The Council of Hhearn Trilogy Box Set

by P F Walsh

“I am prepared to turn them over to you today for your administration of justice within your laws if you would like us to do so, but the other two must suffer the hand of the Council’s justice. This was a grave assault on the peace of the Council of Worlds, in addition, Zakar must be held financially responsible for the replacement of the destroyed Seeker.”

  “Councilor, agreed. I am grateful and will take the crew back with me. They will face many annuals of hard labor in the mines, as well as family dishonor. No one comes out of the mines alive. I am in no position to ask a second request but will do so. I request that the Captain of the Zakar vessel and, as of now, the former Ambassador be given to the Zakarian Hunters for their demise. It will be done here on your soil, at a date and time of your choosing, but at Zakarian hands to demonstrate our certification of your judgement. You will be blood free in this matter and we will take the blood of shame home with us to spread it on salted land so that nothing shall grow from this matter. You have my commitment of total financing to begin immediate construction of the replacement Seeker ship.” said the Chieftain with a calm and unchallenging voice.

  After a small thoughtful pause, the Councilor turned to his associates behind him, they both nodded. He said to the Chieftain,

  “It will be as you ask, but your Embassy must remain closed until the sentences have been carried out, do you agree?” asked the Councilor.

  “I agree. You have been accommodating beyond expectations. May we consider this matter closed?” Asked the Chieftain.

  “Yes, you may, I will publicize our agreement so that all will know mutual justice is being carried out. Return to your shuttle in peace. We will send the prisoners to your shuttle.”

  The Chieftain stood up, picked up his ceremonial dagger and handed it to the Councilor.

  “This is yours now, earned in good faith. I will go about my daily work without arms to illustrate our shame and regret among our people until the sentences are carried out.” He said then turned to leave the office.

  Once everyone had left, the Councilor picked up the dagger examining the jewels, and wondering how many hearts this dagger had stopped from beating. He would have it framed and put on the wall behind his chair. He was pleased with the meeting’s outcome. The Zakarians would be executed by Zakarians. There would be no blood hunts for Hhearnians as a result. Nice clean ending, except for the final act which he was disinclined to attend. There would be multiple daggers and a slow ending. He wished all serious issues like this could be settled as amicably as this one was.

  Now, back to Council business and also to learn more about his wife’s plans to join a group traveling to Earth to spend some of his kalt on frippery.

  “On second thought,” He mused, “perhaps I should think about a Councilors group trip to Earth?” He could just imagine the food choices.

  In Speaker Nool’s comfortable office they were seated around her conference table enjoying sandwiches which although quite tasty were unidentifiable in its contents.

  “Captain, tell me about the Council of Worlds.” She asked.

  Sean began to describe several of the worlds he had visited with most of his comments about Hhearn. He then candidly laid out the process of application for membership which was stark. He did express expectations that those requirements were likely to change. He was not able to describe the options of trade without Membership, but was able to express Earth might be able to do so under humanitarian reasons. He then posed a question to her,

  “Madam Speaker what plans, if any, do you have for seeking an end to this very long war, or is that even being considered? I would have to understand your official position on this before I can proceed with considerations for assistance issues.”

  “Captain, I have labored over this question since I came into office. Most of the Assembly is quietly supporting me but there are a few very influential and loud voices that oppose it, believing that sooner or later we will win. It’s folly. After over a hundred annuals we have not won but suffered major damage, as have Lotma, our enemy. We are too well matched.”

  “I would like to now have a discussion on this in private, just the two of us. Would you be agreeable?”

  Sean agreed and both staffs prepared to leave the room and wait just outside the door. Doris, being security officer, examined the other doors in the room to be certain no other exit or entry was available. She nodded to Sean as she left the room.

  “Captain, I want this war to end. I do not want our children looking up in the sky daily for incoming chunks of stone and metal. I have secretly managed to establish a contact with the other side that is receptive to that end. I have been awaiting their arrival. In fact, I thought your ship’s arrival was the emissary I was expecting. Many of us, if that person is to be believed, have come to the same conclusion, this war is not winnable with the expected benefits. There will be no benefits except decades of economic depression and more decades of painfully rebuilding expensive infrastructure. It’s all madness. I can’t get anyone on my staff, or the military, to give me an exact event that started this war, or who started it, it’s been so long ago. The original reasons have all been subsumed into an allegory of anger and rage that is repeated on both sides.”

  Sean could see the genuine thrust of her frustration.

  “Madam Speaker you are in an unenviable position on this issue. I can understand the frustration when you have at your side, those who want the war to continue. There must be particular benefits that are flowing to those who oppose peace. Usually it’s the selling of arms or overcharging for items that are in short supply. Exposing those can often redirect the anger to the right places, but I can’t imagine you have not already considered this.” Sean replied. He continued,

  “In addition, I would suggest working on building support within the military as much as you can. They are the power base in wartime. If you can find highly ranked officers to support you, they will be invaluable when and if you can come to terms with the Emissary. They too should seek the support of their military.”

