Daughter of Atrocity, page 23
“And you’ll be talking?” asked Mahra.
“Yes, I will make the initial introductions and frame the arguments. It will be your job to answer questions. We will, of course use the ship records as well. Leave that up to me. Just be careful of how much you reveal, but at the same time, make sure there is no doubt that the Sirona are behind things.”
“Hum,” said Timon as he fixed a kahveh. “So, a juggling act, then….”
“Yes, Commander Pellis. That too,” said Aegis, fixing him with a stern eye.
Mahra watched for a little while, before taking up position on one of the couches. Jayeer was already seated, his hands clasped across his belly, the eyes behind his thick lenses closed.
“Don’t go to sleep on us,” Mahra whispered to him.
“Not asleep. Waiting,” he whispered back.
Mahra turned her attention back to the feed, where proceedings were evidently getting underway. There were opening remarks. People spoke, people countered and then it was suddenly their turn. Aegis hurriedly waved them to their feet and one by one, they were led through the rear door by a functionary, down a corridor and then on to the podium area that Aegis had indicated earlier. Mahra stood there nervously, looking around the vast chamber. From up here, everyone looked small. There was something in the space, a scent, something, she thought, to do with cleaning or polish perhaps. Some sort of metal polish. As they were introduced, Timon and Jay with their full CoCee titles, she drifted off, wondering what she was doing here. And then her name came. There was a murmur from around the chamber and she was back to full focus as Aegis led them down to the chamber’s floor. Once there, Aegis lifted his hands for attention and then slowly lowered them again.
“Delegates, representatives,” he started. “Most of you know me. What I am about to tell you, what the coming together is about, will shock some of you. For others, it will confirm suspicions that you’ve held for some time. Hopefully, it will be enough to make us truly come together, because now, we need that. We need that more than ever.” He paused for effect, scanning the room, before continuing.
“We have presented you the crew of the CoCee ship, The Pilgrim and in that crew, Mez Mahra Kaitan. Before I show you the records that ship has gathered, I need to inform you of something about Mez Kaitan. She has enhanced abilities that allow her to perform certain actions that would be denied to many of us, that are denied to our instruments and our technology. She, herself has enhancements, that grant these abilities.”
Subdued conversations arose around the chamber and once more, Aegis raised his hand for attention.
“Whether you accept that or not, for now is irrelevant. What is important is what we’ve discovered concerning the devastation on Tavra, that act of atrocity that cannot go without a response. We, by the efforts of this crew, have undeniable proof of who perpetrated these acts.”
Again, he paused, letting the words sink in. Apparently, it was too much for the Tavra representative, a portly man with a shock of grey hair who shot to his feet.
“Who?” he yelled. “Who did this.”
“Representative Malik,” said Aegis. “I understand your anger, your outrage. I will not keep it from you. You deserve to know. We all deserve to know. The answer to that question is simple. It was the Sirona.”
Malik’s eyes went wide, and he collapsed back into his seat, looking stunned. At the same time, the chamber erupted. Aegis held both hands in the air, waiting for the noise to subside and then waving them down.
“One of Mez Kaitan’s abilities is to be able to track ships through voidspace as we are calling it now. After the events on Tavra, we sent her crew to do just that. This is where they ended up. Play the record please.”
The chamber’s noise grew quieter as the display of the Sirona’s home system, the vast red sun, the clusters of silvery ships blossomed into existence in the chamber’s centre above them so that all could see. Their chatter came with it, and Mahra felt suddenly very self-conscious.
“How do we know that’s the Sirona?” came a voice from one side at the back.
Aegis motioned for the feed to be killed. “Because we have been there before.”
Again, the chamber erupted in voices. Aegis waited patiently.
“This could be fabricated. They are just trying to talk us into a war. We’re a peaceful world. We want no part of this.”
“I can assure you, this is very real,” countered Aegis. “I can assure you that what happened on Tavra is real too. If you are ready and willing to let that pass, then so be it. You tell me. Should we simply sit back and do nothing?”
Now there were shouts from around the chamber. Still there had been not a single question directed to Mahra and the others. And then it came.
“How can we trust that this woman can even do what you say she can? Why haven’t we heard about this?”
“Many of you will have heard about our experimental drive program,” said Aegis. “What you may not have heard is how far we have gone with that program. Part of what had made that success is Mez Kaitan’s abilities. Those enhancements, those skills, we have been able to pass on to several of our fleet’s personnel. For a little while, the CoCee peacekeeping forces have been able to travel, to navigate, without relying on the network of waygates. And….”
Once more the pause as he scanned the room, assuring that he had full attention. “…we are now in a position to be able to share those technologies, to help equip ships, fleets, to join us in doing something about what took place on Tavra. To strike back. To make them pay.”
A few voices rose around the space, yelling words of support, but there were just as many arguing against as well.
“Representatives,” he called. “The Sirona have capabilities beyond ours. In fact, we probably do not know all that they are truly capable of. The only way we can prevail is to come together, to work as one united group. We aren’t in a position to do anything by ourselves. We are in no position to succeed individually. We need to pool our resources, our capabilities, everything we are able to do, each and every one of us to face this threat.”
