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Authors: Charles E. Gannon
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just before the invasion. So you’ll need to educate him en route.”
Caine hadn’t intended to recoil, but he did. “I’m supposed to educate Gaspard? On a topic I hardly know any better than he does? C’mon, Richard: how about you send me on a combat mission instead? Direct insertion into a hot LZ? Can’t be any worse: probably a damned sight better.”
Downing smiled ruefully. “Be careful what you wish for, Caine. You just might get it. Now let’s get to work.”
Chapter Six
Far orbit; Sigma Draconis Two
Olsirkos Shethkador-vah was waiting at the embarkation portal when the plates of that outsized iris valve rang open. Tlerek Srin Shethkador stalked over the threshold and dismissively acknowledged the crew’s obeisance, offered the moment the krexyes horn howled to announce his arrival. Shethkador was gratified to notice that the horn was genuine and not some insulting pseudo-chitin imitation. He nodded irritably at Olsirkos. “’Vah,” he muttered, “escort me to the Sensorium at once.”
Olsirkos waved four huscarls over. Their composite armor plates thumped dully as they fell in around the Srin and the ’vah. “Srin Shethkador, do you not wish an interval of restoration in your quarters? We have prepared suitable facilities in the rotational habitat, and hope you—”
“I must make contact with the Autarchs immediately. I will take my ease later.”
“Fearsome Srin, the orders we carry from the Autarchs do not compel you to—”
“I follow protocols of which you would not be apprised.”
Olsirkos averted his eyes deferentially. “Yes, Srin.”
“Your diligence in pursuing both your duty and my comfort are noted, Olsirkos.”
“The Srin honors me with his regard.”
“So I do.” And now that he has been lulled into a false sense of security —“However, that honor is overshadowed by your handling of my repatriation. You shifted into this system near the main world, knowing that it was surrounded by the Aboriginals? And you entered at combat speed, with the rotational habitats retracted, and without compliance to the Accord transponder requirements? Were you trying to rekindle the recent war, ’vah?”
Olsirkos—who could well expect to lose face, rank, or possibly toes or fingers over such infractions—did not flinch or swallow nervously. “Those orders were not mine, Masterful Srin.”
“Ah. At the behest of the Autarchs, then?”
“It is as you say, Srin.”
So: more idiocies from dust-covered oligarchs who spend too much time plotting combats rather than engaging in them . “Explain, ’vah.”
Olsirkos nodded compliance. “Most of the Autarchs wished to effect your repatriation with a minimum of activity or upset. Several, our own House included, opined that it would be best if we merely sent an away-boat to reclaim you from a neutral facility, such as a free-floating module. But Houses Jerapthere and Falsemmar insisted that this first direct meeting with the Aboriginals should show them how primitive and useless their spacecraft and weapons would be in a confrontation with ours.”
“And their rationale for such an idiotic plan?”
“I was not privy to their discussions, Potent Srin. However, the implicit rationale of the orders seems to be this: by striking terror and awe into the Aboriginals, they will be doubly reluctant to engage or confront us, and thereby, be more easily intimidated and manipulated.”
“Absurd. The Autarchs have achieved but one thing: they have revealed the standards of innovation and excellence that the Aboriginals must be resolved to meet. And, so, they will become less terrified.”
“Fearsome Srin, I do not understand.”
Of course you don’t . “’Vah, attend and learn. For the Aboriginals, we were more terrifying when they lacked any sense of our capabilities. That constant, unbounded fear would have undermined their efforts against us, for they lacked a concrete benchmark which, once achieved, ensured greater parity with
Caine hadn’t intended to recoil, but he did. “I’m supposed to educate Gaspard? On a topic I hardly know any better than he does? C’mon, Richard: how about you send me on a combat mission instead? Direct insertion into a hot LZ? Can’t be any worse: probably a damned sight better.”
Downing smiled ruefully. “Be careful what you wish for, Caine. You just might get it. Now let’s get to work.”
Chapter Six
Far orbit; Sigma Draconis Two
Olsirkos Shethkador-vah was waiting at the embarkation portal when the plates of that outsized iris valve rang open. Tlerek Srin Shethkador stalked over the threshold and dismissively acknowledged the crew’s obeisance, offered the moment the krexyes horn howled to announce his arrival. Shethkador was gratified to notice that the horn was genuine and not some insulting pseudo-chitin imitation. He nodded irritably at Olsirkos. “’Vah,” he muttered, “escort me to the Sensorium at once.”
Olsirkos waved four huscarls over. Their composite armor plates thumped dully as they fell in around the Srin and the ’vah. “Srin Shethkador, do you not wish an interval of restoration in your quarters? We have prepared suitable facilities in the rotational habitat, and hope you—”
“I must make contact with the Autarchs immediately. I will take my ease later.”
“Fearsome Srin, the orders we carry from the Autarchs do not compel you to—”
“I follow protocols of which you would not be apprised.”
Olsirkos averted his eyes deferentially. “Yes, Srin.”
“Your diligence in pursuing both your duty and my comfort are noted, Olsirkos.”
“The Srin honors me with his regard.”
“So I do.” And now that he has been lulled into a false sense of security —“However, that honor is overshadowed by your handling of my repatriation. You shifted into this system near the main world, knowing that it was surrounded by the Aboriginals? And you entered at combat speed, with the rotational habitats retracted, and without compliance to the Accord transponder requirements? Were you trying to rekindle the recent war, ’vah?”
Olsirkos—who could well expect to lose face, rank, or possibly toes or fingers over such infractions—did not flinch or swallow nervously. “Those orders were not mine, Masterful Srin.”
“Ah. At the behest of the Autarchs, then?”
“It is as you say, Srin.”
So: more idiocies from dust-covered oligarchs who spend too much time plotting combats rather than engaging in them . “Explain, ’vah.”
Olsirkos nodded compliance. “Most of the Autarchs wished to effect your repatriation with a minimum of activity or upset. Several, our own House included, opined that it would be best if we merely sent an away-boat to reclaim you from a neutral facility, such as a free-floating module. But Houses Jerapthere and Falsemmar insisted that this first direct meeting with the Aboriginals should show them how primitive and useless their spacecraft and weapons would be in a confrontation with ours.”
“And their rationale for such an idiotic plan?”
“I was not privy to their discussions, Potent Srin. However, the implicit rationale of the orders seems to be this: by striking terror and awe into the Aboriginals, they will be doubly reluctant to engage or confront us, and thereby, be more easily intimidated and manipulated.”
“Absurd. The Autarchs have achieved but one thing: they have revealed the standards of innovation and excellence that the Aboriginals must be resolved to meet. And, so, they will become less terrified.”
“Fearsome Srin, I do not understand.”
Of course you don’t . “’Vah, attend and learn. For the Aboriginals, we were more terrifying when they lacked any sense of our capabilities. That constant, unbounded fear would have undermined their efforts against us, for they lacked a concrete benchmark which, once achieved, ensured greater parity with
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