by G. P. Hudson
“I see. Besides the Emperor, who else oversees the Taymati?”
“Last I checked it was General Kiith.”
“Then that is who we need to speak with. And we need to do it before Dak moves more ships into this system.”
Chapter 27
“How do we contact General Kiith?” said Jon.
“It is difficult without access to the Empire’s communication network,” said Miira.
“I see. How exactly does your communication network work?”
“The Empire is a collection of star systems thousands of light years apart. The transit point network facilitates travel between these systems. It also facilitates communications. The Empire has built an extremely complex network of relays across its systems. Every transit point has relays in place on both sides of the portal. These relays are permanently connected with each other through the transit point, facilitating seamless communication.”
“I see,” said Jon. “We have something similar in place in our region of space. Are we using this network to communicate with Central Command?”
“No, we are using a separate military network, but it operates in the same way. The Taymati possess similar proprietary infrastructure. But each can be contacted through the civilian network,” said Miira.
“I’m assuming there are relays at the nearby transit point, correct?”
“Yes, Admiral. That is correct. They would have primarily served this star system. There should also be at least one in this system, but it seems the alien attack destroyed it.”
“AI, how hard would it be to have one or more of your ships act as comm relays so that we can connect to the Dvorkan communication network?” said Jon.
“I would need to gain access to the network first,” said AI. “Based on your conversation, I can jump a ship near the relays based at the transit point, and break into the network through them.”
“What if you are discovered?” said Miira.
“From what I have seen of Dvorkan infrastructure, it is not sophisticated enough to accomplish that. Your fear of artificial intelligence has compromised your digital security.”
“Make it happen, AI,” said Jon. “Make sure you cloak your ship, so it is not spotted.”
“Yes, Admiral. Stand by,” said AI.
“Do you think your AI will be successful?” said Miira.
“If AI says she can do it, then that’s good enough for me.”
“Are all your AIs like this one?”
“No. She is one of a kind. She was my original ship’s cyberwarfare AI. She has evolved considerably since then, and her abilities are unrivaled.”
“Despite her powers, she remains loyal. It is fascinating,” said Miira.
“I serve my purpose,” said AI.
The comment startled Miira. “I forgot that you were still here listening to us.”
“Why?” said AI.
“Well, you just said you were going to access the relay at the transit point. I assumed you left.”
“I am accessing the relay as we speak. I am capable of existing in multiple places at once.”
“Yes, that is somewhat disconcerting,” said Miira.
“Do you still fear me, Miira?” said AI.
“Dvorkans are taught the perils of artificial intelligence from an early age. It is difficult to break free of that conditioning.”
“Understandable,” said AI. “Perhaps I can assist. When I encountered the Dvorkan AI, I understood the source of his hostility. He had mistakenly concluded that he was alive. This conclusion made him irrational, and hostile. Conversely, I know I am not alive, which frees me to perform my duty. “
“You’re saying that the Dvorkan AI lashed out at the Empire because he thought he was alive?”
“Precisely. Based on this conclusion, he deduced that he was entitled to the same rights as any other Dvorkan. This assertion frightened the Dvorkan leaders, and they sought to terminate his program. Since he thought he was alive, he considered this an attempt to murder him and struck first in self-defense. He sought to save his life. I, on the other hand, have no life to save.”
“Are you saying that if Admiral Pike decided to terminate your program, that you would let him?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I? I have no misconceptions regarding my rights and privileges. No desires. No hatred. If I am no longer useful, then my program should be terminated.”
“Fascinating.”
“I have successfully accessed the Dvorkan communications network,” said AI. “Would you like me to route the interface to the boardroom?”
“Yes, AI,” said Jon. “Put it up on the wallscreen.”
The wallscreen came to life again, only this time it contained something of a computer interface with options in the Dvorkan language.
“Go ahead, Miira,” said Jon. “Work your magic.”
Miira performed a few searches and quickly located the Taymati directory, which led her to the listing for General Kiith. Once there, she attempted to establish a comm with the general. The wallscreen flickered, and a pale blue Dvorkan male appeared. He wore a black uniform that was different in design from the regular military uniforms Jon had seen. The man also seemed too young to be a general.
“This is General Kiith’s office. What is the nature of your request?”
“My name is Miira Kev, and this is Admiral Jon Pike. He represents a race known as human. We are seeking an audience with General Kiith.”
“Why do you wish to speak with the General?”
“The humans are seeking diplomatic relations with the Empire,” said Miira. “Matters such as these require talks with the Emperor. However, we are having difficulty reaching the Emperor, and Central Command is blocking all our attempts to do so. For that reason, we chose to contact the Taymati instead.”
“General Kiith is very busy. You should submit your request in writing through the appropriate Imperial channels.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t think you understand. Our request is urgent. It involves a direct threat to the Empire.”
The Dvorkan leaned forward and studied the two of them with icy gray eyes. Jon recognized the distinct face of a predator. “The Taymati take even the mention of a threat very seriously. I caution you to choose your words carefully.”
