Transmission Lost (57 page)

-But they're the ruling council for humanity,- Admiral Te'rou objected.

Jack shook his head. “You're thinking too much in Ailian terms,” he said. “In the Ascendancy, the Empress makes a decision, and that's the law. There's little means for appeal. Humans don't work that way. We rule by consensus through the United Nations, but the various nations retain a lot of their autonomy. For a lot of what the UN decides, nations can choose to follow or ignore based on their own beliefs or interests.”

-And that doesn't lead to chaos?- Governess Amani asked.

“Sometimes it does,” Jack acknowledged. “But the advantage is that if the UN makes a decision you don't agree with, you can gather enough friendly nations to render their decision pointless.”

-It is not dissimilar from how the Empire functions,- General Soumaren observed, stroking her cheek with one finger, her neon eyes blinking thoughtfully.

“So what are you telling us, Jack?” Li'ren asked. She leaned back in her seat, folding her hands in her lap. Her ears were pricked forward; switching from English to Ailian and back again over and over was requiring all of her concentration.

“Isn't it obvious?” Jack looked around at all of the Ailians seated around him. For being the most powerful race in the galaxy, he couldn't believe that they weren't getting it. “If the UN won't listen to you, go to the individual nations themselves and appeal to them directly.”

His suggestion was met with silence around the meeting table. From the looks on their faces, Jack could tell that the thought had honestly never occurred to any of them. -Would that even work?- Admiral Te'rou asked.

“It's worth trying,” Jack said. “Look, there are plenty of humans out there who are sick of the war, and some of them lead nations. Now a lot of nations will march in lockstep with the UN, but some of them will be willing to listen to what you're offering. And I think enough of them will see that it's a lot better in the long run than the alternative.”

For a few long minutes, Li'ren and the other diplomats looked taken aback, but then the former consort leaned forward. “That makes a lot of sense,” she said. “Perhaps you are right...”

-But that still leaves us with another crisis,- Governess Amani said ruefully. She glanced down the table at her daughter. -With the Empress dead, we have a power vacuum. There is already struggle within the Ascendancy to fill the void. Without a clear leader, we will not last long.- The Ailian governess stood up from her chair, pacing back and forth at the front of the room. -The laws of ascension state that the closest living female relative gains the throne.-

Aria's ears lowered slightly. -But all of Her Majesty's family are in the Outer Colonies, aren't they? They're allied with my mother. You can't be suggesting that one of them will become the Empress.-

The governess shook her head firmly. -That is not an option. But Empress Solan had no children. We are short on alternatives.- She swept her eyes over the assembly. -I must admit that I am at a loss. If we do not come up with a solution soon...-

The meeting room fell silent. Everyone was looking at everyone else, as though they were waiting to see who would be the first to make a suggestion. The mood seemed absolutely hopeless, and Jack could see things pretty clearly from their perspective. The Ascendancy was in danger of breaking apart from the inside at the same time it was being crushed from the outside, and they were all staring their doom in the face. Nobody in the room looked more miserable than Li'ren, with her personal grief being compounded by the grief brought on by the imminent defeat of her people. And then, while looking at her, he had an idea.

“What about Li'ren?”

Li'ren jerked her head up, her eyes widening as she stared at Jack. Everyone else stared at him, too. Those of them that could understand English had their mouths open, while the rest had understood Li'ren's name and little else. He felt his stomach wrench with anxiety, seeing all the attention turned his way yet again. Even now, he still couldn't quite get over his ingrained apprehension at having that many Ailian eyes on him at once.

“What you say?” Aria asked, putting a hand on Jack's leg under the table.

“You just said that the closest female relative ascends to the throne,” Jack said. He stood up, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. “The Empress doesn't have any eligible
blood
relatives, but what about Li'ren? She was the Empress' mate. How much closer can you get?”

They all looked to Li'ren, whose eyes were huge by now. “It...Well...It would be unprecedented...,” she stammered, staring at Jack. “No Empress in the history of the Ascendancy has ever taken a female mate, not before Kri'a. I...I couldn't...”

