Joseph was losing patience too, but his telepathy gave him an edge. He knew what they were thinking, and it was time for the players to put their cards on the table.
He walked into the middle area between the tables and held his hands up for silence. Both sides kept talking, neither listening to the other.
“Silence!” he shouted, fixing the Magnate with a glare before turning and giving the same look to the chairman. “The time for games is over. Your people worked together to plot a coup against you both. Maybe you should think about how unhappy your own people are. Here is what’s going on in your minds.”
Joseph walked to the member of the Frikandan delegation who sat on the far end. “You want to work your way up and will say whatever you think they want to hear. Half of you have that same attitude, but deep down,” Joseph stooped to look the VIP in the eye, “you want what is best for your people.
“You all need to understand that the only power you have is granted by your citizens. You are both so-called passive societies, but you are violent, arrogant, and extremely aggressive. Maybe that’s because no one knees you in the groin when you deserve it. I don’t know, but you and you...” Joseph pointed to the Magnate and the chairman and motioned for them to stand.
They hesitated long enough to express their displeasure at being ordered about, but not so long as to get knees to their privates.
“You both want education, trade, peace, and power. Guess what you’ll have if you implement trade agreements that bring prosperity? All the power you ever wanted to do right by your people. You already live in palaces, so what else could you possibly want? Now listen closely.” Joseph looked from one to the other. “They will never worship you. The Kurtherians tried that bullshit. Guess who is being hunted throughout the universe and destroyed when they are found? Being a god isn’t what you expect.
“And we don’t tolerate false gods in the Federation. I can see in your minds that isn’t what you want, but you both want more power. More. More. More!” Joseph approached the Magnate and slammed his hand on the table.
“That stops here!” Joseph growled. His vampire fangs appeared, and he relaxed. He had no intention of biting anyone. He didn’t crave blood, but he was angry and tired. The Bad Company had driven hard to be ready for something so simple yet complex as a parade.
“As part of your negotiation, the Federation is going to insert a clause that should you oppress your people or each other, you will be forcibly removed from power. Period.”
“You can’t,” the Magnate stated, lifting his chin and frowning. “It’s too subjective.”
Joseph smiled. His teeth were still elongated, and the Magnate couldn’t take his eyes from them. “Yes, it is. If you want us to come back here, take unto yourselves power for power’s sake. Your war of words and thoughts is over. You will work out your treaty. You have four hours to draft a document. We will leave you to it. If you have nothing when we return, we’ll tell you what you’re going to do because we’ll be the ones enforcing it.” Joseph waited through the angry looks before adding, “Smedley, target both of our august leaders’ palaces. Prepare to fire.”
The chairman raised his hand and yelled, “NO! My family’s in there.”
“So there is something you care about more than yourself?” Joseph looked at the chairman’s resigned expression. He nodded.
“We’ll leave you to it.” Joseph strolled away, taking Petricia’s hand as they sauntered across the hangar bay.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have things I need to attend to.” Christina smiled at the delegations because she was happy to be leaving them. “I look forward to the celebration of your new treaty.”
She made a beeline for the Pod-docs.
“Can you believe they would do that?” the Magnate asked looking at his Frikandan counterpart.
“You hired violent people to do exactly what they are doing—use force and intimidation. But they are dictating the end result, not you, and that is where you underestimated them. That is where we both underestimated the Federation. Please, let us talk like adults, and you…” the chairman fixed his delegation with a steely gaze, “tell me what you think, not what you think I want to hear.”
Kai had produced a couple of chairs and was sitting on one, with Cory sitting on the other. She was slumped against him where he held her tightly.
“Sleeping,” he mouthed to Christina.
She pointed to the Pod-docs and gave a thumbs-up with a hopeful look.
He nodded and smiled.
Smedley, status of my people? she asked.
Alive and recovering. We have three more from cryo to get into the Pod-docs, but we’ll put them through the primary equipment in sickbay when it is ready.
Thank you, Smedley. It’s nice to get good news. Terry may not be happy about the whole thing, but in the end, I think we’ve made a difference for the average citizen of the Federation. I do think TH will like those boat cloaks and helmets though, Christina added. Now free of the burden of Bad Company deaths when she was left in charge, her thoughts cascaded out of her in a stream of consciousness. Why do we call it sickbay? No one is sick, and it’s not a bay. Have you been in touch with TH? No, don’t. I’ll deliver the report, at least as much as we have right now. How is my dad doing? Did we ever learn where that invisible destroyer came from?
We call it sickbay because that’s what Colonel Walton calls it, a holdover from his days in the Marine Corps. We have not heard from him or Charumati at all but aren’t they supposed to be on vacation? I think Mister Lowell is doing well. Why don’t you call him? He and your mother enjoy hearing from you. There was no signature that we could backtrack. Looking for a race that can make themselves invisible is as problematic as it sounds. We don’t even know where to start our search. I think I’ve answered all your questions.
You’re an AI, so you know you’ve answered the questions I posed. No one has heard from Terry and Char? I’m heading to my quarters now. Spool up the comm system, I’m making a call.
