Pike's Progress by John Spearman

Author:John Spearman [Spearman, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-30T16:00:00+00:00

“Group-Captain Noyes, thank you for contacting us,” Althea Bassett, the Alliance secretary of foreign affairs, said.

“Admiral,” Noyes responded.

“Excuse me, Admiral, Noyes,” Bassett corrected.

“Why do you want to talk with me?” Noyes said.

“We hope to avoid needless bloodshed,” Bassett replied.

“That’s easy,” Noyes answered. “Don’t attack me.”

“That is a goal we desire,” Bassett said, “but it will depend on you. We are offering you the opportunity to withdraw from the planetary systems you seized by force. If you do that, there is no reason for our forces to continue their advance. You know we are less than a day away from entering the Karkinos system.”

“Where you will face a nearly equal force,” Noyes stated.

“Perhaps. All our ships are in perfect working order,” Bassett commented. “Can you say the same of yours? Our navy is confident they will carry the day. To be sure, we will take damage but you will suffer more. Can you survive that outcome? If you do as we ask, you will survive, with your force undiminished.”

“I cannot give you what you want,” Noyes stated.

“Why?” Al Dorsey asked, speaking for the first time.

“Given recent events, with the surrender of one colleague and the unfortunate death of the other, I deemed it prudent to begin discussing my future plans with the United Worlds. To surrender all the systems we claimed would be to return empty handed. I am sure the hegemon would be very disappointed and I would suffer as a result,” Noyes explained.

“Returning to the United Worlds with your ships would not be enough to please her?” Dorsey asked.

“Let’s not play games, Mr. Dorsey,” Noyes retorted. “Tell me what you really want. Be realistic.”

“Fine, admiral,” Dorsey said. “You withdraw. The former Alliance and non-aligned planets are free to choose their own political futures. You can keep the former United Worlds systems under your thumb.”

“All of them, including Isolde and Garumna?” Noyes asked.

“We control them now,” Dorsey countered.

“I need Isolde and Garumna,” Noyes said, “or we will need to try the fortunes of war.”

“If we surrender those two planets, will you agree to withdraw to the boundaries as they were at the beginning of the last war?” Bassett asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you speak for only yourself or do you possess the authority to speak on behalf of the United Worlds?” Dorsey asked.

“The United Worlds do not have sufficient strength to alter this outcome if I am unwilling to support them,” Noyes stated. “That is what I can offer. I make no promises about the future. The here and now is all I can promise.”

“Fine,” Dorsey said with a grimace. “One last thing, admiral. The document that Secretary Bassett transmits to you must be signed immediately. You will notice that you will be agreeing to this as a representative of the United Worlds. Sign it regardless.”

“They will say I do not have the authority,” Noyes protested.

“You have fourteen capital ships under your command that provide you with all the authority you need, admiral. If the United Worlds decides to protest the agreement, they can bring the matter up on Terra Nova in the Inter-Planetary Court,” Dorsey said.

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