He stopped, looking at some of the images as they flashed across the screen during the data upload, and tears began to stream down his face as the horror began to sink in once again. Leaning forward on the panel, he struggled to continue.
“These butchers massacred old men, women and children, and did it without a second thought. They attempted to wipe out my men when we found out about it. In the interests of humanity, if there is anything left of decency anywhere in this system, I call upon the people of the Council and the Coalition to stand together to call for those responsible to face justice for their crimes. Many of the criminals involved are in a freighter docked with the ground base right now. As for the rest, I presume you will find them on Skybase, or possibly in the military. A complete dossier of everything we know is attached to this message. Read the file, watch the footage, and let it burn itself into your mind, your heart, forever.” He shook his head, then said, “I guess that's all.”
No-one spoke for a long minute, Cantrell finally looking down at the sensor screen and breaking the spell by saying, “Our friend is changing course. Going for orbital velocity, and as far as I can make it, is heading for the outer fringes of the system. I guess they've decided not to hang around for the trial.”
“They'll come in sooner or later,” Cooper said.
“Ensign,” Orlova's voice said, faint and distant, “Whatever else happens, we will do everything we can to see that those who committed these...atrocities face justice.” She paused, then said, “Hold your course for the moment. We'll link up with you when we can. Alamo out.”
“Well, that's that,” Cooper said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Now I guess we find out whether they were listening. I just hope it did some good.”
Chapter 21
Orlova struggled to keep her focus on the holotable, the images from Cooper's transmission still flooding through her mind. She looked around the bridge, spotting Mackenzie staring into space, his hands still, and stepped over to the engineering technician, shaking him on the shoulder.
“Spaceman, I need you focused. If you can't manage that, call your relief.”
He looked up, nodded, and said, “I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll do better. I just can't stop thinking about it.”
Her eyes roving from station to station, Orlova said, “We've all seen something terrible, and I know that all of you are going to have a lot of sleepless nights as a result, but we've got a job to do, not least for the people who died in that village. Lieutenant Nelyubov, sound battle stations.”
“Aye, ma'am,” he said. “Tactical to all hands. Stand by your battle stations. This is no drill. I repeat, this is no drill. Department heads report status to my station at once.”
Slowly, the monitors began to flash from green to red, the crew scrambling to prepare the ship for combat. She hoped that it wouldn't be necessary, but if nothing else, it would at least serve to concentrate their minds, distract them from what they had seen. The elevator doors opened, and three figures stepped onto the bridge, Poltis, Kelgar and Trant. The Administrator was clutching his stomach, and wiping his mouth with a tissue.
“I take it you've seen it, then,” she said, standing in front of them.
Nodding, Poltis replied, “Captain, in the interests of humanity, I offer you the services of every member of the Coalition in bringing the criminals to justice. If it turns out any of my people were involved in anyway, I will see them brought to trial. Count on it.”
“What about you, Kelgar?” Orlova asked.
Glancing at Trant, he said, “I need to see it for myself, Captain. I cannot believe that any of my citizens have committed such atrocities, that anyone can have done something like this.”
“We have records of nineteen massacres,” Powell said, “from the records on your own base. Would you like to see the photographs?”
“No,” he said, closing his eyes. “Please, no. There will be a full investigation, and those responsible will be brought to trial.”
“Are you trying to say that you didn't know this was going on?” Nelyubov asked, turning from his station. “I find that hard to believe.”
“I would never order, never permit such actions to take place. The thought that our genetic pool has been contaminated in such a way is truly abhorrent, and that it should have been done at such a price is far worse.” Turning to Poltis, he said, “You've done this, haven't you. Your agents in the Council, trying to discredit us, to destroy us from within. All of this is a trick. It must be.”
Shaking his head, the Coalition leader replied, “You're clutching at handholds, Kelgar. My people don't even have any access to the surface. No craft capable of making a landing.”
“So you say,” Kelgar replied. “Captain, there may be more to this than you know. I insist that a full investigation is carried out, and that Coalition records are examined for evidence of their complicity in this matter.” Looking around the bridge, he said, “After all, I would remind everyone here that the Coalition is the only power in this system to employ slavery, working their captives to death. We have never committed such acts as that.”
“You can look at anything you want!” Poltis said. “How can you stand there, calm as that, when you know what your people have been doing in your name? I don't understand. Captain, we can work together to bring these monsters down, once and for all. With one order I can have our lasers deployed, and we can smash the gunboat fleet to pieces. Then together we can start to clean up this mess, and perhaps make some sort of restitution to the Arcadians.” Glaring at Kelgar, he added, “In a sense, I am as guilty as you are. I should have known this was happening, and done something to stop it. There were some reports, rumors of activities on the surface.” Shaking his head, he said, “At least it ends, and now. I want to talk to Vyram.”
“Not for a moment,” Orlova said. “What do you say, Trant?”
