Ep.#15 - "That Which Other Men Cannot Do" (The Frontiers Saga) (57 page)

Admiral Dumar took a breath. “Luckily for you, the Terrans are not an overly aggressive people. They are willing to forgive and forget, as long as they have guarantees that such transgressions shall never happen again. To be honest,
my
people would not be so forgiving. So, I suggest that you at least bring our terms back to your leaders, and let them decide for themselves. Let’s see if your empire is smart enough to recognize its own mistakes, and learn from them.”

“It will do no good,” General Bacca insisted. “By the time I get back to Nor-Patri, the
Tonba-Hon-Venar
will be well under way.”

Admiral Dumar and the others listened for the translation in his comm-set. “
Tonba-Hon-Venar roughly translates as ‘battle for vengeance and honor’,
” Naralena reported over their comm-sets.

“
Bowden here, Admiral,
” Gerard chimed in. “
Tonba-Hon-Venar is a call to fight, regardless of the consequences. The purpose is not necessarily to win, but rather to die trying. The best comparison to Earth culture I can give you is a ‘holy war’, but without the religious element.
”

“How long does it take your people to commit to such a campaign?” Admiral Dumar wondered.

“That is difficult to say,” General Bacca admitted. “There has not been such a call in centuries.”

“Are we talking days or weeks?” the admiral pressed.

“Considering the ferocity of your attack, the debate amongst the caste leaders will not take long,” the general guessed. “A week, at the most, especially if public rallying is strong, which it undoubtedly will be.”

“The attack was five days ago,” Admiral Dumar stated.

“I can get him back to Nor-Patri in thirty hours,” Nathan suggested.

“A jump shuttle could do it in an hour,” the admiral countered.

“It must be the Aurora,” General Bacca insisted, rather eagerly.

“It could be a trap,” Commander Telles said. “A way to lure the Aurora into Jung hands.”

Admiral Dumar thought for a moment. “Unlikely,” he finally decided. “The logistics would be impossible. However, I am curious as to why the general thinks the Aurora should deliver the message.”

“Simple,” the general explained. “The Aurora is the original jump ship. We have known about it since the project began. Why do you think your world was crawling with spies? If you truly wish a peace between us, it
must
be the Aurora that delivers the terms. A shuttle would be a sign of weakness, of fear, but to fly the very ship that led the attack only days earlier into the heart of the Jung home system?
That
, my dear admiral, is a show of strength and resolve, one that will be taken seriously by my leaders.”

Admiral Dumar looked at Commander Telles. “Commander?”

“His logic rings true, Admiral,” Commander Telles admitted. “However, taking the Aurora back into the Patoray system constitutes a considerable risk.”

“If you truly wish this peace, Admiral, it must be the Aurora,” General Bacca reaffirmed. “And it must be now.”

* * *

“They will have their remaining ships spread out all over the system,” Jessica warned. “Random spacing, constantly changing course, speeding up and slowing down…anything they can do to make themselves difficult to target.”

“I am aware,” Nathan replied. “Would you stop pacing?”

“They’ll fire the moment we jump in. Missiles, guns, the works.”

“There’s a nice comfy couch right there,” Nathan pointed out. “You love that couch, remember? Maybe you should try sitting on it.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Of course I’m listening to you, Jess,” Nathan replied. “It’s just that you’re making me nervous, and I don’t need help in that department.”

Jessica stopped pacing. “This is insane,” she said to herself. She turned to Nathan. “I told you that this is insane, right? Jumping in, shields down, weapons cold… It’s actually
beyond
insane. What if it’s a trap?”

“That’s logistically impossible, Jess, and you know it.”

“I’m not talking about some grand scheme cooked up by Jung Command. I’m talking about Bacca playing you. He could be making this whole
Tonba-Hon-Venar
thing up, for all we know.”

“Gerard already knew about it.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’re right, they could have fed him the information years ago, so that he would corroborate the general’s story…”

“I’m being serious, Nathan…”

“I know you are, Jess. What makes you think the general is trying to play me, anyway?”

“Because that’s what I would do in his shoes!”

The entry buzzer sounded. “
Admiral Dumar to see you, sir,
” the guard announced over the intercom.

“How the hell does an admiral come on board without me knowing?” Nathan wondered.

