Solbidyum Wars Saga 9: At What Price (49 page)

“Do you think he’ll ever go back to Earth?  If he does, he’ll find the survivors from our estate,” said Kala with great distress.

“I doubt it,” I said.  “Earth represents his past defeats and humiliations, and as of now he sees nothing there worth conquering.  That’s what it’s all about to him – establishing himself as the conqueror and ruler of the universe.  He’s looking for established worlds with high populations and established societies.  Even if we fail, Kala, I suspect he will die before he ever gets around to thinking about Earth.”

“What will happen to them?  Our orphans and the others?” Kala asked.

“From what Cantolla has told us, I think they’ve re-introduced enough life that they’ll be able to survive and even thrive with careful management.  There is no lack of power sources.  Agricultural areas are already established and there are enough raw materials available that they will be able to develop manufacturing relatively quickly.  Any expertise that isn’t already with them there on the planet is at their disposal on the
NEW ORLEANS
.  Besides, I’m sure Kerabac will use the
NEW ORLEANS
to assist them in acquiring ships, replicators, supplies and equipment from non-aligned worlds far from the influence of Ming’s new empire, for however long that empire may last.  And they have all the wealth they could possibly need to purchase whatever they lack.  You and I have seen to that.  They’re with Lunnie and Cantolla and Doctor Danjuma and Piebar.  They’re in good hands, Kala.  Don’t worry.”

“Well, right now I just want to talk to Lunnie and find out if Reide is safe,” Kala said.  “How do we use this DSC system?  I’ve never used one.”

“Here, let me help you,” said A’Lappe.  He disabled the vid cameras, in case Ming were to suddenly open a vid communication while Kala was on the communicator, then set the ship on autopilot and moved over to the communication console to assist Kala with the headgear and instruct her on its use.

“Now remember, to make the call you need to focus your attention on the ship or person you are trying to reach.  It this case, I suggest you focus on the
NEW ORLEANS. 
Since the DSC system isn’t widely used anymore, it may take some time before the communications officer sees the indicator and recognizes that someone is trying to make contact.  So you will need to be patient.  When they do, they will put on similar communication headgear.  You’ll get a strange sensation when the connection is made between you, like warm water flowing through your brain.  Just relax and imagine yourself being immersed in that feeling and you will begin to hear their thoughts directed at you.  Then answer them by focusing on the words you wish to convey.  It’s in this manner that you will carry on the dialog in your head.  They will not be able to hear Tibby or me, since we’re not connected to the system and you won’t be able to hear anyone or anything around the person at the other end.”

“Okay, I think I’ve got it,” Kala said.

I watched as she reclined in the console chair and closed her eyes.  For several minutes she just laid there quietly.  Then her relaxed body jerked slightly and an amazed look spread across her face.

“Yes, I can hear you!” she said out loud.

“Just
think
the words, Kala.  They can’t hear you speak on the other end,” A’Lappe instructed.

I watched Kala’s facial expressions for several minutes as she communicated with whoever was on the other end.  Her face opened into an emotional smile and tears began to roll down her cheeks.  I knew she was receiving good news about the twins.  For nearly an hour Kala stayed connected to the DSC system.  When she finally opened her eyes and took off the headgear, she was beaming.

“Tibby they’re alright.  Lunnie is on Earth, like you said, but Reide is on the moon.  He managed to get Leader Pheosa, Rebadat Tonclin and most of the senators to one of the gates that went to the old Capitol building on Megelleon.  The Brotherhood had already started to blow up the government facilities from space, so they were nearly trapped, but Tonclin was able to lead everyone into the underground complex that was once commonly traveled by him, when Regeny and Wabussie kept their offices there.  At some point, Reide spotted the old gate used by military officials to travel to the Lunar Prison Colony.  Luckily, the gate was still functional and Reide was able to get everyone to the moon facility safely before the Capitol building and substructure completely collapsed.