The chamber had gone quiet. Aegis looked around the chamber, slowly, pausing here and there.
“If there are no further questions for the crew….” He waited, but there was nothing.
“Then I propose we move into discussion.”
A uniformed functionary descended from the rear of the chamber and led them back out through the door they had entered from. Behind them, the debate swelled. The sound cut off as the door was closed behind them, and then they were in the room they’d been in before, the feed still playing, broadcasting the back, and forth taking place in the chamber. For them, the process was over, and they’d not been asked a single question. Mahra collapsed into a place on one of the couches to watch as it played out. She was feeling drained, though she had had to do nothing. She supposed it must be just the tension, the expectation in front of that large group of people. She had to admit, she had a newfound respect for Aegis. He had handled that room like a master, and perhaps he was just that. Gradually, the chamber seemed to reach a general consensus, with a few worlds holding out, remaining unconvinced, but in balance, most were supportive of taking action. Of course, Tavra was one of the loudest of those voices, with Kalany not far behind. They hadn’t even mentioned the happenings on Kalany, but the conclusion was there to be drawn. It was no surprise that they were adding their voice to the mix. For now, Mahra was just content to sit back and let the ongoing discussions wash over her. Then that changed when someone new got to their feet to address the chamber.
“Arania Volta. New Helvetica.” The woman was small, auburn haired, stocky, but she seemed to immediately command the chamber’s attention.
“For some time, we have been aware of the CoCee’s actions,” she started.
What? How?
“Timon, Jay, you listening to this?”
“We have been monitoring, taking note. But at the same time,” she said, “we have been involved in our own research efforts. I do not need to remind you of New Helvetica’s scientific and technological capabilities. Yes, we are supportive of any action that we decide to take. We were aware of the likelihood of this proposal, we were prepared for the eventuality.”
Again, how? thought Mahra.
“To that end, and in support of those efforts, I would like to introduce the members of the Council to someone.”
A door at the other side of the chamber opened and a figure stepped through. Mahra leaned closer trying to make out who it was.
And as Ariana Volta spoke his name, Mahra recognised him as, apparently did Timon and Jay from their reactions.
“Valdor Carr, previously of Carr Holdings, now chairman and CEO of Helvetica Industry Network. HIN. Some of you may recognise him from dealings with him in his earlier position. I have asked Mezzer Carr to attend to inform you all of some of the outcomes of HIN’s research programs. Mezzer Carr?”
There was the trace of a smile upon his face, though Mahra wasn’t really sure what there was to be amused about. Taking his time, Valdor Carr walked down to the chamber’s centre. He waited for a moment or two and then spoke. There was no doubt in Mahra’s mind that here was the same man. And now, with what Ariana Volta had already been saying it made perfect sense that he was involved too. It gave some clue of the claimed knowledge of what the CoCee fleet were up to.
“Delegates, Representatives,” said Valdor. “For some time, we have been aware of the enhancements and the capabilities linked to the jump drive. In fact, I was involved in the early stages of some of that. Since then, we have been working on alternative solutions to the problem, limiting the reliance upon actual individuals, instead looking to a more technology based solution. I am pleased to say that we are almost there. Our early tests are showing positive results. It may be some short time yet before we are fully ready, but when we are, you can rely upon HIN to help equip your ships and your fleets with a more appropriate technology. We are here to help support those efforts.”
“What the hell?” said Timon.
It was Mahra’s thought exactly. She watched open-mouthed as Valdor strode from the chamber and disappeared from view.
“It may not be all bad,” said Jayeer.
Mahra whirled to face him. “How, Jay? How?”
“Well, isn’t that just the sort of thing that we have been talking about? Isn’t that kind of the direction we were heading? At least he’s likely to have the sort of resources that would be required to develop the sorts of things we have been talking about, Mahra.”
“Yes, yes, I know. But…,” she said, shaking her head.
“…it’s Valdor Carr,” Timon finished for her.
“Exactly!” she said. “Exactly!”
Jayeer simply looked at her through his thick lenses, his face devoid of expression, and blinked once and then once again.
“Fire,” said Timon. “Who would have thought it, eh? Who would have thought it?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Belshore
All the way back to Belshore, Mahra had remained subdued, considering the implications of what she’d heard in the chamber. Jay had been right, of course; it was exactly the sort of thing they had been discussing. If Carr was taking things in that direction, then it was probably the path that she would have recommended anyway. Somehow, though, it made her feel a little as if she, her capabilities, had been violated. She didn’t know why that was. She had no right to think that. Nothing that she had, that she was able to do, had been earned. All of it had just happened to her rather than because of her. Well, perhaps that wasn’t strictly true. She was sure that her discipline, her rituals, her training regimes contributed, but everything else. The neural implants were the result of things that had been done to her as a child. The introduction of the extra biological material that had interacted with those modifications was the result of an accident when she’d been wounded in a fight and again, because she was acting as a courier for Valdor Carr in the first instance. In some ways he had been to blame for that part. Still, she couldn’t help feeling that in some way the whole voidspace thing belonged to her. She felt like she owned the experience, and Valdor’s statements meant that it suddenly felt as if it was being taken away from her.
