Tides of Mars (Omnibus Version)

by Ben Winston

  “Your father returned to the Estate last night to speak with the Commanders of the U.S. Marine unit outside the shield. He is still in negotiations with them, and mKail reports that things seem to be going well. He has a plan to use the Veterans Administration to seek out former military personnel for recruitment as well as use his former contacts that are still in the military.

  “Lady Alexis has asked for permission to have the architects draw up plans for a larger landing facility to accommodate Terran aircraft, as well as Imperial craft. She has also made inquiries to purchase as much of the surrounding lands as possible. That way, when the United States Government finally does approve the Estate as an Embassy, we'll already have enough room for expansion.

  “The missile pod modifications have been drawn up, but Tara wanted to run them through the simulator a few times before she sent them out to the pods. I acted on something you said earlier. During this upgrade process, missile pod manufacturing is being transferred to a small section aboard the Mars orbital facility which is being expanded to accommodate their manufacture.

  “I decided not to send it to the lunar facility that is building the Customs buoys, thus keeping what could be considered a civilian project from becoming a military one. The missile pods will be able to take data from the buoys, but I thought it best to keep the two projects separate,” Cole explained.

  “Good thinking. We had an idle crew out there too didn't we?” Ariel asked.

  “Actually, no, we didn't. I had to reassign a crew from the massive residence project being started there. Some of the Terran scientists have asked that the new city be named Helium in honor of Edgar Rice Burrows' novels. Although I didn't see the harm in the naming, I transferred the request to your data store,” Cole continued.

  “That's fine. I'll most likely allow it, but I wonder if I shouldn't let the people that are going to be living there name it. It'll be their home, at least for the short term. How are the refugees doing?”

  “As well as can be expected for now. It would be very well received if you could make time to visit some of the ships, though. They could use the boost in moral it would give them, and frankly, so could the Empire,” Cole replied.

  “I understand, Cole. I can deal with the other stuff en route and in between stops. Please plot a course for a tour of the ships. I'll talk to Sean and Cr'ale about it so they don't panic. I wish we could go get mKail first, but I need her on Earth doing what she's doing,” Ariel said.

  “I'm sure she'll understand, Ariel,” Bri'tell added as they passed each other by the small cleaner.

  “Cole, can we be back on Earth by the end of the day?” Ariel asked.

  “We could be back on Earth in less than an hour, Ariel. But that's not what you asked is it?” Cole said.

  “No, I meant duty wise. Can we make it back there by this evening?” Ariel asked.

  Cole was unusually silent a moment, and Ariel was tempted to reach for her answer even though she had never violated his privacy once she learned she could.

  “Yes, our ETA at House Parker is set for twenty-one hundred local. I've passed the word for the guardians to assemble there inside the shield. I am also passing a message to Colonel Janis requesting he warn the Marines of the impending landings. We can make this work,” Cole replied.

  Ariel sent her friend loving thoughts and Bri'tell smiled at the ceiling. “Cole, you are the greatest. Thank you.”

  “You're very welcome. If I may, I would suggest skin suits under duty uniforms for both of you today. We want people to know who you are, Ariel, but in this case, I think flashy would be the equivalent to a 'shoot here' sign,” Cole suggested.

  “In other words, pretty much my normal wear. I'm beginning to miss my old blue jeans and tennis shoes,” Ariel mused.

  “Well, you could always walk around in just the skin suit again. I know it sure made an impression last time!” Bri'tell said, teasing her.

  “That wouldn't be a good idea, Master Chief,” Cole said without missing a beat. “If she were to do that, I'm afraid the entire fleet would follow us back to Earth!” There had been humor in his voice, and Bri'tell burst out laughing.

  “You're both incorrigible!” Ariel said, laughing with them.

  Neither Cr'ale nor Sean were very happy about Ariel's decision to visit the refugee ships, but they understood her efforts. Therefore, when she left the ship, she had a full complement of Imperial Marines on board.

