The Last Colony Part 24

"Yes," said Hickory.

"Why?" I asked.

"The Colonial Union did not explain," Hickory said. "We now a.s.sume it was because an Obin attempt to locate the planet could have disrupted the Colonial Union's attack on the Conclave fleet. Our government agreed not to interfere but noted that should any harm come to Zoe, we would be greatly displeased. The Colonial Union a.s.sured our government that Zoe was reasonably safe. As she was."

"The Colonial Union's attack on the Conclave fleet is over," I said.

"The agreement did not specify when it would be acceptable to interfere," Hickory said, again with no trace of humor. "We are still bound to it."

"So you can do nothing for us," Jane said.

"We are charged with protecting Zoe," Hickory said. "But we have been made to understand that the definition of protection protection extends only so far." extends only so far."

"And if Zoe orders you to protect the colony?" I asked.

"Zoe may order d.i.c.kory and me as she wishes," Hickory said. "But it is doubtful that even her intercession would be enough."

I got up from my desk and stalked over to the window to look up at the night sky. "Do the Obin know the Colonial Union is under attack?" I asked.

"We do," Hickory said. "There have been numerous attacks since the destruction of the Conclave fleet."

"Then you know that the Colonial Union will have to make choices as to which colonies it needs to defend and which it will sacrifice. And that Roanoke is more likely to be in that second category."

"We know this," Hickory said.

"But you'll still do nothing to help us," I said.

"Not so long as Roanoke remains part of the Colonial Union," Hickory said.

Jane was on this before I could open my mouth. "Explain that," she said.

"An independent Roanoke would require a new response from us," Hickory said. "If Roanoke declares itself independent of the Colonial Union, the Obin would feel obliged to offer support and aid on an interim basis until the Colonial Union reacquired the planet or agreed to its succession."

"But you would risk alienating the Colonial Union," Jane said.

"The Colonial Union has a number of other priorities at the moment," Hickory said. "We do not feel the repercussions of aiding an independent Roanoke will be significant in the long run."

"So you will will help us," I said. "You just want us to declare ourselves independent of the Colonial Union first." help us," I said. "You just want us to declare ourselves independent of the Colonial Union first."

"We neither advise you to secede nor to stay," Hickory said. "We merely note that if you should secede, we will help defend you."

I turned to Jane. "What do you think?"

"I doubt the people of this colony are ready for us to declare their independence," Jane said.

"If the alternative is death?" I said.

"Some of them probably would prefer death to being a traitor," Jane said. "Or to being permanently cut off from the rest of humanity."

"Let's ask them," I said.

The attack on Wabash colony was not much of an attack at all; a few missiles to destroy the colony's administrative offices and landmarks, and a small invading force of a few hundred Bhav soldiers to shoot up the place. But then Wabash wasn't the target. The targets were the three CDF cruisers that skipped in to defend the colony. The skip drone that had alerted the CDF to the attack indicated one Bhav cruiser and three smaller gunboats, all of which could be easily handled by three cruisers. What the skip drone could not indicate is that shortly after it skipped away from Wabash s.p.a.ce, six additional Bhav cruisers skipped in, destroyed the satellite that launched the skip drones, and readied themselves for an ambush.

The CDF cruisers entered Wabash s.p.a.ce cautiously-by this time it was clear that the Colonial Union was under a general attack, and the CDF ship commanders were neither stupid nor rash. But the odds were against them from the moment they arrived in Wabash s.p.a.ce. The CDF cruisers Augusta, Savannah Augusta, Savannah and and Portland Portland took down three of the Bhav cruisers and all of the smaller gunships before they were overwhelmed and destroyed, scattering metal, air and crew into the s.p.a.ce above the planet. It was three fewer cruisers the CDF had to defend the Colonial Union. It was also a signal that every new incident would have to be met with overwhelming force, constricting the number of colonies the CDF could defend at one time. Priorities already shifted to the new realities of war shifted once again, and not in the CU's favor, nor in Roanoke's. took down three of the Bhav cruisers and all of the smaller gunships before they were overwhelmed and destroyed, scattering metal, air and crew into the s.p.a.ce above the planet. It was three fewer cruisers the CDF had to defend the Colonial Union. It was also a signal that every new incident would have to be met with overwhelming force, constricting the number of colonies the CDF could defend at one time. Priorities already shifted to the new realities of war shifted once again, and not in the CU's favor, nor in Roanoke's.

