by Ryk Brown
“Have you?” Nathan wondered.
“I have. And now, here you are, asking for my help once more.”
“Perhaps we should cut to the chase,” Nathan stated coldly, leaning forward in his seat. “What price are you asking for this help?”
“Only the liberation of Tanna from the hands of the Jung.”
“Is that all?”
“It seems a fair price, one little world,” Garrett stated with a shrug.
“It is my understanding that Tanna is well protected. There is a fighter base on one of your moons, and there are considerable facilities on the surface of your world as well, are their not?”
“There are indeed,” Garrett admitted.
“How many men do the Jung have on Tanna?” Major Waddell asked.
“Hundreds at least,” Garrett stated, “sometimes more during rotation of forces or when one of their warships passes through the system.”
“Sir,” Major Waddell began to object.
Nathan held up his hand, cutting off the major. “What makes you think we can’t get the information we seek on our own, without your help?”
“If you could, you would not be asking,” Garrett answered confidently. He also leaned forward, as if to underline his next statement. “I also suspect that the reason you seek the location of Jung propellant stores is because you are in need of that propellant yourself.” Garrett’s smile became broader. “Perhaps even desperately so.”
“An interesting hypothesis,” Nathan said, showing no reaction to Garrett’s assertions. “May I inquire as to how you came to such a conclusion?”
“Simple, really,” Garrett answered. “The Jung forces in the Tanna system should be no match for a ship such as yours. Since you have not already taken the system for yourself, it is reasonable to assume that it is because you lack sufficient propellant to do so.”
“Logical, but you’re overlooking one thing,” Nathan said. “If I am out of propellant as you suspect, how would I be able to take your system from the Jung? For that matter, why would I want to take your system from the Jung?”
“The question of ‘how’ is simple. Although your fighters would suffer considerable losses, they alone could disable the Jung fighter base guarding Tanna, after which you could destroy their ground forces from orbit with little risk to your ship.”
“You still haven’t answered the ‘why’,” Nathan reminded Garrett.
“The ‘why’ is also easy, Captain. The propellant that you seek is in my system. In fact, most of it is produced and stored on Tanna.”
Nathan stared at Garrett for what seemed an eternity to everyone in the room. The leader of the Tanna resistance appeared pleased with himself and his position at the table. “I will need to discuss this with my senior officers,” Nathan finally said. “Meanwhile, may I offer you something to eat?”
“Yes, thank you, that would be much appreciated,” Garrett answered.
“Sergeant, have Garrett escorted to the captain’s mess and have my cook prepare whatever he likes.”
“Yes, sir,” the sergeant answered.
“Feel free to indulge yourself, Garrett.” Nathan told their guest. “We may be discussing your proposal for some time.”
“Of course, Captain,” Garrett said, still smiling as he rose to depart.
Nathan waited until Garrett had left the briefing room before speaking. “Well, I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Captain,” Major Waddell began, “we do not have the manpower to conduct a direct assault on the surface of Tanna, not against what could be several hundred men.”
“We may not have to,” Nathan told him.
“Sir, Garrett did say that most of the propellant is stored on the surface,” Cameron reminded him.
“Yes, he did,” Nathan agreed, “but he also said that ships occasionally pass through the system. I’m assuming they do so to refuel, among other things. They must have a refueling depot in orbit or on an asteroid or moon. They wouldn’t ferry it up in shuttles during a refuel; it would take too long.”
“So if we take out that fighter base, we might have a shot at the fuel that’s already at the refueling station, wherever that is,” Cameron said.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Nathan said. “We wouldn’t even need to take on the Jung ground forces.”
“Sir, isn’t that kind of dishonest?” Loki said with a frown.
“I wasn’t suggesting we deceive our guest,” Nathan assured Loki. “I was only thinking of a viable alternative to an all-out attack against what might be a superior force.” Nathan leaned back in his chair. “I suspect I will need to speak further with our guest before I can come to a decision.”
“Shall I have the sergeant bring him back?” Cameron asked.
“No, I’ll give him some time to start eating, then I’ll join him.”
“Shall I come along?” Cameron asked.
“I think it would be better if I handled this alone,” Nathan said. “I need to get him to open up, to trust us. He’s not likely to do that with a room full of officers.”
* * *
“I apologize for keeping you waiting,” Nathan said as he entered the captain’s mess.
“That is quite all right, Captain,” Garrett assured him. “Your cook was just explaining how he prepared this fine cut of meat.” Garrett turned toward the captain’s cook. “What did you call it again?”
“Dollag, sir,” the cook answered.
“Yes, dollag. It has a most interesting flavor, does it not?”
“It’s a bit strong for my taste,” Nathan said as he took his seat at the dining table, “but I’ve gotten used to it.”
“I take it you have been away from your home for some time now,” Garrett said.