“The Lunar Prison was just recently emptied, so the facility’s 10X reactor is still functioning and the replicators are working.  For now, they’re safe and able to eat and clothe themselves, but they’re trapped without any ships or working gates to other destinations.

“When the building on Megelleon was destroyed, the Cantolla Gate pathway used by the communication system was also destroyed, leaving them with no means of communication, until they found an old DSC system in one of the guard stations.  It was damaged, but Reide was able to repair it and get it hooked up.  They managed to get in touch with the
NEW ORLEANS
shortly after you last spoke with Marranalis.”

“By the stars, that’s great news!” I exclaimed as my own eyes filled with tears.

“Kerabac is en route to the moon with the
NEW ORLEANS
.  He’s prepared a shuttle that will take Cantolla Gate components to the moon facility.  That gate will connect to a matching set he’s sending to the Earth, so everyone can quickly be transferred to the Earth refugee camp with Lunnie and the others.”

“Why bother with a gate when they could simply just take everyone to Earth in the
NEW ORLEANS
?” I said.

“Apparently Reide thinks it a good idea to have a gate in place, in case there’s ever a need to evacuate Earth, especially if Ming finds them.”

“Hm, good idea.  I have to give Reide credit.  He’s done a phenomenal job,” I said.

“That should come as no surprise,” said A’Lappe with a broad smile.  “Take a look at his parents.”

Kala smiled at A’Lappe and held my hand before continuing.  “Kerabac is going to contact the twins and try to set up a time when we can talk directly to both of them.  They’re very upset by our current situation.  Oh, and Verona said that Marranalis will call back in a little while.  He wishes to talk with you.”

I wondered what news Marranalis had for me.  I doubted it would be anything good.  I also wondered what should become of Felenna and her ships at Alle Bamma.  Was the heavy protection really needed there anymore?  Ming and the Brotherhood were no longer interested in producing the drug God’s Sweat.  Beyond that, Alle Bamma wasn’t an industrial planet and the natives were hardly an organized society on a galactic scale, so Alle Bamma would be off Ming’s radar as a world of interest.  There might still be bands of pirates that would try to invade this peaceful place to make their gains in the drug trade, so I decided that, when I talked to Kerabac, I would have him contact Felenna and let the two of them decide how to proceed.

So far as I knew, Ming had not gone back to Weccies again and I suspected he wouldn’t, as it was a non-aligned world and represented an embarrassment to him.  I felt assured that Chief Banker Norcar, his family and all his associates on Weccies would continue to be safe from any new assaults from the Brotherhood, either before or after Ming’s imminent death.  I also felt assured that my wealth was secure in Norcar’s hands and that he would be a fair and expedient administrator for anything that was needed in the way of funds for Lunnie, Reidecor and every other person and entity named as our beneficiaries.

I was deeply worried about Jenira, though.  Kala hadn’t mentioned her after talking with Verona on the
NEW ORLEANS.

“Tibby, there’s a call coming in on the DSC system.  It’s probably Marranalis calling for you,” said A’Lappe.

“Oh, okay.  Let me get into this headgear and I’ll try to communicate with him,” I said.

Like Kala, I had never used the communicator personally, so I was surprised by the sensations that passed through my head as the connection was made.  Much as A’Lappe had described, there was a flowing sensation just before the connection, as if my brain were suddenly carried on a wave of warm water, and then a feeling of recognition pervaded throughout the remainder of the communication.

“Admiral, are you there?”
I heard Marranalis’s voice in my mind.  It was so clear that I would have sworn he was sitting beside me.

“Yes, it’s me,”
I thought back.

“Strange thing this DSC,”
returned Marranalis. 
“I assume Kalana has told you both Reide and Lunnie are safe?”

“Yes.  It was a huge relief to learn that.  We’re hoping we’ll be able to communicate with them soon.”

The mental communication quickly became easy and Marranalis and I were soon conversing as though we were in the same room together.

