Sol (The Silver Ships Book 5) (6 page)

Lumley scanned the crewman’s footage taken from a Pacific freighter. The familiar fighter’s hull of blues, greens, and whites gleamed in the bright morning sun. “This was inevitable,” Lumley said, a smile spreading over his face.

“Remember where you are, Captain,” Lucchesi reminded him, but he was disappointed that his warning didn’t wipe the smile from the captain’s face.

“Why was it inevitable, Captain?” Woo asked, noticing Lucchesi’s knuckles whiten as he gripped his tablet, angry over the usurpation of his interrogation.

“We’ve became complacent,” Lumley replied. “We defeated the rebels … to a large extent … so we thought we were invincible. Turns out we’re not. We met our match at Méridien and angered some very powerful people. Looks like they didn’t bother to wait until we returned to their worlds, they came here first instead. I thought they might.”

“Why did you think they might?” Woo asked, intrigued by the captain’s line of thought.

“First, Speaker García, and then High Judge Bunaldi, treated those people with the same lack of grace they’ve always demonstrated to our people. They pushed and prodded, and, when they didn’t get their way, they resorted to cheating in a life-and-death contest. When that didn’t work, they tried brute force, and that cost them dearly. I think our visitors, if these are the Harakens, believe in personal honor and a deep commitment to the well-being of one another, and they perceive us as disreputable. They’re here, Tribunes, taking away your initiative. And, at this point, you can believe you’ll have to prove any goodwill intended on the UE’s part, because the Harakens, if it is them, certainly won’t believe you can be trusted in diplomatic negotiations.”

“We’ve received a report from Captain Shimada. Her destroyer, the
Conquest,
is based at Idona Station. Check your tablet for her file. It’s under her name. I would be interested in your speculations,” Brennan said.

Captain Lumley found the file and opened it, reviewing the text report and the visual telemetry. It occurred to him that the tone of this Tribunal meeting was different from his first, which had been a condemnation without an opportunity to defend himself. This meeting was different — an interrogation, yes, but an earnest desire to hear his answers.

“Your records indicate you faced ships like these seen in Captain Shimada’s report,” Brennan pressed.

“Yes, I see three ships here,” Lumley replied. “We met the largest one in the Hellébore system. It dumped 256 fighters into space like some sort of automation system — very eerie. The next smaller ship seems to be made in the same design. I would estimate it would hold at least 128 fighters … we never saw this one.”

“So you don’t know what ship or ships defeated the
Hand of Justice
?” Woo asked, hoping to glean a piece of valuable intel.

“May I ask what actions were taken, if any, against the fighter that you showed me earlier?” Lumley asked.

“We ask the questions, Captain,” Lucchesi stated officiously.

“Patrol craft tried to intercept it and chased it from the Moon toward Earth,” Woo explained, ignoring Lucchesi. “Missiles were launched to bring it down, but it evaded all our efforts, dived into our atmosphere, and raced across the Pacific at an incredible speed before making for space again. Telemetry tracked its velocity past Venus’s orbit —”

“At 0.91c,” Lumley finished for the tribune. The number delivered to him by the
Reunion
’s guide had shocked him. “Incredible technology,” he finished absent-mindedly.

“What are your thoughts, Captain?” Brennan pressed.

“My thoughts are that those ships at Idona are definitely the Harakens, who have brought 350 to 400 of these incredible fighters to our system. Probably not enough to win a protracted war, but enough to make certain we listen to what they have to say. I certainly wouldn’t want to face their fighters with anything less than a very powerful fleet, and then you should be prepared to lose most of it, even if you do win,” Lumley replied.

“And just how are we supposed to have a discussion with these people, Captain? They have stopped at Idona Station,” Lucchesi asked with a sneer, happy to find a hole in the captain’s logic. But his enjoyment was short-lived.

“Tribune Woo, you said the patrol ships chased the fighter from the Moon?” Lumley asked.

“Yes, it deposited a device on the Moon. We investigated it but haven’t disturbed it as yet … not until we can understand its nature a bit better,” Woo answered.

