Read Online Retreat Hell by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
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employment pool. Their crisis, caused by a vast collapse in the employment rate, will eventually be reversed by their involvement in the Commonwealth. It is our duty to support them long enough for them to get back on their feet.”
“But you could be wrong,” Councillor Travis pointed out.
“I agree that it is a possibility,” Ed said, hiding his irritation at the jab. “But the Commonwealth’s economy has doubled in size over the last year. Integrating Corinthian and the surrounding stars laid the groundwork for continued expansion. I believe that our economy will triple in size over the next two years.”
There was a long pause. “I would like to raise an issue,” Councillor Jackson said. He’d been a Cracker, one of the ones loyal to Gaby. Ed wasn't sure if that meant he would support Ed openly or if he would make a show of asking probing and incisive questions, just to establish his political independence. “There is a wolf at the door.”
A low stir ran through the audience as they looked up at the starchart. On one side, the stars belonging to the Commonwealth shone green; on the other, the stars belonging to Wolfbane shone red. It was clear, from the display, that Thule was within a bare handful of light years from Wolfbane-held territory. The Commonwealth’s expansion was bringing it up against another interstellar power of unknown size.
Ed scowled, inwardly. There were just too many unanswered questions about Wolfbane, questions he needed answered as quickly as possible. Just how many stars did they control, he wondered, and just how many starships had they salvaged from the ruins of the Empire? And, for that matter, just what did they want? Governor Brown’s file hadn't suggested a rabid empire-builder, but someone who had built up relationships with no less than five massive interstellar corporations was clearly more formidable and ambitious than the file showed.
And if he truly wanted to reunite the Empire, he would have dealt with us openly , Ed thought, grimly. Instead, we had the farce ...
Councillor Jackson’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Do you feel, Colonel, that Wolfbane presents a threat?”
Ed met his gaze. “The unknown is always dangerous,” he said. “We have no embassy on Wolfbane, no trading relationships; we don’t even have a secure means of communicating with them. Our ships have been expelled from their space, as have starships belonging to the Trade Federation. Their freighters, however, have been permitted to enter our space at will, allowing them to spy on our deployments. I do not believe that they have dealt honestly with us.”
He paused, then pressed on. “Assuming that their industrial base matches what our records show, before the Empire left us, they would be a formidable opponent,” he added. “We have to face up to the possibility that they may mean us harm.”
The Grand Senate, he knew, would have questioned that assertion. They’d been so secure in their power and supremacy that the thought of someone threatening them was inconceivable. None of the Councillors had any problems coming to terms with the fact that some people meant them a great deal of harm. It made them far more capable governors, Ed had no trouble admitting, than the Grand Senators.
“There is also the simple fact that Thule represents a major prize,” he said. “And there are definite reports of off-world involvement with the rebels. Wolfbane may well be supporting them, hoping that they will win and then withdraw from the Commonwealth, removing their industrial base from our sphere of control. Even if they didn't join Wolfbane afterwards, it would still weaken us relative to them.”
“We don’t want another war,” Councillor Stevens said, softly.
“With all due respect, Councillor,” Ed said, “it only takes one party to start a war.”
The discussion raged back and forth for several minutes. Even
“But you could be wrong,” Councillor Travis pointed out.
“I agree that it is a possibility,” Ed said, hiding his irritation at the jab. “But the Commonwealth’s economy has doubled in size over the last year. Integrating Corinthian and the surrounding stars laid the groundwork for continued expansion. I believe that our economy will triple in size over the next two years.”
There was a long pause. “I would like to raise an issue,” Councillor Jackson said. He’d been a Cracker, one of the ones loyal to Gaby. Ed wasn't sure if that meant he would support Ed openly or if he would make a show of asking probing and incisive questions, just to establish his political independence. “There is a wolf at the door.”
A low stir ran through the audience as they looked up at the starchart. On one side, the stars belonging to the Commonwealth shone green; on the other, the stars belonging to Wolfbane shone red. It was clear, from the display, that Thule was within a bare handful of light years from Wolfbane-held territory. The Commonwealth’s expansion was bringing it up against another interstellar power of unknown size.
Ed scowled, inwardly. There were just too many unanswered questions about Wolfbane, questions he needed answered as quickly as possible. Just how many stars did they control, he wondered, and just how many starships had they salvaged from the ruins of the Empire? And, for that matter, just what did they want? Governor Brown’s file hadn't suggested a rabid empire-builder, but someone who had built up relationships with no less than five massive interstellar corporations was clearly more formidable and ambitious than the file showed.
And if he truly wanted to reunite the Empire, he would have dealt with us openly , Ed thought, grimly. Instead, we had the farce ...
Councillor Jackson’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Do you feel, Colonel, that Wolfbane presents a threat?”
Ed met his gaze. “The unknown is always dangerous,” he said. “We have no embassy on Wolfbane, no trading relationships; we don’t even have a secure means of communicating with them. Our ships have been expelled from their space, as have starships belonging to the Trade Federation. Their freighters, however, have been permitted to enter our space at will, allowing them to spy on our deployments. I do not believe that they have dealt honestly with us.”
He paused, then pressed on. “Assuming that their industrial base matches what our records show, before the Empire left us, they would be a formidable opponent,” he added. “We have to face up to the possibility that they may mean us harm.”
The Grand Senate, he knew, would have questioned that assertion. They’d been so secure in their power and supremacy that the thought of someone threatening them was inconceivable. None of the Councillors had any problems coming to terms with the fact that some people meant them a great deal of harm. It made them far more capable governors, Ed had no trouble admitting, than the Grand Senators.
“There is also the simple fact that Thule represents a major prize,” he said. “And there are definite reports of off-world involvement with the rebels. Wolfbane may well be supporting them, hoping that they will win and then withdraw from the Commonwealth, removing their industrial base from our sphere of control. Even if they didn't join Wolfbane afterwards, it would still weaken us relative to them.”
“We don’t want another war,” Councillor Stevens said, softly.
“With all due respect, Councillor,” Ed said, “it only takes one party to start a war.”
The discussion raged back and forth for several minutes. Even
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