Randolph Lalonde - Spinward Fringe Broadcast 08 - Renegades (12 page)

Victor and Lacey
followed her into the chamber, where Ayan sat down at her end of the
table. Tyra seemed to make a point of ignoring her from the other
end. “If we’re all ready, I’d like to call this session of the
Haven Shore Council to order,” Mischa said. Her assistant, a tall,
dark featured man named Isaac Doke sat behind her. He rarely attended
meetings, and nodded amiably when Ayan noticed he was there and
caught his eye. “The first matter for consideration is the offer of
citizenship to the crewmembers of the ship formerly known as the
Samson,” Mischa announced. The Council was too small and reliant on
consensus to depend on a solitary chairperson, so the duty rotated
from one issue to the next. It was Mischa’s turn, and even though
she had broken down much like Ayan less than an hour before, she
executed it well. “I open the floor to final arguments.” She
looked to her right at Tyra, who shook her head.

Next in line was the
Carthan Observer, Cory Greene. He stood and cleared his throat. “I
don’t have a vote on this council, but I must implore the
membership not to agree to offer citizenship to these hardened
criminals. I am aware of facts in this issue that are not available
to the general public, and can say, with greater knowledge, that
these people don’t belong in the society you’re trying to build
here. For this reason, the Carthan Government will cancel its
contracts with Haven Shore organizations and no longer protect your
territories or citizens if you grant these dangerous criminals
citizenship.”

Ayan sighed by reflex
at his speech and almost regretted irritating the stuck up
politician. Almost. The Carthans were only able to remain in the Rega
Gain System because they had massive assistance from the British
Alliance. They had taken so many casualties, lost so many ships and
parts of their critical infrastructure, that there was no way they
could police, protect, or cultivate resources in the system without
help. The British Alliance could claim the system without contest any
time they liked, and many people were sure that it would happen any
time, but the truth of the matter was, the British Alliance didn’t
want to be responsible for whatever happened to the Rega Gain System
if their government decided to once again declare war. The British
Alliance would assist and protect it for as long as it was
strategically advantageous, but they wouldn’t put themselves in a
position where history could remember them as being responsible if
the worst were to happen to Rega Gain and they had to abandon the
area.

The Carthan
representative sat down and Mischa looked to Iloona Murlen, who
stood. “I would only like to say that, as heroes in the Battle of
Port Rush, the original crewmembers of the Samson should be welcome
as citizens and celebrated for their bravery. They are more loyal and
dedicated than some people who sit at this table. They need our help,
and we need them.”

It was Victor Davis’
turn to speak next, and he didn’t pass, but stood with a serious
demeanour that surpassed what Ayan had seen before. “Internal
security, which is my mandate here, is worthless without an effective
defensive force. The Samson crew is not only more experienced than
most, but many of them have trained our best people, and they now
crew one of the most effective offensive ships in the solar system.”

“That barely
corvette-class thing?” spouted the Carthan Observer.

“You’ve already
filled the room with hot air once,” Victor snapped back.

“Mister Green, Mister
Davis,” was all Mischa had to say to put an end to the exchange.

“I apologize,”
Victor Davis said. “The Haven Shore Rangers have finished wiping
out the last of the Order Of Eden troops on Tamber, the last in the
solar system if my intelligence is right. That means we have a
surplus of regulars and the opportunity to help the Samson crew as
they man the Warlord. They put their ship and their own lives at risk
to turn the tide in our darkest hour.” He took a breath and looked
at his comm unit. “I’ll wrap this up, I wrote something to finish
with. We need them as a morale booster to our soldiers, we need them
as a component in our defense strategy, we need them as good
citizens, and we need them as providers. Though their colours may be
dark, they may light the way for us in hard times to come.”

It was Ayan’s turn,
and the instant Mischa looked at her, all the ideas she’d had built
up for that moment seemed to vacate her mind. Without a thought in
her head, except for the notion of
‘bloody
hell, someone replaced my brain with a soggy sponge!’
she
stood. Everyone looked on, but Tyra, at the other end of the table,
stared. A poke at her elbow drew her attention to Lacey, who sat
behind her. Her Second looked at the comm unit on Ayan’s left arm
meaningfully.