"You're out of your mind," said Marie Black. "We're under attack from this Conclave, it wants to kill us all dead, and your solution to the problem is to go it alone, with no help from the rest of the human race? That's just insane."

The looks up and down the Council table told me that Jane and I were all alone on this one, just like Jane suspected we would be. Even Manfred Trujillo, who knew the situation better than anyone, was taken aback by the suggestion we declare our independence. This was the original tough crowd.

"We wouldn't be alone," I said. "The Obin will help us if we're independent."

"That makes me feel safer," Black said, mockingly. "Aliens are planning to murder us all, but don't worry, we've got these makes me feel safer," Black said, mockingly. "Aliens are planning to murder us all, but don't worry, we've got these pet pet aliens to keep us safe. That is, until they decide they're better off siding with the other aliens." aliens to keep us safe. That is, until they decide they're better off siding with the other aliens."

"That's not a very accurate a.s.sessment of the Obin," I said.

"But the Obin's primary concern isn't our our colony," said Lee Chen. "It's colony," said Lee Chen. "It's your your daughter. G.o.d forbid something happens to your daughter, because then where will daughter. G.o.d forbid something happens to your daughter, because then where will we we be? The Obin will have no more reason to help us. We'd be isolated from the rest of the Colonial Union." be? The Obin will have no more reason to help us. We'd be isolated from the rest of the Colonial Union."

"We're already already isolated from the rest of the Colonial Union," I said. "Planets are under attack all over the union. The CDF is already scrambling to respond. We're not a priority. We won't be a priority. We've served our purpose." isolated from the rest of the Colonial Union," I said. "Planets are under attack all over the union. The CDF is already scrambling to respond. We're not a priority. We won't be a priority. We've served our purpose."

"We have only your word for that," Chen said. "We're getting news reports, now that we've got access to our PDAs. There's nothing in the news about anything of this."

"You have my word for it as well," Trujillo said. "I'm not ready to sign on to independence, either, but Perry's not lying. The Colonial Union has its priorities right now, and we're definitely not one of them."

"I'm not trying to say that either of you are not as good as your word," Chen said. "But think of what you're asking us to do here. You're asking us to risk everything-everything-on your word."

"Even if we were to agree to this, what then?" asked Lol Gerber, who had replaced Hiram Yoder on the council. "We'd be isolated. If the Colonial Union survives, we'd have to settle with them for raising rebellion. If the Colonial Union were to fall, then we'd be all that is left of the human race, and reliant on the grace of another people for our survival. How long could we expect them to shelter us, if the whole host of the intelligent races want us dead? How could we in good conscience ask the Obin to put their own survival at stake for ours? The Colonial Union is humanity. We belong in in it, for better or worse." it, for better or worse."

"It's not all of humanity," I said. "There's Earth."

"Which is kept in a corner by the Colonial Union," Black said. "It's not going to be any help to us now."

I sighed. "I can see where this is going to go," I said. "I asked the Council for its vote, and Jane and I will abide by it. But I beg you, think about it. Don't let your prejudice of the Obin," I glanced at Marie Black, "or a feeling of patriotism blind you to the fact that we are now in a war, and we we are at the front line-and we have no support from home. We are at the front line-and we have no support from home. We are are on our own. We need to consider what we have to do to survive, because no one else is looking out for us." on our own. We need to consider what we have to do to survive, because no one else is looking out for us."

