Kelly Blake 3: Where the Stars Are Few and Far Between

by Rodney Smith

  They prepared for the day. Kurin Dunit appeared with a larger vehicle this morning, meeting them at the gangplank with paper or paper-like copies of the day’s agenda. Kelly insisted on hard copies of all documents when Kurin Dunit had tried to present them with an electronic tablet. He told Kurin Dunit that the device might interfere with the ship’s delicate navigation system and he couldn’t allow it on board.

  They went to the Ministry of Diplomacy. The ministry was an older, squatty, stone building, not the soaring glass and steel structure of yesterday. They were taken to the front door, where Kelly saw press and spectators lined up behind a police line, expectantly awaiting their arrival.

  Kurin Dunit got out first and opened their door for them. Kelly got out next and noticed a security force line forming up shoulder to shoulder to his right. Were they there to stop the Humans from going that way or as a shield? Kelly helped his translator out of the vehicle and stood aside for Thorson and his translator to climb out. When all four were at the entrance, the minister came out, gave them the hand wave, which Kelly and Thorson answered with the equality symbol. This caused the minister to make an open toothed smile and laugh.

  He came up to them and said through their translator, “I suppose we should have told you about that yesterday, but it had such an effect on the people that we let it go for then. There is a wave to signify superiority. I’m just glad you didn’t give that in reply.”

  The Minister led them inside and into a central conference room with a table that looked to be made of polished coral of some type. He told them it was symbolic of their origins in the great ocean, but wildly impractical for diplomacy purposes. They would only use it for some press coverage later in the day.

  He led them through a panel that opened in the far wall into another just as ornate conference room, but with a wooden conference table with monitors inset in the wood. The minister, his two assistants, translator and recorder sat on one side of the table. He waved Kelly, the ambassador, and translators to the other side. As they sat down, the screens in front of them activated. The screens welcomed them in K’Rang standard. The minister said the screens would contain the agreed text of any agreement they reached.

  Ambassador Thorson broke the ice. “Minister Hotaa Watal, we appreciate this opportunity to sit with you and discuss our common goals, aspirations, and needs. We have known of your race for five years, but were unable to contact you until now. We knew, from the K’Rang description of you as a troublesome race (a description they also apply to us), that we may be allies in search of each other. I do not know of your experience with the K’Rang, but we have beaten back their attempted predations for too long. They currently occupy our territory and four of our worlds in an unprovoked attack.”

  “We have decided enough is enough. The K’Rang Empire is being attacked by several of our Fleets, with the objective of dividing the K’Rang Empire and depriving them of faster than light technology and capability. We are committed to removing their capability to be a spacefaring race.”

  While Thorson paused to allow his translator to catch up he could see the look of amazement in the ministers’ eyes, bordering on the fringes of fear. He took a drink of water to wet his throat and continued after his translator finished.

  “You may be asking, if we can do all this, why are we here? We are here because even though we are convinced that we can accomplish our goals, any assistance would be beneficial and may save both K’Rang and Human lives. Besides, can you turn down an opportunity to retrieve your six worlds?”

  The last words resonated with the minister. He responded, “If you are engaging the K’Rang as you say you are, and we have seen indicators of combat near our common border with the K’Rang, then what would you have us do and what do we get out of it?”

  Thorson answered, “For a start, you can reclaim your worlds. The best K’Rang ships are opposing our invasion, leaving only their oldest and weakest ships to perform planetary defense. They should be easy for you to defeat, if there are any ships even available to defend these worlds. All we ask is that you at least demonstrate that you may attack these purloined worlds. That may be enough to pull forces into the K’Rang rear area and away from our twin main attacks.”

  The minister called up a holographic image in the middle of the table. It showed a portion of Angaerry and K’Rang space. It almost extended into GR Space. He worked the panel in front of him and highlighted six systems near their common border with the K’Rang.

  “These are the six worlds the K’Rang stole from us. This one here was my ancestral home. Now nothing exists of the work of ten generations of my family. I will have to bring in Jakah Burin, our Military Minister, and we may be able to come to an agreement on a mutual defense treaty, but it will depend on assurances to us that what you are saying is true and you are actually accomplishing what you say you are. You will have to excuse us, but after our dealings with the K’Rang, we are a little leery of trusting other races.”

  Thorson said, “Here is something you may want to consider, Minister. If we are unsuccessful in defeating the K’Rang, or worse they defeat us, then there would be nothing, no counterbalance to stop them from coming at you with all their fleet.”

  The minister looked down at his feet and back up at Thorson.

  “What you say contains wisdom, but I need to bring my military counterpart in first. I believe it is time for our midday meal. Would you join me or will we need to return you to your ship for your own culinary needs to be fulfilled?”

  Kelly answered, “Minister, we tested the food from yesterday and found it safe for us to eat. We will dine with you.”

  They retired to an executive dining room and feasted on Angaerry sushi.

