The Phoenix Project (42 page)

    
“The House recognizes Prime Minister Linda
Simon,” the Speaker said.

    
“Thank—you, Mister Speaker. As many here
are aware, my fellow Prime Ministers and I are here today to present you with a
priority proposal for your vote. All relevant information regarding Bill A—112
is being downloaded to your links now.”

    
A shuffling of cloth could be heard as the
Senate members retrieved their personal links from breast or pants pockets. A
moment later, silence returned, as the electronic documents were placed on
small rectangular desks two feet by three feet in size. Silence ensued for
several minutes as the Prime Ministers allowed the nearly one thousand senators
to familiarize themselves with the concise ten page document outlining the
admission of a new nation.

    
Once links began to drop from hands or were
increasingly ignored by former readers, Linda Simon spoke again.

    
“Now as you can see from Paragraph Twenty—One,
we have a great deal to gain from this nation. They have superior propulsion
and sensor technology. I also refer to Paragraph Forty—One which informs us the
Ferine will supply us with a sanctuary while the coming crises pass. With that
in mind, the Prime Ministers have voted to accept this proposal and so
recommend your approval of this document. I ask Mister Speaker to open the
floor to questions.”

    
“So ordered.”

    
A series of lights lit up on indicator
screens across the room from hundreds of questions submitted.

    
“The questions will be fielded in random
order decided by the computer,” the speaker said and pressed a button on a
small pad embedded in her podium. “The floor recognizes Senator Briggs.”

    
Briggs, a small figure on the opposite side
of the incredibly large room rose from his seat. His voice was magnified by his
earpiece conveying a signal to the speakers that were mounted nearly everywhere
in the large arena.

    
“I understand the documents before me,
Prime Ministers. What I don’t understand is the urgency. A matter of admission
is a process that usually takes a minimum of one year when expedited.”

    
Kim Young fielded the question. “Yes, that
is true Senator, but on this occasion a sense of immediacy is required. We ask
for a vote on admission because, not only does the Coalition have members of the
Ferine Nation under arrest, but we need sanctuary from our enemies.”

    
“The floor recognizes Senator Kinsley.”

    
 
“I want
a direct answer,” Kinsley said and stood up. “Can we expect a war as a result
of such an acceptance of this bill?”

    
“I will answer that,” Linda Simon said.
Desmond Green remained mute instead of taking his turn in the order around the
tables. “It has been said of late that we face war regardless of our choices.
Many would prefer to stay and fight rather than to leave the Colonized Sphere.
This is a sentiment that I can fully understand. “Only a coward flees in
battle,” is what I have heard whispered in the hallways here and at Fleet
Headquarters. What I will tell you and what I advocate is to leave our pride
out of this and look to the generations after us. Would you prefer your
children to live free or in bondage?” Linda asked. She looked up and across the
many tiers of the Senate chambers. All eyes were on her as she stared back at
them.

    
“Worse yet, would you have your children
cut down in their youth? Would you have them crushed under the heel of a
victorious Coalition soldier? Do not forget what happened to the Easter Island
Agreement nations that were taken by the Coalition. That was their fate.
Millions died in retribution for that war, including children. Do not forget
the televised horror still in our archives of EIA children being thrown alive
onto funeral pyres.”

    
Linda looked to her left for the
continuation of the response. Ahmed Abraham was the next to speak.

    
“No war is ever truly hopeless,” Ahmed said
in his heavy Sudanese accent, “but every simulation by the military, regardless
of even the most favorable circumstances, ends with our defeat. This
information is being downloaded to your links as I speak. Thousands of simulations
were conducted and are yours to explore, but let me give you the conclusions
here. If we were to consolidate our forces and stay, as some have advocated,
and go to war now, we can expect defeat within six months. If we decide to
reject the Ferine’s application for membership, and go to war after their
trials are finished, we would be defeated in eighteen months.”

    
The Senate divided its attention between
the Prime Ministers and the countless simulations on their links. Ahmed passed
the gauntlet to Mathis.

    
“I know that this is a lot to place on your
shoulders, but we know that you will make the best decision possible under the
circumstances.”

    
The Prime Ministers fell silent, as did the
Senate. The revered Speaker stood after a moment of remembrance of the images
of blasted EIA cities and the atrocities committed against them playing across
some one thousand links.

    
“I now pass the floor to Senator Trudeau.”

    
Senator after Senator stood and asked
questions afterwards in a more subdued manner. They went from being defiant to
more willing to listen. After several hours of questions, the last senator sat
down. The questions in the cue registered zero.

    
“The Senate will now vote on Bill A—112.
All in favor?”

    
Elliot stood with Lathiel and Ranik on the
bridge of their small vessel. Dozens of Ferine were on the primary monitor. One
stood at the forefront of a large room on the Ferine home world of Cartise. He
was the speaker for the Assembly and known to Lathiel.

    
Elik spoke after Lathiel and Ranik had
explained the situation.

    
“You would support an alliance with these Humans?”

    
“Yes. We need each other, Elik.”

    
“We are used to allying with an entire
race, not one part of it.”

