A Show of Force (22 page)

“How many times have you been reprogrammed, my friend?”

“I have a total of three programming cycles to date,” Commander Erbe replied. “The first was to your father, then to Caius, and now to you.”

“So, it is safe to say that your loyalties would be primarily to House Navarro, with possible leanings toward that of House Ta’Akar as well?”

“A bit of a stretch, perhaps, as a Ghatazhak’s loyalties are not to a house, but to an individual, but I do understand your logic.” Commander Erbe adjusted himself in his chair, leaning forward in expectation. “I assume there is a reason to be considering such things?”

“Indeed there is,” Captain Navarro replied. He handed him his data pad.

Commander Erbe read the data pad for a moment. He then took a deep breath and sighed. “I see.” He looked at Captain Navarro. “This is most disturbing, Captain. If what you are showing me is discovered, there will be charges of treason filed. I trust you have given this decision its due consideration?”

“I have.”

Commander Erbe looked at the data pad again, making quick mental calculations. “If this escalates, we shall require reinforcements.”

“I had to trade my old platoon for yours,” Captain Navarro told the commander. “So the most I can offer you at this time is transportation… combat ready, of course, and jump-capable.”

Commander Erbe’s left eyebrow raised. “My platoon should be able to handle the first assignment. However, it will take a minimum of thirty hours for us to obtain, reprogram, and awaken the reinforcements, and move them into position.”

“What if you do not reprogram them?” Captain Navarro wondered. “How much time would that save?”

“At least ten hours,” the commander replied. “However, without proper programming, they will fall back on their default loyalties.”

“Which are?”

“To their commanding officer.”

“In other words, to you,” Captain Navarro.

Commander Erbe’s eyebrow again went up. “A Ghatazhak’s loyalty has always been set to that of a nobleman and his house.”

“Not entirely accurate, I’m afraid,” Captain Navarro corrected. “An entire platoon was programmed to be loyal to Captain Nathan Scott.”

“The Terran boy-captain?”

“Correct. Another thousand were set to follow Admiral Travon Dumar, of the Alliance.”

“In the case of Admiral Dumar, was he not granted nobility upon his retirement?”

“Yes, and then he sold all his new holdings and denounced his citizenship. He is currently the leader of the Karuzara Nation.”

“Still, that is not the same as programming Ghatazhak loyalty to another Ghatazhak,” Commander Erbe insisted.

“No, it is not,” Captain Suvan agreed. “However, we are not
programming
anyone. We are simply not taking the time to give them more
exact
programming.”

“The result is the same,” Commander Erbe warned. “They will be loyal to me, a Ghatazhak commander.”

“One whose own loyalties I trust completely.”

Commander Erbe looked long and hard at Captain Navarro. “You are much as your father before you was.”

“I shall take that as a compliment, my friend.”

“As you should,” Commander Erbe replied as he stood. “I assume my actions are to be covert.”

“In as much as possible, yes,” Captain Navarro replied. “Arturo, everything I know about the situation is contained within that data pad. You know my intentions. I am trusting you to use your own judgment on how to best support my efforts in this matter.”

“You can expect nothing less.”

* * *

Jessica and Naralena entered the realty office on Parchene Boulevard. The space was clean and professional, with a reception desk and windowed offices overlooking the lobby.

“May I help you?” the receptionist behind the counter asked in Jung.

“We’re here to see Mister Barton?” Naralena answered.

“One moment please,” the woman replied, casting a barely hidden disapproving glance at their choice of clothing.

Jessica moved to a nearby seat in the waiting area, picking up a media tablet on the side table as she sat. She began leafing through the pages on the tablet, pretending to be interested in the contents.

A few minutes later, Ellyus Barton came into the lobby. “Ladies, it is such a pleasure to see you again,” he greeted, again in perfect Jung. “I was afraid that you might have chosen another agency.”

“Not after such a pleasant introduction earlier,” Naralena replied, playing along.

“I take it then, that you are still in the market for a place in the city?”

“Indeed we are,” Naralena replied. “I hope the hour is not too late?”

“Nonsense,” Ellyus insisted. “It is no problem at all. Come, let us sit and discuss your needs further in my office.”

“Thank you,” Naralena replied, following the realtor into the corridor.

