Triumph's Ashes (The Cassidy Chronicles Volume 5)

by Adam Gaffen

  Knowing she’d only have to come back to it later but welcoming the respite, she stood and made her way towards the front of their headquarters. Caitlin and Sharon were dancing excitedly while Nour simply stood with a satisfied expression.

  “What’s going on here?” she asked.

  “The Federation!” squeaked Sharon.

  “What about them? Come on, settle down.”

  “They recognized us as the legitimate government of Artemis,” said Nour.

  “What?!”

  “Here,” she said, handing over a piece of permaplast.

  “’The Terran Federation is committed to peaceful coexistence with its neighbors,’” Autumn read. “’Even after the unprovoked attacks in December 2118 and January 2119, we engaged with Artemis in an effort to settle our differences amicably. For many months we negotiated, honestly and openly, hoping to find common ground. For our troubles we received more attacks, both with the use of force and the abuse of the legal system. Through it all we have learned, from people knowledgeable of the inner workings of the Artemesian government, of the abuses heaped upon the citizens of Luna. We have learned of the Political Rehabilitation Centers, the unjustified killings, the suppression of free speech and dissent, the ruthless control exerted by a corrupt regime. We have learned of the demands Artemis placed on its co-equal partners in the Solarian Union to advance their own agenda, and the cost in people and treasure those demands exacted. Demands which were so outrageous and unsustainable, demands upon which Artemis was so inflexible, that two members of the Union withdrew and joined with the Federation. When we were approached by a group committed to restoring to the Artemesian citizens their freedoms guaranteed under their own Great Charter, we investigated. And we discovered this group had the plan, the personnel, and, most importantly, the commitment to see their revolution through to the end. Accordingly, today, July 6, 2120, the Terran Federation, through unanimous consent of all three members, recognizes the government led by Autumn Newling as the legitimate government of Artemis. We pledge our support unreservedly to the establishment of this government to its proper place in our family and will be providing them political, economic, and military aid as needed. We offer the current, disgraced regime a final chance to disband and allow for a peaceful transfer of power, overseen by the United Earth Government as a neutral party should they be willing. Signed, Kendra and Aiyana Cassidy, Tamara Kumlien, and Kyra Smith, for the Terran Federation.’ Holy hells,” she finished.

  “The biggest blank check anyone could wish for,” Caitlin agreed.

  “There’s more. Codes and direct channels. Apparently Chief Stone and Mac left us some backdoors into the LunaNet, as well as a Q-Net transmitter. It’s been hidden here the whole time,” Nour finished, just a bit bitterly. “That alone gives us secure communications.”

  “Certainly going to help,” agreed Autumn.

  “Do you think the Primus will listen?” said Nour.

  “Not a chance. My cousin will never voluntarily surrender power, not even within her family, and certainly not now the Federation has officially thrown in on our side.”

  “Well, then,” said Sharon. “I think I need to get on that, what did you say, Nour? Q-Net? I should probably introduce myself to their military equivalent of me. I suspect things are going to get quite interesting around here.”

  “KILL THEM ALL.”

  “First Councilor, that’s not practical. Not all of our citizens support the rebels. In fact, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find that only a minority are acting against the legitimate government, with the rest unsure of how to resist. Killing them would be exactly the sort of injustice the rebels accuse us of!”

  Phalkon seemed reluctant but conceded the point with a nod, and Pitt continued.

  “Additionally, even if they are all against us, the population of the warrens under New – under the rebel’s control is over thirty million. Killing them would plunge our economy into a depression we may never recover from.”

  The Empress, tellingly, stayed out of the debate between her new First Councilor and Councilor Pitt.

  “Why? Thirty million useless traitors would be purged from the system, no longer draining your Treasury.”

  Pitt shook her head in frustration.

  “How would you kill them, First Councilor?”

  “I don’t know; ask Atkinson.”

  “Councilor Atkinson?”

  The Defense Councilor was prepared for the question, more or less.

  “There are a few possibilities, but the one with the greatest chance of success involves orbital nuclear bombardment of Tycho Under and the other rebel warrens. This is simultaneously the fastest and most certain method of dealing with them.”

  “And what happens to the warrens?” Pitt asked.

  “Eh? They’re destroyed, vaporized.”

  “And all the goods, and wealth? Bank of HKL holds how many billions of deposits; when their systems are destroyed, and the loyal Artemis citizens come to us to ask about their money, what do we tell them?”

  “The fortunes of war,” Phalkon replied.

  “And then we have rebels within Artemis City. How will that end, do you think?”

  Phalkon considered. “You may have a point.”

  “I know I do.”

  “Very well. Councilor Atkinson, what other methods are at our disposal? Methods which are less destructive to infrastructure?”

  “Well,” he temporized. “If we can gain control of their air supplies, we can shut them down. It would take some time, perhaps a few weeks. The warrens all have their own emergency air reclamation systems, and the smallest habitations wouldn’t be affected, but that would take care of most of them.”

  “Weeks? Unacceptable.”

  “If we introduced a chemical or biological agent into the air supply, or the water supply, we could manage it more quickly. Few agents are completely effective, though, so there would be survivors.”

