John Scalzi - Earth Below, Sky Above

Kruger vomited onto the deck.

“I’m going to take that as a ‘yes,’” Wilson said. He reached down and patted the back of Kruger’s head. “Thanks for the workout, kids. It’s been fun. Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out.” He stood back up and walked over to Lowen and Hirsch.

“That was impressive,” Hirsch said.

“What’s really going to disturb you is that I am the Colonial Defense Forces version of totally out of shape,” Wilson said. “I’ve spent the last several years as a lab nerd.”

“It’s true,” Lowen said. “He barely moved at all the last time I saw him.”

“I did drink you under the table,” Wilson reminded her.

“And ignored the pass I was making at you,” Lowen said.

“I’m not that kind of boy,” Wilson said.

“I’m not sure I want to be around for this conversation,” Hirsch said.

“It’s just banter,” Wilson assured him.

“Coward,” Lowen said, smiling.

“Speaking of which, my friend Hart is back in the bar, holding a beer for me,” Wilson said. “Care to join us?” He jerked a thumb back at the four soldiers, still prone on the deck. “I tried to buy them beers, but they refused. Now look at them.”

“I think we’ll join you,” Hirsch said. “If only out of self-defense.”

“Wise,” Wilson said. “Very wise.”

“You wanted to see me,” Abumwe said to Coloma.

“Yes,” Coloma said. “I’m sorry to take you away from your commitments.”

“You didn’t,” Abumwe said. “I had scheduled an hour to eat and relax. This is it. And after forty minutes of a delegate from Kenya explaining to me how that country should be given Earth Station, on account of the space elevator having its base in Nairobi, anything you have to say to me will be a stream of clear rationality by comparison.”

“I’ve been drafted,” Coloma said.

“I withdraw my previous assertion,” Abumwe said. “What do you mean, drafted?”

Coloma showed Abumwe her PDA, open to the order from the CDF. “The Colonial Defense Forces, with permission from the Department of State, has at least temporarily classified the Clarke as a CDF ship, and has at least temporarily drafted me into the service. Same rank, and I share a joint designation as captain with the Colonial Union’s civilian service, so none of my crew has to be drafted to follow my orders. I’ve also been ordered to keep this drafting, and the new designation for the Clarke, in strict secrecy.”

“You’re telling me,” Abumwe observed.

“No, I’m not,” Coloma said.

“Understood,” Abumwe said.

“Whatever this is involves you and your people,” Coloma said. “Orders or not, you need to know.”

“Why do you think the CDF has done this?” Abumwe asked.

“Because I think they expect something,” Coloma said. “We sacrificed the Clarke at Danavar-the former Clarke -when someone set a trap for the Utche. We don’t know who. This ship was used by the CDF to try to ferret out a spy in their own ranks, unsuccessfully. When the Earth delegation came onto the ship, one of their own murdered another of their own, and tried to frame us for it, for reasons that have never been made clear to us. And then there was the Urse Damay, which fired on us when we were meeting with the Conclave, and controlled by forces unknown.”

“We’re not to blame for any of those,” Abumwe said. “Those weren’t about us in particular.”

“No, of course not,” Coloma agreed. “We’ve been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But in each case some outside, unknown group has been manipulating events for their own purpose. The same group? Separate groups? If separate, working together or apart? And to what end? And now we’re here, meeting with representatives from Earth. We know there’s still a spy within the CDF. We know that on Earth, someone is also pulling strings.”

“And if either is going to make a statement or an action, this would be the time and the place,” Abumwe concluded.

Coloma nodded. “Even more so because the Colonial Defense Forces have no ships at Earth Station and no personnel, other than Lieutenant Wilson.”

“And now you,” Abumwe said.

“Right,” Coloma said. “My primary orders are to pay close attention to any incoming ships. They’ve given me a schedule of every ship, from the Colonial Union or elsewhere, that is expected at Earth Station in the next ninety-six hours. They’ve also given me access to Earth Station’s flight control systems, so I can track ship communications. If anything looks suspicious, I’m to alert Earth Station and ping a drone they’ve placed at skip distance, which will immediately skip back to Phoenix Station.”

“There’s the possibility that the threat might come from Earth, not outside of it,” Abumwe said. “The beanstalk to Earth Station has been bombed before. There are riots happening on Earth right now because of this summit and the CDF. Any of that could be cover for an event.”

“It’s possible, but I don’t think that’s the CDF’s main concern. I think whoever it is that’s modeling this over there thinks an attack from a ship is the likely play,” Coloma said.

“What makes you sure?” Abumwe asked.

“Because the CDF gave me something else besides orders,” Coloma said.

“So what the hell is the Colonial Union really up to?” Lowen asked Wilson. They, Schmidt and Hirsch were on their third round together at the bar.

Wilson smiled and leaned back in his chair. “This is the place where I’m supposed to feign surprise and exclaim that the Colonial Union is acting only from the best and purest motives, right?”

“Smart-ass,” Lowen said.

Wilson raised his glass to her. “You know me so well,” he said.

“It’s a serious question, though,” Lowen said.

“I know,” Wilson said. “And my serious answer is that you know as much about it as I do.” He motioned to Schmidt. “As either of us does.”

“We got our new directives about an hour before we set foot on Earth Station,” Schmidt said. “We were taken as much by surprise on this as you folks were.”

“Why would you do it that way?” Hirsch asked. “I’m not a diplomat, so I might be missing out on some deep-level chess moves, but it seems like you guys are flying by the seat of your pants, here.”

“That’s what it’s supposed to look like,” Lowen said. “Spring the idea of leasing the station here on the delegations from Earth to disrupt their plans to act in concert addressing legitimate grievances they have with the Colonial Union. Spring it on the actual diplomats from the Colonial Union so they don’t have any real authority to do anything other than listen to the Earth delegations grovel for a shot at the station lease. Change the conversation and change the direction of how Earth sees the Colonial Union. No, David, it’s supposed to look like confusion. But I’d bet you long odds that the Colonial Union’s been planning this little strategy for a long time. And for right now it’s working exactly how they wanted it to.” She drank from her beer.

“Sorry,” Wilson said.

“I don’t blame you, ” Lowen said. “You’re just a tool like all the rest of us are. Although you seem to be having more fun than most at this point.”

“He’s been drinking beer and beating up people,” Schmidt said. “What’s not to like?”

“This from a man who hid at the bar while I was taking on four guys at once,” Wilson said.

“You told me to go,” Schmidt said. “I was just following orders.”

“And anyway, Captain Hirsch here and I will be doing some very important business tomorrow,” Wilson said.