Solbidyum Wars Saga 6: Defeat of the Tottalax (48 page)

There was a rush of air as everyone in the room seemed to exhale at once, and a more relaxed atmosphere filled the room.  Norcar approached me and said, “You’re quite the negotiator, Admiral, straight to the point, and know where to hit that it sinks in.  I think this will be a good treaty for us all.  First Citizen Kalana, could I get you to meet with a few of our negotiators who will be working on drawing up this treaty?  I’m sure you will have a team that will need to work with them later.  If it meets with your approval, we can have the final details negotiated on your ship in orbit.  You do, of course, understand that you and Tibby being brought here was a very special privilege that we will not be extending to others.”

“Yes, that is not a problem at all,” Kala said.  I’m sure I can make the arrangements, and a negotiating team can be ready for meetings in a day or two on the
SOKAIA.

We spent another hour in the room as Kala made arrangements for meetings between Weccies and Federation representatives to draw up the official documents.  While Kala was making the arrangements, I took Norcar over to where Jenira stood at her sentry post.  “Chief Banker Norcar, you wished to meet Jenira; here she is.  Jenira, Norcar has seen vids of your challenge at Goo’Waddle and was extremely impressed, and he wished to meet you.”

“I am most honored to meet you, Norcar said.  Your skills are so impressive.”

Jenira signed back her thanks, and that she was pleased to meet Norcar as well.  I noticed Norcar’s face went slack, and he looked at me with a helpless expression.  “Oh, I’m sorry.  I'd forgotten she doesn’t speak.  I don’t understand her signs.”

“It’s all right,” I said, “She said she is pleased to meet you also and thanked you for your compliment."

“Would it be out of place for me to ask to see one of her swords?”  Norcar asked.

“Typically, it is not allowed for another to touch the catas, unless they are Ruwallie Rasson and then only for certain significant events.  However, she can withdraw the blade, and you may look at it but not touch it; that is, if she approves,” I said.

“Oh, would you?” he asked, looking at Jenira almost pleadingly.

Jenira smiled and nodded and withdrew one catas and held the blade balanced across both of her open palms.  Norcar looked at it wide-eyed with awe.  “Are these the same blades she fought with at Goo’Waddle?”

“No,” I replied.  She broke those blades.  These are the blades that Nybidong fought with.”  I said, “She took his blades as a trophy, and in a way it honors him even though he was the loser.”

“Oh my,” he said and his eyes grew even wider.

When the meeting was over, and Kala had finished making arrangements with the negotiators, Norcar brought in a group of reporters.  With the two of us sitting on the dais, behind the table, they produced a new piece, saying that Weccies and the Federation had come to an agreement on a treaty, and that within a few days Federation Leader Maragon and Chief Banker Norcar would be meeting on the
SOKAIA
to sign the treaty.

Norcar invited us to spend the night on Weccies, but when Kala explained that she wanted to get back to the
NEW ORLEANS
to care for our twins, he took on a new personality.

“You have twins.”  He said, ‘I was unaware of this.  How old are they, if I might ask?”

“They just turned four,” Kala answered.

“How wonderful,” Norcar said with a beaming smile.  “I too have twins.  Mine are now seven.  Both boys, “he added quickly.  “They are the delight of my life, so I understand your feelings.  Do you care for them alone when you are on your ship?”

“No, actually Jenira helps to care for them.”  Kala replied.

“Jenira, the young woman with the swords?  I would not have suspected her of caring much for children,” he said, as he looked back at Jenira appraisingly.

“Don’t let Jenira fool you.  She adores children, and don’t ever do anything harmful to a child so that Jenira finds out about it, or you’ll be facing her swords,” Kala said.

Norcar swallowed hard and said with an alarmed look, “I would never dream of harming a child.”