  * * * * *

  Shadow Force Commander (Baron) J’Kol reviewed his losses from the massive Human raid on his armada. It was no longer an armada except in name only. He had lost almost half of his force in one raid. He reviewed the enemy force estimate from his intel section. Six heavy and medium attack ship wings, two battle fleets worth of light attack ships and fighters. How were the Humans able to mass this much force so quickly? The nearest transport ring was at Sirius. It confounded him.

  He still had 150 ships in his flagship’s fleet, but his ability to defend the sector was much reduced. If the Humans came at him with that much force again, they would easily overwhelm him. He contacted Baron G’Rof and told him if he was going to spring his trap, it had best be soon.

  Chapter Twelve

  The Military Minister, Jakah Burin, listened for 30 minutes to Ambassador Thorson’s argument in favor of Angaerry joining the Galactic Republic side, then stopped him. He turned to Kelly.

  “You are the captain of this ship at the spaceport and I can tell from your demeanor that you have commanded in combat. Why should I believe this diplomat?”

  Kelly replied, “You should believe him because he speaks the truth. You join us and advance your interests or do nothing. If you do nothing and we are successful, you gain a weakened K’Rang. If you do nothing and the K’Rang win, you have an emboldened K’Rang on your frontier with no counterbalance from the Galactic Republic. Which course of action gets you closer to your goal of gaining back your lost worlds?”

  The minister looked Kelly in the eyes and said, “Let me rephrase my question, why should I believe you? How do I know that this ship at our spaceport isn’t all that is left of a defeated people?”

  Kelly thought about the wording of his orders for this mission. One line stood out: Gain the A’Ngarii’s cooperation, or at a minimum, their neutrality in our campaign against the K’Rang. He knew how to do that.

  “Minister, will you accompany me to my ship for a little tour, just you and your most trustworthy translator?”

  Jakah Burin smiled and said he thought he could.

  An hour later, after some hurried coordination with Fleet, Jakah Burin was escorted up the gangplank into the Orion. Jakah Burin had been a ship captain before he became the Military
Minister. He liked what he saw onboard the Orion, commenting on how well it was laid out and complimenting Kelly on its order, cleanliness and maintenance. He asked if this was what he brought him to see. If so, it was a nice ship, but not enough to convince him that theirs was the right choice.

  Kelly took him down to the bottom deck and the central hallway.

  “Captain, what is this? Did you bring me down here to show me your arms and supplies?”

  Kelly said, “No, Minister, I brought you here to see this.”

  Kelly motioned to Lieutenant Commander Obregon, who activated the ring. Minister Jakah Burin stepped back as the shimmering curtain formed.

  “What is this, Captain?”

  “This is the proof you need to see. If your translator will take my translator’s hand and you will take mine, we will walk through this ring.”

  Jakah Burin was unsure about this, but took Kelly’s hand. Kelly told him, “Walk normally. You’ll feel cold and see blackness, but will not be harmed.”

  Jakah Burin walked through the ring, and came out 1300 light-years away, on board the Command Ship Montpelier. They were met by a Marine Second Lieutenant, who saluted Kelly and Minister Burin and asked them to follow him. Jakah Burin gawked around him at the transformation that had occurred to the Orion.

  Jakah Burin blurted out, “Commander Blake, what have you done to your ship?”

  “Minister Jakah Burin, you are not aboard the Orion. You are on the Chief of Fleet Operations’ flagship, the Montpelier, on the other side of K’Rang space.”

  They came to a door, where the Lieutenant knocked. A voice called out, “Enter.”

  Admiral Chang met Minister Jakah Burin at the door.

  “Welcome, Minister Jakah Burin, to the Galactic Republic. I am Admiral Samuel Chang. I believe I may be your counterpart.”

  Jakah Burin moved to a chair and sat down heavily. He said, “What magic is this? How do I know I have not been moved to a hidden part of the Orion?”

  “Kelly, take the Minister for a walk about the ship. Minister, you know how big the Orion is. The Montpelier is three times its size. Kelly, make sure he gets a look into astrography.”

  “Yes, sir, I will.”

  Kelly took the minister throughout the ship. He walked him down corridor after corridor, finally winding up in astrography. They entered and the minister was standing in outer space. The giant glass dome at the highest point of the ship provided a view into the Eridanus sector and the passage of the 18th Battle Fleet. Jakah Burin was speechless.

  He finally recovered enough of his wits to say, “You have convinced me.” There was a momentary pause for the translator to get her wits about her before she could translate.

  Jakah Burin said, “Now, let us go speak to your admiral.”

  Kelly walked him back to Admiral Chang’s office.

  Admiral Chang welcomed the minister again and asked him and his translator to sit down. He and Kelly spent the next two hours talking about the value of a mutual defense alliance. After those two hours, the minister was convinced he should ally with the Galactic Republic. Kelly thanked the Admiral for his time and walked the Minister back through the ring and onto the Orion. The minister looked around and told Kelly the Angaerry would be foolish to not ally with the GR.

  Kelly escorted the Minister to his waiting vehicle and told him he would see him tomorrow. He went up to Ops, reported the results of his journey to Ambassador Thorson, and predicted tomorrow would be a very productive day.

