Starbound (22 page)

“Damn it, Berta!” he said in a rough voice once she had roused him, “I told you not to disturb me until lunch!” He looked around the room and then back to his daughter, clearly confused.

“Father, it's me. It's not Berta, it's Karina,” she said.

He focused his eyes on her more intently. “So it is,” he said after a moment, then pulled his robe tighter and shuffled some papers on a nearby table. “I was just reading reports about the latest naval
maneuvers. We're in good hands with Admiral Steiner in command of our forces.”

I remembered the name. Steiner had been the highest-ranking Carinthian officer in the Union Navy when I had joined the Academy. He had been retired for over three years. Either he had come out of retirement, or the Grand Duke didn't remember he was gone from the military.

“Father, there's someone I want you to meet,” Princess Karina said, then motioned me over. I walked up slowly and Karina introduced me. “This is Duke Peter Cochrane, of Quantar. He is here to meet you.”

I bowed slightly and the grand duke gazed at me through gray eyes that looked confused but still commanding. “Cochrane, you say? From Quantar?”

“Yes, Father,” Karina said. I extended my hand.

“Honored to meet you, Your Highness,” I said. He took my hand, then looked at me again.

“You're from Quantar?” he said.

“Yes, Sire.”

“Nathan Cochrane's son?”

“Yes, Sire.”

He looked around the room, still seeming confused. “I didn't know he had a son,” he said flatly.

“There were two of us,” I said, slowly and respectfully. “My older brother Derrick was lost in military service three years ago.” Something I'm sure the grand duke would have been told at the time. This information just seemed to confuse him more, however. Karina smiled at me uncomfortably, then smoothed out her father's hair.

“I'll send Berta in to get you your morning treatment, Father,” she said. “Duke Peter and I have some things to discuss.”

He looked back and forth between the two of us. “Yes, yes, that would be fine,” he said. Then Karina kissed him on the cheek and he
went back to his reports without acknowledging me again. Karina took me by the arm and led me silently back out the door, where she instructed Berta to attend to him. I had no idea what his morning treatments might encompass. When Berta was gone, the princess and I walked slowly together back down the hallway.

“And now you see why I am so concerned, Peter. My father is very fragile and vulnerable, and I will do
anyth
ing
to protect him, and that's why I must ask you to do one very important thing for me, and for Carinthia.” At this she stopped and turned to face me directly.

“Anything I can do, I will, Princess,” I said, looking down at her.

She looked at me with fear and worry in her eyes.

“Get my father off this planet,” she said
emphatically.

D
obrina, Babayan and
I reconnected after
lunch. There was a l
ot to report and dis
cuss. Dobrina starte
d in quickly as I sa
t across from the tw
o ladies, who were s
itting next to each
other on the couch.

“The situation here is poor, militarily speaking. I talked to Air Marshal Von Zimmerman directly, he's the head of the planetary air force and low-orbit space forces. He told me they are keeping the corridor to High Station Three open for now, but that he is outnumbered enough that the Regency forces could overcome them in a week and likely shut down the spaceport,” Dobrina said.

“That doesn't sound good,” I said. “What, if any, hostilities have there been?”

“None yet, but they see them as inevitable. And there's more bad news.” I sat back in my chair.

“What now?”

“Von Zimmerman told me that construction on the two new Lightships for Carinthia has been fast tracked.
Vixis
and
Avenger
will likely be ready within ten days. That's in addition to
Im
pulse II,
which
was delivered from Earth last month to the Loyalists at High Station Three,” said Dobrina.

I contemplated this. “So in a bit more than a week the Regency forces will have double the Lightship firepower of the Loyalists. And we have just
Starbo
und
and the Earthmen have
Valiant
, but she's primarily an exploration and First Contact vessel, not a fighting ship. It's not good from a strategic standpoint. Not good at all.”

“What about
Resolution
?” asked Babayan, referring to the new Lightship being built for Levant at High Station Quantar.

“She's still three months away,” I said. “The ship itself is getting close, but we're training a Levantine crew that's not familiar with our technology. Even when she's ready, it could take weeks to get her up to an effective operating level, and this crisis is on us
now
.”

