Plague Wars 06: Comes the Destroyer (6 page)

Kredenko looked about to explode, until help came from an unexpected source. Chang spoke, her eyes wide in a moon-shaped face. “Face reality, Comrade Kredenko. The recent events in your country have weakened you further. China insisted you have a seat here. Do not abuse our support.”

The Russian sat back in shock and closed his mouth.

Nodding thanks to the Chinese official, Minister Skolbourg said, “We must find a way to unite, despite our past differences. Everyone has grievances. Those must be put aside. The Neutral States, of which Russia is now a part,” she looked pointedly at Kredenko, “stands ready to cooperate fully with every entity that is working for Earth’s defense. I am also authorized to say that anyone who obstructs such efforts will be the recipient of stringent economic measures, up to and including a total embargo on everything but food and medical supplies.” Her gaze at the Russian seemed unusually forthright for the usual diffident European style. “Even if they are our own members.”

“Minister Kredenko,” Absen’s tone was conciliatory, “no one wants to isolate or injure Russia. Your molten-salts reactors still power this ship – I mean, this station. Your scientists and engineers still rank among the best in the world. Your people fought and died alongside everyone on
Orion
, and I was proud to serve with them. And I, for one,” he dropped his bombshell, “am actually no longer an American citizen.”

Travis Tyler, still a full general in the US Army Reserve, glanced sharply at Absen.

“That’s right, General,” Absen addressed him. “As of midnight last night, I renounced my American citizenship and I have declared for myself a new status, the first of its kind: Citizen of Earth. As much as it pains me, I have to set the example to move beyond partisanship.”

“I will do the same, as soon as we are done here,” Rae spoke up.

“The leopard cannot change his spots,” Kredenko said weakly, but all the fight had gone out of him, his protest
pro forma
.

Absen sat forward and stared at the Russian. “
You
did. Russia joined the Neutral States. It is no longer the old country you knew. Imagine what could be accomplished if you integrate fully with the world’s economy.”

“Russia will never be ruled by a foreign power!”

“I agree,” Absen replied. “Do you really believe that the Neutral States rule anything? From what I understand, instead of shortages your people now enjoy food surpluses and more consumer goods than ever, thanks to your new status in that alliance. And frankly, Minister, without NS and FC technology, you will fall farther and farther behind. The Americans have a saying, sir, which you might have heard. ‘If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.’ For real.”

“I can make no promises,” Kredenko mumbled.

“Of course not. But you can participate in these discussions, and you can carry the idea back to your government. Until then, let us talk about what we came here to do.”

“And what is that, Admiral?” asked Skolbourg. “It seems we are getting sidetracked.”

“Under-Minister Ekara will explain the broad strokes.”

The dapper half-Aborigine smiled deprecatingly and glanced at his nails. “Thank you, Admiral. To begin, let me show you just one graphic.” He signaled the tech at the corner desk, who caused a slide to appear on screens mounted strategically around the room.

“This shows Australia’s production over the last year. The lines represent GDP, space lift capacity, and the total output we have moved into space.”

“Are these figures correct?” Skolbourg’s voice held an edge of disbelief.

“Absolutely. If anything, they are conservative. Yes, Australia’s GDP has almost doubled in the last eighteen months. Its maximum surge space lift capacity now exceeds three thousand tons a day, though the average sustained number is about a third of that. And the production output measured in dollar terms now exceeds one trillion per year.”

“And the curves?”

“The curves are sustainable for the next eight years at least. Until the enemy arrives.”

“That’s amazing,” the NS minister marveled.

“But it’s not enough,” Absen interjected. “If we are to meet our goals, the output curves of all of Earth’s nations must look like this. If we can’t, we won’t have what we need to beat the Destroyer.”

“Yes,” Ekara took up the argument smoothly. “I am here with full support of the Free Communities Council and its chairman. They have empowered me to place a proposal before you. What we must do, I believe, is to create a world command economy based on the Chinese and Australian model. Only by rigorous central planning, rationing, and sacrifice can we generate the enormous amount of materiel we believe we need. Every day is vital. This is what we must do.”

“We have only your word that these things are true,” Skolbourg said weakly, still stunned by the numbers on the screen before her, representing as they did complete disruption of standard economic theory.

