Read Online Cradle of War (A Captain's Crucible Book 3) by Isaac Hooke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Isaac Hooke
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Dallas?” Barrick said.
“No,” Jonathan said. “I’ve learned a few painful lessons in my long navy career, the biggest being that the only people you can truly trust are your own officers. And sometimes not even them.”
“Probably an accurate assessment of humanity in general,” Barrick transmitted. “We all have our own agendas in the end. Even AIs, which we designed in our own image.”
“Yes, well, getting back to final questions for the Elder,” Jonathan said. “I don’t suppose they can alter the properties of the Slipstream so that we don’t have to create a Gate to pass through?”
“I’ll have Valor ask them,” Barrick replied.
After the exchange of gamma rays, the telepath’s voice came back over the comm: “The Elder said it isn’t possible. But, they will leave the Slipstream endpoints here pointing to Vega 951 for the next year, though, giving us time to build a Gate. They also hinted that perhaps the Zarafe faction should share some of their traversal tech with us early, to help decrease the time it takes for our return.”
“That would certainly be appreciated,” Jonathan said.
“I’ll see if I can convince Valor,” the telepath responded.
“Do your best,” Jonathan said. “I can’t tell you how important it is that we return to our space early. If we have to wait here another six months while the Builder finishes a Gate... well, in that time the Raakarr could easily prepare an invasion force and launch a surprise attack. We could return to find humanity on the losing side of a galactic war.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” the telepath replied.
“Thank you, Barrick,” Jonathan said. “Captain Dallas out.”
The captain was aware of Robert’s disapproving gaze upon him.
Jonathan extended his noise canceler around the commander so the rest of the bridge crew wouldn’t hear his next words. “You still don’t trust him.”
“How can I?” Robert said. “After what he’s done.”
“I don’t either, of course,” Jonathan said. “But tell me, if he can get us that Slipstream-traversal tech, what will you think of him then?”
Robert frowned. “Either way it’s not going to change the fact that he’s going to be tried for treason and kidnapping if he ever returns. No matter his reasons.”
“True enough,” Jonathan said.
“The heat signature of the Elder vessel has disappeared,” Ensign Lewis announced. “They’ve passed through the Slipstream.”
Jonathan repealed the noise canceler and sat back. “So they’ve finally gone.”
“Do you really think the Elder are going to be watching us over the next while?” Robert asked. “Judging us?”
“I have no doubt whatsoever,” Jonathan said.
Robert smiled wanly. “It’s too bad. Because we’re probably going to fail their test.”
“I have no doubt of that either,” Jonathan said. “That they haven’t told us the pre-conditions for a passing score tells me they want us to fail.”
“Why let us go, then?”
Jonathan shrugged. “Maybe to justify their actions to whatever alien consciences they have. Or to their government. I can imagine the dialog: we gave them a chance to abide by our rules, and they failed. Now we’re going to wipe out their race. ”
“It’s possible they’ll invent the pre-conditions as they go along,” Robert said. “If we make peace with the Raakarr, they’ll destroy us. If we war with the Raakarr, they’ll destroy us. Basically no matter what we do, they destroy us.”
Jonathan extended his noise canceler around the two of them. “You’ve grown rather dark since Bridgette was kidnapped. What happened to the optimist in you?”
“He’s still there,” Robert said. “But he only rears his ugly head occasionally these days.”
“Ugly?” Jonathan smiled sardonically. “Maybe you should take some time off. Spend some time at her side while she recuperates.”
Robert shook his head vehemently. “I need to work. I need something to distract me.
“No,” Jonathan said. “I’ve learned a few painful lessons in my long navy career, the biggest being that the only people you can truly trust are your own officers. And sometimes not even them.”
“Probably an accurate assessment of humanity in general,” Barrick transmitted. “We all have our own agendas in the end. Even AIs, which we designed in our own image.”
“Yes, well, getting back to final questions for the Elder,” Jonathan said. “I don’t suppose they can alter the properties of the Slipstream so that we don’t have to create a Gate to pass through?”
“I’ll have Valor ask them,” Barrick replied.
After the exchange of gamma rays, the telepath’s voice came back over the comm: “The Elder said it isn’t possible. But, they will leave the Slipstream endpoints here pointing to Vega 951 for the next year, though, giving us time to build a Gate. They also hinted that perhaps the Zarafe faction should share some of their traversal tech with us early, to help decrease the time it takes for our return.”
“That would certainly be appreciated,” Jonathan said.
“I’ll see if I can convince Valor,” the telepath responded.
“Do your best,” Jonathan said. “I can’t tell you how important it is that we return to our space early. If we have to wait here another six months while the Builder finishes a Gate... well, in that time the Raakarr could easily prepare an invasion force and launch a surprise attack. We could return to find humanity on the losing side of a galactic war.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” the telepath replied.
“Thank you, Barrick,” Jonathan said. “Captain Dallas out.”
The captain was aware of Robert’s disapproving gaze upon him.
Jonathan extended his noise canceler around the commander so the rest of the bridge crew wouldn’t hear his next words. “You still don’t trust him.”
“How can I?” Robert said. “After what he’s done.”
“I don’t either, of course,” Jonathan said. “But tell me, if he can get us that Slipstream-traversal tech, what will you think of him then?”
Robert frowned. “Either way it’s not going to change the fact that he’s going to be tried for treason and kidnapping if he ever returns. No matter his reasons.”
“True enough,” Jonathan said.
“The heat signature of the Elder vessel has disappeared,” Ensign Lewis announced. “They’ve passed through the Slipstream.”
Jonathan repealed the noise canceler and sat back. “So they’ve finally gone.”
“Do you really think the Elder are going to be watching us over the next while?” Robert asked. “Judging us?”
“I have no doubt whatsoever,” Jonathan said.
Robert smiled wanly. “It’s too bad. Because we’re probably going to fail their test.”
“I have no doubt of that either,” Jonathan said. “That they haven’t told us the pre-conditions for a passing score tells me they want us to fail.”
“Why let us go, then?”
Jonathan shrugged. “Maybe to justify their actions to whatever alien consciences they have. Or to their government. I can imagine the dialog: we gave them a chance to abide by our rules, and they failed. Now we’re going to wipe out their race. ”
“It’s possible they’ll invent the pre-conditions as they go along,” Robert said. “If we make peace with the Raakarr, they’ll destroy us. If we war with the Raakarr, they’ll destroy us. Basically no matter what we do, they destroy us.”
Jonathan extended his noise canceler around the two of them. “You’ve grown rather dark since Bridgette was kidnapped. What happened to the optimist in you?”
“He’s still there,” Robert said. “But he only rears his ugly head occasionally these days.”
“Ugly?” Jonathan smiled sardonically. “Maybe you should take some time off. Spend some time at her side while she recuperates.”
Robert shook his head vehemently. “I need to work. I need something to distract me.
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