Solbidyum Wars Saga 6: Defeat of the Tottalax (47 page)

“What you are about to see next, Tibby, is nothing any outsider has ever seen before, not even when this place was excavated over 1000 years ago.  We’ll be passing through the vaults.  Most are simply sealed rooms, and you won’t be able to see inside them, but we’ll also be passing through the bullion centers were vast quantities of precious metals are kept and transferred about for various exchanges in currency on various planets, and some businesses as well.”

For a long time, we passed nothing but sealed vaults.  The monorail stopped twice so large doors that were closed could be unlocked, and the car could pass through.  After we were through the door, we began passing large cavern areas with stacks and stacks of metal bars, some of the caverns were 30 meters or taller.  Some bars looked like gold while many others were silver in appearance.  We passed one area with thousands, if not millions, of crates set about, and Norcar explained they contained rare and valuable gems.  We passed one section of several caverns that seemed to be extremely full of both metal ingots, and crates; and after passing the third one, Norcar asked with a grin, “Did any of that seem familiar to you?”

“No, should it have?” I asked as I tried to figure out what he was talking about.

“Those last three caverns were your deposits, Tibby.  We treat and handle your wealth like we do that of entire planets, only you have a lot more than they do.  Are you all right, Admiral?” he asked suddenly, as I realized I was getting dizzy and weak kneed.  I felt Kala grab my arm to give me support as she laughed, “Chief Banker, you will have to excuse Tibby.  He has never been able to adjust to how much wealth he has and every time he is confronted with it on any scale, such as this, he nearly faints.”

“Oh my! I should have warned you beforehand.  I do apologize,” Norcar said, “I must admit it is indeed an overwhelming sight.”

After the tour, we returned to the same dining hall where we had eaten when we first arrived.  All the bankers were back along with several more, whom we had not met before.  Chief Banker Norcar introduced them as being lawyers and a few of their high-ranking military officers.  The room had been rearranged and Chief Banker Norcar, and I were seated on a raised dais behind a table facing two rows of long tables located on the main floor with the bankers, lawyers, and military officers.  Behind them were rows of chairs, where Kala and others sat as my bodyguards took up stations around the room like before.  Chief Banker Norcar spent some time talking privately with two of the bankers and one lawyer, and it appeared they were having a rather heated argument, two against two.  Finally, they all nodded, and Chief Banker Norcar returned to the dais with me and said, “I believe we have come to an agreement, and we will agree to your terms of a treaty.  However, the ruling body, would like to ask and clarify some questions first, if you do not mind.”

“Not at all,” I answered, “however, I would like if First Citizen Kalana might be able to join us for this discussion.  She is an official attaché with the Federation and more familiar with the formal protocol and Federation rules than I am.  I may need her for clarification on some questions.”

“Most certainly,” Norcar said, “I was not aware of her qualifications.”

I motioned to Kala to join us as Norcar had an assistant get another chair on the dais for her to sit.  When all was ready, Chief Banker addressed the assembly.

“I think we all know why we are here,” he said.  “In the past, we have always tried to remain neutral and not to involve ourselves with politics and war.  We maintained our own military and defenses, and we believed we were the most secure place in the universe.  Indeed, it was that security that made Weccies the banking capital of the universe.  We believed we were safe, and that safety allowed us to be impartial.  Last week, we discovered that we no longer were safe, and that we no longer had the power to defend ourselves against an outside invader.  Had it not been for the assistance of the Federation, Weccies would today be in the hands of the Brotherhood.  We have Honorable Federation First Citizen and Fleet Admiral Thibodaux James Renwalt to thank for that.  Had he not brought Federation ships into Weccies space to defend us, we would have been lost.  We do not have the technology needed to defend ourselves.  We do not have weapons capable of deterring our enemy.  The Federation does have the tools we need, and they have demonstrated they are willing to help us in our time of need.  At the moment, a Federation starship is standing in our orbit, not as an enemy, but as a friend and defender, until we can stand and defend ourselves.  If the Federation had wished, they could just as easily have taken us after the Brotherhood fled; instead, they offered to stay and help us.