The two of them followed Mister Barton down the short corridor, entering a much larger, private office at the end. Once inside, they took their seats as their host closed the door, and then activated some control panel beside the door.

“This room is acoustically sealed,” he explained in English, as he moved behind his desk and sat down. “People in this city are sticklers for confidentiality,” he added, “especially when it comes to real estate transactions.”

“Why a realtor?” Naralena wondered, also switching to English.

“Gives him an excuse to travel and poke around,” Jessica surmised. “Not a bad cover.”

“It has worked out quite nicely,” he admitted. “Not only was I able to explore this world, but I was also able create a comfortable lifestyle for myself and my family.”

“Your family?” Jessica asked.

“Yes, I know that the idea was frowned upon by spec-ops procedures, but as I got older, I began to feel out-of-place in Koharan society.”

“The real deal, or just a cover?” Jessica wondered.

“The real deal,” he assured her. “Makes it easier. To be honest, I had all but given up on the EDF ever sending any other operatives my way, not after the first batch got made.”

“What do you mean, got made?” Jessica asked. “They got caught?”

“I don’t actually know,” he admitted. “There were eight of them altogether. I was sent here twenty years ahead of time, to act as their handler. It was my job to gather intelligence, learn how to blend into Koharan society, and then help them get settled when they arrived. All of which I did, exactly according to plan.”

“What happened to them?” Jessica wondered.

“As I said, I do not know. I know two of them died in accidents. The other six simply stopped making contact. You are the first contact I’ve had with anyone from the EDF in over twenty years.”

“How do you know we’re not Jung spies?” Jessica asked.

“At this point, it seemed highly unlikely. I mean, after all this time, what would the point be? I have no information to offer them, and if indeed they had spies on Earth as long as I’ve been here, then they already know more about Earth than I could ever tell them.”

“Good point.”

“So, tell me, how are things on Earth?”

Naralena looked at Jessica out of the corner of her eye.

“Shouldn’t you at least ask our names first?” Jessica wondered.

“Yes, of course. My apologies.”

“My name is Jennifer,” Jessica began, “and this is Nora.”

“A pleasure to meet you both.” Ellyus looked oddly at them. “I am surprised to see two operatives traveling together, however. That was not SOP in my day.”

“Perhaps they changed procedures because so many operatives disappeared?” Naralena suggested.

“A possibility, yes,” Ellyus agreed. “So, what is going on back on Earth? I have heard rumors that the Jung have already invaded.”

Jessica noticed a sincere look of concern on the old man’s face. “Yes, they have,” she told him. “But we managed to regain control, and now we are in the process of removing their forces from every system within twenty light years of Sol.”

Ellyus’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding me! How is that even possible? Surely they didn’t use… I mean, they must have built bigger ships… ships with FTL…”

“Whoa,” Jessica said, interrupting the old man. “A lot has happened on Earth since you’ve been gone.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that ever since the rumors started floating around, my mind has been running wild with speculation.”

“Yes, we did build bigger ships… much faster and much more powerful.”

“Powerful enough to take on the Jung directly?”

“So far, yes,” Jessica told him.

“How many ships did they build?”

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss such things,” Jessica told him, “and, I don’t really know, to be honest. You see, things have changed in spec-ops as well. We are no longer part of the academy. At least not the covert section of spec-ops. So, we don’t really have much more knowledge about the state of things than the average person on Earth. That way, if we get captured, we have nothing to betray.”

“But surely, you must have some details,” Ellyus insisted.

“To be honest, I don’t even know if what I think I know is true. The only thing I am sure of is that I have been tasked with securing as much information about the Jung forces in the Tau Ceti system as possible. I was instructed to attempt to make contact with any EDF operatives on Kohara, in the hopes that they have information that I can use.”

“To what end?” Ellyus wondered. “Are they planning to invade the Tau Ceti system?”

“Again, I don’t know,” Jessica reminded him. “Seems like a pretty good bet, though, don’t you think?”

“Amazing,” Ellyus exclaimed.

“Do you have any intelligence that might be useful?” Jessica wondered.

“Yes, of course. I’ve been gathering it for decades. Not as actively as before, mind you. Like I said, I had all but given up on the EDF.”