“Couldn't we put a Quantar crew on her temporarily?” asked Dobrina. I nodded.

“It's possible, though I think Prince Katara would scream loud and hard about being left out of any battle,” I said.

“That he would,” Dobrina agreed.

“Are you expecting war between the Union and Carinthia?” asked Babayan. I looked at her and saw the worry in her eyes.

“I'm not
expecting
anything,” I said to her, “but as a Union Navy officer I have to consider every possibility.”

I turned back to Dobrina. “How long until
Impulse
II
is ready to roll out?”

“From what Von Zimmerman has told me, she's ready now, she just needs a command staff,” she said.

“They could do worse than you,” I commented. She hesitated a second. Then:

“Actually, Von Zimmerman offered me the command.”

I was surprised by this. Not stunned, but surprised. I stood and walked around our small meeting room, the women watching me, waiting for a reaction.

“You should accept,” I finally said.

“Do you really believe that?” Dobrina asked. I nodded.

“Having you as an ally in command of the only working Carinthian Lightship, one that is in the Loyalist camp, would be a huge advantage for the Union,” I said.

“There is a complication,” she said.

“Yes?”

“They're asking me to renew my original oath. The command offer is through the Carinthian Royal Navy. I will have to resign my Union commission and vow to follow Carinthian Navy orders, not Union,” she said.

“That is a complication,” I agreed. I came and sat back down across from her. “Dobrina, you know how much respect I have for your abilities, and I know where your true loyalties lie. But having you in command of
Impu
lse II
, even if it's not commissioned in the Union Navy, would give me great comfort. Wesley won't like it much, but he doesn't like anything much. Right now, Carinthia and the Loyalist cause need you.” The look on her face betrayed that she had more to say, but was holding back. I tried to be reassuring without giving my true feelings away. This woman was my friend, my lover, and a valuable fighting comrade. I was going to miss her on many levels.

When I said nothing more she exhaled deeply and said: “I'll tell him I accept.”

“Thank you, Dobrina,” I said back. Then another thought crossed my mind. “Will there be a Historian aboard?” I asked.

“Yes. A woman named Gracel. I am told she is of the same school as Serosian, and trustworthy,” said Dobrina.

“I wouldn't rely completely on that intelligence,” I said. Dobrina gave me a quizzical look.

“I've never heard you question the loyalty of the Historians before. What's going on to change that?” she said. I went to the window and looked down at the back gardens again, full of military personnel
and equipment. I turned back to her. “Tralfane betrayed
Impulse
. I know Serosian is loyal, but I'm unsure about any unknown members of the Historian sect. There are clearly different schools of thought, and I want us to be as sure as we can of the people we work with. Be cautious,” I warned.

Dobrina nodded and I turned to Colonel Babayan. “Have you found a way for us to get off Carinthia yet, Lena?”

“I think so,” she said. “There is a reception tonight for the commercial carriers, here at the palace. Obviously they are all concerned about the political crisis escalating into a military one and disrupting trade. I am reliably informed that one of the merchant traders attending will be one Admar Harrington from Pendax. He has a reputation as a formidable force in the planetary trades. Some say he's the most powerful man on Pendax. They don't have a planetary level government formed there yet and aren't ready for membership in the Union, but they're close.”

“And he's also Captain Zander's new employer,” I said. “Do you think he'll help us?”

Babayan nodded. “From what the intelligence officers said, he's been very helpful to the Loyalist cause. I think he's the one who can get us our passes off Carinthia.”

“Can we get an invitation to this reception?” I asked.

“Already done,” said Babayan. “They're expecting us at 1900 in the South Wing Reception Hall.”

“Have I ever told you how much I admire your efficiency?” I said with a smile, trying to lighten things up.

“Not recently,” she said, and smiled back. It was a pleasant sight on her pretty but tough face. I made a note to get to know her more once we got back to our navy duty. I sat down again.

“There is one more complication, from my end,” I said.

“What now?” asked Dobrina in an annoyed tone. There was no getting around our circumstances so I started in at the beginning.

“I met with Princess Karina Feilberg, the grand duke's daughter,” I started.

“Is she pretty?” interrupted Dobrina. I gave her a cutting glare. “Sorry, I meant prettier than her portraits,” she said in response. I ignored her and got back to the serious matters at hand.

