The Price of Liberty (Empire Rising Book 4)

by D. J. Holmes

  “We worked together in the past,” Suzanna said to Pennington once Fairfax had finished speaking. “I hope we can work together again in the future. You may not approve of my actions but I ask you to seriously consider one question. If you had been in my shoes, what would you have done? I was cut off from my planet, from my people. I knew no matter how hard you fought, alone you could never drive the Indians from Haven. I did what I thought was best and I stand by my actions.”

  Pennington took a moment to consider her response. “If what Prime Minister Fairfax says is true, then I may be willing to reconsider my opinion of you Councilwoman. For now I’m happy to reserve judgement so we can continue with these discussions. I believe you wanted to make a statement Mr. Prime Minister, you may proceed, I know I and my delegation are keen to hear what the British government has to say to us.”

  “Thank you Councilwoman Pennington,” Fairfax said in a much more formal tone than his previous outburst. “First, I would like to bring you the warm greetings of the British Star Kingdom and specifically his Majesty King Edward XI. We are sorry for the suffering your people have endured and for the position you find yourselves in. I know from Lady Somerville that despite the actions of your previous First Councilor, your people have no desire to get tangled in the politics of Earth. Though my government has a number of reasons to look on Haven with disfavor, we are willing to let bygones be bygones. Instead we would like to offer you the hand of friendship. Your people and ours are not too dissimilar. In the last hours I have been reading reports from Major Johnston and other military commanders on the resistance your people gave to the Indians. The spirit of your people is truly inspiring, and though you have suffered heavy losses, it is clear you and your people are unbroken. For that, you have mine and my peoples’ respect.

  “It is my sincerest hope the actions of my government, our fleet and our marines have shown to you the genuineness of the friendship we offer you. However, honesty dictates that I must be open with you. I’ve already said even if we hadn’t been convinced by Lady Somerville to offer Haven protectorate status, our fleet and our marines may still have been here engaging the Indians. The fact of the matter is that Haven and its strategic location, dominating the only known shift passage to Vestar and Kulthar, means we simply cannot allow the Indians sole control over the system. This is now a fact of reality, neither you, nor your people, nor my government can change that.

  “However, this doesn’t mean we cannot be friends. The proposal I bring to you now and that I wish to bring to your people as a whole, can ensure the interests of the British government are aligned with the interests of you and your people. The Indians may have been defeated, but if we leave, they will come back, Haven is just too valuable a prize to pass over. If the Indians are going to be kept from this system, then a permanent solution is required. We hope we can come to an agreement that guarantees the safety and the freedom of your people, while ensuring the British Star Kingdom’s interests are satisfied.”

  “And so you want us to become a protectorate.” Pennington stated.

  “Yes,” Fairfax answered. “I believe it is the best solution to both of our dilemmas.”

  “Then I guess you had better outline just what it is you have in mind Prime Minister,” Pennington responded.

  “Certainly,” Fairfax replied. “As you know, both houses of the British Parliament voted to offer protectorate status to the colony of Haven. We already have one colony, the colony of Bradford, that holds protectorate status. The idea is that Haven will enter into a similar political union with the British Star Kingdom. If your populace votes to accept such an offer, then sovereignty of the Haven system and your colony will pass into the hands of his Majesty King Edward XI. Parliament will then govern the system on his behalf. In turn, Haven and Independence will be allowed to elect their own MPs who will travel to London to take their seats in the British Parliament alongside MPs from Britain and our colonies.

  “Though full sovereignty of your system will be handed to the Crown, Parliament is willing to recognize all private property rights currently held by Havenite citizens. Further, Parliament will devolve the governance of the planet and its orbitals to a Governor whom Parliament will appoint. In turn, the Governor will leave all legislative powers in the hands of Havenite courts and what we hope will be a duly elected Haven Council. In this way, in international terms, Haven and its system will be deemed to be part of the British Star Kingdom. Parliament will therefore take final responsibility for the protection of the system. However, your people will be free to elect their own leaders who will be free to determine their own policies and governance.

  “There are a couple of non-negotiables though. First, we will require a tax of four percent of Haven’s yearly gross domestic product. This will be to cover the costs of the defense battlestations we will build in orbit around the colony and the fleet units we will station in Haven for the colony’s protection. Second, the first Bills passed by the newly established Haven Council must affirm and implement the human rights and civil laws the British Parliament has already made mandatory for all its colonies. Beyond this, as long as your Council is elected under democratic lines, and it doesn’t pass any Bills interfering with the free movement of British citizens and commerce to Haven, your people will be able to determine their own way of life. I have been granted a large amount of leeway when it comes to negotiating the finer points of this political union by Parliament. However, these are the minimum requirements my government has. In essence, we will take you under our wings in exchange for free use of your system for trade, and compensation in lieu of the financial burden of protecting Haven from the Indians or any other Earth nation that would try to conquer you.

