The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian (33 page)

His smile slipped. “The bottom line is there’s a vast amount of uncertainty. Three alien races, and one wants to talk with us. No one wants to start fighting the Syndics again, but the Syndics are taking advantage of that. Your intentions are still critically important and just as subject to interpretation as ever. Your fleet got shot to hell, but you won some important fights. That reminds me. How are you paying for all of this repair work? I haven’t heard a single squawk from the budget bean counters.”

“We’re effectively utilizing all available resources,” Geary said.

“Ha! The less I know about that the better. Oh, one bit of good news. Nothing has leaked so far about those freighters from Midway and the role of Captain Bradamont except the official and acceptable-to-almost-everyone reports that Syndic ships came to take some Syndic prisoners off our hands. I don’t think anyone who knows more has figured out how to use the information.” They had reached a high-security hatch. Admiral Timbale pointed inside. “Good luck.”

“Tanya, will you keep an eye on things out here while I’m in there?” Geary asked.

“Why did you think you needed to ask?” Desjani saluted. “Tell them you want a day off.”

“I’ll do that.”

The delegation of the grand council once again awaited him and Rione from seats behind a long table. Geary recognized some of the faces but not others. He was glad to see Senator Navarro among them and cautiously optimistic at the sight of Senator Sakai. Balanced against them were Senator Suva, who had never made any attempt to hide her distrust of Geary and the fleet, and Senator Costa, who rarely bothered to hide her contempt for Senator Suva or her willingness to do anything she thought necessary. Geary wondered if Costa, who had once pushed for Admiral Bloch to command the fleet despite knowing (or perhaps because she knew) that Bloch was considering a military coup, had been in contact with Bloch since the Syndics had returned him in hopes of further destabilizing the tottering Alliance government.

“Why is she here?” Senator Suva demanded, pointing at Rione, before any greetings could be exchanged.

Navarro gave Suva a sharp look. “Among other reasons, because Victoria Rione was appointed an emissary of the Alliance government during Admiral Geary’s mission.”

“That was when the Callas Republic was part of the Alliance,” Suva said. “Since we heard just before leaving Unity that the Callas Republic has formally requested to leave the Alliance, a request which must be automatically granted under the terms by which the Republic joined the Alliance, this Rione is no longer a citizen of the Alliance.”

All eyes went to Rione, whom Geary had spotted flinching slightly at the news of the Callas Republic’s intentions. But Rione maintained a bland expression, raising one hand as if asking for the attention she already had. “In that case, I should like to request that the grand council grant me asylum.”

The resulting silence lasted until Navarro, obviously trying not to smile, spoke. “You wish to become a legal resident of the Alliance? That might be classified as refugee status.”

“Or defection,” Senator Costa remarked. She didn’t seem amused at all. “Or treason against the Callas Republic.”

“The warships of the Callas Republic,” Geary interjected, trying not to get angry so soon into the meeting, “fought loyally and well for the Alliance. Even if the Callas Republic is not formally part of the Alliance any longer, I still consider them friends and hope they think of us in the same way.”

“Why then did you send those ships away?” brusquely demanded a short, thin senator whom Geary did not recognize.

“They needed repairs, which the Callas Republic should provide, and they deserved some time at home after so much time away and so many sacrifices,” Geary said. Expecting to be asked that question, he had gone over his response quite a bit to try to get it right.

“Senator Wilkes,” Sakai said to the small senator before he could speak again, “we must focus on the issue at hand. As to the matter of Emissary Rione, I would point out that she was invited to this meeting as the person who can tell us the most about the aliens known as the Dancers since she is the person who has had the most interaction with them.”

“The Alliance,” Navarro added pointedly, “needs that person.”

Suva, clearly unhappy, turned her attention to Geary. “We’ve read your report. You were sent on a mission of exploration.”

“That is what I did, Senator,” Geary replied.

“You started two more wars!” Senator Wilkes said. “You were sent to explore and learn, but you started two more wars.” He paused as if waiting for applause.