"You've never been this bleak before, Perry," said Marta Piro. "I don't think things have been this bleak before," I said. "All right then. Let's vote."

I voted to secede. Jane abstained; it was our tradition to only cast one vote between us. Every other member of the Council voted to stay in the Colonial Union.

Technically speaking, mine was the only vote that counted.

Of course, technically speaking, by voting to leave the Colonial Union, I had just voted for treason. So maybe everyone else was doing me a favor.

"We're a colony," I said. "Still." Smiles broke out across the table.

"Now what do we do?" Marie Black asked.

"I'm thinking," I said. "Believe me, I'm thinking."

Bonita was a planet that lived up to its name, a lovely place with abundant wildlife with just the right genetic components for human consumption. Bonita had been settled fifteen years earlier; still a young colony, but established enough to have its own personality. Bonita was attacked by the Dtrutz, a species of more ambition than brains. This is one encounter that went decisively for the Colonial Union; the trio of CDF cruisers over Bonita made short work of the Dtrutz invading force, picking off their poorly designed ships first during the initial attack and then in a more leisurely fashion as the Dtrutz ships attempted to reach skip distance before the CDF rail gun projectiles reached the Dtrutz ships. The Dtrutz were not at all successful in this endeavor.

What made the Dtrutz attack notable was not its complete incompetence but the fact that the Dtrutz were not a Conclave species; like the Colonial Union, they were unaffiliated. The Dtrutz were under the same ban on colonization as the Colonial Union. They attacked anyway. They knew-as did an increasing number of races-that the Colonial Union was locked in a wide struggle with elements of the Conclave, and that meant the possibility of peeling away some of the lesser human colonies while the CDF was otherwise occupied. The Colonial Union was wounded and shedding blood in the water, and the lesser fish were coming up from the depths to get a taste.

"We've come for your daughter," Hickory said to me.

"I beg your pardon," I said. Despite everything, I couldn't resist the urge to crack a grin.

"Our government has determined that it is inevitable that Roanoke will be attacked and destroyed," Hickory said.

"Swell," I said.

"d.i.c.kory and I both regret this eventuality," Hickory said, leaning forward slightly for emphasis. "And our inability to a.s.sist you in preventing this."

"Well, thanks," I said, hoping it didn't sound too insincere.

Apparently, it did not. "We are not allowed to interfere or offer aid, but we have decided that it is acceptable to remove Zoe from danger," Hickory continued. "We've requested a transport ship for her and for us; it is on its way. We wanted to let you know of these plans because she is your daughter, and because we have also secured permission to transport you and Jane if you wish."

"So the three of us can escape from this mess," I said. Hickory nodded. "What about everyone else?"

"We have no permission to accommodate others," Hickory said.

"But does no permission mean you can't can't accommodate others?" I asked. "If Zoe wants to take her best friend Gretchen, are you going to tell her no? And do you think Zoe is going to leave if Jane and I stay?" accommodate others?" I asked. "If Zoe wants to take her best friend Gretchen, are you going to tell her no? And do you think Zoe is going to leave if Jane and I stay?"

"Do you plan to stay?" Hickory asked. "Of course we do," I said. "You will die," Hickory said.

"We might," I said, "although I'm working to avoid that right now. But regardless, Roanoke is where we belong. We're not leaving, and I suspect you'll have a difficult time convincing Zoe to leave without us, or without her friends."

"She would leave if you told her to," Hickory said.

I smiled, reached on my desk to key my PDA, and sent a message to Zoe to meet me immediately in my office. She arrived a few minutes later.

"Hickory and d.i.c.kory want you to leave Roanoke," I said.

"Are you and Mom coming?" Zoe asked.

"No," I said.

"Then the h.e.l.l with that," Zoe said, looking directly at Hickory as she said so.

I held my hands open in supplication to Hickory. "Told you," I said.

"You didn't tell her to come away," Hickory said.

