Lady Whitcombe stepped from the hole, pausing to adjust the purple shawl she wore in the cool dry air of the open hanger. Then she looked at the base of the ramp and gave a derisive smile.
“I see you spared no expense in my welcoming committee- is this old lady only worth two old men now?” She declared as she walked down to the pair waiting for her.
The balding man in the resplendent admiral’s uniform bowed from the waist to her as she stepped from the ramp. “Of course not, my lady.” Admiral Veers offered. “However, the others are still discussing terms.”
“I trust no decisions have been made without me?” She asked, then let her gaze fall upon the other, taller man. He hadn’t bowed to her as the other hand, but then she’d have been disappointed if he did. “Hello Bannon.” She said cordially.
“Hello Clarice.” Sir Fawn’s manner was friendly, but in his eyes she could see deep suspicion. “Nothing important, I assure you.”
Or nothing you want me involved in, old fox. Lady Whitcombe thought as she looked at him. Well, she’d deal with him soon enough.
“Then we has best go,” she said to Veers. “I understand we’re short of time.”
The Admiral extended a hand, inviting her to walk. “Very short, my lady. The transport car is this way, please.”
As they walked, Sir Fawn fell in beside her.
“I have to say, Clarice, I am most amazed you came. I didn’t think you’d be interested in this type of endeavor.” He said, watching her carefully. “It doesn’t seem like you at all.”
The lady let herself smile at that.
“Oh, you know me, Bannon.” She answered. “I’m always full of surprises.”
* * *
“Ping An, we’re halfway through the asteroid cluster. So far, so good.”
The Captain could hear the strain in Betsey’s voice- this place was a navigator’s nightmare, but she was holding up well.
“Just keep at it. Leederman, any issues with the other ships?” Ping An asked, looking back at the operations man.
“You mean besides a lot of whining and complaining about this being crazy?” He grinned.
“Yes, besides that.”
Leederman shook his head. “Nothing worth talking about. A few little bangs here and there. They don’t have an ace pilot like we do.”
“You’re still dead when we’re done, Leederman.” Betsey called back. “Don’t bother trying to make up for it now.”
Ping An suppressed a smile as she saw the operations man make a sour face and turn back to his work, then she looked back the main display.
Twenty-four minutes to position.
* * *
Tysen stood alone on his bridge, watching a three dimensional holographic map of the asteroid cluster slowly form. It was being generated from datastreams shared between the ships, which were just far enough apart to offer slightly different angles on the field.
“I am still not sure why we are doing this.” Esther stated.
“Call it me being cautious.” Tysen said absentmindedly.
“That is not much of an answer.”
Tysen smiled, every day he spent with Esther revealed new depths to her personality. He found he rather enjoyed it. “I see patience is not one of your virtues Esther.” He teased, then when she didn’t reply he continued. “No, it just occurred to me that if the Home Guard knew we were coming here, they might have sent some ships in advance to prevent our escaping.”
“The asteroid cluster would provide optimal cover them to hide within.”
“Exactly, and since we’re stuck waiting here, there’s no harm in making good use of our time.” Tysen answered watching more detail appear on the model with each passing moment. “I just wish we could do it faster.”
* * *
It was the concerted opinion of Star Guard High Admiral Ferris Veers that the reason people sought out power was so that they could act as childishly as they liked without anyone being able to correct them for it. For some reason, people who had achieved high status always seemed to act in ways that wouldn’t be tolerated from young children under the age of 30.
Take the current situation, for instance, where of the seventeen people around the polished quartz meeting table, twelve were on their feet arguing loudly and heatedly in the manner he was used to seeing from first year cadets. No, he decided as he watched one of them throw a drunken punch at another- first year cadets had more decorum.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, Veers stood up and raised his hands, “People! People! Please! This arguing isn’t accomplishing anything- we don’t have time to worry about the small details. Yes, it’s important we decide on how the votes will be distributed, but do we need to do it now?”
This only served to direct several of the delegates to yell at him instead- questioning how he could possibly try to stifle such an important issue and if he was in league with the other side. Veers just stared at them, dumbfounded, and wondered how these could possibly be some of the richest and most important people in an civilization that numbered over a trillion souls.
“Admiral, may I speak?” Came a soft voice next to him, and he lowered himself down into his chair as he looked at her.
“Of course, your Ladyship.” He said tiredly. “I know you said you wanted to address the members right away, but nothing happens quickly in these situations, I’m afraid.”
The old woman smiled at him knowingly. “That’s quite all right, Admiral.” Then she stood up and without raising her voice simply said- “Attention”.
The whole room almost instantly came to a stop, and silence reigned, as all the delegates turned to look at the oldest among them. Then they quietly shuffled back to their cold stone seats and sat down, watching her warily. There were few among them who weren’t afraid of this old woman, and none wished to cross her.
“I know everyone here has their concerns.” She continued in a cordial tone once they were seated. “In fact, the reason I asked to speak to all of you is that I believe I have a way to solve all of them.”
“Here it comes,” sighed Sir Fawn, sitting to the other side of the Admiral.
