Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) (12 page)
Read Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) Online
Authors: S. H. Jucha
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Alien Invasion, #First Contact, #Space Opera
* * *
A key component of Alex’s grand scheme involved the New Terran city-ship contractors. It fell to Jaya and Drake to review the House Alexander agreements. The trade of contractor services for Méridien technology was contrary to the original Pact, but the point was moot since Downing and his compatriots had already violated the agreement by distributing the technology to New Terran companies without the approval of the Assembly.
It was Jaya who pointed out to Maria and Drake that Julien had chosen to trade processes not Méridien products that could compete with existing New Terran products. “Madam President, it will take these smaller companies that House Racine has chosen, years, if not a decade or more, to develop the technology into products that they can sell.”
“Clever or coincidental?” Drake mused.
“Considering the Admiral invited bankers seeking investment opportunities to the same meeting as the contractors, it’s no coincidence … just the workings of Alex and his SADEs,” Maria replied.
“Regarding Downing, Madam President, will there be any legal charges brought against for him for violating the Pact without authority or for the other thing…?” Jaya asked, his voice trailing off.
“You mean for the murder of President McMorris?” Maria asked. “Violating the Pact is easily proven, and we can indict him for that, but he can make a case for emergency circumstances and his powers as President pro tem. It would be a long, drawn-out affair that we may or may not win. On this point, I’m still weighing my options. In the case of the hover-car accident, unfortunately we have no proof of his involvement.”
“Madam President, what’s your pleasure on the question of the contractor agreements?” Drake asked.
“Give House Alexander and the contractors my approval. I will inform the Assembly of my decision,” Maria replied.
* * *
Tatia visited the T-Stations, greeting the Managers who had returned to their jobs at Maria’s invitation. Julien sent his list of supplies to the master GEN machines at each T-Station, and the engineers set about gathering the material required by the first-stage machines. Production was active at all sites within three days of the return of the Managers.
Once Tatia had the T-Stations up and running, she flew to the
Freedom
and joined Tomas and Mickey to review the city-ship’s bays. Having spent so much time aboard the
Money Maker
, where every meter of precious space had been occupied, the cavernous bays of the city-ship appeared even more expansive than she had recalled.
“How much flight and load do you wish to accommodate, Commander?” Tomas asked.
“All we have, Director. That would be fifty-six fighters, 224 silos of missiles, and fuel tanks to accommodate 5,600 hours of flight time under full power,” Tatia replied. “A
Money Maker
bay barely has room for four silos and a single fuel tank. Your ship will be our supply reserves.”
Tatia linked Mickey and Tomas into a conference comm, signaled Cordelia, and requested she stay on the comm after Julien and Andrea had been linked.
as an alternate fighter base. The real question is how do we manage personnel? Without knowing which strategies the Admiral will employ, we are unable to determine the demands of each ship for pilots and flight crews. How do you wish to proceed?>
is lost. He does want eight Daggers permanently stationed aboard the
Freedom
in the event time has to be bought for the city-ship’s jump to FTL. We won’t be recruiting additional flight crew, so transfer three teams from the
Money Maker
to the
Freedom
, and I’ll give you Chief Roth and his flight crew and keep Chief Peterson aboard the
Rêveur
. Let me know if that works out for you as you arrange material, Commander.>
Later, she flew back to the
Rêveur
in time to catch the evening meal, learning Alex and Renée were landing aboard, which meant Alain was returning as well. Any day that ended with her and Alain alone in their cabin was a good day as far as Tatia was concerned.
That evening, a thought occurred to Tatia.
* * *
Evening meal was a calm and good-natured event. The crowded liners had been able to transfer their people to the city-ships. The new President pro tem and her Ministers were in place and expediently resolving issues. The people of the
Unsere Menschen
had witnessed the first contractors boarding their city-ship and starting work with the materials stored aboard. For the moment, there were no emergencies to solve.
Alex enjoyed one of the most relaxing meals he’d had in a long while, evident to the crew who saw the extra trips made to the food dispensers for the Admiral. Mickey and some engineers had sought to fabricate larger serving dishes only to discover that it would complicate the food processes. The controller recipes would have to be reprogrammed with an option for meal sizes, and the dispensers would have to be enlarged to accommodate the larger dishes.
