Hawk Genesis: Peace (Hawk Flight), page 27
He shouted the last word. He waited a beat, and continued in a normal voice, “Alone. Not merely free, but abandoned. Your system will be empty of Navy vessels, empty of any military defense against pirates. One week ago I entered Grenoble, accompanied by three other shuttles. We were delivering power plants to the Grenobian Consortium. In the outer system we were attacked by a destroyer, neither federal nor rebel. Unfortunately for those pirates, we received help and it was destroyed. Unfortunately, the accompanying freighter was able to escape. All over human space, save for Earth, shuttles and freighters are coming under attack, and it is only going to get worse. The war is not over, and neither is the killing. The Grenobian shuttle design is beautiful, and is better than the Elysian shuttles you now have. One day the Navy will depart the Grenobian system, and they will have to construct and arm their own ships and take over a limited defense of their own system. We do not know if it will be sufficient, but we hope and believe that Grenoble, Maya, Orleans and other, smaller colonies will be able to defend themselves. In the process, and over the coming years and decades, we will painfully, slowly, replace hatred with commerce, prosperity and hope for a future.”
He stepped back and almost fell. His leg was killing him. He gestured to Mrs. Obihiro and she shook her head slightly, clearly unable to decide what to do.
Karl appeared at John’s side with a chair and took matters into his own hands, literally, and helped John to sit.
Mrs. Obihiro awkwardly said, “Mr. Chamberlin will now answer questions.”
For nearly a full minute, there was only the sound of a light breeze. Finally, one man near the front spoke, “You are, or were, a professor, and you served in the military, yet you come up with all that money: where did it come from?” It was more an accusation than a question, but it was just what the doctor ordered, other than bed rest.
John remained sitting, waited until he was certain that the man was finished. He said, “The people of Earth are angrier today than a year ago. The bulk of all humans live on Earth, and they want retribution. After five years of war with its attendant huge military budgets, much of its government is corrupt. The corporations of Earth, the ones that received the billions of dollars, have bought many politicians, and they do not want the thirty-seven colonies to be independent. They do not want a return to the Federation as it existed six or ten years ago. They want to own us. However, there are some on Earth who have come to believe that the only way to avoid the next war is by ensuring that all the colonies become prosperous. They believe with their wallets, but at least they don’t want to own me, or you, or us. It is from this handful that we have obtained our resources.”
A woman asked, “You say that we will be in danger once we gain our freedom, but many of us do not believe we will ever become free. In fact, your words implied that to be the case.”
It wasn’t a question, but John had to reply. He said, “Commissioners vary. Some only want to leave. The commissioner of Grenoble is not fond of that system or its people, but she is also human; she believes that if she can show that via her policies the Grenobians are becoming members of the federation, she will achieve a better position on Earth. I must admit, I have helped her to believe that, and I have spoken, many, many times, to the people of that system, urging them to resist being allowed to get suckered into riots or disturbances that the commissioner can then use to further punish them. Grenobians are, as a result, going to get their first hearing to determine if they will achieve their ardently wanted freedom. I have been told their request will be denied, but that in another three months – nine months from now – it will be approved. Your situation is more difficult, but I believe that once the commissioner signs off on your petition for freedom, the government on Earth will accept it and leave you to your own devices. I have had several conversations with your commissioner, and it appears to me that he is relatively poor. I trust you understand.” There was a ripple of sound that might have been laughter.
The next person asked, “Our colony is badly in need of new equipment, seeds, trained people. Your government has done nothing!”
John answered, “The federal government has given Maya exactly as much as Fujian. We have far fewer people than you do. We pooled our resources, just as Grenoble did, and we built a shuttle plant. It is now expanding for the third time, and is bringing in vital income. It is also building the nucleus of a system defense force – those same shuttles I spoke about. You have resources, but you are not unified. Were I in your place, I would immediately bring together the industrialists, scientists, agronomists and politicians and develop a master plan, and then I would sell it to your people. You already know that you are not going to get anything from the federal government, but you have resources. Our organization has provided some help. Make that meeting a reality, and forward your decisions to me and I will do what I can to provide you with the equipment. One of your compatriot worlds, Hwanghaebuk-do, has only thirty thousand colonists. These people were told that if they joined the rebellion their huge debt would be erased and they would get the help they needed from your world. They received nothing. After the war, the federal government promised help. They again received nothing. When we arrived, we realized that they could not last much longer. We have sent them several shuttles of equipment, Orleans sent their former governor and a team of scientists, and they will continue to do what they can to help. As we speak, a freighter is unloading what we hope will be enough supplies to help the colony survive until the new owner shows up. That will be a Russian consortium. We have fought to ensure that the existing colonists will retain what they have worked so hard for, but the rest of the planet will go to the Russians. We achieved something, but…not as much as we hoped.”
