“We’ve been working on that, Alexander, and I think we’ve found our avenue of attack. Believe it or not the exact position of Terra in the Galactic charts is not standard. Apparently this was never a well travelled region of space. The Scythians, when they controlled this space, were not eager to release accurate data; which is hardly surprising. Therefore, there is any number of estimated positions for Terra. This is a dilemma for the Alliance as they have to drop out of superluminal to ascertain exactly where we are. Given the range of error in the existing galactic database the Alliance could mistake any one of a dozen systems for the Terran Homeworld.”
“We realized this problem in our own operations,” Nazar commented. “It is actually not all that unusual. Off the established trade routes there are many systems with less than accurate positional fixes. Most are newly settled worlds established within the last tri-centum. The standard procedure is to drop out of superluminal at a known location and search for the planetary beacon. Once that is located and the code confirmed the navigational computers can plot a course of entry into the system. Our plan for the approach to Terra was simply to halt in the region and scan for emissions. We did not expect a fleet to oppose us so the prospect of looking for you was not a great concern. The Alliance, however, will have quite a different problem.”
“That is what we are counting on,” Augesburcke smiled. “With Admiral Konstantinov’s wolves nipping at the Alliance heels they’ll have a busy time looking for Terra, and we’ve gone to a great deal of trouble to make it doubly difficult. The Galactic estimates for Terra are all within roughly one thousand cubic light years, so it’s not an enormous error, but there are still two dozen systems from which to choose. Of these fifteen have habitable worlds. We’ve chosen the one nearest in likeness to our own and set up a relay station. All emissions from Terra have been closely curtailed, but we’ve set emitters on our decoy world. We hope to draw the Alliance fleet to our decoy world and then harass them as they search for the real Terra.”
“Like as not Grand Admiral Khandar will send squadron sized search contingents,” Alexander nodded. “We should be able to further whittle them down, little by little.”
“That is the idea,” Augesburcke replied.
“Excellent, but will it be enough? I suppose that is the question which entertains all of us now.” Alexander told them. “We’ve done what we can on the military side of things, but the fact remains we’re outnumbered five-to-one with the Alliance fleet barely two weeks away. At best our own forces from Syraptose and Quotterim are fifteen days off. That’s a day gap we can’t fill with anything but courage and stubbornness. Twenty-four hours. Isn’t it interesting how such a small measure of time can dictate the rise and fall of empires?” Alexander was silent for a long while, staring out to sea. No one wished to break that foreboding silence. It was unnecessary. Alexander’s mind came back to the matter at hand soon enough with his usual optimistic, if vague opinion of the situation, and moved on to the next issue in his mind. “Oh well, we shall find a way through this. If it wasn’t dark before the storm we’d have no appreciation for the sunlight. On to the evacuation: how are we faring? Are we meeting the quotas we anticipated?”
“We are meeting them, Overlord, though not without difficulties,” Elianna Mogahndi told him firmly. As the Secretary of Terran Emigration she had enormous responsibilities, especially as Alexander was usually far too concerned with military matters to pay her difficulties their appropriate attention. The Overlord had already addressed the problem, which his practical and altruistic mind saw as no true problem to begin with. Therefore, he mistakenly expected all to play their part and get on with it. That was the extent of Alexander’s patience for dilemma’s he didn’t understand in the first place. In response to Alexander’s raised brow she said, “We’ve had trouble with certain contingents of volunteers who did not want to be mixed with other contingents. The difficulties are racial, religious, ethnic, you name it. The quotas are being met, but we are forced to use military units who have better things to do. It is effecting morale, efficiency, and I’m afraid the viability of the colonies.”
Alexander struck his forehead in undeniable anger and irritation. “The fools; is that all they are concerned with, their own petty jealousies and prejudices? Do they have any inkling of what is happening? What kind of intolerable idiots are these people?”
The explosion caught the entire party off guard, but Mogahndi reminded him, “They are your constituents, Overlord, and they feel they have grievances without representation. I do not agree with their positions, or their actions, but they must be addressed whether we like them or not. The pace of the emigration both helps and hurts. The circumstances of the crisis are pushing these people to do something they ordinarily would not. These same circumstances are at the same time raising the stress levels of everyone concerned. Emotions are running high. These people are not just moving across town, or across the state, they are moving across the galaxy. It is an enormous strain and its bringing every concern to the surface. If they have time they will work it out, but we are pushing awfully hard.”
“If I had time, Madame Secretary, I don’t know if I could move them at all,” Alexander told her evenly. “Do you remember the stalemate in the Senate on just this matter? We are presented with a necessity, as well as an opportunity. We have no choice but to take advantage of it. I appreciate you quandary, Madame Secretary, but I want you to understand the full picture of what we face in this entire issue aside from the war. My advice to you during this time is to relish it. If we are successful in winning this war than your job will have become twice as difficult.”
The Secretary simply crossed her arms and looked sternly at the Overlord. He relented, and said, “You are in charge of the emigration. If there are—problem elements—in populations you have free reign to take them off the lists. Especially radicals. We don’t need anyone setting up a holy war on one of our planets. Will that do?”
