A Galaxy Unknown 10: Azula Carver (24 page)

"Are they married?"

"I don't know. There's nothing in her personnel file that says they've married."

"Nothing in his either," Admiral Woo said as he read the information on a viewpad. "He took vacation leave from mid-December through mid-March of this year and traveled to and from Obotymot on Admiral Carver's barge. And this is interesting. He's on the promotion list for captain."

"How far from the top?" Admiral Moore asked.

"He's seventh."

"That means he probably won't get a command this year," Admiral Bradlee said. "I believe there are only five more destroyers scheduled to launch before January."

"That's too bad," Admiral Burke said. "A promotion and first command would have been a nice gift for the new parents."

"Lon," Admiral Moore said, "have all five ships been assigned to officers?"

Admiral Woo hit a few keys on his viewpad and said, "Only the first three are confirmed. The others are tentative, but the officers on the promotion list haven't been notified yet."

"Let's have a show of hands for all in favor of assigning the fourth new destroyer to Commander Michaels," Admiral Moore said. A few seconds later, he said, "Let the record show the vote is unanimous. Commander Michaels will be moved up the list by three positions so he receives the fourth available ship. Now, if there is no more new business, this regular session of the Admiralty Board is closed."

It was almost lunchtime as the AB members headed toward the door that led to their offices and their lunchroom. As they entered the hallway, Admiral Ahmed said to Admiral Moore, "Richard, do you realize that all current production ships are reserved for the Region Two Fleet? That will put Captain Michaels here and leave Jenetta back in Region One, two thousand light-years away unless she returns to Space Command."

With a smile, Admiral Moore said, "Yes, I realized that, Raihana."

~     ~     ~

Aliana Shanara stood at the floor-to-ceiling glass window of the penthouse apartment and looked down on the streets far below as she thought about her life. She was right back where she had been as Arthur Strauss, but there was no chance of getting away this time. They had found her once and they would find her again, since they knew all of her possible other identities. And if she tried to run, they would probably kill her this time.

The four months she had spent as Arthur Strauss would allow her to slip back into the chairperson role seamlessly, but that was the least of her concerns. She had become female again just to throw anyone looking for Strauss off the trail, and it hadn't worked. So now she was stuck with this body. She knew the Upper Council wouldn't give her a year off to change into a male at this time, but perhaps if she did a good job they would allow her time to change in a year or two.

Shanara tossed back the half glass of whiskey she'd been sipping from, walked to the sofa, and sat down. After pulling off her thirteen-centimeter heels and dropping them on the floor, she rubbed her aching feet. She'd vowed she'd never be a female again, but despite minor discomforts, she had to admit she'd so far been more comfortable in this body than she had as Nicole Ravenau. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

She picked up an electronic pad and began making notes about the projects outlined by Gladsworth. The sooner she got to work, the sooner they'd see progress and the sooner they'd give her time off to change her sex. The liter of alcohol she'd consumed since arriving at the apartment earlier didn't impair her thought processes at all.

~     ~

Shanara was sitting at the chairman's place when the rest of the Lower Council arrived for the scheduled meeting. They looked at her suspiciously, but no one said anything. They knew she never would have gotten into the building, much less up to this floor and into the council chamber, if she didn't have the proper authorizations.

"Take your seats and you'll learn what's up," Shanara said.

The members of the Lower Council took their regular seats, then turned all of their attention to Shanara.

"First," Shanara said, "I'm the new Chairwoman of the Lower Council. Neil Soroman has been retired."

"When did he retire?" councilmember Theodore Langford asked pointedly.

"Just after the last scheduled meeting of this council, which is why all subsequent meetings were cancelled until today. And I didn't say he retired. I said he
was
retired. Just as Andrei Gagarin was once retired."

"Why weren't we informed?" Langford asked.

"Theodore, shut your mouth or you'll be the next one retired."

Langford shut his mouth.

"Better. Second, I'm Arthur Stephen Strauss."

Everyone's eyes opened just a little wider.

"Yes, I'm back. I even changed my sex using the DNA Manipulation Process to help me hide, but the Upper Council tracked me down and brought me back because this place has fallen into such a poor state since I left. I'd love nothing more than to leave again, but you're stuck with me just as much as I'm stuck with you. I've read all of the reports you've filed since I've been gone, so I'm up to speed on the situations in your departments, and I'm pretty upset with a few of you. Over the next few months we'll bring your departments back to where they were when I tried to retire and then
increase
their productivity and profitability, or some of
you
may be retired. I'll give you all the benefit of the doubt and assume that half-wit Soroman was responsible for the depressed condition. But I want all of you to put in a hundred ten percent until your numbers get back up to where they should be. Have I made myself clear?"

Langford meekly said, "Yes,— Arthur."

"The name is Aliana Shanara now."

~     ~     ~

"Wow, what a week this has been," Hugh said excitedly as the vidMail began to play. "First the news from you that you're pregnant with twins, and now I get notified that I'm getting a command sooner than expected. I've received orders to report to Mars to begin making preparations to take command of a new destroyer currently nearing completion. His name is the
Stockholm
, and he's set to be launched in November. I love you, I love my future children, and I love my job— in that order."

Softening his voice, he said, "How are you, babe? Feeling okay? I wish I was close enough that we could have a real conversation. I really, really want to be there when the babies come, but I just don't know if that's possible now. If we estimate nine months from the date we— uh— made them, they should be born sometime in late November, but my ship is launching in mid-November. Why does everything have to happen at the same time? And you suspect they might be premature because of what the Raiders did to you? I just hope and pray the babies are healthy. And if we get lucky and they're as beautiful as you, it'll be a nice bonus.

"At least you have your mom and Regina and Marisa there. And maybe Christa can come over from Nordakia around the due date. Have you told your dad, sisters, and brothers yet? What am I saying? Of course you've told them. You probably sent them a vidMail right after you sent one to me.

