Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Consequence (13 page)

              Back in Confed space, Velk then related to Ravine the assassination attempt on him, conducted by a Priman commando team with the apparent sanction of the military and by extension the Commander, Tash.  Ravine was taken aback by this and asked Velk to repeat.  Yes, Primans attempted to take his life.  Loren was there also during the attempt and simply nodded when Ravine asked him if Velk's story was indeed true.

              Velk learned some things from Admiral Bak and the Fixer Garrett Drayven while under house arrest.  He came to believe that outright annihilation of each other was no longer the way this had to end.  Unfortunately, after a deal was made and he was underway to meet with Ravine after being released to Loren's care, he was again attacked by Priman forces, this time while aboard the ship commanded by Representative Ravine's own father.  He also offered up a copy of the ring data Halley had sent Loren, acquired from a Priman facility, a log of the information Senator Dennix's Priman-made data logging ring had been recording since he took it off the hand of his first Priman handler in the early days of the war.  It didn't offer an incredible insight into Velk's case, but it did review Dennix's dealings with the Primans, some of which were against the council's doctrine and were very likely not officially sanctioned.  The under-the-table nature of the dealings with Dennix were support for Velk's case that his government was becoming entirely too much like the corrupt beings they claimed they were superior to.

              Ravine slumped back in her chair as Velk finished his story.  Her face was a mix of emotions.  Loren knew that look and felt for her.  Everything she thought she knew about her people and role was now in question, if she were to believe Velk. 

              Finally, after several minutes of silence, she turned to Loren.

              "And that brings us to you, Commander Stone."  She interlaced her fingers and placed her hands on the table in front of her, giving Loren her undivided attention.  "Tell me: why are you here?"

              Loren only had to think for a second before responding.  "Like the Representative here, I believe we can end this conflict without any more deaths.  There has to be a way.  I don't say that because I'm afraid of fighting or dying, and I know my people will resist to the end if that's what we need to do.  But I also think that's not necessary.  So here I am, switching roles from Representative Velk's captor to your prisoner."

              "With your government in disarray, who has authorized you to negotiate?"

              Loren chuckled.  "A very good question, Representative.  As we've just discussed, I believe both our governments are compromised.  Mine for sure, of course.  It's even led to a civil war.  We'll get our house in order, though, and in the meantime the Admiralty has sent me here to try and open a dialogue.  I'm not going to be able to sign any treaties, but the point is that we're ready to talk."

              "You admit your own ship has been branded traitors by Delos and your Senator Dennix?"

              "A minor detail in the grand scheme of things."

              "And that you are not allied with the breakaway systems, the Independents or Secessionists, whatever you call them?"

              "Yup; right on that as well."

              "So, once again, who do you negotiate for?"

              Loren now leaned forward over the table, mimicking Ravine's stance.  "I represent the majority of the fighting ships of the Confederation Navy, as ordered by Admiral Nodam Bak.  And I guarantee that if we can put something together that ends this conflict, we'll receive the full support of the independent systems as well.  We will reunite and take back Delos and our government.  We're not a military junta, Representative, but we will help those that want to restore our government get that done.  And we will answer to them like we've always done.  Representative, I am here on behalf of the men and women of the Confederation that, like you, believe there is more to life than just nonstop war.  Yes, sometimes it's necessary, justified even.  But this one doesn't have to go on any longer.  Can I ask you a question?"

              Ravine inclined her head, which Loren took for a yes.

              "As an alternative to destroying half of this galaxy and struggling to hold onto the rest, which history shows us you yourselves tried and ultimately failed at, what would you and your people be happy with?  Is it territory you want?  I assume you want a new place to call home.  Is it a seat at the table, so to speak?  We have galactic conferences every couple years where everyone gets together and tries to remember how to get along.  It's a good time, actually; I've been to two of them on behalf of Confed and it's a hell of a thing.  So what will make you happy short of galactic domination?" 

              Ravine looked at Velk, then back to Loren.  Still, she said nothing, though Loren could see the gears turning.  "Perhaps we should ask the Council?" she finally said.  "And we will need to invite the Commander, of course.  Perhaps we will even get a chance to ask him about some of the things you spoke of, Representative Velk."

              Loren couldn't have asked for anything more.

              Web waited for the connection to stabilize, then was rewarded with the face of Garrett Drayven.  They'd politely asked Senator Thyatt to vacate the flight deck since their relationship with Garrett needed to stay a closely guarded secret.

              "Commander Exeter, so good to see you," Garrett began with what looked like a genuine smile.  "And I see your partner in crime Ms. Pascal there as well."

              "You don't remember my rank?" she asked with a smirk.

              "Well, your rank was about to go up until the unfortunate incident where you were all branded traitors, of course," he replied with a straight face as he noticed Halley trying to keep any surprise from showing on her own.  "I probably shouldn't even be taking this call; it could jeopardize my record as an upstanding citizen."

              Web only chuckled.  "So I take it things are going well for you?"

              "They certainly are.  I must admit to missing my former houseguest, actually.  He had some great insights into galactic matters and had an extensive knowledge of galactic history, a sort of hobby of my own.  Hopefully we can share company again some time.  Does this have anything to do with him?  Or my bill to Confed, perhaps, for services rendered?"

              "In a way, yes.  I'll just put it all on the table here.  We're at a location, near Spacelane Alpha seven in the Proteus sector."