“The figures are easy to verify,” Ekara replied. “In fact, I invite anyone to come and tour Exmouth Spaceport, or look at the explosive growth around Australia’s cities. Our population has increased by over ten percent in one year alone due to massive immigration of Asian workers from the poorer and most heavily populated areas. We have provided training and jobs, and everyone now maintains a standard six day, seventy-two hour week. Because of the Eden Plague, workers are able to sustain such a pace without difficulty.”

“But the quality of life?” Skolbourg asked.

Every leader in the room turned to stare at her, and Absen heard what might have been sniggers from the aides’ seats arrayed in back. “Belay that,” he snapped toward the sound, then turned to the NS minister. “Ma’am, let’s be frank. You say you represent the Neutral States, but your alliance is heavily Euro-centric. Europe sustained the fewest casualties both from the nuclear bombs and from the plagues.” He leaned forward to stare intently at the woman. “Some of your citizens seem to be still living in denial, unable to really grasp that humanity is under threat of extinction. ‘Quality of life’ can only exist if you are
alive
.” His last words rose to almost a shout before he calmed himself. “The Neutral States will have to make sacrifices just like the rest of us.”

Secretary General Chang shifted in her seat, subtly calling attention. “China agrees, and concurs in principle.” The rest of the participants at the table and those underlings around the edge of the room evidenced surprise with low mutterings and glances, quickly stilled. “We will work closely with
all
of our allies to, as you say, ‘make it happen.’” Beside her, the North Korean general nodded silently.

Skolbourg licked her lips, suddenly in the spotlight. “I will bring the proposal to the full Neutral States Assembly. Perhaps I can get them to agree. Minister?” She turned pointedly to Kredenko, her putative ally.

He nodded slowly, brow furrowed in thought. “Yes,” he replied, glancing at Chang. “I believe my country will support this idea, and will support Minister Skolbourg before the full Assembly. The details, of course, must be hammered out.”

“Of course,” Tyler interjected, his eyes bright with surprise and pleasure. “Let us put it to an official recorded vote. I move for a resolution that all the political entities represented here cooperate to create a worldwide command economy, managed by a multi-representative body to be created later.”

“Seconded,” Chang immediately said. A smile seemed briefly to touch her eyes as Tyler glanced her way.

Absen held up a hand. “All in favor, signify by raising your hand and saying ‘aye.’”

Seven more hands went up and seven voices said “aye.”

Spontaneous applause broke out around the room as a double dozen staffers and functionaries cheered and shook hands. Beneath the noisy confusion, Tyler leaned over to speak quietly to Absen. “This has no legal force, you know, Henrich. This isn’t even a recognized body authorized to vote.”

Absen chuckled. “Ain’t politics grand? It doesn’t matter what the legalities are. If I’m right, hours from now the news will sweep around the world and the fiction will become reality as overwhelming public support ensures no one backs out.”

“But what about this EarthFleet thing?” Tyler jerked his head in the direction of the shield.

Absen’s eyebrows went up in amusement. “Just watch.” He leaned back to rap on the table. The noise level in the room dropped as the aides and attendants quickly sat down and shut up, and the principals turned to look at him. “I would like to make one other motion here. I move that all of you here bring the EarthFleet proposal to your respective deciding bodies for consideration.”

“Seconded,” Rae Denham said, suddenly seeming to glow with charisma. Absen wondered how she did it. He suspected she used pheromones.

“But what is the proposal exactly?” Kredenko asked.

Absen waved at Tobias, who passed out data drives to each of the leaders. “In essence, extraplanetary space will become EarthFleet territory. Military forces will be transferred to it or will have to return to Earth. Personnel will be freely allowed to renounce national citizenship and formally join the Fleet. All private or national property will be respected.” He held up a hand. “I know this raises a few dozen questions right away. It’s all in those files. For now, though, I intend to operate as if the plan will be approved.”

“And if it is not?” Kredenko growled.

Absen fixed him with a stony stare. “Then God help us all.”

“That’s a lot to hit them with,” Rae said to Absen as they sat in his office-cum-quarters sharing a bottle of Scotch. She knocked back three fingers with an appreciative sigh and poured another as she eyed a strange twisted pillar leaning in the corner.

