Ephialtes (Ephialtes Trilogy Book 1) (38 page)

The president
arrived five minutes late.  If it had been anyone else Andrews would have
left, impressing on the tardy that her time was so valuable she couldn’t
squander a single moment.  But since it was the president she waited
anxiously, rereading her briefing papers until the door to Conference Room 2
swung open and the president breezed in.

He didn’t
offer an apology for being late.  He strode to the head of the table,
greeting Andrews and Farrell along the way, and sat down.  “What do you
have for me?” he said.

Andrews
gripped her papers with both hands.  She noticed she was doing it and
consciously lay the papers down on the table before beginning.  “Mr
President, we have some new intelligence from Mars, raising some very important
questions.”

Cortes looked
surprised.  “There was nothing in the intelligence briefing this morning.”

“We’ve only
just finished working through this, sir.  One of our best analysts
finished this report not yet an hour ago.”

“I see,” said
Cortes, stonily.

“Well, the
analysis shows that the Martians have armed themselves.”

“Missile
bases.  I know, it’s a minor military matter.  I’ve been assured that
they will offer no serious threat should we need retake surface facilities.”

“That’s true,
Mr President, but we also now believe they have an orbiting missile platform,
which presents a number of new difficulties for us.”

Cortes rubbed
his chin.  “New difficulties.  What are they?”

“A defensive
platform in space would obviously present a threat to
Ephialtes
.”

“So what are
you saying?  That we have to back off?”

“No, Mr
President.  But before we can put
Ephialtes
in orbit we have to
take the missile platform out.”

“So we go all
that way for some robust diplomacy and the first thing we do when we get there
is attack a Martian installation.  That makes us look like aggressors,
right?”  He directed the question to Farrell.

“We’re not
the aggressors here, sir -”

“Goddammit, I
know that!” said Cortes.  “I’m asking you what this is going to
look
like!”

Farrell
looked chastened, and he momentarily stumbled over his words as he
replied.  “Sir, it needn’t look like that at all.  In fact, we can
show that Mars has acted aggressively toward us.  We would clearly be
acting in self-defence.”

“Aggression
to us?  What are you talking about?”

Andrews stepped
in.  “Two days ago the orbiting Martian missile platform destroyed a USAN
satellite.  It was an unprovoked attack, without warning.”

Cortes
slammed a
fist
down on the table.  Farrell
jumped, and struggled to cover it.

“Why am I
only hearing about this
now!
  I’m the goddamned
president!”

Andrews kept
cool.  “Mr President, we’ve only just completed our analysis.  This
is the earliest we could inform you.”

Cortes’ eyes
narrowed, and he jabbed a finger at Andrews as he spoke.  “I am the
commander-in-chief.  When my forces come under attack I expect
to know immediately.  Not at the next meeting, not when the report has
been tied up with a pretty little bow.  Immediately.  Do you
understand?”

“Yes, sir,”
said Andrews.

Cortes sat
back in his seat.  “Jesus!  So they’re attacking our hardware
now.  What about
Otus
?  Are you any
further with that?  Was that them?”

“All we know
for certain at this point is that
Otus
was
deliberately destroyed as the result of a very sophisticated sabotage. 
The investigation is ongoing, but obviously the Martians would have to be prime
candidates.  They have the motive and they are one of few entities who
might have the means for such an attack,” said Andrews.

Farrell cut
in.  “We don’t have anything concrete on that, sir.  We’re following
up some leads at the moment.”

“Following
leads, nothing concrete.  What do I pay you people for?  Did they
destroy our ship or didn’t they?  They’re attacking our other
vessels - thanks for letting me know, by the way - so
you can bet your asses they’re behind it.  Sons of bitches!”

“Our
satellite was destroyed by Martian missiles in a deliberate act of aggression,
Mr President.  It’s more than possible they destroyed
Otus
,
too,” said Farrell.

Cortes
thought.

“That takes the
aggression off us,” offered Farrell.  “If we have to destroy their
orbiting missile platform -”

“There’s no
if.  It’s a real and present threat to
Ephialtes
, and it has to go
before we can bring her to bear on any negotiations,” Andrews cut in.

“If we destroy
their missile platform we will clearly be acting in self-defence
following at least one but probably two unprovoked Martian attacks on USAN
vessels.  It doesn’t look bad on us.  In fact, given the level of
provocation they’re exposing us to, it would be a very restrained response,”
said Farrell.

Cortes placed
a hand on the table and absentmindedly drummed on it as he spoke.  “How do
we do it?  When do we do it?”

Andrews
adjusted her glasses.  “
Ephialtes
has her own missile
batteries.  As soon as it’s in range she can take out the Martian
platform.  It should be a straightforward task, militarily.  I take
it we have your approval?”

Cortes
nodded.  “Of course.  We can’t put
Ephialtes
at risk. 
And we’re responding to aggression, not initiating it.  The platform; is
it manned?”

“We don’t
think so.  We can’t say for sure, but it would seem unlikely.”

“Okay. 
Take it out.”

“Yes, Mr
President.”

Venkdt’s
PA burst breathlessly into his office. 
Venkdt was seated at his desk.  He looked up, shocked.  “You need to
hear this, sir,” she said, and tapped her comdev.

“What is it?”
said Venkdt, concerned.

“Just a
minute.”  She fiddled with the comdev until the wall next to her came
alive with an image of Cortes’ head and shoulders.  Just visible behind
him were the flags, one on either side.  “Watch,” said the PA.  She
back-scrolled the footage to the beginning.