"Go away, Zoe," I said.

"Screw you, ninety-year-old dad," Zoe said, smiling and yet deadly serious at the same time. Then she turned back to the Obin. "And screw the both of you, too. And while we're at it, screw being whatever it is that I am to the Obin. If you want to protect me, protect the people I care about. Protect this colony."

"We cannot," Hickory said. "We've been forbidden to do so."

"Then you have a problem," Zoe said. Her smile was gone, and her eyes were glistening. "Because I'm not going anywhere anywhere. And there's nothing either you or anyone can do to change that." Zoe stormed out.

"That went pretty much exactly as I expected," I said.

"You didn't do all you could do to convince her," Hickory said.

I squinted at Hickory. "You're suggesting I was insincere."

"Yes," Hickory said. Its expression was even more unreadable than usual, but I can't imagine that saying something like that was easy for it; the emotional response would probably cause it to shut down its interface soon.

"You're right," I said. "I was was insincere." insincere."

"But why why?" Hickory asked, and I was surprised by the plaintiveness in its voice. It was shaking now. "You have killed your own child, and the child of Charles Boutin."

"She's not dead yet," I said. "And neither are we. Neither is this colony."

"You know we cannot allow Zoe to come to harm," d.i.c.kory said, breaking his silent act. I was reminded that he was in actuality the superior of the two Obin.

"Are you going to go back to the plan of killing me and Jane to protect Zoe?" I asked.

"It is to be hoped not," d.i.c.kory said.

"What a delightfully ambiguous answer," I said.

"It's not ambiguous," Hickory said. "You know what our position is. What it must be."

"And I'd ask you to remember what my my position is," I said. "I've told you that in every circ.u.mstance you should protect Zoe. That position has not changed." position is," I said. "I've told you that in every circ.u.mstance you should protect Zoe. That position has not changed."

"But you have made it substantially more difficult," Hickory said. "You may have made it impossible."

"I don't think so," I said. "Let me make a proposal to the two of you. You have a ship arriving soon. I'm going to promise you that Zoe will leave with you on that ship. But you have to promise me that you take her where I am going to ask her to go."

"Where is that?" Hickory said.

"I'm not going to tell you yet," I said.

"That will make it difficult for us to agree," Hickory said.

"That's the breaks," I said. "But I guarantee you where you're taking her will be more safe than here. Now. Agree, and I'll make sure she goes with you. Don't, you'll have to find a way to protect her here, or kill me and Jane trying to drag her away. These are your choices."

Hickory and d.i.c.kory leaned in and conversed for several minutes, longer than I had ever seen them converse before.

"We accept your condition," Hickory said.

"Good," I said. "Now all I have to do is get Zoe to agree. Not to mention Jane."

"Will you tell us now where we will be taking Zoe?" Hickory asked.

"To deliver a message," I said.

The Kristina Marie Kristina Marie had just docked at Khartoum Station when its engine compartment shattered, vaporizing the back quarter of the trading ship and driving the front three-quarters of the ship directly into Khartoum Station. The station's hull buckled and snapped; air and personnel burst from the fracture lines. Across the impact zone airtight bulkheads sprang into place, only to be torn from their moorings and sockets by the encroaching inertial ma.s.s of the had just docked at Khartoum Station when its engine compartment shattered, vaporizing the back quarter of the trading ship and driving the front three-quarters of the ship directly into Khartoum Station. The station's hull buckled and snapped; air and personnel burst from the fracture lines. Across the impact zone airtight bulkheads sprang into place, only to be torn from their moorings and sockets by the encroaching inertial ma.s.s of the Kristina Marie Kristina Marie, itself bleeding atmosphere and crew from the collision. When the ship came to rest, the explosion and collision had crippled Khartoum Station, and killed 566 people on the station and all but six members of the Kristina Marie Kristina Marie's crew, two of whom died shortly thereafter of their injuries.