She nodded, “Thank you Overlord.”
Alexander sighed, a signal to those around him that he had just purged his mind of the last issue and was ready for the next. They hopped in a car and drove to the spaceport. Within the hour Alexander and the entourage were in Cairo, and on the way to their next tour. Alexander longed for the relative peace of the Iowa, but he didn’t let the necessity of his appearances dampen his moods. The next tour was to take place at the pyramids. This was all too proper. The great pyramids were a symbol known throughout the known galaxy. The building of the colossal structures were the first event to win Terrans renown. The blood, sweat and ingenuity of the enterprise amazed the Galactics. It was only after further inspection, when the scale of warfare and conflict on Terra became evident, that this intriguing species was looked upon with more fear than wonder. Still, the great pyramids were one of the ten wonders of the universe.
Alexander was anxious to get going, but Nazar and his retinue were uncharacteristically late. When the Chem finally arrived Nazar’s expression changed the Overlord’s manner from irritated to cautiously inquisitive.
Nazar smiled and told him, “I apologize for the delay, but I’ve just gotten off the ethernet. That’s not so easy with all the interference in this system. My ears are still crackling from the poor reception here on the planet, but there was no time to get into orbit for a better link, and I had a feeling you might want to know about this. It should brighten even a grim Overlord’s decurn! As you requested the Chem Elder has been making some very subtle inquiries over the last three decurns. I just got off the ethernet with her.
She sends her greetings and her congratulations. Alexander, it was not as difficult as you feared. Once the terms of peace between the Terran Empire and the Syraptose and Quotterim were implemented and the Terran fleets departed orbit my government received inquiries from five of the eight remaining members of the Alliance. The inquiries were straight forward: would such an arrangement be possible for their empires, and what form of reparation would be require
d? The Elder provided them with the terms of your offer, and a personal Chem guarantee that the terms would be honored to the letter. Their unofficial response was favorable, though none would commit to a move out of the Alliance prior to an official ethernet meeting between yourself and their leaders. Apparently they put a great deal of faith on your word, Alexander, and they want the agreement documented with your presence.”
“That is something strange in my experience,” Alexander mused, “that is, to have a stranger’s word trusted to such an extent.”
“You are no stranger to the galaxy, Alexander,” Nazar told him.
Alexander nodded, understanding Nazar’s statement to a greater extent than any other Terran could. “Very well, we will accomplish the conferences at once. Who were the non-respondents, outside of the Golkos?”
Nazar cocked his head, smiling again, “That is the most interesting part, Alexander. Aside from the Golkos there was no positive reply from the Hrang or the Kempec, though the latter empires each expressed a very strong interest in discussions directly with you.”
Alexander’s eyes lit up at the meaning in Nazar’s statement, “Do you mean to tell me the Seer’koh are willing to withdraw from the Alliance?”
Nazar nodded maliciously, “I mean exactly that. Their only demand is that they not be held accountable for the execution of Terrans by the Golkos, and that certain planets in their empire be designated as “Homeworlds.” They are hunting planets; recreational worlds the Seer’koh set aside many kicellia past to preserve their heritage. There is a religious connotation to them which they take quite seriously.”
“In return they must immediately withdraw their fleet from Terran space, and submit to escort to our borders,” Alexander replied.
“That is understood,” Nazar assured him.
“By God’s Almighty hammer, never has a threat been halved with so little effort!” Alexander exclaimed. “Grand Admiral Khandar I have you now! The odds are even!”
CHAPTER 33
The heavily hooded eyes of Hrang Master She-Rok contemplated the Pro Consul of the Alliance, Kvel Mavek of Kempec. His beaded skin flushed with the heat of the noon sun of Roma, and a slight sea breeze fluttered the light white tunic he wore. The pleasant nature of the day was lost on him, however, and in biting terms he described their situation as he saw it, “My sources have confirmed the desertion of the Seer’koh, Pro Consul. That knowledge is held very close, very close indeed. There are not a dozen beings in the galaxy, including ourselves, who know of it. Certainly the Seer’koh has taken great pains to ensure that the Golkos have gotten no whisper of it, but the rest of our confederates are not so careful or so caring. By my count at the end of this decurn Alexander will have sealed the agreements with all the former Alliance states but for the Kempec, the Hrang and the Golkos. Your stewardship has grown decidedly smaller, Pro Consul, and it is minus half its teeth!”
“The Seer’koh abandon the Alliance? I’d not have thought it possible!” Mavek sighed.
“They saw no profit in their further involvement,” She-Rok explained, “and it is very likely that Alexander was quite reasonable in his terms. To leave the Homeworlds inviolate with a sizeable defense force intact, demanding only access to other worlds and entry into a Federation. Those are not such bad terms when one considers the pounding the Quotterim took in a battle which took less than a eighth of a decurn!”
“But to give up sovereignty built up over the kicellia, that is a selling outright of our beings,” Mavek lamented. “Are we to become one great expanse of Terran culture? Will we be rife for wars of expansion, our citizens drafted as soldiers? What is to become of the galaxy we’ve built?”