    
“This is a unique circumstance. We need a
race on our side familiar with militaristic values. They have what we sorely
lack,” Lathiel said.

    
“You Human, Elliot. You and your government
support this idea?”

    
“I have been told by my superiors that our
Senate has voted to accept the Ferine into the Alliance. You have our support,” Elliot replied.

    
“So our choice is whether or not to accept
your Alliance,”
Elik said, raising a long index finger to his lips, “What are you able to give
us?”

    
“The ability to fight off the Nevargh. My government
and I have been informed of their capability. Our shields and weapons surpass
the Nevargh’s.”

    
“If your weapons are superior, why not use
them against your more immediate enemies?” Elik asked.

    
“Our technology surpasses the Coalition’s
by twenty years, this is true. But, we are outnumbered to an extent that
nullifies that advantage.”

    
“We are also vastly outnumbered. How would
your reinforcements benefit us?” Elik inquired.

    
“From the information given me, our
technology is at least fifty years ahead of the Nevargh’s. We can make short
work of them.”

    
“With only a hundred warships?” Elik asked,
cynically.

    
“Our ships are powerful, but not enough to
defeat the two thousand ships you face. However, each battleship has sixty
squadrons of gunships. That is three hundred additional ships per battleship,
totaling thirty thousand. Furthermore, each gunship had a squadron of fighters
at its disposal, boosting our forces even more.”

    
“These are support craft, if I’m not
mistaken. How can they help?”

    
“Our gunships are armed with PBCs superior
to the Nevargh’s and have swappable battle modules capable of mounting plasma
cannons, torpedoes launchers, or heavier PBCs. They are more than a match for
the Nevargh’s scout ships. Our capital ships will be able to keep the Nevargh’s
heavier vessels occupied in the meantime.”

    
“Hmmm,” Elik said while he considered his
words. “When could we expect these reinforcements if we accept?”

    
“In a little over a week if what we believe
is true about the Coalition’s new fleet,” Elliot replied.

    
“We believe the Nevargh fleet will be
assembled by then. If we sign this treaty, we can count on your support?”

    
“It would be our obligation to assist in
fighting off an enemy of our ally.”

    
“You’ve made your case,” Elik replied, “but
what trust is there between us?”

    
“I can vouch for them,” Lathiel said. “They
are good people on the road to change. If you can’t trust them, then trust me.”

    
“Well then, let’s put it to a vote,” Elik
said and turned to the group of Ferine behind him. “All in favor?”

    
Many hands were raised on the screen.

    
“All against?”

    
Ten hands went up.

    
“Motion carried. Send us the documents,
Admiral. My associates and I will sign.”

    
“Thank—you Elik,” Elliot said. “Welcome to
the Alliance.
As is our tradition, I can say this: We are now brothers in a strong and
diverse family.”

    
“Thank—you, Admiral. Welcome to our home
world. I have a case of Ruby Brandy that’s forty years old. You, Lathiel and I will
share it once you arrive.”

    
“I look forward to it,” Elliot said.

    
The screen went dark and then returned to a
view of a starry night with the round ball of Earth occupying a corner.

    
“So you’re my brother now?” Lathiel asked,
smiling at Elliot.

    
“Figuratively speaking.”

    
“You are a really,” Ranik said, scrunching
his face, “ugly brother.”

    
“So are you, cat face.”

    
Ranik tilted his head back and roared his
contagious laugh. “We need to celebrate.”

    
“Will Ruby Brandy be involved?” Elliot
asked.

    
“Some. Come to our quarters at Phoenix in, say, an
hour?”

    
“I’ll be there.”

    
Nadine had arrived over an hour previously
at Waypoint Eleven. Catherine had ordered her to torture the Ferine, but she
did not specify a time. Nadine knew Catherine’s implications for immediacy but
she chose to stay in a small living area that passed for her temporary
quarters.

    
Nadine sat on the bed in the dark with both
hands cradling her head. She had interrogated prisoners by mind probes in the
past, but the Ferine were completely invulnerable to such a tactic.

    
Her past had included other ways of getting
information. She brought her hands away from her face and stared at them.
Nadine thought of what those very same hands may be doing in an hour or so. She
rose from her bed and walked to the narrow door ready to do her duty, but something
stopped her leaving.

    
“You always have a choice,”
Elliot
had told her.

    
Nadine wasn’t sure why, but she found
herself returning to her bed. Fatigue soon had her entering into a fitful sleep.

    
Elliot sat in the command chair at Phoenix
Base with a cup of coffee in his hand.

    
He sipped at his cup and read a message
from Fleet Admiral Nelson requesting Elliot call him at six—thirty hours. He
looked to the small console in front of him, fashioned at a curve, and looked
at the time. He had to call the Admiral in less than five minutes. Elliot felt
a hand on his shoulder and looked up to Lathiel’s spotted face.

    
“Good morning.”

    
“You weren’t up too late celebrating were
you?” Elliot asked.

    
“You should have stayed longer.”

    
“I had to get up in the morning. I need
eight hours of sleep, not two,” Elliot replied and noticed Ranik coming into
view behind him.