Solbidyum Wars Saga 6: Defeat of the Tottalax (4 page)

“That would be a great asset to both our goals,” Nybidong exclaimed.

“Why don’t we go to my office and talk some more,” I said.

“Yes, yes, Admiral, I think we should.  Tell me, Admiral, is it possible for you to have Padaran attend this meeting as well?  I have a request from the main council of Ruwallie Rasson they wish me to present to both you and Padaran.  That is, if it’s not too much trouble.”

I turned to Marranalis, “See if you can contact Padaran and have him join us in my office here on the
DUSTEN
.”

Nybidong and I entered my office while Marranalis sent an aide off to the
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to get Padaran.  After we had seated ourselves and an aide served us foccee, Nybidong continued.

“Admiral, I am most amazed at these things you call Cantolla Gates.  I entered one back on Goo’Waddle and walked through it, as if passing into another room in the building, only I moved into a room in what you call a transfer hub.  From there I was escorted to another gate, on another level, only to pass through that gate and find myself here on the
DUSTEN,
hundreds of light-years away from Goo’Waddle.  And all of that in just a few minutes.  This is truly amazing.  How does it work?”

“I honestly can’t tell you, Nybidong, for one thing, it’s a classified secret and second, I really don’t know exactly how it does what it does.”

“I must say, Admiral, you have a very impressive office,” Nybidong said.  He was obviously killing time waiting for Padaran’s arrival, for some reason.  His comment, though was not without merit.  True, it was not as lavish as the one I had on the
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, but it was spacious and paneled with rich looking chestnut-colored wood.  Numerous sunken framed areas on the ceiling provided reflective lighting, and sconce lights accented the walls at evenly spaced intervals.  The dark grass green carpet that covered the floor had an attractive gold pattern that bordered its outer edges.

Our chitchat about the office was not really going anywhere, so I was pleased when Padaran finally entered the room with Marranalis.

“You wished to see me, Admiral?”

“Yes Padaran, Nybidong said he would like your presence at this meeting, and he also has a matter to discuss with you.  Do you two need some time together to discuss things before our meeting?”  I asked.

“Yes!” Nybidong exclaimed as Padaran exclaimed, “No!”  Both turned to looking at each other with surprised expressions upon their faces.

“I have complete trust in the Admiral, “Padaran said, “Anything you need to say you can say in front of him.”

“Nybidong seemed to think a minute and then responded, “Very well, this concerns the Federation, and sooner or later it will need to pass through him anyway.  The Ruwallie Rasson on Goo’Waddle are considering petitioning for admission to the Federation.” I saw Padaran's eyebrow raise, and I imagine the look on my face showed some surprise as well.

“Can’t the Ruwallie Rasson at Goo’Waddle simply reclaim their citizenship with Ginet? It’s already a Federation planet.”  Padaran asked.

“I fear not,” Nybidong said, “When Ginet joined the Federation, those who left because they didn’t want to give up the old ways, renounced their citizenship to Ginet.  Very few survive of that original group, less than a dozen.  The rest of us have all been born elsewhere, and our rights to citizenship would not be recognized by Ginet.  What we are hoping for is that the entire planet of Goo’Waddle might become a Federation planet.  I know, there are a lot of other races besides the Ruwallie Rasson on Goo’Waddle, but we believe that if the prospect of becoming part of the Federation were presented to them that 80% of the population would be eager to do so.”

I interjected, “Nybidong, you do realize that if your application to the Federation is approved that all the Ruwallie Rasson holding Brotherhood slaves will have to release them?”  I asked.

“Pah!  They are useless anyway, more trouble than they are worth.  It will be a good riddance.”

“Yes,” I answered, “but the question is, how do we go about releasing them?  We don’t want them rejoining the Brotherhood, and the Federation can’t prosecute those captured at Goo’Waddle because they were outside the Federation, and are not known to have committed any crimes the Federation can use to prosecute them.  Since the government in place at the time they were captured at Goo’Waddle no longer exists, they can’t be charged with any crimes committed prior to the current government. We cannot hold them with the other prisoners of war we have taken, because technically they were not captured while we were officially at war, and they were not captured during a battle with the Federation. ”

“An interesting and valid point, Admiral; if you leave it to us, the Ruwallie Rasson, we would simply take them out and kill the lot.”  Nybidong said through a grin.