“We are asking a lot of the Federation.  We want the secret technology they have for cloaking their ships; a thing we lack and badly need for ours.  They have the technology of the 10X reactors that produce enough power for Reverse Magnetic Force field shielding, or RMFF’s as they call them.  They have intelligence gathered by their Federal Security Agency, which supplies information on the Brotherhood and their activities.  They have advanced communication systems that can provide instant communication anywhere in the universe instead of weeks, months or even years; and they have Cantolla Gates that allow them to travel vast distances of space, as easily as walking from this room to the next.  Correct me if I am wrong, Admiral,” he said turning toward me, “But I believe that earlier today you were on your yacht, the
NEW ORLEANS,
in another sector of space, were you not?”

“Yes sir, I was” I said, as I was starting to get an idea where he was going with the question.

“Just where is your yacht at the moment, if you don’t mind me asking?”

I sat dumbfounded for a moment as I really wasn’t sure just where my yacht was in space.

“Padaran, where the heck is the
NEW ORLEAN?
” I asked him from across the room.  Then quickly I said to Norcar, "I’m sorry, I’m so busy jumping from ship to ship that I forget where they are at times.”

“Admiral, it’s in the far end of Sector 3 heading toward Tetteferd 3,” Padaran responded.  Beside me, I heard Kala moan softly.

I heard a gasp from around the room at his response.

“Tetteferd 3, Captain Hjacus, how far is Tetteferd 3 from Weccies?  Do you happen to know off hand?”  Norcar asked one of the military men in the second row of tables.

“It’s nearly a year and a half from here at standard GW speed,” the man answered.

Again, there was another gasp and a buzz of whispers.

“A year and a half from here, and you were just there this morning, Admiral.  May I ask you where the carrier ship
MAXETTE
is at this moment, providing that’s not classified, of course.”

“To be honest Banker Norcar, I am not totally sure.  It should be about half way to the planet Maisha in the far end of Sector 3, but I’m not totally sure of that.”

“That ship was just here last week with you aboard it, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” I said.

“And now it’s over a hundred light-years from here.  Transported by an intergalactic gate of some sort that the Federation has, I believe.”

“Yes, a Cantolla Gate.”

“We have nothing like that.  Tell me, Admiral, if the Brotherhood were to attack us right now, how quickly could you contact and have other Federation ships here to Weccies?”

“In about an hour, maybe two, the first ones would arrive; after that, a few every hour.”  I answered.

Chief Banker Norcar turned facing those sitting in the room.  “You can see why we need the Federation’s help.  The enemy has RMFF capability as well as cloaking and the 10X reactor technology. We need that just to be equal to them.  However, being equal in power won’t stop them from destroying Weccies if they wish; for that, we need the technology the Federation has, and we need their assistance.  In return, they ask for us to freeze the accounts and holdings of our shared enemy, the Brotherhood, and those of its members and supporting businesses, as well as a sharing of intelligence that we have about Brotherhood activities, and an alliance fighting them.  While this violates our policies of the past, we cannot turn our backs on this offer; for if we do we have no future.  It is foolish of us to try to protect the privacy of those who would destroy us.

“Before we formalize this treaty, we would like to allow all of you to ask questions of either Admiral Tibby, or myself, so we might address any concerns.”

A man in a military uniform stood and asked, “Admiral Tibby, I would like to know just how long will there be Federation ships stationed in our orbit?  How soon can we expect them to leave?”

“We have no intention, or desire to have any of our ships here longer than is necessary for your security.  I can have all our ships removed from your space in less than an hour, if you like. We are shorthanded on ships as it is, and they can all be used elsewhere with this war going on,” I said.

“Yes”, the military man said, “but once we have restored our security, when will you leave?  Or will you stay here forever?”  It was clear this individual was afraid we had no intention of leaving and wished to somehow take over.

