First of the First Page 7

  Mark quickly explained to Sally what was happening and suggested they all blinked to the command center.

  The screens didn’t show the armada of People’s ships, they were all featureless and had non-reflective black exteriors. There did seem to be a lot fewer stars, as the huge ships blotted them out. The People’s ships did, however, appear on sensor scans.

  “Kate, put a green dot on all the empty ships and a pulsing green dot on the manned ones.”

  The dots appeared immediately, and a two meter square section of the floor started to rise in the middle of the command center. “What’s that!” Mark asked his AI.

  “Do not be alarmed Mark, it is a three dimensional projector. It is a useful tactical tool, so you can see the disposition of all the assets deployed in the arena.”

  “I wasn’t alarmed.” Mark said, though in reality, the sudden unasked for change in his ships configuration had disconcerted him. “That’s helpful. Why haven’t I seen one on a People’s ship before?”

  “How often have you been in a conflict situation on a People’s craft?”

  “A fair point. But the People don’t get into battles. Why do they have these things?”

  “You recall Alan telling you about the AI war? They developed the tactical projectors then, and the Tolen use them in their operations. It would be better if your companions think that you knew about this in advance.”

  “It would have been better if you hadn’t ambushed me with it! In future, tell me about these little surprises before they manifest themselves, I won’t need to pretend I knew about them in advance then.”

  “Certainly Mark, if you wish.”

  It was at times like this that Mark appreciated how different the Peoples thought processes were to his. His People’s embedded AI obviously thought that he would enjoy having this kind of surprise dropped on him, so presumably, that would be normal for one of the People.

  “What’s that?” Mike asked, pointing at the platform that had now finished extruding itself from the floor.

  “It’s the three dimensional tactical projector. It shows the disposition of all the assets deployed in the arena.”

  “We normally call the area covered by a battle ‘the theater’.” Orange said.

  “This covers a much wider area than a battlefield. I can scale up to cover the entire galaxy and focus down so far that you can see through the portholes on individual ships as though you were standing right next to them. Even closer, if you wish.”

  Mark relayed this to Orange.

  “Can I use it to run simulations?” he asked Mark.

  Prompted by his AI, Mark told him that he could, although the People’s tactical AI was much more capable than the AI’s that Orange was used to, but it would welcome his input if any tactical scenarios were needed. Orange seemed pleased with that, though unless he shouted or laughed it was difficult to know how he was feeling. His skin resembled craggy, burnt orange colored rock more than flesh and blood, and Mark had never seen anything that looked like an emotion on his face.

  The projector activated and showed Gnn’Ath with the Swift in a geostationary orbit, thirty two thousand kilometers above the surface. The Swift was at the center of a wall of two hundred and forty six other People’s ships between the planet and the Herassan Federation fleet. It showed Sean’s ship standing off five hundred thousand kilometers away.

  Before anyone else could ask any more questions, Mark’s AI told him that they were being hailed by the Herassan Federation fleet. Major Bryd Sa Dett appeared on the main screen. He looked, to Mark, to be almost identical to Mike.

  “You have brought company.” the Major said. “I appear to have underestimated you, Mark, Friend of the People.”

  “An understandable misjudgment, Major. I am apparently the only Friend of the People to have my own craft. My friends amongst the People and I thought this display would mean we could avoid bloodshed as you now cannot be in any doubt about the consequences of you committing the war crime of attacking a pre-emergent civilization.”

  “You make a convincing argument, but it was never my intention to bomb Gnn’Ath. I hoped you would hand over Hess An Sur, First Born of the First Family if I threatened the planet. I will disengage my fleet now. We are clearly not going to make any progress here, but mark my words, Mark, Friend of the People, we need Hess An Sur, First Born of the First Family back and I will not rest until I have fulfilled my mission.”

  “Major, I would like to propose a meeting of myself and General Sah Lee with you. Would you agree to that?”

  “I am not willing to board your vessel, but I can accommodate you on my flagship, I will guarantee your safety.”

  Mark smiled. “That is generous of you Major. To make travel to your flagship convenient, would you separate it from your fleet, and I will bring my craft close enough to make it a short trip by shuttle to you.

  “I require you to keep all your ships a minimum of ten kilometers from any of my ships, including my flagship. If you come any closer, we would see that as an aggressive maneuver, and we will defend ourselves. You may approach in a shuttle.”

  “I can agree to that Major. We will be with you shortly.” Mark cut the connection.

  “I know I must have hallucinated it, but I thought I heard you arranging for you and me to go over to their flagship and meet the mad Major.” Sally said.

  “I want to take Mike too.”

  “Can we talk in private?” Sally asked.

  “Sure.” Mark said, and they both blinked out.

  “I think Mark has lost the plot.” Simon said.

