Empire of Bones (21 page)

Kelsey considered that for a few moments. “Agreed. Has there been any new news on that front?”

“A little. The science team figured out how to hot-wire a headset to a standalone computer. They’ve pulled quite a lot of data off the implants, but they really don’t know what it means. They have no frame of reference. I’m told it looks like programming code, but they don’t know the language.”

“Will anything on
Courageous
help with that? Getting her computer back online, perhaps?”

“It’s possible, but I’m not sure. It’ll probably be more code we don’t understand. We might not even be able to access it without implants of our own.”

She shuddered. “That sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how they could put things like that in their brains. Much less what the marines did. They’d have to be cut open like a fish.”

“I agree that it seems horrific. Especially considering what the Pale One had done to him. There has to be a link between them and the old Empire Fleet, I just can’t imagine what it is. Perhaps some equipment was left on and still running after all this time?”

“That’s set up to kidnap people and does this? There’s something more to the story. I’m more interested in why these obviously savage people are compelled to fly here and attack. What guides them? How can the implants even make it possible?”

“More questions without an answer. We’ll send those people back over to their fleet as soon as we can and flip back to
Courageous’
system. It won’t hurt to let the Royal Fleet know we have people there. It’s almost like an insurance policy. We can get a download of data and more scientists. If we’re going deeper into the system I want to have our best people with us.”

Jared’s communicator chirped. Graves responded when he answered. “Captain, the Royal Fleet commander wants to speak to you.”

“On my way.”

He stood. “Time to cement our introduction.”

The next few days went by quickly. The Royal Fleet arranged to take their people off
Athena
and Jared sent a probe back with a message to have a number of scientists brought to the flip point. They made the flip back the next day to pick them up and ended up spending an unplanned few hours offloading the large cargo shuttle that they’d packed with equipment.

He’d told them to bring only the essentials, but their definition of that word differed from his. He should’ve known that would happen.

Commodore Sanders, the Royal Fleet commanding officer, invited him over shortly after they returned. Though somewhat concerned about isolating himself, Jared agreed. These people hadn’t given him any indication they were likely to behave treacherously, so he’d make the first big step in building trust.

Kelsey wanted to go, but he refused. Trust didn’t need to be an act of stupidity. They could take him prisoner if they chose. That wouldn’t force
Athena
to do anything. He considered himself expendable, if need be. The Emperor’s daughter was not, no matter how she styled herself.

So he boarded one of his cutters with two unarmored marines. All three wore side arms, but brought no heavy weapons. They approached the Royal flagship a short time later. It looked big in vid feed. Much larger than the biggest cruiser the Empire boasted.

Of course, the Terran Empire wasn’t at war. If that changed, the Imperial shipyards would commence building larger vessels. They’d done the design work, but there was little need to incur the expense with no threats on their borders. With the dangerous universe he’d discovered, that might change.

They didn’t need a special docking collar this time. The Royal flagship had a bay large enough for his cutter. The pilot deftly brought the cutter into the massive ship’s bay and the large hatch slid closed behind them.

Jared rose to his feet and checked his uniform one last time. He started to open the lock when it turned green, but the pilot told him their hosts wanted him to wait a few minutes while they prepared to greet him.

When they indicated they were ready, Jared cycled the lock and stepped out onto the shuttle’s ramp. Two short rows of men in red tunics flanked the ramp, rifles held upright in front of them. Two men stood at the other end of the impromptu corridor. One of them was Lieutenant Fredrick. The older man with three times the ribbons on his gold tunic was probably the Commodore.

Jared walked up to the two officers and saluted, right fist to his chest. “Greetings, Commodore Sanders. I am Commander Jared Mertz, commanding officer of the Imperial Fleet destroyer
Athena
. Thank you for inviting me over.”