“Or me,” Jessica added. “I’m in charge of security, after all.”

“Send him in,” Nathan instructed as he stood. He noticed Jessica stopped pacing. “Finally.”

The hatch opened, and Admiral Dumar stepped inside. “Captain, Lieutenant Commander,” the admiral greeted.

Jessica and Nathan both raised their hands in salute, which the admiral returned.

“Lieutenant Commander, if you don’t mind, I need to speak with our captain in private.”

“Of course, sir,” Jessica replied, moving toward the exit, exchanging glances with Nathan on the way out.

“How can I help you, sir,” Nathan said, gesturing for the admiral to sit.

Admiral Dumar waited for the hatch to close before taking a seat across the desk from Nathan. “I wanted to speak with you before you departed.”

“Not that I don’t welcome the visit, sir, but you could have just called over the vid-link.”

“Some things are better done in person,” the admiral said. “I’m sure I do not have to remind you how dangerous this mission could be.”

“No, sir. My chief of security has been reminding me of this for the last hour,” Nathan replied wearily.

“Well, she is right in doing so. Commander Telles has spent the last hour interrogating the more cooperative prisoners in regards to this whole
Tonba-Hon-Venar
thing, trying to get a feel for it, trying to understand how the Jung public mindset plays into it and all.”

“And what did he find out?”

“That you will likely be the target of their hatred,” the admiral explained, “perhaps even more so than the Earth itself.”

“Why me?” Nathan wondered.

“A lot of reasons, really. You’re the one who formed the Alliance to begin with. You’re the one who got the Aurora back to Sol, and you’re the one who retook Earth. More importantly, you’re the one who led the attack on the Patoray system.”

“I was just the captain of one of five ships in that attack,” Nathan said. “I was just following a battle plan, like the rest of them. A plan that
you
devised, Admiral.”

“And you were the one who decided to launch a jump KKV against that station. According to Telles,
that action
, not the attack itself, is what will push the
Tonba-Hon-Venar
through the Jung leadership.”

“You
told
me to do whatever it took to ensure that our message would be heard by the Jung…loud and clear. Just before we left…”

“I remember,” the admiral admitted. “I’m not placing blame, Nathan. You did what you had to do. I likely would have done the same thing in your place. Telles
definitely
would have done the same thing…perhaps even worse.”

“We had already lost the Kent,” Nathan said, pleading his case, “and we were losing the Celestia as well. Had I not fired those KKVs, not only would the Jung have seen the battle as a victory, but we might have lost everything.”

“I know, Nathan. Like I said, I am not passing judgment on you. I
agree
with your decision. If I could take the blame for the attack, if I could shift the hatred of the Jung from you to me, I would gladly do so. But I cannot.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to, Admiral.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Dumar replied. “That’s why you’re ‘Captain of the Aurora’.” Admiral Dumar sighed, leaning back in his chair. “And now, you have to fly your ship back into the Patoray system, where there will be millions of eyes on you, each of them burning with absolute hatred. Millions of people who want nothing more than to see you die a thousand deaths. I’m not sure how I can ask someone to do such a thing.”

“You’re not making this any easier, sir,” Nathan replied nervously. This time, it was Nathan who sighed. “Look, if things go south, I can jump out and head home, and we’ll be no worse off than we were, correct?”

“Correct.”

“And I guarantee you, Mister Riley will have his finger on that escape jump button.”

“I should hope so.”

“However, if for some crazy reason, the Jung
are
willing to talk, what do I do? How far am I authorized to go with the negotiations?”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there,” the admiral said. “Just follow your instincts, Nathan. Trust them. I do. Casimir did.”

“The thing is, I’ve been thinking about this whole scenario, and I can’t for the life of me figure out
why
the Jung would agree to a cease-fire. Especially one that requires them to give up even more territory than we’ve already taken from them. They greatly outnumber us, and they know it. Even if they do not attack for another twenty years, they will still outnumber us. Yes, we can build ships, perhaps many, but so can they, and in greater numbers. There is
no way
for us to win this. None. The Jung must know this. That’s why they have built
so
many ships over the centuries, to ensure that they will
always
outnumber their enemy by a sizable margin.”

The admiral looked at Nathan. “I’ve known this for some time.”

Nathan just looked at him, dumbfounded.

