Manna by Lee Correy

Author:Lee Correy [Correy, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

I never got out of the mountain that day. The next thing I knew Ali was guiding me through rock-lined corridors in an electric car to yet another excavated cavern that bore a sign over its entrance: “Commonwealth Defense Commission, Vershatets Redoubt Headquarters.”

“It’s about time,” I said to Ali. “I should have come here earlier.”

“When would that have been, Sandy? We took The General to Ell-Five the same day you arrived here, you’ve been on Earth once since on a down-and-back packet run, and we got here only hours ago.”

Sometimes when things happen fast, I tend to forget simple sequences, to say nothing of time periods.

This conference room had a military feel. There was no round table where everyone sat as equals. There were six console desks facing a wall which had situation display screens and another console desk in front of it.

Six people followed us into the room. Five wore the first Commonwealth military uniforms I’d seen. Each uniform was slightly different.

Alichin performed the introductions.

Hannu Chuili Abiku wasn’t in uniform. He was the Defense Commissioner directly responsible to President Conobabi Nogal.

The others were the commanders of the five impys or military services:

AirImpy Induno Tanana Pinala Dati must have been a fighter pilot because of her small size.

LandImpy Induno Nenana Husila Pahtu’s necklace medallion told me she was a armor weaponeer.

CoastImpy Induno Naco Yumi Shokutu had classical naval shoulder boards of rank framing his otherwise broad shoulders; his sword didn’t look out of place.

The uniform of SpacImpy Induno Eloy Minto Chervit followed the old tradition that military dress derives from battle gear; his flight suit was well tailored.

Induno Kivalina Soldata Moti was an older woman in charge of the Commonwealth’s citizen reserve, the Cit-Impy of more than a million people.

Their introductory greetings were polite but curt. It was obvious they’d been called from their daily work for this impromptu meeting. Ali had undoubtedly used his grandfather’s political clout.

They didn’t waste any time, but sat down behind their console desks. The commissioner motioned Ali and me to the lectern in front of the wall display screens. “Alichin, this is your request. Please proceed.”

Ali stepped to the lectern. “Thank you for taking the time from your schedules to meet with us. Induno Baldwin’s vitae are available at your consoles. We’ve just come from a meeting of the C-Cubed directors, and here’s the current situation.”

Without visual aids, Alichin outlined the powersat and commercial-financial situation.

There was a VDT next to the offstage chair in which I sat. I queried the library computer. The rank of “induno” was that of a general officer, but there was only one General in the Commonwealth, the title now being the highest possible national honor.

“Asa recently naturalized Commonwealth citizen, Induno Baldwin brings us a fresh, objective viewpoint,” Ali went on following his situation briefing. “He believes we’re faced with military action sooner than anticipated and in a different manner than previously considered. The C-Cubed directors believe this, too, which is why we’re here. Sandy, take over.”

Ali found a chair at one side of the room, leaving me the lectern.

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