When Spalding and I had outlined our future recruiting drive, and finished going through the updates on Gambit’s current, and future, building capacity, I leaned back in my chair.
“It’s probably best I get back on deck, and make sure the repairs are running smoothly,” Spalding said, with a look of relief at the meeting’s end. I didn’t kid myself that he was uncomfortable with either me or the material we were covering, the man just seemed to have a natural aversion to meetings of any kind. He would much rather be working.
“Dismissed,” I said, with a two fingered salute.
Turning around and eyeing me for a moment, the old engineer slowly brought up his arm and gave me a Confederation-style salute.
Blinking in surprise at the sudden seriousness of the moment, I gave him back a passable imitation of a return salute. The same one I’d been practicing in the mirror ever since I was put in prison. There had literally been nothing else to do with my time, so I had practiced until if felt like my arm was about to fall off, but at least I no longer needed to be worried about looking like a fool in this particular regard.
“Oh, and on your way out, I’d be most appreciative if you’d let the Commodore in,” I said with a grim smile.
“LeGodat’s waiting outside?” Spalding scowled. “You should have told me, and we could have cut this little get together short.”
“LeGodat’s not the only Commodore on Wolf-9,” I said pointedly with a shark like grin.
Spalding’s face set into a mask of poorly disguised distaste. “I’ll let the Guardsman know you’re waiting,” he said flatly, before clumping out the door, his servos giving off a low pitched whining with every step.
“Blast these infernal things. They’re not factory spec; they’re factory defective, is what they are!” the old engineer said thunderously into the waiting area, as the door closed behind him.
Chapter 2: It’s time to Move On
“Admiral,” the Sector Guard Officer acknowledged, stepping into the room and saluting before taking off his cap and placing it under his arm. The way he looked at the wall straight over my head would have been more intimidating if I hadn’t just spent the better part of a year in the belly of a military organization and going head to head with some of the worst criminals and galactic threats in the galaxy.
“Commodore Druid,” I replied, giving him an official nod and then waving the other man to a chair, “please have a seat.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” he replied, stepping around the chair and lowering himself stiffly.
I looked at him for a long moment, but when all he did in response to this was to shift his gaze from the wall to my face, I figured I was going to have to be the one to move the conversation forward.
“Before we start, I’d just like to say one thing,” I began, leaning back in my chair with a pleasant expression on my face. Despite my courtly trained mask, my eyes were like those of a hawk—monitoring the man for any indication of what he was thinking. I thought I could trust the man enough to have a private meeting without fear that he would leap on me from over the table, but that was just it: trust. It was something I wasn’t feeling too particularly full of, after a harrowing experience in the Dungeon Ship of Captain Synthia McCruise.
“Sir?” Druid asked, his stony face gaining a perplexed appearance, and that’s when I realized my inner ruminations had caused me to time out.
I suppressed a growl; this sort of thing would never have happened before my incarceration. With deliberate effort, I maintained my current pleasant expression and, if anything, leaned even further back in my chair.
“I’m sure you have some concerns,” I started, feeling a vindictive surge of delight at the fear that must be shooting through him at these words. I was actually more than a little dismayed with myself for a moment, and as a result, I refrained from toying with him as I once might have, “that’s why I’ve summoned you here: to reassure you.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Commodore Druid, said his shoulders relaxing fractionally.
When he didn’t continue, I shrugged my shoulders and decided to just take the plunge. The worst thing that could happen was I came off as a fool.
“You’ve kept your side of the bargain and dealt fairly with me from the get go and, unlike some of your superiors, you’ve acted honorably and kept your word,” I finished darkly and then gave my head a shake, “regardless of Rear Admiral Yagar and the rest, you and I came to an understanding back in Central. Did we not?”
“Yes, Admiral Montagne, we did,” he bit off those last two words, his shoulders tightening once again, “or at least, I thought so.”
“But now, being summoned back here, you’re feeling doubtful once again,” I said with a nod of understanding, “well, ease your mind.”
“I would feel much more grateful if you could tell me the exact purpose of my summons here,” Druid said tightly.
My eyebrows lifted, and I realized that despite my best efforts and intention to get right to the point and not beat about the bush, I had started to drag this thing out.
“Right,” I said flatly, and I could see the Commodore’s shoulders tightening even further, even though his face continued to be an impassive professional mask. “Well, anyway, you’re free to go,” I said, tossing a data wafer on the desk.
Druid’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared, as almost despite himself, he seemed to stare down at the wafer in front of him with suspicion. “That’s it?” he asked incredulously. “We’re free to go? You throw me a data storage device, and that wraps it all up?!”
“I know what it’s like to be a prisoner, and I wouldn’t wish that fate on any person for longer than is absolutely necessary,” I said flatly, and when my stare met his, I could tell he saw the absolute, dead level truth in them. Then I leaned back and my courtly mask of pleasant niceness reasserted itself.
“I-I don’t know what to say,” Druid stumbled at first, but quickly regained his poise.
“Then say nothing,” I suggested with a twist of my wrist and then sighed, “I pressed your men into service for the duration of the emergency.”
