by B. V. Larson
Straker expected Benota to balk at this, but he merely raised a hand in resignation. “I understand completely. I suggest I join you aboard Indomitable, and require the same of DeChang, to keep a close eye on us both. I’ll also turn over command of the Hok to you. They’ll serve as insurance.”
“Friends close and enemies closer?” Straker chuckled. “This sounds like a great deal for me. I have to wonder what you get out of it?”
“Nothing you can’t grant, easily and cheaply. A place in your new regime, as some kind of cabinet minister perhaps, alongside DeChang. I imagine he’ll want to keep that name, as ‘Dister’ is so tainted in the minds of the People and the State.”
“What makes you think either of you will be allowed power in my new regime?”
“Well, if you don’t give me your word—and I’ve heard you’re a man of your word—I’ll take my fleet and go liberate a few systems on my own. Then you’ll either have to deal with me as a fellow sovereign, or violate your own principles about letting people govern themselves. That’s assuming you even succeed. There are things about the Committee Worlds defenses only I can tell you.”
Straker drummed his fingers idly on the arm of the chair. Benota was right. Gaining a capital fleet so cheaply was irresistible, and a cabinet post… well, a minister could always be dismissed later, if the man proved to be troublesome.
Besides, Straker had only a vague idea of what a new government might look like. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He’d need advisors and administrators, and disbanding the Mutualist Party outright would lead to chaos, possibly even civil war. These people had lived for generations under the Mutualist yoke. They had to be eased into freedom, or things could get very ugly.
And his gut told him this Benota was on the level in a way that DeChang was not. If nothing else, maybe the two would balance each other out. The Old Earth political theorist Machiavelli had advised maintaining at least two subordinates, never only one. That way, they could be played against each other, and none of them could ever be sure of their positions and the boss’s favor. Perhaps Straker should start putting that principle to work here.
“I agree to your terms, Admiral. As soon as all the fortresses are confirmed neutralized and in Liberation hands, power down all your weapons and bring your fleet to Indomitable. We’ll have you targeted with all our weapons until our boarding crews take possession of your ships. Once you’re with me here, we can plan how to seize the Mutuality.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting you and Dister—ah, DeChang, I mean. Benota out.” The screen went dark.
“Carla, you there?” Straker called into the air.
“Here, Derek.”
“Thoughts?”
“You played it right, I think. If this works, it’s a huge crack in the Mutuality. Maybe he’ll hand us the whole thing.” The conference room door opened. Engels stepped through, and then closed it again. She walked over to Straker and sat in his lap, kissing him enthusiastically.
“My, my, are we getting frisky today? What brought this on?”
“I dunno. Getting wounded? That, combined with relief that we won’t be bombarding people, especially Ruxins, maybe. They’ve never been anything but good to us, you know, no matter how funny they look. You don’t give them enough credit.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Um… does this ship have an SAI?”
“No. I let Indy pull all her modules out. Why?”
Straker leered. “I was going to tell it to lock us in for an hour or so.”
“Oh, you want to do it right here? On the table?”
“Or the floor, or in this nice cushy chair. I guess I’m feeling frisky myself.”
“The endgame is in sight. It’s exciting. But I don’t think it would be good for morale if anyone managed to see the admiral banging his fleet commander in the conference room. In fact, I bet Tixban is watching us right now. He’s taking after Zaxby.”
Straker lifted a middle finger to the nearest camera pickup, and then stood, setting Engels on the floor. “Let’s retire to the admiral’s suite, then, shall we?” He made a courtly bow.
“Oh, shall we? We shall. You go first, I’ll issue a few orders, and then join you in a minute or two.”
When Straker crossed the bridge toward officer country, he was certain one of Tixban’s eyes was aimed right at him the whole way.
Part 3: Caesar
Chapter 36
Inbound to Ruxin, aboard the transport vessel Glorious Reconstruction of Shattered Dreams that Were Not Expected to Return in This Lifetime
As she cruised toward a homeworld she’d never seen, Premier Vuxana exchanged consultations with the Liberator, who now styled himself an admiral. She generally kept out of the military business. Her people filled vital positions throughout the mostly-human forces, and all of them knew on which side their snail was salted. If the furless apes intended any treachery, she would be advised in advance.
At her behest, War Male Kraxor joined Vuxana aboard her transport when it arrived in orbit above the watery world. He made obeisance to her when he came into her presence, putting aside his squid spear. “How may I serve my Premier?”
“You will attend me when I treat with the puppet government of our homeworld. There is much work to be done in cleaning out collaborators.”
“Collaborators? On Ruxin?” Kraxor seemed astonished. This did not surprise her unduly. Males did not generally have sufficiently devious minds to fully comprehend politics—a feminine realm.
“Of course there are collaborators,” she said. “In the eight decades of occupation, there naturally arose those who curried favor with our oppressors, gaining power and wealth at the expense of our people.”
“Power and wealth are not bad things, my Premier. Like weaponry, they are merely tools.”
“Do not think to lecture me, Kraxor.”
“Forgive me, my Premier, but you are young.”