The lady looked over and fixed him with her gaze, “Did you say something, Bannon?” She said in a grandmotherly tone. “My hearing isn’t quite what it was.”
But Fawn just smiled back pleasantly. “No, my dear.” He answered. “I was just clearing my throat.”
“Very well then.” She gave him a look that warned him not to try that again, and turned to the assembled. “Gentlemen and Ladies, what is it that you’re really arguing over? Is it how power will be divided among the people? Please! Don’t make me laugh- since when are any of you public reformers?
“Do you really believe that over a trillion people can govern themselves in an orderly fashion? Especially a trillion who haven’t known democracy in half a millennia? And you, all of you, do you really want to give up the power you wield for some notion of freedom and democratic rule? Nonsense! Pure Nonsense! All of you are there because you’re afraid of Saint Rail, and you want allies against him- nothing more.”
She paused, her face drawing back into a sneer. “Somewhere along the lines you started to lie to yourselves and say it was for the greater good, that it was for changes to make the Empire work for the people. If that’s what lets you sleep at night then fine, but I’ll have none of it!”
“You see gentle people,” she said, returning to a more pleasant tone. “I am honest in my ways -I’m too old to lie anymore- and I too see the coming storm. I came here today not because I believe that the people need a voice, but because I believe they need wisdom and guidance that doesn’t come at the end of a gun.”
“Every one of us here has proven ourselves,” she began to gesture towards individual delegates. “In business, in organization, in leadership- we are all leaders, every one of us. Let us join together to make a new government based on those who have proven themselves capable in the universe, as opposed to those who see themselves born to
it. This idea of democracy as a goal is a compromise to keep you from fighting each other for control- a compromise that will satisfy no-one and please no-one.
“Can we not forget it and move towards something realistic that will do us good in this time of trouble?”
* * *
“All units in position.” Leederman confirmed.
Ping An’s squadron could see the Imperial ships now, sitting just beyond the edge of the field. Barriers down, unprepared, they were outgunned and vulnerable, all she needed to do was give the word and her people would wipe them from space.
“Charge the plasma cannons, and prepare to attack on my word.”
* * *
“Survey complete.”
“Good,” Tysen stood up, stepping closer to the map of the field. “Now, run a trace for any gravitic anomalies that would come from anything larger than a shuttle recently entering the field.”
* * *
“Lady Whitcombe! This…this…” Admiral Veers stared at the old woman in shock, his jaw moving but unable to find the words. Everything they had just spent so much time working on, and this woman had nearly undone all of it with her speech!
Movement caught his eye, and Veers turned to see Sir Fawn rising up to his feet beside him. “If I may speak, sir.” Fawn said calmly, looking across the table. “Lady Whitcombe, just who would be in charge of this new grand council of yours? You?”
“If the council elected me, then I would be happy to do so, yes.” She said with an innocent smile.
Fawn shook his head. “You never change, do you? Always looking for the angle, some way to wrest power. How long before the other members of the council were replaced by people you found more agreeable? Would it be years? Months? Weeks perhaps? How long before this council became as disposable as everything else that you’ve ever found useful?”
“No,” he continued, looking around the room. “Those are pretty words you just gave, and the idea is sound, but we’d just be replacing one set of autocratic rulers with another set of plutocrats. What we need now is change and reform, but real change and reform isn’t going to come from more paternalistic nobles trying to play god.” Then finally Fawn looked at the lady again, dropping his voice as he made an almost personal plea. “I chose this place for our meeting to remind everyone here that this Empire was built on a mistake- a mistake we finally have the chance to correct. When the Empire was just a few systems, we could regulate things and keep the peace, but now- can’t you see, my dear, the days of our kind ruling are over? Let them go, and join us in making humanity rise again as one united voice.”
All around the room there were murmurs of agreement as the different delegates looked at each other and nodded.
Whitcombe watched them, clearly unhappy.
“So, that is your final answer then? Do you all stand with him?”
“I’m sorry, your Ladyship, but we do.” Veers answered. “It’s time for a change.”
Lady Whitcombe took a deep breath, then sighed. “Well gentlemen, I guess my part here is done then. Is there nothing I can say to convince you?”
She searched the group for sympathy, but found none. Power gained through fear was often fleeting in the face of unity.
“I believe not.” The High Admiral declared after looking at the membership.
“Fine then,” Lady Whitcombe said, and sat down with her arms crossed. “It’s on your heads, then. Good luck to you all.”
* * *
“Ping An, your turn my dear,” whispered a voice in the pirate captain’s ear.
Ping An smiled. “Thank you, your Ladyship.”
And, the word was given.
* * *
Too late, they were too late!
A moment before, Tysen’s scan had found the ships, all eight of them sitting just beneath the debris. He had begun to issues orders, to tell Esther to warn the other ships, when the enemy had opened fire.
The air was filled with the roar of thunder as a stream of white-hot energy cut the Silverthorne’s bridge in two.
* * *
The assault was brief and devastating.
