Q-Gates
Page 22
“I think much of the problem can be exemplified by one scenario,” Jess said. “We present the proposal, and the elder races start maneuvering. For instance, who’ll get to decide which races get which gate connections? Take the Hyronzy dome.”
Alex’s eyes turned toward Julien.
“The Hyronzy dome, which serves the Tsargit, has five gates,” Julien explained. “The domes accommodate a maximum of six gates.”
“So, the elder races will argue for the final Hyronzy gate to connect to their domes,” Alex surmised.
“That’s the beginning of the troubles,” Jess replied.
“Who are most likely to present the greatest challenges?” Julien inquired.
“I should think the Veklocks and the Usaanans,” Jess replied. “Of the two, the Usaanans are the most vocal.”
Sam and Candace simultaneously chuckled.
“What?” Renée asked Sam. She’d also noticed that Jess and Lucia were grinning.
“We recently completed an undercover assignment on a planet run by the Lemgarts,” Sam replied. “We’ve gathered evidence against the Usaanans. They abrogated their outpost contracts.”
“Serious infractions?” Julien inquired.
“Affirmative,” Candace replied. “We’ve recorded them in a discussion with their exporter. That was before they tried to kill us.”
Sam sent a short vid to the others to demonstrate the attempt. Individuals had close views of yawning Usaanan mouths with deadly fangs exposed.
“That evidence is as definitive as it gets,” Alex said, adding his grin to those of Jess, Lucia, Sam, and Candace. “I’m pleased the two of you made a successful escape.”
“I want to see the remainder of the Lemgart events,” Renée entreated Sam, and she received a link to their recordings.
Later, Renée would ask to see the costumes that Candace wore. The lieutenant would have recently unpacked the crates that Myseth sent. Candace would lay out a costume on one of the suite’s beds, which would disappoint Renée.
“That’s not going to do it justice,” Renée would say. “I need to see it on you.”
Candace would oblige, and Renée would marvel at the ingenuity of the creator. It would also give her several ideas.
In the salon meeting, Alex asked, “How did you two plan on using your recordings?”
“That depends on the Usaanan rep,” Lucia replied. “If the rep says nothing, we say nothing. If the rep makes demands about the Hyronzy gate, or the gates in general, then we use the evidence and embarrass the Usaanans.”
“What about the Veklocks?” Julien inquired.
“No idea,” Jess replied.
“The Veklocks wish to be involved in financial transaction systems,” Julien noted. “They’ve little to offer the alliance in manufactured goods. They’ve been negotiators, earning enormous credits. They need investment opportunities and growth in financial arenas.”
“If they become outspoken, we might have to work a private deal with them,” Alex said.
There followed a moment of silence, while Alex and Julien stared at each other. The audience waited for the private conversation to finish.
“Any other hurdles to discuss?” Alex asked.
“One tall one,” Lucia replied. “Who proposes the gate connections, and who approves them?”
“Nothing like saving the best for last,” Alex grumped. He finished his mug of thé, and Candace popped up and filled his mug. Before Alex turned his attention to Jess and Lucia, he gave her a smile, which she brightly returned.
Renée hid her grin.
“Do you have suggestions?” Julien asked.
“Only one,” Jess replied. “Don’t let the Tsargit have complete dominion over the decisions. Other than that, I was expecting the Omnia Ships leaders would demonstrate their superior acumen with their suggestions.”
The room rocked with the sounds of laughter, most notably from the three New Terrans present and the SADEs, who provided their own brand of accompaniment.
* * * * *
A small group made landing on Pyre outside the government offices. This time, Jess had made an appointment with Ophelia.
“Welcome,” Ophelia said to her visitors, as they entered the conference room.
Immediately, Alex and Renée noticed coolness from Ophelia that they hadn’t witnessed before.
Kasie kept her gates closed tightly. She knew Ophelia was more powerful than her, and she didn’t intend to give anything away. It occurred to her that she was considering herself more aligned with the outpost than with Pyre. She wondered if that was the influence of Jess, as commander, and the presence of the Omnian leaders.
“Jess, you requested the meeting,” Ophelia said, gesturing toward him, when everyone was seated.
“Having had an opportunity to speak with the principals of Omnia Ships, I’m prepared to answer your questions,” Jess said.
“Hopefully, calmer heads have prevailed,” Ophelia said.
Alex sent privately to Ophelia.
Ophelia was accustomed to being the most powerful person in the room. Not exclusively by title, but by dint of her considerable empathetic powers. With an implant, she’d adopted a technology that was pervasive among Pyreans and the outpost. That placed her on a level playing field with many people, or so she’d thought. Alex had just taught her that some people had greater expertise over their implants than she’d thought possible.