The older man brought his stiff hand to his forehead in a salute with which Jared wasn’t familiar. He then extended his hand. “It is my pleasure, Lord Captain. You already know the good Lieutenant and, as you so astutely surmised, I am Commodore Walter Sanders, commanding officer of this task force. On behalf of my King, allow me to thank you once more for acting in defense of His subjects in their hour of need.”

Jared shook the man’s hand and smiled. “It was the right thing to do.”

“And yet you took a leap of faith in your decision. My understanding is that you arrived while the attack was in progress. In your position, I might well have decided to proceed more cautiously until I established the lay of the land.”

“I considered the data we had at our disposal and the wise counsel of our Ambassador. She immediately knew the right course of action. Honorable beings do not attack innocent civilians. Character is important.”

“Quite so. I’m disappointed that she couldn’t come, but I understand your caution. I hope to set your mind at ease today because our peoples have much to offer one another. Technology, culture, and much that I’m certain I haven’t considered. Come, I insist on giving you the same tour you gave my officer.
Mace
is an old battleship, but I’m proud of her.”

The Royal marine guards didn’t follow them so Jared made a decision. “Perhaps my marines could spend some time with yours. That might foster more understanding between our people.”

The Commodore laughed. “Knowing marines as I do, I shudder to anticipate what trouble they will find together. You can summon them when you’re ready to depart.”

The marines didn’t look happy at leaving his side, but they went off with their counterparts. He hoped they wouldn’t get into a fight over gambling debts. Fredrick went with them, perhaps to make certain they didn’t.

The number of crewmembers in the corridor surprised Jared. There were a lot of people. “What size crew do you have aboard?” he asked.

“Three thousand two hundred and fifty three.
Mace
has many systems to maintain and operate. And
Athena
?”

“Two hundred and fifty, not counting a detachment of thirty marines”

Sanders stopped, his expression surprised. “That’s an incredibly small number for even a destroyer. Ours have double that number. Your systems must be quite advanced.”

“I hadn’t considered them overly so, but perhaps. We’ve only been back in space for a century, but our scientists had been working on the theory long before we had the technology. Once we started making breakthroughs, we built ships quickly.
Athena
isn’t the cutting edge of our designs either. She’s about fifty years old, though she’s been well refitted.”

“We need to build ships quickly after every invasion and innovation has been slow. The continuing raids have taken their toll on progress. We do indeed have much to learn from your people. Let’s start with engineering.”

The main engineering compartment looked large enough to hold most of
Athena
. He had no trouble recognizing the massive grav drives. They seemed powerful enough to move a planet.

“What are these?” He gestured at the massive power plants. “Fission plants?”

“Yes. Heavily shielded of course. I’d imagine you’ve figured out cold fusion?”

Jared laughed. “I’m told that’s a mirage. We do have fusion plants, though they take up much less space. My chief engineer could ramble on about them for a few weeks.”

The old man smiled. “Engineers are all alike, eh? I’m certain my engineers would be ecstatic to converse with him at length.”

“I feel confident we’ll come to some kind of understanding. Ambassador Bandar will need to make the final decision on something like that, but I can envision sharing technical information very soon.”

“That would be wonderful. Perhaps we can even barter for some of the exotic elements needed to make space-time drives.”

“Those elements are found in most star systems in small quantities. The last system we travelled through may have them in one of its asteroid belts.”

“Or the ones beyond it. I’m sure your Empire could have a brisk trade in them. They would be literally worth a King’s ransom.”

Jared took a deep breath. Here’s where he had to lay some of their cards on the table. It wouldn’t do to let their new friends think they were misleading them. If this were going to cause problems, it would be best to find out now.

“At this time bilateral trade with the Empire may be premature.” He explained their current difficult situation to the Commodore.

The officer listened without interrupting until Jared wound down. His frown deepened. “Indeed, you are in a fix. Thankfully, you’ll find the Kingdom a friend in your time of need, just as you were in ours. Unless there is another of these weak flip points in our system, we cannot offer an alternative route back to your Empire, but we can make certain you have other supplies you need. One day your Fleet will come looking for you and they
will
find you among friends.”