“More than four months,” Nathan said.
“Will you be eating as well, sir?” the cook asked the captain.
“Yes, please.”
“You do not mind if I continue eating?” Garret asked.
“No, of course not,” Nathan answered.
“So,” Garrett began as he cut off another piece of dollag, “have you come to a decision, Captain?”
“Not as of yet,” Nathan admitted. “I thought we might discuss the situation further.”
“What is there to discuss?” Garrett asked. “We need help removing the Jung from our world. You need the propellant the Jung have stored on our world. It seems a perfect arrangement, does it not?”
“Let us assume, for the moment, that you are correct and that we are low on propellant. Why would we want to risk our forces attacking the Jung on Tanna? There are undoubtedly other sources of propellant within the core, possibly even ones that are not as well defended.”
“True, but how long can you continue to operate without more propellant?”
“Longer than you might think,” Nathan said.
Garrett took another bite of his dollag, chewing it while he thought. “Interesting, but if that were the case, why come all the way back to Tanna? Surely there were closer systems where one might find a source of propellant.”
“Perhaps,” Nathan said.
“You came back to Tanna, because it is on the extreme edge of Jung occupied space. What did you call it? The fringe? That which happens on Tanna takes months, perhaps years, to get back to the Jung homeworld. With your jump drive, that is an enormous advantage. A distant fuel depot out of the reach of the very enemy from which it was stolen.” Garrett looked at him for a moment. “A bit ironic, is it not?” He took another bite of his dinner. “Sending young Loki and the major to Tanna was a low-risk plan that had the potential for high reward.”
“Yet you propose we take on a high-risk mission to obtain that propellant.”
“You are at war, are you not?
” Garrett asked. “You cannot fight a war without taking risks, Captain.”
Nathan sat silent for the moment, contemplating Garrett’s words. The leader of the Tanna resistance wanted something more than the liberation of his world. That much was obvious. Nathan’s father had taught him that the art of negotiation involved trading away that which you appeared to want in order to secure that which you truly wanted. He also taught Nathan that the best way to obtain what you wanted in a negotiation was to never ask for it, but rather, to get the opposition to offer it to you. The trouble was, Nathan was having a hard time figuring out what Garrett truly wanted.
“Yes, war does involve risk,” Nathan admitted. “But one must manage those risks intelligently.”
Garrett pushed his plate away for the moment. “Captain, you have a big and powerful starship. Surely you are capable of defeating one small fighter base and a few hundred soldiers on the surface.”
“I do not know,” Nathan said. “You have offered no intelligence about the forces we might face: their numbers, their defenses, their routines. We have nothing on which to make a risk assessment. Surely you do not expect us to make a decision without such information.”
“I have no problem sharing this information with you, Captain, assuming you can agree, in principle, that an alliance between us would help us both achieve our goals.”
“What exactly is your goal, Garrett?” Nathan asked, leaning back.
“For us to be free of the Jung once and for all.”
“And how do you expect to accomplish this goal? You have no military, no ships, limited resources…”
“By joining your Alliance, Captain.”
And there it is, Nathan thought. “Other than the propellant stored on your world, what else might an alliance with your people provide?”
“That which I suspect you most need: a world from which you can safely operate.” Garret looked at Nathan, trying to size up the captain’s response. “It is true that we can offer you little in the way of weapons or ships, or even trained warriors. But even a single ship such as yours needs more than these things to operate. You need food, consumables, medical support, logistical support. More importantly, you need an industrial infrastructure behind your efforts. Tell me, Captain, do you currently have such?”
“In this region of space, no.”
“And how far away is your support?”
“Several weeks, at least,” Nathan admitted, “which, I should point out, is still much more accessible to us than what is accessible to the Jung within their own empire.”
“And how long did it take you to reach us?”
“Two days,” Nathan said, “and that was at a leisurely pace.” Nathan sighed. “I was under the impression your population had been significantly reduced by the initial Jung invasion, yet you still have significant industrial infrastructure?”
“When the Jung conquer a world, they reduce its population just enough to allow its existing industrial base to continue to operate. They destroy enough of the population that it is not consuming the majority of what it produces. In this way, the Jung feed the growth of their own worlds and the expansion of their own empire—all off the backs of other worlds. It is how they survived the great plague so many centuries ago, by taking that which they needed.”
“It seems odd that the Jung chose your world, considering its position in relation to the rest of the core worlds.”
“The Jung seek to expand in all directions. We believe they plan to use Tanna as a stepping stone to that end.”
“Yet another reason that we should help you drive them from your system?” Nathan asked, trying to hide his suspicions. “I’m curious, Garrett. What makes you think we won’t just use the information you have already provided to take the propellant we need and be on our way?”
