by Kris Powers
“I don’t know about that,” Elliot said.
“For the Ferine’s sake, then?”
“This isn’t some sort of trick is it?”
“What am I going to do on an Alliance warship, Admiral?” Nadine asked.
“I suppose so. When would be a good time?”
“Nineteen hundred hours?”
“I’ll see you at my quarters at seven.”
“Let’s make it my quarters,” Nadine said.
“Is there something wrong with mine?”
“No, I just don’t get to entertain very often. You can choose what to have for dinner.”
“Fine.”
“I’ll see you then, Elliot.”
Elliot stopped at the use of his first name before heading out of the court as quickly as his legs could take him.
The Easter Island Agreements’ leveling of the UN office at Geneva was their last act of defiance. They had only a few battered cruisers left after the climatic battle at Phobos had obliterated their fleet. Even as they gathered the remnants of their forces over Geneva, a combined Alliance-Coalition fleet closed in on their capital. The EIA knew that it wouldn’t accomplish any military objective; they attacked the UN complex for one reason only: it was the site where the last peace treaty between their nation and the others had been signed over fifty years previously.
The symbolic attack is remembered to this day. The Coalition and Alliance obeyed their mutual defense pact to the end of the war, but the damage of 2151 had been done. They were never allies again.
Phantoms by the Twenty Third Century: The EIA’s Loss of the Fifty—One Year War
by Margaret Spinney
Chapter X
Elik sat in his favorite chair in the game room where he had played Scholars with Lathiel weeks before. He missed playing Lathiel. He had no other worthy opponents to play the game with now. Elik looked at the dusty pieces for a moment while he considered the fate of his friend thousands of light years away. He returned his attention back to his itinerary for the next day. His grey, slit eyes involuntarily blurred after the long hours he had spent staring at requests and reports. He placed the electric paper on a dark wooden end table at his right and placed both hands over his eyes in an attempt to rub the fatigue out of them.
He stopped at the sound of a faint beeping emanating from the main lobby. He groaned as he lifted his carriage out of his seat and then crossed to the wooden doors. A brief exertion turned the latch. Elik squinted in the brighter light of the main lobby and found his suspicions confirmed by the flashing light under a small monitor which sat on the wall next to one sporting three tall main rectangular windows opposite the ornate main door. He pressed the receive button on one corner of the device and found himself looking at the distinctly angular features and gray skin of a member of the Wallick race.
“Elik,” the sharp face said.
“Ambassador Cahn.”
“Not Ambassador anymore, Elik. You have to have a nation to be an ambassador.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I had forgotten.”
“There are always apologies with your kind Elik, and never any promises.”
“I’m not going to apologize for what happened to your people. The Nevargh were the invaders, not us.”
“It’s absolutely true that it was the Nevargh who annexed our planets. It’s absolutely true that they slaughtered millions of our people. It’s absolutely true that you stood by and did nothing.”
“What would you have had us do Cahn? We had no weapons, no soldiers, and no capabilities defensive or otherwise. Would you see us slaughtered as well?”
“Cowards suffer worse fates.”
“We are pacifists. There is a difference,” Elik said.
“Semantics. At least we faced them with fire in our eyes on the field of battle.”
“We know. We heard of your glorious victory in the face of overwhelming numbers,” Elik said.
“At least you can admit that.”
“You also lost when the subsequent waves arrived, Cahn. Your Leviathan Class warships were ultimately outnumbered by the scores of vessels that overwhelmed your defenses. Your people were valiant to the last, though.”
“We were.” Cahn raised his angular chin in respect for lost lives.
“I do wish we could have helped. We can give your people and any remaining ships you have sanctuary if you like.”
“To offer a mild defense when the fleet arrives. Pardon me if I refuse on behalf of my race,” Cahn said.
“Then why have you contacted me?”
“Out of reverence for the old days, I feel I should warn you.”
“Warn me of what?” Elik asked.
“The Nevargh are stripping their fleets across their imperium and assembling a force.”
“How large? Where?”
“We’re not certain of the exact number, but it is in the thousands. They have been heading towards your space,” Cahn replied.
“We would have seen them by now.”
“I believe their rendezvous is at a staging area just outside your sensor range.”
“We knew this was coming. We just didn’t know when,” Elik said.
“They are still assembling their fleet from across a very large empire. Don’t expect to see them soon. This will be, probably a month or two in the future.”
“Thank—you for the intelligence, Cahn.”
“I didn’t do this for your gratitude. I want you to know that barbarians are at your doorstep. I want you to feel the rage we did.”
“Not today,” Elik replied. “We may fall before them Cahn but don’t doubt we will meet our deaths with equal courage.”
“We’ll see about that,” Cahn said and deactivated the monitor. Elik immediately pressed the buttons that would connect him to the Ferine Assembly.