“She took me to see the grand duke,” I said. This sobered Dobrina up.

“How is he?” asked Babayan. I shook my head.

“Old. Tired. Probably struggling with dementia. Clearly, not able to lead this world,” I said. Both Dobrina and Babayan looked away. I doubted any Carinthian would like hearing that about their sovereign. I pressed on. “The Lady Karina made a request of me after our visit. She wants us to . . .” I paused here and took in a deep breath, “smuggle the grand duke off of Carinthia when we leave.”

“What?” said Babayan.

“Are you insane?” asked Dobrina, leaning in toward me. She was visibly shaken by my revelation. “We're going to try to smuggle a sovereign ruler off his own world? And take him
w
here
?” I quickly checked my com monitor to see if we were being surreptitiously observed. The com told me we were in the clear, but I encouraged both of them to speak more quietly with a coded navy hand gesture used for surreptitious conversation. When it was safe to speak again, I started in.

“All I can tell you is that she made the request. As to the details of how it would work, I haven't a clue. I assume we'll know more once we have our transportation secured. For now, just keep quiet about it and let me handle the negotiations with the princess. Understood?” I said.

Dobrina shook her head. “I can't believe you agreed to this,” she said.

“I agreed to help. Now if you don't mind, I think we should end this conversation, agreed?” They both nodded. We started more
casual conversation then, in case we were being monitored. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. A young adjutant informed Dobrina and me that we were invited to Prince Benn's strategy meeting in twenty minutes. I looked to Babayan once he had left.

“Carry on as if there is no change in our plans, Lena. Let Dobrina and I see what, if anything, this strategy session has to offer. Then prepare for the reception tonight. Nothing has changed because of the princess's request. Nothing is certain,” I said. She agreed and Dobrina and I headed out.

“This is getting sticky,” I said to her as we walked together down the hall.

“I thought sticky situations were your specialty,” she replied. Then she smiled at me, and I fought off the desire to take her by the hand.

“You, madam, of all people, should know better,” I replied. Then we laughed a little, but not too much.

The “strategy session” was nothing of the kind. It was a war council, that much was clear.

Air Marshal Von Zimmerman was a tall and rail-thin Carinthian with a thick mustache. Other officers were less dramatic looking but no less important in the Loyalist hierarchy. Dobrina and I found ourselves to one side of the military library with the air marshal while we all waited for Prince Benn. The tension in the room was palpable.

“I'm pleased that you have accepted my offer of command of the new
Impul
se
,” said Von Zimmerman to Dobrina. Then he turned to me. “And equally pleased that you encouraged her to accept my offer, Sire.” I put up a hand to stop him there.

“Please, Air Marshal, I am still just a commander in the Union Navy, and I'm much more comfortable being addressed that way,” I said.

“As you wish,” said Von Zimmerman. He turned back to Dobrina. “Your commission is already being transferred back to the Carinthian Navy. The paperwork will be completed in a few hours, but I see no reason why you cannot assume command at your discretion.”

“Thank you,” said Dobrina. “I do have a few questions though, if you would humor me, Air Marshal?”

“Of course.”

“Tell me about the Earth Historian assigned, this Gracel?” she asked. He nodded as if expecting the question.

“As far as I know, she has been approved by the Historian's Guild. Beyond that I know little of her background, but she has been here on Carinthia for a number of years. This is her first shipboard assignment,” said Von Zimmerman. Dobrina stiffened a bit at this, her hands going behind her back in a respectful but determined posture.

“I hope you'll understand, Air Marshal, but aboard the original
Imp
ulse
we had several problems with the Historian, the man named Tralfane. I will not tolerate that kind of behavior, that kind of treachery, on my ship. Tralfane was also approved by the Guild and assigned here on Carinthia prior to his assignment to the first
Impulse
, so in my mind that is no guarantee of her good behavior. My relationship with the Historian must be completely transparent, otherwise I will not allow her aboard my ship.” Dobrina was agitated at the thought of a repeat of the betrayal of Tralfane, and I understood that given her history with him. One thing I did agree with her on was that the Historians in general were still a puzzle that required more thought.