Prince Liberator (The Prince of Britannia Saga Book 6), page 8
Most of the time, Scott was bored. After the initial excitement of negotiating with an alien species and getting a peace treaty signed, it became day after day of boring meetings and diplomatic small talk. Over the last six months, it had changed to even less than that. When you’re on a seven-year voyage, things don’t change much on a day-to-day basis. So Scott and Dark Wanderer, the leader of The People, only met weekly to discuss issues.
Then the priority message from Penny arrived. She was recalling Aavai Bhains, Scott’s chief diplomatic advisor. Aavai was on the initial team that had first met with the Swarm. Scott had led that group, and until yesterday, the two had been a team. Now he was gone. Scott had stuffed him into a fast courier ship and sent him on his way back to Britannia to be the new foreign minister.
Scott wasn’t upset about a subordinate suddenly becoming his boss. That happened in the Marines all the time. His anger stemmed from being on the sidelines with the Empire at war again. The Marine aviator wasn’t a vain man, but he liked to think he’d played a part in winning the war against the Swarm. Now, because of his position, he wouldn’t be involved in defending the Empire.
It’s just like Hazard to find another windmill to joust against.
The comm panel on his desk chimed, breaking into Scott’s pity party. “Yes,” he growled after pushing the Accept button.
“Dark Wanderer just sent a request for a meeting,” Christaan Klerk informed Scott. The former lieutenant ignored his boss’s tone. That was easy to do, since he felt the same way, wishing he was flying off to help the crown prince. He’d been on the initial contact team as well, acting as its communications expert. When the fleet downsized after finally winning the war, Chris had asked Scott Conners’ advice on what he should do. The new ambassador suggested he get out and join his new staff as his communications expert. Now, a year later, he was the ambassador’s chief of staff.
Hearing the voice of his old friend, Scott calmed. “Did he say what he wanted, Chris?”
“You know how they are, Scott. He was vague, as always. But there was a reference to the courier ship that arrived, and then just as quickly departed.”
“As curious as they are, you’d think they were catlike—” Scott chuckled “—and not the bug-like creatures they resemble. Send him a message that we can meet at his convenience and have the ship’s captain get our shuttle ready.”
Two hours later, Scott and Chris were aboard the Swarm home ship. The massive vessel was both the capital of The People, and the home ship of one of its clans. It was the same ship where they’d conducted their first contact meetings. In fact, they were still using the same facilities the Swarm had set up for that meeting. The atmosphere each race could breathe was deadly to the other. The Swarm had overcome this by using a force field to dissect the landing bay where the shuttle had just landed and a meeting room into two halves, each with a suitable atmosphere.
The major difference between then and now is the seats are a lot more comfortable. The People knew only slightly more about the humans than the humans did The People. Scott’s ass had hurt sitting on the stone chair they’d provided for that first meeting. Not wanting to offend while negotiations were in progress, Scott and his team had endured the rather Spartan setting. It didn’t take long for the humans and The People to become friends. In fact, Scott admired their moral and honor code. As the friendship developed, he’d had the Empire’s side of the conference room reappointed with more comfortable furniture.
When the pair entered the conference room, they found Dark Wanderer was already there, and he wasn’t alone. Scott recognized the other two aliens and turned and gave Chris a raised eyebrow.
“Indeed,” was all his chief of staff said.
Indeed, is an understatement. The other two, Pure Hammer and Diamond Fist, lead powerful clans. This is no simple meeting.
“Greetings, Dark Wanderer, my friend,” Scott said with a bow and turned to the other two clan chiefs. “And greetings to you, Pure Hammer and Diamond Fist. It has been many turns since I’ve been honored to be in your presence.”
Dark Wanderer made the chittering sounds of their speech, and a translation came out of the device Scott wore around his neck. The Swarm had developed the translation device, which allowed humans and the People to communicate with one another. “Greetings, Ambassador Conners. We thank you for meeting with us on such short notice.”
