Galactic Freighter: Scourge of the Deep Space Pirates (Contact) (36 page)

"Not to mention they destroyed New Earth and killed our forbearers," Marcellus said. "There may be justification to retaliate for that grievous act. By their own actions, it is quite clear they will and have attacked repeatedly without justification and no warning. Our worlds in that sector are at risk. I say we should not wait for the Kalazecis to strike but take it to them. Hit them first."

Buck silently let a breath escape as Sebastian outlined his thinking… which didn't include a first strike. That sparked another intense debate along with the suggestion that Buck, along with the war minister, flesh it into life. A call on Myslac would bring these beings into the galactic world.

Someone suggested the Federation should make the trek along with Iona as griever for justice and reparations. Buck kept out of that conversation, wanting to return to his minister's job and do a little freight hauling.

"If we choose to forgo a first strike, we could isolate them," Marcellus said. "Let them know the entire federation will retaliate if they ever attack another human world."

"Still very combative," responded the War Minister.

"Since we live out here," War added and waved his hand suggesting in space, it seems to me we should make it a point to get along with other species. After all, there must be many more beings unlike humans and getting along could be paramount. We very well may be in the minority." Intense exploration had not come up with other species, but all knew space was a big place with many sectors unexplored: something Buck had a secret yearn to do.

"I think the Federation should assemble a fleet of, say five hundred ships, Iona included, and make a call on these Kalazecis," Marcellus said. "Either we get satisfaction of blow them to hell."

"If you mean the Kalazecis, that leaves the Pagmok to fend for themselves, alone," Buck said. "From what I understand, they cannot govern, lack the makeup to move their society forward and therefore the ability to be a space presence." He admitted the idea had advantages.

"That would solve the problem," Foreign said. "I say let's do it."

War repeated his admonition that getting along with other beings could have a major impact on human existence. "I cannot counsel an attack, Majesty," he repeated. What all knew was that War's people would do the dying once shooting started.

"Just a thought," Marcellus said. "Shouldn't be dismissed though."

Sebastian leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. "Lord Fryman, the Queen heard from my cousin and the message was quite succinct concerning your spending some time, a lot of time, on Iona. In other words, your going to Myslac must not be considered." The Emperor had just made it quite clear the other ministers would have to decide how and when to engage the Kalazecis but did rule out a hostile first meeting.

Sebastian had dealt Molly's hand and she would get Buck's thanks. He wanted time with her and his boys, now six. They were growing up without him and that grated.

The meeting broke with the decision to involve the Federation. Sebastian directed both ministers to report back when they had an answer.

Buck left, thankful he was out of the loop. Someone else could solve the problem. Diplomacy required niceties and few used the term
nice
to describe him.

Outside he climbed into the waiting aircar issuing instructions to take him home.

Buck grabbed his two sons as he stepped from the aircar. The boys were a handful, both growing at a prodigious rate. He and Molly had put their stamp on the two. Still holding the boys, he gave his wife a kiss, and with her arm tucked into the crick of his, the four entered the house.

"The ministries are throwing a dinner party this evening," Buck said. "We're expected to attend." Buck was not at ease attending these functions and wasn't entirely sure of his feelings. He suspected the other ministers saw him as the Emperor's favorite. Molly agreed and thought not having Sebastian present was a good thing. Private conversation gave the ministers a chance to speak their innermost thoughts.

Buck hoped they made it through the evening without a confrontation. He suspected Sebastian stayed away so he could get feedback from any loose tongues.

Molly chastised him for suggesting the Emperor had an ulterior motive.

He and Molly made the expected appearance at the gathering. After dinner and a dance, they excused themselves and returned home.

***

Buck arose early the next morning, breakfasted with Molly and left for the ministry.

"Tommy, what are you doing here and so early?" Tommy Simms, Buck's closet friend never did anything without a reason. Being up early in itself wasn't cause for concern, but being there waiting on Buck was.

"Got a problem, Minister. Need some ad—vice," he said stretching the last word. "Got a minit?"

"Always for you. Come on in." Buck opened the door to his office and ushered the smaller man inside.