On hearing Mickey’s lament about his failure, Pia had enfolded her New Terran lover in her arms and whispered, “My people will not let you starve, dear heart. We will make all the trips to the dispensers necessary to fill this huge body of yours.”
* * *
Early the following morning, Renée and Terese began a tour of the flotilla, checking on the Medical Suites for supplies and equipment. They were especially focused on the ships that would be returning to Libre.
Terese usually enjoyed lively conversations with Renée, but this morning aboard the shuttle flight to the
Money Maker
, she sat next to a subdued Renée.
Renée sat quietly, debating whether to share. It had been an intimate moment, but she was concerned for both the man and the Admiral.
Terese belatedly noticed her mouth was open and closed it quickly.
Renée looked over at Terese, who appeared to have forgotten this was a medical discussion. Terese’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. Renée smiled at her Medical Officer.
Terese offered Ser her own smile, wondering what it must have felt like. She felt a hint of jealousy, which was quickly drowned out by her concern for the Admiral.
Terese said, the situation becoming clear.
Renée eyed her companion, perhaps the closest Méridien friend she still had.
By the forty-sixth day after the flotilla’s return to New Terra, all Daggers had been assembled from parts and flown to their respective ships. The four ships returning to Libre were resupplied. The contractors were making great progress on the
Unsere Menschen
. Fuel tanks and missile silos were still being installed on the
Freedom
. The flotilla’s shuttles were fully restored and scheduled to begin transferring personnel and passengers—at least that was the plan.
Alex found himself invited by Tomas to a meeting of the Libran elders aboard the
Freedom
. Tomas met Alex and Étienne as they descended the shuttle’s ramp in
Freedom
’s bay. The Director offered Alex an apology for the interruption of his day’s agenda, but said nothing else regarding the meeting.
In a conference room, five elders waited respectfully near the door rather than taking seats. Alex received their bio-IDs as he greeted each of them. The elders, as was their habit, greeted him by placing their right hand on their heart and their left hand on his heart, nodding their respect. Alex returned their greeting with a solemn nod of his own. He walked to a chair at the head of the table, knowing he must sit before the elders would. It was another of those disconcerting Méridien habits that Alex accepted, but only with conscious effort.
As well, Alex had to be the first to speak. “I’m here to hear the concerns of the people,” he said, knowing the elders would not have requested a face-to-face meeting if they hadn’t come to some critical and universal decision, so easily reached with their communal-capable implants. With over a hundred thousand people aboard the
Freedom
, it might have taken them two or three days, but without the implants, it would have taken them forever.
“As always, the Admiral is concerned for the safety of our families, children, and elders by his wishes to transfer them to the
Unsere Menschen
and planetside,” said Bibi, the daughter of Fiona Haraken. “The question is asked, Admiral, with due respect: Did we not join House Alexander?”
“Yes, Bibi, the Librans did join my House to my great joy,” Alex replied. Bibi appeared middle-aged but was probably 125 to 140 years old. It was always a challenge to see such a face and remember that he was speaking to someone who had probably lived four or five of his lifetimes.
Bibi nodded her appreciation of the honor paid her and her people. “Then the next question is asked, Admiral: Are we not worthy of sharing the risks of the House?”
Of all the questions Alex had prepared himself to answer, this wasn’t one of them. The Librans sought to honor what Alex and his people had done for them. If Alex attempted to protect them, he would humiliate them. The Confederation had already done that to them, declaring them as Independents, and they didn’t want to be put aside again.
“There will be no transfers, Elders. You honor your House by sharing its risks.” Alex rose up, signaling the end of the meeting.
The elders rose and paid him full honor for his decision. He acknowledged their respect and wished them a good day.
On the way back to his shuttle, he contacted Andrea.
. There’s plenty of room aboard to add the crew and techs we require. You will need to ensure there are cabins completed and outfitted for them.>
Rêveur
’s running joke about their Admiral.
I’m getting better at this
, she thought.