“Because I believe you to be an honorable man, Captain Scott. Also, I have given you just enough information for you to realize that you need our help but not enough to ensure your success should you attempt to take the propellant on your own. I have much more information about the Jung, both on Tanna and elsewhere, that will reduce your risk during your campaign in my system as well as in others.” He leveled a deep gaze at Nathan.
“I thought you believed me to be an honorable man,” Nathan said.
“I do, but I am making decisions that will affect millions of my people. I cannot afford to offer up such trust without due caution, Captain. I’m sure you understand.”
The cook placed the captain’s plate of food down on the table in front of him.
“Thank you,” Nathan told his cook. He looked at Garrett once more. “As you have correctly surmised, I have but one ship in this area of space. If we successfully liberate your world, I cannot promise we will be able to help you defend it should the Jung return.”
“But, if we are part of your alliance…”
“The other members of our alliance also know we are not able to come to their aid. Our mission is to free the Earth of Jung occupation.” Nathan paused, leaning forward and looking Garrett straight in the eye. “I am willing to commit this ship to the liberation of your world in as much as it serves our primary mission, but until the Earth is free and capable of adequately defending herself, her safety will take priority.”
Garrett leaned back as well, considering the gravity of the captain’s last statement. “It seems history will judge me as either a hero or a villain, depending on if and when the Jung return.”
Nathan thought for a moment. The stakes were going up exponentially. He was being asked to take responsibility for not only the Earth, but Tanna as well. He thought about his father, about the many negotiations he had conducted in his political career. He had hated listening to his father talk about them with his mother. It all had seemed like such a game to him back then. Now, he was beginning to understand the pressures his father must have faced during his many decades as a public servant. He was also beginning to realize how much he had learned from his father about such negotiations, all without even trying. He wondered if his father would be surprised to see him now, carrying on in his father’s footsteps—albeit in a slightly different way.
He also couldn’t help but wonder if his father was still alive.
“It is a big gamble you are choosing to take,” Nathan finally said. “I hope you truly know the minds of your people.”
“At this point, Captain, that is the only thing of which I am sure.”
* * *
Jessica sat, her hands bound behind her back and her feet bound to the chair. Through the hood over her head, she could barely make out bodies as they moved about the room. She had been sitting there, bound, hooded, and gagged, for more than an hour since being taken from her cell by four men. She had considered trying to overpower them at the time but decided against it, still convinced that her captors were somehow connected to the Earth Defense Force—or whatever had replaced it after their surrender to the Jung. If she was correct, she was where she needed to be.
The hood was ripped from her head. There was a light shining down on her from directly overhead, but the rest of the room was in shadow. She could make out four men, two by the door, one in the corner, and the man that had just ripped the hood from her head directly in front of her. He was in his mid-thirties and well built, with short, ragged hair. He had not shaved in days. He wore jeans and a plain brown T-shirt without markings as well as heavy boots. He did not appear to be the friendly type.
The man reached out and ripped the tape from her mouth. Jessica immediately spit the saliva soaked rag from her mouth. “Asshole,” she instinctively blurted out.
“Hardly the way to begin your interrogation,” the man said in a gravelly voice.
Jessica stared long and hard at him, telegraphing her desire to cause him severe pain. All it did was elicit a smile from him.
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br /> “Who are you?”
“You know who I am,” she said, her voice full of disdain. “I identified myself in the message.”
“Sorry, they don’t tell me much,” the man said, still smiling.
“Then you’re not the man I want to speak with.”
“Well, sweetheart, I’m all you’ve got, so I suggest you start talking.”
“You first,” Jessica told him.
The man bent over, putting his face mere centimeters from hers. His breath was foul, his eyes bloodshot. He moved around to one side, putting his mouth next to her ear. “When we’re done with the questions, how about you and I have a little fun, huh?”
“Seriously?” Jessica asked, trying not to laugh. “That’s what you’re going with? Threats of rape? You really think your dick scares me?” Jessica looked at the man standing in the corner of the room. Even in the shadows, she could tell he was bigger than the guy doing the talking. “I’m pretty sure that guy’s got a bigger dick than you.” She smiled. “Maybe you should have him threaten me.”
“You think you’re pretty tough, don’t you, bitch?” the man said. “What you don’t realize, however, is that eventually, my CO is going to get tired of following the rules, and he’s going to want some real intel. At that point, he’s going to look the other way, maybe even leave the room altogether. Then the leash comes off, and I get to wipe the smile off your smug little face, permanently.”
“Man, you really did flunk interrogation training, didn’t you?” Jessica felt a sharp pain in her forehead as the main butted his head hard against hers. “What the fuck?!” she swore.
“Don’t push me, bitch!” the man swore back.
“Why not?” Jessica asked angrily. “It seems easy enough.”
The man turned away, putting his hands on his head as he tried to calm down. “You’re not leaving me any pleasant options. You know that, don’t you?”
