First Principles: Samair in Argos: Book 3 (80 page)

              “We were never in any danger, Colonel,” Paxton protested. 

              “No, I suppose not,” he said.  “But it bugs me that someone who pushed that plan would get to retain his position after a giant mess like that one.  I want to find out who thought up that plan and launch them out a missile tube.”

              “All right, sir.  I’ll look into it.”  He pulled out a datapad and made a note.

              “So we’re actually going ahead with this?” Hyacinth Cresswell demanded.  “You’re actually advocating this?”

              The administratory council had been in session for nearly six hours now and tempers were frayed.  All twelve of them had shouted and argued and there had even been one attempt at a filibuster.  It was not a tactic that was typically employed, but Councilor Wren from the Natoth Sectors was trying to hold up the meeting and delay a vote, hoping that the rest of the councilors wouldn’t be able to shout him down before they got so frustrated they simply quit this field of battle.  After two straight hours of talking utter nonsense, it was his own stamina which failed him, and he collapsed back into his chair, puffing and sweating.  The meeting returned to topic shortly thereafter.  The pull of increased trade, profit and taxes, not to mention a potential mutual defense pact between the two star systems, was enough to keep all of them at least interested.

              “I call for a vote!” Harmon Kly yelled, jumping to his feet. 

              “Seconded!” Sebastian Chakrabarti said, standing as well.  Hyacinth growled, grinding her teeth, but she had no choice.  A vote had been called.

              “Very well,” Triarch Kozen’ck replied, looking to the group at large.  “All in favor of sending a delegation to Ulla-tran, under escort, to hammer out trade relations with their government?”  Eight hands raised, including his own.  “Opposed?”  Only two hands rose; Hyacinth Cresswell had crossed her arms over her chest, and Wren was too busy trying to remember how to breathe.  “Very well, the motion carries.  We will be sending a delegation.”

              “If I may speak, Councilors?” Colonel Gants asked, raising a hand.  The zheen gestured to him.  He stood, looking at the various people in the room: four humans, two zheen, five lupusan, and one Severite.  All of them were now staring at him, because out of all the people in the room, for the entire six-hour stretch, he had said not one word the whole time.  “So there’s been a firm decision: ships and a delegation are going to Ulla-tran.  I understand that there are five cargo ships that are scheduled to leave in less than a week.  I put forth that it might be a good idea, from a public relations standpoint to bring these ships along with us.  This way, it looks as though we’re bringing with us treasures and trinkets, things that the Ulla-tran people will be salivating over.”  There were some noises of interest; glances were exchanged.  “I also think that if possible, we should get a load of FP’s gadolinium to sell.”

              “Do you think Samair would sell?” one of the councilors asked.

              “To us or to them?” another replied.

              “Continue, Colonel,” the Triarch said, cutting across the chatter.

              Gants nodded, clearing his throat.  “Anything that we can use to soften the blow of our arrival I think would be beneficial.  In addition…”  He paused, taking the temperature of the room for a moment before he resumed.  “In addition, I believe that the best way to get the point across to these people is to send a serious symbol.  You need to send
Leytonstone
to carry the delegation.”

              “What!”

              “Are you insane?”

              “Councilors!” Gants said, raising his voice over the crowd and waving his hands in a downward fashion to try and get them to calm down.  “Think about it!  From what we know of the Ulla-tran space defense forces they don’t have anything even close to what we do.”  They quieted down as that point hit home.  “So if we come in with
Leytonstone
at the head of the task force, what kind of impression will that send?”

              “That we’re an aggressive star nation looking to conquer?” Cresswell asked dryly.

              Gants tipped his head to the side, acknowledging the point.  “I’m sure there will be some that think that.  But it will be up to the delegation, up to
you
,” he said, his gaze sweeping over all of them, “to show them that this was all a grand gesture.  You want to show them the power and the strength that our star nation has and what a benefit it will be to join with us.”

              There were more murmurs.  “What about the defense of this system?” Kly asked.  He didn’t sound as though he was demanding answers, he sounded genuinely curious about what the Colonel was going to say.

              Gants picked up his datapad.  “I have given this a great deal of thought while we were in transit back to the orbital station.  I believe that to show the proper amount of strength and give enough protection to the convoy, as well as maintain enough strength back home, my senior staff and I came up with this.”  He pressed a control and the holo projector in the middle of the table activated.  “My battlecruiser will lead the way, but we’ll be bringing the destroyers
Solstice
and
Equinox
, as well as three corvettes from planetary defense.”  He waited a moment for that to sink in.  “That leaves us with two destroyers,
Curroth
and
Revenant
, as well as three corvettes and the two defense cutters.  This also ignores all of the FP ships that they have at their facilities.  I believe that we can count on them to be part of the defense for this system.  I know that now that they have finished the destroyers, they are working on four more corvettes.”

              “Yes, two for the military and two more for their own uses.”  Triarch Kozen’ck replied.  “Though I think they might be coming to the end of the number of ships they can comfortably afford.”  The others looked at him and his antennae flicked.  “Sorry, Colonel.  Please continue.”

              “We will be keeping the 102
nd
Army Regiment aboard
Leytonstone
for security, which will also be going out for diplomatic security as well, unless you feel another unit would be better,” he went on.  “Though I don’t believe it to be a good idea to bring along any extra ships for troop transport.  Five hundred soldiers should be more than enough to handle anything we come across and if we need more, well, that’s what the ship’s armament is for.”

              “You make a compelling case, Colonel,” Kozen’ck said, gauging the temperature of the room.  From the looks he was seeing, it appeared as though most of the council was sold on this idea. 