Another asked, “What about Nasser?” John said, “We visited Nasser. It did not go well, and we were forced to leave. I believe that within that system there exist hidden bases, and that some of the acts of piracy originate there. Unfortunately, a solar system is rather a large volume of space, with thousands upon thousands of dwarf planets on which a base could be hidden.”
Another asked, “Why are you doing this?” John answered baldly, “My wife is pregnant.” He didn’t elaborate, and didn’t need to.
Yet another question, “We want you to leave us alone. We don’t want your fucking money!” John nodded, “We don’t have enough money and resources for all thirty-seven colonies. Therefore, if you hold that meeting I suggested, and your decision is to tell me to leave and never return, we’ll place the additional shuttles elsewhere, and we’ll comply – our organization will leave you alone. I can’t speak for the pirates.”
He had remained standing, “You’re just trying to frighten us.” John nodded, “I am trying to frighten you, but that is only part of it – I am also trying to give you the means to help yourselves. Refuse it and I leave; accept it and I or Michel or some other person will return, if invited. Accept my help and abuse it, and, well, there are thirty-six other colonies, many of them in far worse condition than Fujian.”
Some of the questions were repetitious. He had to answer the ‘why’ question several times, and in several ways gave them the same answer. Finally, someone said, “A few days ago, you killed some of our people. Were you arrested for that? NO!”
John nodded, “No, we were not arrested for defending ourselves against an unprovoked assault as we rode a public conveyance from the veterans center back to the shuttleport. Some people died, and it should not have happened. I lived, but I did not escape unscathed, as you have no doubt seen. As a result of that attack, we are only three, but we are here. Let me ask, with a show of hands: how many of you want us to leave and never return?”
A forest of hands shot up. John looked carefully at the crowd, and asked, “Now, how many want us to do what we can to assist your system to gain its independence?”
Few hands were raised, and as he watched they quickly dropped. John turned to Mrs. Obihiro and said, looking at her, but speaking also to the gathering, “I am grateful for your kindness and courtesy. I know what is in your heart, yet despite that, you have behaved toward us today with honor – all of you have. With your decision firmly settled that we leave you, we shall do so.”
She looked stricken – the shuttles. John was taking a chance, but these people had to either learn to grow up or shoot better.
John looked at the distant shuttle and stepped carefully down onto the turf. Up until he moved, the crowd seemed to assume that there would be more talk talk. Karl walked at his side, between John and over ten thousand unregenerate rebels. Eleanor walked on the other side.
Karl leaned over and whispered, “You are such a fucking bastard. Are you certain you don’t have Marines in your family? How long do you think it will take for Mrs. Obihiro to comm you?”
John answered, “Let me fall and I swear, I’ll tell everyone you tried to enlist in the Navy and were turned down because you have a recessive Army gene. Two months.”
Eleanor said, “Two hours or less.” Karl snorted, “Now when I need one of your archaic expressions, I can’t think of a one. Not in less than ten days.”
John made it to the shuttle, but inside Karl had to help him onto a bunk. Five minutes later the shuttle lifted off into a deep blue and very beautiful sky. John took a pain pill and within moments was out.
Karl ordered the shuttle to dock aboard the carrier, and a gurney took John straight to the sick bay, where a vat of goo awaited to assault his nostrils and repair his battered body.
It took four days to recover a measure of mobility. The broken leg was not the worst problem – his body was severely bruised, and he suffered from a multitude of torn abdominal muscles.
On the fourth day, the shuttle departed for Maya. Fidel was still bedridden but he was now able to totter unassisted to the head.
Mrs. Obihiro commed John while the shuttle was still near Fujian. She asked, “Mr. Chamberlin, are you leaving?” John thought it was a relatively artless question, since ground systems would have been able to track the departure of his craft, “Yes Mrs. Obihiro, we are.” She asked, “I’m inquiring about the possibility of receiving the additional shuttles.” John asked, “Your veterans almost universally voted to reject any more help from our organization. In addition, I have been led to believe that your veterans association will not honor its commitment to send the small payments as promised. Has there been a change?”
She said, “Sir this puts me in a very difficult situation. We badly need those shuttles.” John said, “Mrs. Obihiro, I spoke the absolute truth to you and to your people: there are thirty-seven colonies, virtually every single one has severe need of assistance. I cannot help them all, I cannot provide all the help that those systems who want our help have requested. In my presence, your people requested that they be left alone. Once again, has there been a change?”
She answered, almost pleading, “Sir, I am working on it, but I need more time.” John asked, “Forgive me for asking, but how much time?” She said, “I believe that we can convince enough of our board to formally request the additional help that your organization promised.”