That night when we returned to the
NEW ORLEANS,
both Kala and I were exhausted, and all I wanted to do was go straight to bed, but Marranalis informed me as soon as I cleared the Cantolla Gate that both Admiral Wabussie and Regeny wished to speak to me about the trip.  I asked him to invite them both to the
NEW ORLEANS
, and that I would meet them in my study.  I called Piesew and ordered a meal and told him to serve it to me in my study.  I didn’t bother to order anything for Wabussie or Regeny.  I figured if they were rude enough to expect me to immediately satiate their curiosity about the trip, without regard for my exhaustion, they could damn well sit there and watch me eat as I related the details.

Piesew had just served me a delicious fubalo steak, and I was taking the first bite when Marranalis ushered both Regeny and Wabussie in.  Piesew immediately served them foccee before he departed.

“So, Tibby, I’m assuming all went well?”  Regeny began with an eager look on his face.

“Aff fell aff cud bef excfed,” I muttered through a mouth full of food.

“Oh, excuse me, Tibby, you haven’t eaten?”  Regeny asked.

I swallowed before answering, “No, not since noon.  Chief Banker Norcar invited us to spend the night on Weccies, but Kala wished to return to see to the twins,” I said.

“But the negotiations went well?”  Regeny asked as I sliced off another piece of meat.

“Kala is making arrangements for a Federation negotiating team to meet with the Weccies tomorrow to write up the treaty.  We’re hoping that Leader Maragon will be able to travel to Weccies to meet with Chief Banker Norcar aboard the
SOKAIA
in two days to sign the agreement.”

“You did it?  You got them to agree?  That’s fantastic Tibby!” Regeny exclaimed.

“Yeff,” I said as I bit into another piece of steak.

“Did they agree to share information with us pertaining to Brotherhood accounts and deposits?”  Wabussie asked.

I swallowed again and took a sip of wine before replying, “Yes, they agreed, after I threatened to take all my money out of Weccies, and set up my own banking planet and to pull away all Federation protections of their planet.”

“What?  Regeny laughed, “You didn’t do that really, did you?”

“I damn well did,” I said.  “One of their bankers was suggesting that I should put up all my wealth as collateral in exchange for them signing the treaty, and that it stayed there until the treaty ended.”

“Oh my,” Regeny said, “You didn’t agree to that, did you?”

“By the stars, NO!  And they won’t ever ask me that again, I assure you,” I said as I took my last bite of food and pushed my plate to the side.

“So what are we giving them?” Wabussie asked.

“Pretty much everything,” I replied.  “Cloaking technology, as well as cloaking tracking software, fighter plans, 10X reactor plans, plans for a solbidyum reactor, and we’ll be setting up a Cantolla Gate on their space station.”

“Wait, wait… stop!  Did you say plans for a solbidyum reactor?”  Regeny asked with shock.

“Yes, it seems that we are NOT the only ones with solbidyum.  Apparently, way back when solbidyum was first discovered, some prospector rushed out there ahead of everyone and managed to find two grains of the stuff; it’s been sitting in the Weccies’ vaults for over 600 years.  The prospector disappeared and has no next of kin the Weccies could ever find, so now they are laying claim to the two grains.”

“What are their plans for the reactors?”  Wabussie asked.  “They’re not planning on selling them, are they?”

“No, they plan to use them for power and defenses.  They’re extremely paranoid about losing clients if they can’t show they are secure from attacks.”

“So what is their military like?” Regeny asked.

“Unfriendly, and skeptical,” I answered, “How would you be in their position?”

“Hmm, you have a point there.”

“What about our ships providing security for them?”  Regeny asked.

“They want their military beefed up and with the latest technology as soon as possible, and then they want us out of there.  I told them that was fine with us, as we had other concerns and our ship could be put to better uses elsewhere.”  I said.

“Hmm, good way to put it.  I trust that put them at ease.”  Regeny said.

“Hard to tell, sir, I got the impression that they don’t really trust anyone, but with their situation as it is, they have to trust us at the moment.”

“Yes, but still it’s a start.”

“Look,” I said as I stood up,” I’m really tired.  Everything else I have to tell you can wait until tomorrow; so unless you have something urgent to relate, I would really like to go to bed.”

