Minerva: An Alicia Jones Novel 06

by D. L. Harrison

  At a quick glance there were sixteen humanoid species present right now at the table, so over half of the twenty-six treaty worlds had people here now. Of course, Senna and Nora were here representing Leira and Tressia. I also recognized Blue, who I presumed was the representative of Omara. Marlon was here for this world, but I also saw Jeran and Sylla, the governor of this world and his wife.

  That couldn’t be a good sign, as they all looked at us as we walked in and joined them around the table…

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jeran smiled and seemed to effortlessly take control of the room.

  “Alicia, thank you for interrupting your honeymoon to come speak to us. Perhaps you could set our minds at ease and go over what happened yesterday?”

  I smiled, “The latter I can do, I’m not so sure about the former. Al, put the data up on the screen, start from where we detected the Earth vessel, and increase speed through the boring parts.”

  There were a few chuckles, until the Earth ship came up in the hologram, with its galactic coordinates and heading. The trip and the long wait once the ship got there was fast forwarded through, perhaps thirty seconds for each hour, until the incident. At that point Al actually slowed it down to show the missile launch quickly followed by its destruction, as well as a detailed description of what effects the missile would have had on the planet.

  Then he showed the confrontation between us and the crew, which actually made me blush when I listened to my own angry speech. When it was finished there was silence in the room.

  Marlon sighed, “So Earth has offensive stealth vessels? There is no law against that, but since they only have one use there is an unwritten rule we all follow, that stealth vessels aren’t to be armed. What other purpose does one serve after all, but to attack a neighboring system and not get caught?”

  Jeran asked, “The display was nicely rendered, but can you provide us with the raw scanning data it was built from?”

  I frowned in thought, “No, I can’t.

  I waited for the murmurs to die down.

  “It’s a new scanning technology and is classified as a military secret. Besides, without context the raw scanning data would be complete gibberish.”

  It was true, it had taken weeks for Al to figure out which of the radiation frequencies meant what kind of element or energy, or even lifeform. Without subspace technology they’d have no way to verify it either, even if I supplied the translation database, which I had no intention of doing so. I already felt uncomfortable enough giving them this data, much less how I got it.

  Jeran frowned, “I can feel your honesty and know you wouldn’t lie besides, but other worlds will want the proof behind what you’ve shown. Is there any way you can at least verify your ability to see stealth vessels with this technology?”

  I tilted my head, “Al, where is the closest stealth vessel manned by Knomen, and what is its crew complement?”

  Jeran frowned, and his eyes widened when Al said, “There is a Knomen stealth vessel close to the house ship running scans to try and find it, unsuccessfully I might add. There are twelve Knomen aboard, six males, and six females. Three are on the bridge, two in engineering, the rest are in quarters.”

  There were a few chuckles around the table. I could swear Al had sounded a little smug.

  I shrugged, “The point of yesterday was to get the president of my old country on Earth to back off, or maybe even out of office.”

  Jeran shook his head, “Perhaps. We’ve been accepting of their youth, antics, and the fact there is no central government yet. Especially because Earth was instrumental in throwing off the yoke of the Knomen royal family. We owe them, and you, much. But the attack on your world yesterday, an attack that would have rendered a habitable world uninhabitable at best, and completely destroyed at worst, is not acceptable.

  “We all get the idea of black ops. We even play the spying game at times, but trying to destroy a world and pretend ignorance on the matter is not acceptable at all. Though I could wish there was more evidence on the matter, it is clear that you have the ability to do the things we’ve seen today. We’ve also verified that you do have six Earth humans in lockup on your station, wearing military uniforms.

  “I have no choice at this alarming matter, but to call for Earth to be quarantined, for breaking the treaty and attacking a neighbor. Perhaps in fifty years they’ll be more united and less… short sighted and petty.”

  Oh… crap. That’s what I’d been afraid of.

