"Excuse me again, sir," Hannah interrupted, and To-karov gave her high marks for tactics as she crowded the president, throwing him off stride and asserting her own authority. "Such negotiations - which, I feel I must point out, have not been authorized by President Sakanami or the Legislative Assembly - represent rather more than a simple tactical decision.'
"Well, we know that," Wyszynski replied a bit tartly. "But President Sakanami is on Old Terra, not here."
"True. On the other hand, sir, any negotiations with a hostile power lie strictly within the purview of the Federal government, not of member planets. I direct your attention to Article Seven of the Constitution."
Wyszynski's mouth opened, and his eyes darted to To-karov. The mining director swallowed a frown, but it was clear more direct action was in order.
"You're quite correct, Commodore. But while I realize I'm present solely as an economic and industrial advisor, I think President Wyszynski's point is that the Constitution makes no provision for a planet which finds itself cut off from the rest of the Federation by a hostile power. And Danzig, as a Federated World, has no Federal governor and hence no official representative of the Federal executive."
"I see." Hannah cocked her head thoughtfully. "Your point is that with no such official the planetary government must - strictly as an emergency measure - create its own foreign policy until contact with Old Terra is regained?"
`Exactly," Wyszynski said quickly.
"I see, Hannah repeated. She shrugged slightly and opened her briefcase. "Actually, gennemen, I didn't come specifically to discuss this point. I'd intended to give you this" - she handed over a document chip folio - which details my planned repair and construction policy. Given Danzig's industrial capacity, I believe we can easily triple the density of the present warp point minefields within two months. After that, I'd like to get started on the construction of destroyers and light carriers. I doubt we'll have time for anything much heavier, and the local population would be strapped to provide crews if we did. In respect to that point, it occurs to me that we may have to introduce conscription - on a hostilities-only basis, of course - and I'd intended to discuss that with you, as well."
Her listeners stared at her in shock. Even Tokarov's jaw had dropped just a bit, and she smiled at them.
"Still, if you feel we must resolve this negotiations question first, I am, of course, at your service.'
Wyszynski blinked. Avram's fast, unpredictable footwork was hardly what one expected from a bluff, apolitical TFN officer. For his part, Tokarov eyed the commodore with new respect. She might not be very good at hiding emotions, but he made a mental note against equating that with lack of guile. Poor Josef was obviously uncertain how to proceed, so it looked as if it was going to be up to him.
"Speaking for Danzig's industrial interests, we'll certainly be glad to take the fabrication side of your requests under advisement. But I really think we have to determine whether or not such a program would accord with the government's intention to seek a cease-fire with the Thebans."
"Not really, Mister Tokarov. You see, there will be no negotiations."
`I beg your pardon?" Wyszynski demanded, swelling with outrage. ` With all due respect, Commodore, this is a political question - and a legal one, of course - but certainly not a military one."
"On the contrary, sir." The steel glinting in Hannah's brown eyes gave Tokarov a sudden feeling of dread. "It most certainly is a military question. On the other hand, I wasn't speaking to its purely military aspects. I was, in fact, addressing those same legal and political points you just referred to."
"In what wav, Commodore?" Tokarov asked. "In this way, Mister Tokarov." She extracted another document from her briefcase, this time a printed hard copy, and handed it across the table to him. He looked down at it in some surprise.
"This seems to be a copy of the Articles of War," he said, playing for time and trying to deduce her intent.
"It is. If you'd take a look at Article Fifty-Three, please?" He thumbed pages, and those steely brown eyes shifted to Wyszynski like Dunkerques main battery. "Since we have only one copy, I'll save a bit of time by citing the relevant passage for you, Mister President. Article Fifty-Three says, and I quote, `The senior Naval officer present shall, in the absence of guidance from the relevant civil authorities, exercise his discretion in the formulation of local military and supporting policies, acting within the understood intent of previously received instructions.'"
Tokarov stopped turning pages. He didn't doubt she'd cited correctly, but he still didn't see where she was headed. Which didn't prevent a sudden sinking sensation. Commodore Avram looked entirely too sure of herself. She had something nasty up that silver-braided sleeve of hers.
"I fail to see," President Wyszynski said, "the relevance of that article, Commodore. We re not discussing military policy, except, perhaps, in the most indirect fashion. We're talking about a political decision made by the duly constituted local authorities. In fact, I believe we are the'relevant civil authorities' in this case!"
"With all due respect, Mister President, I must disagree," Hannah said coolly, and Wyszynski gaped at her. "The document I've just cited from is the legal basis of the Federation Navy. It is not merely a military document; it is also a legal document, drafted by the Admiralty but approved and enacted by the Legislative Assembly and, as such, constitutes a portion of the legal corpus of the Federation, not of any single member planet. Under Article Two of the Constitution, Federal law, where existent, supersedes locally enacted law. As such, I am not bound by your wishes, or those of Mister Tokarov, in the formulation of my own `military and supporting' policy. In fact, I am a direct representative of the Federal government. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Well, I. I suppose that sounds like it makes sense, in a way. Not," Wyszynski added hastily, "that I've ever seen any documentation on the point. And constitutional law is hardly my strong suit. I d hesitate to make any rash pronouncements or commitments."
"I realize that, sir, and I am, of course, equally desirous of maintaining a scrupulous adherence to the law of the Federation. Accordingly, I discussed this very point at some length with my legal officer before I left to attend this meeting. At her suggestion, I refer you to Har-good-vs.-Federation and Lutwell's World-vs.-Federation. In both cases, the Supreme Court determined that the senior Navy officer present was, in fact, directly representative of the Federal government. I'm certain your own Attorney General could provide you with copies of those decisions."
"All right, then," Wyszynski said. "But I still fail to see how your authority to determine military policy applies to a purely political question like negotiations with the Thebans!"
"I invite your attention once more to the relevant portion of Article Fifty-Three, sir." Hannah smiled. Why, she was actually beginning to enjoy herself! Odd. She d never thought she had a sadistic streak.
"What `relevant portion'?" Wyszynski snapped.
"I refer," she said softly, "to the specific phrase `military and supporting policies.' I submit to you, sir, that my intention to defend Danzig and prevent any Theban incursion therein, which is clearly a military policy and hence within my jurisdiction, precludes any negotiation with the enemy. And, as the proper authority to determine policies in support of my military intentions, I must ask you to abandon any idea of those negotiations and, instead, turn your attention to my industrial requirements."
"Now just a moment, Commodore!" Tokarov said sharply. `You can't seriously suggest that we allow a military officer to dictate to a duly elected planetary government!"
"That, I'm afraid, is precisely what I'm suggesting, Mister Tokarov," Hannah said flatly, "though'suggest' is, perhaps, not the proper word. I am informing you of my decision."
"This - this is preposterous!" Wyszynski blurted. "Why, you haven't got any more legal right to issue. issue dictats to civilian authorities than. than." He slid to a halt, and Tokarov looked at Hannah with narrow eyes, all humor vanished.
"I believe President Wyszynski means to point out that while you may represent the Federal military, you have no civilian authority, Commodore," he said coldly.
"On the contrary." Hannah pulled out another thick book. It thudded onto the table, and Tokarov's eyes dropped to the cover. Admiralty Case Law of the Terran Federation, Vol. XLVHI, it said.