“My fellow
Americans.  The loss last week of our capital ship
Otus
and its crew was a terrible occurrence.  I watched the streams, like many
of you, with a heavy heart and tear filled eyes.  It is my unfortunate
duty to tell you now that the preliminary investigation into this disaster has
made some very disturbing discoveries.  It is believed that the loss of
our great ship, and of so many of our sons and daughters, was due not to an
accident but a deliberate act of sabotage.  The investigation is at too
early a stage at present to suggest who was responsible for this savage act,
but in the fullness of time we will find out.  We will not rest until the
wrong-doers are brought to account for their crimes.

“The proud
Otus
, as you know, was setting off for the distant
planet of Mars, where the interests of peace and fraternity are under grave
threat from those who would cast aside the rule of law and allow the reign of
anarchy.  That noble task now falls solely to
Otus
’
great sister,
Ephialtes
. 
Ephialtes
has cast off the bonds
of Earth and as I speak is travelling at hitherto unimaginable speed towards
her task on the other side of our solar system.

“We do not seek
conflict with the people of Mars.

“We seek a
peaceful resolution to a jurisdictional dispute, and restoration for the crimes
committed against our government and institutions.  We go to Mars in the
spirit of reconciliation.

“Earlier this
afternoon I received confirmation that one of our prime spacecraft in Martian
orbit has been destroyed by a deliberate and premeditated Martian attack. 
I have to tell you now; such aggression will not stand.  We will not
accept or tolerate attacks on USAN property or personnel.  We will respond
firmly.

“Two of our
ships have been cynically destroyed in the last ten days.  Such
manoeuvring against us cannot be allowed go unanswered, nor will it.  I
have sent Charles Venkdt, the leader of the Martian insurrection, a proposal
that he stand down immediately and submit himself to the mercy of our courts,
so that no further action need be taken on our part beyond restoring order to
the Martian polity.  Should Mr Venkdt fail to accede to this request we
will have no other option but to restore order by force of arms.

“The loss of
Otus
has yet to be attributed.  The loss of
Ares-H 17
was a deliberate attack on the USAN military, and as such can only be
viewed as an act of war.  The leaders of the Martian revolt have brought
war to us.  Excepting for the immediate submission of Charles Venkdt and
his illegitimate government, we will respond in kind.

“Thank you.”

Cortes
stepped away from the podium and out of shot, and the image quickly changed to
a young reporter who started jabbering.  The PA tapped her comdev and the
image disappeared.  Venkdt continued looking through the wall where the
image once was.  “Well?” said the PA.

Venkdt
shrugged.  “Well,” he said.  He toyed with a pencil on his desk. 
“Does any of that sound remotely plausible to you?”

The PA
fidgeted.  “What part?”

“Any of
it.  Is it likely that we’d have the manpower, skills or desire to
sabotage a USAN capital ship a hundred and forty million miles away?  That
we’d want to provoke the best armed nation on Earth?”

The PA didn’t
answer.

“Is it even
plausible that the USAN would send a military force to attack us?  Would
they do that?  Really?”

The PA
thought.  “They have just successfully prosecuted a war.  Maybe the
thought of one more little skirmish is okay to them?”

Venkdt threw
his hands up slightly.  “I don’t know what to say.  Is he
kidding?  You know, a bluff?”

Again, the PA
didn’t answer.

“I want
people to know that we are not attacking USAN ships.  We’re just
not.  And we’re not going to be pushed around on the point of some
populist frenzy, whipped up with downright lies and misinformation.”  He
paused in thought.

“Can you get
the word around that I will make an announcement tonight on the official presidential
stream?  That is set up, now isn’t it?”

“I believe it
was set up last week.”

“Okay, I’ll
be doing a live stream tonight at 19:00.  Presidential or Venkdt, if it’s
not available.  Can you get word around?  Particularly news
aggregators on Earth.  We have to set this straight.”

“Yes, Mr
Venkdt.  How long is the stream likely to be?”

“I don’t
know.  Say five minutes?”

“Okay. 
Will you need anything to prepare for it?”

“I don’t know
that, either.  Maybe.  Get me Kostovich.”

Venkdt’s
stream was the number one recommended item for
its timeslot on the aggregators, beating even
When Kittens Attack
.

“My fellow
Martians, people of Earth.  The people of Mars recently decided to take
command of their own affairs.  This was a momentous step, and one not
taken lightly.  Obviously, there are some who object to the new
arrangement, on moral, political or legal grounds.  We acknowledge those
concerns and continue to work through them.

“I
personally, and I’m sure I speak for my fellow Martians here too, continue to see
the USAN as our mother country.  We bear the USAN no ill will.  In
fact, we feel a great bond of kinship, expressed through our shared history and
continuing business and family relationships.  We share a common culture,
a common language and common values.  We seek to deepen these bonds as we
move into the future.

“The Martian
government has recently been accused of some heinous acts of aggression against
the USAN.  I am speaking to you tonight to refute those allegations in the
strongest terms.  We are a peaceable nation, and we reject outright the
calls of those who would reach for the sword rather than seek to resolve our
differences through mutual dialogue and conversation.

“I would like
to make this point absolutely clear.  The tragic loss of the USAN ship
Otus
was in no way connected to any actions by
Martian forces.  I can state that for you categorically.  Mars is a
friend to the USAN, and will continue to be so, despite the current
difficulties.

“President
Cortes has called for the democratically elected government of Mars to step
down.  It would be doing a vast disservice to the Martian people, who
voted with an overwhelming majority for independence, to comply with this
request.  We are made of sterner stuff than that.  I call in return
for President Cortes to open diplomatic channels that we may discuss our
differences, of which there are many, and work towards finding common ground,
that both of our great nations might grow and prosper in peace.