Renée noticed she had limited communication from Alex. <Julien, are you and the Admiral engaged?>
<Yes, busy,> Julien replied.
Renée nearly choked on her mouthful of noodles. She cleared her throat with a sip of aigre, a tart Méridien fruit drink. Julien’s terse response was one of the shortest she had ever received from him; not even a title was offered her. They must be busy, she thought. Prior to meeting Alex, Julien was the model SADE, polite and respectful, at all times. It wasn’t that he had become disrespectful, but his actions were more akin to a New Terran crew member, definitely more casual, and he was much more willing to express his own opinions. Renée regarded Alex, still politely attentive to present company and his meal, of course, which he was busy consuming.
When everyone finished, the twins escorted the guests to cabin suites set aside for their use, which provided them with privacy and access to refreshers.
* * *
As Étienne and Alain exited the suite that had been dedicated to the Leaders, closing the cabin’s door behind them, Eric checked his comm security protocols and found them restored. “It appears the Admiral has allowed us a moment of privacy, Sers. At least I believe he’s not monitoring us,” Eric said to Tomas and Lina.
“The Admiral appears to annoy you, Leader Stroheim. Why is that?” Tomas asked.
“The man is disturbing the natural order of things, Ser.”
“I would have thought the aliens had already done that, Leader.”
“Yes, but we have a plan to complete the construction of our colony ships and escape, Ser. Now he comes here with his captured silver ship and wants to co-opt our efforts. And he has no decorum … usurping our comm protocols. Who or what does he think he is?”
“Actually, Leader, I am quite impressed with the man,” Tomas replied.
“I am as well, Sers,” Lina chimed in. “And I don’t mean as a physical specimen, although there is that. You must admit that what he has accomplished is … admirable,” she said, smiling to herself over her play on words.
“But we don’t need his interference, Sers,” Eric replied.
“Perhaps we don’t if we can evacuate in our city-ships in time, Leader,” Tomas responded, “but what about the Confederation? Isn’t it our duty to aid those who might be able to save our remaining worlds?”
“He’s captured only one alien ship, Ser, and he thinks he can defeat them all.”
“With our help, he might be able to do just that, Leader.”
“So that’s your position—you’ll help him even if it means disturbing our schedule,” Eric said, deliberately impolite, and that after having accused the Admiral of the same.
“I didn’t say that, Leader Stroheim, and you shouldn’t anticipate decisions I have yet to make. I think we should continue to speak with Admiral Racine and see if we can devise a means to work together. Maybe he can help us as we help him. After all, his entire New Terran crew is an assembly of highly-qualified engineers and technicians.”
“How do you know that, Ser?” Eric asked.
“I asked Julien, of course, Leader. Since I never insulted him, I’ve found him to be quite accommodating.”
* * *
After the break, Alex, Renée, Eric, Tomas, and Lina assembled in the Rêveur’s House suite. Tomas and Eric had agreed the Independent Leader would continue to manage the communications. <It’s safer for me that way, Ser,> Stroheim had remarked.
“If you are more comfortable negotiating through speech, Sers,” Alex said in Con-Fed as they were seated. “That’s acceptable to me.”
“So little accent and such deep tones,” Lina said delightedly.
“You continue to surprise us, Admiral,” Tomas added. “This is proving to be a most intriguing meeting. Earlier, you spoke of your needs, but let me speak of ours. We’re all aware that when the Bellamonde swarm takes flight, they have two possible destinations: Libre or Méridien. I must admit, I have nightmares about which way they will travel. We can’t risk fortune by having our schedule disturbed. We must complete our city-ships and load them with our people and supplies before we receive the announcement of their swarming. If we help you, it will be only under your strict assurance that you will not interfere with our schedule.”
“You have my assurance, Leader Monti. Please let us know if we can assist you. I have over one hundred trained engineers and technicians who spent half a year creating Méridien parts and repairing this ship, from hull plates to circuit boards to crystals. In addition, I have officers who can assist with team and project management.”
