Star Strike: Book 3 of the Star Man Series

by I. G. Roberts

  At Headquarters, Sarah waited near the entrance when the Air-Car landed. She took Colin and Nelfaro straight to Henry’s office then left them alone. Anne stayed outside with Sarah.

  Colin introduced Henry to Dooma before handing Henry a pad with his detailed report. He’d written everything, including ship performance, Venom and Sava performance, and the tactics they’d used to defeat the Pirates. Henry didn’t read it then. Instead, he turned his attention to Dooma Nelfaro.

  Henry said, “I hope you’ve had a pleasant journey so far General.”

  “FNS Harmon is a wonder Admiral. That vessel is so big, I don’t believe I’ve seen more than a fraction of her volume.”

  “She’s the most powerful Destroyer the Federation ever fielded. Commodore Gordon and Captain Molchaoff are both outstanding Officers, so she proved decisive when our people helped free Hangelore. Sir, our President, has asked to meet you this afternoon. Provided you have a successful mission, Cambridge may express an interest in opening trade with your people.”

  “This is our wish Admiral. We don’t wish to suffer subservience to anyone else, but understand that you could conquer us with ease.”

  “General, let me reassure you, conquest is not our intention. The Federations policy is to resist interfering with a new society’s development. We don’t make contact until a society has achieved a defined level of technical and social development. In your case, the Pirates have sidestepped that policy and leave us with no choice but to talk and we hope, set up a peaceful and beneficial relationship. If you ask us to leave your people alone, we’ll do so, but I suspect we’ll soon be back to eject the Pirates.”

  “My sovereign, King Tora, agrees with your last statement. As his emissary, I’m to negotiate the best terms I can with your Federation.”

  The conversation continued along this vein for a while until General Nelfaro left to meet President Constantin. Henry asked his companions to wait for a moment and poked his head through the door to speak to Sarah. Anne sat there, gripping Sarah’s hand with tears streaming down her face.

  Henry took the scene in and said, “Sarah, take Anne home and stay with her. I’ll ask Julia to come. Anne, look after yourself. Take a few days to handle your grief.”

  Sarah hauled Anne to her feet and led the girl to a bathroom to compose herself.

  The rest of the stay on Cambridge turned into a whirlwind of engagements as Colin escorted General Nelfaro from one meeting to the next. Dooma met politicians and business leaders. Several expressed an interest in visiting Hangelore to set up trade ties. The week Colin allowed for replenishment passed, and he returned to FNS Harmon as the Fleet prepared for departure. Anne elected to go even though Colin gave her permission to stay on Cambridge.

  She said, “I need something to occupy my mind Commodore. You do that. If I mope around at home, I’ll never move on from losing Sam.”

  FNS Harmon boosted away from the world of Cambridge with her accompanying vessels. They left Theseus in the shipyard with engineers surveying the wreckage. Colin gave strict instructions not to deactivate the AI or cause further damage. He held concerns that the other AI’s might see this as murder. Besides, Colin had developed a fondness for Theseus, she was his friend.

  During the stop in Cambridge, Deason’s Pride unloaded her cargo of Venoms and Savas. In return, Cambridge loaded two Cobras and two Taipans for Kislara. These made the final payment for the first consignment of Attack-Craft.

  Kislara

  Colin’s small Fleet arrived in Kislara with plenty of fanfare. The return of fifteen hundred Kislaran Naval crew, and two thousand delanot colonists from Brondar was a momentous occasion. News of the defeat at Hangelore leaked out and embarrassed Kislara’s Government. Queen Taveli proved she was an astute politician, using the return to show her people the benefits of Federation membership. The persistent rumors of more disaster fell silent as news of the victory spread.

  Colin wanted to introduce Dooma Nelfaro to important figures in Kislara but took care when he asked if this was possible. Kislara had suffered an embarrassing defeat in Hangelore. People here might blame the lamsons for Pirate activities. Colin understood that the lamsons were victims of the Pirates as were Kislara’s people. One thing might help. A few delanot escaped Pirate captivity in Hangelore. The lamson Underground hid and protected them.

