Rycerz asked. After Iceni and Drakon nodded gruffly, Rycerz touched the control to “mute” the virtual presences of the two leaders of Midway. “This isn’t a cut-and-dried issue. I could refuse their request based on the literal wording of the commitment you made, but I could also agree to it based on a reasonable interpretation of that commitment.”

  “This may be a make-or-break matter for them,” Geary said. “On whether they should reach any other agreements with us. I think it’ll decide how they respond to the hypernet gate offer.”

  “They made it fairly clear this will impact their decision on that,” the ambassador said. “And getting that gate linked to the Alliance hypernet is the critical issue here for us. How much would we need to send to Kane?”

  “To ensure defeat of the Syndicate Worlds invasion? We’d need something to take out the Syndic warships, and some Marines to help deal with any action on the surface, and something to protect the Marine troop transports as well as bombard Syndic positions on the surface,” Geary said. “And there’s a possibility the Syndic forces the freighter saw have been reinforced since it left. I’d suggest a division of battle cruisers, all four of our troop transports and the Marines on them, and a division of battleships to protect the transports and conduct surface bombardment. Plus an appropriate number of cruisers and destroyers.”

  “What is that? About a quarter of our strength here?”

  “Roughly,” Geary said. “The forces remaining at Midway would be well able to handle anything that might show up. Captain Duellos would be well suited to command the expedition to Kane.”

  Ambassador Rycerz shook her head, frowning. “There’s one other reason that I’m leaning toward approving sending military assistance to Kane.”

  “What’s that?” Geary asked.

  She gave him a frustrated glare. “No matter how many times we tell them I’m in charge, and no matter how many times you openly defer to me in front of them, they’re still talking to you. You say Duellos could command the expedition to Kane. Is he qualified to command what remains at Midway while you command the forces sent to Kane?”

  The question took him aback, requiring Geary to think for a moment. But he understood the ambassador’s reasoning. And such an open endorsement of his confidence in Duellos would be good, since as fleet commander he had to worry about something happening to him and who would assume command afterwards. “Yes. Captain Duellos would be suited to command the forces left at Midway.”

  “Are you willing to do this, Admiral?” Rycerz pressed. “Take those forces to Kane, either defeat the Syndicate Worlds invasion force or require it to withdraw, and leave me here as the unquestioned leader of the Alliance mission in your absence?”

  “Yes,” Geary said.

  “Good. I’ll continue to conduct negotiations. You get going as soon as you can. We want to show them that their concerns matter to us.”

  * * *

  “WE’RE what?” Captain Desjani said as she stood in his stateroom aboard Dauntless. He’d taken a shuttle back to the battle cruiser immediately after the meeting with the leaders of Midway ended, working up a rough plan in his head on the way.

  “Taking the Second Battle Cruiser Division, the Fifth Battleship Division, the assault transports, and Carabali’s Marines to Kane to kick out a Syndic invasion force,” Geary said.

  “I love you.” Tanya flinched. “I’m sorry. That was extremely inappropriate, Admiral. I was overcome for a moment by your news. How soon do we get to leave to kick Syndic butt?”

  “As soon as we get things sorted out,” Geary said. “I’m going to notify Duellos he’ll be in command in my absence. Oh, we’re going to have company. Since we’re leaving a strong force here to defend Midway, Midway is sending their battle cruiser along with us, agreeing to have it operate under my control.”

  “Their battle cruiser?” Desjani said. “A Syndic battle cruiser?”

  “A Midway battle cruiser. The Pele. Their Kommodor Marphissa will be aboard that ship as well, and their Colonel Rogero will accompany the Marines to provide the latest inside information on Syndicate ground forces.”

  “Sure. Why not.” Desjani grinned. “I was getting bored.”

  Since the entire Alliance fleet was already in a high state of readiness, it took only a few hours to sort out the necessary arrangements. More detailed planning could be done while the ships transited to the jump point for Kane. “Keep an eye on things here,” Geary told Duellos.

  “Yes, sir,” Captain Duellos replied. “And thank you for the vote of confidence.”

  “My confidence in you has never wavered,” Geary said. “I’m happy this offers me a way to make my confidence clear to everyone. I don’t think Ambassador Rycerz will try to railroad you on anything important. Remember that she is the ultimate Alliance authority in this star system. We answer to her.”

  Every ship participating had indicated its readiness to go, the responses usually taking only moments. Ge
ary had the impression of a pack of hounds straining at the leash, eager to be set loose. He’d already transmitted to them the formation for the transit to Kane. And he was on the bridge of Dauntless along with Captain Desjani. All that was left to do was give the command to go.

  “All units in Task Force Kane,” he sent on the special communications circuit set up for them, “this is Admiral Geary. Immediate execute Formation Zebra.”

  The designated ships swung out of the fixed orbit they’d been in with the rest of the fleet, converging together, the battle cruisers Dauntless, Daring, Victorious, and Intemperate arranged in a box in the lead, followed by the assault transports Tsunami, Typhoon, Mistral, and Haboob, the four battleships Relentless, Reprisal, Superb, and Splendid bringing up the rear. Two divisions of heavy cruisers ranged alongside the transports, as well as two squadrons of light cruisers and six squadrons of destroyers.

  “Good hunting!” Duellos sent as the task force accelerated toward the jump point for Kane.

  “You know,” Geary commented to Desjani, “this task force is about the same size as the entire Alliance fleet before the war.”

  “Do you think we’ll get down that small again?” she asked, looking disturbed at the prospect.

  “No. I don’t think at any time in the near future the Alliance will have the luxury of such a small fleet. Even if we weren’t dealing with the Syndics and the chaos of their collapsing empire, there’d still be the alien species to worry about. Plus those idiots on the far side of Sol,” Geary added, remembering their encounter with the representatives of those humans who had gone farther out along the galactic arm to settle new worlds, instead of inward toward the center of the galaxy as those who founded the Alliance and the Syndicate Worlds had.

  “Battle cruiser Pele is on intercept with us,” Lieutenant Yuon reported. “They should join up in five hours.”