“I was hoping you would offer, Admiral. I think we can be very valuable to each other,” Tomas said, a broad grin stretching across his face.
“Then let’s get started,” Alex replied, and he opened their comms in conference, much to Eric’s irritation.
<Admiral,> Renée interrupted, <if you’re going to go play with your new friends, I’d like to opt out of the connection.>
<Most certainly, Ser,> Alex replied. <Is there anyone else who wishes to forego this session?>
<Ser Lina Monti, I do advise it,> Renée told her.
Lina was hesitant to be left out of anything that involved the Admiral, but Renée’s forthright expression caused her to heed the advice. <I, as well, Admiral, ask to be excused.>
Eric had a feeling he knew what was coming, but he stubbornly kept quiet. He did not want to miss any of the strategic planning. Tomas wore an expression of pleasant expectation.
Alex settled back into his chair and closed his eyes, leaving his link to Tomas and Eric open. However, he activated a buffer application in his second implant to coalesce the planning session into a single stream for his guests.
Three SADEs were prepared for Alex. It had been Julien’s recommendation to include two additional SADEs in his Libran plans. Per Alex’s request, Julien had made his new acquaintances privy to the conversations with Tomas and Eric.
<Ready, Julien,> Alex said.
<Admiral, may I present Cordelia, aboard the Freedom.>
<Greetings, Cordelia, I’m pleased to meet you.>
<That’s generous of you to say, Admiral.>
<Not in the least, Cordelia. While I have only met one SADE, I have found his depth and introspection to be a source of many enjoyable conversations. I would hazard a guess that the enormous amount of time you have available enables you to pursue subjects to a greater degree than us flesh-and-blood mortals.>
<That is a sentiment I have never heard expressed by a Méridien, Admiral.>
<Then it’s about time you did, Cordelia.>
Eric’s first reaction was to be annoyed over the Admiral’s exchange with Cordelia, but he found himself reviewing his own history of SADE communication.
<Julien,> Alex sent.
<And next, Admiral, may I present Z, aboard the Unser Menschen.>
<Greetings, Admiral,> Z sent, <and I wish to add my appreciation for your statements. They’re compliments that have been sorely absent.>
<It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Z.>
Tomas, listening to the exchange, was amazed by the manner in which Julien introduced his fellow SADEs to the Admiral, much as a new House Leader would be introduced to the Confederation Council. What he perceived was that Julien was treating his fellow SADEs just as the Admiral wished them to be treated. And I thought I had come so far along the path of independence, Tomas thought.
<If you would, I’d like the three of you to help us?> Alex requested. Over the next hour, he queried the SADEs on Libran assets—ships, supplies, manufacturing assets, raw material, and production timelines. Soon Cordelia and Z were so absorbed in Alex’s strategic planning that they treated him as a compatriot. Throughout their lives, humans had asked them explicit questions, given orders, or required calculations, and the SADEs had responded in kind. The Admiral’s communication was different. He requested their judgment, establishing goals and assigning priorities, and the SADEs juggled models to achieve those goals.
Julien reveled in the fact that Cordelia and Z were meeting both the Admiral and his friend. For, while it was the Admiral who led their strategic planning, it was Alex who treated his people, including his SADE, with consideration, choosing to respect his fellow beings rather than offer indifference.
Both Tomas and Eric realized that their implants were receiving a trickle of the information flowing between the SADEs and the Admiral, a summary really. Tomas was again struck by the gentle way the Admiral dealt with the SADEs—always polite, promoting their ingenuity, and praising their successful models—never condescending. In contrast, Eric’s thoughts focused on his relief that he was receiving the watered-down summary. His memory of the Admiral’s initial comm assault when he had sought to put the New Terran in his place still caused his stomach to churn. He pledged not to make that mistake again.