              "As far as I recall, not much to work with there.  In fact, sort of a den of thieves at present.  So close to the front lines it's become a haven for disreputable types.  The spacelane is still patrolled by the independent Confed forces, I believe.  What brings you to that scenic corner of space?"

              "A breakdown.  Our ship is toast, to put it lightly.  We need repairs, maybe a new vessel entirely.  Any suggestions?"

              Garrett chewed on his inner lip for a second while running through options.  "Not many, I'm afraid.  And the prices will be steep.  What do you have to bargain with?"

              "A captured Priman transport."

              Garrett's eyes lit up.  "Ahh, now we have something."  He paused, then took a long breath in and out.  "There is a woman around there; Beka Dalgas.  She runs what is essentially a used ship dealer for criminals-"

              "Where can we find her?" Halley asked.

              "Hang on there, killer," Garrett cautioned Halley.  "She's actually a fairly horrible person.  I was about to say I wouldn't trust her with Senator Dennix's ship, much less my own.  She will most likely try to rip you off, quite possibly try to kill you and just take your ship afterwards."

              "How does anyone like that stay in business?" asked Web doubtfully.

              "You need an insurance policy," Garrett continued.  "She has to know you have something worth more than what is on you, and that whatever it is can cause her harm later.  She'll cut you a good enough deal, especially considering the ship you have to trade in.  But you can only deal from a position of strength.  And make sure that whatever you come up with as a backup plan is workable and will leave a mark if you use it."

              After the connection was severed, Halley looked at Web.  "Well, I don't see a lot of options.  Best thought is that we bluff Confed backup and I hide out and play the ace in the hole."

              "That's all fine and whatnot," Web replied, "but look at you.  You're limping from that old blaster hit you took.  You admitted in prison that your nanites were about torched, so you don't have that up your sleeve any more.  Not that I doubt you ass-kicking abilities, dear, but we've both seen better days."

              "Hey, I haven't blown up anything in over six hours.  I'm ready for the next round.  Just make the call and act tough."

              "Think we have anyone back in the cargo bin that knows the Proteus sector?"

              "Good call," Halley admitted.  "I'll go see if anyone volunteers while you get a line on that woman's contact info."

              A few minutes later Halley returned with an older man.  His original clothes must have worn out or been confiscated, because he wore one of the plain jumpsuits that many of the prisoners had been dressed in.  However, he still wore his tunic over the top, a jacket style design that had seen better days and looked somewhat silly over the top of a drab white one piece garment.

              "I am Senator Navi," he announced as Web stood to greet him.

              "Hello, Senator.  I'm Web Exeter.  We're stuck in your corner of space, it seems, and could use a little help."

              The senator sat down in the copilot's chair, Halley frowning at him as she stepped back to the nav jumpseat.             

              "I will be negotiating for you?" he asked.

              "Actually, I don't think we'll need that," Web replied slowly.  "We're dealing with a criminal here, so I doubt she'd care that you were a senator.  What we need is any background you have on the criminal element out here that she's a part of.  We're talking about Beka Dalgas, a ship broker and overall rotten life form."

              "You assume I have some sort of relation with a criminal element?" he asked, indignant look on his face.  Web couldn't tell if it was real or forced. 

              "No; that's why I said you didn't need to negotiate.  I am assuming that, as Senator of this sector, you have some basic knowledge of the goings-on.  A high level criminal like her must ring a few bells to you, so I'm hoping you can cough up some information that might help us.  And to be frank, right now I don't care if you signed her death warrant or send her invites to your dinner parties; we just need anything at all we can use to live long enough to get us all back to Confed space.  So, Senator, can you help us?"

              Halley smiled.  Web had become a very worthy operative.  Great companion, too.  Life was funny that way.

              The Priman transport coasted through empty space, the only other object of note within detection range an old Galactic Data Network relay satellite.  It had long since been disconnected from the net, but still it maintained its position, sentry over a vast nothing in the space between solar systems.

              Web noticed the hyperspace signature of incoming ships from where he sat in the pilot's chair.

              "I'll admit the Primans do have some amazing instrumentation," he said to Senator Navi in the seat next to him."

              "As we're just going to hand this over to them?"

              "Well, it's worth enough to get us a ride home.  So, yes.  It's not an ideal trade, of course, but time is wasting here.  The longer we float around doing nothing, the more time Senator Dennix has to keep screwing up the Confederation."

              The look on Navi's face hardened, and he nodded.  Apparently there was no love for the Governing Committee Chair among most of the ex-prisoners. 
Stands to reason, though
, Web thought.

              He keyed a tab on the console next to him, which connected to a mobile comm unit Halley had taken with her when she had created her hide in the depths of the Priman ship.

              "Looks like two ships incoming," he started.  "One about our size, one a lot bigger.  Good luck to us all."

              Seconds later, an incoming message was announced with a chime on the main control panel.

              "This is Beka Dalgas," came the announcement as the video screen popped to life and showed her face.  She was a human female, somewhere in her early senior years but also fairly attractive, Web had to admit.  She had very close shaved hair and a scar that ran across her forehead.  It had been repaired well but she also apparently hadn't done any cosmetics to remove the scar.  Probably helped to look a little rough in her line of work.

              "I'm Web," he replied.  "Is that our ship?" he asked, inclining his head to the left where the smaller vessel approached from ahead of them.