Charles Gannon - Raising Caine

Brenlor Srin Perekmeres crossed his arms, leaned over the star-plot, shrank its scale to show more stars in the same volume. “Our mission to disrupt the establishment of an alliance between the Aboriginals and the Slaasriithi has failed. While our loss of Terran equipment and clones is negligible, we shall continue to feel the loss of our own team members. However, we still have a way to achieve our primary objective: to undermine any postwar stability between the various powers. We must ensure that the Aboriginals’ recovery from the war is problematic and that they are unable to fully capitalize upon both the spoils of their victory over the Arat Kur and the benefits of any alliance with the Slaasriithi. And in so doing, we shall implicate House Shethkador as providing woefully insufficient leadership in this area of space.”

So we will achieve the same ends with far fewer means — including the inestimable advantage of surprise? This, thought Nezdeh, should prove most interesting.

“Firstly, our defeat in this system provides our foes with no decisive forensic evidence, so it is unlikely to register with the Autarchs as more than a nuisance. Because Jesel and Suzruzh were not the product of optimized genelines, we left no definitive genetics. The Catalysites were expended and hence, deliquesced. We did not lose any of our own technology on their mission. In summary, any accusation against the Ktoran Sphere will be circumstantial and unsubstantiatable. The incident will become at most a cavil, not a decisive argument, against us, either within the Sphere or the Accord. Indeed, all the evidence we left behind is of Aboriginal origin.”

Idrem nodded, folded his own arms. “Yes, but the Aboriginals still lack the shift range, to say nothing of the astrographic charts, to make their way to this system. So the question will be asked: how did they get there?”

“To which every responsible party must presently answer: ‘Who knows?’ Every power of the Accord will deny involvement, especially our own Sphere. And so, discord is sown. Let them concoct whatever hypothetical plots they wish. It shall not point back to the Ktoran Sphere or our patrons.”

Sehtrek rubbed his chin. “And yet, Srin Shethkador, the Autarchs and the Hegemons will all know— know —who did this.”

Brenlor smiled. “Yes, they will know. And part of what they will know is that Shethkador failed. We stole a ship of his in order to commandeer the Arbitrage , and although he was charged with calming the postwar waters, they instead roiled and frothed due to his inability to establish full dominion.”

Idrem nodded. Nezdeh could tell that he was impressed with Brenlor’s growth as a schemer. “That is so. But despite insufficient evidence, the other powers of the Accord will also know.”

“Of course they will…and what could be better for generating the suspicions and tensions that are the precursors to the resumption of war? The humans will point incessantly to the impossibility of their involvement. The Slaasriithi must already conjecture it was us, the Arat Kur will be cast into greater turmoil, and the Hkh’Rkh will not care. But the greatest impact will be among the Aboriginals themselves, who will be torn between concealing or revealing the implicating clones and landers and guns we left behind.”

“Yes, which could ultimately align the still disparate and factious nations of the Aboriginals strongly against us.”

“Perhaps, but only if they have the luxury of time, of clarity, in which to consider the relevant facts. However, we shall ensure that the reports of what occurred here will be thoroughly mixed with new, more perplexing and distressing reports.”

“And your plan can sow this profound confusion?”

Brenlor nodded, leaned away from the plot. For the first time his posture suggested hesitation. “I know of a project, a false flag operation left in sleeper mode, that was established by the next to last Hegemon of House Perekmeres. It was developed intermittently, opportunistically, starting approximately two centuries ago. It fell by the wayside a century later and was all but forgotten. Indeed, it was not referenced in any of the records that were arrogated during our Extirpation. When our House died, so did all the memories of this project. Except for mine.”

“And you know of it how?” Tegrese asked.

Brenlor stared at her. “My father was one of those few who had overseen the project. And if all the pieces of this hidden ploy remain where they were deposited, it only requires my touch to set it in motion and thereby draw the Aboriginals into another disastrous war. In the bargain, we shall assure the Ktoran Sphere of the continued alliance of the Hkh’Rkh and gain access to badly needed resources. In the meantime, as we make our journey, we may reanimate the many UnDreamers of the Arbitrage and train them properly.” He leaned back. “It will be risky, but it can be done. And it is so bold that none will look for it.”

Sehtrek stared at the star plot. “So how do we get to the place where these assets were deposited?”

“With our tug, it is but four shifts before we stand on the threshold of our final destination. From G-22-26, we proceed to HU Delphini, thence to AC+17 534–105, further to EQ Pegasi, and on to our penultimate destination G 130-4.”

Nezdeh almost rolled her eyes. Enough drama, or caution, Brenlor: “And what is the ultimate destination?”

“BD +56 2966, to use the designation given on the Aboriginal charts.”

Nezdeh started. “That is the location of the Hkh’Rhh colony world, Turkh’saar. It is also the system directly adjacent to their homeworld.” She managed to suppress “ Are you mad ?”

Brenlor’s leonine smile did not put her at ease. “I told you it would be too bold to be predicted.”

“That is…one way of putting it.”

He leaned across the table; there was both a threat and an appeal in his voice, his eyes. “Think of it this way, Nezdeh: where, in all of known space, may we go now? If we go to our patrons they will dispose of us themselves. We are too weak, we hold no leverage, and we are certain to become an embarrassment. We are otherwise friendless. But the Hkh’Rkh are the most rudimentary race technologically and eager for allies who prefer direct, vigorous action as they do. Allies like us. Specifically, like House Perekmeres.

“If we train our Aboriginals well enough to win one easy engagement on the behalf of the Hkh’Rkh, we shall see the seeds of war germinate in the fertile field my father prepared for us on Turkh’saar, seeds that will be brought by the Terrans themselves.”

Nezdeh crossed her arms. “And how can we be sure that the Terrans will sow these seeds?”

“When I activate the sleeper cell on Turkh’saar, the Terrans will have to send an uninvited envoy to ensure that the diplomatic consequences do not spiral out of hand. And when they do, we shall be there to serendipitously catch them in the act: to repel invaders of Hkh’Rkh space.” He leaned back. “We shall have defended the property and the honor of the Hkh’Rkh, and they, by their codes, shall owe us an honor-debt for doing so in their absence — or for succeeding where their outclassed forces could not. Suddenly we, not the failed Shethkador and his Autarchal lackeys, will have the greatest influence over the Hkh’Rkh’s loyalty, and with that, we will become a force to be reckoned with, even if neither the Autarchs nor the Hegemons wish us to be so.”

Idrem frowned. “The resulting war will be absolute, uncontainable.”

“Of course it shall. And that war will ultimately return us to power. The Ktoran Sphere will be forced to exert its dominion aggressively in order to preserve its hold on its Hkh’Rkh allies. And the Hegemons will not be able to touch us without triggering an honor-war with those same indispensable allies.” He turned to Nezdeh. “What is your opinion, Srina Perekmeres?”