-Why not?- Governess Amani was sitting back in her chair again, her expression very thoughtful and intrigued, almost excited. -It would be an elegant solution. Our leadership problem would be solved, and the Ascendancy, I believe, would be in capable hands.- Heads began nodding around the table, even from some of the military officers.

-I...I don't know about capable,- Li'ren said, sounding panicky. She was breathing very rapidly, the fur on her neck standing on end. -And what about the people? What will they think?-

Her mother stood up once more, walking around the table and standing behind Li'ren. -Child, you are much more capable than you realize. Nobody anticipated that this would happen, but you were made for this. You have been training for this for your whole life, without knowing it. You were closer to Her Majesty than anyone for a decade. You know what an Empress is, you know how an Empress must act, and you know what an Empress must do.- She placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. -You have admirers among the subjects of the Ascendancy. Many of them do not know you as the Empress' mate, but they do know you as an important figure in the government. Once they see you acting as an Empress should, they will accept you. And that is the most important part. The Empress is a symbol just as much as she is a leader.-

-But...,- Li'ren said, continuing to protest. She stopped as the communication unit in the center of the table began to chirp. It was the first sound that had come through it since the meeting began. A light was blinking on the unit as well, indicating an incoming call.

The governess was mildly annoyed by the interruption. -Captain Me'lia, I thought I gave instructions that we were not to be disturbed. Was that order not passed along?-

-I passed that order along, m'lady,- Aria confirmed. She glanced over the display on the device, reading the notations scrolling along the small diagnostic screen. Jack saw her frown, her eyes narrowing. -It is noted as an emergency message, but I don't recognize the frequency. There isn't any return identifier attached to it. I can't tell who it is, but it's full sound and picture.-

Admiral Te'rou gestured to the device. -Answer it. It could be important. There may still be a few stragglers from other theaters of combat, and their comm identifier could be damaged.-

-Very well, Admiral.- Aria reached for the communicator and switched it on. The flashing light changed from red to green, and a projector activated on the top of the unit. After a short warm up period, the display flickered and a hologram projected above the surface of the table. As soon as she saw it, Aria shot up from her chair, baring her teeth as she snarled at the image.

-Manners, now,- the projection of Ara'lana Me'lia said placidly, looking at her daughter with a cool air about her. The white-furred Ailian was visible from the waist up, dressed in her crimson version of an admiral's uniform. -The proper thing to do when someone calls is to say 'hello'.- She looked at the Ailian before her in some confusion, and then recognition presented itself. -Is that you, Aria? Goodness me, aren't you a bit old for dress-up? That black fur really isn't very becoming on you.- Her eyes landed on Jack, sitting next to Aria. -Ah, and your pet human. How nice. Is he an admiral now? That would certainly explain the ease with which I was able to seize Lirna.-

-What do
you
want?- Li'ren growled. Her hands were balled into fists on the top of the table, her ears laid low as her muzzle wrinkled in a furious sneer. Jack thought that if Ara'lana had physically been there, the former consort would have leaped up and strangled her.

Ara'lana clucked her tongue. -How rude, Li'ren. No interest in pleasantries? Well, no matter...- She placed her arms behind her back. -I was calling upon you all to offer my terms for your surrender. You must understand that you have lost the war. Your fleets are in disarray, and you are losing territory daily.- Her picture swiveled around to look at everyone at the table, especially General Soumaren. -Even the help of the Nuretan Empire will not be enough. My Pteryd allies will cut them down.-

-Surrender?- Admiral Te'rou asked. He clenched his jaw. -I'd rather die than surrender to you.-

-Be careful, Jin. You may get what you ask for.- The rebel leader smiled at them all. -You can save yourselves by joining me. There is little alternative for you. The homeworld is mine, and your Empress is dead.-

Li'ren's eyes flared. -Don't you dare speak of her! You're not worthy to even mention her!- The blue-furred female stood, pointing a finger at Ara'lana. -You will send Kri'a's body to Arbaros at once. I have the right to bury my mate!-

Ara'lana blinked, seemingly taken aback by the request. -I am afraid that is impossible. Her body is no longer on Lirna. I sent her body back to her family, in the Outer Colonies. She will be buried on her mother's home planet.-

As soon as she heard that, Li'ren deflated, sinking back into her chair. -You did what? Oh, gods...- She hung her head, her shoulders beginning to shake with renewed sorrow. Governess Amani squeezed her daughter's shoulder, and she glared at Ara'lana's image with unshielded hatred. The rest of the Ailians in the room looked just as shocked by Ara'lana's news.