Vuxana writhed gently upon her pedestal, presenting her most attractive aspect. “And?”
“And beautiful.”
“I am, aren’t I?”
“Like your mother before you—with whom I had congress before I was put into cryo-sleep. I would advise a genetic test before considering me for a mating partner. I might be your sire.”
“I am no fool, Kraxor. The test has been performed secretly. The results show we’re not related.”
“That fact causes me ambivalence,” he said. “If I were your sire, I would be pleased. But as I’m not, I am eager to mate with one so attractive.”
Vuxana radiated appeal and approval. “And as one of my consorts, you shall enjoy your mating privileges to the fullest. But only once we have secured our future, and that means taking control of a world that didn’t know we existed until today. Do you really think the bureaucracy in place on our homeworld will simply yield to us?”
“I suppose not.” Kraxor rotated his eyes to focus them more closely, expressing amusement. “So what shall be my role? Shall I form an inquisition? Install political officers? Send offenders to the seafloor mines?”
“No. We must not replicate the way the humans occupied us. You’re not experienced in such things in any case. You’re a War Male, a military commander, are you not?”
“Your question is specious, Premier, since you know I am.”
“Obviously then, you shall take control of our military forces. I hereby promote you to Grand Marshal of Ruxin. You shall purge the military of any questionable personnel. I’m authorizing you to use forcible neuterization if any male or female who gives you trouble, and you may execute any neuters who will not fall in line.”
“Won’t our new human allies object?” he asked.
“How will they know?”
“Those like Zaxby, who have been with them too long, will speak of it.”
“I will handle the humans—if they even notice. Our affairs are obscure to them, and I wish to keep it that way. We shall demand cultural sovereignty and tell them it’s none of
their business.”
Kraxor tipped his head in the Ruxin equivalent of a bow of acquiescence. “It shall be done.”
“Good. Take command of our transports. Numbers fifty through ninety are crewed by junior War Males and warriors, newly made, more than two hundred aboard each. You’ll have eight thousand loyal soldiers at your back. If you cannot carry out my instructions with such an advantage, you do not deserve my favor.”
“Never fear, fair Vuxana. I shall have you soon enough. However, I must issue commands from Indomitable for the time being. It is important that I stay close to the Liberator.”
“You refuse my instructions?”
“I will do as you insist. However, I have become War Male Straker’s confidante, filling the role of his absent human friend. To simply depart would damage relations between our peoples. Never fear; I shall accomplish my assigned tasks.”
“You seem overly concerned with diplomacy—for a male.”
“And you seem overly concerned with conflict—for a female. Perhaps we shall complement each other.”
“Mind your words and your tone, Kraxor. I am Premier.”
“And I am your elder, and he who stands between you and your enemies, not some neuter lackey. Remove me if you wish, but until then I will speak my mind.” Kraxor took his spear and his leave.
Vuxana hid her amusement until he’d gone. Males. Such delightfully, dangerously unpredictable creatures. As Premier, she had her choice of them. Mother had cautioned her against indulging herself, but Mother wasn’t here now, was she?
She’d almost allowed Kraxor to take her immediately, but dangling the promise of pleasure before his eyes was the wiser course. It would motivate him to maximum effort.
One by one, the fortresses declared themselves property of a free Ruxin. When all six were secure, Vuxana monitored as Kraxor dispatched transports to occupy and inspect facilities around the system—asteroid mines, fuel processors in orbit above the gas giants, moon bases and shipyards—accompanied by Liberation escorts in case of resistance.
When her fleet arrived at the homeworld, she landed her ships directly at the capitol complex among the buildings rather than at the nearby spaceport. Kraxor’s troops immediately fanned out through the streets and shallow canals, meeting no direct resistance as they seized the government centers. As she’d hoped, her potential rivals hadn’t expected such a bold, direct move.
The thousands of neuters and the dozen female administrators she’d brought along followed up, taking charge of the surprised workers in the vast office complexes that oversaw billions of people. They secured data and issued directives of continuity and policy.
After a day of low-level unrest, the capital city settled down and adjusted to its new mistress. The central fortresses were firmly in Kraxor’s tentacles, and the Liberation combined fleet was busily reorganizing, repairing, refueling and rearming, making ready for the final push to overthrow the Mutuality. The humans had put aside their factional differences so far—surprising for the squabblers.
In other words, all was going swimmingly. In just the last few months, she’d accomplished more than her mother had in eighty years. Finally, Ruxin and its exceptional people would take their proper place in the universe.
***
Straker rubbed his fingertips on Indomitable’s conference room table, idly wishing he’d gone ahead and—
“Admiral Benota and General DeChang are here, acting like two old friends,” said Engels from the open doorway. “I don’t buy it, though.”
“Show them in.”
Redwolf and an honor guard of marines ranged along the wall snapped to attention and presented arms—quite functional and deadly arms—as the two flag officers entered the room, along with a pair of aides each, all they’d been allowed. Straker stood and shook their hands, DeChang’s first, who’d beaten Benota to it by hurrying slightly.
Benota’s face quirked in amusement as he waited, and then greeted Straker.
