by Dale Musser
“Hm… interesting,” replied A’Lappe. “Well, hopefully the new regimen will help you a bit.
“While you’re here, Tibby, I’d like to broach another subject.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Reidecor tells me he’s thinking of joining the JAC program. I’ll hate to see him go. Believe it or not, he and Rory have been a great help to me.”
“I’m pleased to hear they were a help rather than a hindrance,” I answered. “Reide seems pretty determined to follow through on his JAC plans. In fact, he’s going into the city tomorrow to sign up.”
“It sounds like he really is serious about it then. Do you have any objection to Rory continuing as my assistant?"
“Why no, not at all. I think it would be excellent. He’s quite upset about Reide signing up for the JAC and the fact that he can’t. Working with you would keep his mind off Reide’s absence and give him something positive to look forward to.”
“Rory is actually remarkably good, a true savant with math and physics. Having him around will be more like working with a brilliant colleague than anything else.”
“I’ll see to it he gets the message. I hope he accepts your offer.”
“Tibby, one more thing. I’ve heard some disturbing rumors that Admiral Regeny is planning an attack on Glomar Rosa and that he has left you out of the operation. Is this true?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it is. I believe he’s making a big mistake by going in without full intelligence. He’s taking an unnecessary risk, simply because he’s in a hurry. He was none too happy when I didn’t support his plans. I’ve been ordered to stay with some of the First Fleet to guard the Capitol while he takes most of the remaining fleets to attack Glomar Rosa.”
“Tibby, I know you. You're planning to do something, aren’t you?”
I smiled. A’Lappe was one of the few people that I believed I could trust implicitly. “Yes, but nothing anyone would expect.”
A’Lappe raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“I’m going to use the distraction of the attack at Glomar Rosa to sneak off to the planet where Ming is located and attack it with the hopes of destroying his base along with him.”
“Interesting. How are you going to pull that off, if Regeny has most of the fleet at Glomar Rosa and you have the rest in Sector 1 to protect the Capitol Station?”
“No one said I had to have all the Sector 1 fleet guarding the Station,” I said. “If your new PLABE weapon is as good as it appears, I may only need one ship and a few squadrons of fighters.”
“May the stars be with you, Tibby. It sounds like you’re going to do something that may have you answering to the Senate again. You know you can only appear before them on charges so many times before they decide to make one stick.”
“That’s what I fear. However, there’s no way we can ever end this war if we fight it by the Senate’s rules. It’s impossible. Anyway, thanks for the wishes. Now, go find me some more of that rundadite,” I quipped as I departed.
That evening Kala and I dined alone. The rains had stopped, so I hoped we might dine outside at the estate house on one of the many terraces that overlooked the lower lake, but it was too chilly and damp. So instead, Kala did the next best thing and arranged to dine in one of the glass-enclosed roof gardens. I had only visited the roof gardens once before, right after the estate had been rebuilt following its destruction by the Brotherhood many years earlier. Back then the plants were all saplings and seedlings. Not a single mature plant survived the attack, so I hadn’t seen any of it in full foliage. However, time had worked its magic and the garden had become more like a tropical forest designed with winding paths, small pools and lush vegetation. The entire roof garden was beautifully illuminated by indirect lighting that filtered up from the floor between the plants by night and by diffuse natural light from the sun by day. Kala arranged to have our food served at a table in the patio area positioned in the center of the garden.
“I’d forgotten this place existed,” I said to Kala as Piebar directed his assistants to serve us our first course of the evening.
“I know. I almost did too, and probably wouldn’t have thought about it, had Lunnie not ask me if she could use one of the gardens to house some of her exotic pets,” replied Kala.
I choked on the soup I was about to swallow and nearly spit it out. “You told her no, I hope.”
“I told her that I didn’t think it a wise choice, as it would be more difficult to find and care for animals hidden in the vegetation. Plus, some of the plants are poisonous if eaten and her pets might not know the difference.”
