by S. H. Jucha
I think time has run out for me to discover your true intentions, my strange friend, Alex thought. I hope others fared better than me.
* * *
During the fête, lieutenants and young techs eagerly surrounded Christie, Eloise, and Amelia. The conversations started good-naturedly, but as the young women flirted and teased, the ranks of young men closed on the girls and soon male hands were reaching out to touch smooth, exposed skin and locks of hair as the opportunity presented itself. As the girls became physically isolated by their ranks of admirers, they shared information via their implants.
Amelia leaned into a young second lieutenant, who was close to drooling over her, and made use of Eloise’s information. “I wonder,” Amelia whispered to him. “You have but a single ship. How can you expect an entire world to heed your requests?”
The lieutenant, intoxicated by Amelia’s perfect face swimming in front of his eyes, blurted, “We’re one today, but tomorrow …” Before he could finish, a first lieutenant elbowed him in the ribs, and the young officer quickly shut his mouth and ducked his head.
“We hope perseverance and diplomacy will eventually prevail, miss,” the first lieutenant replied.
The young women kept pressing for more information, but despite the girls winning ways, no more information about the subject was forthcoming. Instead, the young men pressed in with more personal questions, closing tighter around the girls.
Christie sent,
Alex excused himself from present company and made his way quickly across the hall. Julien relayed Christie’s request to Étienne, who excused himself from Shin’s flustered attentions. Alex arrived behind Christie, but was blocked from her by a wall of officers and techs crowding around her. While Alex was seeking a diplomatic way to intervene, he saw a young man directly behind Christie reach a hand under her short wrap.
A second lieutenant yelped as he was yanked up by his collar and dangled in mid-air, facing an irate Alex. The officers surrounding the girls went on alert. They moved the young women aside and pointed small, fifteen-centimeter-long tubes at Alex. Each tube’s glowing red end pointed at Alex.
“And what is it each of you possesses?” Alex asked, eyeing the glowing tubes.
“Stand down,” Major Barbas growled. He had hurried after Alex when the Méridien quickly departed their group. Immediately, the small tubes flicked off and disappeared back beneath jackets. “You must forgive my officers, Ser Racine. They are sensitive when it comes to someone roughing up their comrade.”
Alex looked the offender in his eyes. “And I, Major, am sensitive when it comes to your people taking liberties with my sister. In our society, it is impolite to touch a young woman in such a manner without permission.” Alex set the lieutenant down and turned to the major, asking, “Is that not true on Earth anymore?”
Major Barbas placed his hands on his hips, preparing to retort, when he bumped an elbow into the escort, Étienne. The man had closed to his side without his notice. That subtle movement and seeing his officer hoisted into the air by Ser Racine’s single arm set off mental alarm bells. Beginning with a cadet academy at the age of eleven, Barbas spent his entire life in the military, and he was suddenly well aware that the Méridiens were not the happy travelers they pretended to be. These two men, at least, were extremely capable and well-trained.
“My deepest apologies for any discourtesies my men have offered your companions,” Major Barbas said, eyeing his militia officers. The sight of the major’s steely-eyed gaze brought his officers to rigid attention. Quickly, a broad smile replaced the major’s stern expression. “You are an amazingly strong individual, Ser Racine,” Barbas said. “I would welcome the opportunity to see a friendly competition between you and an equal of one of my men. Do you practice any form of defense training, Ser Racine?”
“Fortune forbid, Major. I leave playing on the mats to the likes of my escorts,” Alex declared, waving a hand at Étienne.
The major’s interest was further piqued. More and more details about this group of people were not adding up. Before, he had laughed at the thought of Étienne as security personnel. Now, he appraised the slender escort beside him with fresh eyes. The calm gaze he received in return didn’t fit the masquerade.
“We should arrange a demonstration between your man, Ser Racine, and one of my men. Consider it an opportunity to get to know each other better,” the major suggested.
“We have no facilities on station to accommodate this sort of exercise, Major. Perhaps, you have one on your ship. With so many young officers, I’m sure you must have some area dedicated to their training,” Alex offered.
“That we do,” García said from behind Alex. “I’m sure we could accommodate a few of your people for an exhibition match, Ser Racine. You must understand that as an explorer ship, our vessel’s design is quite utilitarian. We are ill-prepared for guests. Are you volunteering your man, Ser de Long, for the match?”
“That’s his choice, Speaker García. He is free to do as he wishes,” Alex replied.
Everyone turned to look at Étienne. The UE expressions ran the gamut from surprise on the civilians’ faces to evil grins on the officers’, who were visualizing fresh meat for the grinder.
“I would be delighted, Speaker García, to test my skills against one of your volunteers,” Étienne replied, delivering courtesy to the speaker with hand over heart and a nod of his head. The gesture produced a spate of muffled snickers from some of the junior officers.
“Well, Speaker García, shall we meet tomorrow? I can have a shuttle at your ship at 18 hours. I understand that would be 1200 hours for your people,” Alex said.
“Perhaps it would be better if our shuttle picked your people up from the same dock we used today, since we know that method works. No use tempting fate by adding too many new variables to our procedures,” García replied.