“It’s good of you to host us here,” said DeChang as he seized the chair to Straker’s right.
“Slide down, will you? Carla will sit there.” Straker said as Engels joined them, arm in arm with Captain Ellen Gray and talking about something naval.
A flash of annoyance crossed DeChang’s face, but he soon smiled and held the chair for Engels to be seated. “Of course. The fair Miss Engels. Or is it Mrs. Straker yet?”
Engels sat, rolling her eyes out of DeChang’s sight as she settled herself. “Don’t worry, General. You’ll get an invitation if and when. For now, though, we have a lot to discuss.”
Admiral Benota had already seated himself to Straker’s left, so DeChang took the next seat to the right of Engels. Captain Gray sat beyond him, but her earlier sisterly animation with her fellow ship commander faded into a neutral expression. If Straker didn’t know better, he’d say she wasn’t entirely comfortable with DeChang.
Newly minted Sergeant Major Heiser joined them, looking somewhat out of place among these senior officers, and only sat when Straker waved him to a chair next to Benota. War Male Kraxor followed Heiser in, and took a seat farther down, out of the way, as if to distance himself slightly.
“Admiral Benota, War Male Kraxor, Sergeant Major Heiser, Captain Ellen Gray.” Straker pointed out each in turn by way of introduction.
“Commodore Gray,” she corrected with a hint of steel.
“Congratulations,” said Straker, without inflection.
“And I am now Grand Marshal Kraxor,” said the Ruxin. “Commander of all Ruxin forces.”
Straker gave Kraxor a casual salute, half-mocking. “Wonderful. Everybody’s moving up.”
“Except me,” Benota said. “I suppose I’m a simple captain now. I can hardly outrank the Liberator or his fleet commander, can I?” He seemed amused, rather than discomfited at the prospect of a rank reduction.
“That seems reasonable,” Straker said, turning to DeChang. “And since we’re on the topic of ranks, let’s address yours…‘General.’ You’re hardly a real military man, are you?”
“Trying to put me under your heel already, Assault Captain? Sorry, Commodore… or is it Admiral you’ve promoted yourself to this week?”
Straker ignored the jab. Today he intended to kill with kindness. “How about ‘Director’?”
DeChang froze. “You expect to make yourself Director?”
Straker folded his hands and stared at him across Engels, who leaned back. “No. You.”
“What—‘you,’ what?” DeChang seemed truly at a loss.
“You were Director Dister once. I hear you had your appearance altered, so you can leave that name behind and become Director DeChang now… if you want the position.”
DeChang’s surprised gaze focused intensely. “Want it? Of course I want it… but you’re no more going to bow to me than I to you. What’s the catch?”
“Nobody’s going to bow to anyone if I can help it. The catch is, the title won’t mean what it used to. For one thing, your job will be civilian governance, and you’ll be first among equals in a Senate composed of representatives from every system. You won’t have any military power. I’ll have my people around you to keep an eye on you. Retired Admiral Benota here will be my new Minister of War, but his duty will be to organize, train and equip, not command. I’ll remain the Liberator, Supreme Commander of all military forces, and guarantor of liberty and justice for all. I like that phrase, don’t you? I stole it from an old pledge my ancestors used.”
“So you’ll be the real power in this new… what will it be called?”
“Yes, I’ll be the real power for a while. I think I’ve earned it. Once I’m confident you and the Senate have things in hand, I’ll gradually transfer authority to the civilian government. As for what we’ll be called, we need to get back to our roots. We came from Old Earth, and I like all this history and literature and culture I’m discovering was kept from me in the Hundred Worlds. So, I hereby declare our state to be the New Earthan Republic.�
��
The people at the table glanced around at each other. Straker thought he saw approval. “Sound good? Now’s the time to object, if you have a better idea.”
Heiser nodded, as did Engels and Benota. DeChang turned up a palm in approval.
Commodore Gray seemed amused.
“What’s funny?” said Straker.
“I’m simply flabbergasted that I’m even sitting at this table,” said the dark, usually solemn woman. “I’m one of six people deciding the fate of a thousand star systems, and we’re talking about it as casually as a book club meeting.”
Straker shrugged. “I’m really deciding it. You’re advisors, and more would be here except most of my other key personnel are busy. But you Unmutuals earned a seat at the table, as far as I’m concerned, because you resisted the Mutuality for so long.” He shifted his eyes to DeChang. “Even if the motivation was personal. And Emilio, I don’t mind you cleaning house. Just make sure the scores you settle have real evidence of wrongdoing to back them up. I don’t want to hear good people are being fired or imprisoned for merely opposing you. Whatever punishment is meted out, there needs to be due process. If you get stupid and overplay your hand, I’ll have a contingent of my investigators go over your own record with a fine-toothed comb, and I’ll put you on trial myself, just like I did with Yates. Possibly with the same result.”
DeChang nodded slowly. “I understand, Liberator.”
“And no more re-education camps, no more torture facilities, no more political prisoners, no more Inquisitors.”
“That will make the process difficult. The people are used to rule by fear. Let off the pressure too fast, and they’ll boil over.”