“I’m afraid my own moral ethics won’t let me just execute them,” I said.

“Tibby,” Padaran interjected, “why don’t you exile them to Desolation and just not tell anyone where they are.  Provide them with basic supplies, and tools, nothing electronic they could use to contact the outside worlds.  They’ll have to struggle to survive just as you and Kalana did, but the means for survival are there, and they would be out of the battle and of no threat to anyone.  Who knows? Maybe in a hundred or so years they will find a way to not only survive, but even develop a civilized culture there.”

“An interesting idea,” I said, “you’re right; they would need tools and certain basic supplies; nothing electronic that they could use to produce any communication device.  They would have to learn to be nocturnal and avoid the days when solar flares prevail, it would be a hard life, but they could survive with a lot of work and effort.  Not a bad idea, Padaran.  Let’s think about it a bit before we make any decisions.  After all, we don’t know that Goo’Waddle becoming part of the Federation will happen.

“Now back to ways the Ruwallie Rasson mercenaries can assist in fighting the Brotherhood.  Here’s how I think we can work this best.”

The next two hours I spent going over various tactics where the mercenaries could assist in battles and in other areas such as gathering intelligence regarding the Brotherhood’s movements.  When we finished, I invited Nybidong to go with me to the
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where we dined with Kerabac, Padaran and Jenira.  Nybidong reacted to Jenira’s presence with utmost respect and awe, and practically treated her like she was a deity.  I was pleased to see that he felt no animosity for her at all and Jenira treated him like an old friend.  Kerabac was interested in talking with Nybidong about the idea of the Ruwallie Rasson from Goo’Waddle becoming part of the Federation, as he was a Ruwallie Rasson from Ginet, whereas Nybidong was Ruwallie Rasson from Goo’Waddle.  The two groups all had once lived together on Ginet, but after the people on the planet had elected to join the Federation, a small faction had broken away and left Ginet.  They didn’t want to give up slavery and piracy, believing they were racially superior to all the other races in the Universe, and they went off to settle on Goo’Waddle.

Since Goo’Waddle was outside of the Federation, with few laws and even less enforcement of those that did exist, the Ruwallie Rasson, who had migrated to there, were free to continue their old practices.  All of this had occurred about 25 years earlier, and now Nybidong was curious about what things were like for the Ruwallie Rasson in the Federation. Kerabac explained that the Ruwallie Rasson in the Federation were equal with all others in the Federation, and that no slaves were held, and piracy was not practiced by them.  Nybidong said he didn’t see how that was profitable to the Ruwallie Rasson; and Kerabac replied that those Ruwallie Rasson in the Federation no longer saw themselves as separate from the Federation, and no longer held to traditional beliefs, or segregation.  He explained that since joining the Federation, the citizens of Ginet felt their lives were better, and they accepted the Federation way of life.  I could see Nybidong was skeptical about this, but he was listening.  Finally, he asked.

“Would it be possible for a delegation of Ruwallie Rasson from Goo’Waddle to visit some of the worlds in the Federation, to observe and see how things are for ourselves?”

“I think that can be arranged,” I said, “providing you are willing to abide by Federation laws while there.  If you wish, I can make preparations for a group of you to visit several worlds.  I can arrange for Kerabac to escort you around.  There are several of your fellow Ruwallie Rasson serving here aboard the
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as crew from Goo’Waddle as well, and it will give you all opportunities to talk and share what’s been going on.”

“And Padaran also?” Nybidong asked, “We would feel better if he were there to represent us as well.  I do not think this will be easy, but many of my brethren are feeling that perhaps this is the best way for us to go.”

