It would only have taken two minutes for a reply (one minute for Marphissa’s transmission to reach Vengeance and another minute for the return journey of Imallye’s reply), but more than ten minutes elapsed before the answer came. Imallye was clearly trying to establish herself as superior in status to Marphissa.
The pirate queen was wearing the same outfit and was in nearly the same pose as before. But her expression was harder as she gazed out at Marphissa. “So, you came to offer us deals and favors, Kommodor. And a peace agreement. On behalf of CEO Iceni.”
The reference to Iceni’s Syndicate past brought up worrisome memories of Iceni’s warning. Marphissa tried to look unruffled and to keep her voice even. “President Iceni sent us here. She has renounced the Syndicate and their ways, and governs Midway Star System by the will of the people. We do not wish hostilities with your forces. The Syndicate is a threat to us all, and so are the enigmas. I have sent you our records of what the enigmas did to Iwa Star System. Moorea may be their next target. A mutual defense agreement would serve us all well.”
When her response came two minutes later, Imallye did not appear to be impressed by Marphissa’s argument. “I know nothing about the so-called enigmas except that the Syndicate claimed that they existed. Since the Syndicate lied about so much else, that means little to me. I also know the damage your records show at Iwa, if those records have not been manipulated, could have been inflicted by weapons fired from ships such as yours, Kommodor. And I know that no matter what she calls herself or what flattery her minions offer up in describing her, CEO Iceni is fully capable of ordering such an attack. I do not see grounds for peace in such a situation.”
That sounded very much like personal animosity toward Iceni. Where had that come from?
Before she could touch the transmit command to answer, Kapitan Diaz halted Marphissa with an urgent gesture. “My systems specialists inform me that there are intrusion attempts being made against our software. At least one of Imallye’s ships is trying to use the Syndicate unit net to break into our systems.”
“Is there any danger of their succeeding?” Marphissa asked.
“My specialists are certain they can maintain the firewalls. They say the intrusion attempts are using Syndicate-origin malware which is a few revisions behind that which our forces captured from the snakes at Ulindi, so our systems can easily spot it and stop it.”
“Good. I won’t let Imallye know that her efforts have been detected and neutralized.” Marphissa composed her expression once more before touching the transmit command and kept her reply even in tone as if nothing untoward had occurred. “Honored Granaile Imallye, I know little of President Iceni’s past. Like all of us who were forced to serve the Syndicate, she doubtless has her share of skeletons in her closet. I can only speak to who she has been since arriving at Midway. As a CEO, she worked for the people. As soon as a good opportunity arose, she rebelled against the Syndicate and destroyed the snake presence in Midway Star System. Since then, she has overseen reforms of the election system and the legal system at Midway to grant real rights to the people, and to protect the people and their rights from those in power. Whatever has led to your skepticism regarding President Iceni’s nature and motives, I ask that you become familiar with her record at Midway.”
Imallye smiled without visible humor. “I will become very familiar with it when I sift through the rubble of her headquarters in that star system.”
That sounded more like a promise than a threat. To hell with diplomacy. Marphissa drew herself up and gazed sternly at Imallye. “The only wreckage that will be produced if you attack Midway will be the debris from the remains of your ships,” she said coldly. “We have already driven off multiple attacks by the Syndicate. We have substantial forces, very capable commanders, and the loyalty of our crews. They will fight for their homes and their families and destroy anyone who endangers them. We would, however, much rather fight alongside your ships against those mutual threats we face.”
“Indeed?” Imallye displayed that grim smile again. “I can’t help but wonder why such a powerful foe would come to me begging for peace and support against her enemies. Is Iceni trying to buy time to set up defenses at Iwa against me? Does she fear that Iwa will fall to me before she can snatch it up?”
Marphissa blinked, surprised by the statement. “There is nothing left at Iwa to fall, nothing to conquer. No defenses. I sent you the records of what we saw there. You know that every aspect of the human presence at Iwa has been devastated.”
“What I know is that, if your records are accurate and not manipulated, then Iwa is unoccupied, and therefore easily available to me as a base,” Imallye said.
“A base?” Marphissa failed to hide her incredulity. “When the enigmas can hit it again at any time? Iwa is a death trap!”
“And yet you are working so hard to keep me from going there.” Imallye’s image glared at Marphissa. “I don’t believe you. You work for Iceni, so you’ll say anything. And I know that if I leave myself exposed to Iceni at all I will end up with a knife in my back.”
“President Iceni does not want hostilities with you! Midway wants to free star systems from the Syndicate. We threaten no one!”
“As long as Iceni has a flotilla of warships, she is a threat,” Imallye said flatly.
And Manticore was part of that flotilla. Marphissa made sure her comm control was off before flinging an order at Diaz. “Kapitan, head for the jump point back to Iwa. Now. Maximum acceleration.”
She faced forward, composed her expression, then hit transmit again. “Honored Granaile Imallye, you are mistaken. I ask again that you familiarize yourself with the situation at Midway before you reach a decision. The enigmas are real, and they are resolved to destroy any human presence. Please accept President Iceni’s offer of peace.”
Manticore was pivoting around under the push of her thrusters putting out their full force, her bow nearly lined up with the vector back to the jump point.
Forty seconds into the maneuver the combat systems specialist called out a warning. “Vengeance began altering vector fifty-nine seconds ago!”
“He started maneuvering before he could have seen our moves,” Diaz said.
“I had a hunch that conversation was at an end,” Marphissa replied.
“All hands brace for full acceleration!” Diaz warned a moment before Manticore’s main propulsion lit off and hurled the heavy cruiser out of her orbit. High-pitched whines of complaint issued from the inertial dampers as they tried to keep the strains on the crew and the ship’s structure from tearing both apart.
“Vengeance lit off her main propulsion fifty-nine seconds ago! Estimate the battle cruiser is accelerating on an intercept with our previous orbit.”
Diaz, back pressed against his seat by the acceleration, still managed to shake his head. “Anticipating what Vengeance would do bought us a little advantage starting out. But we can’t outrun a battle cruiser. They’ve got a higher thrust-to-mass ratio than we do.”
“Maybe we got enough of a head start,” Marphissa said. “And we were already fifty-nine light seconds ahead of them. Maybe that will be enough.” She didn’t believe that, but she still nursed an irrational hope.