Jack Campbell: Perilous Shield

“So, even if we somehow survive, those warships will not, unless they run for it. They’re doomed if they stay.” Iceni would lose her shield against the hammer of Drakon’s ground forces, would lose her power to bargain with him and Boyens.

“Yes, but if the warships flee,” Malin said, “ our fates will become certain. Any chance of bluffing the enigmas into leaving, any chance of dealing with CEO Boyens, will disappear with them. Either they commit to die fighting a hopeless battle or they run to save themselves and ensure that we die.”

If Marphissa had been a Syndicate CEO, Drakon knew what he would have expected her to do. There wasn’t any profit in hopeless battles. But, if they stayed, and with Marphissa knowing how vital her choices had become to Iceni’s survival, what price might someone trained in the Syndicate system demand in exchange for the warships’ almost certain sacrifice?

No wonder Iceni was watching the depiction of her warships with dour intensity, as if anticipating the worst.

A sharp tone announced a high-priority call arriving. “Kommodor Marphissa wishes to speak with you, Madam President,” the comm specialist announced.

“Madam President,” Kommodor Asima Marphissa said with the same exaggerated formality as if she were speaking at a funeral service. “There is no need to explain the options before us.”

“No,” Iceni replied, trying not to reveal in her words or expression the icy ball in the pit of her stomach as she waited for Marphissa to either openly betray her or demand a huge price for continued loyalty. She had not left the command center and knew that Drakon was also watching from a slight distance even though he could not hear her conversation. “What is that you want?”

Since Marphissa’s flagship (former Syndicate Worlds heavy cruiser C-448 now renamed Manticore ) was in orbit near this planet, there was no noticeable delay time in the transmission. However, Marphissa paused as if reluctant to speak.

The first giant betrayal is the hardest, Iceni thought bitterly. Don’t worry, girl. They get easier as time goes on. But the Kommodor’s next words were not those Iceni had expected.

“I request permission to proceed with the flotilla to join up with the two heavy cruisers at the mobile forces facility orbiting the gas giant.”

“What purpose would that serve?” Iceni asked, now trying to hide her surprise. Moving toward the gas giant at the current point in its orbit would take Marphissa and her ships considerably closer to the enigmas but only marginally closer to Boyens and his flotilla.

“To defend the star system,” Marphissa explained. “To defend the people.”

Iceni shook her head, as much in puzzlement as in disagreement. That woman rose to executive rank in the Syndicate system. She must have learned how to negotiate better than that. “Let me put it more plainly, Kommodor. I ask again, what do you want?”

“To combine my forces, Madam President.”

“Even combined, your forces are inadequate to deal with the threat from either opponent in this star system!” If she wanted to acquire the other two heavy cruisers, she could just order them to join her en route to one of the jump points. Why won’t she lay out her demands?

But Kommodor Marphissa just nodded in agreement. “Yes, Madam President. That is correct. We cannot hope to defeat either the enigma armada nor the Syndicate flotilla. But, if my forces are combined, I will have a better chance of striking some damaging blows at them before my warships are destroyed. We will fight as long as we can.”

Iceni felt herself hesitating this time, thrown off-balance by the completely unexpected. Not demands, and not a kiss of death, but an offer to sacrifice yourself? It’s not just words with you? You truly believe in what you are doing? “Kommodor,” Iceni said, determined to bring everything out into the open, “you are aware that I cannot force you to take such an action. You are also aware that other options exist.”

Marphissa’s image nodded again. “Of course they do, Madam President.”

“Then why would you stay to fight, Kommodor?” Iceni demanded.

“For the people, Madam President.”

“What did you say?” Iceni asked, thinking she must have missed Marphissa’s actual reply and only caught the end of the transmission.

“I am staying, this flotilla is staying, to fight for the people, Madam President.”

Once again, Iceni took a few moments to answer as she tried to find the right words. “For the people? You intend waging a hopeless fight for people who are certain to die anyway? For an ideal?”

“Death is a certainty for us all sooner or later, Madam President. I would rather die for an ideal than for profit, or live knowing that I would not do all that I could to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I know you only ask me because you want to be certain that I believe as you do, that I am also willing to die for those who depend upon me.”

Iceni barely avoided betraying her shock this time. Die for the people? Does she think I’m that naïve?

I did reject Togo’s advice to flee immediately. But I did that because…

Why the hell did I do that?

Not to look weak compared to Artur Drakon. That must have been the reason.

And now she had to worry about how she looked next to Kommodor Marphissa, who was one of the few people in this star system who might have a chance to escape but instead was choosing to stay and fight a hopeless battle.

For the people.

Marphissa’s workers also knew what choices she had, the crews, now designated specialists by Iceni’s orders to give them pride in their particular jobs. Those words would inspire the crews, help them fight when the fight was without hope. But Marphissa’s attitude, as useful as it was in this extreme case, could also create problems in the future.

If there were other days or a future for them all, which seemed extremely unlikely at the moment. “Very well, Kommodor. Take your flotilla to the gas giant, unite your forces, and defend this star system.” She issued the death sentence for those warships and their crews with the sort of pang she had long since learned to bury away inside when ordering the executions of individuals.

“Yes, Madam President.” The Kommodor paused. “One question, Madam President. The entire flotilla? I can leave one Hunter-Killer in orbit in case it is needed after the rest of the flotilla has been destroyed.”

In case it was needed for Iceni to flee this planet, this star system.

Do you want me to die “for the people” or not, you young fool? Iceni silently demanded of Marphissa’s image. Nonetheless, faced with the final decision, she knew the answer. She would stay. Sending off all the warships, every fast means of escaping, meant the commitment was real. Maybe I’ve gone crazy. But I have started to build something here, dammit! It may be flawed and it may be foolish but it is mine! I will not leave it to the enigmas or to Boyens. I won’t even leave it to Drakon. It is mine. Including my insane Kommodor and her crews rushing off to fight a battle in the name of ideals the Syndicate Worlds gave lip service to but tried in every way to eradicate.

Rushing off to die by my order, in my name, because they believe I also accept such ideals. Am I to be proud of that or shamed by it? All of my training and experiences in the Syndicate tell me that only a fool would feel either emotion.

I suppose I am a fool.

Iceni shook her head. “No. All warships are to go with you. General Drakon and I will remain in charge here.”