This time, Bradamont couldn’t hide her emotion. “Thank you, General. I accept the terms stated. I will inform the courier ship of my decision and my… resignation, and also provide it with the message for Admiral Geary. I will provide it as well with an update on the situation here which I have been keeping current in the event I would have an opportunity to send it. I cannot allow you to review that update before transmission because it is an official Alliance document, perhaps my last official act, but I assure you that nothing in it reflects badly on you or the president. I… thank you, sir. To the honor of our ancestors and our people, Bradamont, out.”
It wasn’t until the next day that he heard from her again. Bradamont looked a bit angry this time. “General Drakon, the courier ship’s commander has responded to my messages. He insists that I must return to communicate my decision in person, and that I must comply with the orders I received. In light of the diplomatic aspects of this situation, I am informing you of this matter and request your guidance. Bradamont, out.”
She was upset. Drakon considered the diplomatic issues, and the likelihood that Bradamont was as upset by the tone of whatever message the courier ship commander had sent as by the contents of that message.
A courier ship. An Alliance courier ship. And its commander was trying to play high-and-mighty with Captain Bradamont, who, all other issues aside, had always behaved with immaculate professionalism and was now effectively one of Drakon’s subordinates.
He felt a little upset, too.
Drakon touched the message command. “Captain Bradamont, I will be sending a reply directly to the courier ship, copied to you. Drakon, out.”
He checked the star system display, confirming that Gryphon and her escorts were orbiting within a few light minutes of the courier ship.
“To the Alliance courier vessel which has entered Midway Star System and so far not conducted routine identification and clearance procedures with Midway Star System authorities, this is General Drakon. I understand that you have a problem regarding an officer aboard one of our heavy cruisers. I have been assured by that officer that her response to you is within her legal and professional rights as a citizen of the Alliance, and I assure you that she has always represented the Alliance in a manner that has impressed everyone with whom she has come in contact.”
That wasn’t good enough. What would matter to Alliance people? Oh, yeah, that thing. “Her honor is unsurpassed and unblemished. It has deeply impressed all who have met her. Given the services that she has rendered to the Free and Independent Midway Star System, under her orders from Alliance Admiral Black Jack Geary, I have accepted her offer to remain here and continue the tasks that she was given by Alliance Admiral Black Jack Geary. Since Alliance Admiral Black Jack Geary personally negotiated with me the terms of Captain Bradamont’s assignment here, I will not have them redrawn by anyone but him, subject to the wishes of Captain Bradamont. I repeat that Captain Bradamont is aboard one of our warships, and that we will protect her from any threat or attempted coercion. You need not worry about her personal safety.”
What else? There had to be something else. What had Bradamont spoken of the most?
“I must add that Captain Bradamont has always championed the principles which she says the Alliance stands for, and has done much to make this star system a freer and more just place. If you have any further questions, direct them to me, as senior authority in this star system as acknowledged by Alliance Admiral Black Jack Geary. If you intend remaining in this star system, then you must request clearance. Heavy cruiser Gryphon will assist you in that process if you have any questions. For the people, Drakon, out.”
A little heavy-handed maybe, but no one listening to it could doubt that Bradamont had represented the Alliance well, and that Alliance Admiral Black Jack Geary wanted her here.
About nine hours later, Drakon was informed by his watch team that the Alliance courier ship had entered the hypernet gate, departing from Midway Star System without Captain Bradamont. He knew that it did have aboard not only his response, but also Bradamont’s message to Black Jack and her report to the Alliance about this star system. None of those things worried him.
The return of half of Midway’s flotilla to Iwa a few days later caused an initial rush of worry both because of so many ships not present and the battle damage visible on those that had returned. But coming in the wake of the light heralding their arrival were messages announcing the outcome of the Iwa campaign.
Drakon made a public announcement of the victory and of President Iceni’s return, declared a half-day holiday for all workers, then sat in his office, smiling.
“Aren’t you going to go out and celebrate, too?” Colonel Gozen asked.
“I’m celebrating,” Drakon said. “Why are you still here?”
“My boss hasn’t dismissed me,” Gozen said. “Otherwise I’d be out getting seriously drunk already.”
He gave her a look. “Be careful. The last time I got seriously drunk I did something seriously stupid.”
“I think everybody who ever got seriously drunk can say the same thing.” Gozen ran a searching gaze around the office. “I’m doubling security around the headquarters tonight. Anyone who wanted to get in might try to take advantage of the celebrating.”
“Good idea. Thanks.”
She left, and Drakon sat some more, then began assembling an update message for Gwen Iceni. That was his form of celebrating her return.
Given the time for light to cover the distance to Iceni aboard Midway and back, her eventual reply came late that evening. “Thank you for the congratulations, though I had far less to do with the outcome than others did. I’ll respect Captain Bradamont’s wishes and not inform Colonel Rogero before we reach you. I have to say, Artur, that your responses were surprisingly diplomatic. Not as diplomatic as they could have been, but from you they were models of careful phrasing.
“We’ll be in orbit the day after tomorrow. In light of her change of status, I’ve directed Captain Bradamont to turn over command of her flotilla’s ships to Kapitan Mercia and to take a shuttle down so she can meet us when our shuttle arrives. I am concerned by your news regarding our two loose cannons and hope that between us, you and I can figure out a way to deal with them. See you soon, Artur.”
He spent most of the intervening time reviewing and overseeing security for the return. Ideally, he would have brought Iceni’s shuttle down in the middle of a vast deserted area with the several kilometers closest to the landing site swept clear of every piece of cover and a vast array of weaponry pointed outward.
But Gwen wanted the people to see her. He knew why and how important it was, so Drakon tried to work out a way to have her among the citizens yet safe from attack.
The day of Iceni’s return was windy, wet, and gray at the shuttle landing site. That didn’t discourage the people who wanted to cheer her arrival and packed every open spot around the cordoned-off landing site. Drakon had put together an “honor guard” which was actually composed of his deadliest and most dependable special forces soldiers, commanded by Colonel Gozen, and arranged them so that they could cover every possible approach to those leaving the shuttle. Colonel Malin had seeded the crowd with countless microsensors designed to spot weapons before they could be employed and was monitoring the actions of Iceni’s own security teams.
It was not the most romantic of circumstances, but when the shuttle settled and dropped its ramp Drakon felt his heart leap. Iceni walked out first, her arms widespread as she waved to the onlookers, who howled with enthusiasm. She came straight to Drakon, wrapped her arms about him, and kissed him, which also generated a roar of approval from the crowd. Drakon barely noticed Colonel Rogero leaving the shuttle and rushing to embrace Bradamont, though displaying open surprise at the fact that she was wearing a civilian pantsuit rather than a uniform.