  Ariel had planned on working in the common room like she normally did. However, because of the extra Marines, she was forced back to her quarters. Bri'tell entertained the troops.

  “Okay Cole, what time is it in New York City?” she asked.

  “Shortly after nine in the morning. It should be possible to contact the Secretary General now.”

  “Thank you, Cole. Please make the call, how soon will we depart from the Divine Light?”

  “In about fifteen minutes. The last system diagnostic discovered an issue in fire control. It should be fixed by then,” he replied.

  “Well, why are the Marines all stuffed in here, then? Let them out for a few, but make sure they don't get in the way, please.”

  “Will do. The SecGen's Aide apologizes for the delay, but the SecGen hasn't quite made it to her desk yet and asks if we could hold for a few more moments. She feels this call is urgent, but is simply indisposed at the moment,” Cole informed her.

  “That's fine, Cole. Just let me know when she's ready for me. I hope she knows I'm not actually a diplomat,” Ariel said a little nervous.

  Cole said. “I’m sure they don't know anything about us, Highness. However, since you are a nominal head of state from her point of view, I assume she'll treat you as such. Just relax, and be your normal self, and you'll do fine.”

  “Do you have the survey reports from the Centauri system yet?” Ariel asked.

  “ABCsysRep in your datastack. It looks really favorable,” Cole replied. “Also, Sean asked if we could award Wendy and Taylor their shields at the guardian meeting tomorrow.”

  “Are their new ships ready?” Ariel asked.

  “They are undergoing acceptance trials this morning, and will be making the jump back to Earth around noon. The Admiral said she would bring down their Marines when she comes.”

  “Tell Sean that sounds like a great idea, however, I want both Wendy and Taylor to make a stealth approach and landing. Ask Admiral Gr'eis if she can spare a squadron to try to detect them. I'd really like to know how well the new tech works, since we've been too busy to test it,” Ariel asked.

  “The SecGen is ready for you, Highness.”

  “Thank you, Cole. Please put her on,” Ariel replied.

  In front of Ariel a holographic screen appeared, with the image of a middle-aged Caucasian woman, who bowed her head when she saw Ariel. “Good Morning, you’re Majesty. Thank you for returning my call so promptly.”

  Ariel smiled at the Australian accent. “It's the least I could do for putting your entire organization on the spot like that, without warning. I do hope your people can forgive me for that.”

  “The simple fact that you apologized to them at all will win them over.” Miranda Peterson had been Secretary General long enough to know which Leaders were insincere buggers and which weren't. She smiled when she saw that this young woman most certainly was sincere.

  “Highness, the reason I'm calling is to request, on behalf of the Security Council, that you send a diplomat to, uh, represent you. I have been assured that full diplomatic immunity will be extended.”

  “I was actually expecting that, Madam Secretary. However, at the moment, I don't have any diplomats. Because of the war, we're mostly military up here for now, except for a few million refugees. However, I will do my best to find someone to fulfill that capacity as soon as I can.

  “By your careful wording, I imagine every country currently represented wants to open negotiations with us for some kind of treaty, am I correct?” Ariel asked.

  “Yeah, the
dingo's caught that scent pretty quickly. I don't think anyone gives any weight to the threat you mentioned, because all they seem interested in are trade treaties. However, the United States would like to discuss your embassy here,” Miranda said.

  “I'm afraid they'll be giving the threat serious consideration in a little over forty hours. Can we set our titles aside for a moment?” Ariel asked.

  “I'd welcome it. I have to deal with them all day long,” Miranda replied smiling. “Please, call me Miranda.”

  “While my Minister of Protocol would have a cardiac event if he ever found out, please call me Ariel.”

  “Your secret's safe with me, Ariel,” Miranda said chuckling.

  “Miranda, in a little over forty hours, enough mass will be dropping out of hyperspace to destabilize our Sun. I could give you the details, but you don't have anyone down there that has the knowledge of hyperspace physics to accurately make sense of it.