“I know. I’m hoping they will spend all their energy on the frontal attack – the economic proposal – and view my flanking maneuver of the EarthFleet plan as a
fait accompli
.”

“Or, they will pass the economic brief and then bog down arguing about the Fleet, if you believe in Murphy’s Law.”

Absen raised his glass. “Or one of Parkinson’s.
The smaller the expenditure, the bigger the argument,
wasn’t it?”

“Something like that.” Rae raised hers in return. “But you’re not going to wait for their decision. I can see it in your eyes.”
I know you aren’t the type to sit back and wait.

“You’re right. I wouldn’t have done anything as drastic as renouncing my citizenship if I wasn’t pushing all in. However, I have some secret backers.”

Rae sat back in the comfortable leather chair, fiddling absently with her glass as it sat on the table at arm’s length. “Let me guess. Markis, which generally means the whole FC.”

Absen nodded, eyes fixed on Rae’s face.

“President McKenna…”

“Actually no, but Tyler is in my corner. He’ll persuade his boss.”

“And the Chinese, I think.”

Absen sipped and cocked an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Admiral. Somehow you got them on your side, which was the key to the whole thing. Chang stuck her oar in at just the right times. What did you promise them?”

“The same thing that I want. Legitimacy and recognition.”

“They don’t have that already?”

Absen shook his head. “Not really. During the Second Cold War they expanded their borders in some specific ways. They finally managed to annex Taiwan without major bloodshed, though the acquisition remains in dispute. They want that settled. The legacy powers still do not recognize China’s full sovereignty over Tibet or Mongolia. There are a dozen smaller irritants, pieces of Viet Nam and Laos and Burma that they are occupying illegally. I told them I would support the concept of a Greater China when the time came.”

Rae idly tapped her glass on the tabletop. “You promised they could keep what they took?
De facto
annexation?”

“I…implied it. That was the carrot. I also reminded them of the stick.” Absen waved a pointed finger above his head. “EarthFleet has hundreds of nuclear weapons and holds the high ground of space. I can hit Earth, but Earth can’t hit me. They may think I would never use them, but can they be sure? More importantly, I will eventually command an armada to fight the Destroyer. If we win, I will still command it.”

“They want to get on the good side of Julius Caesar.”

Absen laughed. “Yes. The eternal problem of how to keep the conquering general from seizing Rome. And I intend to use that implied threat to do what has to be done.” He stood up to get a box of cigars off his desk, bringing it, a lighter and an ashtray to the table.

Rae reached over to pick up a stogie from the box, cutting the end off and firing it up. “Funny, Ilona hated smoking, but Raphael…I think he, like any Pure Form, viewed it as one of many pleasures that awaited him upon blending, and so I find myself having acquired the taste.” She puffed it to life and held the smoke in her mouth, rolling the cigar between her thumb and middle finger as she puffed.

“Few enough pleasures in this world,” Absen replied as he lit his own. “Why deny yourself?” His eyes held hers for an unusually long time.

Rae’s gaze sharpened in return, and she forced herself to be kind. After all, he had no idea Skull still lived, or even that she had more than the one child to occupy her time. “Why Henrich…that almost sounds like a proposition.”

Absen smiled faintly, letting the smoke waft forth. “Call it an inquiry. It’s been over a year since Alan Denham died.” He shrugged.

“I’m sorry, Henrich. My loss is too fresh,” Rae went on, “and I have too many balls in the air right now. Even with my utmost efforts and the Memetech I control, Earth is in enormous peril. I can’t take the time or expend the energy for a relationship, no matter how tempting.”
There. That should put him off for now
.

Absen’s expression turned wry. “Nicely done. Well, if we don’t survive, it won’t matter much, but if we do…I’ll inquire again, how’s that?”

“Fair enough. Now…” She pointed to the object in the corner. “What the hell is that? I feel like I should know, but…”

Absen stood to pick up the thing with a grunt. About ten centimeters across and a meter long, it appeared to be made of a metallic substance, with pits and scarring all along its length. “Hyper core. One of the small ones that hit
Orion
. The scientists were done with it and it was sitting around in a lab somewhere so I had them bring it up here. I’m going to have them mount it on the wall or something.” He set it down with a heavy clunk on the table.