"My fellow officers threw a little congratulatory party for me last night. It was just after I came off duty following second watch, so it started late and ended early. Someone came up with some cigars made of bubble gum from somewhere, so everyone got a cigar and I bought everyone their first bottle of ale. The drinking was light and didn't last long because most them had to be up for first watch. Now I have something else to celebrate, and by tradition I have to buy the first round again. They're a great group, and I'm going to miss them all.

"There's the timer so I have to sign off for now. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

"Hugh Michaels, Commander, First Officer of the
Bonn
. Message complete."

Lately, Jenetta had been recording a reply as soon as Hugh's message completed. But this time she just sat back in her office chair. She supposed it was too much to hope for that Hugh would be there when the babies came. It was frequently like that with military families. Her dad hadn't been there when she or her brothers were born. He was always off in space. It didn't mean he didn't love them. In fact, he'd always been fanatically devoted to his wife and children. It was just the way it was in the service.

Jenetta stood up and walked out of her office without recording a reply. She felt depressed, even though she hadn't really expected Hugh to be there at the delivery. Out in the garden, the boys and the Jumakas were running around like maniacs, playing the game of tag they had invented. The rules were simple. You had to tag someone if you were tagged by the person who was 'it,' but it couldn't be the person who had tagged you, and you couldn't step outside a defined area or you automatically became 'it.'

Annette, Regina, and Marisa were sitting in lawn chairs enjoying the show when Jenetta joined them.

"Did you get your daily vidMail from Hugh?" her mother asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Why so sad?"

"Hugh can't come in November. He's getting a command and he has to go to Mars. The ship launches in November."

"Oh, honey, that's too bad. But— that's the way it often is in the service."

"I know, Momma."

After a minute of silence, Annette asked, "Or is it something else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hugh's getting the one thing
you've
always wanted so badly. He's getting a warship command."

Jenetta didn't respond.

"Isn't that really why you're so melancholy?"

"I— suppose that's a big part of it. And I can't believe I'm jealous of my husband's success."

"Believe me, honey. You're getting the better deal."

~     ~     ~

"Come in, Christa," Madu said, rising from her desk in the new executive branch offices.

"Don't get up," Christa said.

"It's good for me, the doctors say. They want me to get a little exercise to help complete the healing process rather than my just sitting on my expanding posterior all day."

"The security here is extremely tight. I had to walk through three different detector stations before I was even allowed to get into the elevator."

"Security is determined that nothing like what happened will ever happen again. This building was intended as a museum that would showcase the destruction of our civilization as a result of the sterility plague and is only a temporary headquarters. Our planners are designing new buildings devoted exclusively to the two branches of government. The offices will actually be far below ground to protect them from air attack, and no one with an explosive device will ever get closer to the offices than the main floor."

"That should prevent any future enormous loss of executive power at one time."

"Yes. They almost crippled the government. They would have if I hadn't had to run to the bathroom."

"What did you want to see me about?"

"A representative from TGP was here this morning."

"The one you'd been dealing with?"

"No.
She
hasn't been seen since two days before the bombing. Her apartment had been cleaned out, and she left no forwarding address."

"What did the TGP rep want?"

"The representative said she was sent to extend their condolences for the great loss of life from the tragic accident at the old offices."

"That's all?"

"No, she said she was told to ask if I had reconsidered my position about supplying the documentation they had requested."

"And?"

"I told her that the deal had been cancelled and there would be no documentation coming now or in the future. She said TGP had an agreement with the planetary government of Dakistee. I told her to sue us in GA court. I told her our lawyers were certain that if the terms of the agreement ever became known, the entire corporate management of TGP would be arrested and eventually hung for conspiracy to commit sedition."

"And what did she say?"

With a wide smile, Madu said, "She got a little pale and left without saying anything. I don't think she wanted to pass on that message. It was a priceless moment. It doesn't begin to come close to making up for the loss of so many wonderful and selfless people, but it's the best we're going to get."

"Have you made any progress towards building a new cabinet?"

"I've compiled a list of all the people I feel would be qualified for the different positions, and we're busy vetting them to make sure there's nothing in their recent background that indicates they've been involved with any shady practices or anything to suggest they could be bought off. Any luck identifying our bomber?"

"Just that he's a Terran. SCI thinks he might have been wearing a prosthetic layer over his face."

"A mask?"

"Essentially, but one so lifelike it's difficult to detect. There are just the most subtle of shadows on the side of the bomber's head where Terran ears would be, which drew them to conclude he wasn't Dakistian. Your video images are only white light reflections, so when facial recognition failed, they began trying to identify him by height, estimated weight, mannerisms and gait. They're the best, Madu. If it's possible to identify him, they will."

"We really want this person, Christa."

"As do we. Uh, Madu, have you reconsidered that other matter we spoke about yesterday when you called?"

"Which matter?"

"Enlisting the help of the Nordakian government in solving the sterility problem. They tell me you won't cooperate with them at all."

"They're the ones who created the problem," Madu said angrily.

"Madu, you know that the people who did this died and turned to dust twenty millennia ago. Their decedents are no more guilty of this despicable act than your people are guilty of attacking the trade conference at Earth in '85. It's time to forgive the Nordakian people. You don't blame me for the plague and I'm Nordakian. Most of your people hold the Nordakians blameless for the act and are grateful for the help and assistance they've received from their cousins."

"Your linage is Terran, Christa, not Nordakian. You're only Nordakian by virtue of a royal proclamation. Naturally I wouldn't hold you accountable. Your people even look like mine, except for those appendages on your head that you call ears. As for those blue-green monsters, I will never, never, never forgive them. They are the direct descendents of the people who did the act and are therefore just as guilty."