  “Riding heard on that bomb is an enemy fleet of almost equal mass. We believe we can stop the bomb, but the fleet will arrive, and they will attack. That fight will be visible with the naked eye from Earth. As things stand right now, by those mass figures, my forces are heavily outnumbered. However, we do know a few things about the enemy.

  “Most of the force we'll be fighting are captive slaves. There simply aren't that many experienced men in the Enemy fleets that are loyal to their cause to man all the positions needed to fight a war. So we do have a few tricks and surprises planned, but it's going to come down to a slugging match between the Cruisers.

  “That is the threat we are facing; all of us, not just my forces. Now, as I tried to explain the other night, according to Imperial law, this sector of space is my responsibility to defend, and, technically, I already own all of it and all the people are my vassals.

  “I grew up here, so I'm not going to push the subject unless forced to. The 'embassy' we have here is land I actually, legally purchased as a citizen of this planet. It's private property. I am simply asking the US to respect that, and in turn we will do our best to not make waves any more than necessary.

  “As I said, we don't have any diplomats at the moment, and I tend to speak my mind pretty much all the time, which makes me a poor one. I need to use that land, and I will. I would much rather not have to worry about our people hurting themselves trying to stop us. We will not fight back, we don't have to. We are not threatening anyone, unless they are being stupid. Can you understand all that without taking offense to it?” Ariel asked.

  Miranda nodded. “Yeah, I can. I didn't get to where I am today by not being able to see all sides. As I said, most of the herd want to make trade agreements to gain technology. The US is blustering because they aren't the biggest kid on the block anymore. They actually haven't been for years, but no one has had to rub their noses in it before now. May I ask if you would consider any of those treaties?”

  Ariel shook her head. “No, they have nothing we need, and anything we offered in trade would be too advanced for Earth. No, outside of humanitarian aid, and the occasional slapping of someone who needs it, we'd leave you pretty much alone. The only difference now will be you know we're here.”

  “Really? How long have you been here? Uh, I mean...”

  Ariel chucked. “That's okay Miranda, I understand. My mother, the late Dame Estelle Parker arrived on this planet in February of eighteen ninety-two. At the time of her death, she was a hundred and ninety Imperial years old.

  “Before that, a Guardian would make a patrol through this sector every twenty to thirty years, which usually included landing to give their ship time to get a good sampling of the news and technology of the planet. Once you entered the industrial age, it was decided that a Guardian would be dispatched to take up station here. Duchess Guardian E’telle du Aldus Forward volunteered and became Dame Estelle Parker,” Ariel explained.

  “So what happens when you win? Will we be absorbed into the Empire as your vassals?” Miranda asked.

  “Well, to be honest, I haven't actually thought that far ahead yet. Personally, I don't think Earth's ready yet. The nations are still ruled by petty corrupt men and women. It's hard to see what's going to happen down there simply because you've been rather abruptly dropped into the middle of this mess. Hell, Miranda, we have no idea what kind of Empire we're even going to have left once the smoke clears up here,” Ariel said, looking tired.

  Miranda watched the beautiful young woman on the screen carefully. She really did worry about her duty, and the things it has forced on her. She had always been a good judge of character, and every instinct she had was telling her this woman was something very special.

  Miranda was strictly heterosexual, but there was something about Ariel that was magnetic, attractive on an instinctual level. In a way she was glad this woman hadn't decided to come down and deal with the animals in person, yet she also had little doubt who would come out on the top of that pile.

  “Ariel, can I ask you a personal question?”

  Ariel looked a little taken off-guard, but shrugged. “As long as you don't mind if I chose to not answer it.”

  “Fair enough. How old are you? You mentioned Dame Estelle being a hundred ninety,” Miranda said.

  Ariel smiled at the woman. “I'm actually really as old as I look; Twenty standard Earth years old. But as I said, Mother was One Ninety in Imperial years. Because of advanced technology and a few other things, humans in the Empire tend to live much longer than is the norm here on Earth.”