  Senna cleared her throat, “While I agree with you in theory Jeran, that might be premature. If there is truly no way to verify the raw data it will cause problems, not everyone will agree we should move on it. Even worse, what if the other twenty-three worlds in a treaty with Earth decides that it’s an unprovoked attack? They may defend the Earth and even come after us afterwards. I believe they would bow to full evidence, but without it we risk a galactic civil war. While I trust Alicia implicitly, others will not. Not on such a serious matter.”

  I don’t know why, but it never occurred to me that they might actually knock Earth out of space for fifty years. A censure, a warning perhaps, or I thought they might have even thrown Earth out of the treaty for fifty years, but still left out in space like the three worlds that attacked the Knomen. Of course, those three worlds hadn’t designed a stealth missile that could destroy worlds.

  Even though I thought that they probably deserved it, Earth was too split, selfish, and didn’t stand as one. It was a world where one person, or a handful, with too much power believed that they could ignore the laws of the galaxy as they ignored their own laws.

  But then my heart knew it was just a few corrupt people in government, the people of Earth were a good people, and they were my people no matter the color of my eyes. I looked over at Bill who was clenching his jaw.

  Nora spoke up, “There is also the practical matter that Earth clearly has technical superiority. I’m not sure that we could quarantine them from space for fifty years, not without Alicia’s help. I suggest we put that notion on hold, and contact the other treaty’ worlds and share the data shown, as well as the minutes of the meeting, and see what they do or decide about their recalcitrant member.

  “At the very least, I’d hope they’d kick Earth out of the treaty, and incur trade sanctions if not cut it off altogether, like we did for the three worlds that attacked Knomen. Perhaps we can discuss this again once that happens?”

  There was more discussion, but they all revolved around those same three positions. Quarantine Earth, don’t act at all due to the dubious nature of the evidence, and the middle ground Nora proposed of handing off the problem to the original treaty worlds. After about an hour of back and forth, the majority went with Nora’s suggestion, and the meeting minutes and data was sent to all the worlds of the other treaty, save Earth.

  I just stayed silent the whole time, it was like watching a train wreck. I half wanted to strangle myself, and half wanted to strangle the president. This wasn’t my fault, but I still felt partially responsible anyway, even if only because I was the focus of the president’s wrath and the driver behind her stupidity.

  Bill and I headed back to the hotel, I sent Kristi an FYI and a condensed version of the meeting, just to keep her in the loop. Bill looked angry, it wasn’t until we got back inside the privacy of our room suite before he finally spoke about it.

  “That’s bad. I’m not mad at you love, I’m mad that those that did this. They just… messed things up for over six billion people. Doesn’t Earth have fourteen more colonies in progress?”

  I nodded and not even trying to be sneaky about it started to give him a massage. I grinned as I felt him calm down at my touch.

  “I don’t know, but the colony worlds won’t be held responsible, no more than Athiren was for what the Knomen home world did. I imagine the other colonies will still be there. They may even allow colonists to move off Earth, the main concern I think is no military.”

  He sighed, “
What’s worse is they’re kind of right. Earth is a mess, at least its leadership is.”

  “Maybe, but all the worlds start with a similar history. Earth just… grew up way to fast. Earth isn’t worse or better than any other worlds, just younger.”

  He snorted, “And that’s all your fault.”

  I gasped, “Beast!” and then we both started to laugh.

  He shrugged, “Earth would have been under the Knomen’s thumb, it would have taken a long time before they’d been a strong power in space, long enough perhaps to learn how to handle that power, and become one people. Or they’d have put us back into the stone age. Overall, I think a fifty-year timeout, with technology, is better than what would have happened without you.”

  He frowned in thought, “Not to mention, the Bugs might have killed us all before that happened, if it hadn’t been for all you’d done before, which led you there both technologically, and socially.”

  “Who are you trying to convince?”

  He smiled, “You, I know you’re beating yourself up over it.”