“How did she take that?”
“She thought about it and then she agreed and asked if she could have special habitats built for them.”
“So where is the zoo being built?” I asked in anticipation of where this was headed.
Kala grinned, “You know us pretty well, don’t you? The contractors are supposed to start construction on it in a few weeks at a suitable location near the agricultural labs.”
“That girl is obsessed with animals,” I said.
“Oh, it’s not just animals. Any living thing fascinates her – fish, plants, and she even has a cage in Cantolla’s lab with rubloids in it.”
“Rubloids? You mean those nasty little blood-sucking blob-like creatures from Alle Bamma?”
“Yes.”
“By the stars, when did she get those?”
“After our last trip to Alle Bamma when she went to the surface. She was fascinated by them and made a special trip to the MIZBAGONA to talk with Hotyona about them. Later, she had him send some specimens here to the estate for her.”
“Isn’t that rather dangerous? I mean introducing an alien species to this environment?” I asked.
“That’s why I insisted they be kept in Cantolla’s lab in special cages. You know how those things can squeeze through the tiniest holes.”
“So how do they contain them in the lab?”
“I think the cages are equipped with some sort of electrified fields around the openings. However, you would need to question Cantolla about that.”
“I just hope those little buggers never get loose on Megelleon and start reproducing,” I said.
“Oh, there is no need to worry about that,” Kala replied. Cantolla sterilized them so they can’t reproduce.”
“Hm. I thought they reproduced asexually,” I mumbled as I took another bite of food.
“I think they do, but somehow Cantolla fixed them so they can’t divide or lay eggs.”
“So what happened to Reide this evening?” I asked, changing the subject when I realized that we were finally alone.
“He called shortly after you went off to see A’Lappe. He said that he would be dining with Rory. Apparently, he found Rory and soothed his feelings somewhat. You know, daily life will be very lonely for Rory after Reide is gone.”
“I have some good news on that end,” I said. “A’Lappe wants Rory to work with him as an official assistant in the labs on the NEW ORLEANS. He says that Rory is brilliant when it comes to math and physics. He said Rory is actually a great help to him and that he’s more like a colleague than a subordinate.”
“That’s good to hear. It will no doubt be engaging for Rory. Have you told him about this?”
“No, not yet. I will as soon as I see him.”
The meal Piebar prepared for us was exquisite, as always. I never asked him what it was. I only know it was some kind of seafood dish from Golsax that had a delicate taste like lobster. We finished off the meal with a delicious strawberry shortcake and some sort of whipped cream-like topping. Strawberries had become quite popular in the Federation, since we brought them back from the seed banks on Earth. People all across the Federation couldn’t seem to get enough of them.
After we finished dessert Kala and I strolled through the roof garden for a while and eventually ended up sitting on a bench where we could gaze out the windows at the stars that began to show through the
clear patches of sky. She laid her head on my shoulder as we sat silently and held hands.
“Tib, our kids are growing up. Even though they’re only in their mid-teens, they’re already making decisions that will take them away from us more and more. Reide will be going off to the JAC and Lunnie is showing strong indications that she wants to be a biologist. She used to want nothing more than to hang out with her friends at the estate, but now she wants to spend most of her time with the biologists at the labs. Pretty soon it will be just you and me again.”
“It’s always been just you and me,” I said. “The kids were only tossed into our lives for a short while. They’ll always be our children, but they’ll also become adults that have their own lives. That’s what it’s all about. I remember as a kid seeing people cling to their children long after they were grown. They made everyone’s lives miserable, including their own. Lunnie and Reide are growing up and we’ll always have them in our lives, but I hope we have enough sense to let them define and live their own futures. Besides, we still have a few more years before they head off completely on their own.” I raised my eyebrows and rubbed my palms together mischievously, as if I had nefarious plans for our last few years of parenthood.
