The Last Colony Part 25

The explosion of the Kristina Marie Kristina Marie did more than destroy the ship and much of Khartoum Station; it coincided with the harvest of Khartoum's hogfruit, a native delicacy that was one of Khartoum's major exports. Hogfruit spoiled quickly after ripening (it got its name from the fact Khartoum's settlers fed the overripe fruit to their pigs, who were the only ones who would eat them at that point), so Khartoum had invested heavily to be able to harvest and ship for export its hogfruit crop within days of ripening, via Khartoum Station. The did more than destroy the ship and much of Khartoum Station; it coincided with the harvest of Khartoum's hogfruit, a native delicacy that was one of Khartoum's major exports. Hogfruit spoiled quickly after ripening (it got its name from the fact Khartoum's settlers fed the overripe fruit to their pigs, who were the only ones who would eat them at that point), so Khartoum had invested heavily to be able to harvest and ship for export its hogfruit crop within days of ripening, via Khartoum Station. The Kristina Marie Kristina Marie was only one of a hundred Colonial Union trade ships above Khartoum, awaiting its share of the fruit. was only one of a hundred Colonial Union trade ships above Khartoum, awaiting its share of the fruit.

With Khartoum Station down, the streamlined distribution system for the hogfruit ground into disarray. Ships dispatched shuttles to Khartoum itself to try to pack in as many crates of the fruit as possible, but this led to confusion on the ground in terms of which hogfruit producers had priority in shipping their product, and which trade ships had priority in receiving them. Fruit had to be unpacked from storage containers and repacked into shuttles; there were not nearly enough cargo men for the job. The vast majority of hogfruit rotted in its containers, delivering a major shock to the Khartoum economy, which would be compounded in the long term by the need to rebuild Khartoum Station-the economic lifeline for other exports as well-and bolster the defenses of Khartoum from further attack.

Before the Kristim Marie Kristim Marie docked at Khartoum Station, it transmitted its identification, cargo manifest and recent itinerary as part of the standard security "handshake." The records showed that two stops previous, the docked at Khartoum Station, it transmitted its identification, cargo manifest and recent itinerary as part of the standard security "handshake." The records showed that two stops previous, the Kristina Marie Kristina Marie had traded at Quii, the homeworld of the Qui, one of the Colonial Union's few allies. It had docked next to a ship of Ylan registry, the Ylan being members of the Conclave. Forensic a.n.a.lysis of the explosion left no doubt that it was intentionally triggered and not an accidental breach of the engine core. From Phoenix came the order that no trade ship that had visited a nonhuman world in the last year was to approach a s.p.a.ce station without a thorough scan and inspection. Hundreds of trade ships floated in s.p.a.ce, their cargo unpacked and crews quarantined in the original Venetian sense of the word, awaiting the eradication of a different sort of plague. had traded at Quii, the homeworld of the Qui, one of the Colonial Union's few allies. It had docked next to a ship of Ylan registry, the Ylan being members of the Conclave. Forensic a.n.a.lysis of the explosion left no doubt that it was intentionally triggered and not an accidental breach of the engine core. From Phoenix came the order that no trade ship that had visited a nonhuman world in the last year was to approach a s.p.a.ce station without a thorough scan and inspection. Hundreds of trade ships floated in s.p.a.ce, their cargo unpacked and crews quarantined in the original Venetian sense of the word, awaiting the eradication of a different sort of plague.

The Kristina Mark Kristina Mark had been sabotaged and sent on its way, to the place where its destruction could have the most impact, not just in deaths but in paralyzing the economy of the Colonial Union. It worked brilliantly. had been sabotaged and sent on its way, to the place where its destruction could have the most impact, not just in deaths but in paralyzing the economy of the Colonial Union. It worked brilliantly.

The Roanoke Council didn't react well to the news that I had sent Zoe to deliver a message to General Gau.

"We need to discuss your treason problem," Manfred Trujillo said to me.

"I don't have a problem with treason," I said. "I can stop anytime." I looked around the table at the rest of the Council members. The little joke didn't go over well.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it, Perry," Lee Chen said, angrier than I'd ever seen him. "The Conclave is planning to kill us, and you're pa.s.sing notes to its leader?"

"And you've used your daughter to do it," Marie Black said, disgust creeping into her voice. "You've sent your only child to our enemy."