  “Captain, that is exactly what I have been doing. I was uncomfortable with the initial contact that was offered to come here and meet. I felt it was another bureaucrat with talk and no substance. I insisted on a high-ranking military officer recognizing your comment that they are the power base. If they don’t want to stop fighting, bureaucrats will not prevail. She agreed to come. I am awaiting her arrival.” She said thinking, “Maybe she had revealed more than she should have. Her office had not been checked for listening devices in over several solars.”

  She suddenly held up both hands with fingers splayed and then moved a finger to her lips indicating to be quiet. She turned to her intercom,

  “Mirrana, would you bring in some fresh iced water for us please?” As she scribbled a note on her blank pad. When Mirrana came in with the water pitcher, she showed the note to her and she dashed back out.

  Sean picked up on her sudden realization and pointed to his ear and then around room. The Speaker nodded. She suspected the room was bugged.

  After a bit of small talk about families a man came into the room with a sniffer. This was a device to detect listening devices. While they talked, he went around the room inch by inch and found two devices which he removed and quietly deactivated. He then went around the room again for a second sweep and placed a vibrator on her window pane to disturb laser bugging on the glass pane.

  “It’s all clear Madam Speaker. I apologize for this, we will keep much, much better track of access to this room. Someone is not doing their job or is complicit. I will take care of this Ma’am.”

  After he had left, Sean said,

  “Madam Speaker you said your emissary was a female high military officer?”

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  “Well, it is my very, very sad task to advise you she has already arrived here on Denknish. I believe she lies frozen in one of our specimen freezers on my ship, Admiral Andregga?” He asked.

  The speaker was stricken,
nodded affirmatively and asked,

  “How did this come about?”

  “As we approached your defense net and were looking at all the pieces of floating ship debris that had been destroyed by your battle droids, one large chunk bumped into another and dislodged a body that we recovered. It is the Admiral and apparently her ship was destroyed by your battle droids. Our ship’s physician examined her and determined she died from decompression when her ship was broken apart. There was no other damage to her body that was apparent. It was our intention to somehow return her remains to her family and service organization.”

  “This is a disaster and plays right into the hands of those who oppose a settlement. She is the daughter of Helmist Andregga The Presidium Leader of Lotma! I issued concise instructions regarding her ship which bore a civilian query identification I passed on to Orbital Defense Control with approval to enter and land where your ship is. Someone has taken it upon themselves to execute her.” She said angrily while clenching her fists.

  “Captain, do you have any truthmed on your ship? We are out of that, the pharmaceutical factory that makes it was destroyed. I must find out who the assassin is and quickly. I know the work shift this happened on, but there are several people that were in the room at that time.”

  “Madam Speaker, I do not have any truthmed aboard my ship, but I think I have something just as effective. Arrange to get all those persons together in one conference room. Check it carefully for listening devices and add armed security you can trust at all the exits and entries. Have adequate armed security staff to take those who are responsible into custody. Whoever did this will be prepared to do whatever it takes to escape once uncovered. Set up the time and we will be there to uncover the person or persons.” He said carefully.

  “You can do this?” She asked.

  “Yes, definitely, there will be no evasion possible to your questions.”

  The Speaker reached for her phone to alert the SPP, Special Speakers Police team, loyal only to the office holder and ruthlessly effective on prevention and response.

  Nasht-Mer now had over thirty ladies that were committed to go to Earth for a shopping spree and indulge in endless dining. Earth Ambassador Henning, who insisted Sean and the Council staff call him ‘Wally,’ suggested that it would be best when the group got to Earth that they break into three smaller groups so that tour guides could more effectively describe what they were seeing. Limousines would be arranged to transport them all to whatever they wanted to see or dine. He suggested two locations, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and El Paseo Drive in Palm Springs. The weather would be very nice with lots of sunshine, and the stores are unsurpassed with all the major ladies’ brands. He recommended a side trip to Las Vegas to cap things off and see a few shows. He shied away from suggesting New York City since security would be

  untenable with a large group to protect.

  Diplomatic Security had gotten wind of her plans and insisted that Diplomatic Security officers accompany the group. Nasht-Mer responded that it must all be female officers. No men on this trip. After some grumbling, the head of Diplomatic Security agreed although he would have to pull in some officers from other posts and do some quick training on Earth laws and culture. The Transport company CW Worldlines was rushing to schedule runs back and forth to Earth as they were getting calls from several other World member planets. Now with Nasht-Mer’s call it was looking like there would be twice a week service to Earth and back.

  Nasht-Mer was getting more excited each solar as departure dates were established so she could start thinking about packing, and what was Las Vegas?

  A courier drone from Earth had arrived at Hhearn with the news that Kastm’n the Elder had been captured, restrained, and on his way back to Hhearn in a CW Freighter. The Senior Councilor was pleased to hear that this whole dirty business was coming to a close. He did suspect that Kastm’n had connections to Hhearnian assistance in his planning, and looked forward to learning what he might know under the truthmed. The Captain of the attacking Zakar ship supported those suspicions based on his truthmed testimony. He knew only that there was a Hhearnian money source funding the action.