  “Later today I plan to announce a planet wide referendum on this issue for three weeks from today. Lady Somerville will be making the announcement this evening. In one week, I plan to release the full details of the proposed alliance. However, I have yet to determine the final arrangements of such a union. That is why I have requested your delegation join me today and hopefully every day this week. Ultimately, as British Prime Minister, I will have the final say on the details of this proposed union. However, I want to make the protectorate as attractive to you and your people as possible and I hope that together we can come to an agreement that will benefit both our nations for generations to come.”

  “I have already reviewed the human rights and civil laws you would require us to embrace,” Pennington replied after taking several seconds to consider all that Fairfax had said. “I see little problem in implementing such laws on Haven. We already have many similar laws. However, prior to the Indian invasion we collected yearly taxes approximately equivalent to sixteen percent of our GDP. By demanding four percent of our GDP you’re effectively slashing the budget of every Council department by a quarter. Before the Indian invasion such a demand would be hard to accept, now, with literally decades of rebuilding ahead of us I do not believe that is something I could ever agree to.”

  As Pennington spoke a number of Havenite resistance leaders nodded. Maguire voiced their concerns, “We have seen thousands of resistance fighters killed in our war with the Indians and even more civilians needlessly murdered. With your help we have won our freedom back and for that we are eternally grateful. But we cannot exchange one form of enslavement for another. If our people are going to be able to enjoy their freedom, we must be able to rebuild.”

  “Let me assure you,” Fairfax said, “I am well aware of the difficult task you have before you. It is not our intention to turn you into our slaves. We want you to be equal partners.”

  Standing up, Fairfax reached behind him to pick up a series of folders which he slid along the table to the Haven delegation. “Before I left Earth I instructed my finance minister to set aside several trillion credits in our next budget to form a redevelopment fund for Haven in the event your people vote to accept becoming a protectorate. Half of the funds will be used to repair damage to critical b
uildings and the transportation infrastructure. The second half of the funds will be made available to the newly elected Haven Council as interest-free loans they can use to their discretion in rebuilding. Further, I’m willing to offer to split all trade tariffs collected from the Haven system fifty-fifty with the Haven Council. Once peace has been restored to this area of space it won’t take long for a massive influx of trade ships to pass through Haven on the way to Vestar and Kulthar. The tariffs collected from such trade will likely more than make up for the four percent of the GDP that my government requires. In the short term, the aid package I have prepared should help your colony get back on its feet. In the long term, trade will catapult your colony to new heights. Haven is likely to become a key trade node and this will bring massive investment from a number of the larger trade organizations.

  “In addition, the orbital battlestations and the ground defenses our fleet will be installing will require huge amounts of natural resources which will give a large boost to your economy. I fully expect Haven and the surrounding unexplored space will become a hive of activity as Britain and other nations seek to discover new systems and new habitable worlds. If such discoveries are made there is no doubt that Haven will become a central base from which these systems are developed. All in all, I think four percent is a small amount compared to the possibilities becoming a British protectorate opens up for you. I want you to realize that we are trying to help you. I could simply demand that my government take all the tariffs that come from trade through the system and leave you and your colony to itself. Demanding four percent means my government will always have a vested interest in seeing your economy grow. This measure is meant to tie our two nations together.”

  “And what if we want to go our own way?” Pennington asked. “With such great opportunities before us perhaps my people will think they can go it on their own. How exactly does your government intend to respond if we reject protectorate status?”

  Chapter 35 – Compromises

  The Empire may span thousands of settled systems. Yet it is possible those that she has gathered under her wings inhabit even more. There is a plethora of alien races who have all been given associate status with the Empire. In exchange for access to their space and a limitation on their ability to colonize new worlds, they are given protection from the more hostile races that inhabit our galaxy. Some races have been confined to a single system others hold control of hundreds.

  -Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD

  “That is a tricky question, and to be honest, I’m not entirely sure I know the answer,” Fairfax said. “Let me be frank. Neither I, nor my government will stand for the Indians having control of this system. If that means we have to keep a permanent garrison on the planet and ships in orbit then we will do so, even if the UN tries to pass some kind of resolution to stop us. However, that is a very remote possibility. It’s as Lady Somerville has said, there are a number of Earth nations sympathetic to your plight. Yet, all of them are our closest allies. Moreover, I do not believe there is the political will within the UN to come to your aid. Your people have carried out acts of piracy against many of the Earth nations and the attack on the Kulrean envoy’s ship stirred up a great deal of anger. Our relationship with the Kulreans is likely to have a massive impact on humanity. That your first Councilor would jeopardize this for selfish ambitions did not go down well. If your people want to try and go it on their own, our fleet’s presence might give you the security to try. Even so, you would have no guarantees. Your system could become a battleground for decades and I could make no promises that in the future my government wouldn’t see some military or political benefit from just forcibly annexing your colony.”