“We will be gone the day you ask us to leave.  It's that simple.  We asked your permission to come help you.  We didn’t just rush in to help, even though we clearly saw you needed it.  We likewise, will leave whenever you want, even if that means the Brotherhood will take you over the next day,” I replied.

“But how do we know you don’t just intend to conquer us like the Brotherhood?” he said with a slight tone of anger.

“Sir,” I said, “if that was our intention, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.  We already would have either conquered you, or destroyed you.”

At my response, the man paled and sat back down and another military man stood.

“Admiral, it’s our understanding that as part of a treaty, the Federation will supply us with technical information necessary to build ships with cloaking abilities, and reactor plans for reactors powerful enough to power RMFF shields, is that correct?”

“Assuming we can come to an agreement of the treaty, that is correct.  We will also provide you with technology that will make it possible for you to detect and identify a friendly cloaked ship from an enemy cloaked ship.  You’ll be supplied plans to the latest designs in fighter technology as well.  However, one of the conditions of this treaty is that the ships will have to be built at Federation shipyards to maintain the secrecy of their designs.  At the moment, the Federation has a slight technical advantage over the enemy; but it is small, and should any of that technology fall into enemy hands, it could change things radically.  Therefore we must insist that all the classified items be built in the Federation, and at sanctioned facilities.”

“Will we be expected to provide ships and troops to assist you in battles elsewhere outside the Weccies system?” the same man asked.

“We don’t require that as a term of the treaty, but if you were to offer, we wouldn’t’ turn you down.  Frankly, we need all the help we can get.  If the Brotherhood takes over the Federation they will take over you as well, you can be sure of that,” I replied.

“Admiral,” another man said as he rose from his seat, “when you say that the manufacturing of the classified items must be done at Federation facilities, I’m assuming that this will be at inflated prices, hardly a fair thing considering the conditions.”

“You’ll be able to put out requests for bids with any of the Federations sanctioned facilities,” I said, they will be bidding competitively, so they will all be trying their best to win your contracts.  Trying to gouge you on the price would only defeat their getting a contract.  Additionally, price gouging is a violation of Federation law and would result in their losing their ability to get government contracts.  Does that answer your question?”  I asked.

“Yes, that’s all well and good, but how do we know you won’t attach an export tax on items we have built in the Federation?”

“That would be rather self-defeating, wouldn’t it?  I said.  “It would ultimately prolong the amount of time we would need ships on station here for your protection; ships we need to be using elsewhere in the fight.  Furthermore, having shipyards tied up producing ships for you means that our own production of military hardware for our needs is reduced, and we require as many ships built as possible also.  It would hardly make any sense for us to do what you are talking about.”

“Admiral,” another man rose and began to speak, “you are one of the largest depositors here at Weccies; would you be willing to lock up your deposits here and not withdraw any of that money until this war is over, as a condition of the treaty?”

Before I could answer, Chief Banker Arjuk Norcar rose to his feet and angrily shouted, “That is preposterous!  We Weccies have never placed such withdrawal restrictions on anyone, other than for loan purposes; why, this would violate our law.”

“Laws can be changed, sir,” the man said, “I just think that Tibby might be more inspired to see to this treaty being honored if his funds were tied up here.”

“Sir, I began in a controlled but steeled tone, “I can just as easily take all my funds and leave now, and forget that the Federation ever tried to help Weccies.  I can, if I wish, establish my own banking world; I have the means to protect it from the Brotherhood, and because you do not have that ability at the moment, I would suspect I would have a rush of clients wishing to deposit with me.  Now, do you want this treaty or not?”  The room grew deathly quiet, and I noticed the shocked looks on everyone’s faces.  Eventually, Chief Banker Norcar spoke up, “AH, very well then, if there are no more questions, let us vote on the matter.  Will those in favor of us signing the treaty, please stand?"  All the assembly except two stood, “Please be seated, and those opposed, please stand.”  The two remaining individuals stood.  “Let the records show that it has been voted on and approved by the ruling bankers, and the military, that the Treaty be made.”