  “By the look on Sally’s face I think he’s about to lose more than that. Do you think I’ve got time for some recreational drugs before I leave?” Mike asked.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Revelations

  “What do you think you’re doing!” Sally asked, with a furious look on her face.

  “Arranging a diplomatic visit to the Herassan task force commander to explore a solution to the issue with Mike.” Mark replied calmly.

  “There isn’t an issue! They were preparing to leave! Have you gone mad?”

  “You didn’t notice what he said in his last sentence?” Mark asked, still calm in the face of Sally’s fury.

  “What – that if we come within ten kilometers of his fleet he will attack us? Wow. That’s really frightening.” she said sarcastically. “Why didn’t you just let him go? Now we’re going to look stupid when we don’t go to meet him.”

  “I am going to meet him, and I think Mike will want to as well. I hope you will join us. And no, that isn’t what I meant. Did you hear him say that they need her back?”

  “Well, they can’t have her. She doesn’t want to go and I’m not going to stand by while you hand her over!”

  “Let’s sit down while we talk about this.” Mark said.

  “I don’t want to sit down!” she snapped back.

  “OK, we’ll stand. I have no intention of handing her over. I can’t believe you thought I would. I think we ought to find out why they think they need her back. It sounds like it’s a bit more than just bringing her back under control of her family, don’t you think? We ought to find out what their motives are. Maybe there’s some room to maneuver that could mean that Mike doesn’t have to skulk about in constant fear of being kidnapped.”

  “So you’re not trying to get rid of her? You’re always complaining about her being on the Swift.”

  “No. If she chooses to leave us, that’s her decision, but I would prefer her to stay with us. Apart from you, she’s the best friend I’ve ever had, and I really don’t want to lose her.”

  Sally sat down. “Why didn’t you talk to me about this first. I don’t like having things thrust on me without warning.”

  “When did you ever consult with me before taking a decision? But, you’re right, I should have. Just because you order everyone around as though we are lackeys, it doesn’t make it right for me to.”

  “I don’t order
everyone around!” She paused, “Do I?”

  Mark rolled his eyes. “Do you agree we should talk to Major Bryd Sa Dett?”

  Sally sighed. “I suppose it can’t do any harm, and if we call it off now you will look such an idiot you’ll lose all credibility with the Herassans. You promise you’ll make sure no harm comes to Mike?”

  “Of course. As long as she stays close to me I can extend my phase shift protection to cover her.”

  “And what about me?” Sally said with a smirk.

  “Ah, yes, uh…” Mark didn’t know what to say. He knew that she would be safe because Alan had implanted her with phase shift protection thousands of years ago without her knowledge.”

  “I presume you know I have the same embedded phase shift armor you have?” she asked.

  “What! How do you know! I mean, you’re not supposed to know. Alan said you had never been told.”

  “I worked it out a long time ago. You must have heard how ‘lucky’ I am in battle. No matter what happens to me, the worst I ever get are minor flesh wounds. I know I’m not that lucky, My AI keeps it dialed down so I don’t have the control over it that you do, but I can’t get killed or badly injured as long as the People allow it to stay active.”

  “You’re AI has control over it? I thought only the People’s AI’s could control their technology.”

  “Yeah, that’s something else. I’ve got a People’s AI, as smart as yours. It gave me a lot of help at the start of my military career, but I asked it to stop, because I wanted to get where I wanted to be on my own merits, not as a People’s pawn.”

  Mark sat down now. “Wow. You are full of surprises. Do any of the People know that you know all this?”

  “I’ve always avoided the People. You know I don’t like them, so no, I’ve never discussed it with them.”

  “Does anyone else know?”

  “No. You are the only person I have ever told, but you need to know now – about the phase shift armor, you didn’t need to know about my AI, but you are good at keeping the People’s secrets, so I think I can trust you to keep mine.”

  “Right, now you’ve got that off your chest, how do you feel about meeting the Major?”

  “OK, we will. But next time, speak to me first. Now you’ve got to convince Mike.”

  “OK, and next time you decide to do something, speak to me first.”

  “I can’t see that happening, can you?” Sally said with a smile, before blinking back to the bar.

  Mark shook his head. “Why do I bother?” he said to no-one and followed her.

  Mike was slumped across the bar with her eyes shut. Sally was shaking her shoulder.

  Mike opened one eye and looked up at Mark and Sally. “You’re both so cute.” she slurred.

  “She’s just had a drink from the synthesizer.” Touren said, walking over. “She was talking about taking recreational drugs. I’ll deal with her.”

  Touren shook Mike’s shoulder. “Set your blood filters to clear out the drugs now, or I’ll shoot you up with something to do it for you.”

  Mike opened an eye again and looked at Touren. “You’re cute too. Are you sure you’re not a male?”

