Read Online Knight's Move by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
Ads: Link
ship.”
Feingold gave her a droll smile. “Fairfax?”
Sandy nodded. Her homeworld was the core of the Bottleneck Republic, insofar as any world could be considered its capital. The Federation might like centralised authority, but the Bottleneck Republic had been too disunited even to consider the possibility. Besides, the Dragons were fond of attacking sector capitals and core worlds and expecting the rest of the sector to fall without a fight. If they hadn't driven in towards Earth in 2555, the war might well have gone the other way.
Or maybe it wouldn’t , she thought. The Dragons had never really appreciated the true industrial might of the Federation. She might have disliked and distrusted the Core Worlds and the interstellar corporations, but even she couldn't dispute their efficiency when it came to producing warships and war material. Losing Earth would have been painful; it wouldn't have been fatal. There were enough industrial nodes away from the homeworld to rebuild the TFN even after a desperate struggle to save Earth.
“It’s good to see a friendly face,” Feingold said, as she started to lead him towards the hatch. “Chandra is an interesting conversationalist, but she never lets her guard slip around me and her cronies know better than to talk openly. I was rather dreading this trip.”
Sandy nodded in understanding. “Why didn't you take a different ship?”
“The Senate offered me transport on a military ship,” Feingold explained. “I think they believed I would be impressed with the display of military might.”
“I see,” Sandy said, dryly. She’d read Feingold’s record. He’d fought in a dozen battles, including two that had taken place after Bottleneck had been liberated and links formed between the colonials and the Federation. He was unlikely to be impressed by a single heavy cruiser, no matter how capable, not when he'd seen over a thousand superdreadnaughts and fleet carriers gathered in one place. “And to stop you talking to others?”
“Perhaps,” Feingold agreed. “But I did send a full report back via the communications network, so it would be pointless.”
Sandy said nothing else until she reached Feingold’s cabin and keyed it open for him. “You might want to be careful what you say,” she said, once the hatch hissed closed behind them. “There’s an Intelligence Officer on this ship, searching for evidence of disloyalty.”
Feingold made a face. “It’s that bad? Already?”
“I’m afraid so,” Sandy said. She’d already heard muttered complaints from several officers and crewmen, including the Senior Chief Crewman. Cynthia had been making herself unpopular without ever bothering to suggest there was a reason to keep her on the ship. “I think this cabin is clean, but that will change.”
Feingold nodded. “Tell me,” he said. “Where do your loyalties lie?”
Sandy winced. It was the question she’d hoped would never be asked, whatever else happened. Was she loyal to the Federation or the Bottleneck Republic? Or was she loyal to the ideals of the Federation rather than the Core Worlds or the nationalist power blocs? Or, for that matter, the corporations? And, if so, what should she do?
It had been easy when fighting the Dragons. They wanted to reduce humanity to slavery at best, exterminate the entire race at worst. She had few moral qualms over destroying helpless ships and refusing to take prisoners, even over bombarding enemy planets from orbit rather than forcing a landing on their surface. The Dragons had committed thousands of atrocities before the human race began to repay them in kind. There could be no compromise with such an enemy.
But if humans fought humans ... which side was she on?
She could see advantages and disadvantages to both sides. The Federation had fought and won the war – she
Feingold gave her a droll smile. “Fairfax?”
Sandy nodded. Her homeworld was the core of the Bottleneck Republic, insofar as any world could be considered its capital. The Federation might like centralised authority, but the Bottleneck Republic had been too disunited even to consider the possibility. Besides, the Dragons were fond of attacking sector capitals and core worlds and expecting the rest of the sector to fall without a fight. If they hadn't driven in towards Earth in 2555, the war might well have gone the other way.
Or maybe it wouldn’t , she thought. The Dragons had never really appreciated the true industrial might of the Federation. She might have disliked and distrusted the Core Worlds and the interstellar corporations, but even she couldn't dispute their efficiency when it came to producing warships and war material. Losing Earth would have been painful; it wouldn't have been fatal. There were enough industrial nodes away from the homeworld to rebuild the TFN even after a desperate struggle to save Earth.
“It’s good to see a friendly face,” Feingold said, as she started to lead him towards the hatch. “Chandra is an interesting conversationalist, but she never lets her guard slip around me and her cronies know better than to talk openly. I was rather dreading this trip.”
Sandy nodded in understanding. “Why didn't you take a different ship?”
“The Senate offered me transport on a military ship,” Feingold explained. “I think they believed I would be impressed with the display of military might.”
“I see,” Sandy said, dryly. She’d read Feingold’s record. He’d fought in a dozen battles, including two that had taken place after Bottleneck had been liberated and links formed between the colonials and the Federation. He was unlikely to be impressed by a single heavy cruiser, no matter how capable, not when he'd seen over a thousand superdreadnaughts and fleet carriers gathered in one place. “And to stop you talking to others?”
“Perhaps,” Feingold agreed. “But I did send a full report back via the communications network, so it would be pointless.”
Sandy said nothing else until she reached Feingold’s cabin and keyed it open for him. “You might want to be careful what you say,” she said, once the hatch hissed closed behind them. “There’s an Intelligence Officer on this ship, searching for evidence of disloyalty.”
Feingold made a face. “It’s that bad? Already?”
“I’m afraid so,” Sandy said. She’d already heard muttered complaints from several officers and crewmen, including the Senior Chief Crewman. Cynthia had been making herself unpopular without ever bothering to suggest there was a reason to keep her on the ship. “I think this cabin is clean, but that will change.”
Feingold nodded. “Tell me,” he said. “Where do your loyalties lie?”
Sandy winced. It was the question she’d hoped would never be asked, whatever else happened. Was she loyal to the Federation or the Bottleneck Republic? Or was she loyal to the ideals of the Federation rather than the Core Worlds or the nationalist power blocs? Or, for that matter, the corporations? And, if so, what should she do?
It had been easy when fighting the Dragons. They wanted to reduce humanity to slavery at best, exterminate the entire race at worst. She had few moral qualms over destroying helpless ships and refusing to take prisoners, even over bombarding enemy planets from orbit rather than forcing a landing on their surface. The Dragons had committed thousands of atrocities before the human race began to repay them in kind. There could be no compromise with such an enemy.
But if humans fought humans ... which side was she on?
She could see advantages and disadvantages to both sides. The Federation had fought and won the war – she
Similar Books