Ayan glanced at the two dimensional
screen and saw a simple message from Lacey that read:

THEY WILL KEEP US TOGETHER AND LEAD THE WAY.

It was the summary of
her opinion of the situation, presented as only Lacey could. She had
obviously been listening to her over the last few months. Ayan took a
deep breath and addressed the Council. “The Triton is less and less
a part of Haven Shore. Many of the new recruits there, over sixty
percent in fact, have not applied for Haven Shore citizenship in a
time where it is one of the only safe planet-side ports in the
system.”

“We’re here to talk
about the Samson crew,” reminded Tyra.

“Representative Ayan
has the floor,” Mischa said.

“Thank you,” Ayan
said, making a conscious effort to press her irritation at Tyra to
the side. “The new crewmembers aboard the Triton have watched the
Warlord receive assistance from the British Alliance, watched the
damage from an historic battle repaired, and the former crew of the
Samson turn their old ship into a weapon worthy of note on any
battlefield. Tomorrow they will return, and I am willing to stake my
reputation and my post that they will have a train of supplies and
equipment in tow that they have stolen from the enemy.”

“Stake your post?”
repeated the Carthan Observer. “You’ll step down if your
prediction is wrong?”

Ayan interrupted Mischa
as she was about to tell Cory Greene to remain silent. “I will step
down if they don’t return with considerable gains from piracy or
privateering. That brings me to my next point. If they do so well on
their own, and can trust the Triton to continue to provide them with
docking facilities, what do they need us for? As the military liaison
for this body, and the closest thing to Defense Minister in our small
government, I cannot accept the possibility that they will turn away
from us, because if they do, Haven Shore will lose all credibility
with the military community gathering in the Rega Gain System, and
we’ll become known as a foolish little peace-loving settlement with
no grasp on the situation past our borders. Our citizenship may grow,
but the people who are looking to win this war, the just war of our
age, will leave en-masse if we don’t show that we are invested in
it by openly accepting our best fighters: Shamus Frost, Stephanie
Vega, Billy Finn, Agameg Price, Ashley Lamport, and Captain Jacob
Valent. The benefits we stand to lose by violating our contract with
the Carthan Government are insignificant compared to the moral and
strategic victories we stand to win by embracing people who were key
to our survival before the Carthans even knew who we were.”

“We will strip you of
your sovereignty and Haven Shore will be nothing but a dream,” Cory
Greene, the Carthan Observer said. “We’ll take the island back,
and use the city for our own purposes.”

“Come and try it!”
Ayan said, an untapped reservoir of anger bursting open. The filter
of reason between her thoughts and her speech broke down. “The
Warlord will be the least of your worries when the Triton and
everyone who loves Haven Shore takes up defensive positions while the
Warlord and the Clever Dream reduce what’s left of your pathetic
military forces to cinders from the shadows. I would love to see the
look on your face when I walk onto the bridge of your crippled
command carrier and demand that your fleet surrenders to Triton
Fleet. We could use a few of your destroyers on our side. ”

“The British Allia-“
the Carthan Observer started.

“The British
Alliance,” interrupted the British Alliance Observer, Sunny Zinnes,
“will get out of their way and make an alliance with whoever
survives when the smoke clears. We’re not here to be moderators in
a minor war that won’t turn the tide in our larger engagements.
Besides, we’ve already run this scenario in simulation several
times. We estimate that the Carthan leadership will be killed within
six hours and Haven Shore would survive with minimal damage. Your
government somehow believes that Haven Shore, the crew of the
Warlord, and the Triton are normal soldiers, when, in fact, they’re
more like guerrilla fighters, or extremely well armed, experienced
terrorists. To enter into combat against people like the esteemed
Military Liaison, the Triton, and the well-trained Rangers is a more
frightening proposition than you seem to realize. They have created
an elitist culture in their military that pushes everyone who can
stand it to constantly improve, while you employ prisoner-slaves that
are programmed to be loyal. They will be useless to you when throats
are slit in the dead of night, sabotage ruins the few installations
you control, then strike and fade tactics pick your ships apart. You
are not ready. It is the opinion of this diplomat and former soldier
that the Carthans should abide by the ruling of this council and hope
that you become a part of their strategy for growth. We know your
government isn’t sending help, and they’re willing to write you
off if this becomes too complicated.”