I glanced over at Jane and Savitri, both of whom nodded to me. We knew this was going to come up; we had discussed how best to handle it when it did.

"No, I didn't," I said. "We have enemies and lots of them, but General Gau isn't one of them." I told them of my conversation with General Szilard of the Special Forces, and his warning of the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt on Gau. "Gau has promised us that he wouldn't attack Roanoke," I said. "If he dies, there's nothing between us and whoever wants to kill us."

"There's nothing between us and them now now," Lee Chen said. "Or did you miss the attack on us a couple of weeks back?"

"I didn't miss it," I said. "And I suspect it would have been much worse if Gau didn't have at least some control over the Conclave. If he knows about this a.s.sa.s.sination attempt he can use it to get back control of the rest of the Conclave. And then we'll be safe. Or at least safer. I decided it was worth it to take the risk to let him know."

"You didn't put it up for a vote," said Marta Piro.

"I didn't have to," I said. "I am still colony leader, Jane and I decided that this was the best thing to do. And it's not like you would have said 'yes,' anyway."

"But it's treason treason," Trujillo repeated. "For real this time, John. This is more than coyly asking the general not to bring his fleet here. You're interfering with the internal politics of the Conclave. There's no way the Colonial Union is going to let you do this, especially when they've already hauled you up in front of an inquiry."

"I'll take responsibility for my actions," I said.

"Yes, well, unfortunately, we will all have to take responsibility for them, too too," Marie Black said. "Unless you think the Colonial Union is going to a.s.sume you've been doing this all on your own."

I eyed Marie Black. "Just out of curiosity, Marie, what do you think the CU is going to do do? Send CDF troops here to arrest me and Jane? Personally I think that would be fine fine. Then at least there'd be a military presence here if we're attacked. The only other option would be that they hang us out to dry, and you know what? That's what's happening already already."

I looked around the table. "I think we need to reemphasize again a salient fact that keeps getting overlooked, here: We are completely, entirely and utterly on our own on our own. Our value to the Colonial Union now is in our demise, to rally the other colonies to join in the fight with their own citizens and treasuries. I don't mind being a symbol for the rest of the Colonial Union, but I don't want to have to die for the privilege. I don't want any of you you to have to die for the privilege, either." to have to die for the privilege, either."

Trujillo looked over to Jane. "You agree with all of this," he said to her.

"John got his information from my former commanding officer," Jane said. "I have issues to settle with him on a personal level. I don't doubt the information is good."

"But does he have an agenda?" Trujillo asked.

"Of course he has an agenda," Jane said. "He wants to keep the rest of the universe from stomping on us like we're f.u.c.king bugs. I thought he made that pretty clear."

That put a pause to Trujillo. "I mean does he have an agenda we don't see," he said, finally.

"I doubt it," Jane said. "Special Forces are pretty straightforward. We're sneaky when it's necessary, but when it comes to it, we come at you straight on."

"Which makes him the first," I said. "The Colonial Union hasn't dealt with us honestly in any of this."

"They didn't have a choice," Lee Chen said.

"Don't give me that," I said. "We're too far along in this to swallow that one whole anymore. Yes, the CU was playing a deep game with the Conclave, and it didn't bother to tell us p.a.w.ns what the game was. But now the CU is playing a new game and it's dependent on us being taken off the board."

"We don't know that for sure," Marta Piro said.

"We know we have no defenses," Trujillo said. "And we know where we stand in the line to get more. Regardless of the reasons, John's right. We're up against it."

"I still want to know how you can live with sending your daughter to negotiate with this General Gau," Marie Black said.

"It made sense," Jane said.

"I don't see how," Black said.

"Zoe is traveling with the Obin," Jane said. "The Obin are not actively hostile with the Conclave. General Gau will receive the Obin, where he could not receive a Colonial ship."

"Even if we could somehow get get a Colonial ship, which we can't," I said. a Colonial ship, which we can't," I said.

"Neither John nor I can leave the colony without our absence being noted by both the Colonial Union and our own settlers," Jane said. "Zoe, on the other hand, has a special relationship with the Obin. Her leaving the planet at the Obin's insistence was something the Colonial Union would expect."

"There's another advantage, too," I said. Heads swiveled to me. "Even if I or Jane could have made the trip, there'd be no reason for Gau to accept our information as genuine or in earnest. The leaders of colonies have sacrificed themselves before. But with Zoe, we're giving Gau more than information."