Druid snorted at this and I quirked a smile in return.
“Well, the emergency is now over and I am returned safely into the arms of Confederation service,” I said, throwing my arms wide to indicate all the recently re-commissioned levels above and below us, as well as the run down corridors he had taken to arrive at my office, “as such, I’m declaring the emergency over.”
“You’re really just cutting us loose…this isn’t some kind of deep trick?” the Sector Guard Commodore asked suspiciously.
“Really, and truly,” I said gamely, “it’s not that I want you to leave. Far from it; I could use an officer like you in my organization, and those six corvettes…well, let’s just say they could save lives.”
There was a lengthy pause. “I don’t know what to say,” Druid said finally, clearly floored by my words, “you have to realize that under Rear Admiral Yagar, this squadron is just as likely to turn right around and come back here to Easy Haven, as it is to do anything more productive.”
I smiled sadly and leaned forward in my chair. “I don’t need—nor do I want—unwilling men inside my organization. I tried that in the past, the whole ‘keep your friends close, and your enemies closer’ technique and, well…you know just how that worked out for me.” I frowned before continuing. “I don’t want to end up fighting you, and while I do know that the most expedient thing would be to take your ships and imprison your men so I don’t have to fight them again at a later date, I gave you my word.”
For the first time in the conversation, the Commodore looked troubled. “I hope my own Superiors feel the same way.”
“They don’t,” I said flatly, and Druid looked up at me in surprise and then winced.
“I will pray that you’re wrong,” he said finally.
“Look, Commodore,” I said evenly, “the last thing I desire is to waste resources fighting amongst ourselv
es, when there are real, legitimate threats out on the border of this Sector.”
Druid looked at me skeptically, and I could feel myself start to turn red. Instead of suppressing it, I just stared at him and let the color tint my face.
“I don’t deny that both your government and my Uncle have earned a special place in my consideration,” I said as truthfully as I could, “however, the pirates are killing and enslaving civilian populations along the border, while all your government has done is attack myself and my crew. As such, the pirates and any other external threats have to come first for my forces.”
Druid didn’t wince or show any sign of remorse, or disagreement with his people’s attack on me or my men, and I could feel my heart harden. Taking a deep breath in through my mouth and then out through my nose, I pursed my lips before deciding to move on. However, Druid beat me to the punch.
“At least until Central moves on you again, I’m sure, Admiral,” the Sector Guard Officer said with a scowl.
“We’ve done nothing wrong,” I said flatly, as I let a smirk cross my lips, “except perhaps make them feel guilty at how much good work we’ve been doing out here. They, on the other hand, have preferred to stay at home playing politics while entire worlds burn. As such, we have every right to defend ourselves against all enemies who would attack us, be they foreign…or domestic.”
“You would fire on your own government, Admiral Montagne?” Druid demanded stiffly.
“I’ll fire on anyone who fires on me first,” I flared angrily, “in the meantime I have more important things to deal with than ‘your’ government, ‘your’ guard, or their lack of care for the Border Worlds.”
“Not all of us are happy at the need to consolidate the Core of the Sector before moving outward to the colonies and outposts,” Druid said tightly.
“Well, whoever it is that thinks that way has been doing a real sweet job of showing it,” I replied damningly, “because, from where I sit, I can’t see that they’ve done a single thing to make a difference.”
“The Sector Guard—” he started but I cut him off at the pass.
“Central lied, people died,” I growled mockingly, “they may have claimed their Guard was mobilized for the purpose of helping everyone, not just the Core Worlds. As far as I can tell, all they’ve been doing is trying to blockade Easy Haven so that Commodore LeGodat can’t send out anti-piracy patrols of his own. Of course, that was before they attacked me with an eye toward a pay-per-view execution.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Druid said flatly.
“A Central politician told me,” I slammed my fist into the desk, “he flat out TOLD ME, in person, that he hired my Uncle to stop me. The timing of the attack was deliberate, and with Central’s blessing it went down right in the middle of a battle against an overwhelming pirate force!” I roared, the words pouring out of me like molten lava. “If that isn’t trying to stop anyone from dealing with the pirates until the Border is too weak to do anything but acquiesce to Core World demands, then I’ll be a grease monkey’s uncle!”
Commodore Druid opened his mouth, but I beat him to the punch.
“My wife almost died when she was abandoned on a pirate station, outnumbered something on the order of fifty to one!” I shouted, my hands reaching out into the air and clenching. “Thousands of my crew died because I dared to ‘show the politicians up’. Well blast them, and blast you, and blast anyone who tries to stop me when people are dying; no one else in the entire Sector is lifting a finger to help them!” I felt a familiar vein begin to bulge in my forehead, and I suspected that my blood pressure was nearing critical.
“I’m sorry,” Druid said into the growing silence, meanwhile I took a series of short shallow breaths as I tried to calm down.
“Your sorry can get specked,” I could feel my teeth grate as I spoke the words, “and so can the Rump Assembly. We’re no longer looking for their good regard. We have rightly earned all the legitimacy we need through our deeds, and any future attacks will be taken as an act of war against the Confederation—and be dealt with appropriately.”