Senator Navarro grimaced. “The record is pretty clear that the enigmas have been fighting humanity since long before we knew they existed. Admiral Geary didn’t start anything with them. From the official reports, he in fact tried to stop further fighting and negotiate with the enigmas.”

“Those records are from the
Syndics
, Senator.”

“Not the records from
our
ships, Senator. They show us trying to talk, trying to resolve things, and the enigmas persisting in attacking.”

“Even
if
the enigmas would not speak with us,” Senator Suva said, “and given the probable actions of the Syndics and provocative actions by our own forces—”

“Provocative actions?” Senator Costa asked. Geary had learned enough to know that Costa was not so much defending him as reflexively attacking Suva.

“We entered space occupied by them without permission—” Suva plowed on.

“Didn’t
you
push for Admiral Geary’s fleet to be given that exact mission?” Costa needled.

Geary wondered whether anyone would notice if he got up and left the room. The senators were all locked in verbal combat now, each shouting over the others.

“I really didn’t miss this,” Rione commented. She rested her right elbow on the palm of her left hand, lowered her chin into her right hand, and closed her eyes. “Wake me up when they’re done.”

“You can sleep through this?”

“It beats staying awake through it.”

A sudden lack of noise caught Geary’s attention. He looked toward the table, where the various senators were all glaring at each other but no longer yelling. Senator Sakai, standing, was looking down at the seated senators with an expression that as usual revealed little but this time somehow conveyed disapproval. “Was there a question for Admiral Geary?” Sakai asked as he sat down again.

Wilkes spoke up first, chastened but still aggressive. “We are now at war with
two
other species. I trust no one will argue that? Why was our first encounter with the bov-ursoids a deadly battle?”

“Bov-ursoids?” Geary asked. “You mean the Kicks?”

“That is an insulting term. I will not tolerate its use here.”

Costa laughed harshly. “No one cares whether your feelings are bruised by the nickname given to that maniacal species.”

Another verbal riot seemed about to erupt, only to be quelled when Sakai bent cold looks down each side of the table.

Geary glanced at Rione as he began speaking again. “We did everything we could to try to communicate with them. The first thing they did was attack us the instant they saw us. We took the actions necessary to defend ourselves. We kept trying to talk with them as long as we were in their star system. They never responded in any way except with further attacks.”

“You all saw the reports,” Rione added in a matter-of-fact voice. “They attacked us, they pursued us, they continued the pursuit into another star system; even when facing certain defeat and death, they would not communicate with us, preferring suicide. You cannot talk to those who refuse to reply with anything other than further attempts to kill you.”

“Perhaps they were frightened of us!” Wilkes insisted.

“Perhaps they were. They may well have had what were for them excellent reasons for not communicating with us and fighting us to the death,” Rione said. “However, I did not feel any obligation to die simply because they thought they had a good reason to kill us.”

“If you had not barged into their star system with all weapons blazing—”

“We did not fire first,” Geary said.

“Admiral,” Senator Navarro said, “did you enter, where was it, Honor Star System, in the same fashion as you did the enigma and uh, other alien species star systems that you visited?”

“Yes, Senator. In a defensive formation.”

“And at Honor, the representatives of the Dancers there welcomed you.”

“They helped our fleet there!” Senator Costa declared triumphantly.

“But . . .” another senator began, “these Dancers. They’re . . .”

Costa kept grinning. “What’s the matter, Tsen? Would saying they’re ugly as sin be politically incorrect?”

“We cannot judge them by appearances!”

“But you are doing just that, aren’t you? And it’s tearing you apart, isn’t it?”

“Senator Costa,” a tall, dark woman said wearily, “you might win more converts if you didn’t take such obvious joy in ripping your opponents’ arms off and beating them with the bloody stumps.”

“I have a statement to make!” Senator Suva insisted.

“We’ve hardly asked any questions, Senator,” the dark woman said. “Could we break with long-standing precedent and actually learn something about a subject before we make statements about it?”

“Senator Unruh has a point,” Navarro said.

