Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Turmoil (20 page)

Loren still didn't
know what to say.  "Is this good or bad?" he finally asked.

Elco pursed his lips
as he thought.  "I really don't know."

"Why do you
insist on bringing Avenger here again?" Senator Dennix asked Tana Starr
from the other side of his desk.  She noted that he'd been edgier, more
suspicious since Enric Shae had been dispatched with much fanfare for his
'treaty talks' in Priman space.  Without having his minion to lean on, Starr
noted, he'd become much more nervous.  That could be used against him if need
be.  Enric Shae was on a Priman mother ship deep in Enkarran territory learning
more about Priman history and their plans, minus the part about complete and
total subjugation of everyone who stood in their way.  He was being subtly
indoctrinated during his time with them, being treated well with the intent
that he would become more malleable and cooperative than Dennix had become. 
There were plans to install Shae as their governor over Confed space if Dennix didn't
stay with the program, and Shae's time in Priman space was being put to good
use.

"First off, and
most importantly," Starr began wearily, for this wasn't the first time
she'd had to explain herself and sure as the sun burned hydrogen it wouldn't be
the last, "we need to take Avenger out of action for as long as we can. 
We tried ordering her to a backwater world and she still involved herself in
matters that interfered with us.  So, parking her in orbit around Delos takes
her out of the game.  There's nothing I can do about the Lemurian technology
she's bringing in, but perhaps I can find a way for you to get a look so we can
start working on countermeasures.  Second, you need to start getting some of
your conspirators to look into charging Avenger and her commanding officers
with disobeying orders or something that will tie them up here."

"How do I do
that?" asked Dennix.  She couldn't tell if he was being defiant or
incompetent; the difference was immaterial.  His days were numbered.

"You seriously
need me to think of everything for you?" she replied with disdain, letting
anger creep into her voice.  "They got involved in a military conflict
between my people and a third party, one you have no mutual assistance treaty
with.  They're not a member world of the Confederation and you were under no
obligation to help them, and yet your three captains involved themselves in a
battle at the request of a Lemurian military officer, not a representative of
their civilian government.  As a result, we lost ships and people in what
should have been a simple police action where there should have been zero
Confederation presence.  Need I remind you that the Confederation and Primans
are involved in treaty talks right now?  It's a very public spectacle, your
reports from Mr. Shae that you give the people every few days.  And while
you're talking to us about a cease-fire, your military engaged in combat
against us.  Does that not seem like a problem to you?"

Dennix stiffened at
her words.  While he knew it was a sham, the peace talks were central to his
designs to stay in power.  "That task force wasn't aware of the talks
before they dispatched for their mission," Dennix replied weakly.

"They should
have been," Starr replied instantly.  "Regardless, here's what you're
going to do."  She collected herself for a second, then continued. 
"Have one of your Senators start a movement to charge your three captains
with disobeying orders, perhaps operating outside the scope of their commands. 
Whether it sticks or not, they will be tied down here.  But I'm telling you
this: I want an investigation into those three ships.  We'll being them here
and you can congratulate them and tell their captains what a great job they've
done, then one of your lackeys will ambush them with the charges and we'll see
how long we can tie them up.  If I can't destroy them or their crews in
combat," she conceded, "at least I can keep them off the front
lines."

Representative
Ravine stood somewhat nervously in front of the hatch to the Commander's office. 
She had returned with the battered remains of her force to the Callidor system
and had presented herself to the Commander for a debriefing, and was now
preparing herself to be ready to answer any questions he may have.  She felt as
though she'd failed, even though operationally the responsibility belonged to
Captain Vol.  Still, she had to answer for her inability to pacify all the
targets on her list as well as her force's destruction at Lemuria.

Finally, knowing she
could do no more to prepare herself, she touched the key on the door frame that
signaled the Commander he had a visitor.  Here in his inner sanctum in the
government complex, there were few people who would call on him directly.

"Enter,"
came the Commander's voice through a hidden speaker on the panel where the
buttons were.

Ravine did as
instructed, the door swishing closed behind her and sealing her in.  She walked
confidently up to the Commander's desk, which was expansive, polished to a
shine, and free of any objects on the surface.  The Commander himself sat in a
modest chair behind it, big enough to hold him but not overly stuffed or
adorned.

She stood rigidly at
attention before his desk and waited.

"Representative,"
Commander Tash began neutrally, remaining seated comfortably, "you are
here to report on your mission."

"Yes,
Commander."

"Well, then,
have a seat," he gestured to the chair she stood next to, and after a
moment's hesitation she reluctantly did as asked.  She wasn't sure she should
appear to be relaxing so much, especially considering her performance, but she
wasn't going to argue with the Commander either.

"Obviously,"
Tash continued, "your mission did not go as planned.  I read the formal
reports, but I wanted to hear your insights firsthand."  He sat there,
patiently waiting.

Ravine resisted the
urge to shift in her seat, something that would be seen as nervousness and not
befitting a future Commander such as herself.  "My mission went well
enough until Lemuria, Commander," she proceeded slowly, building
confidence in her actions as she spoke.  "We encountered a combined
Lemurian and Confederation force, and the short version, Commander, is that we
lost.  I could go making excuses and analyzing every order given, but in the
end the results speak for themselves."

Tash nodded slowly,
impressed with her for taking blame where appropriate.  Now, the trick was to
let her learn but not dwell on failure.  "And what did you learn from
this?" he asked.