  “Time frame?”

  “The most potent nerve agents, a few hours, at most.”

  “That is acceptable.”

  “Unfortunately, we don’t keep such agents on hand,” Atkinson added before Phalkon could get too enthusiastic.

  “Can we acquire them?”

  “I don’t know, First Councilor. We can make them but, again, that will take time. Weeks, at least, to make them in quantity.”

  “There are some governments on Earth which have stockpiles of such things,” Pitt said. “Even some which would be sympathetic to our cause.”

  “I suppose, then, it falls on me?” Phalkon said.

  “It is part of your portfolio,” Pitt said without any sympathy at all.

  Newling spoke for the first time in the meeting.

  “Phalkon, get the information you need from Pitt, then start contacting those countries. Atkinson, start preparing whichever agent will be most effective, but it must be one you can have fully prepared in a Lunar.”

  “A Lunar? Empress, this pestilence must be eradicated now!” Phalkon exclaimed.

  “Do not presume to tell me what must happen, Councilor.”

  “I beg your pardon, Empress; I did not mean to offend.”

  Newling waved a hand, accepting the apology.

  “I only meant, Empress, we should expedite our efforts to stop this rebellion. Councilor Jones can certainly attest to the need to act quickly when faced with issues like this.”

  Jones picked up his cue. He might resent Phalkon’s unexpected elevation to the primacy within the government, but he wasn’t foolish enough to try to face her openly.

  “Empress, dissention is like a cancer. When it’s small it’s easily excised, yet difficult to detect. When it’s grown large, like this has, it’s immediately obvious to anyone, but then the problem becomes one of removal. My people haven’t heard any significant rumblings from the citizens of Artemis City, not since we reined in the Simon Jester organization. I believe we can maintain the status quo for a Lunar.”

 
And placing all of our own informants into the dummy organization was a stroke of genius on the rebels part, he admitted to himself. When the order had finally come to apprehend Jester’s membership he had been stunned to discover how many were undercover agents from the former Ministry of Security. Most of the remainder were well-intentioned idealists or, as he tended to think of them, idiots. That’s not to say they weren’t all enjoying the finest hospitality the Intelligence Council could provide, but so far all the information they’d extracted had led them in circles, back to their agents.

  “Thank you, Councilor,” the Empress said. “Phalkon, get those agents. Atkinson, prepare whichever you can within the Lunar we have. I also want you to create a plan for nuclear bombardment, despite Councilor Pitt’s objections. Councilor Jones is absolutely correct; dissent is like a cancer. Sometimes it is necessary to cause pain to the body to remove the cancer which would kill it. Also. Jones.”

  “Empress?”

  “Concentrate your efforts on penetrating the Federation’s data network. We have an agent inside who may be able to provide us great benefit, but we need to be able to contact him.”

  “Yes, Empress.”

  “First Councilor.”

  “Empress.”

  “Arrange a meeting with your counterpart from Mars, and include Councilor Atkinson.”

  “I serve, Empress.”

  “Phalkon, with me,” she commanded. “The rest of you may go.”

  “SHE DID WHAT?”

  “We have been invited to help broker a peace treaty between the Federation and the Union,” said Hartman.

  “We can’t do that,” said Lynch. “Our obligations are squarely on the side of the Union in the current dispute. That’s what Lehman’s memo said, at least.” He nodded in Lehman’s direction.

  The UE’s General Counsel had moved far more swiftly than Hartman had hoped in researching the Union’s demand for assistance. The General Secretary had gotten personally involved and was sitting in on the current meeting, as well as the head of the Reconciliation Directorate. Hartman, though she was effectively more powerful within the UE, was going to have to tread extremely carefully if she didn’t want her involvement with the Federation to surface.

  Lynch was exactly the sort of bastard who would dig it up, too.

  “All I am saying, Mr. Lynch, is that we can’t be seen favoring one side over the other, especially in a dispute in which we’re supposed to be neutral.”

  “Pardon me, Ms. Hartman, but how is fulfilling our obligations favoring one side over another?” Baytes asked now. He was elderly, having started his career in the UN. He turned his persistence and a consistency of performance into his elevated position, rather than any great talent. He was naturally suspicious of any commitment which required innovative thinking, not being skilled at it himself.

  “Secretary Baytes, whether our obligation is to support Artemis, or the Union, or not, we are engaged in a battle of perceptions. The Federation has made it abundantly clear through this conflict they are the aggrieved party, not the Union. And the public believes it. However justified the Union’s request, and our requirement notwithstanding, we need to tread carefully or we will lose the popular opinion. Need I remind anyone how fatal that can be to the ability to govern?”

  Lynch shook his head.

  “I’m a simple soldier and don’t understand any of this popularity crap. I have a job to do, as I can see it, and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. The rest is someone else’s problem.”

  “Your clarity of thought is appreciated, Mr. Lynch,” Baytes said. “What, exactly, do you see your job as being?”

  “Providing military and logistical support to Artemis in their struggle against their rebellion. If they can prove that the Federation has had any role in inciting the rebellion, then we’ll follow the Union’s lead in bringing them to justice. The principle of self-governance is sacrosanct within the UE, after all. We can’t permit it to be blatantly disregarded.”