              “I can’t say I’m thrilled with the idea of sending the
Leytonstone
away,” Cresswell said sourly.

              “No one is,” Chakrabarti said.  “But this is a good move.  One that might cement a serious relationship between our two star systems.”

              “Are you sure?” she pressed, waving the colonel to his seat.  Gants sat down.  “Think about it in reverse.  A flotilla of warships shows up in our system and says that they want to talk, to negotiate?  What would our response be?”

              “We’d certainly stand up and take notice,” Kly said pompously.  “Far better than if we send in one or two ships, or that flotilla without the
Leytonstone
.  Those bastards over there would probably think they could take the convoy without the big ship in there.”

              She scowled at him.  “And what do we do if this pirate lord that FP keeps railing about shows up when
Leytonstone
is gone?”

              But Kly wasn’t having it.  “You just don’t like the idea that someone else came up with a winning strategy before you.  Something that might benefit the whole system instead of just Hyacinth Cresswell.”

              “Are we really playing who’s more popular right now?” Sebastian demanded.  “We have a serious trade negotiation coming up.  There has been a majority ruling…”

              “Well then,” she retorted hotly, getting to her feet.  “Since the
council
has decided, then I guess you don’t need me here.  I’ll leave this important business in all of your very capable hands.”  She threw up her hands in disgust and stormed out.  If the hatch had been able to slam behind her it would, but the door simply slid open and then closed silently behind her.

              “Now that
that’s
over,” Kly said with a smirk.  There were some uncomfortable murmurs from the others at the table, though two of the lupusan flicked their ears in amusement.  He turned to the Triarch.  “I would like to be put in charge of the delegation that’s going to Ulla-tran.”

              There were sparks of interest from the others.  “You want to head up the delegation?” Kozen’ck asked.

              He started to get angry.  “And why shouldn’t I?  I’ve been on this council for twenty-two years.  I have more experience than two thirds of the members here.”

              “Yes that’s true,” Chakrabarti replied.  “Except for the Triarch, myself and Arathos, you have the longest service with the admin council.  That’s why I would be honored if you would join the delegation, as my second.”

              There were mutters and gasps around the table.  “What?” Kly asked, sounding suspicious.  “Your second?”

              “The Triarch and I discussed this before we ever came into this room,” he explained, looking the picture of calm professionalism.  “It is within his rights to select an agent to speak for Seylonique in a situation like this, without council approval.”

              Kly ground his teeth, but then suddenly brightened.  “Very well.  I’m very happy to join your team, as your second.”

              Sebastian blinked at the sudden change in the other councilor’s demeanor.  “Good.  Then I’m glad to have you on board.”

              “I also would like to join,” Tekren, one of the lupusan, the youngest of the group, said, raiding a hand. 

              “Glad to have you on board,” Kly said, beaming.  It was as though he’d just received a promotion to Triarch.  None of the others seemed to know how to handle this.

              “Are we decided then?” Kozen’ck asked, sweeping his head from side to side.  There were nods of assent, although a couple of the members seemed reluctant, but everyone seemed agreed.  “Very well then.  Colonel, how long until your ship will be ready to travel to Seylonique?”

              “I’ll need to gather the ships together, top off fuel, supplies.  The freighters are going to be ready, when, in six days?”  Sebastian nodded.  “Then that should be all the time we need.  I’ll contact the ship captains as well as Ms. Samair.”

              “Samair?” Kly asked.  “Why do we need to talk with her?”

              “I mentioned before that it might be a good idea to bring something that we know will sell.  The high level tech goods that the freighters are packing will do well, but a shipment of gadolinium?  Even a small shipment will demonstrate that we’re serious players.”  He shrugged.  “And Samair is the one who has the biggest supply.  Wouldn’t it be better to include her in what is going on, instead of trying to strong arm her or buy it out from under her?”

              There were nods around the table.  “You make a great deal of sense, Colonel,” Kly replied, eyeing the man as though for the first time.  “Are you thinking of going into politics?”

              Gants chuckled.  “No, sir.  I am at the highest level I ever want to be.  Command of the
Leytonstone
is my dream and I’ve no desire to give her up.”

              “Thank you, Colonel.  I’ll put out a request to speak with Ms. Samair,” Triarch Kozen’ck said.  “You can go, I’m sure you have a good deal of preparations to make before we leave.”

              He picked up his datapad and stood.  “Thank you, Triarch.  Councilors,” he said with a nod and briskly exited the conference room.

              Kozen’ck waited until the door slid shut behind the man.  “Sebastian, Harmon, Tekren.  Now, you’ll be bringing aides, but keep that to a minimum.  There is already going to be a large showing of force, I don’t need to display just how many staffers you all are and thus how important you all are.  What is important here is hammering out an agreement, a treaty, whatever we can get.  But I want something ironclad that both sides will agree to that will keep our shipping safe.”  He buzzed.  “Yes, and theirs as well, though there is no reason to worry about that.  We can assure them that no one is going to harm their ships.  We’re all friends out here in cold space.”

              “So, I want to spend the next interval working out the deal.  What the terms are that we’re willing to negotiate.”  The others settled into their seats and the meeting began in earnest.

              “You want me to do,
what
?” Tamara demanded, looking at the zheen councilor’s face on her comm display.  She was seated at her desk aboard
Moxie-2
, which was still docked at the orbital station.  She had been catching up on paperwork, and had been on comms with several of the people in the admin level looking to secure office space.  There were three possibilities and she was trying to make up her mind about which one.