You might think it odd to have a waterfall on a spaceship. Certainly, it is an inefficient way to water the forests. But honestly, the mist cools you as it collects on the fur, sliding down to the skin and letting you think clearly. It is a delightful feeling, to feel collected even as the combined fury of six other generals is directed squarely at you.
“Explain this to me, one more time if you please.” I wiggled my nostrils at the request – an old tic, not of nervousness, but of thinking.
“Due to a temporary decrease in the number of vessels around Helan,” I repeated calmly, “everyone is to be on the highest level of alert. You must be ready to absorb the blows of any enemy attack as quickly as they come, and then counter with our own strikes. It shouldn't be
too difficult – we're at a rough parity technologically, and the enemy's system isn't the only one that's been building up over this little sitzkrieg.”
“That's not really what we're asking about.”
I worked one set of lungs, then the other, taking deep, calming breaths. “You want to know
why the guard is decreasing around Helan.”
“That would be it.”
“That's not within your level of security clearance.” I was happy to see her flare up in anger.
“My
what? You little snoutbrain, no one's questioned my security clearance since I got that promotion three years ago.”
“That does not mean it doesn't exist.”
“What in the heavens could possibly be beyond my level of security clearance?”
”That, also, would be beyond your level of security clearance.” I was probably enjoying this a little too much, to be honest.
“So who the hell does have the knowledge to know what the hell is going on?”
“Myself, the two or three people above me, and everyone involved in the operation. In sum, not you. We are done with this line of conversation.”
“But – ”
“ – We are done.
Now. Those orders, too, are secret from anyone who is not in this room already. I trust that you will be able to deal with this in a confidential manner.”
“General, I – ”
“ –
General, I have very limited patience. And I have an increasing inclination to send one of you to try civilizing the Tulinui for about a decade. Does anyone else have any objections? No? Good. We will now discuss a certain archaeological discovery on one of the moons of Karaith.” I started up the debriefing.
* * * * * * * * *
Milling into deep space, the fleet might look to be moving slowly. The ships flew in perfect formation – no relative movement at all – and as the warp drives hummed idly, the stars stood immobile around them. Then they lurched, and Helan's star vanished behind them.
The stars streamed by their sensors, blurred by the sheer magnitude of the speed they were arcing through space at. Soon, quite soon, they would reappear in normal space, mere minutes from their target.
The planet in question swung through space in a lazy arc, its people quite unaware of what was coming, or that, in mere months, they would likely have to start calling themselves “Finto”. Theory was making practice. Security had to be secured – starting with the Vintorez.