Under a storm of missiles and plasma cannons, there was little the Cutters could do- but die.
“Fleet reports all five ships destroyed- no causalities on our side.” Leederman called out.
“Well alright then.” Ping An allowed herself a smile. So far, so good. “Get me Captain Michaels.”
A moment later, the scarred face of the other pirate captain appeared in a window in front of her. “Well lady,” Michaels said with respect in his voice. “You sure know how to make an entrance.”
“Why thank you, Michaels,” she accepted. “You think you can hold the fort here outside the field while we go in to collect the prize?”
“Sure. Just don’t try to sneak out the back way, okay? Remember this system only has two jump points in or out.”
“Oh don’t worry, Michaels.” Ping An said. “I’ll make sure you get what you deserve. I’ll leave Haskett with you to keep you company.”
“Ah, and the day was starting out so well.” Michaels said in false annoyance. “Fine, just don’t damage the merchandise.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Ping An out.”
Then the captain looked at her crew. “Betsey, use the nav data I gave you and take us back in. Slowly.”
“You don’t like to make life easy for me, do you Captain?” Said the navigator as she swung back around and got to work.
“If you didn’t like challenges, you signed up for the wrong job.”
“Ha!” The morphic woman laughed. “I’ll show you. I won’t even chip the paint.”
“Now that’s the girl I hired, but at this point I’ll settle for getting there intact. Leederman, have the assault teams begin prep, tell them to pack stun weapons. We need those people alive.”
* * *
“What? Is that true?” Admiral Veers was so shocked he didn’t even bother to reply through the link, speaking his aloud. “Thank you, pilot.” Then, the white faced man stood and looked at the assembled delegates. “Gentle people, we have a problem- my shuttle pilots report they’ve lost contact with our ships. Please check your own links and see if any of them can connect.”
As the membership was lost in silent worried focus, Sir Fawn leaned in.
“Admiral, I believe we may have underestimated St. Rail’s perspicacity.”
“Yes,” nodded the Admiral gravely. “I’m afraid so. We’d better prepare to evacuate before they come for us.”
Sir Fawn raised an eyebrow. “With our ships gone, where do you plan to evacuate to?”
“They may not all be gone,” the Admiral considered. “Some may have escaped into hyperspace before the assault. We can only hope they’re able to find a way to come back and get us.”
“Playing the long shot, Admiral?”
Veers sighed. “In this case old friend, there’s no other one to play.”
* * *
The two pirate ships guarding the alpha jump point were destroyed almost instantly.
Neither of them was prepared for the arrival of the Volkstag Clan Fleet, and they spent what few seconds they had debating what to do in the face of overwhelming odds. In the face of Two-Hundred and Fifty-Six warships, this was a natural reaction.
Once all of the ships had come out of hyperspace, Volkstag, standing on the bridge of his flagship Manticore, ordered the fleet into formation. He was pleased he had come, it really had been too long since he’d gone into space and he was enjoying the feeling of direct command.
“My lord,” said one of his bridge officers. “I’m picking up another tracking beacon, it’s coming from the inner asteroid belt. Scans report there’s radiation signatures from a battle there as well.”
“Ah, they’ve already struck.” Volkstag mused. “Any signs they left?”
“No, my lord.” The officer shook his head. “Dragonov’s tracking signal is still strong, and coming from within the asteroid cluster you see o
n the monitor. It’s moving deeper in.”
Then, Volkstag decided, that must be where the bounty was.
“Inform all squadron leaders we’re moving in. Surround the asteroid field and the jump point to make sure no-one escapes.” Then he added- “Tell them to get me my prize.”
CHAPTER NINE
2718, Day 215
Kip slid down the vertical access shaft, letting his hands slide along the smooth guide-rail until he was nearing the bottom and then tightening on it to slow his descent. He pushed off when he was almost at the bottom and then hit the deck running.
The ship still had gravity, and although they flickered, the light panels still worked as well. He prayed that the hit wasn’t bad, that this was all from a glancing blow, but he knew better.
He’d been in the forward missile bay when the alarms sounded, and then the sounds of distant thunder echoed through the ship as he’d been thrown against the wall. When he’d come around and seen to the other crew, he’d called up to the bridge- only to get no answer. The ship’s Linkspace net was down.
He found Ensign Helgi standing outside of the door to the bridge trying frantically to get it open.
“Helgi, what’ve we got?”
“Lieutenant!” She looked at him with panic in her eyes. “I think the bridge took a hit.”
“Outta the way, Ensign.” He gently nudged her aside and checked the door’s access monitor. Dead, not good. Then he knelt down and popped the access hatch underneath it. He could see the char on the crystals where there’d been an energy surge- maybe half of them were fried.
But he didn’t need most of them working to do the job.
Quickly he began swapping out components, replacing the damaged ones with the others that had been spared and re-routing circuits to the places he needed energy to go. As he did, he could hear Helgi talking behind him.
“I went to get coffee for the captain from the mess,” she said, her voice wavering. “I was just gone a few minutes. I was coming back and…”
Twin Stars 1: Ascension Page 24