"You're giving him a hostage," Trujillo said.

"Yes," I said.

"You're playing a risky game," Trujillo said.

"This isn't a game," I said. "We had to make sure we were heard. And it's a calculated risk. The Obin are with Zoe, and I don't think they'll stand idly by if Gau does anything stupid." isn't a game," I said. "We had to make sure we were heard. And it's a calculated risk. The Obin are with Zoe, and I don't think they'll stand idly by if Gau does anything stupid."

"You're still risking her life," Black said. "You're risking her life and she's only a child."

"If she stayed here, she would have died like the rest of us," Jane said. "By going, she'll live, and she gives us a chance to survive. We did the right thing."

Marie Black opened her mouth to respond. "You need to think very very hard about the next thing you say concerning my daughter," Jane said. Black closed her mouth with an audible hard about the next thing you say concerning my daughter," Jane said. Black closed her mouth with an audible clack clack.

"You've set this course of action without us," Lol Gerber said. "But you're telling us now. I'd like to know the reason why."

"We sent Zoe because we thought it was necessary," I said. "That was our decision to make, and we made it. But Marie is right: You You are going to have to live with consequences of our actions. We had to tell you. If Marie's any indication, some of you have lost confidence in us. Right now you need leaders you feel you can trust. We've told you what we've done and why. One of the consequences of our actions is that now you need to vote on whether you want us to lead the colony any further." are going to have to live with consequences of our actions. We had to tell you. If Marie's any indication, some of you have lost confidence in us. Right now you need leaders you feel you can trust. We've told you what we've done and why. One of the consequences of our actions is that now you need to vote on whether you want us to lead the colony any further."

"The Colonial Union won't accept anyone new," Marta Piro said.

"I think that depends on what you tell them," I said. "If you tell them we've been consorting with the enemy, I'm guessing they'd approve the change."

"So you're also asking us whether or not to turn you in to the Colonial Union," Trujillo said.

"We're asking you to do what you think is necessary," I said. "Just as we have done." I stood up; Jane followed. We walked outside of our office and into the Roanoke sunlight.

"How long do you think it will take?" I asked Jane.

"Not long," Jane said. "I expect Marie Black will make sure of that."

"I want to thank you for not killing her," I said. "It would have made the vote of confidence problematic."

"I did did want to kill her, but not because she was wrong," Jane said. "She's right. We're risking Zoe's life. And she's a child." want to kill her, but not because she was wrong," Jane said. "She's right. We're risking Zoe's life. And she's a child."

I walked over to my wife. "She's almost as old as you are," I said, rubbing her arm.

Jane pulled away. "It's not the same and you know it," she said.

"No, it's not," I said. "But Zoe's old enough to understand what she's doing. She's lost people she's cared for, just like you have. Just like I have. And she knows that she stands to lose a lot more. She chose to go. We gave her a choice."

"We gave her a false false choice," Jane said. "We stood in front of her and gave her the choice of risking her own life or risking the lives of everyone she knows, including ours. You can't tell me that was a fair set of choices to give her.' choice," Jane said. "We stood in front of her and gave her the choice of risking her own life or risking the lives of everyone she knows, including ours. You can't tell me that was a fair set of choices to give her.'

"It's not," I said. "But those were the choices we had to give her."

"I hate this f.u.c.king universe," Jane said, looking away. "I hate the Colonial Union. I hate the Conclave. I hate this colony. I hate all of it."

"How do you feel about me?" I asked.

"Now is not a good time to ask," Jane said. We sat and waited.

A half hour later Savitri walked out of the administration office. Her eyes were red. "Well, there's good news and bad news," she said. "The good news is that you have ten days before they tell the CU that you've been talking to General Gau. You have Trujillo to thank for that."

"That's something," I said.

"Yeah," Savitri said. "The bad news is that you're out. Both of you. Unanimous vote. I'm just the secretary. I couldn't vote. Sorry."

"Who has the job now?" Jane asked.

"Trujillo," Savitri said. "Of course. b.a.s.t.a.r.d started angling for the job before you two closed the door."

"He's really not that bad," I said.

"I know," Savitri said, and wiped her eyes. "I'm just trying to make you feel like I'll miss you."

I smiled. "Well, I appreciate that." I gave her a hug. She hugged me back fiercely, and then stepped back.

"What now?" Savitri asked.

"We have ten days," I said. "Now we wait."

