The Reckoning: War of the Ancients Trilogy Book 3
Page 26
After a moment, she turned to give him a questioning look through the clear sapphiroid barrier separating them.
“I thought I should deliver this personally,” Hanson said, taking out a tablet and extending it. He held it up to the barrier and played Pierce's message.
Millicent stared at him, eyes glittering. Her throat bobbed. After a few seconds, she looked away. “He could have been a good man,” she said. “Thank you.”
Two hours later, a small Varanid ship jumped in just outside the orbit of Mars. It sent out a broadcast in English, in Alliance frequencies:
“Hello? Have you won? This is Anne Hart. I … I have Emily Dawes with me.”
A ship was sent to pick them up. Meanwhile, Hanson asked them about their journey.
“Is there anyone else with you?”
Anne shook her head. “It's just us. They … Agatha and Srak … gave us a pre-calculated flight plan to Earth and left. I don't know where they are now.”
Hanson sighed. “Okay,” he said. “We'll have you back on Earth soon.”
As soon as Millicent heard the news, she was standing up at the door to her cell, ready to go. “Where is she? Is she okay? Totally unharmed? When can I see her?”
When they met aboard the luxury liner, Millicent swept Emily into a hug, from which Emily immediately tried to escape. “You're embarrassing me!” She gestured at all the officers and guards who stood around.
But when they parted, she recovered her enthusiasm. “I got the Ghroga! And I saw a Varanid! And Agatha! Can I see them again? And … what's wrong?”
Millicent was crying. “Nothing,” she said. “I'm just glad to see you're safe.”
“Oh …”
“You know I'm going to prison, right?”
“But … why?”
“Because I helped Mr. Pierce. I … I hope they'll let you visit me.” She gave the assembled officers a meaningful look.
“I'll do what I can,” Hanson told her.
Once he'd returned to the Indomitable, he stood at the observation deck, looking down over Earth.
No one quite knew what to do with Millicent. Putting together everything they could charge her with, they had legal recourse to execute her. But everyone was quite aware that she was the reason they'd taken Earth back at all.
The same went for Agatha. The Alliance couldn't simply let go of what she'd done, but it also felt indebted to her. The situation was a mess, and perhaps she was right to stay out of it.
He stood watching the swirling clouds and thought about her plans to visit her family when all this was over.
Chapter 77: Cantor
One month later.
Cantor's sun, small but bright, shone directly overhead. A chill wind picked up intermittently. Ripples danced across the fluffy alien grass, gently tinged with pink blossom. In the far distance, ice-clad mountains rose against a cobalt blue sky.
To the west, ships and shuttles of all designs sat together on the grass. To the east lay the beginnings of a city, a hodgepodge of pre-fabricated components. Between them, people of all species milled in front of an open-air stage.
Hanson had been exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands with various diplomats and officers for the past ten minutes. Now he stood, looking out over the mountains. He straightened his dress uniform. Medals lined his jacket. He'd acquired several after the battle, including a rather odd disc of coral from the Tethyans, in their tribute to human customs.
A soft chime announced the beginning of the event. Hanson turned and headed back towards the stage.
On the way, he came across his bridge officers, along with Moore and Operative Serafin.
Lanik gave him a short nod. “Sir.”
Hanson greeted him in return.
“I suppose this is a good a time as any to tell you,” said Lanik. “I will be leaving the Indomitable. I've been offered a position in the SIS.”
Hanson smiled. He wasn't terribly surprised. “The CIC will be … well, not quieter without you … but I'm not sure how I'll keep track of all the regulations I'm breaking. Mr. Dunn, do you think you can keep track?”
“I'll do my best, sir,” said Dunn.
*
“I hate this,” growled Uruth.
Vyren, floating in a globe of water beside him, turned. His tentacles twisted. “Why?”
“Clean, pretty, formal,” muttered Uruth. He gestured at his armour. “I don't even have suitable clothes.”
“It is ceremonial,” said Vyren. “Do Glaber not have any equivalent?”