The comm system is active. You could call right now if you wish, Smedley offered.
Let me have my moment. I’m old-school. I like talking out loud when making a call.
Chapter Twenty-One
The War Axe, in orbit around the Efluyez Homeworld, Alganor Sector
“We are very concerned,” the voice replied from the resort on the Venus moon. “They were not waiting when the shuttle returned for them. They have not contacted us, and we have been unable to ping their communication device. We fear the worst.”
“What did your search party find?”
“We didn’t send a search party. We are monitoring the channel, waiting for them to contact us.”
“Why didn’t you send a search party?” Christina avoided going on an expletive-laden tirade.
“They took an expedition to another moon. We cannot be responsible for anything not on our property. We are not equipped for off-moon search and recovery. We have notified the authorities on Cygnus VI, but they signed a waiver. They understood all this. I will transmit a copy of their waiver and contract upon verification of your credentials.”
“Of course they signed a waiver.” Christina pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel her blood pressure rising. “Thank you.”
She tapped her screen. “Smedley, get me the authorities on Cygnus VI.”
When she was connected, she received the same runaround. She disconnected while they were still explaining how they’d done everything they could with a single pass of Okkoto.
“Micky, we need to go to the Venus Pleasure Moon right now.”
“I didn’t know you thought about me like that, but what about Kai?” Micky joked.
“No one has heard from Terry and Char.”
“We can be there in ten minutes,” Micky replied, and the connection went dead.
Christina ran from her quarters, headed down the corridor, and hit the stairs at a sprint. She jumped from one landing to the next until she was on the
hangar deck level. She raced toward the delegation, where a congenial conversation was taking place.
“Listen up,” she shouted. “You’ve got three minutes to seal the deal and board the Pod. We have to go, and I have no idea when we could get back. I can spare one drop ship to take you home. Thank you for your time. Keep us apprised of your negotiations. We will return to enforce the treaty.”
No one moved.
“What are you waiting for?” She stepped aside and motioned toward the Pod.
One of the VIPs pointed at her. She looked down to see that she was only in her underwear.
She stood up straight. “So what? Board the Pod, because you don’t want to go where we’re going.”
They moved with surprising speed for a bunch of out-of-shape aliens.
“Where are you going?” one of them asked as he passed.
She thought for a moment. The Venus Pleasure Moon. Maybe they didn’t need to know that part. “Classified.”
As soon as the Pod cleared the forcefield and took a sharp turn toward the planet, a Gate formed before the War Axe.
Kai materialized and wrapped a boat cloak around Christina’s shoulders.
“I guess I better get dressed,” she said with a soft smile.
“It is a pleasure moon.” Kai’s heart wasn’t in the jest. “Where are they?”
“We will find out. We’re not leaving without them, even if we have to find and board every ship that’s been through here to make sure they didn’t leave against their will.”
“What if they disappeared as part of a master plan to pass the torch to the next generation?” Kai wondered.
Christina thought about it for a moment. “Bullshit. That’s not Terry Henry Walton. He would retire to his bar first. It’s almost rebuilt, and there’s no way he’d leave without making sure it’s producing quality beer once again.”
“Beer?” Kai didn’t follow her logic, but he accepted the result. No, Terry Henry was hopelessly honest. He wouldn’t disappear like that.
Venus Pleasure Moon, Cygnus VI
Smedley maneuvered the drop ship with Christina, Kai, Joseph, Petricia, Cory, Dokken, Kimber, and Auburn out of the hangar bay and into space. It was a short descent through the atmosphere to the Venus resort. None of them were in a party mood as they sought answers regarding the disappearance of their family and friends.
“You didn’t all need to come,” Christina said. They smirked or returned blank looks. They had no choice because it was what Terry and Char would have done for them. “But I’m glad you’re here.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of it,” Cory assured her.
“Occam’s razor,” Joseph suggested.
“The easiest explanation.” Christina chewed her lip as she looked out the window. Kai squeezed her hand.
“Looks nice,” he told her.
“And not on a pleasure moon!”
“What’s not on a pleasure moon?” Kimber asked.
Christina wouldn’t answer, and Kai turned red.
“Are you talking about popping the question?” Auburn asked proudly.
“Dad!” Kai relaxed. They had a few minutes before landing. “She’s worried I’m going to ask her to marry me while we’re naked.”
“What other way is there?” Auburn quipped.
Joseph shook his head.
Kimber buried her face in her hands.
“Did we forget about Terry and Char?” Christina tried to steer the conversation away from her. To anywhere other than her.
“No. We’re trying not to think about them until we have more information,” Cory added. “Ramses proposed by the shore of a lake after asking Dad for my hand.”
“I remember that,” Kimber said. “It took Dad a while to warm up to him, but you both won him over.”
“We did.” Cory smiled to herself as she ruffled Dokken’s neck fur.
I will never understand human mating customs, Dokken told them. I prefer our way.
“Of course you do. You’re a male.” Kimber pointed an accusing finger at the German Shepherd and he sat straighter, proud of himself.