  “That sounds like a threat,” Maguire snapped.

  “It wasn’t meant as one,” Fairfax answered. “From the aid package I have already put forward, I hope you can see that I and our parliament wants to work with you. More than that, we want to become partners. Yet if you refuse, all I am saying is that neither we nor the Indians will simply go away.”

  “In that case,” Pennington replied, “let’s assume for the moment we are willing to consider the prospect of becoming a protectorate. There are a number of issues I and my delegation will want clarified before we could ever agree on such a union.”

  “Then let’s negotiate,” Fairfax said with a smile. “Where would you like to begin?”

  “Let’s begin with the solar system,” Pennington replied. “Haven is not just this planet, it is the entire system. Our ancestors have devoted themselves to industrializing the system. The Vestarian attack and the Indian’s invasion may have damaged much of our orbital and system wide industries. Nevertheless, we would wish to have jurisdiction over the entire solar system and be given the opportunity to rebuild what has been destroyed. Just what control over the system will the Haven Council have?

  “The terms I have in mind will allow all system wide industrial endeavors to remain in the hands of the Havenite citizens or companies that currently own them. This would be backdated to stations and installations which existed prior to the Vestarian invasion. However, if the system comes under the rule of Parliament, then British companies would be free to invest in and develop new gas or asteroid mining operations.”

  “That will not be acceptable,” Pennington stated. “The Haven system must be left in the hands of the Haven people. I do not believe I could give my approval to anything less.”

  “Redeveloping the system’s industries will be essential in order to provide the raw materials needed to rebuild Haven and to build the new orbital battlestations the fleet intends to construct,” Fairfax explained. “If British companies are not allowed to invest in the system, how will these industries be rejuvenated so as to help with the redevelopment of Haven?”

  “If you are serious about the interest free loans, then any newly elected Haven Council can make such funds available to Haven citizens to rebuild much of our system wide industries,” Pennington answered. “Further, if as you suggest, Haven is likely to become such a vital trade node then it shouldn’t be too hard for our existing mining companies to attract investment from British companies. That way our system wide real estate will stay in Havenite hands while British companies will still be able to invest. Take Councilwoman Rodriguez for example. She owns one of the few remaining gas mining stations in the system. Luckily for her, the Indians didn’t destroy it. I’m sure she will be able to attract British investment to expand her station to meet any rise in demand for He3.”

  “She is right,” Suzanna said as Fairfax looked to her. “While I was on Earth a number of large British corporations approached me with development agreements that would allow them to mine helium in the Haven system.”

  “I will take your suggestions under consideration,” Fairfax said. “I’ll get my analysts to look at how quickly your people would be able to get the asteroid and gas mining industries back online with just the aid of British investment. If they think it’s achievable in a way that will not compromise the fleet’s intentions to make Haven impenetrable to Indian attack, then it is an area I would be willing to compromise on. What is the next topic you wish to discuss?”

  “Exploration and trade,” Pennington replied. “We can get into the finer details about just how much freedom the Haven Council will actually have tomorrow. For today, this is the second major issue I feel we need to agree upon before finer details can be discussed.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Fairfax asked.

  “First, Independence,” Pennington said. “What are your intentions towards our colony?”

  “Independence will remain under the jurisdiction of the Haven Council,” Fairfax answered. “It is your colony. You discovered it, you settled it and I think it fair that it remain under your control. There are two caveats though, one, the colony should be just as open to British citizens settling there as Havenite citizens. Two, once the population of the colony reaches one million there will need to be a vote on t
he colony’s future. The population will be given the option of either remaining under the control of the Haven Council or of becoming a British colony in their own right.”

  “So you plan to send as many colonists to Independence as you can so as to turn the colony British and steal it away from us,” Maguire protested.

  “No,” Fairfax answered. “You’re still not thinking of the bigger picture. It will take at least half a century for Independence’s population to reach one million, even if my government was to subsidize new colonists. If Haven becomes a British protectorate you won’t be able to stop the free flow of British citizens to your own planet, never mind Independence. It is my intention that in fifty years from now the lines will be so blurred between who is Havenite and who is British that it will no longer matter. In such a case, the people of Independence may be just as likely to vote to stay under the jurisdiction of Haven. They may prefer being ruled by a Haven Council less than ten light-years away, than a British Parliament based on Earth more than one hundred light-years away. I cannot predict what the future holds.”