  “Oh, so how old was she in our years? You said she arrived here at the last turn of the century, so she would have been at least that old.”

  “She was well into her fourth century by then, and still healthy enough to give birth to me. My Grandfather, The Emperor, is over three hundred Imperial. Out of respect, I didn't convert it!” Ariel chuckled.

  “What kind of person is he? I think one of the biggest worries is that this Empire is ruled by the creepy robed figure from Star Wars that shoots purple lighting out of his fingertips,” Miranda asked.

  Ariel laughed. “He hasn't seen that yet. No, he's sweet. He can be ruthless when he is forced to be, but I've seen him trying to control the senate before they started this war. He did everything in his power to try to help the people, but they stopped him at almost every turn. He knew people were suffering, and it was tearing him apart that he couldn't help them.”

  “So what changed, what made the Senate start this war?” Miranda asked.

  Ariel sighed. “I think I did.”

  “I'm sorry, how could you be responsible?” Miranda asked.

  “In a lot of ways, Imperial law is like Earth or Terran law concerning dual citizenship. When Estelle came here, she wasn't pregnant. But when she had me here, I became a citizen of this planet, as well as of the Empire. Of course, until just a few months ago I had no idea about the Empire as I was raised by adoptive parents.

  “Now, because I am from here, I am not subject to the Laws of the Senate, only the laws of the Empire. Since I am an Imperial Princess, and Heir to the throne, I had access to a lot of resources and options Cr'ale simply didn't have. Basically, I was going to lead a rebellion against the Senate, but not the Empire,” Ariel explained.

  “Wait, weren't they the same thing?” Miranda asked.

  “Yes and no. According to the treaty of D'tare, the member kingdoms gained a voice in the newly formed senate. At the time, it was the only way to keep the warring kingdoms from killing each other off. Most importantly, entire planets were starving to death, while half a sector away they were burning excess crops. The treaty of D'tare was penned in an attempt to save the people that were suffering and dying at the hands of greedy unscrupulous leaders.

  “Unfortunately, the treaty had been made in haste, with little forethought. Over time, the senators managed to take most of the power away from the Emperor, and give it to themselves. Even that would have been acceptable except that those senators were just as bad, or in a lot of cases, even worse
than those bygone leaders that signed the treaty.

  “While the Emperor had control of the Imperial Military, the Senate had control of all the supplies. It was a deadlock until news of my existence made it to the Empire. Baron Altrov of the Free Trade Alliance was the nominal leader of the senate, and pretty much controlled all commerce in the Empire. When Cr'ale came here to officially name me heir, Altrov came with him.”

  As Ariel began telling Miranda about Altrov and his cronies, Cole interrupted her.

  “Forgive me, Highness. We are docking with the liner, Brer'ant Fleur. They will be ready to receive us in five minutes.”

  “Damn, thank you Cole. Miranda, I'm sorry, we're going to have to finish this another time. Duty calls,” Ariel said smiling sadly at the other women.

  “I understand, Highness. When next you are in New York, please, come and see me. Perhaps you can finish telling me this over dinner,” Miranda said, surprising herself.

  “I would honestly like that, Miranda. But in the interest of fairness, I think I should warn you that I'm already spoken for,” Ariel winked. “However, don't be surprised if I don't take you up on the meal as a friend.”

  “My apologies, Highness. I have no idea why I asked that,” Miranda began.

  “Miranda, I'm Ariel remember? Besides, I'm not offended. Quite the contrary, I'm very much honored and flattered. But there's no law that says we can't be friends. But I really do need to run. These folks have already had a hard enough time of it, I don't want to make them wait on me.”

  Miranda smiled. “Thank you. If you need anything from us, please let us know. In the meantime, I'll do my best to handle the negotiations for you. You know, I think you are the first person I've ever met that actually deserves the titles and honors you bear. Good Luck, my Princess.”

  “Thanks and Good Bye, Miranda,” Ariel said, and closed the connection.

  Galactic Majesty Cruise Lines, Brer'ant Fleur.