Two other clan chiefs are present, and he addressed me formally. This is important to them.
“Friends do not need to thank one another for such things,” Scott replied smoothly.
“We note that our friend, Aavai Bhains, is not with you.” The chief of chiefs turned the statement into a question.
“Our friend, they have recalled Aavai to our home world. My chief of chiefs, Empress Elizabeth, wishes to make him our new chief of those who speak with others.” Scott used the title The People used for their ambassador.
“Chief Penny no longer leads?” Dark Wanderer asked.
“Chief of Chiefs Elizabeth now listens to her voice above all others.”
“A wise choice,” Diamond Fist said. “She always spoke with a clear voice.”
“My friends, what is so important that you needed to speak with us before our normal meeting time?” Scott asked.
“The People have reached a point of crisis,” Dark Wanderer replied after a long delay.
Scott immediately became concerned. The translation device was simple and monotone, and you couldn’t read any vocal expressions, but Scott had dealt with The People for nearly a year and had picked up some subtleties of their body language. All three of the senior leaders were making a twisting motion with the trunks of their bodies, the equivalent of a human wringing their hands. They’re really concerned about something.
“We’ve reached a population crisis,” the translator broadcast Dark Wanderer’s response. “We are a fast-breeding people, and our females produce large litters. It is part of our genetics. We came from a harsh world, where few survived into adulthood. As we traveled the galaxy looking for a new home, many died in exploration, and in conflicts with those we encountered. During our war with you humans, our geneticists increased the size of litters to offset our losses.
“Now those hatchlings are not dying.”
All three of the clan leaders made the side-to-side tilting motion of their heads, the Swarm equivalent of a nod. “We are concerned about having enough space to hold our expanding population.”
“Why not enact some type of population control?” Chris asked, joining the conversation for the first time.
“If it were only that easy, Speaker of the Leader,” Dark Wanderer replied. “We are a people of tradition. Females are going to lay eggs; there is nothing we can do to stop that. We have to prevent males from inseminating the egg nest. This is—” Wanderer hesitated “—difficult.”
“As clan leaders, we have much power,” Diamond Fist explained, “but asking a male not to inseminate a nest is like asking him not to breathe.”
“What can we do to help?” Scott asked. He’d gotten to know Dark Wanderer pretty well over the last year. The old codger wouldn’t have asked for this meeting if he didn’t have an idea.
“We were hoping you might have a war we could help you with.”
* * *
Scott and Chris were riding in the shuttle back to the Churchill.
“We might have a war?” Chris repeated in amazement.
“Well, we do in fact have a war, and no one has a clue how strong our new enemy is,” Scott answered his chief of staff. “And we do have all those Swarm ships we captured just sitting out in the fleet boneyard.”
“You can’t be serious, boss,” Chris said.
“From a purely diplomatic and practical point, it solves a couple of problems. For the Swarm, it eases their population problem, and Dark Wanderer doesn’t have to worry about a revolt over reproductive controls.”
“And sure, I can see it gives us a pretty good size fleet without pissing off any of the system leaders.”
“It does more than that, Chris. If Swarm warriors volunteer to fight and die for the Empire, that sends a powerful message to those arguing that the Swarm should pay a price for the war they started.”
Chris leaned back on the bench seat he was sitting on. “That would solve the major issue her majesty has faced regarding our peace treaty with The People.”
“As soon as we get back aboard, contact the commander of our escorts,” Scott instructed his chief of staff. A division of five destroyers escorted Scott’s diplomatic ship. “I want his fastest destroyer available to hyper out of the system in six hours.” Scott turned and looked at his friend. “Tell him I need a fast trip back to Britannia. That also means you’ll be in charge until I get back.”