“This has the ring of truth,” the guard said. “Our population has been experiencing increasing levels of birth defects, inherited diseases, the result of a too-small genetic pool. I showed Ensign Cooper some of them.” At Kelgar's glare, Trant continued, “The truth must come out, sooner or later. The only group of the population that wasn't affected was the Council and their families. I think I can guess who benefited from these actions.”
“I want to speak to Yorax,” Kelgar said, moving over to the communications console. “I need to make sure that the chain of command is secure.”
Shaking his head, Trant replied, “Do you think that anyone will listen to you ever again? That message went to every receiver in the system. Everyone knows, Kelgar, and your secret is out! The only question is whether you will be lynched before you can stand trial.”
Red-faced, Kelgar turned, and said, “I keep telling you all, I didn't know! I didn't know any of it, not at any time! If I had, I would have stopped it. I don't want mud-draggers contaminating our population. Why would I agree to anything like this?”
“Ma'am?” Weitzman said. “I'm picking up a lot of communications traffic, between the laser base, the sailships, and the gunboats. Signals went through the roof after we sent that transmission, and if anything, they're growing in intensity.”
Stepping over to the console, Orlova asked, “What are they saying?”
“I don't know. They're using a new code. Chief Washington and her team are working on cracking it, but it'll take at least a few minutes to untangle.”
“Three minutes to the deadline,” Nelyubov said. “Can we at least assume, Administrator, that you aren't going to be ordering an attack in the near future?”
Kelgar curtly nodded, and said, “There will have to be a full inquiry before we can do anything. If this is true, then I will personally take great pleasure in ordering the execution of the guilty. However, I stress again that I want the evidence examined first by my own people. I still think there is a chance that all of this has been manufactured, that it is
a Coalition trick.”
“When are you going to wake up?” Poltis asked. “This changes everything. Captain, I'll agree to any reasonable deal, as long as it is clear that Kelgar and the current Council have no decision-making role now or in the future. I think it best that your people handle the inquiry. I'm willing to trust to their neutrality, and I'll allow full and unrestricted access to our facilities.”
“You can't even get them to release Salazar and Harper,” Trant said.
Shaking his head, Kelgar said, “I want someone shadowing your team, Captain, but other than that, I'm willing to go along with Poltis. You can have full access to our databanks, on the condition that you show complete neutrality.”
With a sigh, Orlova said, “If at least we can get some sort of an agreement to peace between your peoples, then I suppose those people on the surface will not have died in vain. Order your ships to return to your respective bases, and my teams will begin the investigation at once. Poltis, I suspect it is possible that your team might be in more of a mood to talk, and Kelgar, if Tarak is working for you, speak to him.”
“I will,” he said. “He did his work well, and will be rewarded.” Looking at Orlova, he said, “I want safe passage for him back to Skybase. He was a soldier, doing his duty, and should not be punished for that.”
“He was a spy!” Poltis roared. “I don't think you are in a position to demand anything, Administrator.”
“Let's get this moving, shall we?” Powell said. “That deadline expires in two minutes, gentlemen, and I believe you need to give the appropriate orders to your crews to cancel the attack, before you commit yet another action that you will have cause to regret.”
“The ships are moving into position,” Nelyubov said, glancing up at his monitor, “and I'm picking up signs of missiles readying for launch, target locks snapping on. All of them appear to be at battle stations.”
Snatching the microphone, Poltis said, “Alamo to Sailship One. Stand down battle stations, and prepare for a return to base. I will be coming aboard in a few minutes with new instructions.” He looked down at the panel, and said, “Is something wrong?”
“No, sir,” Weitzman said. “The message is getting through, but they aren't replying.”
“Let me try,” Kelgar replied. “Gunboat One, come in. Yorax, I need to speak with you at once. Stand down and prepare for return to Skybase.” His voice rising to a shout, he raged, “Yorax, reply at once! This is the Chief Administrator speaking!”
“Neither of them are going to reply,” Trant said, standing at the rear of the bridge. Somehow, a pistol had appeared in his hand, and he moved to cover the room as well as both entrances, standing next to the engineering station. “All of you remain where you are.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Kelgar said. “You work for me. Put that thing away and consider yourself under arrest! Captain, I want this man taken into custody at once.”
Shaking his head, Trant replied, “You aren't going to be giving orders any more.” He gestured at the sensor display, and said, “Those ships aren't going to be attacking each other. We decided some time ago, that the military organizations of the two powers were not going to allow what was left of our civilization to commit suicide.”
“You're launching a coup,” Poltis said. “Overthrowing both governments.”
“That is essentially the situation,” Trant said. “There will be unity in this system, and there will be peace. Both sides will work together for the common good, and I thank you, Lieutenant Powell, for the plan you proposed. Certainly elements of it will be undertaken.”
Stepping forward, Orlova said, “What does this have to do with us?”
With a sigh, Trant said, “None of this is personal, but you are the missing piece of the puzzle. We've been planning this for years, Captain, but the problem has always been convincing the local population of the necessity of our action, as well as obtaining the resource base required to save our people. You've already done one for us, and will now do the other.”
“No wonder Yorax agreed for the Espatier escort of the freighter,” Nelyubov said. “You knew, and you wanted us to find out, to spread it everywhere!”