“Twelve hundred hours tomorrow at this bay, Speaker García. We look forward to it. Now, I believe we should part company while cooler heads reign, should we not?”
“Agreed, Ser Racine. This meeting has been enlightening,” García said, staring intently into Alex’s eyes. “Until tomorrow.”
“Indeed, Speaker García. Most enlightening,” Alex returned, locking eyes with the mission commander. So much for subterfuge … it appears that we have both been unmasked, Alex thought.
Étienne motioned the speaker toward the hall’s exit and proceeded to guide the Earthers back to their shuttle while Alex and company returned to the Rêveur.
* * *
Alex met with his people in his stateroom.
“From everyone’s excitement, I gather I missed a most engaging fête,” the elderly captain lamented.
“Your absence was necessary, Captain,” Alex replied. “The fête turned into a game of hide and seek.”
“A child’s game, Captain,” Renée explained. “In this case, each side was hiding secrets and seeking to discover what the other side was hiding.”
“Could I not have aided our goals, Ser President?” Captain Cordova asked.
“Apologies, Captain, but you represent a significant Méridien secret. We exposed enough differences today as a calculated risk. Yours was an easily preventable one.”
“Mine, Ser President?” the captain asked, but his puzzled look quickly cleared. “Ah, my age, and Méridiens’ long life.”
“Had that been discovered during conversation, Captain,” Terese added, “it might have led to myriad questions about health. As it was, the Earthers were mesmerized by the appearance of the Méridiens. In fact, everyone’s appearance in our group seemed to interest the Earthers.” Terese glanced over at Miranda.
After Miranda’s return to the Rêveur, he
r proximity to the ship’s controller triggered Z’s programming, which subsumed the persona of Miranda and returned control to Z, who quickly reviewed the entire meeting, paying particular attention to Miranda’s discussion with Major Barbas.
What was disconcerting to those in the stateroom was seeing the Miranda avatar slouched in a chair, legs slightly open, and dress riding up the thighs with Z’s voice issuing from her face.
“So, what did we learn?” Alex asked.
“Besides the fact that Earthers have no manners?” Christie piped up. When Alex calmly gazed at Christie, she promptly closed her mouth, properly chastened. Comms from both Eloise and Amelia warned her to be careful. “My apologies, Mr. President,” Christie said. “Our best piece of information relates to the overconfidence of the young officers. They are sure that they will have their way with this system.”
“A young lieutenant started to say that they were one today, but tomorrow …” Amelia added.
“Tomorrow what?” Alex asked.
“That was all, Ser President. He was rudely silenced by a first lieutenant. The senior one actually elbowed his junior in the ribs to quiet him,” Amelia replied.
“Most telling, Ser President,” Eloise added, “was the chagrin of the junior officer. It was as if he was about to expose a major secret and now expected to be punished for his indiscretion. It was only Amelia’s entreaty and allure that caused the young officer to start to divulge the secret in the first place.”
Alex looked at Amelia, perched on the edge of the couch next to Terese. The young Haraken woman with her Méridien genes and short, colorful wrap could probably entice the entire UE force of young officers to go anywhere she wanted them to go. In return, his gaze was met by a confident expression. Amelia knew who she was and what her capabilities were when it came to this dangerous game they were playing.
“So the Earthers are expecting reinforcements,” Alex concluded.
“And they wouldn’t have need for another explorer ship, Mr. President,” Tatia added.
“It stands to reason, Mr. President,” Julien said, “that if an explorer ship is outfitted with such extensive armament and the young officer was excited by the prospect of additional resources, the ship or ships arriving will be extremely dangerous. I’ve researched my Terran colonial records. There existed such vessels called ‘battleships’ and ‘destroyers.’ They were huge weapons of war with massive armament, most of which was designed to destroy other warships.”
“They could also be expecting troop carriers, Mr. President. If subjugation is their aim, then they would want not only control of the ships in the system’s space but the government on the ground,” Tatia said.
“Julien, keep Commodore Reynard and Captain Manet apprised of our conversations,” Alex said. “Have them keep the Last Stand in close proximity to Méridien while remaining outside the system.
“I’m devastated,” Renée said, slapping her hands on her knees. “I learned nothing, except the innumerable ways the speaker can compliment a woman.”
“Clearly, Ser de Guirnon,” Christie said, “the speaker was hoping to flatter you until you melted and told him all your secrets.”
Renée sent back.
“Major Barbas apparently tried the same ruse with Miranda as the speaker did with Ser de Guirnon,” Z said. “He was quite smitten with Miranda and full of lovely words, but entirely tight-lipped on any subject relating to his ship or Earth. It is Miranda’s consideration that Major Barbas has a volatile combination of personality traits. He exhibits an aura of absolute self-control, but it covers a persona riddled with rage and loathing of many around him. In addition, Miranda believes he will be utterly faithful to only one person, the speaker.”
“In contrast, the admiral and I found Captain Lumley to be quite open,” Alain said. “He was a congenial individual with a cultured manner.”