  FNS Harmon entered orbit around Kislara. By then, Colin had a long queue of communications from various Government figures. People sent messages of goodwill and demands for information. One missive came from Queen Taveli,

  Colin thought, ‘Oh dear, this sounds bad for the Admiral.’

  He called Anne and Captain Stark to issue instructions. The Queen gave no instructions to place Zhavan in chains, so Colin opted to let her keep her dignity. The security contingent was large, comprising sixteen Marines in full armor. With FNS Harmon orbiting above, any attack on the ground would prove deadly for the attackers.

  This time, the Kislarans gave Colin’s Shuttle clearance to land at the Palace Shuttle Pad. Soon after it entered the atmosphere, a pair of Savas arrived to escort them to the Palace. Colin struggled to decide if they were there to protect his Shuttle or for another reason.

  When they landed, a single Kislaran Captain waited to escort Colin’s party into the Queen’s presence. The group marched into the Palace to an anteroom where they remained until Taveli was ready.

  Taveli spent a few minutes composing her features before she confronted Zhavan. Admiral Zhavan’s transgressions couldn’t go unpunished, but Taveli understood the motivations. The Pirate attack on Brondar was a step too far. The Crown’s problem was that Zhavan disobeyed direct orders to go no further than Brondar. That disobedience caused the deaths of thousands of Kislarans and embarrassed the Crown. Taveli saw only one benefit when Kislara’s disaster forced the Federation Council to act.

  The Queen checked the surveillance monitors and smiled. Commodore Gordon had followed her orders to the letter. She had to admit, his armored guards looked terrifying. She held no illusions they were just for show. Gordon never struck her as a person who’d play silly games.

  A minor Courtier came to escort Colin’s party into the Queen’s presence. He jumped in fright when he first saw the Marines and wavered for a moment before asking them to follow. When they entered the Queens courtroom, the Marines took up positions around the edges while Colin, Anne, and Zhavan walked to the middle and waited.

  The Courtier hissed, “Kneel.”

  Colin cast a bemused look toward him and gave a subtle shake of his head. The Courtiers eyes bulged in his head at this break from protocol. Anne had explained the protocols to Colin. She’d pointed out that visiting military Officers need not kneel. Officers only needed to show the proper level of respect. Colin and Anne gave a half bow to the Queen, dipping their heads in respect. Taveli’s lips curled up at the corners as she appreciated the respectful gesture.

  Meanwhile, Zhavan had prostrated herself on the floor. The Admiral knew her life hung in the balance. The blame for the disaster in Hangelore lay on Zhavan’s shoulders, and she must accept the consequences. Taveli spoke.

  “Tell me, Commodore, what is the reason for the disaster in Hangelore?”

  “I see many reasons. Admiral Zhavan made her attack without enough intelligence. When her Fleet Jumped into Hangelore, they were unprepared for the Mine-Field. Kislara’s ships needed maintenance and upgrades. With a few exceptions, you allowed your crew’s training to lapse, so they are unfit for these operations. Admiral Zhavan shouldn’t have made the attack, but if her crews were better prepared, and the ships in better condition, you might’ve suffered fewer losses. One of the early ships should have turned around and returned to FD-893S with a warning. None did so until Captain Koral had the gumption to run from the carnage.”

  Taveli said, “So the blame rests with me?�
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  “In part, perhaps. I suspect that you had self-serving advisers in your Government who gave you poor advice. Your decisions are reliant on the information you’re given. You’ve cleaned most of the fools and idiots from your Government now.”

  Zhavan blanched at the blunt manner used to Colin address the Queen. Taveli laughed.

  “Talking to you is so refreshing Commodore. You never lie even if your words are unpalatable.”

  “You deserve the truth from me, ma’am.”

  Taveli smiled and turned her attention to Zhavan.

  The Queen said, “What shall I do with you Kashir? You disobeyed strict orders to only go to Brondar. But you allowed emotion to take hold, and the result is an unmitigated disaster.”

  Zhavan replied, “I await your pleasure, my Queen.”