"Yesterday's coffee." Buck hefted the carafe.

Tommy nodded but without a smile. Neither took anything in the brew. Buck handed him the cup and they took seats next to the window.

"Get ta see the sun rise," Tommy said. "Been a while. Usually ain't up early enough since I reetired." He sipped the hot brew, "Whew, this is jist like we made back home. Good stuff."

Buck tasted his and bolted. "Strong enough to peal the hide off a Belorian Mammoth," he sputtered.

Tommy smiled and raised his cup with a nod.

Buck didn't push his friend, knowing in his own good time the man would say what brought him there.

"Buck, there's things you don't know about me."

Tommy's calling him by name changed the atmosphere. These were two old friends, baring their innermost thoughts and feelings. This conversation involved two people who had shared life and death experiences.

"Things I kept ta myself. But matters have changed all that, somethin' that's raised my concerns."

"Ut-oh," Buck said in an attempt to inject some humor seeing the seriousness on Tommy's face. It didn't work.

Somberly, Tommy continued. "Ya asked me ta make the trip ta Katakan and I turned ya down. That's the one time I ever done that an' felt real bad about it but the wife said no. As it turned out, not goin' was a mistake on my part. Maybe just bein' there and sayin' somethin' might have made some kind of a difference, once ya got into a shoot match."

"Tommy, you're not making any sense. When I left on maneuvers, no one had a clue we'd end up in a battle. How in the hell does that involve you?" Buck asked with not a clue where Tommy was going with the conversation.

The small man studied the rising sun for a moment. "Jarred Mahoney and me is kin."

"Well, I'll be damned." Buck sat straight up in his chair, mouth agape. Gathering himself he said, "You do have an ornery streak. I don't know Mahoney so can judge you and him by what little I learned at Katakan. Tommy, you are nothing like that man. He's a killer, or was one until we took care of that."

"Know that an' agree. He's different from what we was raised. I remember him from when we was small boys. Ain't much to go on an' that ain't why I'm here."

Completely confused, Buck sat quietly waiting.

"Ya know I got friends, like you but they talk to me."

That Buck admitted but would change now that he would spend time on Iona and reestablish some of his old network.

"Mostly freighters that get around purty good. They hear things others don't. It seems Jarred has a son."

"That doesn't surprise me," Buck responded.

"He ain't like us."

"Tommy, you know me. I'm not one to issue threats, but unless you want the crap beaten out of you get to the point." This outburst took them both back to when the two were crewmen on deep space freighters and they enjoyed the moment.

"Gettin' there." His voice lacked any concern that Buck would make good on the bullying.

"Seems while he was on that planet, Myslac, he took a woman. Got her pregnant and she delivered a male child. The boy is half-human, half-Kalazecis. Our family ain't against the idea of havin' a half-breed and that's the way it is. We ain't never turned our backs on our own blood. Don't aim ta now." He let that comment sink in then added, "Hear tell the female is kin to the Emperor as well. Seems we got somethin' in common."

Buck's face screwed up as he considered what Tommy had said. He stood walked the few steps to the window. "You have a proclivity for surprises my friend, and this meets that standard. You never cease to amaze me."

"I 'pprciate the compliment. Don't want ya to think old age is gittin' the best of me."

For the first time that morning, Buck sensed the humor his friend always managed to inject when problems faced the two.

"How did you come by this information?" Buck had listened to the interrogation of the captured Kalazecis and heard nothing resembling Tommy's remarks.

"One of the freighters got a chance ta talk with a captured Kalazecis. Seems the Navy didn't ask him about these things and the freighter did."

Buck nodded. What he'd heard didn't break any laws.

"What do you want to do?" Buck asked not at all sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Understand we may be goin' ta war with these," he paused for a moment, "aliens. Think I oughta be there. Bein's as some of my blood is there, maybe I can be of some use. Jist maybe this here Emperor an' me got reason to talk."