Nadine wore the same dress as she did to her evening with the Ferine. It was the only formalwear she had aside from her uniform, but this was not an evening for fleet uniforms. She was still uncomfortable with Elliot but needed to shed some of that discomfort in order to seduce him. It had taken a great deal of effort to invite him to dinner, and seemed to have taken Elliot just as much to accept. It was made all the harder by the fact that they may sense each others emotions in such quiet and personal circumstances. She lit two cool blue colored candles on her small, circular dinner table of glass. The Defensive was already ten minutes late. Now Nadine wondered if it was his intention not to show up for their dangerous date.
The lights throughout her quarters were dimmed, and shining dinnerware sat on the clear top of the table. She didn’t want him uncomfortable and the warm atmosphere might be misinterpreted for more than it was. It would be wonderful to get a liaison over with sooner rather than later, but she needed to build up a sense of trust with him first.
Where the hell was he?
Nadine crossed her arms and stood a moment staring at the living room in reverie while she thought of all of the odd circumstances that had led her to a guest room on an Alliance cruiser. She jumped at the sound of the doorbell and then answered its call.
The door slid open, parting as they all did on Alliance ships into four before disappearing into the wall. Elliot stood in the corridor with a bottle in his hand. He wore casual clothes of earth brown and forest green, but nothing as fine as what she wore. His reaction to her mode of dress bordered on shock. She nervously stood in the doorway waiting for him to say something.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” she said.
“I knew this would be informal but I didn’t think this would require such elegant dress.”
“I don’t have much in the way of civilian clothes, Admiral. I hope you don’t think I’m overdressed.” She caught him taking a quick glance at her cleavage. “Or underdressed.”
“No, it’s fine. You did have little time to prepare for this assignment,” Elliot said. Nadine moved to one side of the doorway, allowing him access to the living room.
“Please, come in.�
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He crossed into the living room and stood near the couch looking around uncertainly at the inviting atmosphere. Nadine could see his indecision and decided to begin the conversation.
“What’s that you have with you?”
“Oh!” Elliot exclaimed and brought up a short boxy bottle of red liquid. “It’s—”
“Ruby Brandy. I’d recognize it anywhere now.”
“Hard to miss, isn’t it?”
“It always seems to glow with a warm light, doesn’t it?” she asked, admiring the bottle.
“Yes. It’s an incredible thing.”
“So you went and asked Lathiel for a bottle?” Nadine asked.
“Oh. yes. You didn’t hear that conversation. When you were talking with Ranik I brought a gift of rye whiskey for the party. Lathiel insisted on trading a bottle of Ruby Brandy for it.”
“Aren’t you worried it will lower your defenses against me?”
“Ah,” Elliot said, fingering the bottle.
“I’m just kidding, Elliot.”
“I didn’t realize that we were on a first name basis.”
“Is that a problem?” Nadine asked.
“It’s fine, I guess.”
“Good, let’s get some glasses,” she said and headed for the kitchen. As she opened a cupboard in the kitchen and looked for the items in question, Elliot leaned against an opposite counter.
“You’re being very nice to me tonight.”
“Do you sense any deception from me?” she asked.
“No.”
“Then relax. What am I going to do in the center of an Alliance cruiser?” she asked.
“That’s something I couldn’t really answer in a courtroom, but I’ve heard of Defensives disappearing in meetings with Aggressives.”
“Did the elite of the Cooperative tell you that?” she asked, turning an eye towards him.
“Maybe. I know you’re an adept Aggressive. I’ve never seen anyone as strong as you, except for one.”
“Like who?” Nadine asked. She turned to face him, with two glasses in her hand.
“A member of the Council of Twelve. She was the strongest Aggressive I have ever laid eyes on.”
“Who was she? What was her name?”
“Her name was Catherine. Catherine the Second I think.”
“How long ago was this?” Nadine asked.
“About twenty years ago. I was an acolyte at the time and I was escorting an Elder. He met with her at a neutral site to discuss a truce to end a conflict between us. She was ruthless and clever.”
“I know her,” she said.
“I thought you might, but I’m surprised you would admit it.”
“I’m willing to divulge a few secrets if it will make our situation better.”
“What secrets am I supposed to divulge?” Elliot asked.
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m just trying to make an effort here. Didn’t commanders on opposite sides sit down to have a drink with each other after a war was over?”
“Is there a war now?” Elliot asked.
“There was quite a battle, one I admit we lost. You really turned the tables on us there.”
“Are you angry about that?”
“We’re commanders after the end of a war, Elliot. We are allowed a drink to talk about it,” she said. Nadine placed the glasses on a set table.
“Okay, how angry is the Coalition over their loss?”
Nadine let the remark meant to barb her pass. “Well, we are annoyed we lost. It has certainly given us pause.”
“Good.”
“I heard the intrepid commander of that battle group was injured.”
“Yes, she was,” he responded softly.
“How is she?”
“She’s almost fully recovered. There is some permanent damage though,” he replied.
“I’m sorry to hear that. She should feel proud. Admiral Peterson gave us a run for our money. Most of our forces were damaged or destroyed by the time the armistice was called. It saved face for both sides.”