  “Yes, you do. For now, I’ve deactivated your rank while we decide your fate. You are under house arrest although I have no wish to place you in prison. We’ll decide your fate soon but don’t expect another Fleet Command. Guards will take you to your quarters. They’ll explain your limitations.”

  Two of Taveli’s guards took Zhavan, and the Queen turned her attention to Colin.

  “I perceive you wish to speak further with me Commodore.”

  “Your perception is correct my Queen. Hangelore is not an uninhabited world. The Pirates invaded and subjugated its people. The people there call themselves lamsons. They sent an emissary with me. He’s going to Sankarah to plead for help, and they might join the Federation. I’m worried you will associate lamsons with Pirates. They were victims, no different to Brondar’s people.”

  “Are you asking me to meet this emissary?”

  “That is my preference, but the choice is yours.”

  “The lamson aren’t Pirates?”

  “A few are Pirates, but I’ve seen delanot Pirates too. The lamsons aren’t Pirates.”

  “I must meet this emissary then. Tomorrow, say, 1100 hrs?”

  “Perfect, my Queen. I’ll bring Dooma Nelfaro then.”

  The next day, Nelfaro proved himself an excellent diplomat. At first, Colin detected a level of reticence among the Queens advisers. Nelfaro soon put them at ease, explaining the ways his people fought back at a high cost to themselves. Taveli pledged to send someone to Hangelore to see what they could trade.

  Several days later, Colin’s remaining ships left Kislara, bound for Sankarah.

  Sankarah

  FNS Harmon’s arrival in Sankarah was less exciting than their earlier visit. The picket ships recognized the big Destroyer and passed them into Sankarah without delay. Before retiring for the night, Colin sent reports detailing their travels and the Second Battle of Hangelore, plus sealed messages that Queen Taveli asked him to convey.

  At Naval Headquarters in Sankarah, Admiral Dalkasan’s aides roused him from bed when they saw these reports. He dressed and headed to his office where he scanned the precis his staff had prepared. A smile spread across his face as he read. Dalkasan sent two other Commodores with Gordon in case he needed help. It turned out he’d used it as a training opportunity for them. Devlaran stated that he’d learned so much during the mission. He planned to make significant changes in Home Fleet training over the coming months. Commodore Gordon had brought an emissary from Hangelore. Dalkasan thought this might prove interesting. Adding another species to the Federation community posed challenges, but the rewards should prove immense.

  Two days later, FNS Harmon docked at Sankarah orbital. Colin gathered his landing party and boarded a Shuttle to Headquarters. A few hours later, Colin introduced General Dooma Nelfaro to Admiral Dalkasan. Admiral Dalkasan was a natural diplomat although diplomacy was a job for the politicos. He’d learned to say nothing while appearing to say plenty. The Federation expected Naval Officers to carry diplomacy far enough that they didn’t start a war or promise something the Federation couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver. Beyond that, the Navy left diplomacy to others.

  After Nelfaro met the senior Naval figures, Colin took him to attend the Council Chair. Nobody, least of all King Tora, expected the Federation to resolve every issue here and now. If they agreed to begin negotiations for formal recognition that was enough. Nelfaro didn’t expect the speed with which the Federation moved. Within a week, they’d held dozens of meetings with him, and assembled a small diplomatic mission. They found out what Hangelore’s most urgent needs were and gathered two Freighters to take the goods to Hangelore. In return, the Federation asked for a nonaggression pact. King Tora had authorized General Nelfaro to sign this because he wanted it and more. The Federation forces possessed the ability to take Hangelore by force if they chose. Instead of attacking, they’d held out a hand of friendship once they evicted the Pirates.

  Colin wasn’t surprised by the orders to take the diplomats to Hangelore. FNS Harmon was one of the safest ships available to the Federation Navy. He received a pleasant surprise when Lady Conti arrived to lead the diplomatic party. Since her kidnapping, she always traveled via the safest transport available. Often, she had to wait until a suitable ship came from somewhere else.