  I shook my head, “Maybe a little, but mostly I’m angry at the presidents of the U.S. and Russia. And people like Sergei who followed those illegal orders despite knowing better for political expediency. Then all the idiots who don’t know any better come in last.”

  He snorted, “Was Senna right, is Earth that far ahead?”

  I nodded slowly, “Yes, the last round of shielding and weapons I gave them makes them much stronger. One Earth ship would be a match for sixty or so of any other world based on throw weight.”

  He frowned, “You know what that means right?”

  I sighed, “Yes. If it comes down to it, they’ll want me to lead the fight. Which, is unthinkable.”

  Now he was comforting me instead.

  He shrugged, “I’m on your side, it’s a rule. Something about better or worse?”

  I giggled, “In intergalactic peace or war?”

  He snickered, “Something like that, yes. Who knows, maybe it won’t come to that, but I have to believe our parents, Kristi, and even Nadia would agree. They screwed up and went too far. Wasn’t the treaty originally Earth’s idea, and didn’t they sign it? A fifty-year timeout almost sounds reasonable for attempted planetcide.”

  I snorted, “That’s not a word.”

  He drawled innocently, “It’s not? It should be. Planetcide has a nice ring to it.”

  I snickered, “I love you Billy.”

  He winked, and then returned the favor and massaged my shoulders.

  I relaxed into him, and we didn’t talk of anything serious for the rest of the day, but it hovered in the back of my mind the whole time. I just hoped the original treaty worlds would accept the smaller punishment of trade sanctions by just removing them from the treaty for fifty years. I also relaxed the distance thing I’d had going in my head all afternoon, and Bill’s emotions and thoughts backed up every word he’d said, he truly was in my corner, and just plain mine, just like I was his.

  Chapter Eighteen

  In my hopefulness that Earth wouldn’t be fully quarantined, I’d failed to take into account one very important thing.

  The Seltan, and their highly developed sense of honor. They had no special ties to Earth like I did, and I should have realized how they’d see it. Not that they were wrong.

  Bill and I had enjoyed a late morning walk behind the hotel, after we’d finally gotten up and had something to eat. When we got back, Marlon had been waiting for us, and we found ourselves changing again into something more professional to talk to the reps from the other worlds.

  I knew how very serious this all was, but I couldn’t help but feel a slight annoyance at my honeymoon being interrupted for the third day in a row. Bill seemed to take it better than me, I imagine I was more stressed about it because I was the point of contention.

  When we arrived, I was a bit surprised to see that Dral was actually here, in the room with us. Kristi was here as well, though only as a hologram in one of the chairs. The room was silent as we sat down, and I detected a nervous current in the room. It wasn’t Dral’s fault, but he was awfully intimidating.

  “Alicia, it is agreeable to see you again, though this is a dark reason. Without honor.”

  “Dral, what is it you wish here?”

  Dral replied, “I was asked by the others to come speak here. It was felt due to some bad feelings between the worlds of the two treaties, that my words would be the most likely to be trusted by you and the others. Earth has violated both the letter and spirit of the treaty, worse, they did it as thieves in the night in an attempt to destroy someone they owe much to.”

  He nodded his head at me, and then continued, “It is not enough to simply remove them from the treaty. Their offense, cowardice, and lack of honor is too grave for anything less than keeping them from space for fifty years. Perhaps they’re next generation will learn responsibility, and not follow in the footsteps of their parents. Regardless, the rest of the treaty worlds that Earth belongs to all agree. How can we possibly trust them, or know when they’ll make another cowardly attack from the shadows, and perhaps against another world? Maybe even a planet that cannot defend themselves as easily as you were able.”

  I suppressed the desire to squirm in my seat. I wanted to argue against it, but I really couldn’t. They did deserve it. Oh, not Earth as a whole, but Earth as a whole wasn’t in charge of the military. The idiots in the Whitehouse and Kremlin were.