“No need, Tribune. I can tell you what it is,” Lumley replied with a big grin. “Soon you will get a comm from, my guess, President Alex Racine of the Harakens. You’ll be able to talk to him in real time. The package on the Moon is a present from him. It’s an FTL relay comm.”

Lucchesi longed to object to the captain’s summation, but a glance at his fellow tribunes found them nodding their heads. The captain’s logic had made sense to them, so he closed his mouth.

Lumley was also nodding to himself. He was loyal to the UE concept that sought to balance humankind’s commerce with the needs of the people, but not its manner of doing so. And despite the Tribunal’s absolute power, he decided the tribunes could benefit from some advice even if it meant the public works for him. “Tribunes, you’ll pardon my presumption, but when President Racine comms, I would advise you to listen carefully and deal honestly with him. He’s not like anyone you have dealt with before. High Judge Bunaldi discovered that, to his detriment.”

“You’re presumptive, Captain,” Lucchesi replied, “but we will take your words under advisement. Go now. You’ll be kept on the grounds. We might have need of you later.”

“What about my crew, Tribunes?” Lumley asked.

“Depending on the developments with these —” Woo began.

“Harakens,” Lumley supplied.

“Yes, Harakens,” Woo continued, “during the next several days, providing their device does provide some sort of functional FTL communications, of course, we will no longer require your crew be held incommunicado.”

“A final word, Tribunes, if I may?” Lumley asked. “When you say things like ‘providing their device does provide some sort of functionality,’ I must stress that everything the Harakens do, they do well. My debriefing stressed that they have developed artificial intelligences who are walking among them. That demonstrates their technological capabilities.”

“Well, Captain, we have your report stating such,” Lucchesi said. “But these so-called SADEs have yet to be proven to our satisfaction. Who knows what sorts of mind games were perpetrated on you and your crew? You’re dismissed, Captain.”

After Lumley left the chamber, Lucchesi announced in a strong voice, “I say we deal with these people in an expedient manner. They only have three ships, and one appears to be a passenger liner. We send a couple of battleships, a few cruisers, and a number of destroyers and wipe them out. Problem solved.”

Brennan stared at Lucchesi for so long that after a minute he forgot he was still staring. It took that long for him to regain control of his temper and refrain from striking the idiot.

“What did you not understand from our two interactions with Captain Lumley?” Woo finally asked. “We don’t know what defeated the
Hand of Justice
. Captain Lumley reports the Harakens have beam weapons. What’s the range? How powerful are the beams? Is the entire system going to watch footage someday of our fleet being annihilated before it even engages the enemy? One of their fighters made it from Idona to Earth in record time and evaded all our efforts to capture it. One fighter!”

“In simple economic and political terms, Tribunes,” Brennan announced, “the UE can’t afford to lose a significant portion of its fleet by making poor and uninformed assumptions about the Harakens’ armament. Funds are tight, and if our forces are severely curtailed, the rebels will have years to strengthen their positions while we rebuild our fleet.” What Brennan didn’t say was that he feared there wouldn’t be sufficient credits to rebuild the fleet.

“I agree with Tribune Brennan,” Woo said. “Captain Lumley is confident we’ll receive a call. I say we wait and listen to what the Haraken leader has to say.”

After a great deal of wrangling with his staff, during which time Alex considered his presidential powers had somehow been reduced, a plan was concocted to take over Idona Station. The concept, which was Alex’s idea, was still intact. But his staff chose to entirely reconfigure the approach to the station, and the final plan did not involve Alex being the first to step off a traveler as he had suggested.

Tatia and Sheila coordinated the loading of passengers and troopers on the travelers and the overwatch flights, ensuring their best commanders were providing protection. The first group, the trooper-loaded travelers, would encircle the station, landing simultaneously in bays scattered around the outer ring. The second group of travelers, acting as fighter escorts, would ring the station and face outward.

Launched from the fleet’s ships, the travelers bore in on the station, and the SADEs went to work, using the information gleaned at Méridien concerning the Earther communications systems and protocols. Once they had access to the comms throughout the space — ship systems, militia comms, and station intercoms — Julien signaled Alex.