“Let’s have it, then,” Jessica said.

“It’s not here,” he replied. “I store it on encrypted data chips in a safe deposit box, in a bank in a neighboring city. It will take me several days to retrieve them.”

“Very well,” Jessica said, “but the sooner the better. We were given a thirty-day deadline, of which only twenty-four days remain.”

“Understood. I will send one of my sons to retrieve the chips.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Jessica asked.

“They are contained in deed packets, so as not to draw undue suspicion. It is a common practice to store deeds in such a fashion. It would not be the first time I have asked him to run such an errand for me.”

“Very well. I guess we’ll head back to the hotel then, and wait for word from you,” Jessica said.

“Nonsense, you will stay here,” Ellyus insisted. “We have a suite upstairs for our higher-end clients to use when they are in town to conduct business. It is quite luxurious, and quite private. You will be far safer, and far more comfortable there.”

“Will we be free to come and go as we please?” Jessica inquired, not about to put herself and Naralena at the sole mercy of a man they had just met.

“Of course. There is a private entrance. You may come and go as you please. I can even have a driver available for you, should you choose to do some sight-seeing… if you know what I mean.”

Jessica looked at Naralena. As little as she trusted Ellyus Barton, she trusted that seedy hotel even less.

* * *

“You do not care for your dessert, Nalaya?” Casimir asked.

“It is too sweet,” his youngest daughter replied.

Deliza looked at the young pastry chef standing in the corner of the dining room, noticing the crestfallen look on his face. “I thought it was quite wonderful,” she chimed in.

“Papa, must I eat it?” Nalaya asked.

“No, my dear, not if you do not wish to,” Casimir assured her. “Your vegetables, yes. Dessert, however, is optional.” He touched her head gently. “Perhaps you should go and get ready for bed, little one. I shall be there shortly to tuck you in.”

Nalaya climbed out of her chair and headed off through the exit, one of House Ta’Akar’s security guards in tow.

Casimir looked at Deliza, whose eyes darted toward the pastry chef sulking in the corner. “Do not let the little one’s critique offend you,” he said to the pastry chef. “I found it quite satisfying as well.”

“On Haven, desserts were rare, as sweeteners were hard to come by,” Deliza explained. “Our mother would make such pastries on occasion, but they had only the faintest bit of sweetness to them, usually through the use of the few sweet fruits available at the local markets.”

“It is quite all right, my lady,” the pastry chef insisted. “I understand.”

“Perhaps, with Nalaya’s help, you might concoct a reasonable facsimile of the deserts her mother made for her?” Casimir suggested. “I know Nalaya would love to help. She always enjoyed helping her mother.”

“It would be an honor, sire,” the pastry chef replied.

“Do not expect too much help, however,” Casimir warned. “If memory serves, Nalaya’s expertise was more in the tasting department.”

The pastry chef smiled. “The princess would be most welcome, sire.”

“Father,” Deliza began, “about the extra security. Am I to be followed everywhere I go?”

“I’m afraid so,” Casimir replied. “At least for the time being.”

“It can be most bothersome,” Deliza complained.

Casimir noticed his oldest daughter’s eye as they made the briefest of contact with Mister Hiller’s eye across the table from her. “Do not worry, Deliza. Once the nobles agree to support the Alliance, the tensions between our houses will return to normal levels, as will the security measures.”

Deliza did not respond, only making eye contact with Yanni again.

“Mister Hiller,” Casimir said, getting the young man’s attention as well as giving him a bit of a start. “I understand the copy process has been completed?”

“Uh, yes, sir, it has. Just today, in fact,” Yanni answered. “Well, actually it was completed a few days ago, but the verification process was completed just this morning. The Takaran translations should be done in a few days.”

“That is wonderful news,” Casimir said. “I suppose you are looking forward to returning to Earth.”

“Uh, I suppose so, yes,” Yanni replied, stumbling on his words a bit.

Casimir noticed the expression on his daughter’s face. “Not that you are not welcome to stay as long as you like, Mister Hiller. However, the original cores will be sent back to Earth relatively soon. I just assumed that you would be returning with them, seeing as how you were tasked with their safekeeping.”

“Yes, that would be correct, sir.” Yanni glanced at Deliza, expecting her to say something, but she did not.