Buck stared hard at Tommy trying to put into perspective what he'd heard. "Maybe, just maybe you might." Buck wanted to talk to Molly and the Emperor before letting Tommy know his thoughts. Either or both might change his mind but it was at least a positive idea. Could a child make a difference?

Tommy left with Buck's assurance he would get back with him. Then Buck keyed the icon asking for an appointment with the Emperor.

The secretary responded, "The Emperor will see you upon your arrival."

Sebastian wasn't pleased with Tommy's revelation. Buck suspected it might have been a mistake bringing this to his King. Sebastian stared at him. "Sir Tommy Simms. His name seems to come up with uncommon regularity when a problem arises. Was the throne in error knighting him?"

Buck didn't want to correct the Monarch. Tommy usually became involved after the problem, and more correctly offering solutions to a quandary.

"No My Liege, Tommy has earned the favor of your Majesty. What he has made known to us is no more than circumstances of birth, Majesty. He believes this may offer Iona a way to approach the Kalazecis. He merely offers it as a possibility for your Majesty to consider. I make it a point to listen to the man. Sir Tommy has saved my hide a number of times."

"So you have said." Sebastian continued to ponder the suggestion. "And you think if he goes to Myslac, makes his case that he is a blood relative, shared blood with their Emperor that may change their warlike ways?"

"Majesty, I honestly don't know. We don't know why the Kalazecis participated in the attack on Katakan. It seems obvious Mahoney convinced them it was in their best interests. One of our problems is that we lack sufficient intelligence on which to make any meaningful judgment." Both knew that intelligence was Mahoney's strong suit and the man had made the best of it. "Tommy's idea may provide that opportunity. That is if we can get him there and back in one piece. This is a hare-brained idea and my experiences with Tommy's ideas are, well, he's never been wrong with one of them."

Buck made no effort to convince the Emperor further. He'd reject any such effort. That wasn't his decision to make, but the Emperor’s.

"And then there is the long-life gene matter," Sebastian said.

Buck breathed a silent sigh thankful the Emperor had remembered and he didn't have to bring it up. To remind the Monarch was something best avoided. Sebastian had never shown any animosity that suggested a lapse in recall, but Buck preferred to err on the side of conventional thinking. Never remind an Emperor that he'd overlooked perhaps the most important event in mankind's history.

"Soon, we plan to introduce a change into the human race, one that will give most humans a life span of up to four hundred years. How will the Kalazecis take that?"

"Sir Tommy isn't aware my Emperor, so the secret stays as such for the time being. Perhaps our scientists can busy themselves and research the Kalazecis genome and give us an answer. After all, if they’re close enough that we can conceive children together, they may also benefit from the gene."

***

Tommy stood on the tarmac, his wife, children, Molly, and Buck at his side. It would be at least two T-years before his return, and that was if things went well on Myslac.

"It isn't too late to change your mind, Tommy," Buck said. Not knowing how the Kalazecis would react to the diplomatic overture remained a major concern.

Foreign Minister Marcellus had declined to attend the send-off, objecting to Tommy's involvement and asserting the man's lack of breeding would stifle any possibilities.

During the debate over whether Tommy should make the trip, Sebastian had reminded the Minister but for the sake of one energetic fertile sperm, he wouldn't be there to complain.

Marcellus's face had shown the disgust with the comment. The Emperor had made no effort to hide his amusement.

***

Tommy was at the top of his boasting as they assembled on the tarmac for boarding the launch to take them to their ship. Knowing Sebastian would trust him to keep Iona from going to war boosted his self-esteem, not that it was lacking. Along with a delegation from the foreign ministry, he would represent the empire and present the reason for the call. That is if they got past the Kalazecis fleet.

Tears streamed down the children's cheeks, as they clung to Tommy until their mother pried them loose, her face a mask of anguish.

As the launch with the delegation rose into the air, the well-wishers departed. From his aircar, Buck watched Tommy's family, alone on the tarmac.

***

It took some time for Buck to reestablish his gut feel, get the pulse of Celeste Freight, long in the capable hands of Admiral Basselrod. The ministry took even longer. Buck knew the difference, making a living as a freighter meant something quite different from a bureaucracy.