Authors: Rick Bentsen
There was a deafening CRACK as a small table near the door was reduced to splinters.
“Well,” Mario sighed, looking from the wreckage of the table he’d just destroyed to the Commander. “In that case, I have to go tell the High Gentlewoman that her husband is stuck on Brentax III.”
“Mario,” Erin said quietly. “If it counts for anything, I want to go back and get him as much as you do.”
“It counts, Commander,” Mario said as he turned towards the door. “But not for much.”
“At least try to be tactful, Colonel,” Erin rubbed her temples. The polypropezene had worn off and her migraine was back in full force.
“I’ll be gentle as a kitten, Commander,” Mario flashed his winning smile. “I just hope she goes easy on me is all.”
With that, the Colonel stormed out of the conference room.
“If I were in his position,” M’Bek Tarmos spoke for the first time. “I would be reacting much the same way, Commander. I understand that he and his partner are very close friends.”
“They are. It’s eating him up inside, I know.” Erin shook his head. “I imagine your people aren’t too happy with you right now. It must look to them like you’re selling out.”
“Except that I have the support of the Emperor to negotiate a peace treaty,” M’Bek sighed, looking suddenly very tired. “Despite being under martial law, our Emperor still retains quite a bit of power. He wants this peace for personal reasons.. He is, however, keeping those reasons, whatever they may be, to himself. It is the right of imperial privilege to keep such thoughts to himself. Nonetheless, he desires peace with the Star League. Therefore, I am empowered to negotiate such a treaty. I could not tell anyone on Brentax III, as that would betray an imperial confidence.” M’Bek shrugged. “It is time for us to lay down our guns as we have laid down our lives.”
“I agree. Admiral Bonetti and President Jameson will be very happy to hear that you are so willing to seek peace,” Erin smiled.
2.8.2136
1725
SLS White Knight
The City
K’Itea and S’Era were sitting in the palace in silence, each one lost in her own thoughts. Since her statement to S’Era about where she believed K’Alan was, K’Itea had all but completely withdrawn into herself out of fear of losing him.
S’Era, meanwhile, had begun to cry, her concern for her brother showing in each tear that rolled down her face.
Neither woman looked up when the door opened. Mario Bonetti slowly walked in.
“The guard told me you were both here,” he broke the silence.
“K’Alan did not return with you from Brentax III,” K’Itea said without turning. “I already know, Mario.”
“I’m sorry, Kit,” Mario heaved a deep sigh. “I want to go back and get him, but the Commander won’t authorize it.”
“The peace initiative is more important,” K’Itea turned to Mario, tears streaming down her face. “This I understand. It is even more important than my husband. I believe he will be returned to us when the time is right.”
“Still, I want to go back and get him back,” Mario gritted his teeth. “I hated leaving him behind.”
“I know, my friend,” K’Itea placed her hand on Mario’s shoulder. “You did everything you could. Come, sit with us a while, Mario. It will do us all good.”
2.9.2136
0805
SLS Creighton
Rec Room
“
O
K, Jack. Let’s try this again.”
Tom Keevan had landed on his rump. Again. It had been no less than the sixth time in the past hour.
“Tom, why don’t you just give up now?” Jack chuckled. “Or do you just enjoy falling on your arse this much?”
“Oh, hush, Jack,” Tom snarled. “And that’s an order.”
Tom and his security chief, Jack Benton, had been sparring for just over an hour. Jack, the better boxer with a much longer reach, had been knocking his captain around.
“OK, Swamp Rat,” Jack grinned wickedly.
“You know, it’s bad enough Laura still calls me that, Jack,” Tom put his hand to his head. “You calling me that is just downright embarrassing.”
“Aw, you love the nickname and you know it,” Jack said as he ducked a clumsy punch from the captain.
“I’ve hated that nickname since you and Laura conspired to start calling me that.”
“Captain Keevan,” his wristlink sounded. “You have a priority message from Admiral Bonetti at the Gamma Epsilon station.”
“Patch it through to the rec room,” Tom sighed as he pulled off his gloves.
The small holo emitter in the rec room flared to life as a very angry Admiral John Bonetti appeared with his arms crossed and glaring at the captain from the holo.
“Captain Keevan,” the admiral began without preamble. “Would you care to explain to me why you are leaving the Khrinnus system?”
“I’m under orders to report to the Gamma Epsilon station, Admiral,” the captain said.
“Oh, very funny, Captain,” John glowered. “I issued no such orders.”
“I did not say the orders came from your office, sir,” Tom closed his eyes. “The orders came from President Jameson herself. Sets of sealed orders should be arriving before I do that will explain everything.”
“Meanwhile the Khrinnus system is unprotected, I assume.”
“No, sir. President Jameson sent the Atlantia to the Khrinnus system to continue patrolling,” Tom reported. “We were under orders to remain in the system until our replacement arrived. The Atlantia had arrived before the Creighton left, sir.”
“I am not happy about this turn of events, but if the President ordered it, who am I to say anything. Carry on, Captain. I am sure we will speak more of this when you arrive,”
The holo fizzed out, and Tom Keevan sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead.
“This is going to be a very long week, Jack,” the captain sighed deeply a second time. “It’s going to be a very long week indeed.”
2.9.2136
1522
Gamma Epsilon Station
Admiral Bonetti’s office.
S
ERGEANT Anne Riker had to duck the brandy bottle that went flying across the room crashing into the door right about where her head was.
“Admiral?” she asked concerned. “Are you all right?”
“No, I am not, Sergeant,” Admiral Bonetti scowled. He tossed a datapad on his desk. “That woman is going to ruin this peace initiative before it begins!”
“Who are you talking about sir?” the sergeant asked.