Ravine hesitated. 
Again, she wasn't sure how much freedom she had to speak.  Was she expected to
criticize a decision that the Commander himself might have made?  Well, she
would have to learn to stand by her decisions, so she decided to just tell him
what she'd seen.  "I believe there are several issues we could address,
Commander," she said, sitting even more upright and rigid, if that were
possible.  "The Confederation, as do most navies in this galaxy, possess
varied ship types suited to different tasks.  Our time in exile necessitated a
simplified shipbuilding program of one or two ship types, but my time here has
made me realize perhaps we need to do the same with ours.  We faced a
battleship, heavy with firepower and defensive abilities.  We faced a stealthy,
maneuverable hunter/killer that was hard to hit, and another that was a general
purpose vessel such as ours are.  They had fighters and advanced torpedo
technology.  I would humbly suggest we investigate something similar."

Tash smiled
approvingly.  She had promise, that was for sure.  Now, he'd have to make sure
she didn't go getting too bold until he was ready to step aside in his good
time, for ambition in a future Commander was cherished, but it would also make
him nervous, considering how he himself had ascended to command.

"You'll be
please to know we've addressed some of these issues already," Tash
replied.  He appreciated the way her eyes widened at his response.  "You
already know about our anti-fighter Reaper units.  We are also developing what
the locals would call battlecruisers; our heavy cruiser spaceframes modified
with more offensive weapons and fewer secondary systems.  They will be slower
and less versatile, but they will fill a certain class of ship which we lack.
We are also building escort carriers; it's a term employed by the local
inhabitants.  We are gutting the insides of heavy cruisers and outfitting them
with hangar bays for fighter craft.  Our future fleets will be much more
rounded."  He paused before continuing, a bit regretful that he'd have to
lie to her about the next assignment she wold receive.

"You'll also be
pleased to know we have a plan in place to attempt a rescue of Representative
Velk."  This time, he was not as pleased to see her expression.  There was
clearly a bit of hero worship in her, and he realized he was right not to give
her the exact details.  "You will be my point of contact with Tana Starr,
an operative I have in the Confederation government.  She will be heading up
the rescue.  You will provide her with anything necessary should she ask.  When
the mission is complete, she will signal you for extraction."  He slid a
data chip across his deeply lacquered desk's surface.  "There are already
assets in place, and this is everything you will need to know.  Just provide
any assistance she asks for, and hopefully we will have our Representative back
soon."

A few more details,
and the meeting was over.  As soon as Ravine left, Tash leaned back in his
chair and tried to clear his mind.  There would be a rescue, since the Council
had mandated it.  However, Tash still couldn't allow Velk and his more measured
and tolerant attitudes towards the inhabitants of the galaxy to return and
build support.  He would become a rallying force to all those who believed the
best answer was not in fact extermination or assimilation, but something more
accommodating.  He just couldn't have it.  So, during the attempt to leave the
planet, Starr would arrange for Velk's ship to be destroyed; she'd plant a bomb
that would vaporize it, and the Council would be none the wiser.  But first,
she'd have to find out if Velk had any accomplices or plans against Tash and
his own agenda.  And she'd get to use any means necessary to do so.

Three days later,
Avenger, Majestic, and Cobalt appeared on the outskirts of the Delos system,
capital of the Confederation.  They made their way to the naval yards among the
vast asteroid field halfway into the system which separated the solid planets
from the gas giants.  Cobalt was directed right into a repair slip where the
special tug that had pushed her through hyperspace separated and left without
fanfare, for there were other vessels also in need of her services.  Captain
Rese joined Captain Montari on Majestic and formed up with Avenger to head into
Delos orbit.  Normally, the captain would stay with a damaged ship upon arrival,
but the request from the Governing Committee was not to be denied; Rese's XO
would handle the preliminaries until she returned.  Captain Montari's XO would
also be remaining behind on the ship while he himself went down to Delos. 
Avenger, having been in the most serviceable condition, was in the capable
hands of her chief engineer.  During a brief comm exchange between Elco and the
captain of Majestic after leaving the repair yards, Montari had been unusually
quiet.  A quick private message from Captain Rese had followed explaining that
the yard engineers had informed Captain Montari that Majestic was to be
decommissioned and scrapped for parts, her damage deemed too vast to reasonably
repair.  Elco had never lost a ship himself, but having fought his share of
engagements he could only do his best to understand what it would feel like to
be told your home, your command, was going to be broken up for parts.

Elco and Loren had
then found themselves in a Freedom class transport riding down from orbit
towards the center of Delos's government district.  There was a large military
airfield there dedicated just to moving personnel around the capitol, and
Captains Montari and Rese were in a transport not far behind.

The captain and XO
were both dressed in their highest class of shipboard uniform, a step up from
the more utilitarian jumpsuits and integrated vests most crew wore on the job. 
The uniforms they wore had separate pants, with a tunic and matching jacket and
polished boots.  Both wore their ribbons and campaign badges as well as
sidearms.  It wasn't a dress uniform, but it was presentable in almost any
situation.

"Ever meet the
Governing Committee?" asked Elco conversationally to Loren. 

"Nope,"
Loren replied quickly.  "Never had any such desire to, either."

"Still, it's an
honor; a good career-booster," Elco pressed.

"I really don't
believe you seriously mean that, Captain," Loren tried his best to remain
nonconfrontational to his friend and captain, but the man had to know Loren's
own opinions by now as well.  "These people, headed up by the man we
rescued from the Primans, I might add, are responsible for alienating our
allies the Talarans, micromanaging our military, messing with our funding,
subtly altering laws and rules to gather power to their office, and I'm halfway
to thinking they ordered us into that ambush over Anderson that wiped out seven
Crusaders, very nearly Avenger among them."  Loren stopped to try to calm
down and take a breath.  "On the other hand," he continued, "maybe
this is a good thing.  I'd sort of like the chance to slap some sense into
those people."

Elco chuckled
humorlessly.  To be sure, he'd had to consider the same reasoning, but couldn't
come up with why there would be a conspiracy to destroy Confed naval vessels. 
"Well, until they're voted out of office," he continued grudgingly,
"they still get to call the shots."