  Hartman didn’t quite gasp.

  “You would wage war against the Federation?”

  Lynch shook his head.

  “No, not at all. Our mission would be only to apprehend those responsible for destabilizing the government of Artemis and encouraging, fomenting, the current rebellion. I said nothing of war.”

  “And how would you propose apprehending them?”

  “Again, Madame Director, I am but a simple soldier. Perhaps Director Cockerham’s people could request the Federation turn over the accused?” Lynch’s voice dripped innocence but Hartman knew the venom behind it.

  “That sounds reasonable,” Baytes pronounced. “Who are these people?”

  “I’m not sure I know,” Lynch said. “Madame Director? You’re far more familiar with this than I.”

  “It’s in one of the appendices,” she said, stalling.

  “The specifically named parties are Kendra and Aiyana Cassidy, Tamara Kumlien, Anne Marie Lusardi, Kyra Smith, and then a host of other positions without names,” Lehman provided. “I’m quite familiar with the document in question.”

  “I know the first two names,” Baytes said. “I don’t think there’s a person on the planet who hasn’t heard of the Cassidys. Who are the others?”

  “Kumlien and Lusardi are citizens of the Asteroid Miner’s Guild; Kumlien the Moderator, their chief executive, and Lusardi a Representative. Smith is the President of the Titan Colony.”

  “Why are they included?”

  “According to the complaint,” Lehman said. “They were instrumental in proving to the rebels that withdrawing from the Union was possible and thus provided encouragement to their activities.”

  “That seems rather tenuous,” Hartman suggested.

  “It’s a valid legal theory,” countered Lehman. “If you break the law and get away with it, it encourages others to do the same.”

  “But was leaving the Union illegal?”

  “I’m not certain,” Lehman admitted. “I am less familiar with their internal workings than their treaties with us.”

  “Please investigate,” said Hartman. “And what are the Cassidys accused of?”

  “Instigation, providing material support, seditious activities, that sort of thing.”

  “They’re not citizens of Artemis!” Hartman objected. “They have no jurisdiction!”

  “That’s a question the Court of Justice would need to decide, Madame Director.”

  “What do you mean by positions without names?” said Baytes, who had grown impatient with the exchange.

  “They ask for their director of intelligence, operatives who have been active on Artemis, personnel who participated in what they term ‘illegal acts of aggression’ against Artemis forces, and the like. The captains of their starships, for example. Or their pilots. Conceivably, anyone who worked on any project which facilitated the Federation’s ability to project force against Artemis.”

  “That’s thousands of people!”

  “Potentially,” agreed Lehman.

  “That’s preposterous!”

  “Again, and with respect Madame Director, it’s a question for the Court of Justice.”

  “Mr. Cockerham. I want you to get on this, immediately, and personally. Talk to these Cassidys, convince them to submit to UE justice. Promise their safety if they should do so.”

  “As you say, Mr. Secretary.”

  “Please don’t take offense, Mr. Cockerham. Mr. Lynch, assume our effort for peaceful resolution fails. Prepare to do whatever is necessary to secure these people before the Union can. We may be able to take the high road here and appear to be protecting all parties if we act swiftly and decisively enough.”

  “Yes, Mr. Secretary. The only problem I foresee is lifting our forces into position; the company which does most of that business is owned by the Cassidys.”

  “I can see how that might be an issue,” Baytes said.

  “There is a project which Director Hartman has been overseeing which may provide
a solution. I’d need access to it, however.”

  Oh, no he didn’t! thought Hartman.

  “Whatever Mr. Lynch needs, Ms. Hartman, give him.”

  “Of course, Mr. Secretary,” she seethed.

  Lynch smirked.

  “Thank you for your cooperation, Director,” he said. Blandly.

  “Let’s make this problem go away,” said Baytes, ending the meeting.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Habitat Njord

  “Zeus strike me down,” Kendra swore.

  “Titania’s tiny titties,” added Davie.

  “How accurate is this?” asked Kyran. “I don’t know Hartman, but could this be some sort of probe to get us to show our hand?”

  Montana answered as Kendra and Davie were still quietly swearing.

  “We’ve confirmed the information,” she said. “Multiple sources, humint and AI.”

  “Damn,” they replied. “I was hoping it was a fishing expedition. What’s our move?”

  “Let’s go over the ask again,” Kendra said.

  “They’re going to request you, Cass, and a bunch of others turn yourselves over to the UE for extradition to Artemis for trial for sedition. That includes me,” Davie added. “If we don’t turn you, us, over, then they’re going to use the ships you’ve been building, the ones meant to take on Artemis, against the Federation.”

  “Not going to happen,” Kendra said, echoed by Kyran and Montana.

  “How long can we stall?” asked Kyran.

  “Cris? Can we scramble their systems?”

  “Probably. That’s a question for Mac, but I think Harpo’s up to the challenge. Harpo?”

  The security-minded Alpha-class AI, who was always listening for his name, answered.

  “Director?”

  “You pulled the information from the UE files.” It wasn’t a question.