“I believe Reide plans to construct a permanent DSC system as soon as he gets to Earth, so he and Lunnie can continue to communicate with the NEW ORLEANS without risk of interception by the Brotherhood.  They’re both taking all of this very hard.  Lunnie feels like she is partly responsible for what has happened with you and Kala by not communicating that she was safe after she landed at the estate, but we all know the Brotherhood’s attack was so swift and hard that she didn’t have time.  She and Reidecor both want to mount some kind of counterattack against Ming, but I’ve made it clear to her that there are too few ships left that are not under Brotherhood control and those ships are scattered all over the Federation now, making a counterattack impossible and honestly futile.”

“How is Jenira doing?”
I thought.

“She finally recovered from her state of shock about twelve hours ago and she’s now blaming herself for just about everything that has happened with you and Kalana.  She’s convinced that none of this would have happened and that somehow she could have prevented it, had she not reacted the way she did after Padaran’s death.  Doctor Danjuma was about to sedate her again to keep her from doing something rash, when Andy showed up and calmed Jenira down.”

“Andy?  Android Andy?”
I asked in disbelief.

“Yes.  After the battle was lost, he contacted us and wanted to speak with you.  When I told him what happened, he insisted on coming here to the NEW ORLEANS.  Tibby, I think we misjudged the androids’ abilities to have feelings.  Andy actually showed signs of distress – or collective distress – whatever it is that the androids experience together.  It seems they believe that it was partly the fault of the android community for not coming to the Federation’s aid sooner in the battles that led to Ming’s victory.  The androids believe that their intervention may have been enough to stop or divert the course of the war that has brought us to this point, had they offered their help sooner.”

“It really wouldn’t have made a lot of difference.  Certainly the androids helped us and we most likely would have lost at Glomar Rosa, had they not been there on our behalf, but I doubt more aid from them would have netted us Ming as a prisoner of war.  To achieve a different outcome, what we really needed was the full backing of the Senate much earlier in the war, so we could have pursued Ming and stopped him before the Brotherhood became as strong and organized as they are today.”

“You’re right, Tibby, and to that extent, what I have to tell you next goes a long way to prove it.  The senators that were evacuated to Earth are finally stepping up and taking a good part of the blame.  They see now that had they allowed you to actively pursue Ming outside Federation territory in the past, all of this would probably never have happened.  Oh, that’s another thing I nearly forgot to tell you.  Ming has ordered all Federation senators put to death.  Most of them have fled the Federation to prearranged safe houses.  Ming is offering huge favors to anyone who captures and turns them over to him.”

“I’m afraid anyone who takes him up on the offer will discover that Ming’s idea of a huge favor is a quick and painless death.  Ming shows very little in way of personal gratitude.  What remains of the Federation and military at the moment?”
I asked.

“Not much.  A few hundred worlds are intact, at best.  Most of them are in outlying areas and have sparse populations and little to offer in terms of resources.  As for the military, we have approximately one thousand ships left, most of which are small frigates and corvettes with their contingent of fighters.  We still have two carriers, the KARKECK and the WAMBOSSA.  We have nothing with a PLABE, as you know.  I’m pretty sure all three PLABE carriers are in the Brotherhood armada that’s following you.  He’s holding reign over the worlds he’s captured by threatening to dump germ filled canisters on any planet that tries to defy him.  He’s taken over all the media outlets and now the only broadcasts that can be seen are vid propaganda segments and false interviews of individuals praising him and talking about his magnificence.  He’s also broadcasting a vid loop of you and A’Lappe being made to strip down and board the TRITYTE with a repeating proclamation that you have been captured and are being made to pay for your crimes against him.  He doesn’t go into any detail as to what the crimes are – or the payment.  Nothing is mentioned about Kala or the twins.”

“What about you and the crew of the NEW ORLEANS?”
I asked.

“He’s only mentioned us briefly, saying he will provide richly for anyone who supplies information as to our whereabouts.  But for the most part he seems unconcerned about us right now.”