The ship knew the Roanoke defenses, or lack thereof, which is why it appeared in the sky on the other side of the planet, where the colony's single defense satellite couldn't see it. The ship let itself down gently into the atmosphere to avoid the heat and drama of reentry, and slowly crossed the longitudes of the globe, heading toward the colony. Before the ship crossed the defense satellite's perceptual horizon, and the heat of its engines would be sensed by it, the ship cut them out, and began a long gravity-a.s.sisted glide toward the colony, its small ma.s.s supported by immense but whisper-thin electrically-generated wings. The ship fell, silently, toward its target, us.

We saw it just as it finished its long glide and discarded its wings, switching over to maneuvering jets and flotation fields. The sudden plumes of heat and energy were caught by the satellite, which immediately sent a warning-too late, as it turned out, because by the time it had signaled, the ship had already maneuvered to land. The satellite sped telemetry to our beam turrets and warmed up its own beam defenses, which were now fully recharged.

Jane, who was still in charge of colony defense, signaled for the satellite to stand down. The ship was now within colony borders, if not within the walls of Croatoan; if the satellite fired, the colony itself would be damaged. Jane likewise took the beam turrets offline; they too would end up causing more damage to the colony than the ship would.

The ship landed; Jane and Trujillo and I walked out to meet it. As we walked a bay on the ship slid open. A pa.s.senger shot out from the bay, yelling and running at Jane, who prepared herself for the impact. Badly, as it turned out, because she and Zoe both tumbled to the ground. I went over to laugh at them; Jane grabbed an ankle and pulled me down to the pile. Trujillo stood at a prudent distance, so as not to get caught up in the mess.

"It took you long enough," I said to Zoe, after I finally detangled myself. "Another day and a half, and your mom and I would be headed to Phoenix on a treason charge."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," Zoe said. "I'm just glad to see you." She grabbed me in another hug.

"Zoe," Jane said. "You saw General Gau."

"Saw him?" Zoe said. "We were there for the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt."

"You what what?" Jane and I said simultaneously.

Zoe held up her hands, placatingly. "Survived it," she said. "As you can see."

I looked over to Jane. "I think I just wet myself," I said.

"I'm fine," Zoe said. "It wasn't that bad, really."

"You know, even for a teenager, you might be a bit blase about this," I said. Zoe grinned. I hugged her again, even more tightly.

"And the general?" Jane said.

"Survived it too," Zoe said. "And not just not just survived it. Came out of it furious. He's using the attempt to call people on the carpet. To demand their loyalty to him." survived it. Came out of it furious. He's using the attempt to call people on the carpet. To demand their loyalty to him."

"To him?" I said. "That doesn't sound like him. He said to me that the Conclave wasn't an empire. If he's demanding loyalty it sounds like he's making himself an emperor."

"Some of his closest advisers did did just try to murder him," Zoe said. "He could use some personal loyalty right now." just try to murder him," Zoe said. "He could use some personal loyalty right now."

"I can't argue that," I said.

"But it's not over," Zoe said. "That's why I came back. There's still a group of planets holding out. They're led by someone named Eser. Nerbros Eser. They've been the ones attacking the Colonial Union, he said."

"Right," I said, remembering what General Szilard had said about Eser.

"General Gau gave me a message for you," Zoe said. "He says that Eser is coming here. Soon. Eser wants to take Roanoke because the general couldn't. Taking Roanoke gives him leverage, the general said. A way to show he's more able to lead the Conclave."

"Of course," I said. "Everyone else is using Roanoke as a p.a.w.n. Why not this a.s.shole?"

"If this Eser is attacking the Colonial Union at large, then he's not going to have any trouble finishing us off," Trujillo said. He was still keeping his distance from the pile.

"The general said that his information says that Eser doesn't plan to hit us from s.p.a.ce," Zoe said. "He wants to land here, to take Roanoke with troops. The general said he would use just enough to take the colony. Sort of the opposite of what the general did with his fleet. To make a point. There's more in the files the general gave me."

"So it will be a small attack force," I said. Zoe nodded.

"Unless he's coming with just himself and a couple of friends, we're still going to have a problem," Trujillo said, and nodded toward me and Jane. "You two are the only ones with any real military training. Even with our ground defenses, we won't last long against real soldiers."

Jane was about to respond, but Zoe beat her to it. "I've thought of that," she said.