The Pod touched down, and the mirth evaporated. They rushed off with Christina in the lead. The others hurried to keep up as she stormed the front doors. The courteous staff opened them and bowed as she passed. She didn’t acknowledge them as she headed straight for the counter.
“I’m Colonel Christina Lowell, and I am looking for Terry Henry and Charumati Walton.”
The smiling green clerk from Torregidor waved over a supervisor, who asked the large group to follow her into a more private area.
The supervisor, also a green Torregidoran female, recounted everything that Christina had already been told, emphasizing the waiver and transfer of responsibility to the authorities on Cygnus VI.
Christina nodded politely, but as soon as the supervisor finished, Christina delivered her version.
“I don’t give a flying goat-fuck about liability. We are taking over in the search for Terry and Char. I guess I should say that we are beginning a formal search and rescue effort. I don’t care about liability. We aren’t out to give you bad press. We only want our people back. We have a heavy destroyer in orbit from which to conduct our search. Give us the details of their expedition, and we will take it from there.”
The supervisor looked relieved. “They left seven days ago. Their room has been empty since, but it’s paid for for one more night. I will escort you to the room so you can see if there is anything in their belongings that would help you.
Kimber and Cory jumped to their feet. Dokken was ready to go.
“Take them, and we’ll stay here. I need to coordinate with my ship.”
Christina and Kai remained behind while the others left with the supervisor. As soon as they were gone, Christina contacted the ship. Micky, I need to know if any ships went anywhere near Okkoto in the past seven days. Smedley can hack the Cygnus VI security data if need be.
No need at all, Micky said. We’ve already pulled the information, as it is readily available to all Federation shipping. There is a standard flight path fairly close to Okkoto, but only ships accelerating away from Cygnus VI use it. No one slowed nearby, orbited, or descended to the surface of Okkoto besides the Venus recovery shuttle at exactly the forty-hour point after Terry and Char left.
Then they have to be either there or here. Let me talk to the others. Christina waited for a moment to ensure that her comm chip was set for their group. Talk to the shuttle pilot and crew. Turn this place upside down if you have to, but Kai and I are heading to Okkoto right now.
They ran from the resort back to the Pod, and it took off while the ramp was lifting into place. “Straight to the ship, Smedley and set a course for Okkoto.”
As soon as the drop ship entered the hangar bay, the War Axe accelerated at full combat speed toward the fourth moon. What had taken the resort shuttle an hour would take the Axe less than five minutes.
She leaned out of the shuttle. “I need four warriors in armor and four drop ships filled with search parties. Move, people!”
The Bad Company’s Direct Action Branch had been waiting for word. They were still dogged from the action on Efluyez, but they had a job to do. The injured would survive. They were the only ones who weren’t taking part in the search and rescue, not that they didn’t want to.
Christina had told them no.
There was a minor argument about which warriors were going, and it was wasting time. Christina relented. “If you fit, you can come.”
The warriors piled on board the drop ships, even those who had just come out of the Pod-docs.
Christina looked at the warrior who squeezed in next to her. “Didn’t you die today?” she asked with the morbid humor that was prevalent in the Bad Company.
“Almost, ma’am, but not quite. Patched up and going back into battle.”
“You don’t remember getting blown up, do you?”
The man grinned. “Not a thing. I’m marching, and then
the door on the Pod-doc opens and I feel like a million credits. Better than a vacation!”
“You are one fucked-up dude,” someone said, and the friendly back-and-forth shoving began.
“Launch,” Micky broadcast.
The War Axe hit the outer atmosphere of Okkoto and the drop ships burst from the hangar bay, heading to four different points around the ancient ruins.
“Life signs,” Smedley told them before Christina’s drop ship landed. It maneuvered toward the signs and dropped the ramp.
She was first off, running in the direction Smedley indicated. It didn’t take them long to find Terry and Char huddled in a crevice between two fallen walls. Christina tapped them on the shoulder, feeling how cold they were. She pulled Terry out first since he had wrapped his body around Char.
Two warriors tried to carry him, but he was too heavy. Two more joined them, and the four hustled toward the drop ship. Char managed to open her eyes.
“Come on. Time to go home.” Christina and another warrior supported Char as they loped back to the ship. It took off as soon as they were aboard, and all four drop ships rocketed toward the War Axe.
Terry started shivering as soon as he warmed up enough for his body to regain control. The warriors wrapped both of them in blankets and gave them hot water from the small food processor on board.
“I have to say that you two have no idea how to take a vacation,” Christina said.
“What do you mean?” Terry stammered. “Most relaxed I’ve been in years.”
“In years,” Char said, nuzzling into Terry’s chest.
“Amateurs,” Terry claimed.
Char snickered before dozing off in the comfort of the drop ship.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The War Axe
“You did fine,” Terry reassured Christina and the company’s senior leadership for the thousandth time. “I wouldn’t have done as much in preparation, and we would have suffered worse for it. That’s my highest compliment. It’s good to be skeptical. Did we get paid?”
Discovery Page 18