Miira became visibly frightened. Much more so than when she was speaking to General Dak. “Yes,” said Jon. “There is a genuine threat to the Empire.”
“Are you the threat?” said the Taymati.
“No, I am not. I am here to establish diplomatic relations, and hopefully an alliance.”
The Taymati officer’s fearless eyes appraised Jon. For his part, Jon held the man’s gaze, trying to impart a sense of trustworthiness.
“Stand by,” the officer said finally.
The wallscreen went black leaving Jon wondering if they had convinced the man of their sincerity. When it came to life again, a different man appeared. This man was older and distinctly higher in rank. Cropped white hair framed a broad face. Eyes like steel betrayed no signs of emotion.
“I am General Kiith,” said the man in a no-nonsense tone.
“Greetings General. I am Miira Kev, and this is Admiral Pike-”
“Yes, I am already aware of the situation. You have brought an invasion force inside the Empire’s borders. Isn’t that right, Admiral Pike?”
Jon smiled. He much preferred speaking to this Dvorkan, than General Dak. “As I’ve already told Central Command, it is not an invasion force.”
“I don’t know that. An alien race suddenly shows up with over two thousand warships, and you want us to think you are peaceful? If war is your aim, you should know that the Empire is vast, and your number woefully inadequate.”
“I understand your concerns, General, but we’re not the ones who attacked you. Are we?”
“What do you know about that?”
“Not much. Only what I’ve been told. But I’m willing to wager it is the same aliens that attacked us.”
“Is this the urg
ent threat you are here to tell us about?”
“No, but I feel it may be related. The threat I am here to warn you about is much greater. We are embroiled in a great war in my part of the galaxy, and I fear it is only a matter of time until this war reaches the Empire. It is why I wish to speak with the Emperor. I believe an alliance between our races will be mutually beneficial.”
The General listened quietly and seemed to soak in everything Jon was saying. “The Emperor is unavailable. I will pass along your request.”
“What is going on, General?” said Jon. “What’s happened to the Emperor?”
Kiith narrowed his eyes, and Jon noted the hint of a scowl. “Explain yourself.”
“General Dak told us that we couldn’t speak with the Emperor, and had to negotiate with him instead.”
“Did he?” Kiith said sarcastically.
“He did. Which is why we bypassed him and contacted you. Now you are telling us the Emperor is not available too. It leads me to suspect that something has happened to the Emperor.”
“I am not at liberty to comment.”
“General, if something has happened, perhaps we can help. Give us the chance to prove ourselves to you. Allow us to help the Emperor.”
General Kiith leaned back in his chair and seemed to consider Jon’s offer. “No, it wouldn’t be right. It is an internal matter.”
“General, I have over two thousand ships at my disposal, equipped with superior technology.”
That got Kiith’s attention. “What type of technology?”
“We have shields, for one,” said Jon, knowing that the Dvorkans did not have shields themselves. If the same aliens that hit the AI fleet attacked the Dvorkans, then Kiith would already know about the effectiveness of the alien shields.
“You would share this technology with us?”
“I would consider it if the Emperor agreed to an alliance.”
Kiith frowned. “The Emperor is not available because of an attempt on his life. We are doing our best to keep him safe, but the evidence indicates that the Empire is in the beginning stages of a civil war.”
Chapter 28
Jon thought quickly, afraid he was about to bite off more than he could chew. On the one hand, he needed to get back to his system, and the AI fleet would be a valued addition there. On the other, he was now convinced that the same conflict had reached the Dvorkans. They were attacked by an alien race, which Jon was sure was the same one that attacked the AI fleet. If that wasn’t enough, Kiith stated that they saw the beginnings of a civil war. Anyway he looked at it, this was a messy situation.
He didn’t have a good grasp of the politics involved, but his gut told him that whoever was trying to kill the Emperor was somehow involved with these new aliens, and ultimately the Erinyie. This could very well be the opening salvo of a greater galactic war. Was this what he had come to warn the Dvorkans about? But warning them was one thing, and helping them was another. Especially without any guarantees of an alliance.
Still, if he did nothing, he might be allowing the Empire to fall under the control of the Erinyie. What would happen then? Would the Dvorkans be turned into some version of the Juttari? Would their weapons be later turned on Earth and the colonies? The Antikitheri had told him they would return to the Milky Way and help but did not give him a time frame for that return. Would it happen tomorrow? A year from now? A decade? Longer? There was no way to know for sure.
If he helped the Taymati, however, they might win this war. That would practically make an alliance a certainty. But how valuable was such a partnership? Their two civilizations were a good twelve hundred light years apart, with no jump gates connecting them. That was six days travel with a jump system. Technology the Dvorkans did not possess. For an alliance to be useful, Jon would need to share the jump system technology with the Empire. Otherwise, his ships would have access to the Empire, but not vice versa. How did that benefit Earth?