“Why did you turn off your implant?” Lucia asked Ophelia, when she noticed the commandant’s bio ID drop off.
“Ask him,” Ophelia said accusingly and tipping her head in Alex’s direction.
“Let’s stop this,” Jess said commandingly. “Ophelia, you and I used to be able to talk and level with each other. What’s happened?”
“You deserve to be forewarned, Jess,” Ophelia said. “I’ll be opening an investigation into the outpost. I’ve received allegations against your station.”
The immediate issue for the visitors was that Ophelia intended to abrogate the agreement between the outpost and Pyre, which stated that the outpost would remain independent. Pyrean security had no jurisdiction over the establishment of the force that served alliance space.
Ophelia was astounded by the response of the outpost leaders. Jess and Lucia started laughing, and they laughed hard.
Alex, Renée, and Tatia wore quizzical expression with hints of smiles, the latter because of the laughter’s infectiousness.
“I’m serious,” Ophelia said sternly. She clamped her gates down to prevent her charged emotion from spilling over the conference attendees.
“Let me guess,” Jess said, when he could control his outburst. “A short while ago, you received a cube. The message describes contracts that you should examine for improprieties, and it accuses the outpost of knowingly accepting them. The accusation seems credible, but the details are a little vague. Furthermore, the mysterious sender remains unknown.”
“How did you find out?” Ophelia demanded. She suspected a leak in security, which enraged her.
“We didn’t,” Lucia said coldly. “Now, if you’ll open your implant, we’ll share with you some information that should relieve you of your suspicions and give you an idea about who sent you the cube.”
Ophelia glanced guardedly toward Alex, who said, “I’ll behave if you will.”
Reluctantly, Ophelia opened her implant comm, and she received a version of Sam’s investigation vids that Jess intended to show the Tsargit, if necessary.
When Ophelia finished viewing the multiple encounters with Lemgarts and Usaanans, including the harrowing scene in the warehouse office, she regarded Jess and asked, “Why were the major and the lieutenant on Lemgart?”
“An internal audit initiated by the controller and conducted by the SADEs rev
ealed that one particular source of many of our contracts consistently underbid other races,” Jess replied. “The major brought the issue to my attention and I authorized an investigation.”
Ophelia sat back in her chair. She considered the information and regarded the expectant faces waiting quietly around the table.
“It would seem apologies are necessary,” Ophelia said. When no one said anything, she amended her remark. “I apologize, Commander and Admiral, for not approaching you with the information provided by the cube. As well, I apologize for my behavior. I thought in Lillian’s absence that I needed to take a strong stance on any issue pertaining to the outpost. In that regard, I failed to consider well-established relationships.”
“You also failed on a more important point, Commandant,” Alex said. “Outpost One: Resistance is off limits to you, both as commandant of security and as acting president. That is by our agreement with President Finian and your Assembly.”
“Under the circumstances —” was as far as Ophelia got.
“No,” Alex said strongly. “There are no circumstances under which you have oversight. The outpost operates independently, or it doesn’t operate at all. No single race can dictate to the commander. If you have an issue, you can present it to the Tsargit. Just be sure that you have sufficient evidence.”
“Well,” Renée said cheerfully, “now that everyone has been infuriated, I propose that we start again.”
Renée was smiling, but her eyes demanded conformance, and she waited until she had everyone’s agreement. Ophelia was the last to give it, delivering a curt nod.
“You came to tell me something,” Ophelia said to Jess.
Jess took a breath and relaxed. Then he related the agreement that Alex, he, and the others had reached. When he finished, he asked, “Do you find the proposal something that you and the Assembly could accept?”
“Most likely,” Ophelia replied. “Although, I’ve two questions.”
“You want to know who approves the gate requests,” Jess said.
“And you want to know if the outpost wants any of Pyre’s gates,” Lucia added.
For the first time since the meeting started, Ophelia smiled. “Those would be my questions,” she said.
“We haven’t figured out the answer to the first question,” Jess said. “As the leader of an alliance race, do you have any suggestions?”
“I would forbid the outpost and the Tsargit from proposing connections within alliance space,” Ophelia replied. “The individual races should be able to choose which gate pairings they would like.”
“Too restrictive,” Julien said. “Your proposal might be acceptable if it was amended to state that the entities must propose connections within alliance space for existing Tsargit members.”
“Acceptable,” Ophelia stated. “I’d also say that the outpost and the Tsargit must both approve the requests. That would ensure that the connections suited both organizations.”
Jess regarded Alex, who nodded.
“Thank you for those points,” Jess said to Ophelia.
“What about my second question?” Ophelia asked, focusing on Lucia.
“I thought we’d ask for all five remaining gates,” Lucia replied, deadpanned.