Kala grinned and slapped my hands away. “Yes, I know, but it all seems to be happening so fast. It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that they were toddlers on Desolation. As harsh as that environment was, I miss those days.”
“Well, if we don’t win this war with the Brotherhood, we may just find ourselves running back there to hide,” I replied.
“Do you really think it could get that bad?” asked Kala.
“Anything is possible. I don’t like the way things are shaping up with Admiral Regeny and his sudden desire to take a more personal leadership role the battle at Glomar Rosa. To be honest, Kala, he lacks the experience and wisdom to lead that battle. Any one of the senior officers in the fleet could do a better job. Regeny is an example of what happens when a person is promoted beyond their highest level of competence.”
Kala let out a loud laugh. “By the stars, Tib, that’s funny, but sadly it’s also true.”
“You’ve never heard that expression before?” I asked as I realized it was a phrase I learned long ago on Earth. “Back on Earth the saying was associated with something called the Peter Principal. I don’t know where the name came from, but the idea was that organizations have a tendency to keep promoting their people until they finally reach a level where they’re completely incompetent.”
“We have a similar saying. The best trooper in the military often makes the worst Admiral. Though I don’t know whether Regeny had been a good trooper, from what I’ve heard Regeny landed most of his promotions from boot-licking with his superior officers. Back in those days there were no battles or conflicts to speak of. For more than six hundred years our military didn’t have a clue what combat is like. You’ve seen that for yourself. It’s only been since your arrival and the rise of the Brotherhood that war has become a reality to the Federation once more.”
“I have to admit; I’ve always wondered how Regeny got into his position. He’s been more wind and show than real leadership since I’ve known him,” I said.
“You have to say one thing for him, though. He does recognize talent and skill and puts the right people in command to get things done – most of the time anyway, until his ego gets in the way.”
“Well, I’m worried that this time his ego may get a lot of good people killed. He is rushing into this battle with almost no intelligence and no proper preparation.”
Kala and I stopped talking for a while and just stared out the large window dome at the stars.
Finally, I sighed and said, “I guess it’s time for me to go for my treatment. A’Lappe says he has something new he wants to add to the process that he believes will lessen the pain. I hope he’s right. I would hate to vomit up the wonderful meal we just had.”
“Oh, my! Tib, I forgot about you having the treatment tonight. I hope this doesn’t ruin the evening for you!”
“We’ll know soon," I said as we headed to the auxiliary med unit, where A’Lappe awaited my arrival.
A’Lappe was correct; the new treatment wasn’t quite as excruciating as earlier treatments had been. I still felt like molten metal was coursing through my veins and there was still some nausea, but I didn’t have to vomit. The instability and disorientation after the treatment weren't as severe either, but I was still weak and needed to shower several times to get rid of the chemical smell that exuded from my skin afterwards. My first night was still plagued with bizarre dreams, but when I woke in the morning, I felt more alert than the mornings after previous treatments. I took this as a very good sign that A’Lappe’s supplemental medication was providing me with a lasting benefit.
I went directly to the MAXETTE to meet with Marranalis for my morning briefing. Happily, there was nothing happening that demanded my immediate attention, so I went to my office, where Marranalis had instructed a team to set up a temporary gate to the MIZBAGONA. According to Marranalis, Captain Nybidong was already on the MIZBAGONA for a personal visit, so he would respond directly to the conference room. Captain Mareoparen joined me at the scheduled time and the guards took up their assigned stations outside.
After I closed the door Mareoparen turned to me and asked in his high-pitched Nibarian voice, “What’s this all about, Admiral? Captain Marranalis was very vague in his urgent request that I meet with you.”
“Just a few minutes, Captain, and I’ll be able to tell you. We need to make one more transfer using that Cantolla Gate in the corner so we can join with the others before we can begin.”
Mareoparen looked at me strangely but made no response as he followed me through the gate to the MIZBAGONA, where we were immediately met by Captain Felenna.