“Apparently very little,” She-Rok told her. “Alexander is cunning. Why expend his forces when he can win through diplomacy? We gave him credit for his military prowess and his political maneuvering. We never realized that both avenues were actually one and the same strategy. Each served to divide us so that he could conquer us, one-by-one through combat or diplomacy. I believe it is termed multiplication of force, as he is accomplishing through both avenues what would take a much larger military force.”
“No one wants to be the next Quotterra,” Mavek admitted.
“Actually my Quotterim contacts report that they are quite pleased with their situation, all things considered,” She-Rok told her. “They take pride in the fact that they held the mighty Terrans at bay for so long. The Quotterim are not a warrior race, but they faced the Terrans with courage and resolve. Even the Chem ethernet reported their defense of their Homeworld in laudable terms. Their losses were lamentable, but not catastrophic, and the peace they earned is certainly favorable.”
“You speak as if you were jealous of the Quotterim, She-Rok. That is dangerous talk even on Roma. Do you not recall the treatment our Syraptose and Quotterim confederates received from the Golkos? Swift execution is a perfect reason to hold my opinions to myself. I advise you to do the same, my friend.”
She-Rok’s smile showed his teeth, “You underestimate my caution, Pro Consul,” he informed her. “We Hrang are not wholly inept at espionage or covert activities, even considering our defeat at the hands of Alexander. In effect our war was lost when our operatives were discovered, though we continued to forge ahead for a time. Do you remember when you advised me to forego assassinating Alexander, largely on the conjecture of you Mystics? I ignored your advice then, but I am no longer ignoring it. I have accepted it. There is no longer an acceptable hope of success in the exercise of that option, and indeed things have changed so radically since that time that I have no wish for the event to occur.”
“Isn’t it too late for a change of heart? After all two attempts have been made, and a third is forthcoming. The wheel is set in motion and nothing we can do can halt it now. The Terrans, by your own last report, showed no desire to terminate the operation. What has caused you to change your mind?”
“The reality of the situation,” She-Rok said. “You see, my friend, Alexander knows all about the attempts, their authors and their supporters. You and I consider this devastating news from our own position and that of our worlds, but for some reason Alexander does not. He knows all about the involvement of the Hrang and Kempec in the assassination plots, and all about the Golkos interrogations and executions. The former he apparently considers frivolous, the latter criminal. Alexander needs a scapegoat for this war even as we do. The Golkos are ready and willing to fulfill that role. It suits their lack of flexibility and foresight.”
Mavek glanced about her wildly, and would have stopped the Hrang if she could. He only laughed and said, “Is it not interesting that we should fear the Golkos now more than Alexander?”
“Is what you are saying true? How could Alexander come by such information?” Mavek stuttered, obviously upset. “That data was not made available to our governments, and it was not known outside our Alliance Council! None of us involved would have leaked this information!”
“Oh, but we did, unwittingly, when we dealt with the Terran traitors. Alexander knows his people all too well, it seems. Apparently our Terran confederates were not so trusted by Alexander as we thought and they led Alexander’s operatives to our own. Alexander apprised himself of every detail through the confessions of our own people. They had no choice, of course. Pantrixnia can be a very persuasive place.”
Mavek halted at a rail overlooking the coast. The waves were crashing in fury into the moss laden rocks, sending violently beautiful shafts of water shooting for the sky. The spray was so close she could feel the cool mist upon her brow. The Kempec laid her hands on the marble of the rail and slumped over it, sick with the realization of this new calamity.
She-Rok cocked his head and sighed. There was a sharpness to his voice as it whistled through his teeth. He observed, with some impatience, “You have not yet fully comprehended what I’ve told you. Alexander knows all. This war is over for us. There is no longer any profit in our efforts. Indeed, our only purpose for continuat
ion to this point was our involvement in the Golkos murders, and the assassination attempts. The Golkos shall pay for their own crimes. There is no more reason for prolonged involvement of our peoples in this war. My people await my report, and I expect Kempec will not move without yours. You know my mind. What is yours?”
Mavek took She-Rok’s eyes sternly. “You are persuasive, Master Hrang, but you could just as easily be testing my loyalty to the Alliance as working for the Hrang. Kvel Mavek is no traitor, and neither are her people!”
The Hrang simply smiled. “Very well, I should have expected that. It is as I said: we fear the retribution of the Golkos more than we do the Terrans. You have tipped your hand, however. I and my masters know where your loyalties are.” She-Rok reached inside his tunic and pulled out a tiny, alien device.
Kvel Mavek straightened suddenly, realizing her own mortality had caught up to her. Her placid features turned suddenly harsh, and she spat, fontSo She-Rok, from spy you’ve turned executioner! I didn’t think your people had it in you! Why not simply inform your masters the Golkos and let them do the work for you. They would quite probably enjoy it! Or is this your way of proving your loyalty? Come now She-Rok, we’ve been associates for some time now. Can’t you present me with the truth? Have I not earned that at least?”
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