There was silence, while Ophelia stared woodenly at Lucia. Then the commandant chuckled. “You had me for a minute,” she said.
“Just checking to see if you’d fully recovered your sense of humor,” Lucia replied, smiling. “Seriously, does Pyre have any desire for a connection outside of alliance space?”
“You mean one that might also suit the outpost?” Ophelia asked in return, to which Lucia shrugged her shoulders.
“That has to be something that’s proposed to the Assembly, but if I could guess what the members might say, it would be Sol,” Ophelia replied.
“I think you should inform the Assembly of our intended proposal to the Tsargit and ask which connections the members might like within and without alliance space,” Jess suggested.
“What about the cube message?” Ophelia asked.
“How can you reply to a message with no sender name?” Julien asked.
“Good point,” Ophelia acknowledged. “I guess I’m waiting for further information from the sender that would clarify the accusation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as if it’s going to arrive.”
With that, the meeting ended on a much better note than when it started.
23: Tsargit’s Choice
Minimalist’s applications projected various futures with and without biologicals. The most promising direction was the same one that many SADEs had discovered. Alliances were necessary to safeguard their kind. Investment with biologicals who reciprocated equal status with SADEs provided an umbrella of protection.
Luther waited for Minimalist to reach his conclusion.
That point came when Minimalist sent,
The other individuals, who Jess had requested accompany Alex and him to Hyronzy Station, made preparations to travel.
“Which method? Gates or Trident?” Jess requested of Alex.
“This time, we travel by Trident,” Alex said. “The outpost’s stance must be demonstrated to the Tsargit.”
Below deck, Kasie kissed Sam goodbye and hurried to join Pia, Edmas, and Jodlyne. She caught up with the trio in Pia’s suite, which she shared with her partner, Mickey.
“Why us?” Kasie asked the others. “Is this Alex’s idea?”
Pia regarded Kasie thoughtfully. “I’m not so sure,” she said. “The more I’ve observed your brother, the more I see a young captain I met decades ago.”
“Not my brother,” Kasie snorted in derision. She glanced at the frowning faces that surrounded her. “What?” she asked.
“Siblings might not have the clearest view of each other,” Edmas commented.
“Especially twins,” Jodlyne added.
“Regardless of who originated the idea, why are we going?” Kasie asked.
“Unknown,” Pia replied. “I suggest you ask your brother.” When Kasie squinted at her, she laughed and said, “Time we boarded.”
Outside the bay, the four humans noted Luther and Minimalist waiting for the crew to ready the traveler. Sight of the SADEs gave them a good idea why they were journeying to Hyronzy Station, if it didn’t provide specifics.
The crew chief signaled the traveler’s readiness, and the waiting passengers filled the airlock to enter the bay. They climbed aboard via the cargo model’s ramp.
Soon afterward, Alex, Renée, Julien, Z, Miranda, Jess, and Lucia followed the others aboard. Z and Miranda were last, and their heavy avatars’ footsteps on the ramp reverberated throughout the ship.
After Z and Miranda locked their avatars, Z sent in the open,
For Jess, it was an unexpected message.
Something Alex had said earlier resurfaced. He’d said that the outpost’s stance must be demonstrated. Apparently, this show was to be Lucia’s and his. The Omnians were in attendance to boost morale.
Jess queried Lucia and learned that the Trident that they would be using to travel to Hyronzy would be Captain de Long’s starship.
Aboard the Trident, the SADEs chose to stand at the bridge’s aft section and lock their avatars for the duration.
The visitors filled every available cabin and a few more, necessitating junior officers double up.
“There would have been more room aboard the Our People,” Kasie commented to Pia, her roommate.
“Haven’t figured it out yet, Kasie?” Pia asked, while she unpacked her single duffel.
“Why we’re going to Hyronzy Station?” Kasie queried. “That seems obvious. The invitees are the teams that risked the final steps that linked two gates. Although, what we’re expected to do at the station escapes me.”
“When I suggested that you ask your brother, you thought I was being facetious, didn’t you?” Pia asked, turning from the wardrobe and facing Kasie.
“Um, yes,” Kasie replied.
Pia could sense Kasie’s discomfort. The young woman hadn’t tightly closed her gates. “Sit,” she urged Kasie, who used the edge of a bunk.
“There is a political evolution underway,” Pia explained. “It happens everywhere Alex travels. He doesn’t want to be the leader of the galaxy. He wants other individuals to pick up the mantles of leadership. However, he doesn’t want just anyone.”
“You’re trying to tell me that Alex has chosen my brother to be that individual at the station,” Kasie stated tartly. “That’s obvious. He’s the commander.”
Pia gently shook her head. “What do you think is the outpost’s purpose?”