* * *
A week later, Scott’s shuttle settled on the landing pad atop Fleet Headquarters. Normally, as an ambassador, he would’ve landed at Britannia’s main spaceport, and a suitable air car would’ve transported him to the offices of the Foreign Ministry, but Scott wanted to maintain a low profile. He didn’t want people asking questions about why the ambassador to the Swarm had arrived unannounced at the Empire’s capital. Having traveled on a fleet destroyer, it was easy to use one of its shuttles to make the flight down to the surface of the planet.
Commodore Morris Drake waited for him on the pad as he walked down the shuttle’s rear ramp. Though they’d never met, the former Marine colonel knew of the man. Drake was Grand Admiral Thomas O’Reilly’s senior advisor and commanded his personal staff.
“The Grand Admiral is waiting for you in his office, Ambassador,” Morris announced as he first saluted, then offered his hand.
Scott shook the offered hand. “Thank you for the salute, Commodore, but it’s been a while since I earned an honest living. And even then, I was just a colonel, so you’d outrank me. I’m glad to meet you finally, though. Many people I admire, Julie Adams for one, think highly of you.” If he hadn’t known better, Scott would have sworn the officer blushed.
“That’s a kind thing for you to say, Ambassador. I hold Admiral Adams in the highest regard, and not only because she’s my boss’ closest friend.”
“Well, lead on, McDuff,” Scott politely urged the admiral’s advisor.
The commodore made conversation as he led Scott off the roof pad. The two men entered an elevator for the ride down to the top floor of the building where the commander of the Imperial Fleet’s office was located.
“Your request for an immediate meeting with the Grand Admiral caused quite a stir,” Drake said. “Especially the way you had it delivered.”
Scott recognized a fishing expedition when he saw one. Commodore Drake was trying to get information about the purpose of his visit. He’ll just have to wait and hear it when O’Reilly does. As for the way I delivered the message, I wanted to keep my visit as secret as possible.
Scott knew dozens of people would see any message sent to the Grand Admiral via a normal communication channel, from the specialist in the communication center, up through O’Reilly’s own staff. Because of how unusual the meeting was, many of them would ask questions, and those inquiries would garner the interest of people who didn’t need to know what was going on.
To circumvent all that, Ambassador Conners had sent a message to Hiroko King, wife of the crown prince. They were old friends, and King Manor, Hiroko and Hazard’s home, had its own communication center staffed by specialists loyal to the crown prince. Hiroko had then forwarded his request to another old friend, Grand Admiral Thomas O’Reilly.
With the commodore as his escort, Scott bypassed the normal process of meeting with Thomas O’Reilly, and Drake led him directly into the admiral’s office through his private entrance, completely bypassing the staff and other hangers-on who occupied the main entrances to his suite.
Thomas O’Reilly rose from behind his desk and came forward to meet the ambassador as he entered his office. “It’s good to see you again, Ambassador Conners, even if the circumstances are unusual,” he said as he offered Scott Conners his hand.
Scott returned the handshake. “I appreciate you seeing me under the circumstances, Admiral.”
O’Reilly chuckled. “When Princess Hiroko asks you to meet an old friend, quietly and quickly, you do so.” Thomas waved at a leather chair in front of his desk and moved to take his own seat. He caught Scott’s eyes and cocked an eyebrow at Commodore Drake.
“It would be best if the commodore remained, but what I have to tell you is sensitive and secret at the highest level.”
O’Reilly motioned Morris Drake to a chair next to his desk and turned his attention to the now seated ambassador. “That sounds ominous.”
“I’m sure you’re up to date on the political happenings going on in the Imperial Council.” Scott saw both men nod that they were. “Aavai Bhains, the new foreign minister, was my chief diplomatic advisor. Penny O’Higgins’ message recalling him for his new post briefed me on the situation. She felt she owed me an explanation.”
Scott watched each man for any reaction to his statement. Seeing none, he pressed on. “That included a discussion on what our friend Hazard is up to. More importantly, what’s happening in the star systems surrounding Earth. Now, I was a Marine for a long time, and I can still put two and two together. Fleet, I’m sure, is putting together a force to reinforce him. Because of postwar downsizing, you’re probably finding that difficult.”