Ayan nodded at Sunny,
and though she didn’t like where he took the discussion, he gave
her time to reign in her temper. She struggled to find a more
positive tact. “I love Haven Shore. I look at what we’ve built
here and feel nothing but pride and hope for the future. I also fear
against what will happen if we’re caught without our best people at
our side. If the Council does not accept the crew of the Samson,
regardless of the consequences with the Carthan Government, then
Haven Shore begins a walk down a darkened path. I will stay for as
long as I can to try to correct it, but it may already be too late.”
Ayan sat down feeling as though she hadn’t said enough, but
couldn’t find anything to add.

The next and last to
speak was the People’s Representative for Haven Shore North, Mischa
Konev. She rose tentatively and looked at Ayan. “I will be voting
to accept the crew from the Samson, and hoping for consensus since
this will be the last time we consider this issue for some time if we
don’t come to an agreement. Before we vote, I’d like to elaborate
on something Ayan mentioned. I remember the fear aboard the Triton as
brave people fought for our lives when soldiers tried to take the
ship and possibly exterminate or imprison us. I arrived here after
the Clever Dream and the Samson led us to this safe haven. Ayan had
already started talks with the Carthan people who were only just
taking possession of the solar system at the time. The people of
Haven Shore have forgotten to honour and celebrate the people
responsible for getting us here. They could have made their lives
simpler by leaving the civilians, us, behind. If we cannot come to
consensus on offering citizenship to the crew of the Samson, then
there are people on this council who have lost their way, and that
leadership will push us in the wrong direction. I won’t have it,
and I’m warning you that there will be changes on this council if
this vote does not pass. Significant changes. It’s time we vote.”
She sat down and registered her vote on the table in front of her,
which showed up as YES in green beneath the motion detailed in
smaller letters that read;
Internal
Security Minister Victor Davis proposes that Haven Shore invite the
crew of the ship formerly known as the Samson who are listed as
criminals with the Carthan Government, to become citizens of Haven
Shore.

“Threats, classy,”
muttered the People’s Representative For Haven Shore South, Tyra
Kim. She watched as everyone else, with the exception of the
Observers from the Carthan Government and the British Alliance who
didn’t have a vote at that table, entered their votes.

Green coloured the
room, the light emitting from near unanimous votes of yes, and Ayan
only had to look at Tyra to know what she was about to do. She saw
the woman’s vote appear as NO in red letters on the table and she
leaned forward, staring quietly at Mischa.

“A consensus has not
been reached, so the motion fails,” announced Mischa in sad tones.

Ayan’s unwavering
gaze caught Mischa’s attention and she nodded at the woman. Mischa
looked as though she didn’t know what Ayan was trying to
communicate for a moment, cocking her head a little. Her eyes widened
when Ayan pointed down at the edge of the table in front of her with
two fingers, then split them into a V.

“As my last act
during this turn as Chairperson,” Mischa started, turning red in
her nervousness and clearing her throat. “I’m entering a
proposition to expand the membership of the Haven Shore Council.”

Ayan sat back in her
chair, satisfied that the product of a discussion she had with Mischa
weeks before were about to come to fruition. Liam was there at the
time, as well as Lacey and the British Alliance representative. They
all agreed that a consensus-based council would be a good start for a
small government, but it would have to evolve eventually.

“In this proposition,
I petition to add six more seats to decrease the ratio of homes to
local Haven Shore representatives. I also provide for four seats
reserved for our allies, and I propose we add and reopen the
following positions: Defense Minister, Military Liaison, Minister of
Development, Minister of Resources, and Council Chairperson. If this
proposition passes this afternoon, the position of Military Liaison
and Chief of Structural Development, currently held by Ayan, will be
removed from this Council. The position of Internal Security Minister
will be downloaded to regional representation, and Victor Davis will
no longer have a position on this council. It is my hope that Haven
Shore’s citizens will be better represented and our Council Members
will be able to attend to their duties with less stress. This will
also provide for a great deal of growth, as we must look to a future
when Haven Shore is larger, and very few homes are vacant. The
proposal is thirty five hundred words exactly, and I suggest we
recess for only one hour to review it, then vote.”