I turned to Padaran, “Why don’t you get with Kala, since diplomatic affairs are her specialty.  I am sure she can help arrange things.

“Nybidong, why don’t you prepare a list of Federation worlds you would like to visit, so arrangements can be made?  I am sure that you will want Ginet to be on the list.”

“Yes, we must visit Ginet, we all have relatives there we must talk with before we make any decision of petitioning to join the Federation.  Admiral, you are such an excellent man, why cannot all the peoples of your Federation be as understanding and cooperative as you?”

Kerabac laughed when Nybidong said this and then commented, “Because they are not Tibby!  Tibby is unique in the entire galaxy, I believe.  Regrettably, there are no others like him.”

We had been dining and conversing for a little over an hour, when we were interrupted by Marranalis.  “Excuse me Admiral, Rear Admiral Regeny is requesting your presence at Megelleon for a meeting.”

“Did he say when he wants to meet?”  I inquired.

“Yes sir, he would like to meet now.  He says that Leader Tonclin is there also.”

“Very well, it sounds like it must be something of importance if Tonclin is there.  Please excuse me, Nybidong, it appears there is some business I must attend to.  Please stay and enjoy some of the hospitality here aboard the
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. If you are not in any pressing need to return to Goo’Waddle, perhaps you can spend the night and spend some time with your Ruwallie Rasson brothers and sisters here on the ship.”

“That would be most excellent, Tibby.  I would like if Jenira and Padaran could share this time with us as well.  After all, they are Ruwallie Rasson also," Nybidong said as he smiled at them both.  I found his comment amusing, knowing that he was now sure Jenira was of at least some part Ruwallie Rasson blood, and was trying to find some way to link Padaran’s heritage to their race as well.  As I was leaving Jenira quickly signed to me, “Please inform Kalana that I will not be there to assist with the twins the rest of the day, but I will be there early tomorrow morning.”

I left the dining area in the accompaniment of my four ever-present bodyguards.  I was now starting to think of them as the four horsemen of the apocalypse, a reference to four entities that an Earth religion believed would appear at the end of the Earth and rain plagues, petulance and war against the planet.  Certainly, they were making my life miserable enough.  Fortunately, the
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was equipped with a Cantolla Gate directly to Admiral Regeny’s office, and I didn’t need to use the transfer station.  I arrived through the gate just outside the Admiral’s office where guards were stationed.  I was immediately saluted and the captain of the guard there announced, “Sir, Rear Admiral Regeny is awaiting you and said for you to enter as soon as you arrived.”

“Thank you, Captain”, I replied as another trooper guard opened the door to the Admiral’s office for me to enter.

“There you are, Tibby.  I’m glad to see you could make it so quickly on such short notice.  I hope you were not engaged in anything terribly important.”  Regeny said as he motioned for me to take a seat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.  As I sat down, I glanced over to see Leader Tonclin seated in the other chair.

“No problem at all, Admiral.  Tonc,” I said nodding to Leader Tonclin, “it’s good to see you again.”

A broad smile spread across Tonclin’s face as he replied.  “It is always a great honor to see you, Tibby.”

“So what is all the urgency about?”  I asked as I sat down.

“I think it best I let Leader Tonclin explain,” Regeny stated.

I looked at Leader Tonclin and his smile from earlier faded, and he took on a more somber countenance.

“Tibby, as you know, last year after the battles at Spelhes, Kendrop and Gochian, you decided to hold the prisoners at an undisclosed location outside the Federation, your Earth’s moon to be precise.  At that time, I expressed it might cause some problems with the Senate, but as Admiral Regeny pointed out, there were no restrictions in Federation law preventing you from doing so, and that, in fact, it had been done in the past.”

“Yes sir,” I responded, “and we have successfully set up facilities on the Earth’s moon and transferred all the prisoners there through a Cantolla Gate.  None of the prisoners know where in the universe they are, the only people who travel to and from the facility there are Federation trooper guards with the highest security clearances; and they only travel through Cantolla Gates, making it impossible to trace the location of the facility.”