“I report to Admiral Korban, and I follow his lead. We’re holding at present.”
“Holding. An interesting choice of words.”
The Gamordian stared at him for a time. “It might have special meaning to some.”
“Are you available for a private meeting?”
“Depends.”
“I’ll see if I can get orders for you. I’m going to tightbeam Admiral Korban. I’d appreciate it if you’d remain clear of the reception window.”
“I will, provided you don’t come in any closer.”
“Time is of the essence. With your permission I’ll continue inbound, but toward you. Why don’t we plan to meet half way?”
Admiral Zygtta considered. “It’s Admiral Korban’s decision, and it will not take long to get a reply. You may continue.”
The tightbeam was set up with Korban. As soon as he came on the line, he was advised to clear everyone else from the room. When he came back on, Chandrajuski stepped into the pickup.
Chandrajuski took one look at Korban and sadness filled his eyes. “You’ve aged, my friend. Are you well?”
A look of relief settled onto Korban’s features. “Good to see you, old friend. I thought you might be the first of the governor’s reinforcements from Struthers.”
“It’s that bad?”
“It’s very bad. A mutual friend convinced me to hold. I never realized how difficult it would be, and I’m nearing the end of my road. The governor has sent for help. It’ll be here any day.”
“Then it’s time to act.”
“Already begun, my friend. The three squadrons nearest the planet are heading out on a training mission tomorrow. It’s outcome could be telling.”
“What can I do to help?”
“We can’t discuss details over the link. All of my squadrons here are of the right persuasion. They don’t have all the details, but what they know will be sufficient for the moment.”
“Are you certain? I’m inbound towards Zygtta, and a meeting with him might be beneficial to all of us.”
“I am certain, but yes, you should meet.”
“Send him orders, then. I’ll receive him here.”
“No, you’ll have to go to him. Perception is critical right now.”
Chandrajuski stared at him, definitely not happy. “It’s a risk I’m not willing to take.”
“I don’t blame you, but that’s how it is. I’m not going to risk everything else by setting off alarms. Every protocol must be observed in the proper manner during the next few days. Wait where you are if you prefer.”
Chandrajuski stared into Korban’s eyes, knowing lots more needed to be said, but sensing that Korban was not entirely free to talk. His instincts screamed at him to say no, but his trust in Korban was enough to overcome them. On the other hand, he didn’t even know if Val and Reba were still alive. They and the Rangers she’d brought from Earth could have walked into a trap and all be dead.
“It would be nice if I could speak with one or two others, just to be certain,” he said to Korban.
“Such a meeting would be… disruptive. Jake’s hosts, both of them, would back me up.”
Jake’s hosts were Mike, and for a short time, the Queen. Korban would have found it very difficult to draw that information from Val or Reba without their cooperation, and it was the most Korban would give him.
He decided to go with his trust in Korban rather than his instincts. He broke the connection and waited for a call from Zygtta.
He borrowed admiral’s emblems from his squadron commander before setting out in the shuttle. Zygtta met him in the landing bay, and the two Gamordians greeted in their own special way, tapping closed fists against each other’s fists. The two of them went to Zygtta’s private office. On the way they passed several Chessori, and Chandrajuski’s high hopes deflated. This did not look good.
The office was pleasing to Chandrajuski, decorated in a manner similar to his own when he’d been a squadron commander. The two Gamordians did not use the conference table – neither ever sat.
“I’m told you’re of the right persuasion. How much do you know?” Chandrajuski demanded the moment the door snicked shut.
“Not as much as I’d like, but enough. Korban walks a tightrope. He’s instructed me to tell you all I know. Do you have any means of convincing me that you’re who he thinks you are?”
“You mean, have I gone over to Struthers? No, I have not, and I will not.”
“Thank you, sir. It’s what I needed to hear.”
“We have a Queen, you know. I’m her Grand Admiral.”
“Grand Admirals fight from the rear, sir.”
“Not this one. I noticed a lot of Chessori aboard your ship. Do you know they’re the enemy?”
“I do, sir. Korban hand-picked each of the squadron commanders to whom he sent Chessori.”
“He knowingly allowed his ships to become infested?”
“He received instructions from a young human female. Those instructions were to hold for as long as he possibly could. It was either accept a limited number of Chessori or retreat. He chose to hold. Allowing the Chessori aboard his ships here has assuaged the governor enough to allow Korban to keep them out of most other squadrons in the sector. We’re ‘training’ them, with the intention of sending them out to districts later, and we’ve taken precautions, sir.”
“What precautions could you possibly take?”
“Section 68, paragraph 13.”
Chandrajuski could only stare at him. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not, sir.”
“That was always intended for small ships, not capital ships.”
“But it applies to all ships, and the AI’s are programmed to accept the command.”
“I’ve experienced the Chessori mind weapon briefly. I don’t think you’d have time to activate the program.”
“That’s what we’ve been told. The squadrons here at Orion III have inserted some special programming into the AI’s. If the captain, executive officer, or squadron commander is not in the net, a one hour countdown is begun. If the situation has not changed by the end of that hour, Section 68, paragraph 13 initiates, and the ships will self-destruct.”
Chandrajuski’s hands balled into fists. “You’ve been living in a time bomb for how long, Admiral?”
“Too long. I don’t have details, but when Korban instructed me to take you aboard, I sensed that we are nearing the end. Something is taking place as we speak.”
Chandrajuski turned away from Zygtta. He knew the mission of the Rangers that Reba had brought from Earth, but it was a long shot at best. Could they pull it off? He considered the three squadrons that were to set off from Orion III in just a few hours on a training mission and shuddered. It really was a training mission, but not for the ship’s crews.
He considered what the Terrans were up against, and an immediate problem came to mind. Reba’s soldiers were ground soldiers, not pilots and gunners, but once the scree sounded, they would be the only ones to fly the ships. How could he have missed this? It was a fundamental omission of command. Then he reconsidered. What could he have done about it? Reba’s men had been out of touch from the very beginning.
He turned back to Zygtta. “Does the self-destruct apply to all ships?”
“No, sir. We couldn’t bring everyone into the picture. Too many chances of a leak. It applies only to the cruisers and frigates.”
“Korban has some dedicated officers. My respect couldn’t be greater.”
“It’s a terrible thing we do to our crews. They’re completely unaware, and most of them are good, loyal men.”
“What percentage are loyal?”
“Most, I think. We’ve been preaching the old mantra since the very beginning of the coup. My men do not know they have a Queen, we’ve been selective in whom we tell, but quiet rumors have spread, and I haven’t tried to stop them. We’ve been careful about how we treat the Chessori, as well. The senior officers, starting with myself, have treated them with indifference, and it’s rubbed off on the crew. The Chessori have trained on the guns, and they can fly the ships, but their performance is marginal.”
“And if you’d given them all the support you could?”