As Alex wound down his planning session, he sent a quick request for Renée to return to the suite, since she had taken Lina on a short tour to introduce her to the Rêveur’s officers. Actually, the way Alex phrased his request for her to return to him had her blushing for once.
<So much for a lengthy planning session,> remarked Tomas as the Admiral finalized the models from the SADEs and the women returned to the cabin. Tomas noted that the Admiral sincerely thanked the SADEs for their help, and they responded just as pleasantly. It made him consider his own behavior toward Cordelia, which he knew was better than the manner in which House Bergfalk personnel addressed their SADEs.
<Now that you have their suggestions, Admiral,> Eric said, <I believe we can dismiss the SADEs from our conversation.>
Alex looked at Renée, who slowly shook her head in sympathy.
<Leader Stroheim,> Tomas interjected quickly, <I believe we decided I would manage communication for us since you have such an aversion to airlocks that don’t connect to anything. This is the point where we ask the Admiral what he would like to do.> Then Tomas turned an expectant face toward Alex.
<If we are to work together, Sers, then from this point forward, any communication with me, Renée, or my crew will be shared with Julien, Cordelia and Z,> Alex stated.
<What? Why?> Eric said, again forgetting his agreement to let Tomas do the talking.
<Why not?> Alex replied.
Tomas, having already begun examining the first summaries as he had received them, responded, <It would appear to me, Leader Stroheim, including the SADEs will be advantageous. Based on the information we’ve received, they’ve already formed the Admiral’s crew into efficient teams to support our construction and, among other things, streamlined our own planet-to-orbit flight schedules.>
<Our flight schedules? But they should have done that already, Ser Monti,> Eric objected.
<Admiral, if I may?> Julien interjected. <Leader Stroheim, if you ask specific questions, you will get specific answers. The Admiral asks open questions, gives us goals, sets priorities, and requests we consider all possibilities. Engaged in this manner, we deliver a much higher quality of response than that of a simple answer to a simple question.>
Z marveled at the manner in which Julien was allowed to speak. He yearned for that degree of freedom of expression.
<Are we agreed, Ser Monti and Leader Stroheim, to open communications as I have requested?> Alex inquired. He received Eric’s grudging approval and Tomas’s pleasant nod.
<Curious,> Cordelia said to her fellow SADEs. <The Admiral is a more independent thinker than our Independents.> While she was quite serious in her sentiment, she heard the laughter of both Julien and Z.
<So, on the question of manufacturing resources,> said Alex, reviewing the summary, <you have capability to spare. Nearly all of the construction material and supplies for your city-ships have been produced, although much of it is still in transit from the surface to your orbitals. It appears that you’re overtaxing your shuttles, but that’s a problem for later. Please, Julien.>
<Certainly, Admiral,> Julien replied, translating for Cordelia and Z the implied request. <Since your city-ships are in their assembly stages, Sers, the manufacturing plants are free to provide the finished material we require. It would be a matter of communicating the fighter designs and retrofit material we require to your production controllers and transporting our GEN-2 and GEN-3 machines planetside for the specialized production of missiles, crystals, and fighter controllers.>
<You brought your own machines, Admiral?> Tomas asked. <Where in Con-Fed space did you store them on a passenger liner?>
It was Renée, who responded bluntly, <The stasis suite provided an enormous amount of unused space.>
<You have no stasis pods, Ser?> Lina exclaimed.
<We have no intention of needing them ever again, Ser,> Renée replied.
Lina regarded Renée’s hard expression. She had never seen a Méridien woman speak with such passion on a crucial matter of life and death. It occurred to her that the people aboard this ship did not plan to survive at all costs; they planned to defeat the silver ships at all costs. At that moment, all thoughts of a tryst with the Admiral fled from Lina’s mind. Under no circumstances would she wish to attract the animosity of the Co-Leader. Lina offered Renée a graceful bow of her head, honoring her words, and received a tilt of Renée’s head in return.