“Captains, militia, and personnel in and around Idona Station, I’m Alex Racine, president of Haraken,” Alex announced as graciously as he could. “We are here at Sol because your people entered our systems, treated our people with disrespect, and then tried to use force to convince us of your government’s righteousness. To our great regret, hostilities escalated until a confrontation was forced, and it required we eliminate your battleship, the
Hand of Justice
.”

Aboard ships and the station, it clicked for many listeners. The mystery of the
Reunion
’s return, without the
Hand of Justice
, was solved, but not to anyone’s pleasure, except for the rebels, who were cheering as they listened to corridor speakers that had been silent for decades, crackle to life.

“Your leaders aboard the
Reunion
heeded our warning, and the ship was allowed to return home without harm,” Alex continued. “At this time, we have need of a temporary location while we negotiate a peace with your Supreme Tribunal. Idona Station has been chosen. There will be a slight inconvenience for all of you while we execute a landing. Soon afterward, you may resume your activities, with a few exceptions, of course.”

Alex paused for a moment, and when he resumed his tone had hardened. “The instructions I give you now must be followed carefully for your safety and ours. We intend no one harm, but we will absolutely protect ourselves against any perceived threat. Captains, if you are in a bay or in dock, remain there; if you are on an approach vector, come to a zero delta-V relative to the station immediately and hold your position.”

A grin crossed Alex’s face as he considered his next instructions. “Now, for our friends in the militia aboard the station, we politely request you retreat to your headquarters and remain there. No exceptions. While we have a tendency to use stun guns if we feel threatened, we are likely to employ plasma rifles if we spot a militia uniform outside your headquarters.”

Captain Yun and Lieutenant Morris glanced toward Major Lindling. The senior officer wore an ugly scowl and stared at the comms speaker as if doing so would silence the voice pouring forth. “Plasma rifles,” Patrice Morris mouthed silently to her captain, worry written across her young face.

“To the owners, operators, and station personnel in the outer ring,” Alex said, “Stay in your shops or rooms. Do not venture into the outer corridors for any reason. Finally, to the rebels in the inner ring and core … I ask pardon for my use of the term; I have been given no other word by which to address you. Please stay in your areas for now. We will meet with your leaders soon. You have my word.”

The tunnel rats slapped one another on the shoulders and punched arms. Jodlyne was hugged in joy by Edmas, and her teenage heart thundered in her chest. The rebel leaders exchanged looks, and more than one tear was shed in hope that the long fight might be over.

In contrast to the rebels’ reactions, Major Lindling grabbed the comms speaker and ripped it from the wall. Captain Yum calmly switched the output to a secondary speaker next to his position. The major might wish to curtail the announcement, but Yun desperately wanted to hear everything the president had to say.

“To all, our entry and securing of the station might take several hours,” Alex continued. “We have no intention of disrupting the commercial enterprises of this station while we are here. In fact, if we can help it flourish, we will do so. We will broadcast an all clear when activities can be safely resumed, with a list of exceptions that I mentioned previously. Proceed now to do as I have asked. You risk your safety and the safety of others for noncompliance.”

While Alex broadcast his message, his people were performing multiple jobs. On board the fleet’s ships, telemetry monitored all UE ship positions and the status of the station’s docks and bays. Haraken captains, Sheila, and her staff monitored those views and that of the travelers’ positions.

A UE freighter captain was dissuaded from continuing his approach, by three travelers who stood off his bow, their noses pointing at him. Watching the foreign ships travel backward only meters beyond his ship at his velocity scared him witless, and he screamed at his pilot to cease their approach.

One of the station’s bay doors opened and a sleek yacht lifted from the interior’s deck only to discover two travelers hovering just outside. Within moments, the pilot settled the yacht back onto the deck, and the bay doors slid closed.

The SADEs gained control of the station’s operating systems for the bays — doors, cam views, ship statuses, and airlock controls. Julien signaled Tatia of their control, and she proceeded to make her own announcement to the station. Crews and passengers were warned to vacate the bays and given a time limit, by the station’s clock. When the time passed, Tatia signaled the pilots who comprised the travelers’ inner circle, and the SADEs opened a bay door for each ship.