  * * * * *

  Mary Chen wondered whose brilliant idea it was to take six divisions of Marines on a mission that didn’t require assault landings. She had a brigade of bored Marines to keep busy and keep out of trouble. Already fights were breaking out in the common areas. Organized boxing matches and martial arts classes drained off some excess energy. She taught a personal martial arts class that was very popular, until she came in a gi instead of her skin-tight exercise gear. Class size dropped off after that.

  She was running out of ideas. She put a bug in Colonel Maxwell's ear to speak with the division commander about some sort of mission. If they didn’t get some time off this ship soon, she couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be real trouble.

  * * * * *

  Angie had planned to sleep in, but the Carrier Fighter Wing Commander wanted to see her and the other fighter squadron commanders as soon as possible. She threw herself into her flight suit and plodded to the CFW’s cabin, she was that tired. Flying around the clock CAP missions was taking a toll on her. She was about to knock when the door opened and the CFW motioned her in to a seat.

  “Okay, now that you’re all here, we have a situation to sort through. The 35th Fighter Squadron, which was shot up in an ambush last week, has their replacements inbound. They’re all green second lieutenants. I can’t saddle a new commander with half his squadron being green pilots, so we’re going to divide them up between your two squadrons. You each give up two pilots and get two lieutenants in return. Now, who will you give up?”

  Angie was not happy and it showed, but she offered up two good wingmen for the nuggets. The faster the 35th came back up to speed, the sooner she could get on a regular sleep schedule. Filling two patrol slots with only three squadrons was draining her and her pilots. The CFW approved her selection and assigned her two of the newbies. She took their info and would have them report when they arrived. The CFW told her to get some sleep, because she looked like hell.

  * * * * *

  Admiral Thomas was not happy that she missed an opportunity to finish the K’Rang fleet in Eridanus. A malfunction at the Leonov ring kept the attack wings from making a second strike at the K’Rang fleet. She knew she could have destroyed the entire fleet, if only she could have gotten another massed attack by the heavy attack ships.

  Now the remainders of the K’Rang fleet were orbiting the four GR worlds, using the population as shields. She had heard that Governor Kane of Savitskaya had video conferenced with the President to tell him they now had K’Rang forces on their streets. The K’Rang had moved rescued sailors to the occupation detachments and assigned them to the four captured worlds. As one might imagine, sailors whose ship and shipmates were just killed don’t make for the most stable occupation force. Admiral Thomas needed to figure a way to free the citizens on the four captured worlds.

  * * * * *

  The next day at the Ministry of Diplomacy was quite productive. Jakah Burin was so enthusiastic about signing a military alliance with the Galactic Republic, the other Angaerry delegates thought him either bought or quite mad, telling his tale of walking across K’Rang space. Kelly had to conduct a demonstration for the other ministers to convince them of his sincerity. A military alliance was signed that evening.

  Kelly was invited to visit the Angaerry military HQ the following morning. He rode there with the minister in his official ground car. It was a tight fit for Kelly and his translator, but they managed. They arrived at a modern steel and glass multi-story building. Naturally Kelly, standing a head taller than the tallest Angaerry, attracted a lot of attention.

  The minister led them through the lobby and up to his office on the top floor, ushering them through his office and into a larger conference room. The room was filled with Military Ministry department heads. Other elements tuned into a video feed. Kelly was offered a seat at the head of the table next to the minister. Their translators sat just behind them. It took Kelly a few moments to understand, but this was the minister’s morning briefing. He had been around Angaerry speakers long enough that he had picked up some Angaerry Standard. He still needed his translator for technical words, but general conversation he could almost understand on his own. Kelly was introduced to the audience as the military representative of their new military ally, the Galactic Republic.

  He sat through the briefing and determined that the Angaerry fleet had over 240 ships – all relatively recent builds. They were deployed in three equal fleets, with each fleet serving in a military distr
ict covering roughly one-third of Angaerry space. They evidently had a missile supply problem, because each fleet commander stated that as an area of concern.

  At the conclusion, the minister stood up and announced that he would be looking for an officer to be the military representative to the Galactic Republic Fleet. The officer must have successfully commanded a major combatant, have proficiency for languages, and be willing to complete a three-year tour on the Galactic Republic home world. Kelly could see interest around the table in what must be perceived as a plum assignment.

  A question came up from one of the officers along the side of the table, “Are all of the humans as tall as he is?”

  This caused a bit of laughter around the table. Kelly let it die off before he answered that he was average for a male of his species, but the females were generally closer in size to the Angaerry. This elicited a second question on whether his translater was a female. She answered that she was.

  An officer came up and started asking questions. Kelly asked him to wait while he borrowed the minister’s translator. Too late, he realized he had spoken Angaerry. This caused quite a stir around the room. The minister asked how long he could speak their language. Kelly replied that he only knew a few phrases, but was picking up more as he spent time around the Angaerry.

  He got back to the officer with the questions and answered a number of general questions about what Earth was like, what the people were like, and how accepting of outsiders they were. Kelly answered the last question by stating that the Galactic Republic had friendly relations with the Moose because the Moose wanted friendly relations. They were at war with the K’Rang because that was the relationship the K’Rang chose.