<What you’re in short supply of,> said Alex, picking up the conversation, <is raw material. According to Cordelia and Z, you have asteroids parked about 260,000 km out that you’ve been mining, and they have plenty of ore to spare. We can use those, but we’ll need help. Let’s table that point as well for now. Your two freighters are idle, both empty of stores. Can you give me one as a carrier?>
After deliberation, Tomas and Eric agreed to give up the Geld Hersteller to the Admiral.
<Julien,> Alex sent.
<On it, Admiral,> Julien replied, simultaneously querying Cordelia and Z for the freighter’s plans. He shared the Rêveur’s bay operations with them, and left the two SADEs to plan how best to restructure the freighter to accommodate fighters, missiles silos, reaction mass tanks, and crew.
<Certainly, Ser Monti, what is it you wish to know?>
<Could I ask if you know something personal about Julien … something not related to the operations of the ship or the crew?> Tomas watched the Admiral’s eyes soften and a smile tug at the corner of his mouth as if he was recalling an intimate memory.
<The Sleuth,> Alex replied.
<The Sleuth,> echoed Julien privately to Alex.
<I’m sorry, I don’t know what that means,> replied Tomas, glancing between Alex and Renée, who both wore secretive smiles.
When Alex remained silent, Renée sent, <It’s a private matter, Ser Monti, between friends.>
Tomas realized he had his answer. The Admiral and Julien were friends … close friends with private thoughts. He had never considered a relationship with a SADE as a possibility, which made him wonder again about himself.
<We have one more immediate item to discuss,> Alex said. <The crew.>
<You recognize, Admiral,> Eric replied, <that, in addition to the standard ship’s crew, you will be asking Méridiens to fly your Daggers in order to take lives, even if those lives are alien.>
<That’s not quite accurate, Leader Stroheim,> Tomas interrupted. <He will be asking Independents to take lives. And I believe the Admiral will find all the volunteers he needs.>
Stroheim started to respond but stopped. He had always regarded the Independents as his charges, Méridiens that he cared for like wayward children, who had yet to see the error of their ways. Tomas’s statements indicated a mental state even more aberrant than Eric had ever supposed, exposing a dangerous manner of thought.
<And I believe that the Admiral’s best opportunity to recruit is to make a personal appearance,> Lina added. <After all, he is quite imposing, and his story will appeal to our people.>
* * *
<
Julien, the Admiral’s new comm protocols have undefined parameters,> Z sent.
<Understood, Z. You need only request clarification. Do you have an example where the parameters are unclear?>
<The Admiral requested Cordelia and I share comms to aid in his planning. I would surmise that this does not extend to every SADE.>
<That’s correct.>
<Then who will inform Mütter, the Geld Hersteller’s SADE, of the impending change to her freighter? If we follow the Admiral’s guidelines, which encourage open communication, should we not inform Mütter as soon as possible.>
<Yes, Mütter, must be informed,> Julien explained, <but not by us. The news should come from her Captain.>
<Yes, I understand, Julien,> Cordelia said. <The news may be disturbing to Mütter when she learns her freighter will become a ship of war. It will be better coming from her Captain. Your empathy programs are highly sophisticated, Julien.>
<Our empathy programs have always been well developed, Cordelia. Those we have served have required little application of them. In these desperate times, the Admiral requires much more from us. We must rise above the stations we have occupied in our society, and think for ourselves if we are to help preserve humanity.>
-5-
On the second morning following the Leaders’ initial meeting, the Outward Bound, flanked by two Daggers, created a dramatic show for the Librans planetside as the ships broke through the clouds, friction streams of super-heated vapor trailing behind them. The armed shuttle and two fighters landed in synchronicity on the primary runway of Libre’s only city, Gratuito, the craft crowding the runway’s entire width. The landing was designed by Tatia and Sheila to be a display of precision flying. What they had yet to learn was how the Independents had reacted to their performance.