“The Council had agents on every ship. Had we attempted to release it ourselves, we would have been caught, prevented from dispersing the information. As it stands, tens of thousands of people are screaming for the justice that we alone can provide.”
“We don't negotiate with terrorists,” Orlova said. “I will not provide you with any of the technology you need. You might as well put that toy away.”
“Captain, I ask for asylum!” Kelgar said. “They'll kill me out of hand.”
“Coward,” Poltis replied.
“It doesn't matter,” Trant said. “None of it does.”
Looking up at the sensor display, Spinelli said, “Captain, the two fleets are on the move, adjusting their orbital position. Looks like they are lined on Alamo, proceeding to a position of mutual support.”
“We could be looking at a seventy-missile salvo,” Nelyubov added. “Even with our defenses at full, there's no way we could survive such a strike.”
“In two and a half minutes, the maneuver will be complete. I'm the insurance policy, that's all. I'm well aware that you will have people rushing to your rescue, but every second you delay increases the odds in favor of my friends. All of them. We'll take what we can salvage from the corpse of this ship, Captain. Unless you choose to surrender, in which case I will guarantee the safety of your crew, and allow them to settle on Arcadia.”
“The Fleet will return.”
“And we will deny all knowledge of your arrival in this system, taking steps to ensure that there is no record of your visit. Any scraps of technology they detect can be written off in many different ways.” With a sigh, he said, “You have a hundred and thirty seconds to save the lives of everyone on this ship, Captain. I suggest you make your decision.”
Taking another step forward, Orlova replied, “As I have already stated quite clearly, the Triplanetary Confederation does not negotiate with terrorists or hijackers, and it will be a cold day in hell before I agree to anything. You can attack my ship if you wish, but we'll give you a battle that will go down in history.”
“This is insane!” Kelgar said. “You'll die as well.”
Nodding, Trant said, “That was always part of the deal. If my death is what it takes to bring about the salvation of this system, then it doesn't seem like such a large price to pay, does it? I'm a serving officer, and sacrifice is nothing new to me. At least this time it is for a cause worth dying for. Ninety seconds, Captain.”
Orlova looked at the images on the holodisplay, calculating in her head what was happening. Sergeant Gurung would have been alerted within seconds, but his force was dispersed throughout the ship. The elevator ride from the hangar deck to the corridor would take two minutes, and longer to make sure they covered all the exits. She looked at the control that would transfer command to the auxiliary bridge, but he had his eye on it as well, and shook his head. As far as she could work out, they would regain control of the ship about thirty seconds too late.
“What do you want?” Kelgar asked. “I'll give you anything, anything you want!”
“I want you dead, Administrator,” Trant replied. “And I'll be getting my wish in just a few minutes.”
“No!” Kelgar yelled, charging towards the gunman. The pistol fired twice, blood gushing out of Kelgar's chest as the man staggered forward, crashing into Trant and sending him collapsing to the floor. Within a second, the doors opened, Corporal Stewart rushing in and securing the weapon, knocking him out with a quick injection into the neck.
Hurriedly, the bridge crew returned to their posts, throwing switches and continuing the preparations for battle that Trant had interrupted. The enemy ships were still moving into position, sliding into formation for a salvo sho
t that would smash Alamo from the sky. Even if they missed, the laser under Tarak's control would finish them off.
She looked down at Kelgar, dead on the floor, his face twisted into a terrified snarl. Poltis stepped over to him, running his hand over his face to close his eyes, then looked up at Orlova.
“I guess he did something right in the end. Even if he was only trying to save his skin. Tell me the truth, Captain. Are we going to be joining him?”
“Not if I can help it, Coordinator. And if we do, we're going to have a lot of company.”
Chapter 22
The quartet raced through the corridors, sweeping around with scant regard for anyone who might overhear, fighting time as they sped to reach the laser control room before it was too late. This time, Salazar was just behind Valya, urging her to greater speed as she struggled to remember half-forgotten shortcuts, taking them through passages and down shafts that had not been used for years, occupied only by debris and vermin, spiders and rodents scurrying along the tunnels on errands of their own.
“Twenty minutes,” Salazar said. “Only three minutes to go until the deadline. How much further?”
“We're almost there,” she replied. “Just down the next shaft, and we're right on target.” She paused, then added, “There's a catch.”
“Isn't there always?”
“The shaft is a fifty meter drop, right down. Now in this gravity that isn't a problem, except that if there is anyone in the control room, they're going to hear you coming. And whoever goes first will be a sitting duck, easy target practice for anyone with a gun. No danger of hitting anything essential, these tunnels aren't used any more.”
“I'll go first,” Salazar said.
“There's another way. Just up the corridor is another passage, and that leads down to a storage room that I'm almost certain will be empty. It's further to go, and there almost certainly will be guards waiting, but someone can decoy anyone away.” She looked back at Salazar, and said, “Though I don't rate their chances of living through it especially high.”
Battlecruiser Alamo: Triple-Edged Sword Page 20