“President Jameson ordered a retrieval mission to bring Captain Bryce back. Does she know the effect this will have on the peace process?”
“I’m sure she does, Admiral,” Riker nodded. “I’m sure she’s weighed out her options and has decided that this is a worthwhile mission.”
“It’s a fool’s errand!” Admiral Bonetti roared. “It’ll cause the peace process to fail as well as cause the deaths of many of our people.”
“I believe the president knows what she’s doing, Admiral.” The sergeant laid a comforting hand on her commanding officer’s shoulder. “It’ll be all right.”
“Maybe you’re right, Sergeant,” John smiled weakly.
“Thorrin Jade and President Jameson are waiting out in the outer offices for you,” Anne smiled.
“Send them in,” he said as he sat behind his desk. He watched the sergeant turn to leave before adding, “And, Sergeant?”
“Yes, Admiral?” the young woman turned back to face him.
“Sorry about the brandy bottle.”
“Don’t worry about it, Admiral,” Anne chuckled. “I’ll get someone in here to clean it up for you.”
“Thank you, Sergeant. Now, go send them in, please.”
2.9.2136
1601
Gamma Epsilon Station
A corridor
The two Jaradans were nervous. They were standing and looking over a little niche in the corridor. The two Jaradans were dressed in the brown sack cloth of the Jaradan priesthood. They knew that no one would give two Jaradan priests on a Star League space stations a second glance.
“You are sure the procession will pass by this position, Toran?”
“Yes, Joval,” the one called Toran said. “I have been given the plans for the peace initiative, including the path of the procession the Brentax delegation will take from the White Knight to the conference room. They will pass by this point.”
“Then here is where it shall happen,” Joval said.
“Then let us prepare.”
The two Jaradan priests looked at the niche one more time then made their way back to the quarters that they had been assigned.
2.9.2136
1605
Gamma Epsilon Station
Main Conference Room
“And this is where the conference itself will be,” Admiral Bonetti was explaining. “The Brentax delegation will sit here. Thorrin Jade will sit on this side between the two parties, and President Jameson and myself will sit on this side.”
“I have read the treaty you had written previously, Admiral Bonetti,” Thorrin Jade said in his quiet voice. “It is a good beginning, however it needs to be built on.”
“I’m a soldier, Thorrin,” John smiled. “Not a diplomat.”
“I understand, Admiral,” Thorrin returned the smile. “That is why I am here.”
“How soon until the White Knight arrives with the Brentax delegation?” Kerrin asked.
“They should be here sometime tomorrow, Madame President,” John sighed. He knew he was asking for trouble, but he had to broach the topic. “President Jameson, is it really a good idea to be sending a retrieval team in to get Captain Bryce back? I’m just afraid that such a mission will ruin the peace process.”
“The Brentax would expect no less of us, Admiral,” Thorrin interrupted. “It may work to our advantage that we send the team. Besides, the actual risk is low.”
“Define low, Thorrin,” Admiral Bonetti sighed deeply. “We’re sending another ship into what is currently enemy space to pick up someone we’re hoping is a prisoner of war and not dead in the first place. And the Brentax won’t be happy to see that particular ship as it’s taken out two of their Duhari class cruisers in the past week. I have the utmost faith in Captain Keevan’s abilities, but this is a suicide mission.”
“It is the very fact that the Creighton knows how to handle the Duhari class vessels that prompted me to send them instead of another ship, Admiral,” Kerrin said. “And we’re sending someone with them that knows the lay of the land so they can go in and out.”
“Are you so sure that Mario knows where Captain Bryce is being held?” John asked.
“It stands to reason that he would be the most likely person to, John,” Thorrin said. “After all, he has been on Brentax III. How many of your other Star League officers can you say that of?”
“All right,” John conceded. “I just want it noted that I am officially protesting this mission, President Jameson.”
“Noted, Admiral,” Kerrin sighed wearily. “But they must succeed. We cannot allow Captain Bryce to remain a prisoner on Brentax III.”
2.9.2136
1622
SLS Creighton
Main Conference Room
C
APTAIN Tom Keevan was not a happy man. His command staff had not been able to give him a lot of information about Brentax III or the city of Brentacchia.
“So basically,” Tom sighed. “We can’t even plan this mission until we get Colonel Bonetti from Gamma Strike. That’s what you all are telling me?”
“Tom, you know we’d give you more info if we could,” Jack Benton said. “You’ve got all the information we have about Brentacchia.”
“Which isn’t much,” Tom noted. “All right, folks. We’ll be at the Gamma Epsilon Station early tomorrow. I want some preliminary plans in place. At least come up with something about how we’re going to get to Brentax III and contingency plans for attacks by Brentax vessels. There will be another staff meeting tomorrow at 0730. Dismissed.”
Most of his senior staff got up and left. Most, but not all.
“Coming down a little hard on us, don’t you think, Tom?” Jack said.
“Jack, there’s nothing I’d like better than to waltz into Brentax III with guns blazing,” Tom smiled. “But in this case, I want a plan of attack. You guys aren’t being really helpful in coming up with such a plan of attack. There’s a man out there stuck on Brentax III that’s depending on us. So yeah, I’m coming down hard on you. I have to.”
“Tom, when have we ever failed you?” Jack asked seriously.
“Never,” Tom admitted.
“Why would we start now?” Jack smiled. “Is there something else that’s bothering you?”
“Yeah, there is,” Tom said, taking a small square box from his uniform pocket and handing it to Jack.
“Why, Tom!” Jack squealed. “I didn’t know you cared!”
“It’s not for you, moron,” Tom chuckled. “It’s for Erin. I just don’t know how she’ll respond.”
“I’ve seen how she looks at you, Swamp Rat. She’ll say yes.”
“I hope so.”