by Neely Dobbs
CHAPTER 3: Coalition
“Officer Laytonn, that new arrival…we’ve confirmed that it’s different from all the others we've logged.” The insolent frown on Special Aide Braang Pezzer’s face did not escape the notice of the attractive woman with flame-colored hair who sat opposite him.
“Cut the commentary; just supply pertinent details.” First Science Officer Laytonn Eebri leaned forward, riveting Braang with her gaze.
Pezzer shrugged nervously and slowly exhaled. “A day and a half ago…” he checked the time record, “...49.4 hours plus, a lone planet appeared half a light year from Kiideeni Prime. A ship in route to Kiideeni reported it after their proximity detectors suddenly went crazy in a region of space previously devoid of any such object.”
An unaccustomed flush tinted the Science Officer’s face a pale pink. “A planet…just a planet? Not a system?”
“Correct, Officer Laytonn. A lone planet, without a primary.” Braang hastened on, seeing her scowl. “Oh, we don’t think it was occupied…uh,” his eyes darted rapidly, looking for the right word. “I meant to say that evidence indicates it once had been inhabited, but apparently was evacuated before the capture.” He paused but, when he received no response, continued. “We found vacated structures buried in the newly formed ice shield. We also detected some faint machine-based transmissions from several sub-surface locations.”
“What is the drift rate—and does it a threaten any of our own habitats or installations?”
“No, it's traveling on a path away from any of our stuff, at only about a twenty KPS.”
“Nav-lanes?” snapped Eebri, locking her flashing emerald eyes on his.
Flustered, Braang blushed and stuttered, “Yes, Sir…I mean ma’am…er…Officer Laytonn. We’ve already added its position and vector to our charts, so it won’t pose any navigational hazard.” He began gathering in his notes, hoping the debriefing was about to end.
His hopes were dashed as Laytonn continued. “What about danger to other systems?”
Finally Braang relaxed. Go for a joke a scientist would love, he thought. Maybe it will crack her stony demeanor. “The planet is headed for deep space and it won’t intersect the nearest solar system for over 20,000 years…so we should have plenty of time to warn them.” He finished with a chuckle, but choked on it when he saw her frown.
“Has Lord Ptoriil been apprised of this new phenomena?”
Pezzer looked even more uncomfortable. “Er…no, he hasn’t…not yet.” He paused, looking down, shuffling his feet a little. “Officer, I was hoping you would take him the information. I realize this will aggravate his political situation and… well, I thought he might take it better from you!”
“Thank you,” Eebri smiled tightly. “However, be aware that flattery will gain you nothing... but trouble. In this case, it is appropriate that I provide the information— plus I have to meet with him shortly.”
Pezzer thought, I’ll just bet you do! All he said aloud was, “Thanks.”
As Officer Laytonn dismissed him, he decided to go back and recheck the entire incident, just to make doubly sure that everything he had told her had been done as indicated. Pezzer returned to the command chair, reflecting on how demanding and unrewarding his “promotion” had proven. Ha!… "Special Aide," my conniving excuse for a father’s left foot! All it means is that I got a token title and got stuck in this hot-seat in the middle of a no-win situation. I don’t dare miss anything that would bring Laytonn down on my back.
Kretch! For such a decidedly soft and fine-featured woman as Eebri, her well-earned reputation for hard-as-rock discipline is remarkable. Letting his gaze slide lower as she walked away, he thought, Of course, she’s remarkable in other ways, too, but….
Eebri headed toward the executive offices. She knew that Braang Ktor—one of Lord Ptoriil’s most capable supporters—was Pezzer’s uncle, but she could detect none of Ktor’s elegance or erudition in this nattering nephew. An impish smirk briefly shadowed her face. Is Pezzer genetically related to Ktor, or did a Caarzovian throwback slip in somewhere?
She was oblivious to the furtive lecherous glance tossed her way by Pezzer. Normally, such a look would not have gone unseen—or unpunished—but her mind had entered into its now legendary deep and focused concentration. For despite her inarguably distracting physical form, it was Eebri’s formidable mind—capable of a scientific precision and political intuition matched by few people within the Regency Coalition—which had won her the high position of Chief of the Coalition Science Agency.
Her mind raced unflinchingly, searching for the point where the puzzling new cosmic phenomena would threaten the always tenuous confederacy of the Coalition.
The uproar over this latest appearance could tilt the balance of power away from Briin and remove House Ptoriil from primacy. I’m not concerned for myself… I can weather whatever storms may come. But if Lord Ptoriil were to lose his position as Chairman of the Mutual Advisory Committee, it could be devastating to the Coalition. To have a Regent of one of the other twelve ruling families assume Lord Ptoriil’s power would be disastrous! And since every House covets the prestige of having its Lord Regent as both Chief Executive of the Coalition and Chairman of the MAC— even if that committee blocks the Regent’s actions more often than it advises when to take them— the struggle to gain supremacy could precipitate complete chaos across the Coalition,.
This strange capture of a lone planet is a major problem that Lord Ptoriil did not need now. Not after our earlier captures of entire systems have already strained Ptoriil’s tenuous political bloc to the breaking point. Plus, there’s that report of yet another new object... the strange moon-sized construct in the Raajjsh Sector, labeled “Eidolon" by the cadets who discovered it.
There are far too many disquieting events disturbing the already treacherous political waters. Well, time to chalk it up as another tumultuous day in the Coalition and put my focus on what to do now! First, I have to leave for Iisleen to meet Lord Ptoriil. I’ll have to ask him for the full story about….