“And what about what’s already in the past?” Druid demanded.
I leaned back in my chair, because I could feel my vision tunneling, and all I desired to do was lunge over the desk and strangle him.
“Get out of here, Commodore. Return to your masters,” I said flatly, “you can tell them that anyone guilty of War Crimes will be spaced, but that the rest of you yahoo’s can sleep safe at night; I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
Those were fish that I had every intention of frying, and much more quickly than anyone expected. After which, we’d see what could be done about politicians who thought they could hire pirates to do their dirty work for them. However, I didn’t say that; all I did was smile wolfishly and grab the chair to keep from leaping on the most honorable member of the Sector Guard I had encountered to date.
It was hard, but by no means the hardest thing I’d been forced to do over the course of the past two months. That no one was forcing me to do it, was probably why it felt so much harder than I was expecting.
“I joined the Guard to protect not just my world, but every world in this Sector,” Druid said, leaning forward in his chair as if to chase me across the desk.
“Well, good for you,” I said shortly, holding onto my temper with both hands. The focus of my revenge was first Jean Luc, then Sir Isaac, I reminded myself fiercely. “How’s that working out for you? We’ve driven the pirates off from at least four worlds, saved another planet from a genocidal bug attack, destroyed two separate pirate forces in detail, and then went on to take the largest pirate station in the sector as a prize.” I pointedly did not go on to ask what exactly his organization had done while we’d been away doing all this.
The Commodore looked down, and following his gaze I could see he’d clenched his hands together so hard that all of his fingers had turned white. Apparently, the truth was painful for some.
When he looked up his eyes burned, and it was only due to a year of constant battles and action that I could hold his gaze with one of my own and give back just as much, if not more, than he gave me.
“We did all of that, placing our lives in jeopardy, because it was the right thing to do,” I said grimly. “I’ll sign whatever papers absolving you and your lot of guilt for surrendering. If necessary, we’ll tie you up and ship you back on your own vessels in nothing but your skivvies,” I shrugged to show how little I cared about whatever needed doing. “Alternately, we could swap your six Corvettes for one smashed up Hydra Medium Cruiser and say you fought your way free. It would look good for the cameras back in your homes, and I honestly don’t want to see your sailors and marines penalized for doing the right thing in the face of an overpoweringly superior force.”
I could hear knuckles popping as Druid stared down at his still clenched fists. Then he looked up at me, and I saw something I truly did not expect. “All right you smug, sanctimonious, self-righteous bastard,” he bit out through gritted teeth, “where do I sign up?”
I blinked. “Come again?” I asked, my mouth on autopilot.
Chapter 3: Converting a Druid
“Just tell me what I have to do, before I change my mind,” Druid growled.
I was back footed, and for the first time in this conversation, completely and utterly flabbergasted.
“You mean to say, you actually want to join this Confederation lash up we have going on here?” I asked, trying and unable to regain my composure. “This isn’t some kind of trick?”
“Just give me the papers,” Druid sighed, his shoulders slumping. “You’re right; I joined the Guard to help people, and all we’ve done is run photo ops and attack you lot. That’s not what I signed up for.”
“You can leave now, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you aren’t punished by your government. Limited as my pull may be,” I said clearly. I was determined to make sure there was no coercion involved here. And besides, I r
eally didn’t want him in my armed forces. The last time I’d kept a former enemy close, I was all but certain he had been the one to stab me in the back. I was thinking of my erstwhile former First Officer slash Chief of Staff when I considered this.
“If you don’t want us, then just say it now,” Druid said angrily, clearly using emotion to cover for anything else he might be feeling, “otherwise, I meant what I said. Just put me on the border where the action is, and let me use that shiny new Corvette for something other than political photo ops.”
“Us?” I inquired, while my mind was scrambling. Was this all just another trick to swoop in and plant another knife between the ribs while my back was turned?
“I think I can convince a couple of the other captains, and enough crew, that there’d be more than just my one ship,” he said evenly.
Despite myself, I leaned back in the chair as my mind started calculating all the angles. “If you agree to do this, then you need to get one thing positively straight,” I said, feeling my face harden at the memory of waking up in the Brig, to find I’d almost been killed and a mutiny had taken the ship.
“I’m ready, Admiral,” Druid said flatly, “just let me at them, and for the sake of the people, I’m your man.”
“If you go out there on my orders and then turn your coat, there won’t be a dark enough hole, or enough warships in the wide world, to keep me from tearing you apart,” I promised with a cold glint in my eye, one I knew hadn’t been there before prison and time on death row. “Leave or stay—with my blessing—but treachery and betrayal…” I trailed off, deliberately letting the silence be filled with unspoken threats. Let his mind come up with whatever horrible things he thought I was capable of.
Druid took a shaky breath, and then held out his hand.
Eying him, I slowly reached out my own hand. Instead of taking his hand, I clasped him on the forearm and elbow like a Tracto-an warrior.
Admiral's Trial (A Spineward Sectors Novel:) Page 42