Wilkes erupted again before anyone else could, pointing at Geary. “Why did you turn over every human liberated from the enigmas to the Syndics?” The senator’s tone was accusing, making the words sound as if a capital murder charge were being leveled against Geary.

Geary did his best not to sound defensive. “They were all citizens of the Syndicate Worlds.”

“They could have provided us with critical information about the enigmas!”

“They knew nothing about the enigmas!” Geary controlled his anger before saying more. “Absolutely nothing. If you read my report—”

“You gave away—”

“I am NOT finished answering you, sir!” Everyone was staring at him. Fine. Let them stare. He had been through too much to put up with this. “Before you question me, read the available information so you know what you’re talking about. Then permit me to answer you in full without interruption. Every one of those humans we liberated from the enigma prison asteroid was a citizen of the Syndicate Worlds. I had no
right
to hold them against their will. None of them knew anything about the enigmas. None had ever seen an enigma, or spoken with one, or even seen any of their artifacts. They knew far less than we did even before the First Fleet entered enigma space. But the most important factor in my decision was that
I had no right to hold them
. They were free to make their own decisions about their fates.”

Navarro spoke with an unusual level of sarcasm. “Are we to condemn Admiral Geary for acting in accordance with Alliance law? With Alliance principles?”

“Since you brought up Alliance law,” Senator Costa said, “and the subject of leaving people with the Syndics has already been raised, I wonder if the Admiral would care to explain leaving one of his senior officers in the custody of the Syndics?”

“One of my officers?” Geary asked. “We lost far too many officers in combat, and most of those received honorable burials in space. The only living officer who did not accompany the fleet home was Captain Bradamont. She has been assigned as liaison officer for the Alliance to the Midway Star System.”

“Who
approved
leaving a liaison officer at Midway, Admiral?” Senator Costa asked, her voice harsh.

“I wrote the orders,” Geary said in his blandest voice. “The idea was mine.” That was the official story he and Rione had agreed upon, and he was going to stick to it. One or more of the senators he was facing might have been among those planning on blackmailing Bradamont over her work for Alliance intelligence during the war. “Naturally, I first gained approval from the representatives of the government who accompanied the fleet.”

“That would be me, and Emissary Charban,” Rione said brightly.

“Your instructions as emissaries—” Costa began.

“Granted us full discretion,” Rione finished. “Instructions approved by the grand council as a whole, I might add.”

“Why was Captain Bradamont chosen to operate with the Syndics?” Senator Wilkes demanded. “There has been information circulating which raises serious questions regarding Bradamont’s loyalty to the Alliance.”

Geary let his gaze, hard and unyielding, rest on Wilkes for a long moment before replying. “As I said earlier, and as my report states clearly, Captain Bradamont is liaison officer to the newly independent Midway Star System. The authorities and the people at Midway are extremely hostile toward the Syndicate Worlds’ government, which I also put in my report. I have no doubts as to the loyalty of Captain Bradamont, and if you indeed have information impugning her honor, you should present it openly. I assure you and everyone else here that I have more than adequate information to rebut any charges against Captain Bradamont, and I will present such information openly if required.”

Senator Wilkes glowered at Geary, plainly searching for words, but Navarro spoke first. “You have attacked the honor of one of the Admiral’s officers,” he chided Wilkes, speaking as if to a small child. “I have no doubt the Admiral will do exactly as he promised to defend that officer. Are we ready to have
all
of that information publicly disclosed?”

“Are there not restrictions on what can be discussed?” Costa asked.

“What restrictions and pertaining to what information?” Senator Suva demanded.

A few silent seconds passed as senators exchanged meaningful looks, then Wilkes waved an irritated hand. “We can discuss it later. I cannot see what possible benefit the Alliance gains from leaving a senior fleet officer deep in enemy territory.”

“We’ve already gained some very important information from her,” Rione said. “Thanks to Captain Bradamont, we have confirmed that the Syndics have learned how to selectively block access to individual gates in their hypernet.”

“I saw that in your reporting,” Navarro said, leaning back and eyeing Rione and Geary keenly. “That is extremely important. How do they do it?”