Several admirals whispered at the word "Explorer." Apart from Chee and Seele, I may have been the only Explorer who'd ever entered the chamber. I saluted with perfect crispness. "Admirals," I said, "my name is Explorer First Class Festina Ramos, and I bring important news from Melaquin."
The whispers swelled into hostile murmurs. I kept my eyes aimed straight ahead, on Vincence. He stared back, unruffled; when the mumbling receded he said, "I've heard of you, Ramos. Were you not assigned to explore Melaquin under the command of Admiral Chee?"
"Yes, sir." For a moment, I was surprised he had bothered to learn which Explorers were sent with Chee. Then I remembered I had probably been handpicked for the Landing because Admiral Seele had shown interest in me.
"I suppose," Vincence said, "that this pressing matter concerns Admiral Chee? Or is it the Explorers who recently attempted to leave Melaquin? You must be aware that they failed. Their ship has been confiscated and they themselves returned to the planet's surface. Do you and Admiral Seele think you can blackmail this council into changing that?"
"No, sir," I replied.
"Then what do you wish to tell us?" He spoke with an air of languid condescension.
"I wish to inform the council that it transported a dangerous non-sentient creature to Melaquin."
The sharp intakes of breath around the table were the most satisfying sounds I have ever heard in my life.
"The creature was Explorer First Class Laminir Jelca," I went on. "To my certain knowledge, he murdered two sentient beings on Melaquin, and attempted genocide on an entire sentient species. Jelca could only have traveled to Melaquin under the express orders of this council. Therefore, the council must be held responsible."
"How do we know this is true?" a nearby admiral asked.
"Because I say it's true," Seele answered from my side. "Have I ever lied to the council? And do you think I'd lie about something as serious as this? Jelca nearly destroyed Melaquin's entire biosphere."
"But that has nothing to do with us!" blurted a man on my right. "He couldn't have been a murderer at the time we sent him."
"You're right," I agreed. "In fact, it was the action of this council that drove Jelca to non-sentience. His rage at being marooned turned him into a killer."
Admiral Vincence wasn't looking nearly as languid now.
"Furthermore," I continued, "I must inform this council that the introduction of Explorers to Melaquin has severely disrupted the native society. There have been incidents of rape, property destruction, and ruinous cultural pollution. Even if such acts are not explicit violations of League statutes, they demonstrate a pattern of jeopardy this council cannot ignore."
"Explorer!" Vincence snapped. "This council will decide what it can and can't ignore."
"No, Admiral," I replied, "the League of Peoples will."
Seele stepped up beside me and placed a document on the table. "Admirals," she announced, "I am officially presenting you with the Explorer's report of all that she witnessed on Melaquin. In light of the report's contents, I recommend that the council immediately terminate all missions to Melaquin, for the safety of the sentient race living on that planet. The council cannot keep sending potential murderers into a peaceful and defenseless society. I might point out, the case of Laminir Jelca demonstrates that previous good behavior is no guarantee a person will remain sentient under such conditions. If you continue to banish Explorers to Melaquin, the League will surely conclude you do not care if one of those Explorers becomes infuriated to the point of murder."
"But we didn't realize this was happening!" the admiral on my right protested.
"You do now," I said. "And if you don't do anything to correct it, the League will know."
Silence fell around the table. At last, Vincence collected himself. "Our thanks for your report, Explorer. May I ask you and Admiral Seele to withdraw into the anteroom? The council must discuss these matters."
Seele and I snapped perfect salutes and did an about-face. In perfect silence, we left the chamber.
Slow to Catch On
Ten minutes later, Vincence came out to see us. As he entered, I heard raised voices inside the chamber; but Vincence closed the door too quickly for me to tell what they were saying.
"A few are slow to catch on," Vincence told us with an apologetic shrug. "They think if you two disappear, we can continue with business as usual. They don't understand the League… not as well as you obviously do. Now that we know there's a risk, we have to take action. Anything else would be gross indifference to threats against sentient life. The High Council would be branded non-sentient, and the whole Fleet grounded until we were removed."
"So what are you going to do?" I asked.
"Under other circumstances, we might force a few councillors to resign and blame it all on them; but we won't fool the League with token gestures. Whatever we do has to be real. I should think we'll appoint a commission to review all Exploration practices and make sure we aren't subjecting other sentient races to unnecessary risk."
"There have been similar commissions before," I said.
"True." Vincence gave me a thin smile. "But we'll have to follow the recommendations of this one: the League will be watching. They're always watching." He turned to Seele. "We'll need your input, Admiral, when we decide who's appointed to the inquiry. No toadies — people who will honestly ask the necessary questions."
"I'll tell you one name right away," Seele replied. "Festina Ramos."
I tensed but Vincence only nodded. "Ramos is at the top of the list," he agreed. "It will show our contrition. We'll also include some other Explorers from Melaquin — we can't sweep them under the table. Full disclosure, full acknowledgement of blame… at least behind closed doors. If we do everything else right, we won't have to wash our dirty linen in public." He chuckled without humor. "Thank God the League has plenty of caste species where the leaders never explain decisions to underlings."
"Sir," I said, "if you think I'll keep quiet—"
He held up his hand to stop me. "Here's the offer, Ramos. I've skimmed your report enough to see details which are… politically delicate. Do you really want the public to know that an Explorer tried to rip away the atmosphere of an inhabited planet? The outcry would hurt the Explorer Corps as much as the High Council. And there's no point in revealing it now. You've won — period. The Council must stop sending Explorers to Melaquin. We have to review every aspect of Exploration missions. We have to admit our mistakes and do everything we can to rectify them. We also have to make reparations — to the other banished Explorers and to you. In the spirit of which… do you want to become an admiral?"
"Not especially," I said.
"That doesn't surprise me," Vincence shrugged. "But I think you'll do it anyway. Chee's position is vacant… and before you break into cursing, yes, he was victim of a great injustice too. We'll schedule an inquiry to decide whose head should roll. In the meantime, however, Admiral Chee needs a successor. Since most of his spies are retired Explorers, we think they'll be more cooperative if their new leader comes from the Corps."
"I don't want to be an admiral," I told him. "The thought turns my stomach."
"Festina," Seele said quietly, "the job is important. I know what you must be feeling — I felt the same forty years ago. But someone has to do Chee's job. Someone has to take the responsibility."
"I'm an Explorer First Class," I objected. "A dozen ranks away from admiral."
"Chee's people will teach you the job," Vincence said. "He has a top notch staff. You'll have their respect and the respect of government leaders too. You're smart, you're committed, and best of all, you're an Explorer who doesn't look like an Explorer anymore. Perfect admiral material."