“Welcome aboard, Admiral Tibby and Captain Mareoparen. We’ve been expecting you.”
“Are all the others here?” I asked.
“Yes, Admiral, they’re all waiting in the meeting room, as you requested.”
“Excellent, Captain, please lead the way.”
“Admiral, this isn’t a Federation ship! Where are we?” Mareoparen asked, as we followed Captain Felenna.
“We’re on the MIZBAGONA. It’s one of the ships in my personal fleet that provides planetary security at Alle Bamma,” I responded calmly just as we arrived at the meeting room. When we entered, I observed Captain Mareoparen’s shock when he saw an android in the room. I was beginning to think that perhaps I should have enlightened him about the intent of the meeting and its participants before joining the meeting.
“Captain Mareoparen, allow me to introduce you to my friend, Andy. Andy represents the androids that provide us with many of our fighters. Andy, this is Captain Mareoparen. He is captain of the MAXETTE, my Federation flagship.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Captain,” Andy said cordially, and I am pleased to see you once again, my friend Tibby.”
“Uh, it’s nice to meet you too,” Mareoparen said in a higher pitch than usual. I knew that Andy was adept at reading human physiology and interpreting their feelings, regardless of their words, but I wasn’t sure if he could do the same with a Nibarian. He had, of course, met, Norkoda, another Nibarian member of my crew at the Goo’Waddle operations, but they had not spent much time together.
“This is Padaran,” I said. “Padaran is the head of my personal security forces on the NEW ORLEANS and at my estate.
“Captain Nybidong, I am so glad you could make it, I said, recognizing his presence in the room. “I know you and Captain Mareoparen are already acquainted. Please, everyone, have a seat.”
As everyone found a seat around the table, I said to my android friend, “Andy, the Senate is considering legislation that will formally end the hostilities against the androids and begin normalization of relationships with you.”
“Yes, we received word two days ago from your Senate. They wish to meet with us in a few week
s to discuss terms. I wish to thank you for your part in helping to end this adverse relationship that has lasted much too long.”
“OK, everyone, let’s begin. I’m sure you’re all more than curious as to the purpose and secrecy of this meeting. What I’m about to ask of you is, I believe, vital not only to the Federation but to all inhabitants in the galaxy. I request that you all hear me out before you speak.
“I’ve recently received reliable intelligence regarding the location of the Brotherhood headquarters, which is also Ming’s current location. A quick and surgical strike to this planet could end the war with the Brotherhood. However, there is a problem. This location lies outside of Federation space and, since Senate decrees forbid that we go beyond Federation boundaries to combat an enemy, any action taken in this regard would potentially result in significant consequences to the participants. Though the Senate is currently debating an amendment to this statute, it has not yet been approved and the ban is still in effect. The only exception made by the Senate to date was when they allowed a non-combat intelligence mission for the purpose of seeking out potential sites where asteroid-ships may have been manufactured. That particular mission was unsuccessful.
“Now, if we were to petition the Senate according to protocols to request permission to launch a massive military strike against this Brotherhood world and to fight the enemy there, it would take months or even years to obtain an answer. In that period of time, word of our intent would be sure to leak out and the Brotherhood would either be prepared for our arrival or they would evacuate the planet and be long gone when we’d finally be able to move on the plan.
“We’re also faced with another problem. Admiral Regeny has decided to take a large portion of the Federation fleet to Glomar Rosa to liberate the planet from the Brotherhood. He intends to make a show of force that he believes will not only be successful, but one that will also bolster patriotism and confidence in the citizens of the Federation. Regrettably, he is moving forward with little or no intelligence, as he feels there is no time for reconnaissance. Ultimately, the battle could last seconds and result in a huge success or the troops could meet with heavy resistance and the outcome could be costly. Regardless of the situation, I won’t be there, as Admiral Regeny has ordered me to guard Sector 1 and the Capitol Station using about half the First Fleet, while the other half joins the armada under his direct command at Glomar Rosa.