“Oh, by the stars, yes, by all means,” Regeny said apologetically.  “Tomorrow will be fine.  Oh, I do have one bit of news.  The asteroid at Maisha   ,the Ruwallie Rasson ship was only able to break up a portion of it and there were still some pretty large pieces that made it through to the planet.  Fortunately, the planet will survive, but there was extensive damage, and millions of deaths; we don’t know how many.  We’ve got relief and medical ships heading there now; the first one should arrive in three days. They have the materials to set up an interstellar Cantolla Gate, so we’ll be able to get as many relief ships and aid there as we can.”

“I was really hoping that the Ruwallie Rasson would have been able to bust that asteroid up more,” I said, but I’m grateful they could do what they did.  This is just another reason why we need to share our technology with our allies.  If they had been equipped with our latest technology, they could have destroyed that asteroid, and Maisha would have been saved.”

By the time I got back to my suite, Kala and the twins were asleep.

Three days later the big news throughout the Federation was about the asteroid attack on Maisha, and how without the aid of a Ruwallie Rasson trade ship, everyone on the planet would have died.  Extensive damage was being reported and nearly one-third of the people on the planet died.  In the news also was the report of the attack of the Brotherhood on the planet Weccies, and the Federation coming to their aid.  Weccies Chief Banker Norcar, and Federation Leader Maragon were seen on the vids signing the treaty between the Weccies and the Federation.  Kala and I had attended the signing.  After the ceremony took place, we had an opportunity to dine with Leader Maragon and Chief Banker Norcar in one of the starlit dining rooms aboard the
SOKAIA,
as guests of the Captain.

“Honorable First Citizen Admiral Tibby, it is such an honor to meet you,” Leader Maragon, said when we were introduced, “and Honorable First Citizen Kalana.  This is indeed a dream come true for me.  I’ve been amazed at your exploits ever since I first heard of your arrival in the Federation, with the lost solbidyum.  I can’t believe all the changes that have happened in the short time since your arrival.  Being so far out in the Federation from the Capitol, news was delayed years before it reached us; now with these new inventions you and your team have given us, we are racing to try to catch up on it all.  But now!  Getting to meet the two of you, in person.”  He shook his head as he looked at us both, “I just am overwhelmed.”

“It’s we who feel honored to meet you, Honored Leader Maragon,” I said.  “We’ve heard many kind words about you from the honored Leaders Tonclin, Rieam, and Turaine.”  As I named the Leaders, Maragon’s smile faded, and he said.  “That was dark news; Roritat’s deception and the killing of so many senators, and a Leader as well.  I was in shock when the news arrived.  It was good to know they elected Tonclin to stand in as a Leader.  He’s a good man from all I know of him.  We’re talking of meeting together secretly on one of the starships with some of the Senate leaders sometime soon.  You’ll probably be contacted about arranging that.”

“Just give me the word’ and we’ll set it up for you,” I replied.

“I see you have standard Federation troopers for your guards today,” Chief Banker Norcar, interrupted.

“Yes, Chief Banker, since we were not coming to the surface, where you banned us from bringing military troopers with arms, we are using our standard guard complement,” I answered.

“Ah, yes… I’d forgotten about that,” he mumbled almost to himself, then he brightened a bit and looking at me said, “I don’t suppose that Jenira accompanied you on this visit?”

“No sir, she is back on the
NEW ORLEANS
, no doubt trying to keep my twins out of trouble,” I answered.

Norcar looked disappointed and he sighed, “I was hoping she might be here today.  I wanted to ask her if she would make a cut in something small for me, sort of as a memento that I might keep.  Silly of me, I guess, but I confess that I am a huge admirer of hers.”

“Well, I’ll be sure to tell her of your disappointment in not seeing her again,” I answered.  While Norcar was talking to me, Kala had an opportunity to speak with Leader Maragon.  I knew how much she wanted to meet him and how she had been impressed with meeting so many Leaders in her lifetime, and it caught me odd how fame and admiration worked.  These leaders seemed as impressed, and honored meeting us, as we did meeting them, while Chief Banker Norcar, who was mildly impressed meeting both the Leader, Kala and me, was more impressed about Jenira.  Fame and honor are fickled things.