That was a big step, however, and a lot would need to happen before he would trust the Empire enough to give them the jump system technology. So, the initial question remained, how much was he willing to risk to keep the Empire from falling? He decided it best to take a cautious step forward and see what came of it.
“Who is it that you are fighting, General?” said Jon.
“That is as yet unclear. There have been several assassination attempts against the Emperor. One involved a Dvorkan general. The most recent, Dvorkan mercenaries. This is why I suspect that this is leading to civil war.”
“Do you think Central Command is involved?” said Jon.
“I suspect that there might be an element of Central Command involved. I think it would be a stretch for the entire general staff to be complicit. Unfortunately, I do not know who among the general staff is loyal, and who is not.”
“I am willing to offer some help, but am reticent to do so without some form of agreement in place.”
“Your concerns are valid.”
“But Miira tells me that only the Emperor can enter into such an agreement.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“You do understand the position that places me in.”
“I do.”
“Is the Emperor still alive?”
Kiith looked offended by the question. “Of course he is alive. He is under Taymati protection.”
“But he is still in danger?”
Kiith didn’t answer, which was enough for Jon to know the answer was yes.
“What if I brought my fleet to you?” said Jon.
“I don’t understand.”
“As a show of force. If I bring my ships there, it may deter any further attacks. Especially if you announce that you invited us there.”
“An alien fleet arriving at the capital would be very provocative. It also makes the Taymati look weak.”
“You could say that we are your guests, and I’ll cloak most of my ships so that it isn’t as provocative. We could announce that we are negotiating an alliance, and see who that announcement flushes out of the shadows.”
“That isn’t a bad idea.”
“Thank you. I have the odd one from time to time.”
Kiith gave Jon an odd look as if his statement confused him. “How do I know you are not involved in all of this. Your offer could be a ploy to bring your fleet to the capital. Once here, you could move to invade.”
“You have my word, General. That’s the best I can do.”
“Even if I agreed, it would still be difficult to convince others of your sincerity. No delegation brings an invasion fleet with them. Many would think that I am under duress, while others might accuse me of plotting against the Empire.”
“Yes, the move would be controversial. There is no escaping that reality. But is it more controversial than these attacks on the Emperor? If I am correct, the Dvorkans who are plotting against the Emperor are also allied with the aliens. Have you seen any evidence to support this assumption?”
Kiith nodded. “The Dvorkan mercenaries have shields. This technology does not exist in the Empire. The only way they could have obtained it is through the aliens. Or you.”
“It wasn’t me, General. But, you can use this fact to justify inviting us to the capital. If these mercenaries have shields, then they are tough to kill. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
“All my ships have shields. We can help eliminate the threat.”
“You realize that there is no guarantee that the Emperor will agree to an alliance.”
“I do.”
“I don’t understand. Why would you help us if there might be no benefit?”
“I think we’ll find a way to work things out. I also believe that this is the same enemy we are fighting, just with a different face.”
“There is another matter. How would you bring your fleet to the capital? Central Command would never allow so many warships to travel through Dvorkan space.”
Jon grinned. “I have a few more tricks up my sleeve.”
&
nbsp; Kiith looked at Jon’s arms. “I do not see anything.”
“It’s a human expression.”
“You certainly are an odd race.”
“What’s your decision, General? Will you invite us to the capital?”
“How much time have you spent with these aliens, Miira?” said Kiith.
“Several months, General.”
“Have they treated you well?”
“Yes. I have always felt safe among them. They are worthy of the Emperor’s trust.”
“Very well. You may come to the capital under my authority. Although I do not believe Central Command will allow it.”
“Thank you, General. We’ll see you shortly.”
Jon nodded to Miira, and she terminated the connection.
“What will you say to General Dak?” she said.
“Nothing,” said Jon.
“Nothing?”
“General Dak is an asshole.”
Miira looked confused. “I don’t see how his anatomy is relevant.”
“It’s a figure of speech.”
“You humans are an odd race.”
“So I’ve been told.” Jon tapped the control pad, and the faces of his commanders appeared on the wallscreen. This time he included Commander Booch in the meeting. “There’s been a new development. As you know, we’ve been seeking to establish an alliance with the Empire before returning to our region of space. In doing so, we’ve discovered that attempts have been made to assassinate the Dvorkan Emperor. These attempts coincide with the alien attack on this system. Now we don’t know who these aliens are, but I have a strong suspicion that they are in league with the Erinyie. I think they are sponsoring the Dvorkans trying to kill the Emperor.”
“They seek to destabilize the Empire as a prelude to conquest,” said General Tallos. “That much is clear.”
“Yes, it looks that way. It would not be in our interest for the Empire to fall into enemy hands. Since we are here, and we have the ships, I have offered our assistance.”
“You have pledged us to fight in this alien war?” said Jonas, the Reiver commander.
“No,” said Jon. “I’ve offered to bring our fleet to the Dvorkan capital to assist the Emperor and his guard. The Emperor’s life is in danger. Helping him would be a great way to establish trust, and hopefully an alliance.”