“That's pretty bad...,” Jack mumbled to Aria, who had just told him what her mother had said to Li'ren. She looked devastated, just as crushed as she had when the news of her mate's death had been received.

-That was a cruel thing to do, mother,- Aria said, her voice eerily quiet. -Unnecessarily so. You had no right to do that.-

Ara'lana's holographic face darkened as she stared down her daughter. -Take care, Aria. I can do as I wish; I am the one in power, now. And I will not legitimize that little deviant's relationship with the late Empress.- She raised her chin slightly. -If she wishes to pay respects to Kri'a, she may visit her family's home planet, if her family will allow it.- The hologram looked around the table once more. -If you surrender now, you may live. Your prison sentences will be lengthy, but that is to be expected for traitors to the new regime. Your soldiers will go unpunished. They were only doing their jobs.- Ara'lana glanced at Jack and Aria, then she reached one hand out of the view of the picture. -You have my request, but I will not wait long for an answer.-

The image of Ara'lana switched off, and the comm unit went dark again. The meeting room fell as silent as a graveyard, with everyone looking around at each other as they tried to deal with what had just happened. Having a reminder of the seriousness of their situation seemed to have taken most of their energy. Jack looked at Li'ren. She had grown still, and if she had been crying before she didn't seem to be any longer. This was a far cry from the proud, emotionless, and ruthless people that Jack had always been taught Ailians were. He turned his attention to Aria, who was still staring at the deactivated communicator, her teeth clenched together hard enough that he could hear them grinding against each other. He put a hand out and laid it on her thigh, making her jump. After she gazed at him for a second, she clutched his arm in return.

Jack even felt bad for everyone else in the room, so thorough was their hopelessness, but he couldn't help feeling a little bit justified. The Ascendancy was starting to feel the same way that humans had been feeling for the past half decade. Five years into the war, the entirety of humanity had been expecting to be wiped out. Jack's homeworld, Earth, was lost, and now the Ailian homeworld was taken over as well. But then he remembered what he'd spoken of earlier, and it gave him a little bit of hope. Maybe that commonality was something that could help win one war and end another.

-I'll do it.-

They all turned their heads to see that Li'ren was standing now. Her head was held high, and though tears streaked her face she had a look of purpose. As Jack watched, she drew herself up to full height, still shorter than most of the other Ailians in the room. She brushed one hand down the front of her robes, smoothing out the wrinkles. Clasping her hands in front of her, her tail curled calmly around her legs, she nodded slowly.

-I will lead our people,- Li'ren proclaimed, softly but clearly. -We will not surrender, and we will not be defeated. I will take whatever steps necessary to assure our victory, and to secure the sovereignty of the Ascendancy.- She looked at Jack, and then she gestured to her diplomats. -You will send out the ambassadors again. I believe that Jack Squier's suggestion is a good one. It may require some time, but we will appeal to all human nations.- Next, she looked at Admiral Te'rou. -Admiral, you will prepare the fleets. Repair your ships, and gather your soldiers. Retaking the homeworld must be our highest priority. Lirna is the strategic key to the entire Ascendancy.-

Slowly, Admiral Te'rou smiled. -Of course, Empress Amani. It will be done, as you say.-

Jack could see the pain in Li'ren's eyes as she heard the word “Empress”, but it was pain tempered with new resolution. -It will not be an easy fight, but we are Ailians,- Li'ren said. She growled slightly, looking around at everyone seated before her. -If war is the remedy our enemy chooses, than we will give them all they want. I will make them pay for what they have done.-