  Admiral Dalkasan ordered FNS Harmon to transport the diplomats and escort two Freighters full of emergency supplies. After he completed that task, Colin’s orders released the contingent from Cambridge to return home. Colin welcomed the orders. Except for the brief stopover on the way to Kislara and Sankarah, they’d been away from home for seven months. The ships needed time in the dock for maintenance when they returned home. The cruise proved more successful than Cambridge’s Government considered possible.

  FNS Harmon stayed in Sankarah for three weeks while Federation authorities assembled and loaded the Freighters. Colin spent much of that time explaining each of his decisions to senior Officers. They didn’t criticize the Commodore; they wanted to learn. Within five years, this one human had turned Naval doctrine on its head. He’d won multiple battles, sometimes against insurmountable odds and achieved this with few Federation casualties. Now he’d captured an entire Star System from the Pirates. More than anything else, the Navy needed to learn from him. Colin had made mistakes, but he overcame the fallout from them. Admiral Dalkasan couldn’t underestimate how vital Colin’s thought processes were. He developed an imperative to reward Colin Gordon. The best reward was to send Colin home to Earth. The hard part of that was how to keep him in the Federation Navy. Admiral Dalkasan didn’t mention this to Colin during these conversations. The time for that came, later.

  Homeward Bound

  The return trip to Hangelore was slow but quiet. They’d curtailed Pirate activity by neutralizing the most significant Pirate base near the Federation. Raids into Federation territory needed longer transits, so profitability became marginal.

  Colin invited Nelfaro into the CCC before Down-Jump, so the lamson emissary saw his home approaching. When FNS Harmon and the Freighters arrived in Hangelore, a picket sent them a challenge and a warm greeting. Colin offered Dooma an opportunity to send messages to King Dramat. Nelfaro accepted the offer. He carried plenty of good news for his sovereign.

  Colin spent time with Conti during the cruise. She liked this human and enjoyed his company. Their conversations always took an exciting direction. When she convinced him to discuss Earth, the man glowed with pleasure.

  After Colin rescued Conti from the Pirates years before, Conti rose through the ranks in diplomatic circles. Although the Federation became complacent after years of peace, when Colin Gordon arrived, they adapted fast. The Federation Council shed the complacency soon after she returned to Sankarah. The delays resulted from pure inertia. An entity as large as the Federation always took years to move once they recognized a threat.

  For the Federation, a century of peace meant military innovation almost came to a standstill. Pockets of innovation remained, Cambridge developed a new paradigm in warship design, and Kislara developed the Venoms and Savas. The Kislaran’s intended to create a cheap way to defend their territory. They wanted to retire most of their
capital ships but soon realized that wasn’t a workable choice. The project survived because Cambridge ordered hundreds of Venoms and Savas for several new classes of warships they had under development.

  Now, the Federation had another potential member to protect. Conti hoped to make rapid progress and bring the lamsons into the Federation. Colin explained, a shipyard orbited Hangelore, courtesy of the Peschal Alliance. The people of Hangelore possessed an abundance of natural resources to generate trade. The trick was to balance their need for business with a tendency among a few groups to exploit undeveloped peoples for their resources. Colin crucified those who tried when he found out.

  Conti reflected how greed was a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it propelled development, on the other, it caused hardships. Lady Conti intended to take care to help the lamsons avoid unnecessary hardship. They wanted to enjoy the benefits of becoming a spacefaring people. To do that, Hangelore needed the ability to defend itself from outside aggression. Federation ships would protect Hangelore for a while, but that only presented a stop-gap measure.

  Conversations with emissary Nelfaro suggested Hangelore’s Government wanted to step up and join the Federation. Federation membership holds many benefits, but those come with responsibilities. Until the Kislarans suffered the recent disasters, they’d wavered in their duties. Conti heard rumors, a few Kislarans had wanted to withdraw. The Federation permitted such a withdrawal, but it led to long-term problems.

  FNS Harmon and her Freighters entered orbit around Hangelore. Nelfaro longed to return home, and Conti wanted to meet King Tora, so Colin arranged a Shuttle to take them to the surface. Nelfaro would introduce the diplomats to his King, and from then on, it was Conti’s responsibility to negotiate. With the embassy established, they intended to formalize the relationship between Hangelore and the Federation.