Eyes turned toward Tatia, and she picked up the conversation. “The captain appears to be an aficionado of history. According to him, Earth’s environment suffered from global climate change for centuries after the launch of the colony ships. The burgeoning population overtaxed Earth’s resources, food, and water. This led to a period called the Resource Wars, which started regionally but expanded to engulf the globe.”
“During this time, fusion reaction was discovered, but it was too late to reverse the damage of industrial and human pollution or to save Earth from the oncoming mayhem,” Alain added. “Many Earthers escaped the conflicts by immigrating to colonies on Sol’s other planets and moons.”
“Is there value to this history lesson?” Alex asked.
“Unfortunately not, Mr. President,” Tatia said. “Our conversation abruptly ended when you hoisted that junior officer in the air.”
“That’s my fault,” Christie lamented. “I pressed the panic button.”
“And it was most appropriate,” Eloise added. “We were being overrun by incredibly aggressive young men. The three of us are healing from innumerable bruises from their pinches and grabs. In hindsight, perhaps we were overly enthusiastic with our flirting.”
“True,” Amelia agreed, “but who knew the Earther’s junior officers lacked social skills.”
“Then it was just as well that Administrator Wombo was a man who focused on current events,” Pia said. “He sounds similar to Captain Lumley … a quite social man.”
“The administrator referred to the Final Wars of Earth’s twenty-sixth century, which devastated the superpower nations,” Mickey continued. “United Earth rose from the ashes of those wars, forming a strong central world government. Ser Wombo intimated that there was great approval in the beginning as the UE helped the people … the sick and the starving around the globe.”
“However, something changed,” said Pia, picking up the thread of the conversation. “It’s our impression that the UE became harsh in its administration, but Ser Wombo would say no more.”
“An interesting observation, Mr. President,” Julien said, “is that as Administrator Wombo spoke about UE history, he kept his eye on three people: Speaker García, Major Barbas, and Assistant Administrator Zhang Shin.”
“Kept his eye on them how?” Alex asked.
“Interpreting Mickey’s and Pia’s visual records, I would say he was quite nervous about them, especially the speaker,” Julien replied. “Once, when the mission commander caught his glance, Ser Wombo’s heart rate spiked and his eyes dilated.”
“So we have two individuals willing to talk, the captain and the administrator, but one, the biggest man in the room, is afraid of three key people, including one of the smallest in the room. Speaking of which, Étienne, you spoke to Zhang Shin. What did she have to say?”
“My apologies, Ser President,” Étienne replied, “I was forced to emulate the speaker’s technique.” Étienne’s statement brought a round of twitters and laughs from the room. “The woman was so tireless in her questioning that I found little opportunity to insert my own query. I was forced to use her infatuation with my appearance as a means of stopping her interrogation.”
“Did you learn anything?” Alex asked, working to keep the smile off his face.
“Yes,” Étienne declared. “The assistant administrator is loyal to the major and the speaker, especially the major. There is something in her voice when she speaks of him.”
“Julien, can you help us here?” Alex asked.
“Analysis of her voice patterns would indicate a close relationship with the major, although I would hesitate to say ‘respect.’ It appears to be one more closely related to necessity, more like clinging to a lifesaving device.”
“And what of her supervisor, Administrator Wombo?” Alex asked Étienne.
“Interestingly enough, Shin never mentioned the man, Ser,” Étienne replied.
“Mmm �
�� So we have a power triumvirate that centers on the mission commander and includes the ship’s military contingent but excludes the scientists,” Alex mused out loud, “a strange hierarchy for an explorer ship.”
“Étienne, are you ready for tomorrow?” Tatia asked.
“I look forward to the exercise, Admiral,” Étienne replied. “It will be an opportunity to expand my repertoire of techniques.”
“The speaker made it clear that he will expect fewer guests tomorrow, but this is a perfect opportunity to gather some information about their ship, and I don’t want to miss out,” Alex said.
“I believe I can help with that, Ser President,” Z said. “Julien and Mickey, I will need your assistance immediately after the meeting in engineering, and Ser de Long, I will need you to prolong your match tomorrow as long as you are able without endangering yourself. I believe the accurate expression is, ‘I will need you to stall.’”
-12-
Wombo yearned to share the details of his visit to the Rêveur with his fellow scientists, but he was forced to curb his enthusiasm. Zhang Shin hovered around him at every turn, pestering him with queries of whom he talked to, what questions were asked of him, and what did he surmise. Wombo kept his responses to Zhang circumspect, and he was careful to tamp down his excitement in her presence. The last thing Wombo desired was to give Shin an opportunity to run to the major’s bed with stories of his effusive enthusiasm for all things Méridien.
It was late in the evening before Wombo convened a small group of trusted colleagues in his cabin. His compatriots were monitoring Zhang Shin, and when word was passed to Wombo that Shin had retired for the evening, meaning she was in the major’s cabin, his friends made their way, one by one, to his cabin. These senior scientists were Wombo’s friends, and many owed much of their career advancements to his patronage. All owed their positions on the Reunion to him.