  “I wonder how deep this goes; I hope no more Councilors are involved.” He thought, thinking back to the discovery that the prior Senior Councilor was deeply involved with secret illegal and unethical actions.

  It was dusk on Earth in Washington DC as the Secretary of State came into the Oval Office.

  “Hi John, you’re just in time for cocktails, it’s after five, not five o’clock, but five reasons why I should never have taken this job. Sit down, what’s new? “The President asked as Secretary John Lewis made himself a drink.

  “Well Sir, the Russians are still trying to mend fences and have offered to give us Svetlana Kuznetsov the assassin that tried to kill me. I’m not sure we want her, just a big expense. It’s likely the best punishment for her would be to leave her there. I am trying to think up what we might want from them to mend the fences. Maybe I could ask them to send us a copy of their Shkval torpedo? Do you think they would consider that?” Asked the Secretary.

  The President laughed and said,

  “Don’t count of that. That’s their best underwater weapon and we still don’t have an equivalent. Besides, every once in a while, it blows up their own submarine. Did we find anything of value in their Embassy building?”

  “No sir, just one thing, the carpet is very worn going into the room that we believe was used for radio communication. All that carpeting was installed at the same time and the rest of it does not show that kind of wear, so there was a lot of foot traffic going in and out of that room. There must be a lot of radio traffic we’re missing. I’ve got the boys over at technical looking at the cables still hanging there to see if they have come up with a new way of communication we haven’t picked up on.”

  The President said,

  “Maybe we’ll get something out of this we didn’t expect. Damn, they’re sneaky. John, did you hear about the Zakarian that got snatched?”

  “No Sir, what happened?”

  “He managed to get a ride here to hunt down Captain Flynn to kill him in some kind of blood feud. Hhearn had put out a reward for his capture. Four CW Freighter crew spotted him at the shuttle port here and bagged him up to take back to Hhearn. There’s a 20,000 kalt bounty to collect. That’s why we never heard about it until after that freighter left. Just as well we got rid of him. We need to tighten up security at the shuttle base to make sure we don’t get hobos like this guy jumping ship. I’m talking guard houses and 24-hour patrols. I’ve got Eddie working on it. Want some more ice in that drink?” The Secretary said his was fine, it only displaced more bourbon.

  “I spoke with Michael Grant over at Treasury, the whole exchange rate and financial processing is going very well with no hiccups. That Hhearnian financial guy Kevbit-Pak is really on top of things in that area. We would like to recruit him; he solves issues really fast. I’ll bet he has put on 50 pounds since he’s been here though, eats out every night in a different restaurant. We also heard he was considering emigrating. Be a good thing for us if he did, but we shouldn’t encourage it, I don’t want to disturb our relations with Hhearn.” Said the President.

  “Mr. President I want to remind you that in a few months, the annual meeting of the Council of Worlds is being held on Hhearn. It is customary for the civic leadership of each world to be there for that meeting. A lot of important issues are discussed and decided upon. You need to plan to go.” Said the Secretary.

  “Yes, I know about that, I’m looking forward to it. I intend on going, plan on coming with me.”

  “I thought you would never ask. Wait until Eddie Powers at the Secret Service finds out, he will have a breakdown. Please make sure we’re on something better than one of those freighters you bought.” Said the Secretary smiling as he took another sip.

  “Maybe we can get Sean to take us there in his ship. I hear it is really a very nice starship. Can’t
imagine owning one of those things or how much it would have cost to buy. Have you heard anything from him?”

  “Not lately Sir, Wally at our Hhearn Embassy tells me he is off to another unknown world that built the ship he salvaged, to make a new contact, and return the personal effects of the former crew. Wally did receive a courier drone from Sean describing a successful flight to a planet called Denknish. When they got there, he discovered that the planet was involved in a war with some sort of sister planet that has lasted over one hundred years. He was planning to meet with the leadership, deliver the personal effects and cargo and stay out of the war effort. No word yet on how that is going so far.” Said the Secretary.

  Chapter Five

  Book Two

  On Denknish aboard the Discovery, Sean and his team had returned to the ship to prepare for another meeting at the request of the Honored Speaker Doreem Nool. The exposure of the deliberate killing of a peace emissary from Lotma had shocked and angered the Speaker beyond description. She was furious and determined to find and punish the guilty parties who implemented the action to destroy the emissary’s unarmed shuttle as it came to meet with peaceful intents.

  Sean met with his team and told them what he was planning to do. He would be taking a few more persons back to the Speaker’s Office to attend what was likely to be a very interesting meeting. Sean described who the person was that now lay in the ship’s specimen freezer, and why she was there. He had some reservations about their involvement in an internal affair of Denknish, but saw a greater role of the pursuit of truth and peace. If he could be the agent of positive change, he and his crew were willing to help.

  The Speaker ordered the Orbital Security team that was on duty when the Discovery arrived to appear in her office for a commendation on their handling of that arrival. They were to appear in dress uniform and be offered a chance to meet the travelers from Earth. She also invited the Chief Priest of The Shrine of First Faith to attend and meet the bearers who had brought the personal effects of the lost ship crew he was to return to their relatives.