“We appreciate that. The Empire doesn’t forsake its friends, either. The Emperor won’t forget those who sheltered his daughter.”

The Commodore started walking down the corridor slowly. “I’ve spoken with His Majesty. He has given me leave to speak with His voice in this matter. No matter what agreements we come to, you and your people are welcome here as our friends. His shelter is yours. Frankly, He can’t wait to meet you both, Lord Captain. Your timely arrival has fired His imagination.”

“I hope we can live up to his expectations.” Jared considered their situation. Hiding
Courageous
might come back to bite them if they never got home. If they traded technical information, the Royal Fleet would use the flip point to that system to test their new systems. Its presence would become common knowledge fairly quickly.

“Commodore, might we speak privately?”

“Of course. Let’s adjourn to my day cabin. We can have something to eat while we talk.”

The Commodore’s day cabin was twice the size of Jared’s office. The older man sent for food and offered Jared a drink. Having no idea what drinks they had here, he told the other man to surprise him.

Sanders poured an amber liquid into two small glasses. “Sip this. It’s quite smooth, but a gulp would be uncomfortable at best.”

Jared sat at a small table beside the senior officer and sipped the drink. It was quite alcoholic and burned nicely as it went down. “This is very good.”

“Aged apricot brandy. My family has brewed this for centuries. It’s only available for limited consumption. I’ll send a few bottles back with you.”

A buzzer announced the arrival of food. It looked like a platter of cheese, meats, and bread. The scent made Jared’s stomach rumble. The man left the food with them and departed.

Commodore Sanders considered Jared. “What shall we speak of, Lord Captain?”

“My people may be trapped here, I have knowledge that you should be aware of. Consider it my gesture of trust.” He proceeded to tell the full tale of their arrival.

Sanders sat bolt upright when he first mentioned the old Empire battlecruiser, his drink forgotten in his hand. He listened raptly to the entire story without interrupting. Only when Jared finished did he move.

More precisely, he gulped the entire glass of brandy and went to refill their glasses.

“That is the most amazing tale I’ve ever heard. I’ve read adventure stories like that, but never imagined that something so…astonishing could happen in real life. Dear gods, an old Empire Fleet vessel.” His tone was reverent. “They were as technologically superior to us as we are to the Pale Ones now.”

“I’m confident that Princess Kelsey will negotiate allowing your specialists join the examination of the ship, but I need to discuss the Pale Ones, as well.” He explained about the implants they found inside the Fleet personnel.

The Commodore frowned deeply. “That
is
troubling, Lord Captain. Are you positive these implants are the same? We knew the bastards had such technology, but this link to the old Empire is chilling.”

“They appear to be the same equipment and implantation method, except the old Fleet personnel had no scars.”

“Are you able to compare the contents of these implants to those of the old Fleet personnel?”

Jared shook his head. “The ones in
Courageous’
crew are as dead as they are. We modified one of the headsets to copy what they think is the programming code from the Pale Ones onto a separate, secured computer. We’re examining it now.”

The older man nodded. “If you were to find the right power settings, do you think some of the original implants might be brought back online?”

“Perhaps. I don’t want to desecrate one the dead Fleet personnel unless we’re sure.”

“We would appreciate it if you could try,” the Commodore said. “I find myself wondering if they are identical inside, or if perhaps the programming of the Pale Ones has been overridden somehow.”

Jared sipped his brandy. “You mean like a computer virus? That’s an interesting theory. I’ll discuss it with my people. If it were, wouldn’t the old Empire have fixed it? These savages might be the descendants of people conquered by the rebels. Surely the old Fleet would have captured some of the rebels and reversed the process if they could have.”

The Commodore shrugged. “It is conceivable that they did. The old stories tell how rapidly the rebellion spread. If it
is
a virus, perhaps correcting it took time. Perchance the same held true for modifying the implants to resist the infection. The vast and mighty Terran Empire fell within two or three years.”