  “Right.” Touren said and stomped off to the synthesizer. She took out an injector tube and taking it back to Mike, jabbed it into her neck.

  Mike’s eyes popped open and she sat bolt upright. “What the fuck was that!” she said.

  “That will clear your blood very quickly. You’ll feel like shit, but you didn’t seem to be in a hurry to do it yourself.” Touren replied.

  Mike leaned forward with a jerk and vomited on the floor. Touren jumped back just in time to avoid it splashing on her boots. Mark fetched a glass of water from the synthesizer and handed it to Mike. She took a mouthful, swirled it round her mouth and spat it out on the floor.

  “This is getting to be like a real bar.” Simon said with a grin. “All we need now is a fight!”

  “What the hell was that you gave me?” Mike asked Touren.

  “Something we’ve used in the Boran Medical Emergency and Recovery Group on people who’ve taken overdoses.”

  “Mike scowled at her. “You don’t seem so cute now.”

  Touren smiled. “You look great Mike, despite that little line of vomit dribbling out the side of your mouth.”

  Mike wiped the side of her mouth with her sleeve.

  “It’s on the other side.” Touren said.

  Mike stood up and wiped the other side of her mouth with her sleeve. “I’m going for a quick shower and a change of clothes.” She nodded at Sally and Mark. “I’ll meet you in the command center.” and blinked out.

  “She didn’t take much convincing.” Mark said

  Chapter Fifteen

  Diplomatic Meeting

  The great black disc blinked into position ten kilometers from the Herassan army warship. A pair of massive doors slid open and a black landing craft slipped out, heading directly for the warship.

  Major Bryd Sa Dett appeared on the view screen at the front of the lander. “I agreed to meet two of you. How many do you have on board?” he demanded.

  “Hello Major.” Mark said politely. “Just me, General Sally and Hess An Sur, First Born of the First Family of the Herassan Federation Of The Five Planets.

  “You’re bringing her? Good. I’ll have a squad ready to take her into protective custody when you board.”

  “I am sorry to disappoint you Major, Hess An Sur naturally wanted to attend the meeting to discuss her future, but she will be leaving with us.”

  “We’ll see about that. I have sent the location of a secure dock for you to land in. I will have an escort waiting for you.”

  His image cleared from the screen to be replaced by the sight of the warship they were approaching. The landers navigational AI overlaid a blinking green box over the open dock door which was their destination.

  “You won’t let them take me, will you?” Mike asked nervously.

  “No, just keep close to me. I will extend my phase shift protection to engulf you and my AI will keep it set to a level that will prevent anyone from physically pulling you away or harming you. It might be best if you hold onto my arm.”

  Mike grabbed hold of his left arm and dug her claws into it. Mark had never seen her like this. Back when they were fighting side by side, she had been eager for the fight and showed no fear. She seemed more frightened of being taken back to her family than of being wounded or killed.

  “What about Sally?” she asked.

  “I’ll be fine Mike; they’re not interested in me.” Sally answered.

  The lander entered the dock and settled on the deck. Eight armed Herassan guards awaited their arrival. As the ramp slid out of the lander to the floor of the dock, the eight Herassan soldiers formed an honor guard of two lines of four at the end of it. As Sally reached the end of the ramp they snapped to attention and saluted. As Mike reached the end and stepped onto the floor, the soldiers all looked down and held their left hand up to cover their eyes. After a few seconds, they dropped their hands and stood to attention, holding their assault weapons by the barrel with their right hands, the stock resting on the floor.

  A soldier stepped forward: “Your Highness, General, Mark, Friend of the People, I am Sergeant Bur Med Ranf of the Herassan Federation First Family Guard. Welcome aboard the Imperial Thrust. My squad are here to escort you to Major Bryd Sa Dett.”

  “Lead on Sergeant.” Sally said.

  After a short walk, they were led into a room with wooden double doors and a long rectangular wooden conference table with wide padded stools around it. The stools were clearly designed to accommodate the short thick tails of the Herassans. A thick set Herassan wearing a robe which was tight fitting to the upper body and somewhat looser below the waist, walked towards them. He stopped a meter away from Mike, bowed his head and covered his eyes with his left hand. “Welcome Hess An Sur, First Born of the First Family.” He dropped his hand and turning to Sally and Mark, stood to
attention and saluted. “Welcome General, Mark. Thank you for returning the First Born of the First to us. You will always be welcome anywhere in the Federation where our gratitude will be shown.”

  Mike let go of Mark’s arm and stepped forward. “They have not brought me here Major.” Mark stepped forward and grasped Mike’s arm.

  The Major hissed and said, “Do not dare to touch the First Born!” The Herassan soldiers raised their assault weapons and clicked the safety catches off.