Commodore Drake snorted, the first reaction either man had shown to any of the statements. “Oh, we’ve pulled together a force that can reinforce the prince, but it’ll only be enough to allow him to hold the Serenity star system. To send him enough to continue on to Earth, or I should say maybe continue on to Earth, we’d have to strip the cupboard bare.”
“I may have a solution that could help with that, but it’ll be controversial.” Scott stated simply. “My staff is split on the matter, but most believe, with the right PR,” Scott rolled his eyes as he said that, “it would provide a sufficient force for the prince.”
That got Thomas O’Reilly’s attention. Morris Drake and his personal staff were still organizing the first of the forces to send. Conners is right. We can send enough to hold the Earth colony Hazard discovered, but not enough to both protect the colony and push on to Earth. “What do you have for me?”
Over the next fifteen minutes, Scott presented the basic version of his idea. During the explanation, Scott saw their expressions change from surprised, to incredulous, to this just might work.
* * *
Thomas O’Reilly leaned back in his chair after Scott finished, thinking about the possibilities. One thing is for sure, I can’t decide this myself. He sat upright and punched the button on his communication panel. “George, get in touch with the palace and request an immediate meeting with the grand duke. When you get a time from them, reach out to Duke Kara. Tell him about the emergency meeting and that I need him to attend. When anyone asks what it’s about, tell them you don’t know, but I said it’s important.”
* * *
“How would we even supply such a force?” Grand Duke Henry asked the group. He sat behind the desk in his office and looked at the other people present. When Tom O’Reilly had requested an immediate meeting, Henry had feared the worst and cleared his calendar. He was certain the grand admiral had bad news about his son. When O’Reilly arrived with Edmund Randolph, his predecessor as grand admiral, and Ambassador Scott Conners, the grand duke had relaxed. If Conners is involved, this has something to do with the Swarm and not Hazard. His visitors then spent the next twenty minutes explaining the Swarm’s proposal.
“Dark Wanderer and the Clan Council have it all figured out,” Scott insisted. “You need to remember, The People have been wandering around the universe for four thousand years. They’ve become experts in logistics. They’re going to send one of their small world ships, two manufacturing vessels, and a fueling ship.”
“Tell me about this world ship.” Tom O’Reilly said.
“Turns out the Swarm genetically modifies their warrior caste to be nasty individuals. Unfortunately, they don’t restrict their behavior to only enemies of The People. Seems they don’t like anyone who isn’t a fellow warrior, so the Swarm keeps them isolated on their own world ships to protect the rest of their population. Each clan maintains a small ship to carry its warrior caste,” Scott explained.
“And the manufacturing vessels?” Edmund Randolph asked.
“They’ll manufacture the supplies and spare parts needed to support the cruisers they’ll be manning,” Scott replied. He started to say something else, then changed his mind.
“Out with it,” the former grand admiral ordered. He hadn’t missed the hesitation.
“They’re also along to manufacture Swarm attack craft.” Scott’s statement shocked the others present, or most of them.
Tom O’Reilly simply nodded. “That would make sense, since we destroyed all the attack craft on the cruisers we captured.”
During the last part of the victory in the Iris system, Scott Conners’ fighters and Hazard’s cruisers had wiped out the Swarm attack craft assaulting the Imperial Fleet. It made sense to Tom to replace the missing attack ships on the cruisers the Swarm would take over.
“How many of the cruisers are they planning on staffing?” Duke Henry asked.
“Dark Wanderer plans to leave that up to us, but they’d like to re-crew as many as possible.”
“You know this entire plan gives me the willies,” Edmund stated frankly. “To give them back their cruisers, deep inside Imperial space, concerns me.”
“I’m not concerned about that,” Tom O’Reilly said. “They’ve proven to me that they’re an honorable people who will keep their word. What gives me pause is how little concern they have for the lives of their warriors.”