  Worse, I had no access to the fleets anymore, I couldn’t just turn them off. It wasn’t like I saw this coming, or put a back door into the systems. There was no way Earth would just stand down either, they would fight. The idea that they would back down was ridiculous, the rest of us would protect them from attack, but they’d never believe it. The fact they wanted me dead so badly was proof of that.

  But, how could I possibly fight Earth?

  On the other hand, how could I possibly watch Earth massacre fleets of ships from forty-nine other worlds. And they would, there was no doubt next to me they were the power in this galaxy, thanks to me no less. Even with a half million of the Seltan ships they would win rather easily.

  Talk about a crappy decision. It made the Bug decision look like no decision at all.

  “What do you want of me?” I asked in a quiet voice. It was the only way I could be sure it wouldn’t crack.

  Kristi’s supportive look almost made me cry, I would have if I could have felt her presence.

  I felt trapped. Trapped by the morality my human parents had taught me, and the inventions and breakthroughs I had made. I felt trapped by the sureness of every humanoid race agreeing that Earth had stepped out of bounds, this wasn’t just me on a power trip because Earth had pissed me off. It was easy to see all the worlds agreed. The only objections yesterday had been if the other treaty didn’t agree, and was willing to start a war on behalf of Earth.

  Clearly, that hadn’t been the case. Whether they were really all that idealistic, or if they simply followed the Seltan’s lead because of their ship counts, and maybe part of it was they feared what Earth may do to them, but it had apparently been unanimous.

  The idea of going against Earth made me feel sick. Maybe it would be better in the long run, if they took a step back and grew a little? Not back to the stone age, thank god they were safe from that as were all the worlds with the Knomen empire gone, but as all the worlds agreed, simply ejected out of space, where people like the president couldn’t be a danger to galactic peace.

  Just because they were paranoid, and control freaks. Why couldn’t they have just left me alone?

  Dral’s reply was expected but I still had to suppress a flinch.

  “We would like you to join with us when we demand their surrender, and remove all of Earth’s military assets from orbit to the edge of their solar system.”

  Kristi smiled at me sadly, “Sorry Alicia. I’m on board, but I didn’t want to commit our world to that without your input. I’m comfortab
le running things while your away, but declaring military action is something else entirely.”

  Her eyes begged me to forgive her, for forcing me to make this decision.

  I couldn’t blame her, of course I forgave her. I was just amazed she was okay with doing this at all, even under my orders. I sure as hell wasn’t, or at least, I was highly conflicted. Of course, when we saved the planet, we didn’t do it to make them king of the hill in galactic dominance, we’d done it to win their freedom. It was hardly our fault they’d pissed that away. As usual, Earth and humanity was both the hero and the villain over the past years.

  I nodded, “Alright, when are we going?”

  Dral said, “Eight hours.”

  I blew out a breath and nodded, “I’ll be there.”

  After that, the meeting broke up and we went back to the hotel, and to our shuttle which returned us to the home ship. Just seconds later, we were landing in the landing bay on the Minerva station, which took a minute to pressurize before we could get out of the ship.

  Bill squeezed my hand while we waited, and I also gave a few commands to Al sub-vocally.

  Really, my only hope was to get Earth to surrender, which I knew wasn’t a very likely scenario. If we actually fought, and I killed humans, I’d wither and die inside. Some would call it the price of power, and shrug their shoulders. I didn’t think I could do that. How did I get here?

  Bill asked, “You okay?”

  I smiled faintly and squeezed his hand, “I’ll survive. Maybe we can actually have an uninterrupted honeymoon when this is over,” I said lightly, but the joke fell flat.

  Bill shrugged, “Eventually it will happen. You’re worth the trouble.”

  I raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

  He nodded mock solemnly, “Absolutely, you have the cutest butt I’ve ever seen.”

  I giggled, “You’re terrible.”

  He agreed with aplomb, “Terribly enamored of that cute…” I cut him off with a whap to his chest.