John didn’t know how good a Navy officer she’d been, but he was beginning to think she wasn’t a very good politician or negotiator, often times meaning the same thing. He said, “It sounds as if you are suggesting that we, or rather, I have broken my promise. My people were attacked and nearly died, virtually on your front door and as a result of one or more of your people, who set up the attack from within the building our organization paid for. Not one person asked about that, save to question why we were not arrested. I have honored my commitments to you, and in less time than promised. Since then, we have not received one single payment, nor a message of explanation. Those payments are designed to allow us to purchase additional shuttles and help for other systems, but I am now faced with fewer resources than anticipated or promised. Mrs. Obihiro, give me a time frame, and if I am able, I will hold off reclaiming the nine and the transfer of the other shuttles to another system.”
He could hear her let out her breath, “Six weeks. I need six weeks.” John asked, “Is there something else I can do to help you, other than leave?” She responded resentfully, “Sir, I am trying to save my people.” John said, his voice sharpening, “So am I. Once again, is there anything else I can do to help you help your people?”
John thought about her request. He had no problem with it, especially as it gave him additional time to ensure that he actually had the eight shuttles. On the other hand, she was behaving as if he was someone she could manipulate to her advantage. It might mean she was going to renege, that she was bent on some course other than full integration with the rest of the federation. Perhaps he could research her career, see what it told him about her.
She said, “I can’t think of anything.” John promptly told her, “I apologize for sounding so abrupt. Please keep your promises, both the letter and the spirit. Please comm me as soon as you know something.”
He went back to his bunk and slept most of the way to Maya.
Chapter 28
Jessica was not pleased with his condition.
During the first breakfast at home, his family tried to treat him like an invalid, irritating him. In fact, he was an invalid, but it still made him grumpy. Grumpier.
Jennifer and Jordan, plus Arsinoe and Honor Padilla were scheduled to sing at a nearby club that evening. The two girls had grown up learning to play the piano and guitar, and had received music lessons, but had never shown much affinity for it. Arsinoe’s performances had shown them the error of their ways – singing was yet another arrow in the quiver of boy bedevilment.
When John heard they were going to cancel, he asked, “Why? I’d love to see you sing off key.” Jordan gasped theatrically, “What a thing to say! Didn’t you know that teenaged girls are highly susceptible to criticism? It could damage us so badly that we are never able to enter into a proper relationship, or even, an improper one. Why, we could potentially end up spending our lives single and alone, living with our older sister, year after year.”
John broke into laughter, “I’ll pay for singing lessons.” Jessica muttered, although she was struggling with mirth, “You’ll certainly pay. Um, honey, can you sing?” John looked at his golden haired wife, “Not a note. Well, I can sing a note, but it rarely ever matches the one on the song sheet, and even then, it’s passing the other way.” She nodded, “So, any other musical talents?”
John shook his head. She sighed, “Well, your current career as a diplomat doesn’t seem to be working out as advertised. I just thought – hoped really – that you might have a skill or ability, something, that would allow you to put food on our table. Can you dance? No, you have a broken leg. Typical.”
Jennifer reminded her older sister, “Sis, he can recite poetry. Perhaps there’s a market for that? We could ask the bo…the members of the audience tonight. You know, check around?”
John smiled like an angel, “Honey? I’m a bit down on speed, but I’d love to attend this concert. Yes, absolutely. I have come to believe I’ve neglected getting to know our neighbors, the good people of Chavez. I think that an outing to - the Club Nocturno is it – is an excellent idea. I could mingle, get to know the bo…the members of the audience. What a splendid idea. I could learn all sorts of interesting things about the audience members, and of course, they might learn something about me.”
Jessica giggled, “What, pray tell, do you think the…audience members might learn?” John nodded, “Excellent question. Well, for example, I am a renowned martial artist of fearsome abilities. I have a very bad temper. I’m terribly possessive, zero sense of humor, apt to fly off the handle without notice. Oh, and I am legally armed, don’t forget that.”
Jennifer turned to her oldest sister, “Did he say, ‘fly off the handle’? Translation please.” John answered for his wife, “Yes I did. It refers to a situation where, when one employs a common hand ax, and swings it with excessive…abandon shall we say, the ax head will sometimes fly off the handle, travel through the air with great velocity and hit unexpectedly and usually quite painfully.”
Jessica asked sweetly, “Returning to the subject at hand, you think these obvious skills would impress those same audience members?” John enthused, “Yes, of course. Jennifer, and Jordan, perhaps you might wish to compile a list of those audience members you think might be attending. I could memorize their names, perhaps demonstrate some of my superb and highly entertaining skills.”
He paused a moment in thought, and continued, “No, that might be difficult, what with my war wounds and all. Um, perhaps I could invite Karl and Two By. Yes, that’s just the thing.” Jennifer laughed, “The club isn’t big enough for Two By!” John nodded thoughtfully, “Good point, he would have to…displace a few people.” Jordan waved a finger in John’s direction, “Just you be careful. If Hassan were to, as you put it, displace some of our admirers, we might never again get an audience, and you’d be back to square one; the one where you’re stuck with those two elderly and very cranky sisters.”
