Vruthvur spoke softly. “They will run riot in the near systems. They will rush outward, to consume as many unclaimed systems as they can before we can call the next Convocation and put the matter of their membership to a final vote.”
Alnduul inclined his head. “This they will do. This we caused when we refused to provide protection for them after having been the ones to bring them to their first, and disastrous, Convocation. We erred, and we did not compensate them for being the victims of our error.”
“There was wisdom in our actions, though,” Menrelm insisted doggedly.
Alnduul’s mouth twisted slightly. “The humans also have wisdom, which we might have heeded when we hastily chose to leave them to their own devices. They have a saying: ‘err in haste, repent at leisure.’” Alnduul’s mouth straightened again. “I suspect we shall now spend several long years repenting our hasty action, standing by as the humans take advantage of this moment.”
“Is there nothing we can do, then?” asked Vruthvur.
Alnduul shrugged. “We can watch. And, maybe, learn.” He stood and raised his arms. “Enlightenment unto you.”
Dramatis Personae
The Humans
R. J. Astor-Smath: Vice President of CoDevCo and senior overseer of Indonesian operations
Alfredo Ayala: SEAL Lieutenant Commander
Matthew Barr: ex-Secret Service agent
Chris Berman: SEAL Commander
Matilda Brahen: Ensign, USSF
The “Captain”: Unnamed clone produced by Optigene Corp., subsidiary of CoDevCo
Elena Corcoran: anthropologist and IRIS operative
Nolan Corcoran: deceased Admiral, creator of IRIS and mastermind of Earth’s defense
Trevor Corcoran: SEAL captain and IRIS operative
Carlos Cruz: SEAL rating
Djoko: CoDevCo security guard
Richard Downing: head of IRIS
Etienne Gaspard: European Union Consul
John Garvin: SAAS private, sniper
Hadi: Indonesian resistance fighter
Lord Thomas Halifax: Admiral, Commonwealth Joint Command, RTF 1
Benjamin Hwang: Nobel-prize winning Chinese-Canadian exobiologist
Bill “Jonesy” Jones: Admiral, USN
Heather Kirkwood: reporter
Moerdani: KOPASSUS captain, Indonesian Army
Miles “Little Guy” O’Garran: SEAL noncom
Ong Wei: captain of bulk container ship, and operative of the Taiwanese National Security Bureau
Opal Patrone: Army major and IRIS operative
Martina Perduro: Admiral, USSF
Cesar Pinero: captain of freighter Maldive Reckoner
Gray Rinehart: IRIS coordinator and Richard Downing’s XO
Caine Riordan: IRIS operative, commander (USSF), and liaison to exosapients
Christopher “Tygg” Robin: SAAS captain
President-for-Life Ruap: President of Indonesia
Bannor Rulaine: Special Forces captain
Edward Schubert: Admiral, EUSF
Ira Silverstein: Admiral, USSF
Eimi Singh: corporate liaison for CoDevCo
Duncan Solsohn: CIA analyst
Vassily Sukhinin: Russlavic Federation Consul
Teguh: Indonesian resistance fighter
Sanjay Thandla: world-renowned computer expert
Mary Sue Tigner: captain and CO, SSBN Ohio, USN
Ulrike Visser: European Union Consul
Lemuel Wasserman: world-renowned physicist
Jacob “Jake” Winfield: SEAL lieutenant
Stanislaus “Stosh” Witkowski: SEAL chief petty officer
The Exosapients
Alnduuclass="underline" Dornaani, Senior Mentor of the Custodians
Apt-Counsel-of-Lenses / Tlerek Sirn Shethkador: Ktoran ambassador/infiltrator
Darzhee Kut: Arat Kur of Ee’ar caste, Speaker to Nestless (exosapient liaison)
Graagkhruud, First Fist: Hkh’Rkh, field marshall
H’toor Qooiiz: Arat Kur, communications expert aboard flagship Greatvein
Hu’urs Khraam: Arat Kur, First Delegate
N’Erkversh, First Voice: Hkh’Rkh, overlord of the First Family
R’sudkaat: Arat Kur, Fleetmaster aboard flagship Greatvein
Tuxae Skhaas: Arat Kur, sensor operator and assistant shipmaster aboard flagship Greatvein
Urzueth Ragh: Arat Kur, Senior Administrator
Vrryngraar: Hkh’Rkh, great troop leader
Yaargraukh: Hkh’Rkh, Advocate (ambassador)
About the Author
Charles E. Gannon is a breakthrough rising star in science fiction with a multiple short story and novella publications in Baen anthologies, Man-Kzin Wars XIII, Analog, and elsewhere. Gannon’s debut novel for Baen was Fire with Fire. Gannon is coauthor with Steve White of Extremis, the latest entry in the legendary Starfire series created by David Weber. Other novels include 1635: The Papal Stakes cowritten with alternate history master, Eric Flint. A multiple Fulbright scholar, Gannon is Distinguished Professor of American Literature at St. Bonaventure University.