“Sometimes, in war, neither side wins,” the admiral said. “There are only two ways that this can happen. Either both sides are destroyed, or they reach a stalemate.”

“A stalemate,” Nathan replied. “I wasn’t aware that you played chess, Admiral.”

“Oh yes. A fascinating game.”

“And how do we convince the Jung that a stalemate exists, when it doesn’t?”

“Ah, but it does, my boy,” Dumar said, a smile on his face. “That’s why I came to speak to you, to explain how.”

* * *

“Captain!” General Bacca greeted enthusiastically in the corridor. “Wonderful ship you have here. The decor is a bit bland, what with all the grays and such. If it weren’t for all the yellow, orange, and red warning signs, this ship would have no color at all.”

“It’s a warship, General, not a cruise ship.”

“Ah, yes, those sea-going vessels your people love to sail leisurely about your tropics. I never really understood the whole concept. I mean, can’t you just go to a nice resort and do all the same things?”

“These will be your accommodations for the duration of the journey,” Nathan explained, pointing to the entrance to the guest quarters.

One of the four Ghatazhak soldiers escorting the general opened the door to the quarters and let the general enter.

“Sleeping area, head, living area, kitchenette, stocked with snacks,” Nathan explained. “Even an entertainment system to help you pass the time.”

“Wonderful, I have missed your world’s numerous video plays,” the general said. “What is it you called them? Movies? Such a quaint name.”

“You will be restricted to this space for the duration,” Nathan continued, ignoring the general. “There will be two guards stationed outside your door at all times. Should you try to leave without permission, they will kill you. You will receive four meals during the journey. If you require any other sustenance or services, use the intercom.”

“There’s an intercom? How wonderful.”

“It only connects to the steward, no one else,” Nathan told him.

“Before the final jump into the Patoray system, the guards will bring you to the bridge, as I suspect your presence will be required.” Nathan looked at the general. “Will there be anything else, General?”

“I don’t suppose you want to meet to discuss Jung negotiating procedures? Perhaps, over dinner? I so hate to dine alone.”

“I don’t think so,” Nathan replied, turning to exit.

“You know, your brother was much better company.”

Nathan turned back around and stepped closer to the general. Closer than usual. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I despise you, and I wish nothing more than to see you dead. So, you’d better hope that your people are willing to listen, otherwise I will leave you in the Patoray system…”

“Wonderful…”

“By pushing you out an airlock, without a suit, just before we jump clear.” Nathan offered a fake smile. “Enjoy your stay.”

Nathan turned and headed out the door without another word.

“Not exactly the forgiving type, is he,” the general said to the Ghatazhak sergeant still standing at the doorway looking at the general.

The Ghatazhak sergeant smiled, then turned and departed, closing and locking the door behind him.

* * *

Nathan opened the door to his quarters wearing nothing but his underwear and a t-shirt. Standing in the corridor was Vladimir, holding another bag and a bottle. “Why is it every time I’m trying to get some sleep, you show up with beef and booze?”

“Because I am a wonderful friend,” Vladimir said, entering Nathan’s living room. “But it’s not beef, it’s dollag.”

“As close as we’re going to get these days,” Nathan said as he closed the door and followed Vladimir to the sitting area. “Besides, I can’t really tell the difference.”

“Dollag is more tender, and has a richer, deeper flavor to it,” Vladimir insisted as he unwrapped the sandwiches.

“Smear that green shit on it, and I don’t really care,” Nathan said as he took the sandwich from Vladimir’s hand and plopped down in the chair next to him.

“Careful, Nathan, I may test that theory someday,” Vladimir replied as he took a bite from his sandwich.

The two of them sat there for several minutes, chewing their dollag, and taking turns drinking from the same bottle.

“Are you nervous?” Vladimir finally asked.

“Why? Because in eight hours we’re jumping into a system full of billions of people who hate me, and is crawling with dozens of ships whose captains would all
love
to be the one who killed ‘Nathan Scott, Captain of the Aurora’?” Nathan took a long drink from the bottle of home-brewed beer. “What’s there to be nervous about?”

“Just wondered,” Vladimir said, taking the bottle back from Nathan.

They continued chewing in silence for a few more minutes, before Nathan finally spoke.

“Let me ask you a question, Vlad. When you think about what you are fighting for, what do you think of?”