When they’d landed, they’d retired to a rec room to discuss what had been the outcomes. Not everything was clear, but at least they had the intent. They sat round a table, talking about the last things that Aegis had conveyed to them.
“I think those Tavran ships will be good,” said Jayeer. “Have you seen the things?”
“Oh, I agree,” said Timon. “So many weapons. The sheer size of them is intimidating enough. Once they’re fitted with the drives, I think our problem will be simply holding them back.” He turned to look at Mahra. “And I think you’re going to be busy?” he said.
She frowned a little. “How so?”
“Well, we’ve hardly got enough navigators for our own fleet, let alone all these new ships.”
He had a point.
“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “That’s not something we’ve really tried before. Despite what Mezzer Carr was implying back there. What if we assigned a single navigator to a wing?”
“How would that work?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps issuing commands. Or perhaps the drives could be linked somehow. All jump at the same time.”
Jay sat back then, clearly considering. “Oh, you know, I quite like that idea. But then, you’d have to have some sort of inbuilt redundancy. What if something happened to that one individual? There’d need to be a backup. But, yes, I can see the possibilities. Oh yes.”
And they had lost him. He was off in his thoughts, staring up at the ceiling and idly turning his mug around and around.
“Ah, I don’t know. There’s so much work to do, Mahra. So much.”
“I know,” she said. “We don’t even know what they’re really capable of. We could be gearing up for some sort of final suicide mission, and then where would we be.”
Timon was stroking one end of his moustache. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe. Oh sure, we’re bound to suffer losses. I have no doubt about that. But strength in numbers, Mahra. Strength in numbers. Besides, everything I’ve seen tells me that the little buggers are cowards. Look at that first time we fought them. The other attacks. Nothing brave about those or how they reacted. Or didn’t react if it comes down to it.”
“Hmm,” she said, staring down in to the blackness of her mug, remembering another attack that Timon could never have seen. Whether the Sirona were cowards or not, she didn’t really know. Perhaps it was a mistake to attribute human feelings or responses to them. Remembering those events back on The Cradle brought something else to her mind, however. There had been those others, the mercenaries. They had been involved and they had been human. Mostly she tended to avoid thinking about them if she could, but now the memory of them came back. Definitely human. And the things that she had suffered at their hands. She set her jaw in a firm line.
“What is it, Mahra?”
“No, nothing,” she said shaking her head. She was starting to become paranoid, looking for enemies in all sorts of places. Perhaps she was right to, but then again, sometimes it was hard for her to get beyond those things that had happened in her past. “I guess I just need a little bit of time,” she said. “Tired.”
“Aye, you and me both,” said Timon. “Still, I think it will be a couple of days before we get orders. Those council reps can debate each other until the stars go out. I can see proposals and counter proposals flying every which way. You should use the time to relax while you can.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said. In fact, she had that very idea in mind. She suspected, however, that the sort of relaxation she was thinking about was not quite what Timon might have in mind.
“So, Mahra, Jay….”
Jayeer came out of his thoughts. “Huh? What?” he said.
“What say we go for a drink somewhere? What do you say?”
“No that’s fine, Timon,” she said. “I think I might have some other plans.”
“Ah ha,” he said. “Alright then. Jay, come on. Let us leave Mez Kaitan to her devices.”
Jayeer simply nodded, grabbed his mug, walked over to stow it, and waited for Timon by the door.
“We’ll see you later then,” said Timon as soon as he’d caught up.
Mahra simply, gave them a wave. As soon as she thought they were out of earshot, she pulled out her com and called Waspwind. There was no answer.
“Come on, Jacinda. Where are you? Lots to tell you.”
She cut the call with a grimace. “Come on Chutz, let’s go for a visit.
He just seemed pleased to be doing something other than sitting around drinking kahveh and talking.
As she wandered down the hill into the city streets, she was lost in thought. There were still things that didn’t quite make sense to her. How had Carr and his people had access to what was going on. She understood his initial knowledge; that made sense. After all, he’d almost been one of the original architects of the whole series of events. Just briefly a stray thought came to her. She wondered what else he might be involved in. Was there any other connection to the Sirona? No, that was just reaching. When she saw Jacinda, they could talk anyway. Just seeing her would lift some of her mood.
About a block away, she tried calling again, give her a warning that she was about to appear, but again there was no response. Where was she? It wasn’t as if she didn’t have a life, she supposed. She could be out getting supplies or anything. It was just uncharacteristic to have her not answer. She put her com away with a grimace and a little shake of her head.
A few moments later, and she had reached Jacinda’s door. She pressed, but there was no response. Mahra stood there staring at the door for a moment, considering. If Jacinda wasn’t there, surely, she would have taken her com with her. Mahra tried calling again. Still nothing. Maybe she was asleep. She tried the door again. Nothing. She turned, looked up and down the street. She was not getting a good feeling about this at all. After standing there for a few minutes, looking up and down the street forlornly, calling again, trying the door yet again, she decided she’d go and have a drink and wait for a while before trying again. At least she’d find a welcome from her friendly local barkeep Irwin. She and Jacinda had become quite regular the last few weeks.