They both took their seats and Elliot opened the bottle of Ruby Brandy.
“We both saved face?”
“In a manner of speaking. Neither of us wanted a war. First Contact gave both of us an excuse to forgo hostilities. Lathiel and Ranik are a godsend.”
“So that’s why you’re subjecting them to a hearing?”
“I told you it wasn’t my idea,” Nadine said.
“Yes, you said so. If it wasn’t, why didn’t you do anything to stop it?”
“It was a done deal. I received my orders and they weren’t negotiable.”
“Never even tried, huh?”
“Do you argue over your orders?” she asked.
“No, I guess not,” he grudgingly admitted.
“So what did you expect me to do?”
“Alright, alright,” he conceded and sighed. “Why did you invite me here, Nadine?”
“To lay some of this to rest. You and I are supposed to be on the same side to defend the Ferine, right?”
“Sure. What’s for dinner?” he asked.
“I can make a roast or a steak. What do you prefer?”
“Steak sounds good,” he replied.
“Okay, but let’s have that drink first.”
Elliot gave her a weak smile and opened the brandy, pouring each of them half a glass. She picked up the tumbler and mirrored one of Madison’s toasts.
“To the Ferine.”
He raised his glass and both took a sip of the alien liquor.
“The Alliance has a file on you,” he said while he admired the glow of the alcohol.
“And what does it say?”
“It says that you were an interrogator. Since the Alliance navy doesn’t know who you truly are, I’d say they assumed that meant one of the more conventional kind. I think you conducted mind probes.”
Elliot began extending his abilities outward now that he perceived a possible enemy and a target for revenge. Nadine held her glass to her lips and paused a moment before taking a gulp of brandy. “Oh?”
“You seemed uncomfortable for a second.”
“It’s not something I’m proud of.”
“But it needed to be done, right?”
“It was my duty,” Nadine said, “for the good of the nation.”
“How long have you been at it?”
“Almost twenty years,” she said taking another drink of the warming alcohol.
“That good at it, were you?”
“Yes, I was that good. I’m a monster. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Close enough. How many Defensives did you interrogate?”
“Only a few,” she lied.
“How many of them were vegetables after you were done with them, before they were executed, that is?” Elliot read her growing emotions and adapted his strategy to put her off—balance.
“Most of them. I didn’t like it Elliot. They were only doing their duty and obeying their orders when they were caught. I found it distasteful to have to break down their minds to obtain the information I was ordered to retrieve.”
“Distasteful? That’s all?” Elliot demanded, fastening onto her growing guilt.
“You want the truth?” she demanded in a raised voice.
“Yes! What’s the truth?” Elliot asked. He could sense her emotions were becoming more chaotic at the line of questioning.
“I had to tear through their minds! It was agonizing for both of us! They began as people just like me. By the end they were weeping, pathetic creatures worthy of anyone’s pity.”
“And?”
“And they deserved pity! They deserved all my pity, but I wasn’t allowed to experience that. To do my job, I had none to give.”
She stood up abruptly and went to a window looking out on the serenity of space.
“Do you really feel anything for them or are you just putting on a play for me?” he asked from his seat.
“You pig—headed bast
ard!” Nadine turned back from the window.
“Now I see the real Nadine.” Elliot felt the possibility of her mental shields dropping.
“Real? You think this is the real me? I’m darker Elliot. Do you want to see just how black I am inside? Do you want to know what that job has done to me?”
“What?” he demanded. The emotional baggage she carried was in danger of toppling over. To prod her further, a smug smile appeared on his face.
“Look,” she said and slammed her hands against the silver arms of his chair.
It was in that moment that Elliot realized that he may have pushed her too far. She brought her face inches from his paralyzed features and began to project images and emotions into his mind. She showed him the hundreds of interrogations she remembered. All began with defiance. They looked at her with bright eyes as arrogant and defiant as his until they began to break. Then she would see traces of fear, turning to terror as they felt their defenses wearing down accompanied by the first feelings of her tearing into their minds. He felt her repulsion at the invasion of all their fantasies and hidden secrets as she was duty—bound to rip them to pieces inside their own heads. He felt her inward terror reflecting theirs as they lost their very souls having being reduced to what they feared most: existing as empty, soulless bodies devoid of feeling or intelligence. They begged for death as the last of their minds vanished. It was the only release they had from the living hell they were condemned to.
In that moment he realized how many times she had witnessed everyone’s true worst nightmare. The images continued and he felt torrents of tears rush down his cheeks. He miserably tumbled to the floor to escape. As he lay on the deck, Nadine stumbled from where he was, fell against a wall, and crumpled to the floor.
He struggled for a while to regain some composure before he managed to bring himself to a sitting position on the carpeted deck. Elliot was still overwhelmed by the fact that Nadine had spent every night for nearly twenty years crying herself to sleep. He realized that her loss occurred on a daily basis. Sometimes as many as three or four times in one day, she felt herself die a little.
