by S. H. Jucha
Deciding it was time to discover how much Alex had influenced their protocols, Julien laid out the events of his time at New Terra—the Méridiens’ first contact, the Ministers, the President, the tour of the Rêveur, Clayton Downing, the Assembly, the Pact, the theft, his research to uncover the perpetrators behind the theft, and their decision to send the critical message to President McMorris as they exited the New Terran system.
Cordelia’s request took Julien by surprise. He had not given this response a high probability.
* * *
After Julien and his compatriots had gathered sufficient information, he requested a conversation with Alex.
Alex had accepted Julien’s suggestion, and the four now met in Andrea’s cabin. With the flotilla ships holding station mere kilometers from one another, Tatia had been able to transfer quickly via shuttle from the Money Maker to the Rêveur.
Shock coursed through the group. The President had been the Méridiens’ greatest supporter. He’d championed the Pact between his people and the “stranded cousins” to gain Méridien technology in exchange for the repairs to the Rêveur, and he convinced New Terrans to participate in the production of the planet’s first space-capable fighters, the Daggers. The first public dissemination of the advanced technology was the medical nanites, a limited version of the Méridiens’ cell-gen injections. Distributed through the planet’s hospitals, they were saving New Terran lives and repairing traumatic injuries every day. The nanites’ amazing miracles endeared the Méridiens to the people of New Terra—at least, to most of the people.
Z answered.
Cordelia said.
More than one startled look accompanied that comment as Andrea, Tatia, and Renée realized how Alex had defined the term “research,” which he had sent Julien to accomplish.
On this note, the New Terrans perked up.
ration.
* * *
After their conference, Andrea requested a private meeting with Alex. As they sat at her cabin table, Andrea ducked her head, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. “Admiral, word has gotten around that we aren’t welcome here,” Andrea finally said. “It’s spooked some of the crew and this coming just after our recent adventures. We have twenty-three requests from our New Terran crew … they’re done … they want off.
“Are any of them critical to our operations?” Alex asked, feeling as if he had been punched in the stomach.
“Three are Dagger pilots, backup pilots. I think witnessing the loss of two of their own and eyeing the wreck of Robert’s fighter has brought reality home, and they want none of it.”
“Anyone else critical?” he asked.
“Do I count?” Andrea said, and dead silence met her announcement. She shrugged her shoulders and gave Alex a grin. “Just testing to see if I was still important, Admiral.”
“Black space, Andrea,” Alex swore.
“Julien told me to do it,” she said, grinning.
Julien said.
Alex reasserted control.
As Alex left her cabin, Andrea sent,
-3-
After years serving as the commanding officer of the Terran Security Forces, Maria Gonzalez’s life was now her own and she was enjoying her free time without interruption by TSF comm or reader. She walked back into her country home from her long hike in the woods, showered, and brewed tea before she checked her messages. Maria wasn’t surprised to find a secure message on her reader. It read: “Contact you later, your foreign friends.” Her loyal TSF associates had notified her of the flotilla’s arrival. “Welcome home, Alex,” she whispered. “Jaya would be thrilled to know you brought friends.”
“Welcome back. I understand congratulations are in order, Admiral,” Maria said.
“It’s ex-General, Admiral. You may call me ‘Maria.’”
“So, Alex, I’m told there’s a flotilla out past our ice fields. I take it that it’s yours.”
Alex spent the next hour updating Maria on what had transpired since he had left New Terra with a single passenger liner and four Daggers. He detailed the destruction of Confederation colonies by the silver ships, the exodus of the Méridien people in advance of their enemy, Albert de Guirnon’s treachery, their invention of a Méridien House, the encounter with an enemy fighter, the discovery of the Independents and House Bergfalk, the race to complete the giant city-ships, the fight to get clear of the system, and the Librans’ decision to join Alex’s House.
Of the list of incredible subjects Alex had covered, Maria latched on to one point in particular. “You have your own House, Alex?” Maria asked.
“Ser de Guirnon, I am so pleased to hear you’re safe, and I am so sorry for the tremendous losses your people are suffering.”
“And as I was saying to Alex, please call me ‘Maria.’ It appears you took the right man back with you considering what was happening in Confederation space.”
Renée placed the toes of her right foot against Alex’s bare chest, flexing them slowly.
“Alex has been describing your adventures. How many Librans did you rescue?”
When Alex remained silent, Renée answered,
“Ah,” Maria said, intuiting Alex’s silence. “And I’m sure, Alex, you remember those twenty-two hundred every day. Such is the weight of command. So where are the rescued now?”
“You have two ships that hold a quarter of a million people?” Maria blurted. “And all of these people report to the two of you?”
“House Alexander is military?” Maria asked. She felt stunned to hear that the quiet explorer Captain had been transformed into the head of a powerful military organization.
“Now I’m the uncomfortable one for not calling you ‘Admiral,’ Alex,” Maria replied.
“You’re very well informed, Alex. Oh, but then you have Julien.”
Renée’s mirth echoed through the comm.
“How things do change in a half-year, Alex,” Maria replied, irony lacing her words.
“You’re speaking a dangerous language, Admiral. You�
�ll be perceived as approaching New Terra with a hostile force.”
Maria laughed at Alex’s alternate description of his flotilla. “It always comes down to politics and perceptions, Admiral. That’s the war you have to win here, while avoiding any conflict.”
“Then I have few suggestions for you, Admiral. One, you will be challenged by our Strikers. Brace them with an overwhelming show of force and superiority. I think they’ll crumble. The pilots are the sons and daughters of our capitalist elite, for the most part. Second, look into the finances surrounding Méridien tech production. Word has it that the T-Stations are at capacity production levels, but I don’t see much product reaching the populace. It’s all private industry sales. Lastly, the replacement of a President pro tem is at the discretion of the Assembly. Give them a good reason.”
“Just remember, Admiral, that if and when you get the Assembly motivated to replace Downing, you must be ready to dangle a viable candidate under their noses, one who enjoys popular support.”
“And who might that be, Admiral?” Maria asked, hoping Alex wasn’t about to suggest himself. She didn’t want to believe that Alex could have changed so much from the young Captain she had admired.