“If you don't have the smell of blood in your nostrils, it's not a ceremony.”
“I thought your wish was to civilise the Glaber.”
“There is civilisation and there is playing dress-up like pups.”
“Fascinating,” Vyren said mildly. “Perhaps, I should change my title to Master of Human and Glaber Studies.”
Uruth laughed loudly enough to startle some Petaurs standing nearby. “You should!”
*
Yilva scrambled up the side of the stage and bounded towards the centre. Her formal grey gown did nothing to diminish the energy she gave off.
On the other side, an Albascene in an ornate suit glided up a ramp. They met in the middle of the stage, where a microphone was set up.
“Hello, Ambassador Ivis,” said Yilva. “Welcome to Cantor.”
Ivis' segments turned. “Thank you.”
Yilva took a tablet from her gown and held it up for the crowd. “This document formally annuls all Petaur indenture contracts. All Petaurs still serving the Albascene are to be freed immediately and granted citizenship on Cantor. Further, the Albascene Nation formally recognises the Free Petaurs as a sovereign power.”
She offered the tablet to Ivis, who took it and connected it to his suit for a moment.
“It is signed,” he said, returning to her.
The crowd clapped. The Petaurs cheered.
After the event, Yilva rushed off the stage and into Charin's arms.
Hanson caught up with Ivis as he glided down the ramp.
“Well, that was all very positive,” Hanson said lightly. Becoming more serious, he went on, “Really, though, how are the Albascene getting along?”
Ivis was silent for a few seconds. His suit segments shifted uncomfortably. “We have suffered many blows. There is much resentment. But now we have replaced our former leaders for their mistakes, and many of us feel it is better to look to the future rather than dwell on the past. I trust we will rise to the occasion.”
“Well, the fact that you're here today gives me hope,” Hanson said.
“Me too,” said Ivis.
As Hanson was heading back, Yilva came scrambling up to meet him. “Captain!” she said. “I have something to show you.”
She led him to a Varanid shuttle. Kuta was waiting outside.
“A shuttle ride?” said Hanson. “Well, this is a surprise. Really, though, what's this about?”
“You'll see,” said Kuta.
They flew low across the blossom grass, circling around to the far side of the city where a small ship was parked.
Outside it stood Agatha and Srak.
The shuttle came to a halt, and the others fell back to talk, leaving Hanson with Agatha.
She gave him an uncharacteristically shy smile. “I, uh, didn't want to just vanish on you. I know Solar Alliance is out for my blood, even though I'm the one who saved their sorry behinds.”
Hanson nodded. “I'm afraid so.”
“So … Kuta offered me the chance to live on Ghroga. They won't show it, but those two …” She nodded at Srak and Kuta. “… are together now. Plus, there are lots of ways my skills can come in handy.” Agatha shrugged. “I guess you're going back to the Indomitable?”
“Yes. There's still a lot of work to be done.”
“Right.” Agatha looked at him awkwardly for a moment. “I know the Alliance won't pardon me. And I don't give a crap about that. But …. you … can you forgive me?”
> Hanson looked her in the eyes. “I wouldn't have done the same. But you made the choice you had to, to try and make things better. I can respect that.”
He held out his hand.
“I guess that's the best I can hope for,” Agatha said, shaking it. Her eyes glittered.
The others came back as they moved apart.
“It was an honour working with you,” Srak said to Hanson. “And a lot of fun too.” He turned back to the ship.
“Agatha!” Hanson called as he stood by the shuttle.
“Yeah?”
“I'm sure another mission will bring me to Ghroga at some point. And I trust Chancellor Kuta will tell you when that happens.”
Agatha smiled. “I hope so.”
Aboard the shuttle, Hanson activated his comms. “Hanson to Dauntless. I'll be back aboard soon.”
Betrayals
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Also by Alex Kings
War of the Ancients Trilogy
Betrayals (The prequel novella)
The Dauntless
The Destroyer of Worlds
The Reckoning (This book)